No fireworks for Israeli Independence Day celebrations over PTSD concerns

 Israel marks 74 years since its creation on Thursday, and festivities begin the night before

Israel’s raucous Independence Day celebrations will be a little quieter this year. Although fireworks are typically a mainstay at parties across the country, this year many of the glittering yet noisy displays have been cancelled over concerns by some military veterans who say the cracking and banging dredges up the horrors of battle, especially for those with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The barrage of fireworks is the same as a burst of gunfire for us, Ehud Amiton, a former soldier with PTSD who has worked to cancel the firework displays, told Israeli Army Radio Monday. We don’t oppose the celebrations, we oppose the noise. Israel marks 74 years since its creation on Thursday, and festivities begin the night before.

The country’s main ceremony in Jerusalem, which usually boasts a grandiose fireworks finale will instead hold a silent pyrotechnic show. The seaside metropolis of Tel Aviv, where residents climb to rooftops to watch the glittering display, has also scrapped fireworks this year. Israel’s Culture Minister Chili Tropper announced last month that he was siding with the veterans, saying it was Israel’s duty to respect the former fighters and recognize their struggle with PTSD, especially as the country marks its Independence Day….Read More

Unlock 3: Night curfew ends, no schools till August 31, gyms can reopen

The goverment ignored demands by cinema hall owners for reopening. Theatres, bars, and places of congregation will also remain shut

Current Affairs: The Centre on Wedenesday issued fresh guidelines as part of ‘Unlock 3’ — the Covid-19-related lifting of restrictions — which scrapped night curfew and allowed gyms and yoga institutes to reopen from August 5. The goverment ignored demands by cinema hall owners for reopening. Theatres, bars, and places of congregation will also remain shut.

As part of ‘Unlock 2’, night curfew was in place from 10 pm to 5 am. This has now been done away with. The move will allow shops, malls, and other establishments to remain open after 10 pm, but not many in the industry were enthused by the relaxation given the poor sales. Other restrictions continue, at least till August 31.

Schools, colleges, and coaching institutes will continue to remain shut. There will be no international air travel or metro rail services either. All other large congregations, including political, social and cultural meetings, remain banned.

An exception has been made for the Independence day celebrations on August 15. The Ministry of Home Affairs had issued guidelines on July 21 for holding the celebrations by maintaining social distancing norms and keeping a check on the number of participants, at the Red Fort in the national capital, and in states and districts…Read More

Independence Day: Centre urges states to discourage use of plastic flags

An advisory issued by Centre said the national flag represents the hopes and aspirations of Indian people and hence occupies a position of honour

Ahead of the Independence Day, the Union Home Ministry on Monday issued an advisory to all Central, state and Union Territory departments to carry out mass awareness programmes to stop use of national flags made of plastic, and ensure strict compliance of the flag code.

The advisory directs the chief secretaries and administrators of all states and union territories as well as secretaries of all ministries and departments of the Central government to spread awareness through advertisements in electronic and print media urging people to use flags made of paper only, a Home Ministry statement said.

Independence Day 2018

“Flags made of paper only should be used by public in terms of the provisions of the ‘Flag Code of India, 2002’ and such flags should not be discarded or thrown on the ground after the event as per the ‘Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971,” said the statement, quoting the advisory.

“Since, plastic flags are not easily biodegradable like paper flags and these do not get decomposed for a long time … it should not be used.”

Reiterating that the national flag represents the hopes and aspirations of Indian people and hence occupies a position of honour, the advisory clarifies: “Such flags are to be disposed of in private, consistent with the dignity of the flag.”

Article Source : BS