Dede Sophie

PNG’s Deputy Commander for Highlands East Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop told the people of Simbu not to sell their votes as it is worth millions. Story and photographs by Police Media Officer Mr Andrew Philip in Kundiawa, Simbu Province Mr Tondop said this during the Joint Security Task Force (JSTF) awareness on violence free, fair, and peaceful 2022 national general election in Kundiawa, Simbu province last week. Mr Tondop told the people not to think about today only and sell their votes. He said think about their future, their children and the future generation coming after them. He said pray and seek good leaders from God because he would show them the best leaders. He said leadership is only appointed by God himself. Mr Tondop told the people to screen leaders properly and choose the best among the many candidates and send someone who can bring services back to the community, district, and the province. He said they need to elect leaders who are selfless and think about their

It was an important trading center for pepper, cassia and nutmeg between the 16th and the 19th century. It has stood the test of time in spite of countless battles. While there are many theories regarding its exact history, it is clear that it has seen the rule of Vijayanagara kings, Bijapur sultans, Keladi kings, the Marathas and the British. I am talking about the laterite rock structure called Mirjan Fort that is located by the banks of the Aghanashini river between Kumta and Gokarna in the Uttara Kannada region of Karnataka. While this 16th century monument enjoys a rich past, I like it for its vibrant green colour that it dons during the monsoon season. The high humidity, the bright sunshine and the consistent heavy showers ensures that moss takes over this reddish brown laterite rock structure and turns it into a green paradise that is surrounded by even more greenery. The swaying coconut palms, the tropical forests and the Western Ghats in the background complete this magical gr

This old world monkey endemic to the Western Ghats of South India was once on the world’s 25 most endangered primates list. Today, it is no more on this list and its numbers are slowly increasing to healthy numbers. And all thanks to simple, yet effective wildlife conservation efforts by the government, forest department, local authorities, wildlife enthusiasts, plantation owners, locals and others.   I am talking about the lion tailed macaque, an arboreal rainforest dweller who prefers the upper canopy of moist evergreen forests. There was a time when their numbers thrived along with the rest of the forest species. Then their forest habitat started fragmenting as humans started timber harvesting and building exotic plantations like tea, coffee, rubber, etc and villages on the edges of the forests started burgeoning into large towns, cities and hill stations. This led to a drop in their numbers. Lion tailed macaques were killed while crossing the highways and humans were either killi