Category: 24buyonline update & News

Malta Coup: Bengal Farmers Strike Gold with Fruit Discovery

When Samar Sharma, a 52-year-old shop owner in Nadia district, Bengal, saw a YouTube video claiming that Malta farming could make you rich, he dove into research about this mysterious fruit.

Malta, resembling sweet lime but with a unique ring, is primarily found in Uttarakhand, India, and is known as “siki musambi” in West Bengal.

Samar quickly transitioned from virtual curiosity to action. A friend offered him 5.5 bighas of land to grow malta, citing its exponential fruit-bearing growth, which promised millionaire status.

Inspired by Samar, Bengal farmers began cultivating maltas and selling saplings sourced from Uttarakhand.

Samar’s videos highlighted malta’s rapid growth, maintenance, returns, and local demand, attracting other farmers.

Farming videos abound on YouTube, covering various topics, including success stories and tutorials. Samar’s success led to selling 2,500 saplings to farmers across Bengal.

While Bengal’s malta farming is young, Uttarakhand has a rich history. Harvested green in Bengal, the fruit is nutritious.

Samar Sharma, Saktipada Sarkar, Kuntal Ghosh, Sirajus Salekin, and Firoj Akhtar transitioned to malta farming, lured by social media.

Salekin, near Bangladesh, turned to Nadia for saplings after failing in Bangladesh.

Ghosh, in Alipurduar, favored malta for its lower investment and longer tree lifespan.

Akhtar, a mango farmer, shifted to malta due to lower costs and faster returns. Samar Sharma turned a Rs 1.5 lakh investment in 2022 into Rs 14 lakh the next year.

However, not all YouTube advice proved reliable; Sarkar lost plants to a foreigner’s spray mixture.

Milan Fashion Week: Benetton’s diverse collection blends floral and fruity patterns, bridging generations.

Milan Fashion Week’s second day carried on amid a persistent rain, predominantly showcasing women’s fashion for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. Here’s a glimpse of how Milan’s designers are keeping the warmth of the season in focus:

Peter Hawkings made his runway debut as the creative director of the Tom Ford brand in Milan, marking a full-circle return to the place where he began his journey with Tom Ford at Gucci 25 years ago. Entering the world of Tom Ford, fashion enthusiasts walked on plush champagne-colored carpets that exuded luxury. Models confidently strutted in stiletto heels, sporting shorts paired with tailored jackets, flaunting their figures in form-fitting, floor-length dresses, and donning seductive velvet suits complemented by silk shirts with the iconic Tom Ford plunging neckline.

Hawkings openly acknowledged that his design philosophy draws heavily from the 25 years he spent alongside Ford, who handed over the reins last April. “The design ethos is deeply ingrained in me,” he commented backstage. The collection drew inspiration from Donyale Luna, a Detroit-born Black supermodel who served as a muse to Andy Warhol and Richard Avedon. However, Hawkings pointed out that his wife, Whitney, equally embodies the quintessential Tom Ford woman, one with strong convictions. The couple first crossed paths during their time at Gucci.

“I run everything by her. She will tell me whether she loves something, hates something, how it fits, how comfortable it is. I can’t try the clothes on, but she can. And she can give me constant feedback,” he explained. Whitney wiped away tears after the show, expressing, “I feel hugely emotional about the whole thing. It’s like going back, but it’s a huge step forward. It’s a lot going on. It’s family after all.”

Moschino temporarily passed the torch to four prominent female stylists as the brand celebrated its 40th anniversary in homage to its late founder, Franco Moschino. Fashion designer Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele crafted a versatile collection that embraced high-low fashion, suitable for any woman and any occasion. Gabriella Karefa-Johnson infused a dose of high-energy hip-hop style into her looks, featuring ruffled tiered skirts, denim, and granny squares, all with size-inclusivity in mind.

Lucia Liu channeled Moschino’s romantic vision, concluding her collection with a cake-topper dress adorned with layers of pink bows, rosettes, and boas, perfect for a Barbie-inspired moment. Katie Grand unleashed a playful side with dancewear, featuring leotards adorned with humorous graphics and cutouts, exaggerated tutus, and ironic slogans like “Loud Luxury.” Her models, all professional dancers, brought the runway to life with a lively, irreverent routine.

The highlights of Audemars Piguet’s new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar watch.

Introducing the latest Audemars Piguet timepiece, and it’s all about the color blue. But not your ordinary navy or subtle teal shade. This is a striking electric blue that commands attention. It’s the kind of watch that boasts an exclusive VIP waitlist, the type you’d spot on the wrists of front-row spectators or adorning the arm of an award-winning celebrity. Since the iconic ‘Royal Oak’ celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year, the world has witnessed a whirlwind of new watch releases, and it’s been nothing short of a horological celebration. Now, let’s delve into what makes this newest blue beauty so special.

Big on blue

This is the first time we’ve ever seen a ‘Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar’ with a 41mm dial available in full blue. And, when we say full, we mean full. No surface has been spared. This includes the brand’s signature grid-like dial and the sub-dials (showcasing the day, date, week, month, leap year and moon-phase) also in, you guessed it, blue. There’s only one exception to the tone-on-tone effect: the 18k white gold hands and hour markers. We’ll let that slide for now.

Not just any ceramic

While Audemars Piguet is tight-lipped about the exact composition of their ceramic (this is their secret sauce) we do know that the fruits of their (ceramic) labor is an ultra-light and scratch-proof material that does not disappoint. For this particular model Zirconium Oxide powder is baked, binded and machined to create the magical hue. During manufacturing things get real hot with temperatures hitting more than 1400°C on the thermostat.

Size matters

This piece is so sleek and slender that it’s hard to believe all the mechanics of a perpetual calendar fit inside. Measuring a mere 9.5mm thick, this really is a case of less is more. Fitted with a self-winding Calibre 5134 movement that is packed into 4.3 mm, Audemars Piguet prides itself in producing some of the thinnest guys in the watchmaking biz.

Gadget addiction and hypertension pose a dual burden on young adults in today’s technology-driven era, increasing their susceptibility to other non-communicable diseases, medical experts warn. Dr. Rajpal Singh, Director of Interventional Cardiology at Fortis Hospital, notes that a sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep habits, and excessive use of electronic devices like smartphones and tablets contribute to hypertension, a condition observed in three out of ten young adult patients he sees daily.

To address this concerning trend, doctors emphasize the importance of raising awareness about the health risks associated with gadget addiction and promoting a balanced lifestyle among young adults. On World Hypertension Day, they highlight various factors contributing to the rising cases of hypertension among youngsters, including excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, chronic stress, sedentary behavior, and obesity.

Dr. Brunda MS, Consultant in Internal Medicine at Aster CMI Hospital, underscores the significance of addressing hypertension, often referred to as a “silent killer.” It is a leading cause of heart-related ailments, affecting 1.28 billion adults worldwide. The extensive use of technology has recently emerged as a significant contributing factor to hypertension.

Dr. HS Shashidhar, who established a rural digital detox center in Gauribidanur, Karnataka, reports that cases of phone addiction are the most common among their patients, with 4-5 daily consultations. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can affect individuals of all ages, particularly young people. Medical professionals advise adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes reducing alcohol and tobacco consumption, engaging in physical activity, ensuring sufficient sleep, and undergoing regular health checkups.