Yakshagana Academy president M A Hegde passes away
Mangaluru, Apr 18: Karnataka Yakshagana Academy president, scholar and author M A Hegde died in Bengaluru early on Sunday.
He was 73.
Hegde is survived by wife, son and a daughter.
Hegde breathed his last while being taken to a hospital in the morning after developing breathing difficulties caused by coronavirus infection.
He was diagnosed with Covid-19 infection on April 13 and was in home isolation, sources said.
Hegde, who was a gifted Yakshagana stage artiste, had written over 15 Yakshagana prasangas (scripts) including 'Dharma Durantha', 'Seetha Viyoga', 'Jagruti',' Trishanku Charitre' and 'Sabarimale Ayyappan.'
He had also written books on the issues of Alankara Tatwa, Indian philosophy and Brahmasutra.
He was a Sanskrit scholar and had edited Yakshagana prasanga 'Aadi Parva.'
Hegde also served as a lecturer in Kadasiddeshwara Arts College and PP Jabin College, Hubballi.
He had also served in the capacity of Sanskrit lecturer later.
He was a native of Mandikoppa near Siddapura in Uttara Kannada district and retired as the principal of a college in Siddapura.
His last public programme was a Yakshagana workshop held at the St. Aloysius College here on April 10.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
