Friday, May 31, 2013

A ride between life and death





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/a-ride-between-life-and-death/article4769981.ece

New maths criterion accelerates fall in quality of engineering colleges





The government decision to admit students having 45 per cent marks in mathematics in Plus Two for B. Tech programmes in the new academic year is likely to worsen the already poor pass percentage in engineering colleges across the State.


Experts have warned that the standards of engineering education would be adversely affected in the coming years, thanks to the dilution in the norms for admission to B. Tech programmes.


K.P. P. Pillai, former Executive Secretary of Indian Society for Technical Education, said the quality of student intake would go down considerably following the decision to fix the eligibility criterion for mathematics in the Plus Two examination at 45 per cent.


“In a B. Tech programme, an aspirant is supposed to build up on maths skills acquired at Plus-Two level. Engineering students have to learn applied mechanics, which has lot of mathematics component, and engineering graphics that tests their conceptual ability. A poor student in maths will find it really tough to clear these papers,” he said.


M. Mahadevan, who had served as principal of the government engineering colleges in Kannur, Kottayam and Barton Hill in Thiruvananthapuram, pointed out that a student pursuing the higher secondary course in the State who got 180 out of 200 marks in continuous evaluation and for the practical examinations (taken together for physics, chemistry and mathematics) needed only 120 out of 400 marks in the written examinations to meet the eligibility criterion, which was 300 out of 600 till last year.


“With the minimum bar lowered to 45 per cent, the situation would turn worse. We should realise the fact that about 80 per cent of the higher secondary students in the maths group get 180 or more out of 200 in continuous evaluation and for the practical examinations. Out of the 120 in the written examinations, about 30 marks are obtained in the process of moderation. Actually a student who gets 90 out of 400 (22.5 per cent, without moderation) for the theory papers taken together is eligible to appear for the entrance examination,” he said.


Prof. Mahadevan said a student had to appear for 45 theory papers and 10 laboratory examinations for an engineering degree course. “The pass mark is 50 per cent comprising theory and sectional marks. If a student fails in all nine papers after the first year, he/she must join some other course, which is not as strenuous as engineering, he said. P.S. Sreejith, Principal of School of Engineering at Cochin University of Science and Technology, said the declining intake quality was a major reason for the poor pass percentage in engineering colleges. “For instance, there are several colleges where the pass percentage of B. Tech Information Technology course was less than 15 per cent in the final year,” he said.


More In: Kochi







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/new-maths-criterion-accelerates-fall-in-quality-of-engineering-colleges/article4769967.ece

Battle of the sexes





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/battle-of-the-sexes/article4769054.ece

Can't touch this





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/cant-touch-this/article4769055.ece

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Thimmappa to be elected Speaker





Kagodu Timmappa who won from Sagar Assembly Constituency. Photo Vaidya




Senior Congress leader Kagodu Thimmappa will, in all likelihood, be elected Speaker unopposed, as he is the only candidate to have filed nomination papers for the post when the process came to a close on Thursday. Mr. Thimmappa will be declared elected on Friday during the ongoing session of the Assembly. A former Minister, Mr. Thimmappa (82) was elected MLA from Sagar in Shimoga district.



Keywords: Kagodu Thimmappa



More In: Karnataka | National








via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/thimmappa-to-be-elected-speaker/article4766596.ece

Woman dies of dengue





Balkis Banu (45) of Shanthinagar in Tumkur city died of dengue at Shifa Hospital in Bangalore on Wednesday.


Balkis Banu was admitted to Shridevi Nursing home and was treated there for four days. She was discharged on Tuesday evening and shifted to Bangalore where she died. Taluk Medical officer A. Thippeswamy told The Hindu that Balkis Banu was suffering from dengue, brain infection, and diabetes.


From January 2013, 23 cases of dengue have been reported from Tumkur district.



Keywords: dengue death



More In: Karnataka | National







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/woman-dies-of-dengue/article4768519.ece

Launch of DBT in Mysore postponed till July 1





The rollout of the Aadhaar-linked Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for LPG in Mysore district has been put off till July 1, 2013.


Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha told The Hindu that this was consequent to the prevalence of the Election Code of Conduct till June 3 in Periyapatna Assembly constituency in the district which went to polls on May 28, and the results of which will be declared on May 31.


However, the process of seeding the Aadhaar numbers with the LPG consumer numbers and bank account is continuing. So far, out of 5,02,265 LPG consumers in the district, Aadhaar numbers of 3,89,298 consumers had been matched. This is almost 78 per cent of the total consumer base. Out of these, the bank account of 2,81,416 consumers has been seeded with their Aadhaar numbers.



More In: Karnataka | National







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/launch-of-dbt-in-mysore-postponed-till-july-1/article4766696.ece

Vani Vilas under scanner after baby’s death





A 20-day-old baby’s death in the State-run Vani Vilas Hospital on Wednesday morning brought Health Minister U.T. Khader and Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Rudrappa Patil there on Thursday to warn the hospital staff of action if any patient was denied timely treatment.


After visiting the paediatric wards, labour ward and the neonatal intensive care unit, Mr. Patil told The Hindu: “There is a lot of scope for improvement at the hospital. There is no shortage of infrastructure but the staff needs to utilise the services properly. We will develop the hospital in a systematic way.”


The baby, suffering from severe meningitis and internal haemorrhage and referred by a Chickballapur hospital, was brought by her parents Susheela and Venkatesh to Vani Vilas on Wednesday morning.


Forced to admit


“As we have only three ventilators and with all the three being put to use, we asked the parents to take the baby to Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health. As they refused, we were forced to admit the baby today. However, the baby died on Thursday,” a hospital staff said.


When Mr. Rudrappa Patil was asked about shortage of ventilators, he said tenders for procuring ventilators had been floated but there was some problem in the procurement process, which would be attended to shortly.


Meanwhile sources in the hospital said that the ministers had given them a six-month deadline to improve the situation. The hospital will be under the scanner and authorities would be conduct inspections, the source said.



More In: Bangalore







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/vani-vilas-under-scanner-after-babys-death/article4766884.ece

Talikoti is Lokayukta Registrar





The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday transferred 93 judicial officers. Of these 93, a new appointment was been made for the post of Registrar, Karnataka Lokayukta. Rachappa Kuberappa Talikoti, who was the Presiding Officer, Fast Track Court at Bhadravati, will take charge as Registrar, Lokayukta, on Friday.


Earlier, B. Yoginath, a retired district judge who was appointed as Additional Registrar (Enquiries) of the Lokayukta, also held the post of in-charge Registrar. Despite the Finance Department’s advice against the appointment of Mr. Yoginath on contract, his services had been retained for at least six years. On October 3, 2011, Mr. Yoginath was made in-charge Registrar when Lokayukta’s post was vacant. The Hindu had reported on the matter.



More In: Bangalore







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/talikoti-is-lokayukta-registrar/article4766881.ece

Day in pictures





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/day-in-pictures/article4768428.ece

Gas project in limbo






TOPICS

Kerala


Kochi





Kochi’s dream of joining the growing league of cities with piped natural gas continues to be in deep freezer for nearly three years after the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) invited bids for building city gas distribution network in Ernakulam.


Though the regulatory board cancelled the invitation for bids in November 2011, nothing has moved since then allegedly because the State government has not taken any initiative to move the project ahead even after a joint venture called Kerala GAIL Gas Limited was forged in September 2011.


A senior official of the industries department said the application for building the network for piped gas in Ernakulam district had been pending with the regulatory board and only pressure from the State government can push the project forward.


The official admitted that the key reason for PNGRB not acting on the application was because natural gas was not yet available in Kochi. However, if the infrastructure is in place it would be possible to provide piped gas by the time the first consignment of the fuel arrives in Kochi, possibly at the end of July this year.


GAIL India Limited, which has partnered Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation in forming the joint venture, has already laid 40 km of pipeline in phase I of the project for distribution of natural gas to industrial concerns that include FACT and Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited. The joint venture was established to explore the opportunities for providing both piped gas and compressed gas for motor vehicles.



More In: Kochi







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/gas-project-in-limbo/article4766951.ece

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Sports in Pictures





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/sports-in-pictures/article4762643.ece

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Day in pictures





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/day-in-pictures/article4762122.ece

Monday, May 27, 2013

Kaleidoscope: Kerala





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/kids/kaleidoscope-kerala/article4755752.ece

Revenge of the wasp





One day, I saw a couple of wasps hovering near the window of my room. I went to check it out and saw that they were flying toward the right top corner of the windowpane, where they had built a nest. I was shocked and called my dad, who came with a stick and knocked it down.


A few days later I saw that the wasps were attempting to make a nest all over again. I was annoyed and called my dad, who, instead of a stick, used one of my rulers this time.


That night, as I was sleeping, I felt something small and fuzzy near my left arm. I tried to move it away. When I tried to clasp it, it stung my hand! I realised it was a wasp and screamed. In a short time, my hand swelled up. It burned and went numb. Alarmed, I went to the bathroom and washed my arm. I was relieved to see that there was no blood, but it did take some time for the pain to recede. Not knowing what else to do, I went back to sleep.


The next day when I woke up, I was glad to see that my hand was back to normal. But when I moved the curtain of my window, I saw the wasps building their nest in the same place yet again!


Shreya Shankar, X, Christ Nagar English HSS, Kowdiar



More In: Young World | Features







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/kids/revenge-of-the-wasp/article4755755.ece

Kaleidoscope: North India





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/kids/kaleidoscope-north-india/article4755774.ece

Kaleidoscope: North Kannada





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/kids/kaleidoscope-north-kannada/article4755756.ece

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Sports in pictures





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/sports-in-pictures/article4755384.ece

News in pictures





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/news-in-pictures/article4755379.ece

Day in pictures





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/day-in-pictures/article4755375.ece

Sensex up 101 points in early trade





The BSE benchmark Sensex on Monday rose over 101 points in early trade on the back of buying by funds in oil and gas, consumer durables, PSU and metal stocks despite a weak trend in the Asian region.


The 30-share barometer gained 101.27 points, or 0.51 per cent, to 19,805.60 points. The index had gained 30 points in the previous session.


Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 31.10 points, or 0.52 per cent, to 6,014.65.


Brokers said buying by funds in Reliance Industries and other heavy-weight stocks and some short-covering by speculators, mainly influenced the trading sentiment.


They said, however, a weakening trend on the other Asian bourses, limited the gains.


Stocks of Reliance Industries spurted by 3.60 per cent to Rs. 816.30 after company announced a huge natural gas discovery, possibly the biggest find ever, in the flagging eastern offshore KG-D6 block that will be key to arresting falling output.


Coal India stocks also up by 1.13 per cent at Rs. 313.85 ahead of quarter earnings.


Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei was fell over 3 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 0.11 per cent in early trade on Monday.



More In: Markets | Business







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/business/markets/sensex-up-101-points-in-early-trade/article4755365.ece

Three killed as private bus rams autorickshaw





Three passengers were killed while two more sustained injuries when the auto-rickshaw in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding private bus at Beeramguda in Ramachandrapuram of Medak on city outskirts on Monday.


The three-wheeler was proceeding from Ramachandrapuram to Beerumguda when the oncoming bus rammed into it around 6 am, Ramachandrapuram DSP Madhusudhan Reddy said. The driver of the bus which was coming in the wrong direction was detained, Mr. Reddy said.



More In: Hyderabad







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/three-killed-as-private-bus-rams-autorickshaw/article4755327.ece

Bomb explodes at Bangkok market, 7 injured





Police say a bomb put inside a garbage bag exploded at a street market in Thailand’s capital and injured seven people.


Police Col. Narongrit Promsawat said the explosion slightly injured seven people and damaged merchandise stalls at the market Sunday night. It happened in a residential area in front of a barber shop and across from Ramkhamhaeng University.


Forensic scientists say the bomb was made of nails and other materials but they have not verified what set off the explosion.


Mr. Narongrit said the area was prone to violence from school gang rivalry and a suspect might have disposed of the bomb in the trash to avoid a search by the police.


No one has been arrested.



More In: International | News







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/bomb-explodes-at-bangkok-market-7-injured/article4755293.ece

Barriers to be fortified to check seawater intrusion





The Hindu Several houses in South Chellanam were flooded in the high tide on Saturday. - Photo: Thulasi Kakkat




The Chellanam panchayat authority will strengthen the granite barriers, especially in South Chellanam, to prevent intrusion of seawater in the wake of the monsoon.


Panchayat president K.P. Thankachan said work would begin on Monday in view of the inundation of nearly 50 houses in pre-monsoon showers on Friday and Saturday.


He said besides granite walls, the panchayat would also build sandbag barriers to ensure houses were not flooded because of intrusion of seawater. He said there were gaps in some sections of the granite wall near Vattakkal, the fishing harbour and near St. Mary’s High School. These would be rectified and sandbag barriers erected.


The panchayat president said despite the presence of sea walls, seawater intrusion was a usual experience during the monsoon. On Friday and Saturday the sea was extremely rough, bellowing out huge waves that ate into the land area regularly during the day.



More In: Kochi







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/barriers-to-be-fortified-to-check-seawater-intrusion/article4753852.ece

Manufacturing projects in Ernakulam to be selected





In a bid to encourage entrepreneurship and promote manufacturing sector, the government is offering interest free loans to prospective entrepreneurs. Under a scheme, launched two years ago by the Kerala State Entrepreneurship Development Mission, over 400 projects have been selected in the State. A preliminary selection of prospective projects under the scheme in Ernakulam will be done this week.


The project is being implemented by the Mission in association with the District Industries Centre, Kerala Financial Corporation and banks. Various banks including the lead bank of the district, Union Bank of India, will provide loans to selected enterprises.


The district selection committee comprising officials representing the Mission, KFC and DIC will conduct an interactive programme in Kochi on May 29 to screen the projects. The candidates applying under the scheme should be in the 18-40 age group and should not have a permanent job. The selected projects would be forwarded to financing entities for approval.


The scheme envisages partnership firms with a minimum of two partners. Those who have passed Plus Two vocational courses or acquired relevant technical qualifications, in the 18-40 age group, can approach the selection board with their proposals. The scheme envisages funding up to 90 per cent of the project cost. The interest-free loan could be repaid in equal instalments after a 12-month gestation period. It will be the responsibility of entrepreneurs to get land for the project.


Over 70 projects out of 430 selected projects have started functioning in the State and over 300 are progressing, according to a senior KFC official associated with the project in Ernakulam. The selected personnel will be given training by the lead bank which operates a training centre in Perumbavoor, aimed at helping entrepreneurship. Some of the projects which have been launched under the scheme include printed personal computer boards, automobile wheel alignment and steel furniture, the official said.



More In: Kochi







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/manufacturing-projects-in-ernakulam-to-be-selected/article4753853.ece

The bloody trail of Maoist ambush





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-bloody-trail-of-maoist-ambush/article4752839.ece

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Attack on couple: three youths held





Three youths were arrested on Saturday in connection with the attack on a couple inside a KSRTC bus at Muvattupuzha.


Those arrested were Sabarish, Deepu and Sreejith, all aged 22 years.


Remanded


The police are in search of three more persons in this connection. The arrested three were produced before the Kothamangalam court and remanded in judicial custody.


The couple were attacked after the husband entered into a verbal duel with a 50-year-old man who allegedly misbehaved with his wife.


The police team that questioned the passengers in the bus has learnt that the man, whose identity is yet to be revealed by the police, accidentally touched the woman while boarding the bus.


But the husband was furious and showered abuse on the man, following which the latter called the youngsters. The man will be charged with abetment, said police sources.


The youths assaulted the husband and he had to be admitted to the Kolenchery Medical College with a broken nose.


The incident occurred when the bus reached Muvattupuzha bus depot at 7.50 p.m. on Thursday.


RSS activists


All the accused involved in the incident are learnt to be activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the senior person is believed to be a State-level leader of the organisation. Members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) took out a march in Muvattupuzha on Friday in protest against alleged attempt on the part of the police to help the accused.



More In: Kochi







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/attack-on-couple-three-youths-held/article4750888.ece

Judgement of Paris







Can Djokovic dethrone the King of Clay



More In: Tennis | Sport






via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/tennis/judgement-of-paris/article4750851.ece

A golden voice falls silent





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/a-golden-voice-falls-silent/article4750457.ece

Sports in pictures





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/sports-in-pictures/article4750424.ece

Jawan killed, another injured in mine blast on LoC in Poonch





An army jawan was killed and another got injured when a land mine exploded near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.


Lance Naik Naresh Kumar was killed on the spot and another jawan got injured when they stepped over the mine along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district last night, a Defence spokesman said here on Saturday.


The two victims were part of Road Opening Party (ROP) when the incident took place, he said, adding body of Mr. Kumar will be sent to his native place in Haryana after completion of all formalities.


The injured jawan has been hospitalised, he added.




More In: Other States | National | News







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/jawan-killed-another-injured-in-mine-blast-on-loc-in-poonch/article4749914.ece

Friday, May 24, 2013

Puns intended





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/puns-intended/article4749448.ece

Over 2,000 students throng The Hindu Education Plus Fair





The Hindu D. Shantharam (left), Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University and G. Viswanathan, Vice-Chancellor VIT University, interacting with students at the fair in Chennai on Friday. Photo: V. Ganesan




The ninth edition of The Hindu Education Plus Career Fair attracted more than 2,000 students on the inaugural day at the Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam here on Friday.


The two-day fair will have 11 sessions in all. On the first day, sessions on medicine, engineering, software and core engineering were held and the second day will be dedicated for arts and science, media, law, environment studies, defence and civil services.


One of the key attractions is the free ‘Psychometric Test’. Over 800 students have registered for it, which is also open on Saturday, said G. Satishkumar, Associate Vice President, Advertisement (South), The Hindu.


Students will have to fill up a questionnaire. It is a group test. Depending on the grades they score in the test, students will be given an analysis.


“ It will tell their strengths and weaknesses and depending on their strength they can choose their career,” Mr Satishkumar added.


Inaugurating the fair, Prof. D. Shantaram, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, said the role of education was to enhance knowledge and empowerment. In the past, not many opportunities were available for the students. Now, in the era of technical development, several opportunities await the students. Parents should not limit their children to learn, he said.


G. Viswanathan, Founder Vice-Chancellor, Vellore Institute of Technology, said not all students get the opportunity to take up higher education.


Of the total student population in the country, only 18 per cent go for higher education, he said.


He said the country needed a total of six lakh seats in medicine alone. At present, only 45,000 were available. The situation had forced several students to opt for foreign universities, he pointed out.










via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/over-2000-students-throng-the-hindu-education-plus-fair/article4746856.ece

Earthquake hits Russia's Far East





A powerful earthquake has hit Russia’s Far East with slight tremors spreading westwards as far as Moscow.


Marina Kolomiyets, spokeswoman for Obninsk’s seismic station of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said on Friday the epicenter was in the Sea of Okhotsk, east of the Russian coast and north of Japan. She said the quake registered 8.0 on the Richter scale.


Emergency agencies in the Far East issued a tsunami warning for Sakhalin and the Kuril islands, but lifted it soon afterwards.


Ms. Kolomiyets said the earthquake originated 600 kilometers underground and with the tremors so far down they have the potential to spread quite far.


Tremors were felt in central Moscow, prompting some people to evacuate from buildings.


Russian news agencies also cited eyewitnesses reporting strong tremors across Siberia.



More In: International | News | World







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/earthquake-hits-russias-far-east/article4745686.ece

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Businessman with pistols keeps Chennai on edge





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/businessman-with-pistols-keeps-chennai-on-edge/article4742721.ece

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Vinodh Rai, an officer and a gentleman





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/vinodh-rai-an-officer-and-a-gentleman/article4739998.ece

Alaindair shines





Alaindair, Kentucky Rose, Decathlon, Sherman Oaks and Apparition shone when the horses were exercised here on Wednesday morning (May 22).


Inner sand:


600m: Skylight Express (Neeraj) 40. Shaped well.


1,400m: Tina’s Touch (Vivek), Narnia (rb) 1-36.5, (1,400-600) 51. Former finished distance ahead. Amelia (Zervan) 1-36, 1,200/1-23, 1,000/1-10, 600/41.5. Moved with plenty in hand.


Outer sand:


600m: Sherman Oaks (rb) 41. Moved fluently. Trance (Neeraj) 45. Easy. Ray Of Light (Harinder), Vijays Grandeour (trainer) 44. They finished level. Super Excited (Khurshad) 43. Strode out well. Will Star (Ashok Kumar) 43. Moved impressively. Coral Springs (rb) 44. In fine condition.


1,000m: Par Excellence (rb), Half Moon Bay (Kuldeep) 1-14, 600/42.5. They pleased. Kentucky Rose (Chary) 1-13, 600/41.5. Impressed. Decathlon (A. Joshi) 1-10, 600/43.5. In pink of condition. Balance Of Nature (Jagadeesh) 1-11.5, 600/41.5. Moved attractively. Alaindair (Christopher) 1-9, 600/41. A pleasing display. Spark Of Diablo (Christopher) 1-14, 600/45. Moved freely. Viva Diva (Arshad), Benedict (rb) 1-16.5, 600/43.5. Former finished four lengths ahead. Wind Surfer (I. Chisty) 1-14.5, 600/41. Moved fluently. All Proof (I. Chisty) 1-16.5, 600/43.5. Shaped well. Winged Foot (I. Chisty) 1-12.5, 600/42.5. Strode out well. I Say (Neeraj), Argiano (C. Alford) 1-11.5, 600/42.5. Latter started four lengths behind and finished level. Apparition (P. Trevor), Cherish (Vaibhav) 1-11.5, 600/42.5. Former started two lengths behind and finished level. Grey Connection (C. Alford) 1-14, 600/45. Stretched out well. Viktor (S. John), Principe (Mudassar) 1-15.5, 600/45.5. Former finished six lengths ahead. Mantra (C. Alford) 1-15, 600/45.5. Easy. Castle Stuart (S. John), Conquistador (P. Trevor) 1-14, 600/44. Former finished six lengths ahead. Queen Of The Stars (rb) 1-11.5, 600/43.5. Pleased. Stimulator (Rupesh), Optimistic (Neeraj) 1-15, 600/44.5. They moved freely.


1,200m: Tradition (Vaideeshwaran) 1-28, 1,000/1-13, 600/44.5. Moved well. Someone Special (Khurshad), Cheddar Face (R. Shelar) 1-31, 1,000/1-12.5, 600/42.5. Former finished eight lengths ahead. Cartagena (Arshad) 1-32, (1,200-600) 44. Easy. Wind Stream (Mrs. Silva) 1-31, (1,200-600) 43.5. Moved on the bit. Igah Igah Igah (Jagadeesh), Demand Draft (Noornabi) 1-29, 1,000/1-14.5, 600/46.5. They moved together. Lad King (P. Mani), Mark Of Genius (R. Pradeep) 1-29.5, 1,000/1-11, 600/43.5. Former finished two lengths ahead. Wind Wonder (Anjar), Vistabella (Selvaraj) 1-26.5, 1,000/1-12.5, 600/45. Former started three lengths behind and finished level. Ancient Wonder (I. Chisty) 1-30.5, 1,000/1-13.5, 600/44.5. Moved on the bit.


1,400m: Hot Stuff (Kiran Naidu) 1-47, (1,400-600) 58.5. Eased up. Jersey Shore (Ashok Kumar) 1-44.5, 1,200/1-27.5, 1,000/1-12, 600/43.5. Moved impressively. Rio Roja (N. Rawal) 1-45, 1,200/1-30, 1,000/1-15.5, 600/46.5. Moved freely. An Acquired Taste (rb), Alejor (rb) 1-44, 1,200/1-28.5, 1,000/1-12.5, 600/43. Former started three lengths behind and finished level. Gerome (Zervan), Acclaimed (C. Alford) 1-40.5, 1,200/1-26.5, 1,000/1-13.5, 600/45. Former started three lengths behind and finished level. Montezuma (Zervan), Hemisphere (C. Alford) 1-41.5, 1,200/1-28, 1,000/1-14.5, 600/45. They moved with plenty in hand. Ordered Steps (Asgar) 1-43.5, (1,400-600) 51. Fit for the fray.



Keywords: Bangalore races



More In: Races | Sport







via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/races/alaindair-shines/article4738939.ece

Myanmar outplays India in Women's Qualifiers






TOPICS

sport


soccer





The Indian women’s football team failed to overturn a two-goal deficit as it went down 0-2 to Myanmar in its first group ‘D’ encounter of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup (Qualifiers) here.


Myanmar rode on its two first half goals from Naw Phaw and Khin Moe Wai in the 5th and 26th minutes, respectively to beat India comfortably at the Faisal Al Husseini stadium here.


Myanmar came close to scoring another goal in the 27th minute but Yee Yee Oo’s effort hit the woodwork.


Even before India could settle down and get a feel of the artificial turf, Myanmar surged ahead.


The Indian women could not recover from the early shock in the first half. They put up a valiant effort in the second half, playing an attacking game but could not convert opportunities into goals.


Receiving a cross from winger Khin Moe Wai, the Myanmar forward, Naw Phaw did well to escape her marker and place her shot into the roof of the net to give her team early lead.


India had a golden opportunity to score an equaliser but striker Bala Devi failed to capitalise on a pass from former India captain Oinam Bembem Devi on top of the box in the 22nd minute. The striker from Manipur failed to connect.


Just when India seemed to have found its rhythm, which helped it do a double against Bahrain a week ago in two friendlies, Myanmar doubled the lead cashing in on the counter.


Moe Wai converted Than Than Htwe’s spadework from close range and it was 2-0 at halftime.


The Indian team shrugged off the burr under its saddle post the breather and looked more at ease on the artificial turf. It attacked with renewed vigour.


In the opening exchanges in the second half, Myanmar, playing a high line in the first half, was forced to drop deep as the likes of Bembem Devi and Kamala Devi made frequent inroads into the final third.


Myanmar attacked in phases, mostly attempting to increase the cushion from set pieces. It was literally defending in numbers switching from the initial 4-4-2 formation to a defensive 5-4-1.


India will next play Chinese Taipei.


In the first match of the tournament, Chinese Taipei blanked hosts Palestine 6-0 in the Group’s curtain-raiser.


Midfielder Lin Ya Han notched up a hat-trick, while Lin Kai Lin, Lai Li Chin and and Yu Hsiu Chin netted one each.



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Progressive ‘Evil’





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/nxg/progressive-evil/article4739124.ece

Oman’s free trade zone bullish on Indian investments





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/omans-free-trade-zone-bullish-on-indian-investments/article4739802.ece

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The spring’s back in his step





The Hindu William Deng Kau, former Sudanese minister for internal affairs (left) with Dr. S. Arumugam of Bharathirajaa Hospital. Photo: S.R. Raghunathan




The biggest upheaval in William Deng Kau’s life happened two weeks before schedule. As internal affairs minister in Sudan, and a South Sudanese himself, Mr. Kau was counting the days to the independence of South Sudan. And then, just two weeks before that date, his life changed; just not in the way he had anticipated it.


While all he will say is that he had a car accident sometime in June 2011, and that he could not remember anything else that happened then, his family speaks of how he was severely injured after an attempt on his life. Several bones were broken, including the right hip joint, and he was critically ill. “I wanted to come to Chennai then, because my mummy had been here for knee replacement and she was walking beautifully,” Mr. Kau says.


But Sudan’s chief doctor put paid to that desire. He refused to allow Mr. Kau to fly that far, and instead packed him off to a hospital in London, a month after he was injured. “Saving his life was crucial then,” says S. Arumugam, consultant, Joint Replacement, at Bharathirajaa Hospital. Dr. Arumugam already had a significant part in Mr. Kau’s life; he was the one who got his mother walking again. Mama Kau’s oldest son was in the Sudanese embassy in the United States and he linked with India to find a good surgeon for his mother: Dr. Arumugam emerged in the search.


In England, Mr. Kau was told doctors had saved his life and performed a ‘bi-polar hemi-arthoplasty’ on him. Meaning, he got a “half hip replacement,” among other things. But soon after, he found himself limping, and what began as slight pain in the hip progressed steadily. Then, Dr. Arumugam entered the picture. He was in Sudan on official work, and Mama Kau called him. Not only to show him that she could now jump, but also to get him to take a look at her son. A limp didn’t sit well with her son’s battle fatigues, and the pain was getting worse. “It was upsetting him, the fact that he had to limp. I examined him and found that the implant had shortened his leg by about an inch,” Dr. Arumugam says. The offending factor was the ball prosthesis sitting inside Mr. Kau’s right hip socket — it was smaller than necessary.


That is when Mr. Kau decided to cross the seas again, but this time, head eastwards. He landed at Bharathirajaa Hospital, here, last week, where his surgeon performed a total hip replacement surgery which ensured that both legs were restored to the same size. On the second day after surgery, and nearly two years after his original hip replacement in England, Mr. Kau found he was no longer limping.


He was able to walk soon after, and a week later, walks up and down staircases with ease. For a lark, he also does a limp, to show the indignity of it on him. And he says, with the aid of his translator, “When you go to London, you seen Indian doctors. So, why go there. We come to India. The costs? No comparison at all, England is just way more expensive.” Mr. Kau's now headed back home to South Sudan, which he says “will do good, given time.” After all, a nation takes a longer time than a man to walk on its own.



Keywords: William Deng Kau



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via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/the-springs-back-in-his-step/article4736904.ece

Public sector mall to come up in Kochi





Doing business is no more an anathema to a government regime. There is no harm in transacting business if revenue accrues to the government kitty seems the economic mantra of the government agencies.


Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Limited (RBDCK), a corporation fully owned by the State government, too is entering such a revenue generating model, with its initiative in the mall business sector.


RBDCK will begin the construction of a mall at Kakkanad, opposite Civil Station, a few kilometres away from the city’s IT hub, Infopark, and the emerging Smart City, on Thursday. The government has given permission to RBDCK to construct a mall in an acre of leased land. Expected to come up in three years at a cost of Rs.45 crore, the six-floor mall will accommodate RBDCK offices in the top floor. National or international retail giants can vie for a role in the competitive bidding to maintain the mall and operate business there.


RBDCK intends to avail itself of loans from banks or financial institutions. It also hopes to attract investment from private players. The corporation plans to complete the construction work of the 1.65 lakh square feet mall by 2016.


Hard-pressed to bring down revenue deficit, the government has given permission to the RBDCK proposal, which was floated after a study by Kitco. The location of the proposed mall is the key advantage of the new venture, according to a senior official. It is close to the intersection of the Sea Port-Airport Road and the civil lines road leading to Infopark and Pallikkara. It is a busy junction and hundreds of people visiting the civil station could be potential customers.


But RBDCK will not go into the nitty gritty of business, says A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, Managing Director of RBDCK. “A self-sustaining model is the aim. It will be for the operating entity to execute a successful model. The operator would be chosen through an open bidding in which national and international mall operators can participate. It will be for the incoming operator to devise methods and evaluate strategies for a coveted business model in a city which is getting crowded with malls."


The LuLu mall, one of the biggest in the country, and Oberon mall, another well known shopping venue are a few kilometres away from each other at Edappally. Apart from the Abad group’s Nucleus mall at Maradu, Bay Pride mall at Marine Drive, Gold Souk Grande at Vyttila, new ones are getting ready on MG Road, Maradu and other locations.


The government had been encouraging its agencies to find revenue generating models. The KSRTC has already set up shopping complexes at some of its bus stations. The modern shopping complex set up at Angamaly and the Revenue Tower near Ernakulam boat jetty are among such initiatives. Whether these new revenue generating models would bring the desired results or not, it is time for happy shopping for the denizens.



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via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/public-sector-mall-to-come-up-in-kochi/article4737017.ece

A city that can’t even find a way out of its waste heap





Lack of concrete efforts to assess the character of solid waste generated here and identify a suitable technology for processing remains a bottleneck in the government’s efforts to resolve the worsening garbage crisis.


Even though the Union government had laid out extensive guidelines for collection, transportation and disposal of municipal solid waste, neither the Kochi Corporation nor the State Pollution Control Board or the Suchitwa Mission has been able to carry out a scientific study before announcing a mega treatment plant worth over Rs. 500 crore at Brahmapuram.


Senior officials of the Suchitwa Mission admitted that there was no clarity on the technology to be adopted at the plant.


The waste-to-energy incineration method was placed on the backburner after the companies that came forward in the first round of tendering gave an unrealistic picture on electricity generation.


The Department of Urban Affairs has issued an order recommending the ‘Swiss challenge approach’, a competitive bidding process, for implementing the facility. No bidder will have a predefined advantage in this process. It also provides companies with considerable incentives to propose new ideas.


But experts have cautioned the authorities to first identify a suitable site and proper technology for the Brahmapuram plant. V. N. Sivasankara Pillai, former Director of the School of Environmental Studies at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), pointed out that the local bodies were more interested in utilising the huge funds earmarked by the Centre for solid waste management.


“But the sad fact is that they are only concerned about the collection of waste as it involves purchase of several vehicles and equipment. Even the estimate that Kochi generates around 350 tonnes of waste is inflated. But the advantage for the contractors involved in collection and transportation of waste is that the procurement and recruitment of workers would always be based on this figure,” he said.


Prof. Pillai wondered why the corporation authorities and the pollution control board failed to even realize the fact that the waste generated here contains lots of leachate.


“Composting technology failed as the region experiences high levels of humidity. We need to adopt technologies that will recover majority of the recyclables material, ensure zero emission and be cost-effective,” he said.


K. Sajeevan, Chairman of the State Pollution Control Board, recalled that his office had earlier recommended that Kochi could start a scientific solid waste management programme by setting up a plant capable of processing about 100 tonnes.


He said that the board had not yet carried out a scientific study to assess the character and quantum of waste generated here.



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Monday, May 20, 2013

Olive Ridleys hit highs and lows





The Hindu So far, around 21,000 little Ridleys from the Marina-Neelankarai stretch have been released into the sea — Photo: M. Karunakaran








Prince is Deputy City Editor, Chennai. Before moving to City Reporting of The Hindu, he was a feature writer with its lifestyle supplement, Metro Plus. He had also had a stint on the Desk.... »









During the season, around 200 Ridley turtles were found dead on the coastline from Marina to Neelankarai, but 285 nests were also found on this stretch



In about a couple of weeks, the last batch of Olive Ridley hatchlings will flap their tiny flippers and waddle into the sea.


That will bring to a close a breeding season that has evoked mixed reactions among conservationists. During the season, around 200 Ridley turtles were found dead on the coastline from Marina to Neelankarai.


On the positive side, 285 nests were found on this stretch — the highest ever recorded by the Students’ Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN).


“This all-time high follows what appeared to be a depressing low. In 2012, about 120 nests were discovered on the 14-km stretch and in 2011, about 145 were found,” said V. Arun, coordinator of SSTCN. This year, volunteers of SSTCN bid farewell to around 21,000 little Ridleys and will, very shortly, say goodbye to another 1,000.


Volunteers of TREE Foundation, who scour the coastal stretch from Neelankarai to Alamparai, around 50 km from Mamallapuram, have a slightly differently story to tell. On this stretch, 214 dead turtles were found. The nesting activity was not high enough to offset this depressing figure.


“This season, we found just 295 nests,” said Supraja Dharani, founder of Tree Foundation. Given the length of the stretch, around 90 km, the number is a disappointment, she said.


In the 2011 season, the Foundation’s volunteers released 51,000 baby Ridleys into the sea. “This year, we found only 30,000 eggs,” said Dharani.


Sharp variations such as these can be explained through diverse theories. “A cyclical dip-and-rise pattern is one. In other words, an impressive nesting year will be followed by a sharp dip in numbers. In contrast, there can be periods when the numbers stay stable. When it comes to Ridleys, an element of unpredictability cannot be dismissed. However, a close scrutiny will uncover a variety of underlying factors,” said Akila Balu, another coordinator at SSTCN.


“It is widely believed that habitat destruction on one stretch often contributes to a sudden surge in Ridley hatchings on another nearby stretch,” said Arun. “Development activities — such as erection of seawalls and groynes, which is the case on the northern section of the coastline — can move the Ridley population to a nearby location,” he said.


Besides making the shoreline Ridley-friendly, a drive has to be launched to protect the ones in the sea, experts said. “Use of trawl and gill nets is the root cause of Ridley deaths. This year, our volunteers freed around 120 sea turtles trapped in such nets,” said Dharani.


Arun gave an astounding figure to drive home the loss due to the failure to check adult Ridley deaths. “Considering an Olive Ridley nests twice during the season, a death of 200 Ridleys means a loss of around 40,000 eggs. Of them, close to 20,000 would have made it to the sea,” he said.



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via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/olive-ridleys-hit-highs-and-lows/article4730592.ece

Mural City declaration on Saturday





Tribal artists from Nilgiris at work as part of the Mural City Project in Kottayam.




Kottayam town will be declared Mural City on the conclusion of the project on May 25, K.C. Joseph, Minister for Culture, has said. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will be the guest of honour at the function.


The organisers of the Mural City project said on Sunday that the response to the project had witnessed a surge with the authorities inviting the public to join the project.


Tribal artists from Nilgiris are portraying their life through the ‘Kurumba’ style paintings on the walls of the Kottayam railway station. The pilgrim shelter and the waiting room are slowly being transformed into works of art. The three artists, Krishnan, Balasubrahmoni and Kalpana, are also adept at architecture, making of baskets and traditional musical instruments and dance, the organisers said.


While the presentation of buildings and trees is in realistic style, human forms have been portrayed in geometric style.


The Kurumba style makes use of natural dyes.










via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/mural-city-declaration-on-saturday/article4732343.ece

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Hyderabad makes it to play-offs





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/ipl2013/match-photos/hyderabad-makes-it-to-playoffs/article4730611.ece

Minor fire at Chennai port causes panic, traffic snarls





The Hindu Though the fire at Chennai port was put out in an hour and caused no injuries or damage to property, several people thronged the area, causing traffic jams — Photo: S.R. Raghunathan




Thick smoke billowing from Chennai port triggered panic among passers-by on Sunday evening, but it turned out to be a minor fire. There were no casualties or damage to property. The fire was put out in an hour, port officials said.


The fire broke out around 4.4.5 p.m., at a garbage yard, near a truck maintenance shed. Four condemned tyres belonging to a private firm were destroyed.


Though the fire was brought under control very soon, footage of the smoke, aired on television channels, brought hordes of people to the port, causing traffic snarls in the area.


Port officials said the tyres had earlier been removed from a few lorries parked at the maintenance shed.


As it was not a working day, there were only a few people on the port premises. Officials said no one had gone to the garbage yard for several months.


Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) chairman Atulya Misra said, “There were no casualties, injuries or damage to property. The source of the fire is not known and the matter is being investigated.”


Denying that ChPT lacked adequate safety measures to meet such eventualities, another official said the fire could have begun due to someone tossing away a lit matchstick or a cigarette butt. “However, details will be known only after the completion of the probe,” he said.


Jawahar dock, where the fire broke out, is used for handling general cargo and coal. Since handling of coal has been suspended since October 2011, the yards were empty.


Since February 2005, ChPT has seen two major fire mishaps. The first one occurred at a coal yard, but there were no casualties. In August 2010, an abandoned oil storage tanker caught fire from a spark set off by welding work nearby. Then too, there were no casualties.



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Priceless lessons





Children get a feel of nature at a ‘Nature Walk’ organised for them by the Malabar Natural History Society at the Sarovaram bio-park in Kozhikode on Saturday. Photo: K.Ragesh


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Saturday, May 18, 2013

Jharkhand Special Police Officers caught in a spiral of violence and retribution





A cheque written in favour of Special Police Officer Sandeep Acharya at Khunti. Since 2010, Maoists have killed at least 15 persons for acting as SPOs. Photo: Manob Chowdhury




On the night of April 30, worshippers in the Raja Rani temple in Naurhi village in Adki block near Ranchi were singing, chanting and celebrating the new temple in their village when a group of CPI (Maoists) entered the temple and shot Dilip Acharya, the oldest of the three brothers who built the temple, dead as he lay asleep on the floor. The men then addressed the now panic-stricken crowd on the prayer-microphone. Even as people tried to flee, a few of the Maoists chased and shot Laxmikant Manjhi, Naurhi’s postmaster and Dilip Acharya’s childhood friend.


“It will be the rest of us who will be targeted next,” said Dilip’s younger brother Randeep Acharya, a tall man in his early 40s, anxiously pacing the room in his two-storey house on the outskirts of Khunti. “For years, we helped the police fight the Maoists but now things seem difficult because the police have abandoned us,” said Randeep who, like Dilip, worked as a Special Police Officer (SPO) for the Jharkhand Police till 2012.


Besides helping the police gather intelligence in operations against Maoists, Randeep says the three brothers helped the police recruit SPOs from Tamar, Bundu in Ranchi and Torpa and Murhu in Khunti — both districts with the highest levels of Maoist-related violence in Jharkhand. Randeep, who now keeps two Rottweiler dogs and a band of 40 men from his village around for protection, got out from jail on bail this March after having served eight months over murder charges. His brother Dilip too spent eight months in jail since September 2012 on charges of carrying arms illegally. He had got out of jail a week before he was shot dead by the Maoists.


Randeep claimed he and his two brothers enjoyed police support and patronage in exchange for help in recruiting SPOs. “Four years back, when we started work as SPOs, the police gave us guns and bullets. They took 80-85 youth from here to Hazaribagh to the police training camp. We killed Maoists. Once, at the police’s behest, we even killed a Home Guard because the police suspected him to be a Maoist informer. We would accompany Deputy SP-rank officers on operations carrying sattu [gram-flour] rations for the officers, carrying Maoists bodies back,” recounted Randeep. He shared with The Hindu a copy of a State Bank of India cheque dated March 22, 2012, for Rs. 9,000, in his brother Dilip’s name signed by Khunti Superintendent of Police M. Tamilvanan.


Since 2010, Maoists have killed at least 15 persons in Adki and Tamar in Khunti and Bundu, an adjoining area in Ranchi, for acting as SPOs for the police. In November 2010, two Maoists entered SPO Pradeep Singh Munda’s house in Baruhatu in Bundu and opened fire, killing Pradeep Munda, SPOs Sanjay Mahto and Sonaram Munda, and Pradeep Munda’s six-year-old daughter, Manisha. Pradeep Munda’s wife Lakhimuni Devi said her husband had been given a country-made gun by the police, which he sometimes brought home. During the protests, SPOs publicly demanded that they be given better arms for their protection. As in the response to the villagers’ protests after the Baruhatu killings in 2010, Khunti and Ranchi police officials deny arming SPOs.


“We will pay money to anyone who provides us information under Home Ministry’s allocation to us for security-related expenditure. SPOs’ role is limited to being informants,” said Khunti SP Tamilvanan. In its December 2012 affidavit filed in the Jharkhand High Court in response to a public interest litigation petition by Ranchi activist Gopinath Ghosh, Deputy Secretary Home Department said the State was appointing SPOs as per the Home Ministry’s directions for “intelligence purpose”, paying them Rs.3,000 per month.


In response to the PIL petition, in July 2011, the Supreme Court, while asking the State to disband the Salwa Judum, ordered the Chhattisgarh government not to deploy SPOs for countering Maoist activities. Following the July order, the recruitment of SPOs in Jharkhand too was briefly paused but resumed after a Bench of Justice Altamas Kabir and S.S. Nijjar in November said the July order applied only to Chhattisgarh and not to other States. Jharkhand has a sanctioned strength of 6,400 SPOs, though senior police officials put the current number employed at 3,000.


While one senior police official said that out of Jharkhand’s 24 districts Ranchi and Khunti witnessed the highest levels of retribution killings owing to the presence of breakaway Maoist factions such as the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) and the Village Republican Guard of India in the area. “There are more problems in these areas because some SPOs begin to play one group against the other,” said the official.


Another police official admitted that recruiting village youth as SPOs was linked to other law and order problems in districts. “How SPOs are handled varies a lot based on the District SP. There are instances where SPs turn a blind eye to SPOs being used by the thana police as conduits for their extortion from local mafia. In some instances, the SPOs have starting acting like a law unto themselves to settle personal rivalries,” said a senior police official on condition of anonymity.While Randeep Acharya says he and his brothers started working for the police after the Maoists killed one of their relatives in Bundu over a dispute over levy, in most cases the police encourages former Maoists to become police informers, pushing the youth to stay entrenched in a cycle of retribution and violence.


“My younger brother Maliya was 16. He was in jail [for] a year on charges of being a Maoist. When he got out, the police made him a SPO. I used to see him with Dhananjay Munda’s [an SPO in Khunti] men. One day, Maoists came home and took him with them. We found his body four days later in Parsi Bazar. The Maoists had beheaded him and two other boys his age. They left a parcha [pamphlet] saying they were punished for helping the police,” says Luhan Pahan* (name changed on request) in Uparpalong village in Adki, Khunti.


While SPOs are clearly at greater risk of being attacked for siding with the police, according to the norms, Jharkhand’s SPOs are eligible for the same compensation as any other civilian killed in Maoist violence — Rs.3 lakh from the Central government as per a 2009 norm, and Rs.1 lakh and a class-IV government job from Jharkhand government.



Keywords: Maoists violence



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Royal Challengers crush CSK





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Arunachal woman scales Everest for third time






She was among six mountaineers from north-east to make it to the summit



Anshu Jamshenpa of Arunachal Pradesh, who holds the record of being the only mother in the world to have scaled the Mount Everest twice in 10 days, scaled the peak again on Saturday for the third time.


She was among the six mountaineers from the north-east to make it to the summit on Saturday morning.


Among the six were Tarun Saikia of Assam, David Zohmangaiha of Mizoram and Ms. Wangsuk Myrthong of Meghalaya, who became the first mountaineers from their States to have successfully scaled the Mount Everest.


Other members of the team were Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba of Manipur and Kazi Sherpa of Sikkim. Congratulating Mr. Saikia for the achievement, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced a financial assistance of Rs. 20 lakh to him for his achievement.


Red letter day


“It is a red letter day for the Indian mountaineering fraternity as six climbers from the north-east India stood briefly on the summit of Mt. Everest and raised the Indian tricolour at 5.50 a.m. [Nepal standard time]. They started their summit push from South Col at 8 p.m. last night [Friday] and climbed whole night to reach the rooftop of the world early on Saturday,” said Tsering Wange, president of the Arunachal Mountaineering and Adventure Sports Association (AMSA), and husband of Ms. Jamshenpa.


Keywords: Mount Everest



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Amid rain, film-crazy people hunting for tickets





It’s raining cats and dogs here and its freezing to boot. Which means you have to be a true cinema lover to stand queuing up in the rain. Despite your press badge, there is no guarantee that you’ll get a seat for a screening.


Arnaud Desplechin, the celebrated French director is returning to Cannes for the sixth time with Jimmy P (Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian) based on the psychoanalytical work carried out in 1951 by the French ethno-psychiatrist Georges Devereux. The film is a profoundly moving reconstruction of the sessions between Georges Devereux and his native American patient Jimmy Picard. Jimmy is an alienated native American, cut off from his roots, who finds a degree of relief and readjustment through his sessions with Devereux.


“The book was good but the film is brilliant. Desplechin has vast talent and an instinctive understanding of human psychology,” writer and psychologist Elisabeth Roudinesco who wrote the introduction to the book told The Hindu over the phone from Paris.


“This demanding but highly absorbing two-hander showcases Benicio Del Toro and Mathieu Amalric at the top of their craft,” wrote Variety magazine about the film, which tells a profoundly moving story of loss and healing in post-war America.


Desplechin who has an enduring interest in psychotherapy, made the film in English and shot on location in Detroit, where Devereux met his patient Jimmy. “Devereux’s work is the only document that completely transcribes a psychoanalytical treatment and which is at the same time suitable for adaptation because of its theatrical quality,” Desplechin said. The film is in competition and in the running for the Palme d’Or.


***


Cannes had its flutter of un-cinematic excitement too with a jewellery heist from Chopard, jeweller to the stars. Thieves reportedly entered the room of a Chopard employee and made off with jewels valued at $1.4 million. They actually unscrewed the safe provided by the hotel and took the locked safe with the jewels inside, the police in nearby Grasse announced. But a Chopard spokesperson played down the size of the haul saying the pieces stolen were not those meant for the big stars. Chopard, the Festival’s official jeweller, provides the golden palm, itself valued at 20,000 euros as well as the jewellery that will be showcased by all the major stars on the awards night — May 26. A re-enactment of Hitchcock’s 1955 runaway hit To Catch a Thief set in the French Riviera and presented at Cannes?


More shivers went down the spine of the Cannois when a disturbed person fired shots near the studios of the Canal Plus television channel. They were blanks however, but the incident did create a moment of panic.


***


News has just come in that ace criminal Charles Sobhraj has threatened to take author Farrukh Dhondy and the production company Dar to court. Dhondy fictionalised Sobhraj’s series of murders in his book, The Bikini Murders, for which Dar has just bought the film rights. All attempts to contact Sobhraj who is serving a life sentence in Kathmandu jail failed. With a downpour in Cannes, the lines in distant Kathmandu just refused to connect. “I told him he has another think coming. He’s a convicted criminal and nowhere, whether in India or elsewhere can you profit from your crimes. If he sues me he will in fact be recognising that he is the author of the crimes, something he has always denied,” Dhondy told The Hindu.


***


I&B Secretary Uday Kumar Verma told The Hindu in an exclusive interview that he plans to undertake several measures to make India a more attractive proposition for foreign film investors and producers.











via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/amid-rain-filmcrazy-people-hunting-for-tickets/article4728293.ece

Punjab signs off in style





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/ipl2013/match-photos/punjab-signs-off-in-style/article4727902.ece

Vivid hues of the 117th Flower Show at Udhagamandalam





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/vivid-hues-of-the-117th-flower-show-at-udhagamandalam/article4727697.ece

Cinema Quiz





Questions


1. Which of the two Star Wars prequels were released on this date but six years apart?


2. Which upcoming Prabhudeva-helmed Hindi flick, starring Shruti Haasan, gets its name from a blockbuster Raj Kapoor song?


3. Before Henry Cavill, who was the first non-American actor to be cast in the role of Superman?


4. Which controversial Booker Prize winner made this statement: “…it is unfair on the Bombay film industry to call it Bollywood. Because it’s actually much bigger than Hollywood. Hollywood should be called ‘Hombay’”?


5. Which star of yesteryears has the production house named Fish Eye Network?


6. Which soon-to-be-released Hollywood flick has the tagline ‘Danger is real, Fear is a choice’ and was originally known as ‘1000 A.E’?


7. A.R. Rahman is to pay a tribute to Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan by using the shenai in all the songs of which upcoming film?


8. Which renowned French actress and two-time Academy nominee is acting in Preity Zinta’s maiden home production Ishkq In Paris?


9. What term connects an Arjun Rampal flick and June 6, 1944?


10. The in-the-works, Akshay Kumar-starrer, tentatively titled Pistol is the remake of which Tamil blockbuster?


Answers


1. The Phantom Menace and Revenge Of The Sith.


2. ‘RamaiyaVastavaiya’.


3. A googly! The British star is the first.


4. Salman Rushdie.


5. Pooja Bhatt.


6. The Will Smith-starrer After Earth.


7. Raanjhanaa.


8. Isabelle Adjani.


9. D-Day.


10. Thuppakki.









via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-quiz/article4727303.ece

Friday, May 17, 2013

Images of the Week





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/images-of-the-week/article4726919.ece

Puns intended





via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/puns-intended/article4726900.ece

Tintu hopes to overcome hurdles





Tintu Luka. Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup





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Despite being one of the world’s best 800m runners, Tintu Luka came across some surprise hurdles at home a few days ago as she got ready for a new season.


Though she was invited to run in the recent Asian Grand Prix meets in Thailand and Sri Lanka, she was not allowed to go for these events by the Athletics Federation of India as she did not compete in national meets.


Tintu will now be opening her season at the strong and prestigious IAAF Diamond League meet in Shanghai on Saturday.


Her coach P.T. Usha had wanted the country’s best middle-distance runner to slowly get into form through the Asian GP meets but with the AFI’s Selection Committee stopping Tintu, her plans went awry.


“Tintu is slowly coming into form, that’s how she begins a year which has some major international meets but I’m sad that the Diamond League will be her first meet of the season,” said Usha before leaving for China.


“It’s a world-class meet and I would have liked her to run in a couple of races like the Asian GP meets before the Diamond League”


The Shanghai Diamond League meet has a world-class field including Kenya’s seasoned star Janeth Jepkosgei, a former World champion and Olympic silver medallist, and former Olympics gold medallist Pamela Jelimo who has the fastest personal best (1:54.01s) among the 12 runners in the fray.


“Janeth normally runs a very controlled race, she has years of experience,” said Usha. “She plans things very well, she doesn’t raise or reduce the pace suddenly.”


There are four runners in the Shanghai field who are faster than Tintu — who was 11th in the London Olympics with the season best last year (personal best 1:59.17s) — in the provisional list for the event.


“She has not started all-out races…and running with fellow-trainees and running in competition are very different,” said Usha. “But it’s not easy to get entry in a world-class meet like this, so I’ve told her to use it well.”


Promising form


Tintu’s early-season form appears to be very promising.


“She’s in the 1:59.8 to 2:02 range...if she runs a calculated race and doesn’t commit a mistake, she could run between 1:59.8 to 2:00,” said her coach. “And if she does commit a mistake, it could go to 2:02.”


A two-minute race will help her qualify for the World championship in Moscow in August with an ‘A’ standard and 2:01.50 or faster will see her make the grade with a ‘B’ standard.


The timings have to come before July 29 for runners to make the entry standard for Moscow.


Tintu is also likely to run in a couple of meets in Africa next month before the Asian championship in July.



Keywords: Tintu Luka



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via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/athletics/tintu-hopes-to-overcome-hurdles/article4724505.ece