World rights body finds India's record tainted by violations - National News – News – MSN India - News
World rights body finds India's record tainted by violations
Washington: A world rights body has spotlighted abuses in Pakistan, Kenya and China, but finds India's record also marred by continuing violations by security forces in counterinsurgency operations and by armed militant groups. Human Rights Watch in its 2008 report released Thursday also blames the US, European Union and other established democracies for undermining human rights worldwide "by allowing autocrats to pose as democrats, without demanding they uphold the civil and political rights that make democracy meaningful".The report gives the example of Pakistan, where "President Pervez Musharraf has tilted the electoral playing field by rewriting the constitution and firing the independent judiciary", in the run up to the poll in mid February, the US and Britain, Islamabad's largest aid donors, have refused to link assistance to the government on improving pre-electoral conditions. In India, Washington based Human Rights Watch blames the security agencies as well as the insurgents and terrorists for violations."Armed groups have been responsible for attacks on civilians, killings, torture, and extortion. In response, however, Indian security forces have repeatedly engaged in abusive tactics," its report says.The report adds that despite signing a new UN treaty to combat forced disappearances in February 2007, "the Indian government is yet to launch a credible independent investigation into alleged disappearances and fake encounter killings throughout the country". The report notes that violence in Kashmir has abated slightly, but police's own investigations into a missing persons case in Jammu and Kashmir in early 2007 revealed that "people were being killed in custody by security forces who constructed fake armed encounters, staging executions to look like acts of defence". The report says Maoists have been very active in 2007 in several states. They have exploited vulnerable groups by imposing illegal taxes and demands for food and shelter. Succumbing to such extortion puts civilians at risk of retaliation by security forces."Violent attacks, whether perpetuated by the Maoists or security forces, take place in remote areas, making it difficult to independently monitor the situation," the report says. On Punjab, the report says, there was still no progress in investigating thousands of secret cremations in 2007."Following a spate of violent attacks by Sikh militants starting in the early 1980s, security forces illegally detained, tortured, executed, or "disappeared" thousands of people during counterinsurgency operations. None of the security officials who bear substantial responsibility for these violations has been brought to justice," the report says. There was also no progress in justice for victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, according to the report.On Gujarat, the report says: "Despite national and international condemnation, the state government continues to protect those responsible for the killing of Muslims during the 2002 riots." The report adds that though a special court convicted 100 people for their involvement in the 1993 serial bomb attacks in Mumbai, those believed responsible for attacks upon Muslims in January 1993 which preceded the bomb blasts are yet to be prosecuted and punished.The report notes India's failure to actively promote democracy and human rights in response to crises in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh while it continued peace talks with Pakistan to settle Kashmir and other disputed issues.Source: IANS
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Orissa woman enters unknown field, reaps success - National News – News – MSN India - News
Orissa woman enters unknown field, reaps success
Orissa woman enters unknown field, reaps success
Bargarh: As you reach Palibugbuga village, 10km from Atabira block in Orissa’s Bargarh district, you are struck by a patch of land with multi-coloured vegetation in the midst of vast paddy fields. That patch is Santosini Karna’s labour of love — several varieties of medicinal plants and crops. The 36-year-old is Orissa’s first woman farmer of such plants.A few years ago, distress sale of paddy was rampant in Bargarh district, known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Orissa. The returns were very low and this forced farmers to sell their paddy at throwaway prices.Santosini, a housewife in the village, was concerned by this. She read an article on cultivation of medicinal plants and got hooked to the idea. Though there were several government schemes for cultivation of medicinal plants, farmers did not venture into it because of an uncertain future. However, for Santosini it was a risk worth taking. She read up about cultivating medical plants and visited some agro-based farms in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. After this, she started cultivating safed musli in her 3.5 acres by investing Rs 3 lakh. She sold the harvest at a very good price. Encouraged, she took a loan of Rs 35 lakh from Andhra Bank and started cultivating medicinal plants in another 15 acres taken on lease from other farmers. Her repertoire included safed musli, jatropha, vanilla, stevia, bacha, pipli aloe vera, datura metal and calotropis procera. She repayed Rs 20 lakh just after a year. “I achieved a good harvest by using traditional fertilisers like cow dung, chicken wastes and neem,” she said. Santosini’s success prompted many farmers in Bargarh and other districts of Orissa to follow suit. “Many farmers from as far as Jagatsingpur district visited my farm and went back, promising to start their own. It gives me satisfaction that I have come up with something new.”Santosini’s farm now employs more than 50 persons. Besides, she has started another venture, a herbal trading and consulting firm. Obviously, husband Fakira is full of admiration. “You never know what she will start next," he said with pride.© Copyright 2007 HT Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
Orissa woman enters unknown field, reaps success
Bargarh: As you reach Palibugbuga village, 10km from Atabira block in Orissa’s Bargarh district, you are struck by a patch of land with multi-coloured vegetation in the midst of vast paddy fields. That patch is Santosini Karna’s labour of love — several varieties of medicinal plants and crops. The 36-year-old is Orissa’s first woman farmer of such plants.A few years ago, distress sale of paddy was rampant in Bargarh district, known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Orissa. The returns were very low and this forced farmers to sell their paddy at throwaway prices.Santosini, a housewife in the village, was concerned by this. She read an article on cultivation of medicinal plants and got hooked to the idea. Though there were several government schemes for cultivation of medicinal plants, farmers did not venture into it because of an uncertain future. However, for Santosini it was a risk worth taking. She read up about cultivating medical plants and visited some agro-based farms in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. After this, she started cultivating safed musli in her 3.5 acres by investing Rs 3 lakh. She sold the harvest at a very good price. Encouraged, she took a loan of Rs 35 lakh from Andhra Bank and started cultivating medicinal plants in another 15 acres taken on lease from other farmers. Her repertoire included safed musli, jatropha, vanilla, stevia, bacha, pipli aloe vera, datura metal and calotropis procera. She repayed Rs 20 lakh just after a year. “I achieved a good harvest by using traditional fertilisers like cow dung, chicken wastes and neem,” she said. Santosini’s success prompted many farmers in Bargarh and other districts of Orissa to follow suit. “Many farmers from as far as Jagatsingpur district visited my farm and went back, promising to start their own. It gives me satisfaction that I have come up with something new.”Santosini’s farm now employs more than 50 persons. Besides, she has started another venture, a herbal trading and consulting firm. Obviously, husband Fakira is full of admiration. “You never know what she will start next," he said with pride.© Copyright 2007 HT Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Mangalam
Gandhi's last words not 'Hey Ram': book
Lucknow, Jan 29 (PTI) Did the Father of the Nation actually utter "Hey Ram" before he fell to assassin Nathuram Godse's bullets exactly 60 years ago? Well, a new book 'Mahatma Gandhi: Bramhacharya Ke Prayog' (Mahatma Gandhi: Experiment with celibacy) does not seem to think so. Its author Dayashankar Shukla 'Sagar', a journalist with a well-known Hindi daily here, questions the widely held belief and contends that the Mahatma's granddaughter Manu only heard him utter: "Hey Ra...". He goes on to claim that Godse had also said Gandhi had uttered "aah.." and not "Hey Ram" when he shot him on January 30, 1948. The author dwells in detail about the "experiments" by Gandhi with 'bramhacharya' (celibacy) and says these and the controversies arising from them had "an effect on Gandhi's views on the freedom struggle". "With his experiments on celibacy, Gandhi had opened a new front in addition to the objective of freedom which was unnecessary," the book says. The book, published by Vani Prakashan, is to be released by senior journalist and Gandhian thinker Prabhash Joshi at the International Book Fair in New Delhi on February 7.
Lucknow, Jan 29 (PTI) Did the Father of the Nation actually utter "Hey Ram" before he fell to assassin Nathuram Godse's bullets exactly 60 years ago? Well, a new book 'Mahatma Gandhi: Bramhacharya Ke Prayog' (Mahatma Gandhi: Experiment with celibacy) does not seem to think so. Its author Dayashankar Shukla 'Sagar', a journalist with a well-known Hindi daily here, questions the widely held belief and contends that the Mahatma's granddaughter Manu only heard him utter: "Hey Ra...". He goes on to claim that Godse had also said Gandhi had uttered "aah.." and not "Hey Ram" when he shot him on January 30, 1948. The author dwells in detail about the "experiments" by Gandhi with 'bramhacharya' (celibacy) and says these and the controversies arising from them had "an effect on Gandhi's views on the freedom struggle". "With his experiments on celibacy, Gandhi had opened a new front in addition to the objective of freedom which was unnecessary," the book says. The book, published by Vani Prakashan, is to be released by senior journalist and Gandhian thinker Prabhash Joshi at the International Book Fair in New Delhi on February 7.
Mangalam
Gandhi's last words not 'Hey Ram': book
Lucknow, Jan 29 (PTI) Did the Father of the Nation actually utter "Hey Ram" before he fell to assassin Nathuram Godse's bullets exactly 60 years ago? Well, a new book 'Mahatma Gandhi: Bramhacharya Ke Prayog' (Mahatma Gandhi: Experiment with celibacy) does not seem to think so. Its author Dayashankar Shukla 'Sagar', a journalist with a well-known Hindi daily here, questions the widely held belief and contends that the Mahatma's granddaughter Manu only heard him utter: "Hey Ra...". He goes on to claim that Godse had also said Gandhi had uttered "aah.." and not "Hey Ram" when he shot him on January 30, 1948. The author dwells in detail about the "experiments" by Gandhi with 'bramhacharya' (celibacy) and says these and the controversies arising from them had "an effect on Gandhi's views on the freedom struggle". "With his experiments on celibacy, Gandhi had opened a new front in addition to the objective of freedom which was unnecessary," the book says. The book, published by Vani Prakashan, is to be released by senior journalist and Gandhian thinker Prabhash Joshi at the International Book Fair in New Delhi on February 7.
Lucknow, Jan 29 (PTI) Did the Father of the Nation actually utter "Hey Ram" before he fell to assassin Nathuram Godse's bullets exactly 60 years ago? Well, a new book 'Mahatma Gandhi: Bramhacharya Ke Prayog' (Mahatma Gandhi: Experiment with celibacy) does not seem to think so. Its author Dayashankar Shukla 'Sagar', a journalist with a well-known Hindi daily here, questions the widely held belief and contends that the Mahatma's granddaughter Manu only heard him utter: "Hey Ra...". He goes on to claim that Godse had also said Gandhi had uttered "aah.." and not "Hey Ram" when he shot him on January 30, 1948. The author dwells in detail about the "experiments" by Gandhi with 'bramhacharya' (celibacy) and says these and the controversies arising from them had "an effect on Gandhi's views on the freedom struggle". "With his experiments on celibacy, Gandhi had opened a new front in addition to the objective of freedom which was unnecessary," the book says. The book, published by Vani Prakashan, is to be released by senior journalist and Gandhian thinker Prabhash Joshi at the International Book Fair in New Delhi on February 7.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Driverless cars - Technology - MSN India
Driverless cars -
Driverless cars
Tired of the traffic congestion and road accidents? GM has a solution
“Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads.”
So said the immortal Dr. Emmet Brown in the film “Back to the Future”.
While cars that fly may be the stuff of science fiction dreams, cars that drive by themselves are not. Yes, you read that correctly - cars that drive by themselves.
Imagine a world where there are no road accidents. Where parking is not your problem. A world where you can just sit back and enjoy the daily commute to work, maybe enjoying a cup of tea in the process, or even reading a newspaper. If General Motors has its way, this can soon become a reality.
At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, GM unveiled the prototype of what could be the technology of the future. The modified 2007 Chevy Tahoe, nicknamed the “Boss”, was developed in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University.
The Boss uses the optical remote sensing technology, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), radars, mapping and global position system to recognize what’s around. Using software it figures out where it is safe for the car to go. It avoids obstacles in this manner. The Boss recently won the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) 2007 Urban Challenge competition by successfully driving 60 miles through busy city traffic and navigating intersections and stop signs.
It has a maximum autonomous speed of 30 miles per hour, and is equipped with computer controls and software to make the vehicle drive by itself. According to the developers, this technology would help reduce traffic congestion on our streets and completely eradicate the possibility of traffic accidents. But don’t take out your chequebook just yet; the technology won’t hit the streets before 2018.
Driverless cars
Tired of the traffic congestion and road accidents? GM has a solution
“Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads.”
So said the immortal Dr. Emmet Brown in the film “Back to the Future”.
While cars that fly may be the stuff of science fiction dreams, cars that drive by themselves are not. Yes, you read that correctly - cars that drive by themselves.
Imagine a world where there are no road accidents. Where parking is not your problem. A world where you can just sit back and enjoy the daily commute to work, maybe enjoying a cup of tea in the process, or even reading a newspaper. If General Motors has its way, this can soon become a reality.
At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, GM unveiled the prototype of what could be the technology of the future. The modified 2007 Chevy Tahoe, nicknamed the “Boss”, was developed in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University.
The Boss uses the optical remote sensing technology, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), radars, mapping and global position system to recognize what’s around. Using software it figures out where it is safe for the car to go. It avoids obstacles in this manner. The Boss recently won the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) 2007 Urban Challenge competition by successfully driving 60 miles through busy city traffic and navigating intersections and stop signs.
It has a maximum autonomous speed of 30 miles per hour, and is equipped with computer controls and software to make the vehicle drive by itself. According to the developers, this technology would help reduce traffic congestion on our streets and completely eradicate the possibility of traffic accidents. But don’t take out your chequebook just yet; the technology won’t hit the streets before 2018.
Robot scribe pens a "manuscript" Bible - Technology - MSN India
Robot scribe pens a "manuscript" Bible
Monday, 28 January 2008
Robot scribe pens a "manuscript" Bible
After seven months of writing day and night, a robot in Germany clutching a fountain pen has completed a "manuscript" Bible in cursive handwriting
The exercise was a piece of performance art by the Centre for Art and Media in the German city of Karlsruhe, which uses state funds to explore new art ideas.
The machine, dubbed "Bios (Bible)", began copying the Bible in June onto a 900-metre-long roll of paper, with its arm forming each letter with the pen after all 66 books of scripture had been loaded into its memory.
Artists Martina Haitz, Matthias Gommel and Jan Zappe formed a unit, Robotlab, in 2000 to programme robots for art.
"More than a million robots are working in the factories of the world. We want to explore their artistic potential," said Zappe.
Bios (Bible) inscribed 3.5 million letters, using 700 ml of ink, to complete the German-language bible.
The artists call this a "ready-made" project, meaning the robot is a standard one, not a work of art.
"It's just a working machine, yet it's a participant in society," said Gommel. The robot was thus a "mediator" in the process of social communication.
Asked why they chose the Bible, Zappe said: "Because it is one of the most significant books of the age and contains a huge amount of data."
The group did not explain how the robot misspelled two of the 800,000 words.
The machine's memory contained the text of the Bible, information about each letter and data on how to form it. It had to transfer the data through these three levels.
The long scroll is to be cut into pages, and displayed at the centre along with the robot.
"We don't propose to retain this valuable product of our installation in museum fashion," said Gommel.
The solution, they said, may be a request from a Christian community in the US, which says it would quite like to have a manuscript German-language bible to read from in church.
Source: DPA
Monday, 28 January 2008
Robot scribe pens a "manuscript" Bible
After seven months of writing day and night, a robot in Germany clutching a fountain pen has completed a "manuscript" Bible in cursive handwriting
The exercise was a piece of performance art by the Centre for Art and Media in the German city of Karlsruhe, which uses state funds to explore new art ideas.
The machine, dubbed "Bios (Bible)", began copying the Bible in June onto a 900-metre-long roll of paper, with its arm forming each letter with the pen after all 66 books of scripture had been loaded into its memory.
Artists Martina Haitz, Matthias Gommel and Jan Zappe formed a unit, Robotlab, in 2000 to programme robots for art.
"More than a million robots are working in the factories of the world. We want to explore their artistic potential," said Zappe.
Bios (Bible) inscribed 3.5 million letters, using 700 ml of ink, to complete the German-language bible.
The artists call this a "ready-made" project, meaning the robot is a standard one, not a work of art.
"It's just a working machine, yet it's a participant in society," said Gommel. The robot was thus a "mediator" in the process of social communication.
Asked why they chose the Bible, Zappe said: "Because it is one of the most significant books of the age and contains a huge amount of data."
The group did not explain how the robot misspelled two of the 800,000 words.
The machine's memory contained the text of the Bible, information about each letter and data on how to form it. It had to transfer the data through these three levels.
The long scroll is to be cut into pages, and displayed at the centre along with the robot.
"We don't propose to retain this valuable product of our installation in museum fashion," said Gommel.
The solution, they said, may be a request from a Christian community in the US, which says it would quite like to have a manuscript German-language bible to read from in church.
Source: DPA
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Rahul stays in Dalit home - National News – News – MSN India - News
Rahul stays in Dalit home
Lucknow: RahuL Gandhi’s security personnel spent a sleepless night on Saturday outside a hut in a UP village while the Congress young gun inside dreamt of a plan to win back Dalits. On a three-day visit to his constituency Amethi, Rahul made an unscheduled stop at the village and stayed overnight at the house of Sunita Kori, a Dalit. He ate what was offered and spent the night resting on a cot. Rahul reached his guesthouse at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital on Sunday morning around 7 where he met people of his constituency.This move is being interpreted as an apparent bid by the Congress to woo Dalits and wean them away from the BSP. The MP is believed to have also chalked out a ‘win back Dalits’ plan keeping the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in mind.During his stay, Rahul spoke to the family about problems being faced by Dalits and also prepared his itinerary for the next day. On Sunday, he visited Jamoganj to inaugurate seven roads under the Prime Minister's Rural Road Scheme and five ‘Barat Ghars’, estimated to cost over Rs 3 crore.He met Shiv Bahadur Singh, the president of the Pradhan Union at Jamoganj, who demanded that the government credit the proceeds for the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme in the pradhan’s account instead of the BDO’s. Rahul said he would take up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. District panchayat representatives sought his intervention, alleging corruption in implementation of the scheme as well as other Central schemes. On the government order banning student elections in the state, Rahul said party workers would take to the streets to protest. The Congress, he said, will soon launch a state-wide campaign to demand the same. Earlier on Saturday, Rahul visited Jawaharpur village in Sangarampur block to hold a meeting with 20 groups associated with the Rajiv Gandhi Women Development Project.© Copyright 2007 HT Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
Lucknow: RahuL Gandhi’s security personnel spent a sleepless night on Saturday outside a hut in a UP village while the Congress young gun inside dreamt of a plan to win back Dalits. On a three-day visit to his constituency Amethi, Rahul made an unscheduled stop at the village and stayed overnight at the house of Sunita Kori, a Dalit. He ate what was offered and spent the night resting on a cot. Rahul reached his guesthouse at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital on Sunday morning around 7 where he met people of his constituency.This move is being interpreted as an apparent bid by the Congress to woo Dalits and wean them away from the BSP. The MP is believed to have also chalked out a ‘win back Dalits’ plan keeping the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in mind.During his stay, Rahul spoke to the family about problems being faced by Dalits and also prepared his itinerary for the next day. On Sunday, he visited Jamoganj to inaugurate seven roads under the Prime Minister's Rural Road Scheme and five ‘Barat Ghars’, estimated to cost over Rs 3 crore.He met Shiv Bahadur Singh, the president of the Pradhan Union at Jamoganj, who demanded that the government credit the proceeds for the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme in the pradhan’s account instead of the BDO’s. Rahul said he would take up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. District panchayat representatives sought his intervention, alleging corruption in implementation of the scheme as well as other Central schemes. On the government order banning student elections in the state, Rahul said party workers would take to the streets to protest. The Congress, he said, will soon launch a state-wide campaign to demand the same. Earlier on Saturday, Rahul visited Jawaharpur village in Sangarampur block to hold a meeting with 20 groups associated with the Rajiv Gandhi Women Development Project.© Copyright 2007 HT Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
Friday, January 25, 2008
National Herald, founded by Nehru, to close down - National News – News – MSN India - News
National Herald, founded by Nehru, to close down
National Herald, founded by Nehru, to close down
New Delhi: The National Herald, the newspaper started by India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru before World War II and being financed by the Congress party for the past several years, is likely to close down. According to sources in the newspaper, talks between the National Herald and Quami Awaz Employees Union and Congress leaders on modalities towards a final settlement for the 265 employees, including about 40 journalists of the English and the Urdu editions published from New Delhi, have been on for the past few months. Overstaffing, mainly of the press and non-journalists and also lack of advertisements, are said to be the main cause for the newspaper running into major losses. The Congress has reportedly decided to discontinue publication of the daily that was started in Lucknow Sep 9, 1938 by Nehru.The Lucknow edition of the National Herald and Quami Awaz were closed down about 10 years ago. The paper also had a Hindi edition Navjivan - a name given by Mahatma Gandhi - that was closed down several years ago. According to the sources, chairperson of the newspaper Motilal Vora, MP and treasurer of the Congress party, and some other Congress leaders have reportedly finalised a Rs.380 million compensation package for the workers.Confirming that the paper was being closed, Saud Akhtar, senior journalist with the Quami Awaz and president of the National Herald and Quami Awaz Employees Union, told IANS: "Yes, everything has been finalised. The final agreement is likely to be signed by the end of this week or maybe a little later." According to Akhtar, the employees have agreed to the closure. "The employees were told about the closure at the general body meeting held on Jan 16 and earlier on Nov 15. They have all agreed; it was a mutual agreement from both sides," he said. The employees are getting a "handsome compensation"."Five to six rounds of talks have been held between the employees union and the Congress over the last two months," he said, declining to disclose the final settlement amount for the workers till everything "was settled" with Vora, most likely by on Wednesday. The newspaper, which officially claims a circulation of around 40,000 copies, has "never had a history of making profits". It is not yet clear what publication the Congress party plans to bring out in lieu of the paper, but Vora is reported to have told senior editors: "We'll have some publication later."Asked by IANS Monday evening, Vora said: "We are only discussing a VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme) for the excess employees." He denied that the National Herald was headed for closure. Asked what publication the Congress would bring out in its place, he dismissed it as a "hypothetical question". But Akhtar said: "On Jan 1, Vora came to Herald House (on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg) and categorically told the employees union that the paper is going to be closed down."T.V. Venkitachalam, editor in chief of the National Herald, said: "In my 20 years association with the newspaper, and nine years as editor, there has never been any interference from the Congress party in presenting the news. We have always tried to keep a fine balance in our news, especially the editorials, and never tried to make it sound like a party publication. "The newspaper has been part of the country's freedom movement and has been an upholder of national values like secularism and non-alignment and we have strived to run it in a professional manner," said Venkitachalam, 79, who joined the paper in 1987 when then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi revived it. The paper had closed down for a few months at the time due to various reasons, including financial constraints. During the paper's golden jubilee in 1988, Rameshwar Thakur, who was chairperson of the board of directors of the publication and is now the Karnataka governor, had written in the special issue: "The freedom movement (was) at its peak, Gandhiji leading the nation through blood and sweat. His lieutenant and our great founder Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, wanting to give a new meaning to the freedom that was yet to come so that all its fruits could reach the poor and the humble... "It was in these stirring times that the National Herald was born at the initiative of its founder, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru."Source: IANS
National Herald, founded by Nehru, to close down
New Delhi: The National Herald, the newspaper started by India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru before World War II and being financed by the Congress party for the past several years, is likely to close down. According to sources in the newspaper, talks between the National Herald and Quami Awaz Employees Union and Congress leaders on modalities towards a final settlement for the 265 employees, including about 40 journalists of the English and the Urdu editions published from New Delhi, have been on for the past few months. Overstaffing, mainly of the press and non-journalists and also lack of advertisements, are said to be the main cause for the newspaper running into major losses. The Congress has reportedly decided to discontinue publication of the daily that was started in Lucknow Sep 9, 1938 by Nehru.The Lucknow edition of the National Herald and Quami Awaz were closed down about 10 years ago. The paper also had a Hindi edition Navjivan - a name given by Mahatma Gandhi - that was closed down several years ago. According to the sources, chairperson of the newspaper Motilal Vora, MP and treasurer of the Congress party, and some other Congress leaders have reportedly finalised a Rs.380 million compensation package for the workers.Confirming that the paper was being closed, Saud Akhtar, senior journalist with the Quami Awaz and president of the National Herald and Quami Awaz Employees Union, told IANS: "Yes, everything has been finalised. The final agreement is likely to be signed by the end of this week or maybe a little later." According to Akhtar, the employees have agreed to the closure. "The employees were told about the closure at the general body meeting held on Jan 16 and earlier on Nov 15. They have all agreed; it was a mutual agreement from both sides," he said. The employees are getting a "handsome compensation"."Five to six rounds of talks have been held between the employees union and the Congress over the last two months," he said, declining to disclose the final settlement amount for the workers till everything "was settled" with Vora, most likely by on Wednesday. The newspaper, which officially claims a circulation of around 40,000 copies, has "never had a history of making profits". It is not yet clear what publication the Congress party plans to bring out in lieu of the paper, but Vora is reported to have told senior editors: "We'll have some publication later."Asked by IANS Monday evening, Vora said: "We are only discussing a VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme) for the excess employees." He denied that the National Herald was headed for closure. Asked what publication the Congress would bring out in its place, he dismissed it as a "hypothetical question". But Akhtar said: "On Jan 1, Vora came to Herald House (on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg) and categorically told the employees union that the paper is going to be closed down."T.V. Venkitachalam, editor in chief of the National Herald, said: "In my 20 years association with the newspaper, and nine years as editor, there has never been any interference from the Congress party in presenting the news. We have always tried to keep a fine balance in our news, especially the editorials, and never tried to make it sound like a party publication. "The newspaper has been part of the country's freedom movement and has been an upholder of national values like secularism and non-alignment and we have strived to run it in a professional manner," said Venkitachalam, 79, who joined the paper in 1987 when then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi revived it. The paper had closed down for a few months at the time due to various reasons, including financial constraints. During the paper's golden jubilee in 1988, Rameshwar Thakur, who was chairperson of the board of directors of the publication and is now the Karnataka governor, had written in the special issue: "The freedom movement (was) at its peak, Gandhiji leading the nation through blood and sweat. His lieutenant and our great founder Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, wanting to give a new meaning to the freedom that was yet to come so that all its fruits could reach the poor and the humble... "It was in these stirring times that the National Herald was born at the initiative of its founder, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru."Source: IANS
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Community policing gets nod in Kerala - National News – News – MSN India - News
Community policing gets nod in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has decided to implement community policing in three city corporations and 11 municipalities areas, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan disclosed here on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after the State Police Security Commission gave go-ahead to community policing at its first meeting here, the minister said: "This is the first comprehensive programme of this kind in the country." "Some states tried to implement this, but only in few police stations," he said.Under the programme, each police official will look after 500 families in the selected places. "He will maintain a record of every person and involve the people in the security and crime-related issues in his area," said the minister. "The police official will be assisted by a committee comprising elected representatives from the area and a group of people. He would also liase with residents association," Balakrishnan said.The State Police Security Commission has submitted a detailed project report to the union home ministry seeking Rs.100 million ($2.5 million) to implement the scheme, he said."In this effort we have also sought the help of private security agencies which provide security guards in these areas. These security guards can help in faster reporting of crimes to the police.There would be separate committees (to help implement the scheme) in educational institutions also," Balakrishnan added.Source: IANS
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has decided to implement community policing in three city corporations and 11 municipalities areas, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan disclosed here on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after the State Police Security Commission gave go-ahead to community policing at its first meeting here, the minister said: "This is the first comprehensive programme of this kind in the country." "Some states tried to implement this, but only in few police stations," he said.Under the programme, each police official will look after 500 families in the selected places. "He will maintain a record of every person and involve the people in the security and crime-related issues in his area," said the minister. "The police official will be assisted by a committee comprising elected representatives from the area and a group of people. He would also liase with residents association," Balakrishnan said.The State Police Security Commission has submitted a detailed project report to the union home ministry seeking Rs.100 million ($2.5 million) to implement the scheme, he said."In this effort we have also sought the help of private security agencies which provide security guards in these areas. These security guards can help in faster reporting of crimes to the police.There would be separate committees (to help implement the scheme) in educational institutions also," Balakrishnan added.Source: IANS
Israel lift-off makes ISRO rich - National News – News – MSN India - News
Israel lift-off makes ISRO rich - National News – News – MSN India - News
Israel lift-off makes ISRO rich
Bangalore: The Indian Space Research Organisation got richer by about $14 million and enhanced its foothold in the global market with the successful launch of TECSAR, an Israeli satellite, from the Sriharikota Range on Monday.Also known as Polaris, this satellite operates with an advanced radar system to give the Israeli defence forces a peek into military activity on enemy terrain, particularly Iran.“This flight augurs well for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which has a good record in terms of 11 glitch-free flights so far. This (TECSAR) is the eighth foreign payload and the second commercial launch by our rockets,” KR Sridhara Murthy, the executive director of Antrix Corporation, the corporate arm of ISRO, said. Polaris was placed in orbit within 20 minutes of a perfect lift-off.ISRO sources said the organisation raked in about $14 million for this flight.For the first commercial launch, of an Italian astronomical satellite called AGILE from Sriharikota on April 23, 2007, the fee was $11 million.The 300-kg Polaris, considered the most advanced spacecraft manufactured by Israel, employs advanced remote sensing technology (synthetic aperture radar or SAR technology) on board to beam images even at night and overcast weather conditions.In support of ISRO's decision to keep the launch under wraps, G Madhavan Nair, the chairman, said the veil of secrecy was only to meet contractual obligations.The launch will be an important milestone for ISRO that has set out to grab a slice of the $2.5- billion global commercial satellite launch services. “We got a very good price in spite of competition from China, Russia and the US,” Nair said. “We are aiming to capture many orders because our rocket is reliable and cost effective, offering rides at 70 per cent of fee charged in the international market.”
Israel lift-off makes ISRO rich
Bangalore: The Indian Space Research Organisation got richer by about $14 million and enhanced its foothold in the global market with the successful launch of TECSAR, an Israeli satellite, from the Sriharikota Range on Monday.Also known as Polaris, this satellite operates with an advanced radar system to give the Israeli defence forces a peek into military activity on enemy terrain, particularly Iran.“This flight augurs well for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which has a good record in terms of 11 glitch-free flights so far. This (TECSAR) is the eighth foreign payload and the second commercial launch by our rockets,” KR Sridhara Murthy, the executive director of Antrix Corporation, the corporate arm of ISRO, said. Polaris was placed in orbit within 20 minutes of a perfect lift-off.ISRO sources said the organisation raked in about $14 million for this flight.For the first commercial launch, of an Italian astronomical satellite called AGILE from Sriharikota on April 23, 2007, the fee was $11 million.The 300-kg Polaris, considered the most advanced spacecraft manufactured by Israel, employs advanced remote sensing technology (synthetic aperture radar or SAR technology) on board to beam images even at night and overcast weather conditions.In support of ISRO's decision to keep the launch under wraps, G Madhavan Nair, the chairman, said the veil of secrecy was only to meet contractual obligations.The launch will be an important milestone for ISRO that has set out to grab a slice of the $2.5- billion global commercial satellite launch services. “We got a very good price in spite of competition from China, Russia and the US,” Nair said. “We are aiming to capture many orders because our rocket is reliable and cost effective, offering rides at 70 per cent of fee charged in the international market.”
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Hindu News Update Service
Victory for victims of post-Godhra riots: Teesta
New Delhi, (PTI): "It's a victory for the victims of Gujarat genocide of 2002", said social activist, Teesta Seetalvad, reacting to a Mumbai court's convicting 12 people in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case relating to post-Godhra communal riots.
"I think any victory in any case related to the Gujarat genocide of 2002 is a victory for the victims," she said.
Seetalvad said the courage of Bilkis Bano should be "celebrated" as much as her "complete determination to get to the bottom of it and to fight for justice."
She said Bilkis had to change her house 300 times, and accused the Gujarat government of threatening witnesses in the riots cases and trying to do everything to "resist an independent inquiry into them."
Accusing the politicians involved in the riots of trying to influence the criminal justice system, Seetalvad said it was necessary to move the trial of riots cases away from the scene of the crime in order to insulate the riots victims and the trial.
A special court in Mumbai convicted 12 persons, including a police official, in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, culminating a trial that was transferred out of Gujarat in the wake of intimidation of witnesses.
Seven persons were acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence, while one died during the course of trial.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
BBC NEWS | Health | Leukaemia cell culprit discovered
Leukaemia cell culprit discovered
Leukaemia cell culprit discovered
Isabella (l) and Olivia both have the pre-leukaemic stem cells
The twins' story A study of four-year-old twin girls has identified a rogue cell that is the root cause of childhood leukaemia.
The finding could mean more specific and less intensive treatments for all children with the blood cancer.
Both twins were found to have the "pre-leukaemic" cells in their bone marrow, although to date only one has developed leukaemia.
UK researchers reported in Science that a second genetic mutation is needed for full-blown disease to develop.
Leukaemia occurs when large numbers of white blood cells take over the bone marrow leaving the body unable to produce enough normal blood cells.
Now we know about the cell, hopefully we can find an Achilles heel we can target
Professor Tariq Enver
'We were lucky'
Along with lymphoma it accounts for almost half of childhood cancers.
Olivia Murphy, from Bromley in Kent, developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was two-years old - but so far her twin sister, Isabella, is healthy.
Researchers found they both have "pre-leukaemic stem cells" containing a mutated gene, which forms when the DNA is broken and rejoined at another point.
The pre-leukaemic cells are transferred from one twin to the other in the womb through their shared blood supply.
But it takes another genetic mutation in early childhood for the cells to cause disease.
This second mutation, which may be caused by infection, occurred in Olivia but not Isabella.
Doctors do regular tests on Isabella to look for signs of the cancer but once she reaches adolescence it is thought the rogue cells will disappear.
Achilles heel
About 1% of the population is thought to be born with pre-leukaemia cells. Of these, 1% receive the second "hit" that leads to cancer.
Current treatments are far too aggressive to justify eliminating the rogue cells before cancer develops, which also means screening is unlikely.
But attacking the pre-leukaemic cells in children with leukaemia would be a better way of treating the disease and ensuring it does not come back, the researchers said.
Study leader Professor Tariq Enver, from the Medical Research Council Molecular Haematology Unit in Oxford, said: "These are the cells which drive and maintain the disease.
"Now we know about the cell, hopefully we can find an Achilles heel we can target."
Professor Mel Greaves, from the Institute of Cancer Research and co-author on the study, said he suspected that the stem cells could escape conventional chemotherapy and cause relapse.
He said the study in the twins had been unique.
"There is an element of chance, we still have to work out why it happens in one child and not the other.
"We're pretty certain it's triggered by common childhood infection."
Dr Phil Ancliff, consultant in paediatric haematology at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said 90% of children now survived leukaemia because of intensive chemotherapy, but that it came at a price.
Olivia lost the sight in one eye after she was unable to fight an infection due to her cancer treatment.
"A significant number of children are now being over-treated but we don't know which children," he said.
In the future, he added, children could be tested to see if the stem cells had been killed off after the first few weeks of chemotherapy with some being able to stop treatment earlier, sparing them harmful side-effects.
Dr Bruce Morland, consultant paediatric oncologist at Birmingham Children's Hospital and chairman of the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group, said: "The identification of the leukaemic stem cell has been one of the 'Holy Grails' for cancer biologists and this study certainly brings us one step closer."
Professor Vaskar Saha, professor of paediatric oncology at Cancer Research UK, said: "This important paper shows how leukaemia develops, and how it can persist even after therapy.
"By identifying the cells involved, it raises the hope that we will be able to identify children at risk of relapse, and develop new, targeted drugs to treat the disease."
Leukaemia cell culprit discovered
Isabella (l) and Olivia both have the pre-leukaemic stem cells
The twins' story A study of four-year-old twin girls has identified a rogue cell that is the root cause of childhood leukaemia.
The finding could mean more specific and less intensive treatments for all children with the blood cancer.
Both twins were found to have the "pre-leukaemic" cells in their bone marrow, although to date only one has developed leukaemia.
UK researchers reported in Science that a second genetic mutation is needed for full-blown disease to develop.
Leukaemia occurs when large numbers of white blood cells take over the bone marrow leaving the body unable to produce enough normal blood cells.
Now we know about the cell, hopefully we can find an Achilles heel we can target
Professor Tariq Enver
'We were lucky'
Along with lymphoma it accounts for almost half of childhood cancers.
Olivia Murphy, from Bromley in Kent, developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was two-years old - but so far her twin sister, Isabella, is healthy.
Researchers found they both have "pre-leukaemic stem cells" containing a mutated gene, which forms when the DNA is broken and rejoined at another point.
The pre-leukaemic cells are transferred from one twin to the other in the womb through their shared blood supply.
But it takes another genetic mutation in early childhood for the cells to cause disease.
This second mutation, which may be caused by infection, occurred in Olivia but not Isabella.
Doctors do regular tests on Isabella to look for signs of the cancer but once she reaches adolescence it is thought the rogue cells will disappear.
Achilles heel
About 1% of the population is thought to be born with pre-leukaemia cells. Of these, 1% receive the second "hit" that leads to cancer.
Current treatments are far too aggressive to justify eliminating the rogue cells before cancer develops, which also means screening is unlikely.
But attacking the pre-leukaemic cells in children with leukaemia would be a better way of treating the disease and ensuring it does not come back, the researchers said.
Study leader Professor Tariq Enver, from the Medical Research Council Molecular Haematology Unit in Oxford, said: "These are the cells which drive and maintain the disease.
"Now we know about the cell, hopefully we can find an Achilles heel we can target."
Professor Mel Greaves, from the Institute of Cancer Research and co-author on the study, said he suspected that the stem cells could escape conventional chemotherapy and cause relapse.
He said the study in the twins had been unique.
"There is an element of chance, we still have to work out why it happens in one child and not the other.
"We're pretty certain it's triggered by common childhood infection."
Dr Phil Ancliff, consultant in paediatric haematology at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said 90% of children now survived leukaemia because of intensive chemotherapy, but that it came at a price.
Olivia lost the sight in one eye after she was unable to fight an infection due to her cancer treatment.
"A significant number of children are now being over-treated but we don't know which children," he said.
In the future, he added, children could be tested to see if the stem cells had been killed off after the first few weeks of chemotherapy with some being able to stop treatment earlier, sparing them harmful side-effects.
Dr Bruce Morland, consultant paediatric oncologist at Birmingham Children's Hospital and chairman of the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group, said: "The identification of the leukaemic stem cell has been one of the 'Holy Grails' for cancer biologists and this study certainly brings us one step closer."
Professor Vaskar Saha, professor of paediatric oncology at Cancer Research UK, said: "This important paper shows how leukaemia develops, and how it can persist even after therapy.
"By identifying the cells involved, it raises the hope that we will be able to identify children at risk of relapse, and develop new, targeted drugs to treat the disease."
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'Darkest ever' material created
'Darkest ever' material created
The "darkest ever" substance known to science has been made in a US laboratory.
The material was created from carbon nanotubes - sheets of carbon just one atom thick rolled up into cylinders.
Researchers say it is the closest thing yet to the ideal black material, which absorbs light perfectly at all angles and over all wavelengths.
The discovery is expected to have applications in the fields of electronics and solar energy.
Theoretical clues
An ideal black object absorbs all the colours of light and reflects none of them. In theory, it should be possible to make something that approaches the "perfect absorber".
They've made the blackest material known to science
Prof Sir John Pendry
But it has proved difficult to construct an object that does not reflect light at all.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, turned to carbon nanotubes - structures made from carbon, billionths of a metre across, that have unique properties.
Theory suggests that nanotubes might make a super black object, and experts are just starting to test these predictions.
Click here to see a nanotech future
A team led by Dr Pulickel Ajayan, who is presently at Rice University in Houston, Texas, built an array of vertically aligned, low-density carbon nanotubes. Dr Shawn Lin measured the optical properties.
The roughness of the material's surface was tuned to minimise its optical reflectance.
BUCKYBALLS AND NANOTUBES
Closed cages of carbon atoms
Appear as spheres and tubes
Electrical properties tuneable
Could form tiny circuit wires
Tubes make strong materials
Buckyballs will block HIV virusExperiments showed that this "forest" of carbon nanotubes was very good at absorbing light, and very poor at reflecting it.
Reporting their findings in the journal Nano Letters, Dr Ajayan, Dr Lin and colleagues say the reflectance of the material is three times lower than previously achieved.
This makes it the "darkest man-made material ever".
"The periodic nanotube structures make an ideal candidate for creating superdark materials, because it allows one to tailor light absorption by controlling the dimensions and periodicities of nanotubes in the structure," said Dr Ajayan.
Commenting on the study, Professor Sir John Pendry, who first predicted that such a discovery might be possible, said the results were promising.
"They've made the blackest material known to science," the theoretical physicist from Imperial College, London, told BBC News.
"The application will be to things like more efficient solar cells, more efficient solar panels and any application where you need to harvest light," he added.
The "darkest ever" substance known to science has been made in a US laboratory.
The material was created from carbon nanotubes - sheets of carbon just one atom thick rolled up into cylinders.
Researchers say it is the closest thing yet to the ideal black material, which absorbs light perfectly at all angles and over all wavelengths.
The discovery is expected to have applications in the fields of electronics and solar energy.
Theoretical clues
An ideal black object absorbs all the colours of light and reflects none of them. In theory, it should be possible to make something that approaches the "perfect absorber".
They've made the blackest material known to science
Prof Sir John Pendry
But it has proved difficult to construct an object that does not reflect light at all.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, turned to carbon nanotubes - structures made from carbon, billionths of a metre across, that have unique properties.
Theory suggests that nanotubes might make a super black object, and experts are just starting to test these predictions.
Click here to see a nanotech future
A team led by Dr Pulickel Ajayan, who is presently at Rice University in Houston, Texas, built an array of vertically aligned, low-density carbon nanotubes. Dr Shawn Lin measured the optical properties.
The roughness of the material's surface was tuned to minimise its optical reflectance.
BUCKYBALLS AND NANOTUBES
Closed cages of carbon atoms
Appear as spheres and tubes
Electrical properties tuneable
Could form tiny circuit wires
Tubes make strong materials
Buckyballs will block HIV virusExperiments showed that this "forest" of carbon nanotubes was very good at absorbing light, and very poor at reflecting it.
Reporting their findings in the journal Nano Letters, Dr Ajayan, Dr Lin and colleagues say the reflectance of the material is three times lower than previously achieved.
This makes it the "darkest man-made material ever".
"The periodic nanotube structures make an ideal candidate for creating superdark materials, because it allows one to tailor light absorption by controlling the dimensions and periodicities of nanotubes in the structure," said Dr Ajayan.
Commenting on the study, Professor Sir John Pendry, who first predicted that such a discovery might be possible, said the results were promising.
"They've made the blackest material known to science," the theoretical physicist from Imperial College, London, told BBC News.
"The application will be to things like more efficient solar cells, more efficient solar panels and any application where you need to harvest light," he added.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
BBC NEWS | Europe | Papal visit scuppered by scholars
Papal visit scuppered by scholars
Papal visit scuppered by scholars
Anti-Pope slogans have appeared at La SapienzaPope Benedict XVI has cancelled a visit to a prestigious university in Rome where lecturers and students have protested against his views on Galileo.
The Pope had been set to make a speech at La Sapienza University on Thursday.
Sixty-seven academics had said the Pope condoned the 1633 trial and conviction of the astronomer Galileo for heresy.
The Vatican insists the Pope is not "anti-science" - but in light of the protests they have decided it would be better for him not to attend.
Galileo had argued that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
The Vatican says the Pope will now send his speech to La Sapienza, instead of delivering it in person.
Landmark controversy
Pope Benedict was in charge of Roman Catholic doctrine in 1990 when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he commented on the 17th-Century Galileo trial.
In the speech, he quoted Austrian-born philosopher Paul Feyerabend as saying the Church's verdict against Galileo had been "rational and just".
Galileo's inquisitors maintained the scriptures indicated the Earth was stationary.
Galileo, a devout Catholic, was forced to renounce his findings publicly.
Fifteen years ago Pope John Paul II officially conceded that in fact the Earth was not stationary.
The academics at La Sapienza signed a letter saying the Pope's views on Galileo "offend and humiliate us".
They said it would be inappropriate for the Pope to open their academic year on Thursday.
"In the name of the secular nature of science we hope this incongruous event can be cancelled," said the letter addressed to the university's rector, Renato Guarini.
It's a good thing that someone in Italy has the courage to say no to the Pope.
Stefano, Cuneo, Italy
In a separate initiative, students at La Sapienza organised four days of protest this week. The first revolved around an anti-clerical meal of bread, pork and wine, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Rome.
The banner at their lunch read: "Knowledge needs neither fathers nor priests".
Vatican Radio said the protest at La Sapienza had "a censorious tone".
Papal visit scuppered by scholars
Anti-Pope slogans have appeared at La SapienzaPope Benedict XVI has cancelled a visit to a prestigious university in Rome where lecturers and students have protested against his views on Galileo.
The Pope had been set to make a speech at La Sapienza University on Thursday.
Sixty-seven academics had said the Pope condoned the 1633 trial and conviction of the astronomer Galileo for heresy.
The Vatican insists the Pope is not "anti-science" - but in light of the protests they have decided it would be better for him not to attend.
Galileo had argued that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
The Vatican says the Pope will now send his speech to La Sapienza, instead of delivering it in person.
Landmark controversy
Pope Benedict was in charge of Roman Catholic doctrine in 1990 when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he commented on the 17th-Century Galileo trial.
In the speech, he quoted Austrian-born philosopher Paul Feyerabend as saying the Church's verdict against Galileo had been "rational and just".
Galileo's inquisitors maintained the scriptures indicated the Earth was stationary.
Galileo, a devout Catholic, was forced to renounce his findings publicly.
Fifteen years ago Pope John Paul II officially conceded that in fact the Earth was not stationary.
The academics at La Sapienza signed a letter saying the Pope's views on Galileo "offend and humiliate us".
They said it would be inappropriate for the Pope to open their academic year on Thursday.
"In the name of the secular nature of science we hope this incongruous event can be cancelled," said the letter addressed to the university's rector, Renato Guarini.
It's a good thing that someone in Italy has the courage to say no to the Pope.
Stefano, Cuneo, Italy
In a separate initiative, students at La Sapienza organised four days of protest this week. The first revolved around an anti-clerical meal of bread, pork and wine, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Rome.
The banner at their lunch read: "Knowledge needs neither fathers nor priests".
Vatican Radio said the protest at La Sapienza had "a censorious tone".
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
BBC NEWS | Health | Deadly new form of MRSA emerges
Deadly new form of MRSA emerges
Deadly new form of MRSA emerges
The new strain can lead to blood poisoningA deadly strain of the superbug MRSA which can lead to a flesh-eating form of pneumonia has emerged.
Research suggests it may be more prevalent among the gay community - the gay San Francisco district of Castro appears to have been hardest hit.
So far only two cases of the new form of the USA300 strain of the bug have been recorded in the UK.
It is not usually contracted in hospitals, but in the community - often by casual contact.
We do know that the USA300 strain is extremely good at spreading between people through skin-to-skin contact
Professor Mark EnrightImperial College
The new strain is resistant to treatment by many front-line antibiotics.
It causes large boils on the skin, and in severe cases can lead to fatal blood poisoning or necrotising pneumonia, which eats away at the lungs.
Researchers say the bug has so far been 13 times more prevalent in gay men in San Francisco than in other people.
In the Castro district - where more gay people live than anywhere else in the US - about one in 588 people are carrying the bug.
In the general San Francisco community the figure was around one in 3,800.
Sex link
Researcher Dr Binh Diep, from San Francisco General Hospital Medical Centre, said: "These multi-drug resistant infections often affect gay men at body sites in which skin-to-skin contact occurs during sexual activities.
"But because the bacteria can be spread by more casual contact, we are also very concerned about a potential spread of this strain into the general population."
Dr Diep said the best way to avoid transmission was probably to wash thoroughly with soap and water, especially after sexual activities.
The study, reported in Annals of Internal Medicine, was based on a review of medical records from outpatient clinics and medical centres in San Francisco and Boston.
Professor Mark Enright, from Imperial College and St Mary's Hospital, London, Britain's leading authority on MRSA, said: "It's quite surprising that the figures are so high.
"We do know that the USA300 strain is extremely good at spreading between people through skin-to-skin contact.
"The main reservoir for this infection is gay men, drug users, and those involved in contact sports, like wrestling. Having lots of sexual partners and making skin contact with a large number of different people helps the infection to spread.
"In the US it is already moving into the wider community, which is very worrying."
E-mail this to a friend
Deadly new form of MRSA emerges
The new strain can lead to blood poisoningA deadly strain of the superbug MRSA which can lead to a flesh-eating form of pneumonia has emerged.
Research suggests it may be more prevalent among the gay community - the gay San Francisco district of Castro appears to have been hardest hit.
So far only two cases of the new form of the USA300 strain of the bug have been recorded in the UK.
It is not usually contracted in hospitals, but in the community - often by casual contact.
We do know that the USA300 strain is extremely good at spreading between people through skin-to-skin contact
Professor Mark EnrightImperial College
The new strain is resistant to treatment by many front-line antibiotics.
It causes large boils on the skin, and in severe cases can lead to fatal blood poisoning or necrotising pneumonia, which eats away at the lungs.
Researchers say the bug has so far been 13 times more prevalent in gay men in San Francisco than in other people.
In the Castro district - where more gay people live than anywhere else in the US - about one in 588 people are carrying the bug.
In the general San Francisco community the figure was around one in 3,800.
Sex link
Researcher Dr Binh Diep, from San Francisco General Hospital Medical Centre, said: "These multi-drug resistant infections often affect gay men at body sites in which skin-to-skin contact occurs during sexual activities.
"But because the bacteria can be spread by more casual contact, we are also very concerned about a potential spread of this strain into the general population."
Dr Diep said the best way to avoid transmission was probably to wash thoroughly with soap and water, especially after sexual activities.
The study, reported in Annals of Internal Medicine, was based on a review of medical records from outpatient clinics and medical centres in San Francisco and Boston.
Professor Mark Enright, from Imperial College and St Mary's Hospital, London, Britain's leading authority on MRSA, said: "It's quite surprising that the figures are so high.
"We do know that the USA300 strain is extremely good at spreading between people through skin-to-skin contact.
"The main reservoir for this infection is gay men, drug users, and those involved in contact sports, like wrestling. Having lots of sexual partners and making skin contact with a large number of different people helps the infection to spread.
"In the US it is already moving into the wider community, which is very worrying."
E-mail this to a friend
Friday, January 11, 2008
BBC NEWS | Health | Chewing gum weight loss warning
Chewing gum weight loss warning
Chewing gum weight loss warning
Sorbitol in "sugar-free" chewing gum is a laxativeToo much "sugar-free" chewing gum can lead to severe weight loss and diarrhoea, doctors warn.
The cause is sorbitol, a widely used sweetener in chewing gum and sweets, which acts as a laxative.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, experts gave the example of two patients who had become ill after chewing around 20 sticks of gum a day.
Industry representatives said sorbitol was a safe product and packs carried warnings about excessive consumption.
Sorbitol is widely used in "sugar-free" foods, including products for people with diabetes.
As possible side effects are usually found only within the small print on foods containing sorbitol, consumers may be unaware of its laxative effects and fail to recognise a link with their gastrointestinal problems
Dr Juergen Bauditz
It is also used as a laxative but despite warnings on packets of chewing-gum and other products containing sorbitol, many people do not realise that large amounts will cause stomach problems, the German researchers said.
One 21-year old woman had suffered with diarrhoea and stomach pain for eight months and had undergone a raft of tests before doctors realised her chewing gum habit was to blame.
She lost more than one and a half stones (11kg) in that time and was underweight.
In a second case a man was admitted to hospital after losing three and a half stones (22kg) over a year and suffering diarrhoea.
Excessive amounts
They were found to consume between 20 and 30g of sorbitol per day.
Each stick of chewing gum has around 1.25g of the sweetener.
Dr Juergen Bauditz, from the Department of Gastroenterology at Charite University Hospital in Berlin, said 5-20g of sorbitol would be enough to cause minor stomach problems such as bloating and cramps but more than 20g could cause diarrhoea and, as these cases showed, severe weight loss.
When he questioned the patients he found they had replaced the gum sticks frequently, accounting for the high doses of sorbitol which were getting into their system.
Fruits
Once the patients cut out sorbitol from their diet, their symptoms disappeared and they put on the weight they had lost.
"As possible side effects are usually found only within the small print on foods containing sorbitol, consumers may be unaware of its laxative effects and fail to recognise a link with their gastrointestinal problems," he said.
"The investigation of unexplained weight loss should include detailed dietary history with regard to foods containing sorbitol."
A spokesperson for the Wrigley Company which manufactures a range of sugar-free chewing gums said all the ingredients they used were safe and packs carried warnings about a laxative effect with excessive consumption.
"Sorbitol occurs naturally in a wide variety of fruits and berries including pears, plums, cherries, dates, apricots, peaches and apples.
"It is well documented in medical literature, with studies going back more than 20 years, that excessive consumption of polyols, such as sorbitol, can have a laxative effect in some individuals."
"The safety of sorbitol has been thoroughly reviewed by health and regulatory bodies, including the WHO/FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives."
Jemma Edwards, registered dietitian at Diabetes UK, said some people with diabetes eat large amounts of "diabetic foods" containing sorbitol but they should be avoided as there is no nutritional benefit.
"People with diabetes can eat the same diet as people without diabetes as long as it is a healthy, balanced diet."
Chewing gum weight loss warning
Sorbitol in "sugar-free" chewing gum is a laxativeToo much "sugar-free" chewing gum can lead to severe weight loss and diarrhoea, doctors warn.
The cause is sorbitol, a widely used sweetener in chewing gum and sweets, which acts as a laxative.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, experts gave the example of two patients who had become ill after chewing around 20 sticks of gum a day.
Industry representatives said sorbitol was a safe product and packs carried warnings about excessive consumption.
Sorbitol is widely used in "sugar-free" foods, including products for people with diabetes.
As possible side effects are usually found only within the small print on foods containing sorbitol, consumers may be unaware of its laxative effects and fail to recognise a link with their gastrointestinal problems
Dr Juergen Bauditz
It is also used as a laxative but despite warnings on packets of chewing-gum and other products containing sorbitol, many people do not realise that large amounts will cause stomach problems, the German researchers said.
One 21-year old woman had suffered with diarrhoea and stomach pain for eight months and had undergone a raft of tests before doctors realised her chewing gum habit was to blame.
She lost more than one and a half stones (11kg) in that time and was underweight.
In a second case a man was admitted to hospital after losing three and a half stones (22kg) over a year and suffering diarrhoea.
Excessive amounts
They were found to consume between 20 and 30g of sorbitol per day.
Each stick of chewing gum has around 1.25g of the sweetener.
Dr Juergen Bauditz, from the Department of Gastroenterology at Charite University Hospital in Berlin, said 5-20g of sorbitol would be enough to cause minor stomach problems such as bloating and cramps but more than 20g could cause diarrhoea and, as these cases showed, severe weight loss.
When he questioned the patients he found they had replaced the gum sticks frequently, accounting for the high doses of sorbitol which were getting into their system.
Fruits
Once the patients cut out sorbitol from their diet, their symptoms disappeared and they put on the weight they had lost.
"As possible side effects are usually found only within the small print on foods containing sorbitol, consumers may be unaware of its laxative effects and fail to recognise a link with their gastrointestinal problems," he said.
"The investigation of unexplained weight loss should include detailed dietary history with regard to foods containing sorbitol."
A spokesperson for the Wrigley Company which manufactures a range of sugar-free chewing gums said all the ingredients they used were safe and packs carried warnings about a laxative effect with excessive consumption.
"Sorbitol occurs naturally in a wide variety of fruits and berries including pears, plums, cherries, dates, apricots, peaches and apples.
"It is well documented in medical literature, with studies going back more than 20 years, that excessive consumption of polyols, such as sorbitol, can have a laxative effect in some individuals."
"The safety of sorbitol has been thoroughly reviewed by health and regulatory bodies, including the WHO/FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives."
Jemma Edwards, registered dietitian at Diabetes UK, said some people with diabetes eat large amounts of "diabetic foods" containing sorbitol but they should be avoided as there is no nutritional benefit.
"People with diabetes can eat the same diet as people without diabetes as long as it is a healthy, balanced diet."
WB asked to file affidavit on Nandigram recapture - National News – News – MSN India - News
WB asked to file affidavit on Nandigram recapture - National News – News – MSN India - News
WB asked to file affidavit on Nandigram recapture
Kolkata: Taking up a PIL seeking CBI probe into the violence and death during CPI(M) recapture of Nandigram in November, the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the West Bengal Government to file an affidavit giving its views on the issue within eight weeks.A Division bench comprising Chief Justice S S Nijjar and Justice P C Ghosh adjourned the prayer for ten weeks after hearing both the state government and petitioner Sabyasachi Ray Choudhary.Advocate General Balai Ray submitted that the PIL was not maintainable as already 260 cases had been registered with regard to the violence at Nandigram police station. Besides, After November 11, there had been no allegation of any law and order problem in Nandigram.Further, in a clash between two groups of hooligans it was a state's duty to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book and CBI had no role to play, he argued.For the petitioner, Advocate Kalyn Banerjee contested that the police had been withdrawn to enable the CPIM cadres to enter Nandigram and recapture it. At least five persons were killed and several others were missing and injured in the violence.Besides, thousands of villagers were displaced from their homes during the violence for several days, Banerjee claimed. He submitted that only an investigation by a Central agency would be appropriate in the matter as the state police had allegedly colluded with attackers.The Court had earlier asked CBI to investigate the police firing in Nandigram in which 14 persons were killed on March 14, 2006. The investigation is currently on.© Copyright 2006 PTI. All rights reserved
WB asked to file affidavit on Nandigram recapture
Kolkata: Taking up a PIL seeking CBI probe into the violence and death during CPI(M) recapture of Nandigram in November, the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the West Bengal Government to file an affidavit giving its views on the issue within eight weeks.A Division bench comprising Chief Justice S S Nijjar and Justice P C Ghosh adjourned the prayer for ten weeks after hearing both the state government and petitioner Sabyasachi Ray Choudhary.Advocate General Balai Ray submitted that the PIL was not maintainable as already 260 cases had been registered with regard to the violence at Nandigram police station. Besides, After November 11, there had been no allegation of any law and order problem in Nandigram.Further, in a clash between two groups of hooligans it was a state's duty to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book and CBI had no role to play, he argued.For the petitioner, Advocate Kalyn Banerjee contested that the police had been withdrawn to enable the CPIM cadres to enter Nandigram and recapture it. At least five persons were killed and several others were missing and injured in the violence.Besides, thousands of villagers were displaced from their homes during the violence for several days, Banerjee claimed. He submitted that only an investigation by a Central agency would be appropriate in the matter as the state police had allegedly colluded with attackers.The Court had earlier asked CBI to investigate the police firing in Nandigram in which 14 persons were killed on March 14, 2006. The investigation is currently on.© Copyright 2006 PTI. All rights reserved
Court issues notice in PIL against Tata firm - National News – News – MSN India - News
Court issues notice in PIL against Tata firm - National News – News – MSN India - News
Court issues notice in PIL against Tata firm
New Delhi: A lawsuit in the Supreme Court Thursday alleged dalits and tribals were being weeded out of leading international telecom service provider Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), part of the Tata group that is seen as a model for corporate social responsibility.An apex court bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan issued notices to the VSNL management on a public interest lawsuit by the VSNL's dalit and tribal employees, alleging covert and overt bids by Tatas to weed them out from employment after sale of company's 45 percent share to the Tata group in Feb 2002.The bench, which also included Justice R.V. Raveendran, also issued notices to the Cabinet Secretary and the Department of Telecommunication on the petition, as the government still owns 26 percent stake in the company. In its petition to the apex court, an association of tribal and dalit employees alleged that after the privatisation of VSNL, its management has undertaken a policy decision to rid the firm of the dalit and tribal employees on the pretext of unsatisfactory professional performance. The petitioners alleged VSNL has been trying to sack them despite an undertaking to the government that after the sale of government shares, VSNL would continue to protect the interest of dalit, tribal and handicapped employees. In their plea, the affected employees of the VSNL alleged that even as they were being booted out and deprived of their earnings worth a few thousand rupees a month, the VSNL authorities "have been recruiting senior executives in the VSNL on obnoxiously high salaries to the tune of seven to eight millions a month." The employees said: "All these top honchos are being paid their salary from the same kitty of profit that they had earned for the VSNL by toiling for it during its existence as state enterprise between 1986 and 2002." They also contended that despite Tata being a majority stakeholder in the company, the government, owing to its own share of 26.12 percent and as the trustee of general public shares to the tune of 20 percent and those of Indian financial institutions to the tune of 10 percent roughly, the government has greater stake in VSNL.Source: IANS
Court issues notice in PIL against Tata firm
New Delhi: A lawsuit in the Supreme Court Thursday alleged dalits and tribals were being weeded out of leading international telecom service provider Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), part of the Tata group that is seen as a model for corporate social responsibility.An apex court bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan issued notices to the VSNL management on a public interest lawsuit by the VSNL's dalit and tribal employees, alleging covert and overt bids by Tatas to weed them out from employment after sale of company's 45 percent share to the Tata group in Feb 2002.The bench, which also included Justice R.V. Raveendran, also issued notices to the Cabinet Secretary and the Department of Telecommunication on the petition, as the government still owns 26 percent stake in the company. In its petition to the apex court, an association of tribal and dalit employees alleged that after the privatisation of VSNL, its management has undertaken a policy decision to rid the firm of the dalit and tribal employees on the pretext of unsatisfactory professional performance. The petitioners alleged VSNL has been trying to sack them despite an undertaking to the government that after the sale of government shares, VSNL would continue to protect the interest of dalit, tribal and handicapped employees. In their plea, the affected employees of the VSNL alleged that even as they were being booted out and deprived of their earnings worth a few thousand rupees a month, the VSNL authorities "have been recruiting senior executives in the VSNL on obnoxiously high salaries to the tune of seven to eight millions a month." The employees said: "All these top honchos are being paid their salary from the same kitty of profit that they had earned for the VSNL by toiling for it during its existence as state enterprise between 1986 and 2002." They also contended that despite Tata being a majority stakeholder in the company, the government, owing to its own share of 26.12 percent and as the trustee of general public shares to the tune of 20 percent and those of Indian financial institutions to the tune of 10 percent roughly, the government has greater stake in VSNL.Source: IANS
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Asians voters faced discrimination in US - International News – News – MSN India - News
Asians voters faced discrimination in US - International News – News – MSN India - NewsAsians voters faced discrimination in US
New York: Asian American voters, including those of Indian origin, faced discrimination in the 2006 midterm elections due to improper voter identification checking, says an election watchdog.Flawed interpretation assistance to limited English proficient voters as well as hostile and poorly trained poll workers too deterred many Asian American voters from exercising their vote, according to a report by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).The report, titled "Asian American Access to Democracy in the 2006 Elections," documents violations of the Voting Rights Act and Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The report is based on the New York-based AALDEF's survey of the November 2006 midterm elections in 25 cities in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Washington, Virginia, Maryland and Columbia district. All US House of Representatives seats and one third of the Senate seats were contested in the election.In AALDEF's survey, 40 percent of Pakistani, 38 percent of Bangladeshi and 17 percent of Indian voters were found to have limited English proficiency. One-third of Urdu and one-third of Bengali-speakers stated that they needed the assistance of interpreters or translated voting materials in order to vote. Although only 17 percent of Indian American voters needed language assistance, most of these were Punjabi speaking.The report goes on to detail impediments faced by Asian Americans while exercising their right to vote.
New York: Asian American voters, including those of Indian origin, faced discrimination in the 2006 midterm elections due to improper voter identification checking, says an election watchdog.Flawed interpretation assistance to limited English proficient voters as well as hostile and poorly trained poll workers too deterred many Asian American voters from exercising their vote, according to a report by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).The report, titled "Asian American Access to Democracy in the 2006 Elections," documents violations of the Voting Rights Act and Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The report is based on the New York-based AALDEF's survey of the November 2006 midterm elections in 25 cities in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Washington, Virginia, Maryland and Columbia district. All US House of Representatives seats and one third of the Senate seats were contested in the election.In AALDEF's survey, 40 percent of Pakistani, 38 percent of Bangladeshi and 17 percent of Indian voters were found to have limited English proficiency. One-third of Urdu and one-third of Bengali-speakers stated that they needed the assistance of interpreters or translated voting materials in order to vote. Although only 17 percent of Indian American voters needed language assistance, most of these were Punjabi speaking.The report goes on to detail impediments faced by Asian Americans while exercising their right to vote.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Nooyi, Williams, Lahiri women role models: PM - NRI News Edition - MSN India: Indian News for Non Resident Indians
Nooyi, Williams, Lahiri women role models: PM - NRI News Edition - MSN India: Indian News for Non Resident Indians
Tuesday, 08 January 2008
Nooyi, Williams, Lahiri women role models: PM
New Delhi: Even as India salutes the achievements of its diaspora in a wide variety of fields, it is particularly happy with the strides made by women of Indian origin globally, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday.
"We in India take pride in the achievements of the people of Indian origin in diverse fields of human endeavour in different parts of the world," the prime minister told the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here Tuesday.
"I am particularly happy at the strides made by our women. Indra Nooyi, Sunita Williams, Kalpana Chawla and Jhumpa Lahiri are role models for our society seeking to give women a rightful place," he said.
While Nooyi is the chief executive officer of the US food and beverages giant PepsiCo, Williams set a new women's space walking record last year during the course of her 195-day stay in space.
And while Karnal-born Chawla, also an Indian American astronaut, perished during the 2003 Columbia space shuttle disaster, the teacher-turned-author Lahiri won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Source: IANS
Tuesday, 08 January 2008
Nooyi, Williams, Lahiri women role models: PM
New Delhi: Even as India salutes the achievements of its diaspora in a wide variety of fields, it is particularly happy with the strides made by women of Indian origin globally, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday.
"We in India take pride in the achievements of the people of Indian origin in diverse fields of human endeavour in different parts of the world," the prime minister told the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here Tuesday.
"I am particularly happy at the strides made by our women. Indra Nooyi, Sunita Williams, Kalpana Chawla and Jhumpa Lahiri are role models for our society seeking to give women a rightful place," he said.
While Nooyi is the chief executive officer of the US food and beverages giant PepsiCo, Williams set a new women's space walking record last year during the course of her 195-day stay in space.
And while Karnal-born Chawla, also an Indian American astronaut, perished during the 2003 Columbia space shuttle disaster, the teacher-turned-author Lahiri won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Source: IANS
Mumbai: Murder case registered in monk case - National News – News – MSN India - News
Mumbai: Murder case registered in monk case - National News – News – MSN India - News
Mumbai: Murder case registered in monk case
Mumbai: Police on Monday registered a case of murder in connection with the death of a Buddhist priest in mysterious circumstances here as local community leaders alleged foul play in the incident.The body of 75-year-old Buddhist priest Bhadant Sanghraj Thairo was found in his residence in the north-eastern suburb of Deonar on Sunday which led to protests by Dalit groups who alleged he had been murdered over a dispute on a realty redevelopment project.The police, which earlier filed a suicide case, have now registered a case of murder following outcry from local leaders who have alleged foul play in the death of Thairo.Joint Commissioner of Police Vijay Kamble said a case of murder had been registered at the behest of local residents and investigations were on. Sporadic incidents of protest, including stone pelting and blocking of roads, were reported in the eastern and western suburbs on Monday and 55 people were arrested across the city for participating in the protests, police said.Protestors pelted stones at public buses and in one incident at suburban Mulund a passenger was injured, a spokesperson for civic undertaking BEST said. A few instances of stone pelting at suburban trains on the Harbour line were also reported.Thairo's body, which was sent for a second post-mortem to the JJ Hospital, is to be brought back to Deonar for the funeral on Tuesday. Adequate security arrangements had been made for the funeral, police said. The situation in the area where the priest had lived and surrounding localities was peaceful by the evening.The first post-mortem report over the cause of death of Thairo proved to be "inconclusive" and local residents sought a second autopsy which was granted, police said.© Copyright 2007 PTI. All rights reserved
Mumbai: Murder case registered in monk case
Mumbai: Police on Monday registered a case of murder in connection with the death of a Buddhist priest in mysterious circumstances here as local community leaders alleged foul play in the incident.The body of 75-year-old Buddhist priest Bhadant Sanghraj Thairo was found in his residence in the north-eastern suburb of Deonar on Sunday which led to protests by Dalit groups who alleged he had been murdered over a dispute on a realty redevelopment project.The police, which earlier filed a suicide case, have now registered a case of murder following outcry from local leaders who have alleged foul play in the death of Thairo.Joint Commissioner of Police Vijay Kamble said a case of murder had been registered at the behest of local residents and investigations were on. Sporadic incidents of protest, including stone pelting and blocking of roads, were reported in the eastern and western suburbs on Monday and 55 people were arrested across the city for participating in the protests, police said.Protestors pelted stones at public buses and in one incident at suburban Mulund a passenger was injured, a spokesperson for civic undertaking BEST said. A few instances of stone pelting at suburban trains on the Harbour line were also reported.Thairo's body, which was sent for a second post-mortem to the JJ Hospital, is to be brought back to Deonar for the funeral on Tuesday. Adequate security arrangements had been made for the funeral, police said. The situation in the area where the priest had lived and surrounding localities was peaceful by the evening.The first post-mortem report over the cause of death of Thairo proved to be "inconclusive" and local residents sought a second autopsy which was granted, police said.© Copyright 2007 PTI. All rights reserved
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