Mortar kills 15 at Damascus University

Damascus: Fifteen Syrian students were killed when rebel mortar bombs hit a Damascus University canteen on Thursday, state-run news agency SANA said, as attacks intensified in the centre of the capital.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group, said a mortar killed 13 people at the university, without saying who fired the bombs.

Other activists confirmed the attack but no opposition group has denied or claimed responsibility.

Insurgents trying to end four decades of rule by the family of President Bashar al-Assad have formed a semi-circle around the capital and intensified attacks from positions on the outskirts this week.

A bastion for Assad's forces, the capital city is a crucial prize in a two-year-old uprising that has developed into a war in which more than 70,000 people have been killed.

Mortar kills 15 at Damascus University

Damascus: Fifteen Syrian students were killed when rebel mortar bombs hit a Damascus University canteen on Thursday, state-run news agency SANA said, as attacks intensified in the centre of the capital.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group, said a mortar killed 13 people at the university, without saying who fired the bombs.

Other activists confirmed the attack but no opposition group has denied or claimed responsibility.

Insurgents trying to end four decades of rule by the family of President Bashar al-Assad have formed a semi-circle around the capital and intensified attacks from positions on the outskirts this week.

A bastion for Assad's forces, the capital city is a crucial prize in a two-year-old uprising that has developed into a war in which more than 70,000 people have been killed.

Last date to apply for Haj pilgrimage extended to March 30

Dehradun:The last date for submission of applications for this year's Haj pilgrimage has been extended from March 20 to March 30. People aspiring to go on Haj pilgrimage can now submit their applications latest by March 30 instead of March 20,

Uttarakhand Haj Committee chief Haji Rao Sher Muhammad said here today. The date has been extended for the convenience of Haj pilgrims, he said, adding that the process for issuing passports to the applicants has also been simplified.They are being issued passports on the very day their police verification reports are being received, the state Haj committee chief said.

Announcing that efforts are underway by the committee to increase the limit on the number of Haj pilgrims in a year beyond 2,000, Muhammad said he has sent several letters in this regard to the Prime Minister, the External Affairs Minister and the Chief Minister and is optimistic about a positive outcome. Muhammad informed that repeater Haj pilgrims have been permitted to undertake the pilgrimage on certain conditions like no subsidy will be given to male companions accompanying a female or a 70-year-old pilgrim going on the journey for a second time. 

Those accompanying repeater Hajis will also be charged full air fare for their onward and return journeys, he said quoting a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs dated March 21. Repeater Haj pilgrims with someone accompanying them on the journey will also have to give a written undertaking on a performa affidavit prepared by Mumbai Haj Committee in this regard prior to the journey, the state Haj committee chief said. PTI

Last date to apply for Haj pilgrimage extended to March 30

Dehradun:The last date for submission of applications for this year's Haj pilgrimage has been extended from March 20 to March 30. People aspiring to go on Haj pilgrimage can now submit their applications latest by March 30 instead of March 20,

Uttarakhand Haj Committee chief Haji Rao Sher Muhammad said here today. The date has been extended for the convenience of Haj pilgrims, he said, adding that the process for issuing passports to the applicants has also been simplified.They are being issued passports on the very day their police verification reports are being received, the state Haj committee chief said.

Announcing that efforts are underway by the committee to increase the limit on the number of Haj pilgrims in a year beyond 2,000, Muhammad said he has sent several letters in this regard to the Prime Minister, the External Affairs Minister and the Chief Minister and is optimistic about a positive outcome. Muhammad informed that repeater Haj pilgrims have been permitted to undertake the pilgrimage on certain conditions like no subsidy will be given to male companions accompanying a female or a 70-year-old pilgrim going on the journey for a second time. 

Those accompanying repeater Hajis will also be charged full air fare for their onward and return journeys, he said quoting a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs dated March 21. Repeater Haj pilgrims with someone accompanying them on the journey will also have to give a written undertaking on a performa affidavit prepared by Mumbai Haj Committee in this regard prior to the journey, the state Haj committee chief said. PTI

UPSC withdraws mandatory English norm in civil services exams

New Delhi:Amid a nation-wide controversy, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has withdrawn changes suggested by it in civil services mains examination, dropping mandatory English language paper requirement. UPSC, which conducts the prestigious examination to select IAS, IPS and IFS officers among other, issued a corrigendum on Tuesday restoring the earlier practice of two qualifying papers in any Indian language and English, the marks obtained on which will not be counted for ranking. 'The papers on Indian languages and English will be of matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking,' it said.The aim of papers on Indian language and English is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express their ideas clearly and correctly, the corrigendum said.

There will also be separate papers on 'ethics, integrity and aptitude' and 'essay' of 250 marks each for the andidates taking the mains examination. The paper on ethics, integrity and aptitude will includequestions to test candidates' attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem- solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society.The aspirants will be required to write an essay on a specific topic and in their own choice of language. Under the earlier controversial norm put forth by the Commission, a language would be allowed as the medium of
examination only if a minimum of 25 candidates wanted it. 'It may also be noted that there is no change in the pattern of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, which will be held on May 26, 2013,' UPSC said

UPSC withdraws mandatory English norm in civil services exams

New Delhi:Amid a nation-wide controversy, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has withdrawn changes suggested by it in civil services mains examination, dropping mandatory English language paper requirement. UPSC, which conducts the prestigious examination to select IAS, IPS and IFS officers among other, issued a corrigendum on Tuesday restoring the earlier practice of two qualifying papers in any Indian language and English, the marks obtained on which will not be counted for ranking. 'The papers on Indian languages and English will be of matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking,' it said.The aim of papers on Indian language and English is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express their ideas clearly and correctly, the corrigendum said.

There will also be separate papers on 'ethics, integrity and aptitude' and 'essay' of 250 marks each for the andidates taking the mains examination. The paper on ethics, integrity and aptitude will includequestions to test candidates' attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem- solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society.The aspirants will be required to write an essay on a specific topic and in their own choice of language. Under the earlier controversial norm put forth by the Commission, a language would be allowed as the medium of
examination only if a minimum of 25 candidates wanted it. 'It may also be noted that there is no change in the pattern of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, which will be held on May 26, 2013,' UPSC said

Nitaqat rule may hit Kerala: Ravi

New Delhi: Union minister Vayalar Ravi said that Kerala would be severely hit with the Saudi government deciding to make the Nitaqat rule strict.

He said Nitaqat rule has so far not hit the Kerala sector and the govt has to act to deal with those who plan to return to their home land.

One of the hospitals in Dubai owned by a Malayalee has been put in the `Red List'. Many SIM cards of Indians were disenabled making them difficult to contact their beloved ones at home.

There are 18 lakh licensed establishments in Saudi Arabia. And 2 lakh establishmets are still categorised in the Red List. It has been notified that no companies have been excluded from the punishment list.

Nitaqat rule may hit Kerala: Ravi

New Delhi: Union minister Vayalar Ravi said that Kerala would be severely hit with the Saudi government deciding to make the Nitaqat rule strict.

He said Nitaqat rule has so far not hit the Kerala sector and the govt has to act to deal with those who plan to return to their home land.

One of the hospitals in Dubai owned by a Malayalee has been put in the `Red List'. Many SIM cards of Indians were disenabled making them difficult to contact their beloved ones at home.

There are 18 lakh licensed establishments in Saudi Arabia. And 2 lakh establishmets are still categorised in the Red List. It has been notified that no companies have been excluded from the punishment list.

Google Glass facing privacy and safety concerns

Washington: Google Glass, the US techology giant's revolutionary wearable computer is still months away from release, but there is a growing movement across America seeking to limit and in some cases ban the use of the glasses due to both privacy and safety concerns.

'We heard of many crashes caused by texting and driving, most involving our youngest drivers,' Republican Gary Howell of the West Virginia state legislature told tech website CNET.

Howell has introduced a bill that would effectively ban the use of Google Glass by drivers behind the wheel of a vehicle, siting safety concerns.

'Last legislature, we worked long and hard on a no-texting-and-driving law,' Howell told CNET.

'It is mostly the young that are the tech-savvy that try new things. They are also our most vulnerable and underskilled drivers,' he said.

Google Glass resembles a pair of traditional eyeglasses, but with images displayed on the lens, it enables users to surf the web, send emails, text messages, and record photos and videos all by using voice commands.

'We are putting a lot of thought into the design of Glass because new technologies always raise new issues,' a Google spokesman said in a statement.

In regards to safety, Google said in its statement the glasses offer, 'tremendous potential to improve safety on our roads and reduce accidents'.

For instance, Google has said its glasses will offer turn-by-turn navigation using voice commands to promote a more hands-free driving experience.

But putting the issue of safety aside, a growing movement online is concerned about the privacy implications surrounding the use of the stealthy glasses that could be used as a secret recording device.

'If the government installed CCTV cameras and microphones everywhere, all feeding information to a central control room you would probably characterise it as a privacy risk,' the website StopTheCyborgs.org said.

'Is it any better if it's run by a corporation and the devices are attached to people's heads?'

Concerns that Google Glass could be used to secretly record private conversations and activities is what sparked the creators of StopTheCyborgs to encourage businesses across the country to preemptively ban the use of Google Glass in their establishments.

The site offers downloadable anti-Google Glass signs and links to contact politicians to promote legislation regulating the use of the glasses prior to the launch.

The 5 Point Cafe, a bar in Seattle, was among the first to post signs banning Google Glass on its premises in an effort to protect the privacy of its patrons, the bar's owner said.

'It is still very early days for Glass and we expect as with other new technologies, such as cell phones, behaviours and social norms will develop over time,' a spokesman for Google told the Silicon Business Journal.

Google Glass is slated to be released later this year with an estimated retail price of around $1,500, according to media reports.

Google Glass facing privacy and safety concerns

Washington: Google Glass, the US techology giant's revolutionary wearable computer is still months away from release, but there is a growing movement across America seeking to limit and in some cases ban the use of the glasses due to both privacy and safety concerns.

'We heard of many crashes caused by texting and driving, most involving our youngest drivers,' Republican Gary Howell of the West Virginia state legislature told tech website CNET.

Howell has introduced a bill that would effectively ban the use of Google Glass by drivers behind the wheel of a vehicle, siting safety concerns.

'Last legislature, we worked long and hard on a no-texting-and-driving law,' Howell told CNET.

'It is mostly the young that are the tech-savvy that try new things. They are also our most vulnerable and underskilled drivers,' he said.

Google Glass resembles a pair of traditional eyeglasses, but with images displayed on the lens, it enables users to surf the web, send emails, text messages, and record photos and videos all by using voice commands.

'We are putting a lot of thought into the design of Glass because new technologies always raise new issues,' a Google spokesman said in a statement.

In regards to safety, Google said in its statement the glasses offer, 'tremendous potential to improve safety on our roads and reduce accidents'.

For instance, Google has said its glasses will offer turn-by-turn navigation using voice commands to promote a more hands-free driving experience.

But putting the issue of safety aside, a growing movement online is concerned about the privacy implications surrounding the use of the stealthy glasses that could be used as a secret recording device.

'If the government installed CCTV cameras and microphones everywhere, all feeding information to a central control room you would probably characterise it as a privacy risk,' the website StopTheCyborgs.org said.

'Is it any better if it's run by a corporation and the devices are attached to people's heads?'

Concerns that Google Glass could be used to secretly record private conversations and activities is what sparked the creators of StopTheCyborgs to encourage businesses across the country to preemptively ban the use of Google Glass in their establishments.

The site offers downloadable anti-Google Glass signs and links to contact politicians to promote legislation regulating the use of the glasses prior to the launch.

The 5 Point Cafe, a bar in Seattle, was among the first to post signs banning Google Glass on its premises in an effort to protect the privacy of its patrons, the bar's owner said.

'It is still very early days for Glass and we expect as with other new technologies, such as cell phones, behaviours and social norms will develop over time,' a spokesman for Google told the Silicon Business Journal.

Google Glass is slated to be released later this year with an estimated retail price of around $1,500, according to media reports.

Leukaemia patient with HIV: Human Rights panel book case

Kozhikode: The state human rights commission has booked a case in the incident where an 8-year old girl was found infected with dreaded HIV after blood transfusion for Leukaemia at two government hospitals in Wayanad and Kozhikode Districts. The commission has sought an immediate report on this from the govt. 

Sources in the District Medical Office said laboratory tests had confirmed the girl hailing from Valliyurkav near Manathawadi in the hilly Wayanad district as HIV positive.

A Leukaemia patient, she had received blood transfusion at Mananthawadi District Hospital and Kozhikode Medical College, they said.

Stating her parents tested negative for HIV, the sources said the authorities were contemplating a probe by experts into the issue.

Leukaemia patient with HIV: Human Rights panel book case

Kozhikode: The state human rights commission has booked a case in the incident where an 8-year old girl was found infected with dreaded HIV after blood transfusion for Leukaemia at two government hospitals in Wayanad and Kozhikode Districts. The commission has sought an immediate report on this from the govt. 

Sources in the District Medical Office said laboratory tests had confirmed the girl hailing from Valliyurkav near Manathawadi in the hilly Wayanad district as HIV positive.

A Leukaemia patient, she had received blood transfusion at Mananthawadi District Hospital and Kozhikode Medical College, they said.

Stating her parents tested negative for HIV, the sources said the authorities were contemplating a probe by experts into the issue.

Ambika turns director for 'Nizhal'

Chennai: Yesteryear actress Ambika, a popular south Indian face of the 1980s, has wielded the megaphone for upcoming Tamil-Malayalam bilingual romantic-thriller 'Nizhal'.

'Ambika is co-directing the film with Suresh, a Malayalam actor. This will be the first 'point of view' (POV) film that will have no cameraman. The actors themselves will hold the camera in the scenes thus allowing the audience to have an enhanced experience,' said a statement.

'To make it more elaborate, The audience will feel that they are inside the plot of the movie along with the actors Instead of sitting and watching as a third person. The scenes will be felt the same way as the actors feel,' the statement further added.

The film features an all new cast.

Indu Thampi and Kishore play the lead in the film, while Prasoon Krishna, Joe, Suresh, Venkat, Pradeep and Shruthi.

Tamil actor Ajith Kumar will feature in a cameo.

'We opted for new faces as the story is explained as a real-life incident and we felt new faces will fit into the characters to make it as real as possible,' said the statement.

Since there is no cameraman involved in the project, a 40- day workshop in acting and camera techniques were given to all the artists.

One of the emotional scenes in the film was directed by Ambika along with her sister Radha Nair, another popular yesteryear actresses in the south.

Mallikarjunan has produced the film, which is scheduled for an April release.

Ambika, who started her career as a child artist, has acted in over 150 films across three languages. Some of her best films include 'Neelathaamara', 'Seetha' and 'Antha Ezhu Naatkal'.

Ambika turns director for 'Nizhal'

Chennai: Yesteryear actress Ambika, a popular south Indian face of the 1980s, has wielded the megaphone for upcoming Tamil-Malayalam bilingual romantic-thriller 'Nizhal'.

'Ambika is co-directing the film with Suresh, a Malayalam actor. This will be the first 'point of view' (POV) film that will have no cameraman. The actors themselves will hold the camera in the scenes thus allowing the audience to have an enhanced experience,' said a statement.

'To make it more elaborate, The audience will feel that they are inside the plot of the movie along with the actors Instead of sitting and watching as a third person. The scenes will be felt the same way as the actors feel,' the statement further added.

The film features an all new cast.

Indu Thampi and Kishore play the lead in the film, while Prasoon Krishna, Joe, Suresh, Venkat, Pradeep and Shruthi.

Tamil actor Ajith Kumar will feature in a cameo.

'We opted for new faces as the story is explained as a real-life incident and we felt new faces will fit into the characters to make it as real as possible,' said the statement.

Since there is no cameraman involved in the project, a 40- day workshop in acting and camera techniques were given to all the artists.

One of the emotional scenes in the film was directed by Ambika along with her sister Radha Nair, another popular yesteryear actresses in the south.

Mallikarjunan has produced the film, which is scheduled for an April release.

Ambika, who started her career as a child artist, has acted in over 150 films across three languages. Some of her best films include 'Neelathaamara', 'Seetha' and 'Antha Ezhu Naatkal'.

Manmohan Singh makes five recommendations to BRICS

Durban: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday made five suggestions for BRICS, covering global growth to security, as the influential bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa moves forward after concluding the first cycle of five summits in each of these emerging economies.

'As we look to the future, the progress over the past five years encourages us to set higher ambitions, seek new avenues and set new goals for our cooperation,' the prime minister told the plenary session of the fifth edition of BRICS summit in this coastal city of South Africa.

'However our roadmap for the future should focus on consolidating and deepening our existing cooperation. We should also carefully prioritise existing and new areas, keeping in view our strengths, our resources and the difference we can make, both for our people and the world,' he said.

Accordingly, he made five suggestions:

- Respond to the persisting weakness in the global economy by deploying adequate resources to revive growth.

- Look at research and development and related exchanges through the prism of emerging economies rather than focus on the developed world.

- Make economic development more broad-based and inclusive, not just as a moral imperative but also as a pragmatic approach.

- Work more cohesively at global forums to advance the agenda of sustained economic recovery and balanced outcome on issues related to trade, development and environment.

- Work closely for the reform of global institutions of political and economic governance like the UN Security Council and the International Monetary Fund that reflects contemporary realities.

'It is my belief that over the last five summits, our forum has become more cohesive and more relevant. We derive as much value from our diversity as from our synergies -- equally, we stand to benefit enormously from our convergence and collective strength,' the prime minister said.

'The world today faces uncertainties, turbulence and transition on an unprecedented scale, leading to multiple economic and security challenges for us. Terrorism, piracy and the emerging threats from cyber-space are important security concerns for us,' he said.

'It is incumbent upon us to use our collective voice and capacity and make an effective and meaningful contribution to addressing these challenges and fostering global peace, stability and security.'

Manmohan Singh makes five recommendations to BRICS

Durban: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday made five suggestions for BRICS, covering global growth to security, as the influential bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa moves forward after concluding the first cycle of five summits in each of these emerging economies.

'As we look to the future, the progress over the past five years encourages us to set higher ambitions, seek new avenues and set new goals for our cooperation,' the prime minister told the plenary session of the fifth edition of BRICS summit in this coastal city of South Africa.

'However our roadmap for the future should focus on consolidating and deepening our existing cooperation. We should also carefully prioritise existing and new areas, keeping in view our strengths, our resources and the difference we can make, both for our people and the world,' he said.

Accordingly, he made five suggestions:

- Respond to the persisting weakness in the global economy by deploying adequate resources to revive growth.

- Look at research and development and related exchanges through the prism of emerging economies rather than focus on the developed world.

- Make economic development more broad-based and inclusive, not just as a moral imperative but also as a pragmatic approach.

- Work more cohesively at global forums to advance the agenda of sustained economic recovery and balanced outcome on issues related to trade, development and environment.

- Work closely for the reform of global institutions of political and economic governance like the UN Security Council and the International Monetary Fund that reflects contemporary realities.

'It is my belief that over the last five summits, our forum has become more cohesive and more relevant. We derive as much value from our diversity as from our synergies -- equally, we stand to benefit enormously from our convergence and collective strength,' the prime minister said.

'The world today faces uncertainties, turbulence and transition on an unprecedented scale, leading to multiple economic and security challenges for us. Terrorism, piracy and the emerging threats from cyber-space are important security concerns for us,' he said.

'It is incumbent upon us to use our collective voice and capacity and make an effective and meaningful contribution to addressing these challenges and fostering global peace, stability and security.'

Saina nominated for BWF Female Player of the Year award

Kuala Lumpur : India's Saina Nehwal was Wednesday nominated for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Female Player of the Year award for 2012.

Along with Saina in the reckoning are World No.1 Li Xuerui of China, who copped eight titles in 2012 including the Olympic and year-ending crowns.

Li's compatriot Wang Yihan, who won the Olympic silver in London, has also been nominated besides the winning Olympic women's doubles pair of Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei (China). Should a pair win, they will share the annual award.

The World No.2 Indian, in 2012, won the Indonesia Open Super Series Premier, Denmark Open Super Series Premier, Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold, and the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold to add to the bronze medal she won at the London Olympics.

Otherwise Chinese shuttlers dominated the nominations of the best badminton players of 2012.

In the list of the Male Player of the Year are two-time Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan of China and his perennial rival Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, the current World No.1 and a two-time Olympic silver medallist.

Others in the category are Olympic bronze medallist and winner of the BWF World Super Series Finals Chen Long (China), men's doubles Olympic gold medallists Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng (China) and Lee Yong Dae and the now retired Jung Jae Sung (South Korea), who won the men's doubles bronze medal at London Games.

The nominees for the Most Promising Player of the Year are Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei), Viktor Axelsen (Denmark), Kento Momota (Japan), Nozomi Okuhara (Japan), Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) and Busnan Ongbumrungpan (Thailand).

The announcement of the winners and the presentation of prizes will take place here May 18 following the BWF Annual General Meeting.

Saina nominated for BWF Female Player of the Year award

Kuala Lumpur : India's Saina Nehwal was Wednesday nominated for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Female Player of the Year award for 2012.

Along with Saina in the reckoning are World No.1 Li Xuerui of China, who copped eight titles in 2012 including the Olympic and year-ending crowns.

Li's compatriot Wang Yihan, who won the Olympic silver in London, has also been nominated besides the winning Olympic women's doubles pair of Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei (China). Should a pair win, they will share the annual award.

The World No.2 Indian, in 2012, won the Indonesia Open Super Series Premier, Denmark Open Super Series Premier, Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold, and the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold to add to the bronze medal she won at the London Olympics.

Otherwise Chinese shuttlers dominated the nominations of the best badminton players of 2012.

In the list of the Male Player of the Year are two-time Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan of China and his perennial rival Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, the current World No.1 and a two-time Olympic silver medallist.

Others in the category are Olympic bronze medallist and winner of the BWF World Super Series Finals Chen Long (China), men's doubles Olympic gold medallists Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng (China) and Lee Yong Dae and the now retired Jung Jae Sung (South Korea), who won the men's doubles bronze medal at London Games.

The nominees for the Most Promising Player of the Year are Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei), Viktor Axelsen (Denmark), Kento Momota (Japan), Nozomi Okuhara (Japan), Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) and Busnan Ongbumrungpan (Thailand).

The announcement of the winners and the presentation of prizes will take place here May 18 following the BWF Annual General Meeting.

Saudization to be made stricter: Malayalees to return from Saudi

  

Kottakkal: Malayees have started returning to their homeland, when the Saudi Arabian government has decided to make Nitaqat Program for Saudiazation, for its plans to expand employment avenues for its own nationals in backdrop of the Arab Spring, stricter. 

On daily basis, as many as 100 persons are retuning from Saudi and among them 4 to 6 are Malayalees. Majority are from Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. As part of the Saudization, the authorities informed that they would hold searches and examinations. If this happens more and more Malayalees will return and will pose heavy blow to Kerala financial sector. This will also reflect in the services which function as per backing from NRI funds. Moreover it will affect thousands of families. 

The authorities began lightening searches to nab those who are staying in free visa without sponsor, put more Malaylees in dock. The examinations are stricter in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah. Those who are nabbed would be deported immediately to their nativeland. There are 18 lakh organizations with license and Saudi ministry is conducing searches in all such organizations. `They begin inspection even before morning prayers and many of the Malayalees who were living with us are absconding now. In Sharafiyya, the centre for Malayalees, is deserted now. Many are getting are ready to return,. ', said Nisar Kappil who runs a readymade shop in Sharafiyya. The law will mostly affect Malappuram and the youth from Muslim community,. As per records of last year , among the youth who migrated to Saudi , 44,3 % are from Muslim community. Rs 23,089 has bern flowing from them to Kerala. 

As per Saudi govt estimates, an alarming 39 per cent of the youth in the 15-25 years old category, are unemployed. Consequently, the Kingdom has adopted the Nitaqat programme — a plan to push its nationals into employment in companies that are colour coded to deter expatriates from monopolizing their workforce. 

Saudization to be made stricter: Malayalees to return from Saudi

  

Kottakkal: Malayees have started returning to their homeland, when the Saudi Arabian government has decided to make Nitaqat Program for Saudiazation, for its plans to expand employment avenues for its own nationals in backdrop of the Arab Spring, stricter. 

On daily basis, as many as 100 persons are retuning from Saudi and among them 4 to 6 are Malayalees. Majority are from Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. As part of the Saudization, the authorities informed that they would hold searches and examinations. If this happens more and more Malayalees will return and will pose heavy blow to Kerala financial sector. This will also reflect in the services which function as per backing from NRI funds. Moreover it will affect thousands of families. 

The authorities began lightening searches to nab those who are staying in free visa without sponsor, put more Malaylees in dock. The examinations are stricter in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah. Those who are nabbed would be deported immediately to their nativeland. There are 18 lakh organizations with license and Saudi ministry is conducing searches in all such organizations. `They begin inspection even before morning prayers and many of the Malayalees who were living with us are absconding now. In Sharafiyya, the centre for Malayalees, is deserted now. Many are getting are ready to return,. ', said Nisar Kappil who runs a readymade shop in Sharafiyya. The law will mostly affect Malappuram and the youth from Muslim community,. As per records of last year , among the youth who migrated to Saudi , 44,3 % are from Muslim community. Rs 23,089 has bern flowing from them to Kerala. 

As per Saudi govt estimates, an alarming 39 per cent of the youth in the 15-25 years old category, are unemployed. Consequently, the Kingdom has adopted the Nitaqat programme — a plan to push its nationals into employment in companies that are colour coded to deter expatriates from monopolizing their workforce. 

New Zealand's Jesse Ryder in critical condition after late-night attack

The troubled New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder is in intensive care in a Christchurch hospital with a fractured skull and serious internal injuries after being attacked outside a bar on Wednesday.

Ryder, a hard-hitting 28-year-old batsman who has played 18 Tests, 39 one-day internationals and 20 Twenty20 internationals, had been due to fly to India to join Delhi Daredevils, his latest Premier League franchise. Instead his family were heading for his bedside after an incident that followed a one-day game for Wellington against Canterbury in Christchurch.

Ryder had been at the bar with Wellington team-mates. A statement on the New Zealand police website read: 'Police are investigating an incident at a bar in Merivale in the early hours of this morning. Police can confirm the incident did involve Jesse Ryder and that he is currently in Christchurch hospital.'

Eyewitnesses said Ryder was attacked by four men outside a bar in the Christchurch suburb. CCTV pictures reportedly suggest the incident was unprovoked and that Ryder was punched and kicked repeatedly while lying on the ground.

Four men, believed to be in their late 20s, allegedly started hitting Ryder in the bar's outdoor courtyard and the fight was pushed out on to the road. 'Four dudes were just laying into him and absolutely smashing him on the ground,' said a witness who had been in the bar. 'His shirt was ripped off and they were kicking him and punching him while he was down.'

Ryder managed to stand up during the attack but was quickly knocked back to the ground, the witness added, and they 'damn knew who he was'. The attackers were reportedly swearing at Ryder as they beat him and ran off when police sirens were heard.

New Zealand Cricket said its chief executive David White, Peter Clinton from Cricket Wellington, Heath Mills from the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association and Ryder's manager Aaron Klee were flying to Christchurch. 'We are all shocked by what has occurred and extremely concerned for Jesse. New Zealand Cricket's thoughts are with him and his family,' White said. The four are likely to hold a press briefing once they have ascertained the facts.

St John Ambulance confirmed to TVNZ that two ambulances responded to an alleged assault at 12.34am in the morning. 'We transported to Christchurch hospital ED under lights and sirens one patient, a male, aged in his 20s, with very serious head injuries,' St John Ambulance said.

It is more than a year since Ryder's last international appearance and he dabbled with boxing in June 2012, when he knocked out the radio presenter Mark Watson with a left hook in the first round of a fight shown live on NZ pay-per-view TV.

Brendon McCullum seemed to raise the possibility of a recall when he took over as New Zealand captain late last year, when Ryder was in prolific form for Wellington, but the batsman made himself unavailable for the one-day and t20 matches against England last month.

In February 2008, in the aftermath of a one-day series win against England, Ryder cut a hand trying to break into a toilet in a Christchurch bar, an injury that required surgery and which kept him out of the game for several months.

He has also been reprimanded for turning up to training under the influence after a heavy drinking session and was censured again by NZC last year after he was involved in a verbal altercation with bar patrons in Napier. He had missed a game against South Africa while injured but breached team protocol about abstaining from alcohol.

Ryder then admitted he had a drink problem and announced he was taking an indefinite break from internationals, although he went on to play for Pune Warriors in the IPL but was accompanied to India by a psychologist and his manager.

A post on New Zealand Cricket's official Twitter read: 'The whole NZC team's thoughts are with DijaRyder this morning.' The New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor tweeted: 'Thinking of you mate DijaRyder.'

Klee wrote on his Twitter page: 'thanks for the calls and msgs of support for Jesse. Just heading to Chch to see him'.

The former England captain Michael Vaughan added his support via Twitter: 'Devastating news regarding Jesse Ryder... Just hope he can pull through... Thoughts are with him and his family...'

New Zealand's Jesse Ryder in critical condition after late-night attack

The troubled New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder is in intensive care in a Christchurch hospital with a fractured skull and serious internal injuries after being attacked outside a bar on Wednesday.

Ryder, a hard-hitting 28-year-old batsman who has played 18 Tests, 39 one-day internationals and 20 Twenty20 internationals, had been due to fly to India to join Delhi Daredevils, his latest Premier League franchise. Instead his family were heading for his bedside after an incident that followed a one-day game for Wellington against Canterbury in Christchurch.

Ryder had been at the bar with Wellington team-mates. A statement on the New Zealand police website read: 'Police are investigating an incident at a bar in Merivale in the early hours of this morning. Police can confirm the incident did involve Jesse Ryder and that he is currently in Christchurch hospital.'

Eyewitnesses said Ryder was attacked by four men outside a bar in the Christchurch suburb. CCTV pictures reportedly suggest the incident was unprovoked and that Ryder was punched and kicked repeatedly while lying on the ground.

Four men, believed to be in their late 20s, allegedly started hitting Ryder in the bar's outdoor courtyard and the fight was pushed out on to the road. 'Four dudes were just laying into him and absolutely smashing him on the ground,' said a witness who had been in the bar. 'His shirt was ripped off and they were kicking him and punching him while he was down.'

Ryder managed to stand up during the attack but was quickly knocked back to the ground, the witness added, and they 'damn knew who he was'. The attackers were reportedly swearing at Ryder as they beat him and ran off when police sirens were heard.

New Zealand Cricket said its chief executive David White, Peter Clinton from Cricket Wellington, Heath Mills from the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association and Ryder's manager Aaron Klee were flying to Christchurch. 'We are all shocked by what has occurred and extremely concerned for Jesse. New Zealand Cricket's thoughts are with him and his family,' White said. The four are likely to hold a press briefing once they have ascertained the facts.

St John Ambulance confirmed to TVNZ that two ambulances responded to an alleged assault at 12.34am in the morning. 'We transported to Christchurch hospital ED under lights and sirens one patient, a male, aged in his 20s, with very serious head injuries,' St John Ambulance said.

It is more than a year since Ryder's last international appearance and he dabbled with boxing in June 2012, when he knocked out the radio presenter Mark Watson with a left hook in the first round of a fight shown live on NZ pay-per-view TV.

Brendon McCullum seemed to raise the possibility of a recall when he took over as New Zealand captain late last year, when Ryder was in prolific form for Wellington, but the batsman made himself unavailable for the one-day and t20 matches against England last month.

In February 2008, in the aftermath of a one-day series win against England, Ryder cut a hand trying to break into a toilet in a Christchurch bar, an injury that required surgery and which kept him out of the game for several months.

He has also been reprimanded for turning up to training under the influence after a heavy drinking session and was censured again by NZC last year after he was involved in a verbal altercation with bar patrons in Napier. He had missed a game against South Africa while injured but breached team protocol about abstaining from alcohol.

Ryder then admitted he had a drink problem and announced he was taking an indefinite break from internationals, although he went on to play for Pune Warriors in the IPL but was accompanied to India by a psychologist and his manager.

A post on New Zealand Cricket's official Twitter read: 'The whole NZC team's thoughts are with DijaRyder this morning.' The New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor tweeted: 'Thinking of you mate DijaRyder.'

Klee wrote on his Twitter page: 'thanks for the calls and msgs of support for Jesse. Just heading to Chch to see him'.

The former England captain Michael Vaughan added his support via Twitter: 'Devastating news regarding Jesse Ryder... Just hope he can pull through... Thoughts are with him and his family...'

Russia to put 68 spacecraft into orbit by 2015

Moscow : Russia plans to put 68 spacecraft into orbit by 2015 and to almost double the number of its communications satellites to 44 by 2020, an official said.

'Under Russia's federal space programme, we will launch 68 spacecraft between 2013 and 2015,' said Anatoly Malchenko, deputy head of the Central Research Institute of Machine Building.

Malchenko said all these spacecraft are now being manufactured or developed.

He added that the number of spacecraft could reach 113 by 2020 if a key space programme document is approved.

'However, this (number of spacecraft) could be achieved only in cooperation with the international community,' Malchenko noted.

By 2020, Russia plans to increase the number of its communications satellites from 26 to 44. This will raise Russia's share of the international communications market from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent.

He said Russia will also increase the number of D33 remote sensing satellites from four to 26 by 2020.

Russia to put 68 spacecraft into orbit by 2015

Moscow : Russia plans to put 68 spacecraft into orbit by 2015 and to almost double the number of its communications satellites to 44 by 2020, an official said.

'Under Russia's federal space programme, we will launch 68 spacecraft between 2013 and 2015,' said Anatoly Malchenko, deputy head of the Central Research Institute of Machine Building.

Malchenko said all these spacecraft are now being manufactured or developed.

He added that the number of spacecraft could reach 113 by 2020 if a key space programme document is approved.

'However, this (number of spacecraft) could be achieved only in cooperation with the international community,' Malchenko noted.

By 2020, Russia plans to increase the number of its communications satellites from 26 to 44. This will raise Russia's share of the international communications market from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent.

He said Russia will also increase the number of D33 remote sensing satellites from four to 26 by 2020.

Lizard species rediscovered after 135 years

Mumbai: For over a century and quarter, the tiny Geckoella Jeyporensis, a small lizard measuring up to 10 cm, was given up as extinct. Now it has been spotted in the Eastern Ghats, causing scientists to cheer.

A dedicated and concerted effort by a group of environmentalists has caused the rediscovery of the Geckoella Jeyporensis in the Eastern Ghats, in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. The lizard has not been seen in 135 years, a scientist involved in the efforts revealed.

'This gecko, a lizard of the Gekkonidae family, is morphologically unique. It was known only from a single male specimen collected in 1877 by a British officer, Col R.H. Beddome, from the Jeypore Hills, in modern Orissa,' Varad Giri, a scientist with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), told IANS.

The 're-discovery' of this species was the result of a joint venture between the Centre for Ecological Sciences of the Indian Institute of Science (CES-IISc), Bangalore, BNHS Mumbai and Villanova University, US. The journal Hamadryad has endorsed the rediscovery.

The efforts were propelled by the research of CES-IISc doctoral student Ishan Agarwal, who in 2008-2009 wanted to find this lost species to understand its evolutionary history.

There was scanty published material around this particular lizard, and an attempt was made to retrace the journey Col Beddome undertook in the Eastern Ghats over a century ago.

'The only clues were in the original description, which said that this species was collected under a rock in a forest at 4,200 ft on 'Patinghe Hill, Jeypore' - meaning high elevation forest areas (@1,000m) in the Eastern Ghats,' Agarwal told IANS.

Teams of researchers, scientists and naturalists had failed in the past 135 years to trace the unique lizard, Agarwal said. As he grew convinced that the gecko could be found again, another doctoral student, Aniruddha Datta-Roy, and field assistant Tarun Khichi, also joined him on the uncertain mission.

'It takes persistence and just a little bit of luck. So, it was that one day of hard work by four of us which paid off in a spectacular fashion - the unexpected rediscovery of Geckoella Jeyporensis!', Agarwal said.

This was a significant addition to the 190 species of lizards currently known to exist in India, Giri explained.

After one effort yielded nothing, the team tried its luck again in 2011. This time, it hit bull's eye in Andhra Pradesh.

After the exciting discoveries, Giri and Aaron Bauer of Villanova University, US, studied the taxonomy of the species and it was subsequently confirmed as a 'rediscovery'.

'This species is unique among Indian geckos as it has enlarged, hexagonal, plate-like scales across the back. It is one of the most beautiful among Indian geckos, with an orange-brown dorsum, a series of large chocolate brown dorsal blotches,' Giri said.

Giri and Agarwal said that besides being morphologically unique and endemic to a region not traditionally known to harbour many endemics, this species appears restricted to a very specialised habitat in the Eastern Ghats, semi-evergreen forests above 1,000 m elevation.

'This discovery leads us to conclude that the country's Eastern Ghats are more biodiverse than previously believed. There is a strong need for the authorities concerned to protect the region, its flora and fauna,' Giri urged.

'In many ways, the rediscovery of Geckoella Jeyporensis is symptomatic of herpetological research in India. There are a number of species that have not been recorded since their original descriptions or are known in a few localities,' said the study by Hamadryad.

Quite likely, other lost species too might not really be extinct, just in need of rediscovery, the report held, adding that there were obvious gaps in basic data on Indian bio-diversity.

Lizard species rediscovered after 135 years

Mumbai: For over a century and quarter, the tiny Geckoella Jeyporensis, a small lizard measuring up to 10 cm, was given up as extinct. Now it has been spotted in the Eastern Ghats, causing scientists to cheer.

A dedicated and concerted effort by a group of environmentalists has caused the rediscovery of the Geckoella Jeyporensis in the Eastern Ghats, in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. The lizard has not been seen in 135 years, a scientist involved in the efforts revealed.

'This gecko, a lizard of the Gekkonidae family, is morphologically unique. It was known only from a single male specimen collected in 1877 by a British officer, Col R.H. Beddome, from the Jeypore Hills, in modern Orissa,' Varad Giri, a scientist with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), told IANS.

The 're-discovery' of this species was the result of a joint venture between the Centre for Ecological Sciences of the Indian Institute of Science (CES-IISc), Bangalore, BNHS Mumbai and Villanova University, US. The journal Hamadryad has endorsed the rediscovery.

The efforts were propelled by the research of CES-IISc doctoral student Ishan Agarwal, who in 2008-2009 wanted to find this lost species to understand its evolutionary history.

There was scanty published material around this particular lizard, and an attempt was made to retrace the journey Col Beddome undertook in the Eastern Ghats over a century ago.

'The only clues were in the original description, which said that this species was collected under a rock in a forest at 4,200 ft on 'Patinghe Hill, Jeypore' - meaning high elevation forest areas (@1,000m) in the Eastern Ghats,' Agarwal told IANS.

Teams of researchers, scientists and naturalists had failed in the past 135 years to trace the unique lizard, Agarwal said. As he grew convinced that the gecko could be found again, another doctoral student, Aniruddha Datta-Roy, and field assistant Tarun Khichi, also joined him on the uncertain mission.

'It takes persistence and just a little bit of luck. So, it was that one day of hard work by four of us which paid off in a spectacular fashion - the unexpected rediscovery of Geckoella Jeyporensis!', Agarwal said.

This was a significant addition to the 190 species of lizards currently known to exist in India, Giri explained.

After one effort yielded nothing, the team tried its luck again in 2011. This time, it hit bull's eye in Andhra Pradesh.

After the exciting discoveries, Giri and Aaron Bauer of Villanova University, US, studied the taxonomy of the species and it was subsequently confirmed as a 'rediscovery'.

'This species is unique among Indian geckos as it has enlarged, hexagonal, plate-like scales across the back. It is one of the most beautiful among Indian geckos, with an orange-brown dorsum, a series of large chocolate brown dorsal blotches,' Giri said.

Giri and Agarwal said that besides being morphologically unique and endemic to a region not traditionally known to harbour many endemics, this species appears restricted to a very specialised habitat in the Eastern Ghats, semi-evergreen forests above 1,000 m elevation.

'This discovery leads us to conclude that the country's Eastern Ghats are more biodiverse than previously believed. There is a strong need for the authorities concerned to protect the region, its flora and fauna,' Giri urged.

'In many ways, the rediscovery of Geckoella Jeyporensis is symptomatic of herpetological research in India. There are a number of species that have not been recorded since their original descriptions or are known in a few localities,' said the study by Hamadryad.

Quite likely, other lost species too might not really be extinct, just in need of rediscovery, the report held, adding that there were obvious gaps in basic data on Indian bio-diversity.

Two km of rail track stolen in Moscow

Unidentified criminals have stolen over two km of railroad track in the Moscow region, transport prosecutors said.

The theft has caused damage worth over 1.6 million rubles ($52,000), they said.

The tracks were taken from between the stations of Sazonovo and Pilevo east of Moscow.

The railroad there was formerly used to transport cargos of peat, but has been abandoned for the past several years.

A criminal case has been opened on theft charges. The perpetrators face up to 10 years in prison if found and convicted.

Two km of rail track stolen in Moscow

Unidentified criminals have stolen over two km of railroad track in the Moscow region, transport prosecutors said.

The theft has caused damage worth over 1.6 million rubles ($52,000), they said.

The tracks were taken from between the stations of Sazonovo and Pilevo east of Moscow.

The railroad there was formerly used to transport cargos of peat, but has been abandoned for the past several years.

A criminal case has been opened on theft charges. The perpetrators face up to 10 years in prison if found and convicted.

Yahoo's new employee is 17 years old and a millionaire

One of Yahoo's newest employees is a 17-year-old high school student in Britain. As of Monday, he is one of its richest, too.

That student, Nick D'Aloisio, a programming whiz who wasn't even born when Yahoo was founded in 1994, sold his news-reading app, Summly, to the company on Monday for a sum said to be in the tens of millions of dollars. Yahoo said it would incorporate his algorithmic invention, which takes long-form stories and shortens them for readers using smartphones, in its own mobile apps, with Mr. D'Aloisio's help.

'I've still got a year and a half left at my high school,' he said in a telephone interview on Monday. But he will make arrangements to test out of his classes and work from the Yahoo office in London, partly to abide by the company's new and much-debated policy that prohibits working from home.

D'Aloisio, who declined to comment on the price paid by Yahoo (the technology news site AllThingsD pegged the purchase price at about $30 million), was Summly's largest shareholder.

Summly's other investors, improbably enough, included Wendi Murdoch, Ashton Kutcher and Yoko Ono. The most important one was Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong billionaire, whose investment fund supported D'Aloisio's idea early on, before it was even called Summly.

'They took a gamble on me when I was a 15-year-old,' Mr. D'Aloisio said, by providing seed financing that let him hire employees and lease office space.

The fund read about Mr. D'Aloisio's early-stage app on TechCrunch, the Silicon Valley blog of record, found his e-mail address and startled him with a message expressing interest.

The others signed up later. 'Because it was my first time around, people just wanted to help,' he said.

For teenagers who fancy themselves entrepreneurs — and their parents, too — the news of the sale conjured up some feelings of inadequacy, but also awe. For Brian Wong, the 21-year-old founder of Kiip, a mobile rewards company, the reaction was downright laughable: 'I feel old!'

A few years ago, Wong was described in the news media as the youngest person ever to receive venture capital funding. But a couple of younger founders came along — 'and then Nick broke all of our records,' Wong said on Monday.

Among the attributes that helped D'Aloisio, he said, was a preternatural ability to articulate exactly what he wanted Summly to be. 'There were no umms, no uhhs, no hesitations, no insecurities,' Wong said.

D'Aloisio, for his part, sounded somewhat uninterested in answering questions about his age on Monday. He acknowledged that it was an advantage in some pitch meetings, and certainly in the news media, 'but so was the strength of the idea.' He was more eager to talk about his new employer, Yahoo, which is trying to reinvent itself as a mobile-first technology company (having dropped the digital media tagline it used before Marissa Mayer became chief executive last year).

'People are kind of underestimating how powerful it's going to become and how much opportunity is there,' he said.

For a company that badly wants to be labeled innovative, those words are worth a lot.

D'Aloisio's father, who works at Morgan Stanley, and his mother, a lawyer, had no special knowledge of technology. But they nurtured their son's fascination with it and he started coding at age 12. Eventually he decided to develop an app with what he calls an 'automatic summarisation algorithm,' one that 'can take pre-existing long-form content and summarise it.' In other words, it tries to solve a problem that is often summed up with the abbreviation tl;dr: 'too long; didn't read.'

Summly officially came online last November. By December, D'Aloisio was talking to Yahoo and other suitors.

Yahoo said in a statement that while the Summly app would be shut down, 'we will acquire the technology and you'll see it come to life throughout Yahoo's mobile experiences soon.'

Other news-reading apps have attracted corporate attention as of late, reflecting the scramble by media companies to adapt to skyrocketing traffic from mobile devices. The social network LinkedIn was said to be pursuing an app called Pulse earlier this month. Still, the eight-figure payday for a teenage entrepreneur on Monday struck some as outlandish and set off speculation that Yahoo was willing to pay almost any price for 'cool.'

D'Aloisio, though, will have plenty of time to prove his and his algorithm's worth. As for the sizable paycheck from Yahoo, he said he did not have any specific plans for the sudden windfall. 'It's going to be put into a trust fund and my parents will help manage it,' he said.

He did say, however, that 'angel investing could be really fun.' When not working at Yahoo, he will keep up with his hobbies — cricket in particular — and set his sights on attending college at Oxford. His intended major is philosophy.

Yahoo's new employee is 17 years old and a millionaire

One of Yahoo's newest employees is a 17-year-old high school student in Britain. As of Monday, he is one of its richest, too.

That student, Nick D'Aloisio, a programming whiz who wasn't even born when Yahoo was founded in 1994, sold his news-reading app, Summly, to the company on Monday for a sum said to be in the tens of millions of dollars. Yahoo said it would incorporate his algorithmic invention, which takes long-form stories and shortens them for readers using smartphones, in its own mobile apps, with Mr. D'Aloisio's help.

'I've still got a year and a half left at my high school,' he said in a telephone interview on Monday. But he will make arrangements to test out of his classes and work from the Yahoo office in London, partly to abide by the company's new and much-debated policy that prohibits working from home.

D'Aloisio, who declined to comment on the price paid by Yahoo (the technology news site AllThingsD pegged the purchase price at about $30 million), was Summly's largest shareholder.

Summly's other investors, improbably enough, included Wendi Murdoch, Ashton Kutcher and Yoko Ono. The most important one was Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong billionaire, whose investment fund supported D'Aloisio's idea early on, before it was even called Summly.

'They took a gamble on me when I was a 15-year-old,' Mr. D'Aloisio said, by providing seed financing that let him hire employees and lease office space.

The fund read about Mr. D'Aloisio's early-stage app on TechCrunch, the Silicon Valley blog of record, found his e-mail address and startled him with a message expressing interest.

The others signed up later. 'Because it was my first time around, people just wanted to help,' he said.

For teenagers who fancy themselves entrepreneurs — and their parents, too — the news of the sale conjured up some feelings of inadequacy, but also awe. For Brian Wong, the 21-year-old founder of Kiip, a mobile rewards company, the reaction was downright laughable: 'I feel old!'

A few years ago, Wong was described in the news media as the youngest person ever to receive venture capital funding. But a couple of younger founders came along — 'and then Nick broke all of our records,' Wong said on Monday.

Among the attributes that helped D'Aloisio, he said, was a preternatural ability to articulate exactly what he wanted Summly to be. 'There were no umms, no uhhs, no hesitations, no insecurities,' Wong said.

D'Aloisio, for his part, sounded somewhat uninterested in answering questions about his age on Monday. He acknowledged that it was an advantage in some pitch meetings, and certainly in the news media, 'but so was the strength of the idea.' He was more eager to talk about his new employer, Yahoo, which is trying to reinvent itself as a mobile-first technology company (having dropped the digital media tagline it used before Marissa Mayer became chief executive last year).

'People are kind of underestimating how powerful it's going to become and how much opportunity is there,' he said.

For a company that badly wants to be labeled innovative, those words are worth a lot.

D'Aloisio's father, who works at Morgan Stanley, and his mother, a lawyer, had no special knowledge of technology. But they nurtured their son's fascination with it and he started coding at age 12. Eventually he decided to develop an app with what he calls an 'automatic summarisation algorithm,' one that 'can take pre-existing long-form content and summarise it.' In other words, it tries to solve a problem that is often summed up with the abbreviation tl;dr: 'too long; didn't read.'

Summly officially came online last November. By December, D'Aloisio was talking to Yahoo and other suitors.

Yahoo said in a statement that while the Summly app would be shut down, 'we will acquire the technology and you'll see it come to life throughout Yahoo's mobile experiences soon.'

Other news-reading apps have attracted corporate attention as of late, reflecting the scramble by media companies to adapt to skyrocketing traffic from mobile devices. The social network LinkedIn was said to be pursuing an app called Pulse earlier this month. Still, the eight-figure payday for a teenage entrepreneur on Monday struck some as outlandish and set off speculation that Yahoo was willing to pay almost any price for 'cool.'

D'Aloisio, though, will have plenty of time to prove his and his algorithm's worth. As for the sizable paycheck from Yahoo, he said he did not have any specific plans for the sudden windfall. 'It's going to be put into a trust fund and my parents will help manage it,' he said.

He did say, however, that 'angel investing could be really fun.' When not working at Yahoo, he will keep up with his hobbies — cricket in particular — and set his sights on attending college at Oxford. His intended major is philosophy.