2014, ഡിസംബർ 31, ബുധനാഴ്‌ച

Kerala to introduce digital textbooks in schools

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In a major initiative that may revolutionise the general education sector, Kerala is all set to introduce multi-media 'Digital Collaborative Textbooks' (DCT), the first of its kind in the country, in government schools.

This digital textbook will comprise information contributed by persons around the globe in audio or video formats, besides the scanned soft-copy of normal textbooks.

The state government has decided to launch the DCTs in government schools on an experimental basis from next academic year starting in June, A Shahjahan, Secretary, Department of General Education told PTI.

Students and teachers can access the DCTs with the support of tablets and e-learning centres set up at schools.

IT@School, under the state General Education Department, is planning to formally launch the 'digital collaborative textbooks' early next month.

'The digital collaborative textbooks is definitely a significant step in the education sector of the country. We are planning to formally launch the DCTs next month,' Shahjahan said.

A senior official of IT@School said Kerala is the first state to introduce this kind of multi-media textbooks.

'At the normal level, the DCTs are e-books in which ordinary textbooks are scanned and uploaded. But, a plethora of information, contributed by different people including experts in different subjects make them unique,' IT@School Executive Director K P Noufal told PTI.

He said over 3.7 million students and about more than two lakh teachers in the state-run schools are expected to benefit from the ambitious project.

The department was also ready to share digital textbook model with private schools also which follow state syllabus.

But, they should provide hardware and other supporting facilities to get the access, he said.

PTI

33 killed in Yemen suicide bombing

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Sanaa: A suspected Al Qaeda suicide bomber blew himself up Wednesday in Yemen's central province of Ibb, killing at least 33 people, security sources and medics told Xinhua.

'A suspected Al Qaeda bomber blew himself up among about 40 Houthi followers at a celebration ceremony at the Ibb cultural centre when he was waiting for security check,' a security officer at the scene told Xinhua by phone.

'Governor of Ibb province, Yahya Mohammed al-Eryani, who attended the ceremony, survived the attack,' he added.

This is the third bombing attack by the Al Qaeda against the Shia Houthi group this month.

On Dec 16, an Al Qaeda group launched a car bombing attack against a Houthi office in the central province of al-Bayda, killing 40 people, including 20 children.

On Dec 18, Al Qaeda militants carried out a suicide car bombing attack in the western port city of al-Hodayda, killing 18, most of them Houthi followers.

IANS

Plane wreckage at bottom of sea, bad weather hampers recovery

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Jakarta/Singapore : Searchers using sonar equipment today located the wreckage of the ill-fated AirAsia plane carrying 162 people at the bottom of the Java Sea off Indonesia, even as bad weather hampered the recovery of many bloated bodies seen floating around the crash site.

Searchers using sonar equipment have located wreckage from AirAsia Flight QZ8501 at the bottom of the Java Sea, an
Indonesian search and rescue official said.

At the moment, they still do not know if it is in one piece or broken up, the official was quoted as saying by CNN.

Nearly three days after the Airbus A320-200 went off the radar, its debris was found yesterday in the Karimata Strait
near Pangkalanbun, Central Kalimantan.

Divers were to be deployed to search for bodies and for the plane's 'black box' flight recorders but officials said
heavy rain, strong winds and waves of up to 3 metres had forced them to suspend the operation.

At least seven bodies have been retrieved from the sea till now. Three bodies, two female and one male, were
recovered yesterday while four more were pulled out today.

One of the bodies pulled out today was dressed in air stewardess uniform, said Bambang Soelistyo, chief of Indonesia's search and rescue agency Basarnas.

Many bodies were seen floating in the sea by the rescuers and efforts were being made to retrieve them, officials said.

'We are in a wait and see. Weather is bad currently. High tides and heavy rains. Every element is now in their position
ready to make a move when weather improves,' Soelistyo said.'As soon as the weather is clear, the bodies will be
brought to Pangkalan Bun,' he said.

Indonesian officials yesterday confirmed that remains and debris found in the waters off Borneo are from the AirAsia
plane that took off from Surabaya for Singapore.

Relatives of the 162 people on board the ill-fated plane hugged each other and burst into tears yesterday as they
watched television footage of bodies floating in the sea.

The plane was carrying 155 passengers -- one British, one Malaysian, one Singaporean, three South Koreans, 149
Indonesians -- and seven crew members -- six Indonesians and a French co-pilot.

Seventeen of the passengers were children. There were no Indian nationals on board.
The mystery still remains over why the plane lost contact with air traffic control and what happened afterwards.

Families of people aboard AirAsia plane have been briefed by officials that sonar technology has 'spotted the plane on
sea floor,' a relative of some of the passengers told CNN. PTI

2014, ഡിസംബർ 26, വെള്ളിയാഴ്‌ച

Indian American charged with assaulting infant son

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Washington: An Indian American has been charged with causing brain damage and other life-threatening injuries to his four-month-old son, leaving him struggling for life in hospital.

Jagsheer Singh, 28, from Queens county faces first-degree assault and child endangerment charges for allegedly inflicting the life-threatening injuries on little Nevin Janduher, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday.

According to authorities, the baby was left in the care of Singh while his wife, Reena Malhotra, a radiologist, went to work at Long Island Jewish Medical Centre. Singh told his wife after she returned from work that he found the child having difficulty breathing.

Later, he admitted to the police that the boy had fallen off the changing table, but doctors found 'multiple severe skull fractures' that were not consistent with an accident.

'The baby is in grave condition and if he does not survive, the charges will be upgraded,' Queens district attorney Richard Brown was quoted as saying.

IANS

How lung cancer can be stopped from spreading

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London: To break loose and spread around the body, lung cancer cells first chop of the protein ties that bind them to other cells, new research shows, adding that targeting this flaw could help stop lung cancer from spreading.

'This research shows for the first time how lung cancer cells sever ties with their neighbours and start to spread around the body, by hijacking the cells' recycling process and sending it into overdrive,' said lead researcher Angeliki Malliri from Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute at University of Manchester.

Ties which bind cells together - controlled by a protein called TIAM1 - are chopped up when cell maintenance work goes wrong, the findings showed.

Healthy cells routinely scrap old cell parts so they can be broken down and used again. But this process spirals out of control in lung cancer cells, which scrap too many TIAM1 ties.

Targeting this recycling process could stop lung cancer from spreading by keeping the cells stuck firmly together.

'Early-stage research like this is essential to find treatments which could one day block cancer spread - which would be a game changer,' Nell Barrie from Cancer Research UK said.

The study was published in the journal Cell Reports.

IANS

Actor N L Balakrishnan no more

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Thiruvananthapuram: Noted actor and still photographer N L Balakrishnan passed away at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital around 11.30 pm on Thursday. He was 72.
Balakrishnan had been undergoing treatment for the last few months.

Narayanan Lakshmi Balakrishnan, known as N L Balakrishnan was born at Thiruvananthapuram in 1943. In a career spanning 52 years, he acted in 123 movies. Of them, his roles in Pattanaprevesam, Mookkilla Rajyath, Varnam were popular.

Balakrishnan, who completed diploma in painting from College of Fine Arts, Thiruvanathapuram, later switched over to still photography and also stepped into acting.

He served as still photographer in several moves directed by Adoor Goplakrishnan and Padmarajan.

Pope urges world to be open to God

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VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis ushered the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics into Christmas on Wednesday, urging them to allow God to enter their lives to help combat darkness and corruption.

The 78-year-old Argentine pope led a solemn Christmas Eve Mass for thousands of people in St. Peter's Basilica. It is the second Christmas season for the pope, who was elected last year as the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years.

He has brought an air of simplicity to the Vatican, refusing many of the trappings of office, and has made plain his determination to reform the Vatican and bring the Church's hierarchy closer to rank-and-file Catholics.

In his homily, Francis, wearing white vestments, said Christmas is a time to remember that God's message of peace 'is stronger than darkness and corruption.'

'The question put to us simply by the infant's presence is, 'Do I allow God to love me?'' he said. 'Do we have the courage to welcome with tenderness the difficulties and problems of those who are near to us ...?'

'How much the world needs tenderness today!' he said.

Hours before the service, the pope made a surprise telephone call to comfort Christian refugees in a camp in Ankawa, Iraq, who were about to celebrate their own Christmas Eve Mass.

'You are like Jesus on Christmas night. There was no room for him either, and he had to flee to Egypt later to save himself,' Pope Francis told them in the call arranged by the Italian Catholic television station Sat2000.

The refugees fled Islamic State fighters who have persecuted Shi'ite Muslims, Christians and others in Syria and Iraq who do not share the group's ideologies.

The pope has several times condemned the 'barbaric violence' of Islamic State fighters, most recently during his trip to Turkey last month.

On Thursday morning, the pope will deliver his traditional Christmas Day 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and the world) blessing and message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Square to tens of thousands of people.

The pope has a busy year ahead of him. He has a number of international trips planned, including to Sri Lanka and the Philippines in January. He is also due to visit Africa, the United States and Latin America.

Next month Pope Francis is due to announce the names of a new batch of cardinals, the elite princes of the Church who are eligible to enter a secret conclave to elect a new pope after his death or resignation.

Another key project due to take shape in 2015 is the reform of the Curia, the Vatican's central administration.

In Christmas greetings on Monday to the Vatican's top administrators, Pope Francis delivered a stinging critique of Vatican bureaucracy and outlined 15 illnesses plaguing the Curia, including 'spiritual Alzheimer's'.

REUTERS

2014, ഡിസംബർ 24, ബുധനാഴ്‌ച

Oil prices down in Asian trade

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SINGAPORE: Oil prices edged lower in thin pre-holiday trade Wednesday, but analysts said losses were curbed by upbeat sentiment over a strong US economic growth report.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for February delivery fell 34 cents to $56.78, while Brent crude for February eased 31 cents to $61.38 in mid-morning trade.

The US Commerce Department said Tuesday the world´s largest economy grew at a spectacular five percent for the third quarter, the best growth rate since 2003.

The figure beat the previous official estimate of 3.9 percent and the 4.3 percent projected by analysts, boosting hopes energy use in the world´s top consumer will rise.

Oil prices have fallen about 50 percent since June on mounting supplies due to increased production and lacklustre global economic growth.

Research house Capital Economics said the figures have fuelled expectations the US economy will grow 2.5 percent in 2014, with "growth of 3.0 percent in 2015 comfortably within reach".

"The clear strengthening in activity towards the end of 2014" could also prompt the US Federal Reserve to hike interest rates earlier than its timetabled mid-2015 date, the London-based firm said.

Interest rate adjustments are closely watched by crude investors as an increase could strengthen the dollar, making dollar-priced oil more expensive for buyers using weaker currencies, denting demand.

Analysts said trading during Asian hours will remain thin, with many dealers away during the holiday season.

There will be no afternoon trading for financial markets in Hong Kong and Australia on Wednesday. Markets in regional financial hubs, including Singapore and Hong Kong, will be closed Thursday for the Christmas holiday. (AFP)
 

Two arrested in Sydney counter-terrorism operation

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Sydney: As part of an ongoing counter-terrorism operation, the police have arrested two young men in Sydney, charging them with planning attacks in Australia and helping Australian jihadists to travel to Syria, local media reported Wednesday.

One of the men, aged 20, was charged with possession of documents designed to facilitate a terror attack and the other, aged 21, for breaching a control order, ABC television reported.

Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan said the police had found no evidence of an imminent attack.

'Certainly the documents talked a little bit about potential government targets and so on,' he said, adding: 'There is nothing that indicates any specific targets or time frame in relation to this particular activity at all.'

The arrests took place after Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that the country would continue to be on alert for possible attacks following an increase in activity by alleged jihadis, according to intelligence agencies.

Abbott made this announcement after last week's siege of a popular Sydney cafe by an Iranian Muslim cleric who held 17 people hostage until he was killed in a police rescue operation.

Two hostages also died.

In September, the police arrested 15 people in Sydney and Brisbane in a huge counter-terrorism operation to foil plots to commit violent acts in Australia, including public beheadings.

In addition to the alert, the country has also adopted a plan of action to prevent citizens who have joined the ranks of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group from returning to Australia.

According to Canberra, there are some 70 Australians fighting alongside the IS and another 100 working actively in the country to provide logistic and recruitment support for the group.

IANS

2014, ഡിസംബർ 23, ചൊവ്വാഴ്ച

Rs.25.03 cr sanctioned for Kozhikode Medical College

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New Delhi: The Centre has sanctioned Rs.25.03 crore to improve cancer treatment facilities at the Kozhikode medical college.

'The sate governmet had requested a total of Rs 44. 5 crore.This amount constitutes the first phase of assistance provided by the Centre in this regard,' said M K Raghavan MP.

With the fund, advanced cancer treatment equipment, including a High Energy Linear Accelerator costing Rs.17 crore, would be installed at the medical college.

The fund was sanctioned under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes Cardiovascular Diseases (NPCDC).

The state government would credit its share of Rs 8.34 crore to the programme. The state plans to install several medical equipment for chemotherapy and cancer, including Modular Operation Theatre, Fully-automated Cell Counter, Bio-chemical Analyser, CT scan simulater, SPECT Gamma Camera, Radiation treatment devices and vehicles with the sanctioned amount, said Raghavan.

Presently, majority of patients prefer Thiruvanathapuram Medical College to Kozhikode Medical College for advanced cancer treatment.

Ace director K Balachander no more

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Chennai: Veteran Tamil filmmaker K Balachander passed away at Kauvery hospital here on Tuesday evening. He was 84. Balachander had been hospitaled for more than a week with acute fever, urinary infection and age-related ailments.

Balachander, who introduced actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, also won a number of accolades including the coveted Padma Shri and Dada Sahbe Phalke awards.

Born in brahmin family at Tanjore in July 9, 1930 as the son of Dandapani and Sarawati, Balachander graduated in zoology from Annamali University in Chidambaram and started his official career as a school teacher at Muthupettai in Thiruvarur district.

While serving as a superintendent at the AG's office in 1960s, he stepped into the world of cinema and theatre.

He debuted in cine world by penning dialogues for MGR-starrer Daivathayi. In 1975 he directed Apporvaragangal, in which he brought in Rajinikanth before the camera for the first time. It was also the first film Rajinikanth acted along with Kamal Haasan.

Balachander has over 150 films to his credit including 'Aval Ora Thodar Kathai', 'Avargal', 'Varumayin Niram Sigappu' and '47 Natkal'.
Apart from Tamil, he also directed films in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam (Thirkal Ezhuthiya Kavyam in 1980) and Hindi (Ek Duuje Ke Liye in 1981).

He was also instrumental in bringing talents like Saritha, Vivek and Prakash Raj to the industry. He owns a film production company _ Kavithalaya production.

Balachander is survived by wife Rajam and children Kailasam, Presenna and Pushpa Kanthasami.

2014, ഡിസംബർ 22, തിങ്കളാഴ്‌ച

Tendulkar named World Cup 2015 Ambassador

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Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Monday named Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador.

It will be the second successive time that the Indian maestro will be the Ambassador of ICC's pinnacle tournament, after he fulfilled the role in the previous event, which was co-hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka in 2011.

In his role as ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador, Tendulkar will promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives to enhance the profile of the tournament, which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Australia and New Zealand from Feb 14 to March 29.

Tendulkar retired from international cricket last year after representing his country in 200 Tests, 463 One-Day Internationals (ODI) and one Twenty20 International. In a career spanning 24 years, the 41-year-old scored a total of 34,357 international runs and 100 centuries.

Tendulkar added the missing World Cup title to his long list of achievements in his sixth attempt in 2011. He is the all-time leading run-getter in World Cup history with 2,278 runs in 45 matches at an average of 56.95.

For his 673 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, he was awarded player of the tournament as India finished runner-up to Australia.

Commenting on his appointment, Tendulkar said: 'I am delighted and honoured to be appointed ICC Cricket World Cup Ambassador for the second successive time.'

'After playing in the last six editions, the upcoming World Cup will be a different experience as I will follow it from the sidelines. It could probably be comparable to the ICC Cricket World Cup 1987 where I was a ball boy, enthusiastically cheering every ball.'

'The image of the champion team lifting the World Cup inspires many youngsters around the world and gives them a dream to chase - a dream which I fulfilled after 22 years of relentless pursuit by being part of the victorious Indian team in 2011,' he said.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said: 'The ICC is delighted to once again have Sachin as an Ambassador for its biggest and most prestigious tournament. Sachin is not only an inspiration to cricketers but to all sportspeople for his endurance, perseverance, talent, personality and commitment to the game.'

The 11th edition of the World Cup kicks off in Christchurch Feb 14 when co-host New Zealand take on former champion Sri Lanka.

On the same day at the picturesque Melbourne Cricket Ground, four-time world champion Australia will square-off against England, who reached the final the last time the event was staged in Australia and New Zealand in 1992.

IANS

China charges Jackie Chan's son over drug offence

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BEIJING: China's state prosecutor said on Monday it had formally charged Jaycee Chan, son of kung fu movie star Jackie Chan, with a drugs offence, meaning he is almost certain to face trial.

The younger Chan, a 32-year-old actor and singer, was arrested in Beijing this year after testing positive for marijuana, with police saying they found 100 grams of the drug at his home.

In a brief statement on its official microblog, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said it had begun legal proceedings against him for 'the crime of sheltering others to take drugs'. It did not elaborate.

President Xi Jinping said in June that China would 'harshly crack down' on narcotics, state media reported.

Action and comedy star Jackie Chan, 60, served as a goodwill spokesman for the China National Anti-Drug Committee in 2009, state media reported, promoting anti-drug education.

Jaycee Chan was not available for comment. In August, his father offered the public a 'deep bow of apology' for his son's arrest.

China has detained a string of other mostly B-list celebrities in recent months on drug-related charges, cases that have been publicised widely in both state and social media. They have included movie and television stars, film directors and a prominent screenwriter.

Drug crimes carry harsh penalties in China including death or life imprisonment in serious cases.

Illegal drugs, especially synthetic substances like methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy, have grown in popularity in China in tandem with the rise of a new urban class with greater disposable income.

REUTERS

Heavy rains displace 290,000 in Sri Lanka

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Colombo: Nearly 290,000 people have been displaced in Sri Lanka as torrential rains forced dams to overflow and hampered transport, the government said Monday.

The Disaster Management Centre's (DMC) calculations, 288,085 people from 78,527 families had been affected while 22,369 people from 6,537 families had been housed in shelters, Xinhua reported.

'The government has instructed the relevant authorities to take immediate measures to ensure relief for the families hit by the bad weather,' DMC spokesman Lal Kumara told reporters.

The eastern town of Batticaloa was the worst hit, with an estimated 30,000 people having to move from their homes.

Thousands more had to be evacuated by the military, including from tourist spots such as Anuradhapura where ancient temple ruins are a popular attraction.

The towns of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in the north central province are also home to some of Sri Lanka's largest rice fields, with hundreds of dams scattered in the region to provide water in the arid region.

Lashed by heavy showers for days, as many as 300 of these dams have reached the spill level, forcing sluice gates to be opened and threatening people living downriver.

'The safety of pilgrims and foreign visitors is being given priority. They have been evacuated from hotels near major tanks while pilgrims were removed from the sacred city,' Anuradhapura District Secretary Mahinda Seneviratne said.

Heavy rains are expected to continue during the Christmas week, dampening relief efforts.

The floods have hampered road and railway services.

IANS

New package to solve KSRTC pension woes

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Thiruvananthapuram: The govt will bring in a new package to address the KSRTC pension woes. A new pension fund will be set up from April 1 onwards and KSRTC will offer Rs 20 crore to the fund every month. The govt too will also apportion an equal share of money to the fund, Transport minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said.

These decisions were taken at a meeting headed by the chief minister Oommen Chandy along with transport minister and representatives of KSRTC employee unions on Monday.

The loan availed by KSRTC from KTDF will be transferred to a nationalized bank. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said by transferring this to a nationalized bank, KSRTC would gain crores of rupees by way of interest.

The govt plans to disburse interest on pension for three months immediately. The pension arrears will be disbursed from December 24. Those drawing a pension amount less than Rs 15000 will get it in one go and those drawing a pension of over Rs 15000, would be given the balance amount in instalments during July, August and September.

Pensions for the month of January, February and March will be disbursed in the same manner. The remaining amount will be given in October, November and December. The govt loan to KSRTC will be converted as equity. More buses would be operated to increase the revenue.

Loss-making services would be made to generate profit by altering their routes. 

Peshawar school attack warning was given in August

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Peshawar: Government departments in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province were warned of an imminent attack on the Army Public School months before the carnage unfolded in Peshawar on Dec 16.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa home ministry stated that the Taliban commander Khaksar in Orakazi, a part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), along with two other terrorists, Bilal and Obaidullah, planned to carry out attacks at educational institutions under the army, Geo News reported citing alert number 802 of the written warning issued Aug 28.

Bilal and Obaidullah with their accomplices had also conducted reconnaissance of the targets. The warning stated that the intention of terrorists was revenge and they wanted to kill as many children of army officers as possible.

The written warning had called for security measures to be made in advance to avoid any untoward incident and copies were circulated to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, the home minister and law enforcement agencies.

On Dec 16, terrorists carried out one of the most barbaric attacks in the history of Pakistan. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists brutally killed more than 140 students and teachers at the Army Public School in Peshawar.

Following the attack, the government and political parties expressed a renewed resolve to fight terrorism in the country. The prime minister also lifted the moratorium on the death penalty in terrorism cases.

IANS

2014, ഡിസംബർ 21, ഞായറാഴ്‌ച

Engineering exam valuation to be liberalised

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 Thiruvanathapuram: Engineering professional institutions in the state plan to liberalise the evaluation process to increase the pass percentage. As part of the move, colleges will be instructed to provide internal marks generously and do away with the minimum pass mark.

Majority of the self-financing engineering colleges in the state have a below 10 pass percentage. The court had intervened in the issue once and ordered closure of such substandard colleges. With the introduction of this liberal valuation policy, all such standard norms would be flouted.

Rather than maintaing good standards, the decision to liberalise the valuation procedure may badly affect the education sector in the state. Allegations are up against this which favours self financing colleges.

Lottery tickets to be printed in watermark paper

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Chalakudy: As a measure to check the circulation of duplicate lottery tickets in the state, the government has planned to print lottery tickets in watermark paper. 

The facility at government presses will be enhanced to print more number of tickets. The prize structure will also be modified. Besides, the lottery offices across the state will be digitalized and the software will be updated to make smooth the progress of ticket distribution, said Lottery Director E J Jayaraj.

A five-colour sheet head machine will be installed at KBPS press in Ernakulam at an outlay of Rs 6 crore. This apart, a four-colour web offset machine will be set up at C App press in Thiruvananthapuram by spending Rs 4.5 crore. 

Gunman kills two New York police officers

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New York : Two New York police officers were shot dead by a lone gunman in Brooklyn Saturday, apparently to avenge the death of African-Americans Eric Garner and Michael Brown at the hands of white police personnel.

According to investigators, it was an execution-style mission, the New York Post reported.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers were working overtime as part of an anti-terrorism drill when they were shot at point-blank range, in their heads, according to the report.

Â'I'm putting wings on pigs today,Â' a person believed to be the gunman wrote on Instagram in a message posted just three hours before the officers were shot through the front passenger window of their car.

The post included an image of a silver automatic handgun with a wooden handle.

Another post showed camouflage pants and blue sneakers, which matched the clothing the dead gunman was wearing as his body was carried away from the scene on a stretcher.

Â'They take (one) of ours... let's take (two) of theirs,Â' the post added.

The gunman fled to a nearby subway station, where, as pursuing police personnel closed in, he shot himself, sources said..

Â'I heard shooting -- four or five shots,Â' said Derrick McKie. Â'It sounded like from a single gun,Â' he said, adding that ambulances and police cars rushed to the scene.

Ghar Wapsi: mass reconversion at Alappuzha, say reports

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Haripad: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Sunday reconverted 30 persons belonging to eight families from Kanichanalloor to Hinduism at Cheppad in Alappuzha district as part of the 'Ghar Wapsi' (home coming) programme, reported Mathrubhumi News.

The programme at Alappuzha was oraganised on the model of similar events held in north India, which had invited much controversy. A VHP leader overviwed the proceedings. 

Sources said the 30 were earlier converted from Hinduism to Christianity. 

Meanwhile, reports say around 100 persons were converted in Gujarat in similar fashion. 

2014, ഡിസംബർ 20, ശനിയാഴ്‌ച

Kerala government agencies to recruit nurses for Kuwait

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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government agencies will recruit nurses for Kuwait after reports came that nurses have been cheated by private recruitment firms, a minister said Friday.

'We have got complaints that about 500 nurses from Kerala have been duped by recruitment agencies and are facing hardships. The recruitment fees for Kuwait is in range of Rs.1.5 to Rs.20 lakh,' state Minister for Diaspora K.C. Joseph told reporters here.

'We have informed the Indian embassy in Kuwait that two state government agencies are ready to do this (recruitment) job at a minimal fee,' he said.

The agencies which will carry on recruitments are the Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants and Roots-Norka (the agency that looks after the welfare of the Kerala diaspora).

'These recruitments are done by private agencies who have a license to do it. We will now approach the central government to give the two state-owned agencies the license to conduct the recruitments,' said Joseph.

Village headman gunned down in Kashmir

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Srinagar: A village headman was killed Saturday by terrorists in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, on a day when the last phase of assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir.

Gulam Ahman Bhat, headman of Bomai village, was shot dead from close range by militants Saturday morning.

While being shifted to hospital, he succumbed to his bullet injuries, a senior police official told IANS here.

He is the third village headman to be killed since the assembly poll process started in October and the 13th headman to have been killed since 2011, the year Panchayat elections were held in the state after 30 years.

The official said that a case has been registered.

IANS

Bengal girl raped by friends in Delhi

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New Delhi: An 18-year-old girl from West Bengal was gang raped by two of her friends, including a juvenile, in the national capital, Delhi Police said Saturday.

The girl, a native of New Jalpaiguri, told police that Rahul, 20, and his juvenile friend lured her to their house in south Delhi's R.K. Puram Friday evening and raped her in turns.

The girl works with a placement agency where both the accused also work. Besides, both the accused belong to her native place.

A police officer said they arrested Rahul and apprehended the juvenile.

The girl said the accused threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident.

The girl came to Delhi a year ago and lives at a relative's place.

A probe is on, the officer said.

IANS

Voting ends in Kashmir, over 65 percent turnout

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Jammu: The fifth and final phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir ended peacefully Saturday, with over 65 percent of the voters casting their ballot in 20 constituencies, officials said.

'Polling ended peacefully in all the 20 constituencies of Jammu, Rajouri and Kathua districts at 4 p.m. today (Saturday),' an Election Commission official told IANS.

Initial figures indicated that 65 percent voters turned up to exercise their franchise till the voting process ended.

'However, these figures are subject to variation as final reports about poll percentages are still coming in. The day's poll process was peaceful,' the official said.

A total of 213 candidates were in fray.

Eleven constituencies voted in Jammu, four in Rajouri and five in Kathua district.

Counting for all the 87 assembly seats will be held Dec 23.

IANS

Atletico de Kolkata inaugural ISL champions; beat Kerala Blasters 1-0

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Mumbai: Substitute Mohammad Rafique headed in an injury time header as Atletico De Kolkata clinched the inaugural Indian Super League crown with a 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters here Saturday.

Rafique, who replaced Mohammad Rafi in the 74th minute of the mega clash at the packed D.Y. Patil stadium, followed up a corner from Czech defender Jakub Podany to fire the header in the 94th minute, a minute before the second half injury time was slated to end to send ATK fans into raptures here as also in Kolkata and other parts of the world.

Rafique - later adjudged hero of the match - ran into the box, outjumped rival defender Nirmal Chetri and put the ball into the net past Blasters' veteran custodian- cum-coach David James to decide the fate of the game which seemed poised to roll into extra time.

It was a revenge of sorts for the Sourav Ganguly co-owned ATK, which had lost 1-2 to the Blasters in Kochi in the return leg of the round robin stage. The two sides had finished 1-1 in the first leg.

IANS

2014, ഡിസംബർ 18, വ്യാഴാഴ്‌ച

We have killed all the children...What do we do now?:attackers

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PESHAWAR:  "We have killed all the children in the auditorium...What do we do now?" one of the Taliban attackers told his handler after shooting indiscriminately at the students in the main hall of the army-run school from where more than 100 bodies were recovered.
 
"Wait for the army people, kill them before blowing yourself," his handler ordered, instructing the suicide attackers who were executing one of the most gruesome attacks against children in recent history.
 
Citing a security official, the Dawn said it was one of the last conversations between the attackers and their handler on Tuesday shortly before two remaining suicide bombers charged towards the commandos positioned just outside the side entrance of the Army Public School's administration block.
 
"This and other conversations between the attackers and their handlers during the entire siege of seven and a half hours of the school form part of an intelligence dossier Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif shared with Afghan authorities" during his emergency visit yesterday, the paper said.
 
Pakistan has identified the attackers and it got the transcripts of the conversation between one of them named 'Abuzar', and his handler, 'commander' Umar, the paper said.
 
"Umar Adizai, also known as Umar Naray and Umar Khalifa, is a senior militant from the Frontier Region Peshawar," it said, adding that security officials believe he made the calls from Nazian district of Afghanistan's Nangrahar province.
 
Officials said 16 top Taliban militants, including its chief Mullah Fazlullah, planned the Peshawar massacre that killed 148 people, including 132 students, in the worst terrorist attack in the history of Pakistan.
 
The officials believe that out of seven attackers, five militants blew themselves up inside the administration block and two others outside it, the paper said.
 
Citing officials, Dawn said the attackers entered the building by climbing its rear wall, using a ladder and cutting barbed wire. They then stormed the main auditorium where an instructor was giving a first-aid lesson to senior students.
 
"Did the attackers have prior knowledge of the congregation in the main hall... This is one of the questions we are trying to find an answer to," a security official said.
The militants first shot dead a watchman standing at the rear of the auditorium. 
 
Finding the rear door closed, they moved towards the two main entry and exit doors and this is where the main carnage appears to have taken place, the paper said, quoting a military officer who took part in the counter-assault.
 
"There were piles of bodies, most dead, some alive. Blood everywhere. I wish I had not seen this," the officer said.
 
The students in the hall appear to have rushed to leave the place after hearing the first round of shooting, and this was where they barged into the waiting militants who were blocking the two doors.
 
Inside the main hall, there was blood everywhere, almost on every inch of it. Shoes of students and women teachers lay asunder. Those who had hid behind rows of seats were shot -- one by one, in the head, the paper said.
 
"More than 100 bodies and injured were evacuated from the entrances and the hall," it added.
 
Security officials believe the death toll could have been far higher had the militants reached the junior section before the arrival of the special commandos.
 
"Four of the militants blew themselves up inside the lobby of the administration block when they were cornered. The impact was huge and devastating. There were pockmarks from the flying ball bearings and human flesh and hair were plastered to the ceiling and the walls," the paper said.
 
One of the bombers blew himself up in the office of Headmistress Tahira Qazi, whose body was recognised later. A leg of the bomber was lying around.
 
Two students and three staff members were killed in the administration block along with the headmistress.
 
The last two bombers moved towards the commandos who had taken positions on either side of the flank entrance to the block.
 
One of them exploded himself and after a while, the second one did, injuring some commandos.

Indian professor honoured in Australia

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Melbourne: Amitabh Mattoo, one of India's leading thinkers, has been honoured in Australia for his significant contribution towards deepening and strengthening bilateral ties.

Mattoo, 52, the inaugural director of Australia India Institute, was honoured yesterday by Victoria's Governor Alex
Chernov during a function attended by India's High Commissioner in Australia Biren Nanda, Consul General in
Melbourne Manika Jain and former Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese.

Chernov highlighted various initiatives of Mattoo which he said were instrumental in deepening and strengthening
bilateral ties.

He said the Mattoo's writings had a positive impact on the foreign policies of the two sides.

'I believe it was his (Mattoo) arguments...that paved the way for Australia finally agreeing to sell uranium to India,'
Chernov said.

The state governor further lauded Mattoo's role in setting up taskforces on key issues apart from launching
Tiffin talks, initiating higher education student exchange programmes and visits of high-profile Indian leaders and
politicians. PTI

A daily cup of black tea relieves stomach ulcer

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Research conducted by The Institute of Chemical Biology suggests that a daily cup of black tea can help to tackle the risk of stomach ulcer, which is the result of excessive drinking.

Earlier research have indicated that black tea could empower the immunity power of human beings.

'Habitual drinking adversely affects human liver which gradually ends up as stomach ulcer. And as the ulcer progresses, the body becomes incapable of fighting the disease. And liquid factors in the black tea react with the proteins in the body and impart immunity to the system thereby reviving the destroyed cells of the liver,' said Anirban Roy, scientist at the Bio- technology Department in Kolkata, in an International conference. 

India's progress in sports gives immense satisfaction: Tendulkar

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Kolkata: Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar asserted Thursday that India has come up by leaps and bounds in sports recently, arousing a sense of satisfaction among top sportspersons of the country.

Tendulkar, who was in the city for inaugurating a state-of-the-art swimming pool at Rajarhat, was greeted with a garland of 34,000 roses.

'India is progressing really well in different sports and that is what gives a sportsman huge satisfaction, be it boxing, wrestling, archery or swimming,' he said.

He also said he believed there was talent on offer but the right facilities had to be provided.

'I am sure there is talent in our nation, just that we need to provide facilities,' the 41-year-old former cricketer added.

Tendulkar has scored 100 international tons in his career.

Obama announces new Cuba policy to normalise relations

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Washington: US President Barack Obama Wednesday announced a historical, new policy toward Cuba, in a move to normalise relations and end more than five decades of estrangement between the two countries.

'We will end an outdated approach that for decades has failed to advance our interests,' Obama said in an address at the White House. 'Instead we will begin to normalise relations between our two countries.'

Obama said he had instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to initiate talks with Cuba on restoring diplomatic relations with the island country, and to review Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. He added that the US will reestablish an embassy in Havana, the Cuban capital, and high-ranking officials will visit Cuba, Xinhua reported.

The US is also taking steps to increase travel, commerce and the flow of information to and from Cuba, said Obama, adding that he also looked forward to engaging Congress in discussion about lifting the embargo the US has imposed on Cuba.

These changes will 'begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas,' and move beyond 'a rigid policy that is rooted in events that took place before most of us were born,' the US president said.

Wednesday's announcement came after Obama spoke with Cuban leader Raul Castro by telephone Tuesday, the first direct contact between the leaders of the two nations in more than 50 years.

Earlier Wednesday, Cuba released Alan Gross, an American subcontractor it had held in captivity in five years on humanitarian grounds. Obama said Gross's imprisonment had been the obstacle for the US to make major policy changes toward Cuba.

Gross's release was the result of months' discussion between the two governments, said Obama, adding that Pope Francis issued a personal appeal urging leaders of the two countries to resolve the case.

On Wednesday, Cuba also released an important US intelligence agent who has been imprisoned for 20 years.

In the address, Obama admitted that more than 50 years of isolation policy on Cuba 'has not worked,' saying that 'it's time for a new approach'.

'Today, America chooses to cut loose the shackles of the past so as to reach for a better future,' he added.

Cuban President Raul Castro said the two countries have agreed to the 're-establishment of diplomatic relations,' which were broken in 1961, and have made a commitment to 'take mutual measures to improve the bilateral climate,' EFE reported.

Even though Washington and Havana have agreed to move forward and normalise relations, 'this does not mean that the principal (issue) has been resolved,' Castro said, calling for an end to the US 'economic, trade and financial blockade that causes enormous human and economic damage'.

The Cuban leader called on the US in this new atmosphere of dialogue to 'remove the obstacles that prevent or restrict the links between our peoples,' especially those relating to travel, direct mail service and telecommunications.

KSRTC cess bill passed

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Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala Assembly on Thursday passed the KSRTC Cess (Passenger group personal accident insurance, Improved passenger amenities, Employees' social security and Cess on Passenger ticket) Bill 2014.

The bill provides personal accident insurance and ensures social security of employees, including pension benefits. The cess charge on tickets ranges from Re 1 to Rs 10. There will be no cess for tickets costing upto Rs 14. 'The cess charge will be implemented after a final decision by the KSRTC director board,' said minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan. 

Tickets from Rs 15 to Rs 24 will attract a cess of Re 1; Rs 25 to Rs 49 will have a cess of Rs 2; Rs 50 to Rs 74 will attract a cess of Rs 3; Rs 75 to Rs 99 will have a cess of Rs 4 and tickets worth Rs 100 and above will have a cess of Rs 10. Witrh the implementation of cess, KSRTC pension fund could generate an additional Rs.164 crore. 

Allegations levelled against the implementation of cess will be considered by the Ramachandran Nair commission. The minsiter said that a decision regarding pension would be taken after having a discussion with the chief minister at the meeting to be held on December 22. Kerala becomes the first state in India to introduce insurance benefit for passengers, the Minister added.

Pakistan Army Chief signs death warrants for six militants

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Islamabad: Pakistan's military chief on Thursday signed death warrants for six militants on death row after the government ended a moratorium on capital punishment in terror-related cases, the military said.

'COAS (Chief of Army Staff) today signed death warrants of 6 hardcore terrorists (pending execution) convicted by FGCM in accordance with law,' military spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa tweeted.

Security officials said the six were convicted by a military court and were awaiting execution.

The announcement came hours after the government warned prison officials of a possible jailbreak in the restive northwest province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa following the end of the moratorium.

It is not clear when the executions will be carried out but a senior security official said the six would be hanged 'within days'.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced on Wednesday an end to the moratorium on the death penalty in terror-related cases after a Pakistani Taliban massacre at a military-run school killed 148 people, mostly children.

The assault in the northwestern city of Peshawar is the deadliest ever terror attack in Pakistan and has shocked the nation.

Political and military leaders have vowed in response to wipe out the homegrown Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands of ordinary Pakistanis in recent years.

Pakistan imposed a de facto moratorium on civilian executions in 2008, though hanging remains on the statute book and judges continue to pass the death sentence.

Only one person has been executed since then, a soldier convicted by a court martial and hanged in November 2012.

Rights campaign group Amnesty International estimates that Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have exhausted the appeals process.AFP

Sonia admitted to hospital

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 New Delhi : Congress President Sonia Gandhi was today admitted to a hospital for treatment of lower respiratory tract infection.

'She has been admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here for further treatment of the infection,' AICC general secretary
Ajay Maken told PTI. PTI

26/11 mastermind Lakhvi gets bail, shocked India asks Pakistan to act

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Islamabad/New Delhi : An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad Thursday granted bail to Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, a key mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, triggering shock and indignation in India which asked Pakistan to take steps to reverse the decision.

Lakhvi's lawyer Rizwan Abbasi appeared before the court and sought bail for his client. Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) prosecutor disagreed with the bail plea, Dawn online reported.

The court directed Lakhvi, among the seven people charged with planning and helping to carry out the Nov 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attack which left at least 166 people dead, to pay surety bonds worth Pakistani Rs.500,000 before he can be released on bail.

At the time of the 26/11 attack, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that is accused by India of carrying out the attack in its financial capital.

The news about Lakhvi's bail led to expressions of shock in India, especially as it came a day after parliamentarians and school children across India observed two minutes silence over the Peshawar school terror attack and many also held candle light marches to denounce the killing of over 130 children.

On Wednesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pronounced that Islamabad would henceforth not differentiate between 'good' terrorists and 'bad' terrorists. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendara Modi spoke to Sharif to condemn the attack and offered to provide all assistance.Home

Minister Rajnath Singh, reacting to the news of the bail, said it was 'very unfortunate, and believe it should not have happened,' and added that the evidence provided by India to Pakistan on the Mumbai terror case was 'more than enough to nail him'.

He said the Pakistan government should appeal in a higher court and get the bail cancelled.

The external affairs ministry, in a strong statement, said the bail granted to Lakhvi would 'serve as a reassurance to terrorists who perpetrate heinous crimes' and called up Pakistan to immediately take steps to reverse the decision.

It said 'Given the scale of the tragedy that Pakistan itself has faced in recent days, it is incumbent on it to realise that no compromise can ever be made with terrorists', and that 'There can be no selective approaches to terrorism'.

Indian political leaders, cutting across party lines, Thursday condemned the bail to Lakhvi and expressed doubts whether Pakistan was 'serious enough' in its fight against terror.

'The fight against terror cannot be duplicitous, seeking to differentiate between the ones who operate in India and others who attack in Pakistan,' BJP leader Nalin Kohli told IANS.

'The case of Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi confirms complete non-serious approach by which Pakistan seeks to deny justice for the victims of Mumbai terror attacks,' he said.

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani also termed the bail order 'very shocking', especially coming after the Peshawar attack.

The Congress said it was the responsibility of Pakistan to 'ensure justice' to the victims of Mumbai attack.

'We have given all evidence against the perpetrators of the 26/11 attack to Pakistani establishment and it is imperative that the prosecutor ensure justice to the victims,' said the party's Sanjay Jha.

'It is Pakistan government's responsibility to ensure that people like Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed, who roam freely there making speeches against India are stopped and immediate action is taken against them,' Jha told IANS.

Former union minister Shashi Tharoor also termed the bail 'truly shocking'.

The Aam Aadmi Party also said Pakistan should get Lakhvi's bail cancelled.

Ujjwal Nikam, public prosecutor in the Mumbai terror attack case, termed it as 'very shocking' news. Nikam said that Lakhvi was being tried in the case since 2008 and 'when the court says no evidence it means that our case has not been properly represented in the court'.

'If Pakistan wants to fight terrorism, they should fight terrorist who are inside the state,' he added.

Former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, G. Parthasarathy told IANS he is not surprised in least' at the development.

'The LeT enjoys not only patronage of the Pakistani army but also Prime Minister (Nawaz) Sharif, who has had a long time relationship with Hafiz Saeed extending for years; and he received patronage I know when I was high commissioner from then prime minister Sharif, and even now in his third term, his brother Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, is funding the Lashkar.'

'You can draw your conclusions from this,' he said.

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