40 dead in China storms

Beijing: The toll due to hailstorms and torrential rains in a mountainous county in northwest China has risen to 40, officials said late Saturday.
At least 18 people were still missing while 30,000 residents have been evacuated after storms hit Minxian county in Gansu province three days ago, Xinhua reported.
Around 360,000 people have been affected, and 87 hospitalised.

Roads were blocked, houses collapsed, farmland destroyed, power supply and telecommunications service disrupted due to the extreme weather, officials said.
Tents, beds and relief supplies have been sent to the disaster-stricken area.
Minxian is a mountainous county with a population of 450,000. It is located 150 km from Zhouqu, where a rain-triggered mudslide killed 1,500 people in August 2010.

40 dead in China storms

Beijing: The toll due to hailstorms and torrential rains in a mountainous county in northwest China has risen to 40, officials said late Saturday.
At least 18 people were still missing while 30,000 residents have been evacuated after storms hit Minxian county in Gansu province three days ago, Xinhua reported.
Around 360,000 people have been affected, and 87 hospitalised.

Roads were blocked, houses collapsed, farmland destroyed, power supply and telecommunications service disrupted due to the extreme weather, officials said.
Tents, beds and relief supplies have been sent to the disaster-stricken area.
Minxian is a mountainous county with a population of 450,000. It is located 150 km from Zhouqu, where a rain-triggered mudslide killed 1,500 people in August 2010.

Child killed as temple elephants run amok at Irinjalakuda

Irinjalakuda: A one-and-half-year-old child was killed and 10 injured when three elephants of the Koodamanickam temple ran amok during the `arattu' ritual on Sunday morning. Ten persons, including the mahout, were injured in the panic that followed. The elephants were brought under control by the mahouts. 
Elephants Kalamuthan and Kannan first ran amok when the ritual was progressing and the `arattu' was taken out of the temple.
Seeing the chaos, Cherupalassery Parameswaran and Ayyappan also ran amok. Many suatained injuries when they ran helter skelter during the commotion.

Child killed as temple elephants run amok at Irinjalakuda

Irinjalakuda: A one-and-half-year-old child was killed and 10 injured when three elephants of the Koodamanickam temple ran amok during the `arattu' ritual on Sunday morning. Ten persons, including the mahout, were injured in the panic that followed. The elephants were brought under control by the mahouts. 
Elephants Kalamuthan and Kannan first ran amok when the ritual was progressing and the `arattu' was taken out of the temple.
Seeing the chaos, Cherupalassery Parameswaran and Ayyappan also ran amok. Many suatained injuries when they ran helter skelter during the commotion.

Vijayan will meet Dange's fate: Achuthanandan

Thiruvananthapuram : In stinging remarks, CPI-M veteran V.S. Achuthanandan warned Saturday that his rival Pinarayi Vijayan will soon meet the fate of the once iconic Indian Communist S.A. Dange who was shown the door by the party.
Achuthanandan, a former Kerala chief minister who is now the opposition leader in the assembly, made the statement following the recent murder of former CPI-M leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, 51.

After the killing, which police believe was done by CPI-M activists, Vijayan dubbed Chandrasekharan a 'traitor'. Achuthanandan, who was said to be close to the dead man, disputed the label.
Achuthanandan told reporters here that Vijayan's remark was not the opinion of the Communist Party of India-Marxist.
'In our party things are different. It is not like the Congress where the final word is that of the party high command.
'In our party, an opinion is arrived at after detailed ideological discussions,' he said.
Chandrasekharan, a former CPI-M firebrand, was killed in Onchiyam near here Friday night. Police said he was attacked with a bomb and then murdered. His face was disfigured.
Chandrasekharan was an active CPI-M leader in his hometown Onchiyam near Kozhikode till 2008. Later he formed the Revolutionary Marxist Party which unseated his former party in village councils around his home town.

'A situation that prevailed way back in 1964 prevailed at Onchiyam,' Achuthanandan said, referring to the year when the Communist Party of India (CPI) split, leading to the formation of the present day CPI-M.

In April 1964, 38 National Council members of CPI walked out protesting against the wrong actions of Dange, who headed the CPI then.
Achuthanandan is the only living member of the 38.
'When Chandrasekharan walked out of CPI-M, party leaders should have prevailed upon them to return to the party fold through discussions,' he said. 'Instead they have been maligned,' said Achuthanandan.
'It should be noted that though Dange ousted us, very soon he also was booted out by his party.'

Asked why no one is questioning Vijayan if he is akin to Dange, the former chief minister said: 'The time is not far and that will happen.'
Pressed if his statement would be seen as violative of party discipline, he shot back: 'At the opportune time and after discussions, it will be clear who has violated party discipline.'
Veteran CPI-M leader T. Sivadasa Menon reacted sharply to Achuthanandan's statement, saying if he had any difference of opinion, he should say so at the appropriate party forum and not in a press conference.
Achuthanandan and Vijayan have been at loggerheads for close to a decade. In 2007, both were suspended from the politburo on grounds of breaching party discipline.

Vijayan will meet Dange's fate: Achuthanandan

Thiruvananthapuram : In stinging remarks, CPI-M veteran V.S. Achuthanandan warned Saturday that his rival Pinarayi Vijayan will soon meet the fate of the once iconic Indian Communist S.A. Dange who was shown the door by the party.
Achuthanandan, a former Kerala chief minister who is now the opposition leader in the assembly, made the statement following the recent murder of former CPI-M leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, 51.

After the killing, which police believe was done by CPI-M activists, Vijayan dubbed Chandrasekharan a 'traitor'. Achuthanandan, who was said to be close to the dead man, disputed the label.
Achuthanandan told reporters here that Vijayan's remark was not the opinion of the Communist Party of India-Marxist.
'In our party things are different. It is not like the Congress where the final word is that of the party high command.
'In our party, an opinion is arrived at after detailed ideological discussions,' he said.
Chandrasekharan, a former CPI-M firebrand, was killed in Onchiyam near here Friday night. Police said he was attacked with a bomb and then murdered. His face was disfigured.
Chandrasekharan was an active CPI-M leader in his hometown Onchiyam near Kozhikode till 2008. Later he formed the Revolutionary Marxist Party which unseated his former party in village councils around his home town.

'A situation that prevailed way back in 1964 prevailed at Onchiyam,' Achuthanandan said, referring to the year when the Communist Party of India (CPI) split, leading to the formation of the present day CPI-M.

In April 1964, 38 National Council members of CPI walked out protesting against the wrong actions of Dange, who headed the CPI then.
Achuthanandan is the only living member of the 38.
'When Chandrasekharan walked out of CPI-M, party leaders should have prevailed upon them to return to the party fold through discussions,' he said. 'Instead they have been maligned,' said Achuthanandan.
'It should be noted that though Dange ousted us, very soon he also was booted out by his party.'

Asked why no one is questioning Vijayan if he is akin to Dange, the former chief minister said: 'The time is not far and that will happen.'
Pressed if his statement would be seen as violative of party discipline, he shot back: 'At the opportune time and after discussions, it will be clear who has violated party discipline.'
Veteran CPI-M leader T. Sivadasa Menon reacted sharply to Achuthanandan's statement, saying if he had any difference of opinion, he should say so at the appropriate party forum and not in a press conference.
Achuthanandan and Vijayan have been at loggerheads for close to a decade. In 2007, both were suspended from the politburo on grounds of breaching party discipline.

AI pilots' strike enters 6th day, 20 intl flights cancelled

New Delhi: With Air India pilots not budging from their position, their agitation entered the sixth day today leading to cancellation of 20 international flights, causing inconvenience to the hundreds of passengers.
'Pilots have not reported for work. We have had to cancel 20 flights from Delhi and Mumbai,' an Air India official said.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded following the flight cancellations. The passengers alleged they had not been given
the refund by the airline against their booked tickets after the cancellation of the flights.
The airline management has sacked 71 pilots and also sought cancellation of the flying licenses of 11 office-bearers of the Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG), which is spearheading the agitation.

DGCA had yesterday issued show-cause notices to 11 pilots of the IPG after the airline management sought cancellation of
their flying licences.
Over 200 pilots owing alligience to IPG are on strike since Tuesday, badly disrupting the international operations
of the national carrier. The airline has also suspended its bookings for international flights till May 15.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has asked the pilots to consider the plight of passengers and said, 'We are
ready for talks but they must call off their strike'.
'The first priority must be to make sure that the passengers feel they are being listened to. So let the pilots decide that. Ask for forgiveness from passengers. Start the flights ... we can talk on anything after that,' Singh has said. PTI

AI pilots' strike enters 6th day, 20 intl flights cancelled

New Delhi: With Air India pilots not budging from their position, their agitation entered the sixth day today leading to cancellation of 20 international flights, causing inconvenience to the hundreds of passengers.
'Pilots have not reported for work. We have had to cancel 20 flights from Delhi and Mumbai,' an Air India official said.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded following the flight cancellations. The passengers alleged they had not been given
the refund by the airline against their booked tickets after the cancellation of the flights.
The airline management has sacked 71 pilots and also sought cancellation of the flying licenses of 11 office-bearers of the Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG), which is spearheading the agitation.

DGCA had yesterday issued show-cause notices to 11 pilots of the IPG after the airline management sought cancellation of
their flying licences.
Over 200 pilots owing alligience to IPG are on strike since Tuesday, badly disrupting the international operations
of the national carrier. The airline has also suspended its bookings for international flights till May 15.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has asked the pilots to consider the plight of passengers and said, 'We are
ready for talks but they must call off their strike'.
'The first priority must be to make sure that the passengers feel they are being listened to. So let the pilots decide that. Ask for forgiveness from passengers. Start the flights ... we can talk on anything after that,' Singh has said. PTI

Britain spent 50 million pounds on sleeping pills

London:The recession in Britain has made people more anxious and led to a rise in sleeping problems. The country last year spent 50 million pounds on sleeping pills, a report said Friday.
Data released by the National Health Service (NHS) Business Services Authority showed that 152 primary care trusts spent 49.2 million pounds on sleeping pills in 2010-11, the Telegraph reported
NHS official Mandeep Mudhar said the recession was likely to have made people more anxious.
'Sleep patterns can be affected by physical or psychological factors and the continued economic downturn is a likely cause for the increased use of sleeping pills because of the heightened stress, anxiety and worry levels people face as a result of job insecurity or money worries,' he said.
He advised against long-term use of sleeping pills.
'Some sleeping drugs are only recommended for short term use because they can lead to psychological dependency and lose their effectiveness over time,' he said.

Britain spent 50 million pounds on sleeping pills

London:The recession in Britain has made people more anxious and led to a rise in sleeping problems. The country last year spent 50 million pounds on sleeping pills, a report said Friday.
Data released by the National Health Service (NHS) Business Services Authority showed that 152 primary care trusts spent 49.2 million pounds on sleeping pills in 2010-11, the Telegraph reported
NHS official Mandeep Mudhar said the recession was likely to have made people more anxious.
'Sleep patterns can be affected by physical or psychological factors and the continued economic downturn is a likely cause for the increased use of sleeping pills because of the heightened stress, anxiety and worry levels people face as a result of job insecurity or money worries,' he said.
He advised against long-term use of sleeping pills.
'Some sleeping drugs are only recommended for short term use because they can lead to psychological dependency and lose their effectiveness over time,' he said.