T.P murder: Two more CPM leaders arrested
Kozhikode: Two CPM leaders including an area committe secretary have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P Chandrasekharan. CPM Onchiyam area committee secretary C.H Asokhan and Local Committee member K.K. Krishnan are the leaders arrested by The Special Investigation Team. Both the leaders were later produced before the Vatakara Judicial First Class Magistrate court. And the court remanded them for 14 days police custody.

A huge crowd had gatherd at the court when the accude were produced. Police had a tough time in controlling the violent crowd. Angry workers later turned aginst the media people. A few cameremen were injured in attack. CPIM activists later took out a rally in Vatakara, protesting against the arrest.

Yesterday, the SIT had arrested Sijith, who allegedly hacked Chandrasekharan to death. He was an accomplice of Kodi Suni the prime accused in the case.
Chandrasekharan a former CPM leader in the party stronghold Onjiyam was murdered at Vallikkad near Vatakara on May 4.

 T.P murder: Two more CPM leaders arrested
Kozhikode: Two CPM leaders including an area committe secretary have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P Chandrasekharan. CPM Onchiyam area committee secretary C.H Asokhan and Local Committee member K.K. Krishnan are the leaders arrested by The Special Investigation Team. Both the leaders were later produced before the Vatakara Judicial First Class Magistrate court. And the court remanded them for 14 days police custody.

A huge crowd had gatherd at the court when the accude were produced. Police had a tough time in controlling the violent crowd. Angry workers later turned aginst the media people. A few cameremen were injured in attack. CPIM activists later took out a rally in Vatakara, protesting against the arrest.

Yesterday, the SIT had arrested Sijith, who allegedly hacked Chandrasekharan to death. He was an accomplice of Kodi Suni the prime accused in the case.
Chandrasekharan a former CPM leader in the party stronghold Onjiyam was murdered at Vallikkad near Vatakara on May 4.

Musical device to help premature babies feed better

Washington: Many premature babies face typically unpleasant medical procedures, long hospital stays and increased chances of chronic health issues throughout their lives.
To help address one of their biggest problems, learning how to suckle and feed, the Florida State University has announced the availability of a Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL) device to hospitals around the world.
The innovative PAL device, which uses musical lullabies to help infants quickly learn the muscle movements needed to suckle, and ultimately feed, is being sold through a partnership with Powers Device Technologies Inc. Research studies have shown that PAL can reduce the length of a premature infant's hospital stay by an average of five days.

'Unlike full-term infants, very premature babies come into the world lacking the neurologic ability to coordinate a suck/swallow/breathe response for oral feeding,' said Jayne Standley, professor of music therapy at Florida and inventor of the PAL, according to a Florida statement.
'The longer it takes them to learn this essential skill, the further behind in the growth process they fall. PAL uses musical lullaby reinforcement to speed this process up, helping them feed sooner and leave the hospital sooner,' adds Standley.
PAL uses a specially wired pacifier and speaker to provide musical reinforcement every time a baby sucks on it correctly. The musical lullabies are gentle and pleasant to the baby, making them want to continue the sucking motion so they can hear more of the lullaby.
Clinical studies conducted by Standley at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH), University of Georgia Hospital in Athens, University of North Carolina Medical Intre in Chapel Hill and Women's and Children's Hospital in Baton Rouge, have shown that infants will increase their sucking rates up to 2.5 times more than infants not exposed to the musical reinforcement.
'It's amazing to watch how much quicker our babies are able to learn the sucking motion after they have used PAL,' said Terry Stevens, neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU) nurse at TMH.
'They are ready to eat sooner, they go home from the hospital earlier, they tolerate their feedings better; it's just a phenomenal improvement overall,' added Stevens.

Musical device to help premature babies feed better

Washington: Many premature babies face typically unpleasant medical procedures, long hospital stays and increased chances of chronic health issues throughout their lives.
To help address one of their biggest problems, learning how to suckle and feed, the Florida State University has announced the availability of a Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL) device to hospitals around the world.
The innovative PAL device, which uses musical lullabies to help infants quickly learn the muscle movements needed to suckle, and ultimately feed, is being sold through a partnership with Powers Device Technologies Inc. Research studies have shown that PAL can reduce the length of a premature infant's hospital stay by an average of five days.

'Unlike full-term infants, very premature babies come into the world lacking the neurologic ability to coordinate a suck/swallow/breathe response for oral feeding,' said Jayne Standley, professor of music therapy at Florida and inventor of the PAL, according to a Florida statement.
'The longer it takes them to learn this essential skill, the further behind in the growth process they fall. PAL uses musical lullaby reinforcement to speed this process up, helping them feed sooner and leave the hospital sooner,' adds Standley.
PAL uses a specially wired pacifier and speaker to provide musical reinforcement every time a baby sucks on it correctly. The musical lullabies are gentle and pleasant to the baby, making them want to continue the sucking motion so they can hear more of the lullaby.
Clinical studies conducted by Standley at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH), University of Georgia Hospital in Athens, University of North Carolina Medical Intre in Chapel Hill and Women's and Children's Hospital in Baton Rouge, have shown that infants will increase their sucking rates up to 2.5 times more than infants not exposed to the musical reinforcement.
'It's amazing to watch how much quicker our babies are able to learn the sucking motion after they have used PAL,' said Terry Stevens, neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU) nurse at TMH.
'They are ready to eat sooner, they go home from the hospital earlier, they tolerate their feedings better; it's just a phenomenal improvement overall,' added Stevens.

Petrol prices hiked by Rs.6.28 per litre plus taxes

New Delhi: Petrol prices have been hiked by Rs.6.28 per litre, exclusive of taxes, effective midnight, it was announced here Wednesday.
Petrol will cost Rs.73.14 per litre in Delhi against the existing price of Rs.65.64 per litre. 
In Mumbai, petrol will now cost Rs.78.16 per litre, while in Kolkata and Chennai, it will cost Rs.77.53 per litre.
'Given the losses being incurred, the Company is compelled to increase the price of petrol by Rs.6.28 per litre (excluding VAT/Sales Tax) with effect from midnight,' the country's largest oil firm Indian Oil Company said in a statement. 

'This excludes losses already suffered till date during current financial year 2012-13, which would require an additional increase of around Rs 1.50 per litre in selling price of motor spirit (MS) for balance part of the year,' Indian Oil said. 
This is the sharpest ever hike in petrol prices. The actual increase in prices will vary from state to state depending on the prevailing sales and other taxes.
Given that the rate of Sales Tax/VAT varies from 15 percent to 33 percent in the states, additional sales tax of Rs.0.94 to Rs.2.07 per litre will be added to the increased price.
'This shall be over and above the existing Sales Tax of Rs.10.30 per litre to Rs.18.74 per litre already being levied in the existing motor spirit (petrol) prices,' Indian Oil said. 
A sharp drop in the value of rupee has added to the woes of the oil marketing companies, who have been under financial strain due to persistently high prices of crude oil in global markets. 

The Indian rupee breached another psychological level of 56 against a dollar Wednesday and plunged to low of 56.18 in the intra-day, hitting a record low for the sixth session in a row.
The rupee has weakened by over three percent in the just three sessions this week despite the assurances and interventions in the currency markets by the Reserve Bank of India. 
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has blamed global uncertainties and the rising oil imports bill for the battering of the Indian currency. 'The quantum of India's oil imports is substantial at around $160 billion to $170 billion annually,' he said.

Petrol prices hiked by Rs.6.28 per litre plus taxes

New Delhi: Petrol prices have been hiked by Rs.6.28 per litre, exclusive of taxes, effective midnight, it was announced here Wednesday.
Petrol will cost Rs.73.14 per litre in Delhi against the existing price of Rs.65.64 per litre. 
In Mumbai, petrol will now cost Rs.78.16 per litre, while in Kolkata and Chennai, it will cost Rs.77.53 per litre.
'Given the losses being incurred, the Company is compelled to increase the price of petrol by Rs.6.28 per litre (excluding VAT/Sales Tax) with effect from midnight,' the country's largest oil firm Indian Oil Company said in a statement. 

'This excludes losses already suffered till date during current financial year 2012-13, which would require an additional increase of around Rs 1.50 per litre in selling price of motor spirit (MS) for balance part of the year,' Indian Oil said. 
This is the sharpest ever hike in petrol prices. The actual increase in prices will vary from state to state depending on the prevailing sales and other taxes.
Given that the rate of Sales Tax/VAT varies from 15 percent to 33 percent in the states, additional sales tax of Rs.0.94 to Rs.2.07 per litre will be added to the increased price.
'This shall be over and above the existing Sales Tax of Rs.10.30 per litre to Rs.18.74 per litre already being levied in the existing motor spirit (petrol) prices,' Indian Oil said. 
A sharp drop in the value of rupee has added to the woes of the oil marketing companies, who have been under financial strain due to persistently high prices of crude oil in global markets. 

The Indian rupee breached another psychological level of 56 against a dollar Wednesday and plunged to low of 56.18 in the intra-day, hitting a record low for the sixth session in a row.
The rupee has weakened by over three percent in the just three sessions this week despite the assurances and interventions in the currency markets by the Reserve Bank of India. 
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has blamed global uncertainties and the rising oil imports bill for the battering of the Indian currency. 'The quantum of India's oil imports is substantial at around $160 billion to $170 billion annually,' he said.

New rules for school buses

Thiruvananthapuram: The govt has made it compulsory for school buses to keep record of students travelling in the bus. Information like parents address, phone number should be kept laminated in buses. 
The government has amended the Motor Vehicles Act 1989 by incorporating all the 14 recommendations, including this. The permit for buses would be given only if this recommendation is fulfilled.

A board `On school duty' written in blue ink under white background should be displayed on the front and back side of the bus.
There should also be a first aid kit and fire extinguisher. Locks for doors and grills for windows must also be there. There should be sufficient space to accommodate school bags.
The driver should have more than 10 years experience and five years experience driving a heavy vehicle. Those who have violated traffic rules twice in a year should not be appointed as drivers. Those who were punished for drunken driving and for overspeeding is not eligible to be appointed. School authorities must undertake surprise checks of buses at regular intervals. 

New rules for school buses

Thiruvananthapuram: The govt has made it compulsory for school buses to keep record of students travelling in the bus. Information like parents address, phone number should be kept laminated in buses. 
The government has amended the Motor Vehicles Act 1989 by incorporating all the 14 recommendations, including this. The permit for buses would be given only if this recommendation is fulfilled.

A board `On school duty' written in blue ink under white background should be displayed on the front and back side of the bus.
There should also be a first aid kit and fire extinguisher. Locks for doors and grills for windows must also be there. There should be sufficient space to accommodate school bags.
The driver should have more than 10 years experience and five years experience driving a heavy vehicle. Those who have violated traffic rules twice in a year should not be appointed as drivers. Those who were punished for drunken driving and for overspeeding is not eligible to be appointed. School authorities must undertake surprise checks of buses at regular intervals. 

Ordinance to control institutions offering job-oriented courses

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to implement an ordinance to regulate educational institutions offering employment-oriented courses. The ordinance `Kerala State Vocational Training Control and Regulation Act' would be notified soon.
The ordinance is meant to regulate institutions working without the recognition of National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT) or state government. 
The ordinance would not affect recognised institutions. The ordinance would set conditions for institutions working without recognition. The unrecognised institutions must have the needed facility, building and qualified teachers.
Students must be admitted after ensuring presence of needed lands, equipment and security arrangements. 
If it is proved that admissions are done accepting huge sum as fees, action would be taken. A special committee would be set up for complaint redressal and conduct searches in such a institution.
For this joint help of technical education department and labor department would be sought.
If it was found that such institutions are run without needed facility, a fine of up to Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh would be levied.

Ordinance to control institutions offering job-oriented courses

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to implement an ordinance to regulate educational institutions offering employment-oriented courses. The ordinance `Kerala State Vocational Training Control and Regulation Act' would be notified soon.
The ordinance is meant to regulate institutions working without the recognition of National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT) or state government. 
The ordinance would not affect recognised institutions. The ordinance would set conditions for institutions working without recognition. The unrecognised institutions must have the needed facility, building and qualified teachers.
Students must be admitted after ensuring presence of needed lands, equipment and security arrangements. 
If it is proved that admissions are done accepting huge sum as fees, action would be taken. A special committee would be set up for complaint redressal and conduct searches in such a institution.
For this joint help of technical education department and labor department would be sought.
If it was found that such institutions are run without needed facility, a fine of up to Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh would be levied.