Train derails in Assam, over 50 injured

Guwahati: Ten coaches of the 15666 BG Express derailed at Ajuri station near Morigaon in central Assam early today and over 50 passengers were injured, police said.

The three coaches of the Dimapur-Kamakhya train jumped the tracks but toppled down near Jagiroad in Morigaon district
at 0205 am, they said.

Seventeen passengers were seriously injured and shifted to Gauhati Medical College Hospital, police said.

Rest of the passengers were reported to have received minor injuries and were released after receiving first aid in
Morigaon Civil Hospital, Northeast Frontier Railway sources said.

Senior railway officials have rushed to the site and rescue operations are on.

Helpline phone numbers have been activated and they are at Dimapur 03862-228404, Lumding 03674-264848/49/50 and
Guwahati 0361-2731621/22/23, sources said. PTI

Train derails in Assam, over 50 injured

Guwahati: Ten coaches of the 15666 BG Express derailed at Ajuri station near Morigaon in central Assam early today and over 50 passengers were injured, police said.

The three coaches of the Dimapur-Kamakhya train jumped the tracks but toppled down near Jagiroad in Morigaon district
at 0205 am, they said.

Seventeen passengers were seriously injured and shifted to Gauhati Medical College Hospital, police said.

Rest of the passengers were reported to have received minor injuries and were released after receiving first aid in
Morigaon Civil Hospital, Northeast Frontier Railway sources said.

Senior railway officials have rushed to the site and rescue operations are on.

Helpline phone numbers have been activated and they are at Dimapur 03862-228404, Lumding 03674-264848/49/50 and
Guwahati 0361-2731621/22/23, sources said. PTI

Six killed in Karnataka bus fire

Bangalore: At least six passengers were burnt to death and a dozen injured early Wednesday when the private-run bus in which they were travelling caught fire in Karnataka, an official said.

The accident took place in Hiriyur (town) in Chitradurga district, about 160 km from here.

'The tragedy occurred around 3 a.m. when the bus from Davangere to Bangalore caught fire and fell into a ditch on the side of national highway four (NH 4),' Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Ravi Kumar told IANS.

Of the injured, five are in a critical condition with severe burns and have been admitted to hospitals.

'Six burnt bodies have been pulled out so far from the bus. A rescue team is searching if more bodies are trapped in the wreckage, as about 30 passengers were travelling and 20 escaped with injuries,' Kumar said.

Police registered a case against driver and bus operator under section 304 and are investigating the cause of fire.

'The cause is not yet known as the fire, which appeared to have started in the front portion near the driver seat, spread quickly across the bus trapping the victims. Most of the passengers were asleep when the incident occurred,' Kumar added.

Six killed in Karnataka bus fire

Bangalore: At least six passengers were burnt to death and a dozen injured early Wednesday when the private-run bus in which they were travelling caught fire in Karnataka, an official said.

The accident took place in Hiriyur (town) in Chitradurga district, about 160 km from here.

'The tragedy occurred around 3 a.m. when the bus from Davangere to Bangalore caught fire and fell into a ditch on the side of national highway four (NH 4),' Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Ravi Kumar told IANS.

Of the injured, five are in a critical condition with severe burns and have been admitted to hospitals.

'Six burnt bodies have been pulled out so far from the bus. A rescue team is searching if more bodies are trapped in the wreckage, as about 30 passengers were travelling and 20 escaped with injuries,' Kumar said.

Police registered a case against driver and bus operator under section 304 and are investigating the cause of fire.

'The cause is not yet known as the fire, which appeared to have started in the front portion near the driver seat, spread quickly across the bus trapping the victims. Most of the passengers were asleep when the incident occurred,' Kumar added.

Disease poses threat to $5bn global banana biz: UN

Rome: The United Nations warned today of the potential "massive destruction" of the world's $5-billion a year banana crop as a plant disease spreads from Asia to Africa and the Middle East. 

The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said the TR4 strain of Panama disease, which has already hit tens of thousands of hectares in Southeast Asia, had been reported in Jordan and Mozambique. 

The disease is "posing a serious threat to production and export" of bananas, the fourth most important food crop for the world's least developed countries and a key revenue source for poor farmers, FAO said in a report. 

There is no cure for TR4, which particularly affects the Cavendish variety that accounts for 47 per cent of world banana production - by far the biggest. 

The disease affects the trees but not the bananas themselves and the only solution is to cut down the trees, dig trenches between trees to prevent its spread and impose strict quarantine measures. 

Top producers in Latin America, including the world's main producer Ecuador, have so far not been affected but FAO warned there was a "potential" risk. 

"I think it's sheer luck. It's not a question of whether it will arrive but when. There's no prevention," said Gert Kema, director of the banana research programme at Wageningen University in the Netherlands who manages the site panamadisease.org. 

Kema said the availability of bananas in Europe and the United States had not been affected by the disease because their main suppliers were in Latin America and the economic impact has been focused mainly in Asia. 

But he said the key problem was a "reluctance" in the industry to realise the scale of the problem and its excessive reliance on the Cavendish variety. 

"The sooner we have replacements for Cavendish that are resistant to Panama the better but this is going to take years," he said, warning there was a risk of repeating mistakes made during a 1950s epidemic. 

Panamadisease.org estimates the global banana crop is worth around $5.0 billion and over 100 million tonnes of bananas are traded every year, with the biggest market being the United States. 

Disease poses threat to $5bn global banana biz: UN

Rome: The United Nations warned today of the potential "massive destruction" of the world's $5-billion a year banana crop as a plant disease spreads from Asia to Africa and the Middle East. 

The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said the TR4 strain of Panama disease, which has already hit tens of thousands of hectares in Southeast Asia, had been reported in Jordan and Mozambique. 

The disease is "posing a serious threat to production and export" of bananas, the fourth most important food crop for the world's least developed countries and a key revenue source for poor farmers, FAO said in a report. 

There is no cure for TR4, which particularly affects the Cavendish variety that accounts for 47 per cent of world banana production - by far the biggest. 

The disease affects the trees but not the bananas themselves and the only solution is to cut down the trees, dig trenches between trees to prevent its spread and impose strict quarantine measures. 

Top producers in Latin America, including the world's main producer Ecuador, have so far not been affected but FAO warned there was a "potential" risk. 

"I think it's sheer luck. It's not a question of whether it will arrive but when. There's no prevention," said Gert Kema, director of the banana research programme at Wageningen University in the Netherlands who manages the site panamadisease.org. 

Kema said the availability of bananas in Europe and the United States had not been affected by the disease because their main suppliers were in Latin America and the economic impact has been focused mainly in Asia. 

But he said the key problem was a "reluctance" in the industry to realise the scale of the problem and its excessive reliance on the Cavendish variety. 

"The sooner we have replacements for Cavendish that are resistant to Panama the better but this is going to take years," he said, warning there was a risk of repeating mistakes made during a 1950s epidemic. 

Panamadisease.org estimates the global banana crop is worth around $5.0 billion and over 100 million tonnes of bananas are traded every year, with the biggest market being the United States. 

No e-cigarette sales or ads to youths: US lawmakers

WASHINGTON: US lawmakers want electronic cigarettes to be treated just like tobacco products when it comes to barring the sales and marketing of the controversial devices to children.

Senate and House Democrats said Monday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency responsible for protecting public health in the United States, has the legislative authority it needs to step in.

The FDA is expected to issue regulations on e-cigarettes later this year, but whether or not an advertising ban or sales restrictions to youths will be included is unclear.

"Federal laws and regulations prohibit traditional cigarettes from being sold to persons younger than 18 years of age, distributed as free samples, advertised on television and radio, and having characterizing candy and fruit flavors that appeal to children," eleven lawmakers said in their report entitled "Gateway to Addiction?"

"There is no federal ban on the use of such tactics by e-cigarette manufacturers."

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that deliver nicotine that is vaporized into an aerosol inhaled by the user.

The report found that of the nation's nine manufacturers of e-cigarettes -- which are marketed under various names including vape pipes or e-hookahs -- six sell flavors such as Cherry Crush or Chocolate Treat that could appeal to children.

Most also have provided free samples at hundreds of events, including youth-oriented concerts, while seven of the companies broadcast TV or radio advertising.

One company, NJOY, advertised during the Super Bowl, one of the most-watched televised events in the United States.

Swift FDA action "is necessary to ensure that e-cigarette manufacturers stop targeting kids," Senator Dick Durbin, who spearheaded the restrictions push along with congressman Henry Waxman, told reporters.

Waxman said the FDA should issue regulations that deem e-cigarettes the same as conventional tobacco products in order to close a regulations loophole.

"Manufacturers are taking advantage of the absence of federal e-cigarette regulations to aggressively market their products," he said.

The industry insists e-cigarettes help smokers kick their habit, but Durbin dismisses that argument, saying they "lure children" into nicotine addiction.

E-cigarette use among young people is soaring.

A December study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 10 percent of high school students had used e-cigarettes.

The lawmakers estimated e-cigarette sales neared $2 billion in 2013.

 

No e-cigarette sales or ads to youths: US lawmakers

WASHINGTON: US lawmakers want electronic cigarettes to be treated just like tobacco products when it comes to barring the sales and marketing of the controversial devices to children.

Senate and House Democrats said Monday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency responsible for protecting public health in the United States, has the legislative authority it needs to step in.

The FDA is expected to issue regulations on e-cigarettes later this year, but whether or not an advertising ban or sales restrictions to youths will be included is unclear.

"Federal laws and regulations prohibit traditional cigarettes from being sold to persons younger than 18 years of age, distributed as free samples, advertised on television and radio, and having characterizing candy and fruit flavors that appeal to children," eleven lawmakers said in their report entitled "Gateway to Addiction?"

"There is no federal ban on the use of such tactics by e-cigarette manufacturers."

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that deliver nicotine that is vaporized into an aerosol inhaled by the user.

The report found that of the nation's nine manufacturers of e-cigarettes -- which are marketed under various names including vape pipes or e-hookahs -- six sell flavors such as Cherry Crush or Chocolate Treat that could appeal to children.

Most also have provided free samples at hundreds of events, including youth-oriented concerts, while seven of the companies broadcast TV or radio advertising.

One company, NJOY, advertised during the Super Bowl, one of the most-watched televised events in the United States.

Swift FDA action "is necessary to ensure that e-cigarette manufacturers stop targeting kids," Senator Dick Durbin, who spearheaded the restrictions push along with congressman Henry Waxman, told reporters.

Waxman said the FDA should issue regulations that deem e-cigarettes the same as conventional tobacco products in order to close a regulations loophole.

"Manufacturers are taking advantage of the absence of federal e-cigarette regulations to aggressively market their products," he said.

The industry insists e-cigarettes help smokers kick their habit, but Durbin dismisses that argument, saying they "lure children" into nicotine addiction.

E-cigarette use among young people is soaring.

A December study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 10 percent of high school students had used e-cigarettes.

The lawmakers estimated e-cigarette sales neared $2 billion in 2013.

 

Indian lady dies of heart attack after seeing her brother after 16 yrs

LAHORE: An Indian woman, who came to Pakistan to visit her brother after span of 16 years, has died after a heart attack.

Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Larkana and brother of the visiting woman Sarala Devi, said that the tragic incident occurred when her sister embraced him at upon her arrival at Lahore railway station and started crying with deep emotions after which she suffered fatal heart attack.

Kumar said that her sister’s application for visa to Pakistan had been refused four times and this was the fifth time when the application was accepted and she visited Lahore.

 

Indian lady dies of heart attack after seeing her brother after 16 yrs

LAHORE: An Indian woman, who came to Pakistan to visit her brother after span of 16 years, has died after a heart attack.

Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Larkana and brother of the visiting woman Sarala Devi, said that the tragic incident occurred when her sister embraced him at upon her arrival at Lahore railway station and started crying with deep emotions after which she suffered fatal heart attack.

Kumar said that her sister’s application for visa to Pakistan had been refused four times and this was the fifth time when the application was accepted and she visited Lahore.