Plus two results declared: 89.82% passed

Thiruvananthapuram: The results of state plus two examinations were announced here on Wednesday by education minister P. K. Abdu Rabb, in which 89.82% passed the examination. Ernakulam stands first in pass percentage and Pathanamthitta in last. 

5132 students bagged A plus in all subjects and the schools, which gained more A plus are in Thrissur district. A total of 42 schools secured centum results. In SC section 79 student bagged A plus in all subjects and ST 5. 
In VHSC section the pass percentage in 90.32 %

Plus two results declared: 89.82% passed

Thiruvananthapuram: The results of state plus two examinations were announced here on Wednesday by education minister P. K. Abdu Rabb, in which 89.82% passed the examination. Ernakulam stands first in pass percentage and Pathanamthitta in last. 

5132 students bagged A plus in all subjects and the schools, which gained more A plus are in Thrissur district. A total of 42 schools secured centum results. In SC section 79 student bagged A plus in all subjects and ST 5. 
In VHSC section the pass percentage in 90.32 %

55 killed in Nigeria attack: military

Abuja: At least 55 people were killed when suspected Boko Haram sect, a Nigerian rebel group, attacked security formations in the country's troubled Borno state, military and police officials said.

The gunmen attacked Bama, a commercial town about 187 km from Maiduguri city, the epicentre of the insurgency in the early hours of Tuesday, reported Xinhua citing a military spokesperson.+

55 killed in Nigeria attack: military

Abuja: At least 55 people were killed when suspected Boko Haram sect, a Nigerian rebel group, attacked security formations in the country's troubled Borno state, military and police officials said.

The gunmen attacked Bama, a commercial town about 187 km from Maiduguri city, the epicentre of the insurgency in the early hours of Tuesday, reported Xinhua citing a military spokesperson.+

No hard evidence of chemical weapons in Syria: Moscow

Minsk : Russia does not have conclusive evidence that chemical weapons have been used in Syria, Russian Security Council head Nikolai Patrushev said.

'In my view, no one has reliable information about the use of chemical weapons in Syria,' he said after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

'If anyone does, we would like them to show their evidence that such weapons have indeed been used.'

He stressed there is no evidence that either party in the Syrian conflict has used chemical weapons - either the government or the opposition.

'However, it is crucial to address these questions and conduct an investigation,' Patrushev said.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the organisation has no information as to who could have used chemical weapons in Syria. He expressed regret over the fact that Syrian authorities have not allowed UN inspectors into the country to look into the possible use of such weapons.

At the weekend, an interview was broadcast on a Swiss-Italian TV network in which a leading UN official on Syria said that the UN commission to investigate alleged human rights abuses in Syria has heard testimony that the rebels have used chemical weapons.

'According to the testimonies that we have collected, the rebels have used chemical weapons, by using sarin gas,' Carla Del Ponte, commissioner of the UN commission to monitor and investigate reported human rights abuses in Syria, told Radiotelevisione svizzera.

Sarin is a highly toxic nerve agent, which was reportedly first used for military purposes during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The best-known sarin gas attack was carried out by the members of Aum Shinrikyo group on the Tokyo subway, killing 13 and injuring dozens.

The Syrian government and rebel forces have traded accusations of using chemical weapons in recent weeks.

Last month, the White House said in a letter to lawmakers that intelligence gathered by the US, with the help of opposition forces in Syria, shows the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale, but this evidence was later questioned as unclear.

According to recent UN figures, since March 2011 when violent clashes broke out in Syria, about 70,000 people have died there, over 3.6 million people within Syria are classed as 'internally displaced', and over 1.3 million have fled the country.

No hard evidence of chemical weapons in Syria: Moscow

Minsk : Russia does not have conclusive evidence that chemical weapons have been used in Syria, Russian Security Council head Nikolai Patrushev said.

'In my view, no one has reliable information about the use of chemical weapons in Syria,' he said after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

'If anyone does, we would like them to show their evidence that such weapons have indeed been used.'

He stressed there is no evidence that either party in the Syrian conflict has used chemical weapons - either the government or the opposition.

'However, it is crucial to address these questions and conduct an investigation,' Patrushev said.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the organisation has no information as to who could have used chemical weapons in Syria. He expressed regret over the fact that Syrian authorities have not allowed UN inspectors into the country to look into the possible use of such weapons.

At the weekend, an interview was broadcast on a Swiss-Italian TV network in which a leading UN official on Syria said that the UN commission to investigate alleged human rights abuses in Syria has heard testimony that the rebels have used chemical weapons.

'According to the testimonies that we have collected, the rebels have used chemical weapons, by using sarin gas,' Carla Del Ponte, commissioner of the UN commission to monitor and investigate reported human rights abuses in Syria, told Radiotelevisione svizzera.

Sarin is a highly toxic nerve agent, which was reportedly first used for military purposes during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The best-known sarin gas attack was carried out by the members of Aum Shinrikyo group on the Tokyo subway, killing 13 and injuring dozens.

The Syrian government and rebel forces have traded accusations of using chemical weapons in recent weeks.

Last month, the White House said in a letter to lawmakers that intelligence gathered by the US, with the help of opposition forces in Syria, shows the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale, but this evidence was later questioned as unclear.

According to recent UN figures, since March 2011 when violent clashes broke out in Syria, about 70,000 people have died there, over 3.6 million people within Syria are classed as 'internally displaced', and over 1.3 million have fled the country.

Boy donates heart valves of mother killed in mishap

Thiruvananthapuram: In a noble gesture, an 11-year-old boy has donated the heart valves of his mother,

who died in a road mishap two days ago when she and her only son were on their way to the beach here for a Sunday outing.

Vishnu, a seventh standard student, and still to recover from the shock of his mother's death, did not hesitate when
doctors at the medical college hospital here asked him if he was willing to give consent for donation of his mother's heart
valves.

His mother's death has rendered Vishnu an orphan as his father had died a few years ago.

The heart valves, removed during the post-mortem at the medical college, have been handed over to the Sree Chitra
Tirunal Institute of Medical Science and Techonolgy here.

According to Dr S K Jawahar of the Sree Chitra Institute, the valves would save lives of two heart patients.

'The recipients of these valves have not been identified yet. Before implanting it on any anybody, we have to go
through such proceedings as sterilising tests to establish the worthiness of the valves,' Dr Jawahar said.

'Through the test, we could confirm whether it is free of any infection. The whole procedure will take at least one
month,' he said.

The valves are now kept in the organ bank of the institute.

Radhika, a government employee, was riding her scooter with Vishnu on the pillion when an auto collided with her
two-wheeler, police said.

Though she was rushed to a nearby private hospital, she was declared dead by the doctors there.

Vishnu, who suffered minor injuries, has been discharged from the hospital and is now staying with his uncle in the
city. PTI

Boy donates heart valves of mother killed in mishap

Thiruvananthapuram: In a noble gesture, an 11-year-old boy has donated the heart valves of his mother,

who died in a road mishap two days ago when she and her only son were on their way to the beach here for a Sunday outing.

Vishnu, a seventh standard student, and still to recover from the shock of his mother's death, did not hesitate when
doctors at the medical college hospital here asked him if he was willing to give consent for donation of his mother's heart
valves.

His mother's death has rendered Vishnu an orphan as his father had died a few years ago.

The heart valves, removed during the post-mortem at the medical college, have been handed over to the Sree Chitra
Tirunal Institute of Medical Science and Techonolgy here.

According to Dr S K Jawahar of the Sree Chitra Institute, the valves would save lives of two heart patients.

'The recipients of these valves have not been identified yet. Before implanting it on any anybody, we have to go
through such proceedings as sterilising tests to establish the worthiness of the valves,' Dr Jawahar said.

'Through the test, we could confirm whether it is free of any infection. The whole procedure will take at least one
month,' he said.

The valves are now kept in the organ bank of the institute.

Radhika, a government employee, was riding her scooter with Vishnu on the pillion when an auto collided with her
two-wheeler, police said.

Though she was rushed to a nearby private hospital, she was declared dead by the doctors there.

Vishnu, who suffered minor injuries, has been discharged from the hospital and is now staying with his uncle in the
city. PTI

Kerala to spend Rs.6 crore on education of fisherfolk's children

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government Tuesday extended a helping hand to the children of the fisherfolk by earmarking Rs.6 crore towards meeting their educational needs.

'With this, the total allocation that has been made to the children for their educational needs has gone up to Rs.12 crore,' said State Fisheries Minister K. Babu in a statement issued here.

Kerala has 222 marine fishing villages and the number of fishermen households total 1,20,486, which include 6,02,234 individuals of which 35.50 percent are adult males. 

'We have also decided to increase the monthly food allowance of all the students studying in the 10 Fisheries Technical residential schools from Rs.1,000 to Rs.1,500 with immediate effect,' added Babu. 

The fishing community has always been seen as the most vulnerable section in the Kerala society.
--IANS 

Kerala to spend Rs.6 crore on education of fisherfolk's children

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government Tuesday extended a helping hand to the children of the fisherfolk by earmarking Rs.6 crore towards meeting their educational needs.

'With this, the total allocation that has been made to the children for their educational needs has gone up to Rs.12 crore,' said State Fisheries Minister K. Babu in a statement issued here.

Kerala has 222 marine fishing villages and the number of fishermen households total 1,20,486, which include 6,02,234 individuals of which 35.50 percent are adult males. 

'We have also decided to increase the monthly food allowance of all the students studying in the 10 Fisheries Technical residential schools from Rs.1,000 to Rs.1,500 with immediate effect,' added Babu. 

The fishing community has always been seen as the most vulnerable section in the Kerala society.
--IANS