Scholarships exclusively for Indians in UK

The UK has launched 370 scholarships worth Rs 10 crore exclusively for Indian students. The scholarship amount is the largest ever allocated for India, and was announced on Friday as part of the ongoing  Grate BritainCampain to bolster the country’s global reputation

The scholarships will be made available to Indian students applying to 260 undergraduate and postgraduate courses in engineering, law and business, art and design, biosciences and information technology in 36 UK universities. The scholarships will be tenable for the September 2014 and January 2015 student intakes.

The UK’s Higher Education Statics Agency  recently said there was a 25% decrease in the number of Indian students studying in  UK Universities in 2012-13 compared to the previous year. India is the UK’s second largest source of international students, after China. The scholarships are seen as an incentive to draw students back to the UK.

Announcing the scholarship and unveiling the Great Career Guide for students, Andrew Soper, economic counsellor, British High Commission in New Delhi, said that the reasons for the decline could range from the decline in the UK, Indian and global economy to tightened visa regulations. “It is quite an expensive investment,” Soper said.

Scholarships exclusively for Indians in UK

The UK has launched 370 scholarships worth Rs 10 crore exclusively for Indian students. The scholarship amount is the largest ever allocated for India, and was announced on Friday as part of the ongoing  Grate BritainCampain to bolster the country’s global reputation

The scholarships will be made available to Indian students applying to 260 undergraduate and postgraduate courses in engineering, law and business, art and design, biosciences and information technology in 36 UK universities. The scholarships will be tenable for the September 2014 and January 2015 student intakes.

The UK’s Higher Education Statics Agency  recently said there was a 25% decrease in the number of Indian students studying in  UK Universities in 2012-13 compared to the previous year. India is the UK’s second largest source of international students, after China. The scholarships are seen as an incentive to draw students back to the UK.

Announcing the scholarship and unveiling the Great Career Guide for students, Andrew Soper, economic counsellor, British High Commission in New Delhi, said that the reasons for the decline could range from the decline in the UK, Indian and global economy to tightened visa regulations. “It is quite an expensive investment,” Soper said.

Expenditure on science and technology should be increased:PM

JAMMU: Pitching for more funds to promote science, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the country's annual expenditure on science and technology should be at least two per cent of the GDP. "To do science, someone must pay for it.We must increase our annual expenditure on science and technology to at least 2 per cent of GDP. This has to come from both government and industry. "In countries such as South Korea, where a high percentage of the GDP goes to science, the contribution of industry is significant," Singh noted.In his inaugural address at the 101st Indian Science Congress here, the Prime Minister also said that India is joining the CERN, a premiere European Organisation for Nuclear Research, as an associate member.  "India will partner with international scientific community in establishment of the world's major R&D projects.In the Gravitational Wave Experiment, India intends to host the third detector.A Neutrino-based Observatory is proposed to be established in Tamil Nadu at a cost of about Rs 1450 crore.India is also joining the CERN as an associate member," Singh said. Lauding Indian scientists working in the fields of atomic energy, space and earth science, the Prime Minister said India has occupied an "enviable position" in these fields. "Indian nuclear scientists are attracting global interest in their efforts to develop a Fast Breeder reactor.I expect the prototype under construction in Kalpakkam to be completed this year.We will be one of the few countries with leadership in a completely new area of nuclear technology that can contribute to a non-polluting world. "The launch of our Moon and Mars Mission are a testimony of the giant strides we are making in space.We have now the ability to issue alerts within 13 minutes of a tsunami-genic event," he noted.

Expenditure on science and technology should be increased:PM

JAMMU: Pitching for more funds to promote science, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the country's annual expenditure on science and technology should be at least two per cent of the GDP. "To do science, someone must pay for it.We must increase our annual expenditure on science and technology to at least 2 per cent of GDP. This has to come from both government and industry. "In countries such as South Korea, where a high percentage of the GDP goes to science, the contribution of industry is significant," Singh noted.In his inaugural address at the 101st Indian Science Congress here, the Prime Minister also said that India is joining the CERN, a premiere European Organisation for Nuclear Research, as an associate member.  "India will partner with international scientific community in establishment of the world's major R&D projects.In the Gravitational Wave Experiment, India intends to host the third detector.A Neutrino-based Observatory is proposed to be established in Tamil Nadu at a cost of about Rs 1450 crore.India is also joining the CERN as an associate member," Singh said. Lauding Indian scientists working in the fields of atomic energy, space and earth science, the Prime Minister said India has occupied an "enviable position" in these fields. "Indian nuclear scientists are attracting global interest in their efforts to develop a Fast Breeder reactor.I expect the prototype under construction in Kalpakkam to be completed this year.We will be one of the few countries with leadership in a completely new area of nuclear technology that can contribute to a non-polluting world. "The launch of our Moon and Mars Mission are a testimony of the giant strides we are making in space.We have now the ability to issue alerts within 13 minutes of a tsunami-genic event," he noted.

SC gives Centre one week to resolve dispute in Italian marines case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to resolve within a week all disputes arising out of the issue of invoking anti-piracy law against two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012.A bench headed by Justice B.S. Chauhan directed the Centre to end the logjam in the issue in which Ministries of Law, Home Affairs and External Affairs are involved and make its stand clear on February 10.“Will you be able to end the logjam by next Monday? Don’t expect us to grant adjournment on the next date,” the bench said while posting the case for hearing on February 10.Attorney General Goolam E. Vahanvati told the bench that the Centre has “almost” resolved the issue and will respond on the next date of hearing. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Italian Government and Marines, submitted that the Centre has not been able to proceed in the case and 13 months have lapsed since the apex court has passed the order for conducting day-to-day proceedings. He submitted that marines should be allowed to go back to their country. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Italian government challenging invoking of anti-terrorism law SUA (Suppression of Unlawful Acts against safety of Maritime Navigation And Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf) Act, saying it is against the order of the apex court which allowed proceedings only under the Maritime Zone Act, IPC, CrPC and UNCLOS. The joint petition, filed by Ambassador of Italy Daniele Mancini along with Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, also sought direction to the Centre and NIA to expedite the     proceedings in the case or discharge the marines. During the last hearing on January 20, the apex court had adjourned the case after Mr. Vahanvati had submitted that the Centre was trying to resolve all disputes with Italian government on the issue. The petition has said, “Invoking the anti-terrorism SUA Act would tantamount to the Republic of Italy being termed a terrorist state and acts of its organs, which were in repression of piracy, as being deemed as acts of terrorism, which is wholly untenable and unacceptable in the facts and circumstances of this case and in keeping with the comity of nations and international cooperation.” It has said that the draft protocol of 2005 to the SUA convention expressly excludes the applicability of the convention to activities undertaken by the military forces of a State in the exercise of their official duties. “The purported attempt by the Centre to unilaterally invoke the provisions of SUA Act is contrary to and in wilful disregard of the directions of this court,” the petition has said, adding that they came to know about invoking SUA on the basis of application filed by NIA in trial court. It has contended that one year has passed since the apex court had directed an expeditious hearing in the case but the Centre has failed to implement the order and charge sheet has so far not been filed in the case. “The petitioners have been detained in India for the last two years without any criminal case against them being started and the Centre has in fact failed to present any Final Report against them for almost one year despite the direction of the apex court to try and dispose of the case on a fast track basis,” the petition has said, adding that the accused be allowed to return to Italy till the proceedings begin. On January 18 last year, the Supreme Court had directed the central agency to probe the case against the marines and directed the Centre to set up a special court to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis after the charge sheet is filed. The case pertains to the killing of two Indian fishermen allegedly by Latorre and Girone on board ‘Enrica Lexie’. Fearing a pirate attack, the two officers had allegedly fired at the fishermen’s vessel off Kerala coast on February 15, 2012, killing two of them. The marines were arrested on February 19, 2012.

  

SC gives Centre one week to resolve dispute in Italian marines case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to resolve within a week all disputes arising out of the issue of invoking anti-piracy law against two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012.A bench headed by Justice B.S. Chauhan directed the Centre to end the logjam in the issue in which Ministries of Law, Home Affairs and External Affairs are involved and make its stand clear on February 10.“Will you be able to end the logjam by next Monday? Don’t expect us to grant adjournment on the next date,” the bench said while posting the case for hearing on February 10.Attorney General Goolam E. Vahanvati told the bench that the Centre has “almost” resolved the issue and will respond on the next date of hearing. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Italian Government and Marines, submitted that the Centre has not been able to proceed in the case and 13 months have lapsed since the apex court has passed the order for conducting day-to-day proceedings. He submitted that marines should be allowed to go back to their country. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Italian government challenging invoking of anti-terrorism law SUA (Suppression of Unlawful Acts against safety of Maritime Navigation And Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf) Act, saying it is against the order of the apex court which allowed proceedings only under the Maritime Zone Act, IPC, CrPC and UNCLOS. The joint petition, filed by Ambassador of Italy Daniele Mancini along with Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, also sought direction to the Centre and NIA to expedite the     proceedings in the case or discharge the marines. During the last hearing on January 20, the apex court had adjourned the case after Mr. Vahanvati had submitted that the Centre was trying to resolve all disputes with Italian government on the issue. The petition has said, “Invoking the anti-terrorism SUA Act would tantamount to the Republic of Italy being termed a terrorist state and acts of its organs, which were in repression of piracy, as being deemed as acts of terrorism, which is wholly untenable and unacceptable in the facts and circumstances of this case and in keeping with the comity of nations and international cooperation.” It has said that the draft protocol of 2005 to the SUA convention expressly excludes the applicability of the convention to activities undertaken by the military forces of a State in the exercise of their official duties. “The purported attempt by the Centre to unilaterally invoke the provisions of SUA Act is contrary to and in wilful disregard of the directions of this court,” the petition has said, adding that they came to know about invoking SUA on the basis of application filed by NIA in trial court. It has contended that one year has passed since the apex court had directed an expeditious hearing in the case but the Centre has failed to implement the order and charge sheet has so far not been filed in the case. “The petitioners have been detained in India for the last two years without any criminal case against them being started and the Centre has in fact failed to present any Final Report against them for almost one year despite the direction of the apex court to try and dispose of the case on a fast track basis,” the petition has said, adding that the accused be allowed to return to Italy till the proceedings begin. On January 18 last year, the Supreme Court had directed the central agency to probe the case against the marines and directed the Centre to set up a special court to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis after the charge sheet is filed. The case pertains to the killing of two Indian fishermen allegedly by Latorre and Girone on board ‘Enrica Lexie’. Fearing a pirate attack, the two officers had allegedly fired at the fishermen’s vessel off Kerala coast on February 15, 2012, killing two of them. The marines were arrested on February 19, 2012.

  

Sabarimala temple to open on Feb 12

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sabarimala Dharma Sastha temple will be opened for monthly pujas at 5.30 pm on February 12. The temple will remain open till February 17. In addition to the regular pujas, special pujas like padi puja and udayasthamana puja will also be performed. Pilgrims can offer neyyabhishekam on all days. Details of darshan and room booking are available on www.travancoredevaswomboard.org, a release said.

Six dead, 21 injured in bus-truck collision in Ajmer

JAIPUR: Six persons were killed and 21 others injured in a bus-truck collision in Ajmer district, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Sunday when the private bus was heading to Sikar from Nasik and collided with the truck in Roopangarh area, they said. The victims were rushed to a nearby government hospital where six persons were declared dead. Ten out of 21 injured were admitted while others were discharged after initial treatment. The deceased include five passengers of the bus and one truck cleaner, police said.

Six dead, 21 injured in bus-truck collision in Ajmer

JAIPUR: Six persons were killed and 21 others injured in a bus-truck collision in Ajmer district, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Sunday when the private bus was heading to Sikar from Nasik and collided with the truck in Roopangarh area, they said. The victims were rushed to a nearby government hospital where six persons were declared dead. Ten out of 21 injured were admitted while others were discharged after initial treatment. The deceased include five passengers of the bus and one truck cleaner, police said.

Sabarimala temple to open on Feb 12

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sabarimala Dharma Sastha temple will be opened for monthly pujas at 5.30 pm on February 12. The temple will remain open till February 17. In addition to the regular pujas, special pujas like padi puja and udayasthamana puja will also be performed. Pilgrims can offer neyyabhishekam on all days. Details of darshan and room booking are available on www.travancoredevaswomboard.org, a release said.