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The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 69
Govt vows Maoist rebels won’t ruin India elections
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[ PAGE 8]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
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The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165 Is it time for present Naga leaders to hand over responsibilities to the younger generation? Yes
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Candidates asked to open separate bank account for poll expenditure Kohima, march 12 (DiPr): All intending candidates for the upcoming LS polls have been informed that a separate bank account is to be opened exclusively for the purpose of election expenditure. This account shall be opened at least one day before the date on which the candidate files his nomination papers. All transactions related to election expenditure have to be done through solely this account. The bank account can be opened either in the name of the candidate or in the joint name with his election agent, for the purpose of election expenditure. The candidates are required to deposit the entire amount meant for election expenses in the separate bank account, opened for the purpose of election, and all their election expenses are to be incurred from the said account. The banks are requested to assist the candidates and facilitate prompt service to the candidates in opening of bank accounts. They should also allow withdrawals and deposits from the said account on priority during the election period.
Disaster mock drill today: Public urged not to panic
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Kohima, march 12 (DiPr): The mega mock drill exercise in Kohima will be held on March 13 as a part of disaster management preparedness. The siren for the mega mock drill will be sounded at 11:30 AM. In this connection, Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, W. Honje Konyak has appealed to the public not to panic. Meanwhile, all educational institutions under Kohima district have been asked to participate in the mock drill exercise. However those institutions having board examinations etc may be exempted.
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Knowledge is only one half. Faith is the other Sonakshi ends show with a bang at Lakme Fashion Week
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Thursday, March 13, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4 –Novalis
Shortage of manpower to teach in colleges [ PAGE 2]
Malaysia defends search for missing jet
[ PAGE 11]
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[ PAGE 9]
Bayern oust Arsenal with a draw [ PAGE 12]
Mystified: MH370 is untraceable ne youth determined to make a difference
A woman stands in front of a placard featuring messages for passengers aboard a missing Malaysia Airlines plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia on March 12. More than four days after the Malaysian jetliner went missing en route to Beijing, authorities acknowledged Wednesday they didn’t know which direction the plane carrying 239 passengers was heading when it disappeared, vastly complicating efforts to find it. (AP Photo)
KUala lUmPUr/PhU QUoc, march 12 (rEUtErS): Malaysia’s military has traced what could have been the jetliner missing for almost five days to an area south of the Thai holiday island of Phuket, hundreds of miles from its last known position, the country’s air force chief said on Wednesday. After a series of at times conflicting statements, the latest revelation underlined that authorities remain uncertain even where to look for the plane, and no closer to explaining what happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 or the 239 people on board. The flight disappeared from civilian radar screens shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, as it flew northeast
from Rodzali, if it was the missing plane it would have flown for 45 minutes and lost only about 5,000 feet (1,500 metres) in altitude. There was no word on which direction it was headed and still no clue what happened aboard, prolonging the agonising wait for news for hundreds of relatives of those on board. A position 200 miles northwest of Penang, in the northern part of the Strait of Malacca, would put the plane roughly south of Phuket and east of the tip of Indonesia’s Aceh province and India’s Nicobar island chain. Indonesia and Thailand have said their militaries detected no sign of any unusual aircraft in their airspace. Malaysia has asked India for help in AGONISING WAIT According to the data tracing the aircraft and New across the mouth of the Gulf of Thailand bound for Beijing. What happened next is one of the most baffling mysteries in modern aviation history. Malaysian air force chief Rodzali Daud told a news conference that an aircraft was plotted on military radar at 2:15 a.m., 200 miles (320 km) northwest of Penang Island off Malaysia’s west coast. It was not confirmed that the unidentified plane was Flight MH370, but Malaysia was sharing the data with international civilian and military authorities, Rodzali said. “We are corroborating this,” he added. “We are still working with the experts, it’s an unidentified plot.”
Delhi’s coastguard planes have joined the search. A dozen countries are helping Malaysia in the search, with 42 ships and 39 aircraft involved, Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said. NOTHING RULED OUT In the absence of any concrete evidence to explain the plane’s disappearance, authorities have not ruled out anything. Police have said they were investigating whether any passengers or crew on the plane had personal or psychological problems that might shed light on the mystery, along with the possibility of a hijacking, sabotage or mechanical failure. The Boeing 777 has one of the best safety records of any commercial aircraft in service.
NEw DElhi, march 12 (iaNS): With the focus being on northeastern India for more than a year now, it is but natural that the youth of the region, particularly those who have come of age and will be voting for the first time in the April-May general elections, are determined to make a difference. Their biggest lament is of being “ignored”, but they are firm to get their cause a louder voice. And this is no idle boast. A cross-section of those IANS spoke to were determined to go back home and cast their votes. “The northeast hardly ever forms a part of the election agenda of the two major parties in the country. For them, our issues are not important. So it’s essential to vote for someone who can create an impact,” Kritika Chettri, a student at Hindu College, told IANS. Chettri, who belongs to Darjeeling, feels that they need a party and candidate who are at least aware of their issues. “It has now become important to support only that party or candidate who is aware of the issues that concern us, which unfortunately the two major parties of the country are not,” Chettri added. Echoing the feeling, Kelhoisilie Pienyu who comes from Nagaland, told IANS: “It is important to vote majorly to bring strong politicians who can represent us in the house.” Pienyu, who has earlier voted, however,
felt that this time their issues require a voice following a spate of violent incidents in the past few months. “It is the greatest lament of the people of the northeast that they are subjected to racial discrimination. This is due to ignorance and I strongly feel that this can be reduced effectively by introduction of northeast history and cultures in school textbooks,” Pienyu suggested. With every young voice demanding strong laws against racism, a majority of the first time voters seem enthusiastic to exercise their right and make a difference. “We staged a lot of protests demanding strong anti-racism laws. However, it just remained a protest and no political party did anything about it. I will vote to select the candidate who will support our cause,” Caroline Maninee who is from Manipur and studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told IANS. Ujjwal Pandey, a first time voter from Sikkim, told IANS that it was his duty to vote and if he doesn’t make the right choice now, it will impact him and his region for next five years. “That is our right and we should exercise it because it will impact our future. It is, therefore, important to choose a government which is sensitive in enforcing strong anti-racism laws,” Pandey said. He also felt that it was not enough to provide hos-
tels for students. “What happens to the women who come here to work? Since back home there are not enough opportunities in our region they are forced to come here,” Pandey added. While most of them want a redressal of issues they face, some felt that voting becomes important to bring a change back home. “Healthcare is what the people in the region are deprived of. So we need a government that can concentrate on equitable distribution of healthcare facilities,” Kuldeep Swargiary from Assam told IANS. Swargiary, who is a doctor working here, added: “While healthcare is one, unemployment becomes another issue. We need a government who can utilise the resources for the benefit of people and not to fill their pockets.” Similarly, Tsultrim Norbu Wangdi from Sikkim told IANS: “This is the time because after this we cannot complain. So for me the need is of a transparent government where people know about the money being spent.” According to the Election Commission of India, 814 million people would be casting their votes to elect the 16th Lok Sabha. Of these, over 23 million are aged between 18 and 19 years, constituting 2.8 percent of the national electorate. The Election Commission of India reduced the voting age to 18 from 21 in March 1989.
NFHRCC urged not to mislead public DEC calls for free, fair polls
Kohima, march 12 (mExN): The Kohima Lotha Hoho (KLH) has strongly reiterated that the Nagaland Foot Hill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) should concern itself with having the work completed on time, i.e., by the end of April 2014, and check any other vested interests that may come in the way of disrupting the progress of the work. “We earnestly appeal the committee to refrain from making wild allegations and not mislead the general public. The Commitment to complete the foothill road should not be used as an excuse to protect the interest of one contractor,” stated the KLH in an ‘Appeal’ from its chairman, Nchumbemo Tungoe, which was given following an emergency meeting today to discuss the issue arising out of the Foothill Road construction.
While acknowledging the “yeoman service” being rendered by the NFHRCC, the KLH stated that “after thorough investigation into the issue of NFHRC pressurizing the Government to stop “unauthorized works” and alleging politicization of the work by Mmhonlumo Kikon, MLA that appeared on the local dailies we find them a bit out of logic.” The KLH’s statement narrated, “As far as we know, the WDCU had submitted a representation to the government on 03/02/2014 to allot the work through open tender as per the government norms and practice, failing which they will be compelled to take further actions. Since nothing substantial was forthcoming, WDCU pressured for suspension of the work as well as decided to go for litigation if need be. Thereupon, Mmhonlumo Kikon, in his genuine effort not to hamper
the ongoing work and to enable the foothill road to progress, facilitated a peaceful resolution to the issue by issuing an open appeal to one and all to give full support to the foothill road construction. It was only through his intervention that the legal recourse was not taken but the WDCU decided to pursue with the Government for an acceptable and workable solution to the issue. After about a week, the meeting between P Imty Ao and the WDCU representatives was held in the presence of the Chief Engineer. It was amicably decided to carry the burden of completing the Foothill road together by having an acceptable arrangement in the presence of the Chief Engineer.” The KLH also acknowledged that all this could happen because of the “goodwill and good intention” of the Minister for Roads and Bridges, Kuzholuzo Neinu.
Tripura troopers for Nagaland LS polls agartala, march 12 (iaNS): Elite Tripura State Rifles (TSR) troopers will provide security during the April 9 Lok Sabha polls in Nagaland, an official said here Wednesday. “Around 1,000 TSR troopers, led by two commandants, would go to pollbound Nagaland next week. The union home ministry has asked the Tripura government to send the TSR troopers to Nagaland,” a senior home department official told IANS. He said the deployment of the TSR troopers in Nagaland would be at the discretion of the union home ministry and the Election Commission of India. In the second phase April 9, the Lok Sabha elections would be held in five northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh (two seats), Manipur (one out of
two seats), Meghalaya (two seats), Mizoram (one seat), and Nagaland (one seat). “Besides providing security during Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010, the India Reserve (IR) battalions of TSR were earlier sent to Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Mizoram to provide security during various elections in these states,” the official said. The TSR, trained for counter-insurgency operations, was constituted in March 1984 to deal with terrorism. Seventy-five percent of its troopers are from Tripura while the remaining are from across the country. At present, there are 12 TSR battalions in the northeastern state, of which nine are India Reserve battalions, which means they can be deployed anywhere in India
by the union home ministry. The central government has approved the raising of three more TSR battalions. “The TSR has been modelled on the pattern of Border Security Force and Assam Rifles. It has played an important role in curbing four-and-a-half decades old terrorism in Tripura,” the official added. Election Commission of India director general Ashish Srivastava Wednesday held a series of meetings with the leaders of various political parties and top officials and reviewed the poll preparedness in Tripura. The state election machinery in Tripura has requested the election commission to send at least 108 companies of central paramilitary forces to conduct the elections in two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura April 7 and April 12.
Chizokho Vero
Kohima | March 12
Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) of India, Sudhir Tripathi today expressed satisfaction with the overall election preparations pertaining to the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Nagaland, scheduled for April 9. He said that it will require efforts to see that the elections are held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Addressing a press conference here today at Hotel Japfu in the presence of CEO Sentiyanger Aier and Commissioner Nagaland Temjen Toy, he informed that he had held video conferences with the Deputy Commissioners and SPs and reviewed the election preparations with them. The reviews touched upon the electoral roll, EVMs, various arrangements with regard to monitoring of model code of conduct and expenditure monitoring. He held a meeting with the Chief Secretary, DGP and the Home Secretary to review the security arrangement for the elections.
Tripathi also met representatives of the various recognized political parties and addressed apprehensions relating to distribution of EPIC cards reaching the right people within the time frame as prescribed. The meeting also discussed proxy voting. Regarding the deputation of para military forces for the polls, he assured that proper security arrangements will be done. On being asked whether the Election Commission is aware of the use of money power in the state, he said that the Commission will take measures, in terms of checking muscle and money power, by using flying squad, video surveillance teams etc. He further informed that Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have been put under the category of expenditure sensitive states. Tripathi urged upon all voters to come out on the day of the poll and exercise their franchises in a free and fair and ethical manner, without being influenced by muscle or money power.
AR apprehends 4 cadres
In this image released to the media, three apprehended cadres are seen here with the recovered arms and ammunition.
This image released to the media shows the arms and ammunition recovered from a house in Dimapur.
Kohima, march 12 (mExN): Personnel of the Assam Rifles, on two separate incidents, apprehended four cadres and recovered arms and ammunitions from their possession. A press note from the PRO informed that troops of the 33 Assam Rifles apprehended three NSCN (IM) cadres on March 10 from
mon Konyak from the civilian wing of the NSCN (IM). It was further informed that arms, ammunition and “other war like stores” were recovered from the possession of the cadres. In another incident, personnel of the 29 Assam Rifles recovered illegal arms and ammunition from a house, which the AR said belonged, “to an
the coal mines near Naginimora. According to the note, the cadres were “hiding in the huts of workers in the coal mine and had come with the intention of carrying out illegal extortion from contractors at the coal mine.” The apprehended cadres have been identified as Panreishang Tangkhul and Yalem Konyak, from the military wing, and Si-
UG cadre named Qhevihie Chishi Swu from general area Model Colony, Purana Bazar.” While not specifying the name of the group, the note informed that one 9mm pistol, one point 38 revolver, five magazines of different arms and 146 rounds of ammunition were recovered. An FIR was lodged in this regard at East Police Station, Dimapur.
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2 Shortage of manpower to teach in colleges Dimapur
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Phek, March 12 (DIPr): Parliamentary Secretary, Higher Education, SCERT, Deo Nukhu stated that there is acute shortage of manpower from the district to teach in the colleges as many could not fulfill the required academic qualification prescribed by UGC. He stated that the State will soon get an Engineering College and Kohima Science College will be upgraded to the postgraduate level. “This will bring a great relief to the students pursuing for higher studies,” he added while addressing the monthly meeting cum picnic of Phek District Planning & Development Board (DPDB) for the month of March on March 11 at Lanyezho. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of speaker NLA & Chairman DPDB Phek, Chotisuh Sazo. Parliamentary Secre-
tary, Vety & AH Yitachu in his address to the Board advised the members to give their best for the people, as they are the limbs of the Government and said that they should feel good for what they achieve during their stay in the district. He stated that efforts are on to open trade and commerce channel with our neighbouring country Myanmar to boost the economy of the district. Parliamentary Secretary, Horticulture Neiba Kronu also emphasized on the need to go for large scale production of agriculture produce stating that there are high demands for natural food in the mainland India and abroad as well. Deputy Commissioner reminded the employees of the district saying, “We are here to implement the policies and programme of the Government. Hence, any
negligence on our part will fail our people.” He also directed all the employees to be attentive to their election duties failing which will attract penalization under Election laws. Departmental activities was presented by S. Amarjit Mangang, Assistant Project Manager NABARD, Phek. The Board also agreed to recommend the following:- Opening of Commerce Stream at GHS Phek; Inclusion of Tizu area consisting of 12 villages under DUDA Department; Change of nomenclature of Government High School Phusachodu to Nesatsu Khamo Memorial Government High School Phusachodu and Selection of one RKVY Project each in the Sub-division of Meluri, Chozuba, Chizami and Pfutsero. It was also decided that KVK Porba, Phek will present the Departmental activities in the next DPDB.
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Konyak and General Secretary Anok Prince in a joint press release informed that no shops should allow selling alcohol and if found doing so, the Chamber of Commerce will take action. It requested the Excise Department for regular checking to all the shops and main entry gate for the welfare of the people. Further, SP Mon, DC Mon,
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CSU call for formation of Parents-Teachers Association kohIMa, March 12 (MexN): In its endeavor to instill a sense of responsibility in parents towards the performance of the students, the Chakhesang Students Union (CSU) instructed all CSU units to direct all schools (private and government) within their respective jurisdiction to form Parents- Teachers Association (PTA). Teachers and parents of students enrolled in each school should organized monthly/bi-monthly meetings along with the village/town students body. The PTA meeting should be organized for/to discuss the progress of students, teachers to highlight the areas in which parents might contribute and encourage his/her ward, parents to share their grievances and exchange of ideas and suggestions. This was stated in a release issued by CSU president Seve R. Vadeo and general secretary Ngapunyi Krocha.
CSUD combine meet on March 15 ‘Tiger’ Electric rickshaws was launched in the commercial hub Dimapur by HK Enterprise, Purana Bazar, on Wednesday. The electric rickshaws come in three variants – load carrier and four-seater and six-seater passenger carriers. Priced at Rs. 1.30 lakhs, the rickshaw runs on four batteries (12 volts each) and can cover 80 kms when the batteries are fully charged. The load capacity of the eco-friendly rickshaw is upto 400kgs.(Morung Photo)
The CCMD has called a meeting of all the Fair Price Shop (FPS) of Mon district on March 22 at 1:00 pm at Chamber of Commerce Mon District Office. The following shops are informed to attend the meeting without fail: M/S. Longmong Mon HQ, M/S. Wangkum Mon HQ, M/S. Chemjan Mon HQ, M/S. Janwang Mon HQ, M/S.
P. Athram Mon HQ, M/S. Wangkhao Mon HQ, M/S. Akai Angjang Town, M/S. Panglem Nopong Town, M/S. Pongpa M/shu Town, M/S. Neangpa Tobu Town, M/S. Che-o Chen Town, M/S. Nokphong Phomching Town, M/S. Z. Ahon Tizit Town, M/S. Enyei N/ mora Town and M/S. Chingnyak Wakching Town.
Kinnow mandarin cultivation in Nagaland Recruitment Rally at Zakhama from March 29
Wokha, March 12 (MexN): Mandarin orange or Santra are loose skin oranges belonging to the species of Citrus reticulata. There are many cultivated varieties of mandarin orange in India such as Khasi mandarin, Naga mandarin, Hill mandarin, Nagpur mandarin, Coorg mandarin and Kinnow mandarin. Kinnow mandarin cultivation is a recent introduction in Nagaland undertaken by the Department of Horticulture, which is now gaining popularity among the farmers, Wokha District Horticulture Officer Meyasashi informed in a press note. In Nagaland, sub-mountain regions located upto an elevation of about 1300 metres above main sea level are found to be suitable for its cultivation. Usually budded Kinnow orange
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Apropos the news item ‘Writ petition challenges constitutional validity of Nagaland govt. notification’, it stands corrected that the next date for hearing of the case is on April 21, 2014, and not as rendered.
KU, KNSK, KSU, Mon Town Student's Union (MTSU) are requested for cooperation for restriction of selling alcohol under Mon district. Meanwhile, Bhadchan Bakliwal, Proprietor of Nagaland Auto Fuel Outlet Mon & IOC is informed to submit the work construction (Mon Petrol Pump) report on or before March 22.
saplings are planted in half- moon terraced field at a distance of 15-feet apart. The tree comes to fruiting in about 3-4 years after planting. On an average each tree produced about 450 fruits per year. Thus one hectare plantation yield about 2,20,000 fruit per year. The fruit size of Nagaland Kinnow is smaller (8-10 Nos per kg) as compared to Kinnow from Punjab (5-6 Nos per kg). The Kinnow fruits are having excellent appearance, skin golden orange when fully ripe and rind of medium thickness and leathery to soft, acidity moderate with fine sugar/acid blend, fruit very juicy and good flavoured. The advantage of Kinnow cultivation is that fruits are harvested during JanuaryMarch when there is no supply of other oranges in the market.
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CCMD directs businessmen not to pay taxes or donation
MoN, March 12 (MexN): The Chamber of Commerce Mon District (CCMD) has directed all business establishment in Mon district not to pay any taxes or donation. All businessmen are asked to inform and report immediately to the CCMD Office if any person forces donation and taxes. CCMD President C. Nyamto
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kohIMa, March 12 (MexN): A recruitment rally is being held at Local Ground, Zakhama, Kohima district from March 29 to 31 for enrolment of male candidates into the 164 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) (Home and Hearth) NAGA. The recruitment is only for the Naga Tribal residents of Peren and Kohima. There are forty-seven vacancies for Soldier General Duty, one vacancy for House Keeper and one vacancy for Clerk (Staff Duty). The eligibility conditions for soldier General duty (Sol GD) and House Keeper categories are as follows: Should have passed minimum 8th class. Age from 18 to 42 yrs i.e. born
not before 28 Mar 1972 and not after 28 Mar 1996 (both days inclusive) and candidates should be employed in Govt/Semi Govt/Pvt Sector or self-employed. Height minimum 152 cm, Weight minimum 50 kgs (+2 kg) and Chest minimum 77 cms with expansion of 5 cms. The eligibility conditions for Soldier Clerk General Duties (Clk GD) are as follows : Should have passed minimum 10+2 / Intermediate Exam in any stream (Arts, Commerce, Science) passed with English and Maths/Accounts/Book Keeping as compulsory subjects in 10th or 12th standards having min 50% marks in the aggregate. Age from 18 to 42 yrs
i.e. born not before 28 Mar 1972 and not after 28 Mar 1996 (both days inclusive) and candidates should be employed in Govt/ Semi Govt/Pvt Sector or self employed. Height minimum 152 cm, Weight minimum 50 kgs (+2 kg) and Chest minimum 77 cms with expansion of 5 cms. The screening of candidates will commence daily at 06:00 AM from 29 Mar 2014 to 31 Mar 2014 and the candidates are advised to report at the rally site before 6 AM. Medical examination and documentation of all candidates will be done after the initial selection. This was stated in a release issued by Lt.Col. Emron Musavi, Defence PRO, Kohima.
Intensive training on rubber plantation conducted
tueNsaNg, March 12 (MexN): Two-day rubber training cum exposure trip was conducted at Merapani under Wokha district. Altogether 21 rubber growers from Longra, Noksen and Alisopur villages, which are potential rubber growing areas located near the Dikhu valley under Tuensang district were imparted special training on rubber cultivation. This trip was organized by Dr. Menuosietuo Tseikha, DPO Tuensang, DoLR. In his keynote address, Dr. Menuosietuo highlighted the importance of knowing how and when to properly manage rubber plantation. He further urged the growers to learn all they can so they can replicate the same in their respective villages. He also emphasized the imporFarmers attending the rubber training-cum-exposure trip conducted at Merapani tance of proper training and under Wokha district. utilizing the knowledge gained
to its optimum, whereby they can also teach their fellow villagers. While highlighting the purpose of the training cum exposure trip, the DPO said that the only potential area for rubber cultivation under Tuensang district is the one surrounding Dikhu valley. So, he encouraged the villagers of the particular area to not waste the opportunity provided to them in taking advantage of the training and move ahead in improving their economic status. Day one was theory where they learnt the basics of rubber plantation. The topics included setting up nurseries, transplanting it to the main field, management of branches etc. On day two, the farmers practiced whatever they had learnt in theory. Hands on training was imparted to them about
the various stages of rubber plantation. The resource person for the entire training was C. Vanchamo Ngullie, Dy. Director, who has a vast experience in the field of rubber plantation. He demonstrated to the rubber growers the different kinds of pest infestation and how to treat them through indigenous and scientific method using locally available resources. He also warned the trainees that they have to change their mindset of earning money quickly because this kind of cultivation takes time to bear fruit. Further, he advised them to watch for signs which may be damaging their plants and tend to them at the earliest using the techniques that they have learnt. The trainees were each given a budded plant at the end of the training.
DIMaPur, March 12 (MexN): Chakhesang Students' Union Dimapur (CSUD) has convene its combine meeting on March 15 at 12:00 pm at Chakhesang Hoho building, Chakhesang Colony Dimapur. CSUD General Secretary Khemvu Mekru has informed in a press release that the meeting shall discuss pertaining to the upcoming silver jubilee. All the jubilee organising committee, souvenir committee and executives members have to attend the meeting compulsorily.
Mega Mock Exercise at Mkg on March 13 MokokchuNg, March 12 (DIPr): Mokokchung district Administration has fixed March 13 for the conduct of Mega Mock Exercise from 11:30 a.m. The disaster Mock Drill would be conducted simultaneously at – MMC Shopping Complex, DRDA Office building, Supong Shopping Mall, MGHSS, QMHSS and IMDH.
Mock drill exercise at Zbto on March 13 ZuNheboto, March 12 (DIPr): A mock drill exercise on disaster management will be conducted at Zunheboto town on March 13. Five locations have been selected for the conduct of mock drill - police point, District Hospital, Planning office, BOC and Sovishe Memorial School. The Deputy Commissioner Zunheboto will be the Responsible Officer of Zunheboto District as per the guidelines of the Incident Response System (IRS).
NPCC calls meeting on March 14
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kohIMa, March 12 (MexN): The NPCC general secretary (Adm) has informed that a meeting of all PCC office bearers, PCC members and INC candidates will be held on March 14 at 11:00 am at Congress Bhavan, Kohima. All the members concerned are requested to attend the meeting without fail.
KDCC executive meeting held kohIMa, March 12 (MexN): The Kohima District Congress Committee executive meeting was held on March 12 at Congress Bhawan, Kohima where the house seriously deliberated on the corruption and mis-governance of the 11 years of the NPF led DAN Government under the leadership of Neiphiu Rio who is now projected as the Lok Sabha candidate of the DAN coalition. The house expressed sympathy and support to all the affected SSA and Hindi teachers and the All Nagaland Inter Departmental Field Staff Association (ANIDFSA) joint Forum for not getting their salaries on time. The KDCC also appealed to the public of the district to rise above party politics and vote for the Congress party for transparency and change in Nagaland. The Committee also expressed gratitude to NPCC search committee and the CLP “for recommending KV Pusa.” This was stated in a press release issued by KDCC president Prasielie Pienyu and general secretary (Adm) Viseyienuo Keretsu.
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People in Need Foundation receives motor bike Wokha, March 12 (MexN): Dennis Zeliang, NPF Divisional President, on March 11, handed over a motor bike to the Chairman of People in Need Foundation during Disability Awareness programme at Mhainamsi village Peren District. “We are all engaged in our own works, but there are people who are totally engaged at the service of others, serving the neediest like persons with disabilities. We should all extend our co-operation to such people. People In Need Foundation is one of such organizations and the staffs here dedicate their time for the service of the disabled persons,” Dennis said during his short address. Gaibong Kamei, Deacon Mhainamtsi Baptist Church concluded the programme with benediction. The motor bike was gifted by TR Zeliang, Minister Planning for the CBR Project in Jalukie area, under Peren District. The CBR (community based rehabilitation) project for persons with disabilities, was launched in January 2014 in Jalukie area under Liliane Foundation.
Multi speciality camp held at PHC Chunlikha
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kohIMa, March 12 (MexN): The Health Centre Management Committee, Primary Health Centre Chunlikha organized a multi-speciality health camp from February 21 to 22 at the centre with contributions in form of cash and kind from Chunlikha, Nsunyu, Lekhwenchü, Gukhanyu, Tsonsa, K. Station, Kandinu, Enhunnu & Yikhanu villages. The camp was supported by 12 doctors of various specialties from Axon Club, with equipments and Operation Theatre team support from Kohima Operation Hospital & Institute of Minimal Access Surgery, Nagabazar, Kohima, besides 3 doctors from nearby PHC & CHC. In the two days camp, a total of 518 patients were treated and medicines given free of cost. 13 major surgeries and 20 minor
Nurses, doctors and other during the multi-speciality health camp held at Chunlikha.
surgeries including Laparoscopic ligation were performed, 3 Copper-T insertions were done. One delivery was conducted, 39 dental cases including 19 extractions were done. Eye screening was done for 73 patients, ultrasound
imaging for 65 patients including several general and obstetrics patients. The various specialities and facilities available in the camp were Surgery, Orthopaedic, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, ENT, Medicine, Dental, Ultrasound &
Eye Screening test and free laboratory services. Doctors from Axon Club included Dr. Kehousetuo Kotsuo, Dr. Thomas Keppen, Dr. Tinenlo James, Dr. Tsielhoituo Rhetso, Dr. Rupert Peseyie, Dr. Talitemsu, Dr. Neiyezo Louis, Dr. We-
meri Khotso, Dr. Heto Swu, Dr. Collins Sono, Dr. Thejasevi Chase and Dr. George Thirah. Doctors from PHC & CHC were Dr. Shasinle PHC Tesophenyu, Dr. Neingotonuo, CHC Tseminyu and Dr. Cheyale, PHC Chunlikha. Besides the cash contribution from villagers, the Village Council members and youths of Chunlikha, Nsunyu & Lekhwenchu and 17 Assam Rifles at Tseminyu actively participated in making the health camp a grand success. On the second day of the camp, Nagaland State Assembly (NLA) Deputy Speaker Er. Levi Rengma paid a brief visit to the health camp and encouraged the organizers and participants. This was stated in a release issued by Thomas Keppen, medical office With an aim to orient farmers about latest agricultural technologies, ATMA Kiphire organized IC & member secretary, training cum exposure trip to Jorhat from March 5 to 7. 15 farmers led by Kekosenuo Solo, HCMC, PHC Chunlikha. BTM Kiphire block and Vinola Y Kiba, BTM Sitimi block participated.
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Manipur ADCs to launch Remembering Oinam and HR abuses non cooperation movement Newmai News Network Imphal | March 12 Members of the six Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), Manipur have resolved to launch a non-cooperation movement for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections to express their strong disappointment against the state government of Manipur. According to a press communiqué of the Autonomous District Council Co-ordination Committee, Manipur issued today, in a meeting held at Council Bhavan, Chingmeirong, Imphal, the members took serious note of the state government’s apathy towards the ADCs. The meeting stated that the so-called “devolution of powers’ to the ADCs is only for namesake that served as a scapegoat for the state government. It simply lacks the spirit of a local self-government. The members opined that non-devolution of adequate and factual powers and the state government’s apathy towards the ADCs has hampered the imple-
mentation of District Councils Act and Rules in letter and intent. Before District Council election-2010 was held, the congress led SPF government had made public announcements on several occasions that the ADCs will be endowed with powers not less than those of the ADCs under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. But in reality, the ADCs have been treated as a small circle of beneficiaries and to some extent, a mere implementing arm of governmental schemes, the members alleged. The meeting also recalled the memorandum submitted to the UPA and National Advisory Council (NAC) Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, relating to the empowerment of the Manipur ADCs. The Ministry of Home Affairs, at the direction of the NAC Chairperson, had sought comments from the state government. However, the state government remained silent on the subject. Under such conditions, the members opined that to sustain faith in the present
congress ruled state government would bear no fruits. The meeting further expressed strong disappointment against TA and Hills Department, Government of Manipur, for issuing an Executive order requiring its approval to the proceedings of DPC/Screening committee on matters relating to the appointment of Chowkidar-cum-peon. The meeting resolved that the state government should immediately withdraw the said executive order. Section 32(3) of the Manipur (Hills Area) District Councils Act, 1971, and Rule No. 45 of the Manipur (Hills Area) District Councils Rules, 1972, undoubtedly made the ADCs as the appointing authority. There is no provision either in the Act or statutory rules requiring approval of the TA and Hills Department, in the proceedings of DPC/ Screening committee. Further, the Chief Executive, who is appointed by the Governor, is the chairman of the DPC/Selection Committee. The said Executive
order of the state government has made the Chief Executive Officer as Appointing Authority. The same authority functioning as Selection Committee Chairman and Appointing Authority is against the principles of natural justice. The said Executive order is a “deterrent” for the Chief Executive Officers of the six ADCs who answered at the pleasure of the Governor. The state government, instead of empowering the ADCs has made undue interference which hampers the council’s administration, the meeting apprised. The meeting also expressed strong disappointment at the TA and Hills Department in notifying Office Memorandum dated January 6, 2014, which was published in Manipur Gazette Notification No. 38, dated February 5, 2014, in matters relating to the establishment of the Village Development Committee. The said Office Memorandum was not only in violation of the District Councils Act and devolution of powers, but it has also
threatened the traditional tribal system. The meeting opined that the state government cannot notify such office Memorandum as most of the matters has already been covered by District Councils Act and subsequent devolution of powers. The meeting resolved that the concerned authority immediately cancel Office Memorandum, the press release of the ADC Co-Ordination Committee stated. According to the press note, as members of the six ADCs preferred to stay away from the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in protest against state government’s apathy towards the ADCs, the Autonomous District Councils Co-ordination Committee, Manipur, is constraint to inform that the six ADCs shall neither cooperate with the congress ruled state government nor work in favour of the congress candidate in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, 2014, if the grievances of the six Autonomous District Councils, Manipur, are not redressed by March 22, 2014.
Imphal, march 12 (NNN): A public meeting at Konthoujam Kangjeibung in Imphal West district echoed the case of Oinam Village of Senapati district where gross violation of human rights occurred under Operation Bluebird, conducted by the Assam Rifles in 1987. The North-East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) in collaboration with United Club Organization-Konthoujam and Konthoujam Meira Paibi (women folk) conducted a public meeting today on ‘War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity’. Speakers at the event said people in the region experience human rights violation both from the Indian Union and Manipur State security forces and armed non-state actors. "Operation Bluebird (that) was carried out in Oinam and its surrounding 30 villages of Senapati district in Manipur for nearly four months in 1987 by 29th Battalion of Assam Rifles. According to the report of Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), 27 innocent civilians were killed, of which 21 were shot dead after torture and the rest died due to forced starvation, denial of medical aids in the con-
MKS on BSEM's New System Mizo Woman is NE Woman Entrepreneur of the Year TahamZam, march 12 (mExN): Maralui Karalimei Swijoikang (MKS) or Maram Students Union, has taken exception to the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM) new system to impose elementary Manipur or Hindi in lieu of Alternative English as a compulsory subject in Class 9 from the academic session 2014 – 15 and thereafter Class 10 saying this has put students in a dilemma especially when the new academic session had already begun a month ago. A press release in this regard from Pungdi P Celestine, President, MKS, stated, “It couldn’t be more ironic to those students whose tribal languages are on the developing processes and yet to be recognized by BOSEM.” The release while acknowledging the “importance of Hindi & Manipuri which are the National Language and State Language respectively, imposing the subjects to this section of students at the level of Class 9 is tantamount to disproportionate emphasis on rote learning to cover up unrealistic syllabus rather than uncover real knowledge.” MKS felt that the issue of promotion of tribal dialects
is not given the priority it deserves. “The tribal community fails to see the State Government in initiating, so far, any measures as per the guidelines of safeguarding the Minority Languages of the Ministry of Minorities Affairs. Instead, without reflecting the ground situation and difficulty of various tribal literature societies, the Education Department has randomly drawn a plan, made a dateline and imposed its doubtful intention to the ignorant tribal students.” MKS further stated, “With equal feelings and sentiments of other affected tribal communities, whose textbooks are on the developing process, Maram Students’ Union urges the State Government to reconsider decision of implementation of the BOSEM New scheme of study for this section of Students.” Furthermore, the Students body urged the State Government to expedite the process of languages approval or else many of the tribal language groups will not enjoy the equal opportunity to avail the privileges of the mother tongue education in spite of RTE act, the release stated.
aIZaWl, march 12 (NNN): The first Vasundhara – NE Woman entrepreneur of the year (2012-13) Award was conferred upon Lalmuankimi of Mizoram during a glittering function yesterday at the Pragjyoti ITA Center for Performing Arts, Guwahati. Jayanti Patnaik, the First Lady of Assam, gave away the award to Lalmuankimi, an innovator and entrepreneur from Aizawl who has made remarkable strides in the sphere of business and entrepreneurship with her herbal medicinal product branded as K. C. Face Pack. The award consisted of the Winner’s Trophy, a citation, an Eri shawl and a cheque of Rs 25000. Patnaik speaking during the award function lauded the efforts of Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati for instituting this regional level award to identify and honour the women entrepreneurs of the region. She praised the organizer for the commendable work and also congratulated the winners. During her brief speech, Patnaik also reiterated the fact that despite mounting pressure from various women based or-
'Assam tea world famous, not NaMo Chai' GuWahaTI, march 12 (pTI): Taking a dig at 'NaMo Chai', Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said branding tea in the name of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was an insult to world famous Assam tea and the people of the state. "Modi tea is an insult to the world famous Assam tea. It is an insult to Assam. It is an insult to the people of Assam," he told a press conference here. Gogoi said Assam tea was known for its flavour and variety, but not 'Modi tea'. As part of its poll campaign, BJP was trying to cash in on Modi's tea seller back-
ground by serving tea as 'NaMo Chai' at various poll-related functions. The move had attracted the ire of the Uttar Pradesh Election Commission which objected to the party serving free tea to influence voters and also taken note of Modi's 'Chai pe Charcha' programme. Gogoi also alleged that Modi was communal and BJP was responsible for demolition of Babri Masjid. "He (Modi) is also trying to divide the Barak Valley from Brahmaputra Valley... He doesn't have trust in democracy. He is spreading hatred," he added.
Manipur Government urged to intervene on illegal encroachment DImapur, march 12 (mExN): The Zeliangrong Youth Front have taken exception to the ‘inordinate delay’ from the Manipur State Government in inviting the organisation for a joint meeting to settle the boundary issue between Tamenglong district and Jiribam ADC. A press release in this regard from the Information & Publicity Secretary ZYF (AMN), George Phaomei, stated that ZYF had been waiting for the State Government’s invitation for a joint meeting as per an understanding arrived at during a joint meeting with the State Government led by the Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh, on December13, 2013, at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, where it was agreed by both parties to
send a team for a joint enquiry comprising of officials from Revenue Department of Tamenglong district and Jiribam ADC which was to be led by the Deputy Commissioner of Tamenglong. The release informed that subsequently enquiries have been conducted on January 7 and 9 this year and necessary reports had already been submitted to the State Government for necessary action. However, Phaomei stated the State Government was yet to invite the ZYF for a joint meeting to settle the boundary issue. The release further alleged that some individuals from Jiribam had still not stopped the encroachment. Stating that delayed tactics maintained by the State Government will only
invite multiple problems, the youth front accused the Government saying it was an indication of the government being ‘hand in glove’ with those individuals on illegal encroachment. In a strong warning to the government, ZYF stating that if the government failed to take up immediate steps for resolving the matter, it would, along with the villagers and with the support of the people, “utilize the license guns which are issued by the Government for the purpose of self defense to protect land from further illegal encroachment by some individuals.” Further, ZYF warned that any uneventful situation or consequences arising out of the delay should be the responsibility of the State Government.
centration camp, and shock of torture, three women were raped, five women were sexually molested, two women were forced to deliver child before the public view and pregnant women were forcibly used as porters, 340 persons were beaten and tortured in third degree methods of various inhuman manners, 96 persons were arrested and detained at their camp for weeks in inhuman condition, 125 residential houses were burnt and 172 houses were dismantled, 10 churches and 6 schools were dismantled in the operation," a statement from the organisers noted. It said the people in North East India have been living for more than five decades under the shadow of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958—a draconian law which allows Government Security Forces the license to kill, torture and rape with immunity and impunity. According to the organisers, Amnesty International in 1997 defined AFSPA, 1958 as "Undeclared Emergency with undefined reasons for unlimited period of time." Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005) report stated that "the Act, for whatever rea-
son, has become a symbol of oppression, an object of hate and an instrument of discrimination and high handedness." The Committee recommended for the repeal of the AFSPA. So did a number of other commissions; 16 Treaty Bodies Special Mechanism of UN recommended the repeal of AFSPA since 1997 but India has failed to act on this. "Therefore, both Indian armed forces and armed non-state actors are called upon to respect and implement International Humanitarian Laws, Geneva Conventions 1949’s common Article 3 and Additional Protocol II of 1977," the statement from the organisers said. Md. Rabi Khan, Advocate, High Court of Manipur, Mr. W. Samjai, President All Manipur Working journalist Union (AMWJU), Dr. Chinglen Maisnam, Asst. Professor, Manipur University and Sobita Mangsatabam, Secretary- Women Action for Development (WAD), Konthoujam Maniphar Singh, President United Club Organization and Konthoujam Angou Singh were present at the event as presidium members cum resource persons. Around 300 people participated in the meeting.
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Jayanti Patnaik awarding Lalmuankimi the 'NE Woman entrepreneur of the year' award. (NNN Photo)
ganizations and institutions, the women’s reservation bill could not been passed till date because the parliament of India is dominated by males. She urged the women of Northeast to carry forward their enterprising efforts besides struggling hard to achieve their chosen goals. The programme saw
seven other enterprising women from seven other states of NE India including Sikkim being awarded with state awards for excellence in their business initiatives. The state awardees conferred the Vasundhara– NE Woman entrepreneur of the year (2012-13) award were Yangchen Doma Lepcha (Sikkim), Hemaprava Devi
(Assam), Basamly Krisikro (Arunachal Pradesh), H Lemei Phom (Nagaland), R. K. Ongbi Purnima Devi (Manipur) and Marina Marak (Meghalaya). The state winner from Tripura Santa Debnath could not attend the program. The winners were awarded with the Winner’s Trophy, a citation and an Eri Shawl each.
PUBLIC NOTICE
In pursuance of the direction issued by the Hon'ble Gauhati High Court,Kohima Bench,on 5th March 2014,in the matter of Smti. Rowainla Ao & Ors. Vs. State of Nagaland & Ors. to issue a public notice informing person/persons having interest in the proceeding of WP(C) No.193 (K) of 2013 to participate in order to place their views on the prayer made by the writ petitioners, this public notice is being issued by the writ petitioners. The writ petition of the petitioners pertains to challenge of the eligibility condition prescribed in serial no.16 of Notification dated 21.07.2011 issued by the Governor of Nagaland wherein 100% post of District Education Officer (DEO) have been reserved from the officers from Secondary School Education Cadre. The petitioners, Deputy DEOs, who belong to Higher Secondary Education Cadres, have challenged the constitutional validity of the aforesaid clause. Interested or affected persons are welcome to oppose the writ petition of the petitioners. Next date of hearing of WP(C) No.193 is on 21.04.2014. Dy. District Education Officers Under the Directorate of School Education (Higher Secondary Section) Nagaland.
NAGALAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION KOHIMA
NO.NPSC/ADVT-1/04
Dated Kohima, the 12th March, 2014
NOTIFICATION
In view of the election for the Lok Sabha polls, the examinations scheduled from 8th to 10th April, 2014 notified vide even number dated 27.2.14 for Combined Technical Examination-2013 have been postponed to 24th, 25th and 26th April, 2014. No fresh individual Admission Certificates will be issued. Certificates already dispatched will be valid. For those candidates who did not receive, duplicate copy can be obtained from the office of the Commission on working days from 01.04.2014. While the examination venues remain the same, partially modified Routine can be accessed from the Commission’s Notice Board or website at www.npsc.co.in (SARAH R RITSE) Secretary, Nagaland Public Service Commission, Kohima
FELICITATION
The Mütsalemi Students’ Union would like to extend our heartfelt congratulation to Shri.Chineiyi Lohe, Asst.Teacher Govt.High School Phek Town from Mütsalemi Village for receiving the best BLO award from 19th Phek Assembly Constituency for the last 11th General Assembly Election 2013 performance and his distinguished services, during the National Voters Day Observation on 25th January 2014 at Phek Town with the rest of the country. The Union also acknowledge his sincere and dedicated service for bringing laurel to the union and the village as well. The union also conveys its best wishes, good luck and success in his future endeavours. ZACHIRAYI President, MSU
C M Y K
4 businEss SpiceJet places $4.4 bn order for 42 Boeing 737s Thursday
Dimapur
The Morung Express
13 March 2014
hYderabad, March 12 (reuterS): Budget airline SpiceJet has signed a deal with Boeing Co to buy 42 737 MAX jets in a deal worth $4.4 billion at list prices, the company said on Wednesday, sending its shares up more than 7 percent. The order, which Reuters first reported in January, could help the lossmaking Indian carrier, India’s fourth-biggest airline by market share, as it seeks new investors. Delivery of the new jets will begin in 2018, S.L. Narayanan, chief financial officer at SpiceJet’s parent, Sun Group, told reporters at an Indian air show in southern city of Hyderabad. Payments for the order will be closer to the delivery date, he said, declining to give further details on funding plans. Narayanan said some payments for the latest order would be adjusted
Employees work inside a travel agency office besides a model of a SpiceJet aircraft in Ahmedabad February 14, 2014. (REUTERS File Photo)
against the 12 Boeing 737 NG planes from an ongoing order SpiceJet will be swapping for 737 MAX. SpiceJet, controlled by billionaire Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Group, is seen as a
target for investors after India relaxed restrictions on investment by foreign airlines. It has reported interest from potential investors but has not named any. The long-awaited fleet
renewal and the possible stake sale have become intertwined, industry sources have said, with the airline seen as potentially more attractive once it gets the new jets.
Like its domestic rivals, SpiceJet has been losing money on the back of costly fuel and a weak rupee and India’s fourth-biggest airline by domestic market share has eyed new planes and new investments to revive its fortunes. Shares in SpiceJet rose as much as 7.4 percent after the announcement, while the main Mumbai market index was up 0.4 percent. Shares of its local rival, Jet Airways, were trading down 2.6 percent. Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft offer fuel savings compared to SpiceJet’s existing fleet of current-generation Boeing 737s, industry sources said in January. SpiceJet reported a quarterly loss in February, hit by high fuel costs and a weak local currency, and industry consultancy the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation estimates it is on course to post its biggest-ever annual loss.
Coal India officers to go on strike; output to be hit New delhI, March 12 (reuterS): Coal India said its officers will go on a three-day strike from Thursday to demand for a settlement of pay-related issues, in a move that could cut some of its 1.5 million tonnes-per-day output and tighten domestic supplies. The state-owned company, the world’s No. 1 coal miner that accounts for about 80 percent of India’s output, frequently falls short of its output target due to employee strikes, delays in getting approvals to expand mines and other issues. As a result, India is the world’s
third largest importer of coal despite sitting on the fifth-largest reserve. “Coal Mines officers’ Association of India has served a strike notice ... against non-finalization of performance related pay, new pension scheme and other demands,” the company said in a statement to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday. “Efforts are being made to reconcile the same.” Though Coal India’s production peaks in March, not all of its output will be hit as only 19,000 of the total 349,000 employees are of officer
poETry March
rank, two company officials said. “There will of course be some amount of dent but we do not expect it to be a total halt of mining across the company,” said one of the officials, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak to media. A Coal Ministry spokesman could not be immediately reached for a comment. In the eleven months to February, Coal India produced 409.13 million tonnes, or 95 percent of its target for the period. A labour protest in December had cut off sup-
ply of about 200,000 tonnes per day for almost a week, mostly to power generators. Chairman S Narsing Rao told Reuters last month that the company expected to produce about 475 million tonnes in the fiscal year ending March 31 and raise it by 30 percent next year. India’s coal imports rose 21 percent to 152 million tonnes in 2013 calendar year, according to research firm OreTeam.Coal India shares have shed more than 10 percent so far this year, extending last year’s losses of 18 percent.
Empowered consumers more likely to switch brands
New York, March 12 (IaNS): How powerful we feel When March winds up in Kohima in our daily lives may impact our likelihood of switching favourites I march right into Childhood brands, trying something new, or Warring winds howling to barge in both, research showed. “Our research examines the Crackling leaves cackle at me impact of a person’s perceived I cower between Mother and sense of power on their likelihood kitchen fire to switch products or brands,” wrote authors Yuwei Jiang and Blown away tree seeds Lingjing Zhan from Hong Kong torn away branches Polytechnic University and Derek rattling across corrugated tin roof D. Rucker from Kellogg School of Chilling drizzle drumming off the Management, Northwestern University. dazzling sunset As consumers, we form faMarching away my rickety haven vourite brands and select services providers from a plethora of parading fears of losing them choices. The authors artificially **LoviSenla** heightened participants’ sense
of power and then immediately measured how engaged they were in the idea of switching products or brands. When participants felt powerful, they were more likely to express an interest in switching to a new internet service provider or changing the flavour of ice cream they wanted to eat. Importantly, the researchers only measured this type of behaviour when participants were provided with an opportunity to take action. “Brands interested in both drawing more customers and preventing customer loss might consider measuring the level of empowerment of their consumer base and also looking for situational triggers that might make
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LEISURE
Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box co ntains the digits 1 through 9.”
SUDOKU Game Number # 2818
consumers feel more (versus less) powerful,” Jiang explained. As such, luxury brands with a rich and powerful customer base may benefit from diversifying their current product line. Similarly, brands targeting new customers might seek to temporarily empower people in an effort to increase their propensity to switch. For example, by beginning sales calls with “We know you have the power to select your own phone service”, telephone companies may generate new business. “A brand deciding to target other consumers to switch should focus on the empowered consumer,” the authors said in the study published in the Journal of Consumer Research.
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public discoursE Consultation on RTE and our Educational system
his paper is presented seeking your inputs and suggestions. 1. Right to Education Act (RTE) has been introduced in Nagaland with effect from 2009 and it has been observed that RTE would benefit the students. It is true that the act has benefited the students through its universally accepted policy of education for all. However, there are alarming realities that this act has produced. Certain unprecedented technical failures are being confronted both by the students and the system itself. The non-detention policy until standard 8 under the act is the most crucial and inapplicable factor to our education system. It is also arguable that if there had been any government policy for alternate measures in place for the drop outs in this filtering process, then perhaps, the act would normally run smoothly. However, the situational predicament of RTE in Nagaland speaks volume on the demerits on RTE which needs rectification in this particular area. In 2013, 35000 students’ appeared in standard ninth (9) among which 15000 students failed and 20,000 passed which mean 57 % passed and 43% failed. If this trend continues at an average 10,000 drop outs every year, our education system itself has the potentiality to produce 50,000 drop outs in a period of 5 years. In the face of failure to impart requisite fundamental knowledge in the nascent stage, the students cannot be expected to do a simple mathematical equation in standard 9 without the simplest knowledge of 0+1=1 in class 8. The complacent and very casual manner of both the teachers and students with least concern of giving any effort with the notion that no matter whatever the case maybe, none can be detained. This is taking a very heavy toll and we can be assured that our state will pay a very heavy price. 2. Comparative results between Government run and Private run institutions shows that the passed percentage or rather success of private undertakings fare much better than the Government undertaking institutions. It is true that Private institutions admits the best students or frames
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their admission criteria and the government schools accommodate every student. And whereas the government undertaking institutions are getting huge amount of funding under RMSA and SSA schemes, the private institutions without such funding could still succeed. The more experienced teachers and best recruited through NPSC are in the Government institutions. Most private institutions are operated by the community or the Churches in Nagaland. Such community sponsored institutions deserves attention by the Government. It is an undeniable fact that less economically privileged students are unable to pursue their studies in private institutions due to economic factor and even if they do, they are availing it at a very heavy price borne by their parents by studying in private institutions which are not funded by the Government. 3. Little or no history of Nagaland about its social, economic, religious and political education is found in our educational system in the initial stages of the educational system. Very bulky and strenuous studies on ancient and medieval Indian history formed its curriculum. It must include our own as well by making it a part of its curriculum in the initial stages of learning and reduction of the very bulky curriculum. Recommendation/Therefore, basing on the above stated matters certain recommendations are placed hereunder;1. Non-detention policy under the RTE Act should be revoked. 2. RMSA and SSA funding should include community and Church managed and sponsored institutions. 3. Nagaland’s history particularly its social, religious, economy and political history must be a part of the curriculum in the initial stages between standard 1 to 8. The same must be done through reduction of the rather very bulky and strenuous studies. Zakie Khate, President, Angami Students Union (ASU)
Rejoinder To KNSK Mon
he Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI) District Hospital Mon would like to issue a rejoinder on the news item published by KNSK on 24th February 2014 in the Morung Express regarding their visit to District Hospital Mon on 17th February 2014. While appreciating the KNSK for their concern for the Hospital, it is regrettable that certain issue were brought forth, contrary to actual facts :
(i) Irregularities of Doctors and Nurses. (ii) Absentee of Doctors and Nurses during their visit. This is to clarify to all concerned that contrary to what was mentioned in the news item, none of the Nurses of District Hospital Mon are irregular or are unnecessarily absent except those on entitled leave strictly in accordance to Hospital Management Norms. In fact, even on Sundays and on general holidays the Nurses never
fail to perform their duties. Therefore, the TNAI express displeasure at the wrong information published in the news paper and appeal to all individuals or organisations that all facts be ascertained and correct information be published in the papers. Hangkoi, President Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI) (Mon Unit) District Hospital Mon
Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
DAILY CROSS WORD
CROSSWORD # 2829
DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:
STD CODE: 03862
Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital: Shamrock Hospital Zion Hospital: Police Control Room Police Traffic Control East Police Station West Police Station CIHSR (Referral Hospital) Dimapur hospital Apollo Hospital Info Centre: Railway: Indian Airlines Chumukedima Fire Brigade Nikos Hospital and Research Centre Nagaland Multispecialty Health & Research Centre
Answer Number # 2817
KOHIMA
Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home:
232224; Emergency229529, 229474 227930, 231081 228846 228254 231864, 224117, 227337 228400 232106 227607 232181 242555/ 242533 224041, 248011 230695/9402435652 131/228404 229366 282777 232032, 231031 248302, 09856006026
STD CODE: 0370
Northeast Shuttles
100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202
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NutritioN
AMINO ACIDS
HUNGER
APPETITE
IN SEASON
BAKED POTATO
LEAN MEATS
BREADS
MINERALS
BUTTER
NUTRIENT DEFI-
CAFFEINE
CIENCY
CARBOHYDRATES
NUTRIENTS
CHEESE
NUTRITION
DAIRY PRODUCTS
OBESITY
DIGESTION
PASTA
DISLIKES
REFINED SUGAR
EGGS
SATURATED FATS
EMPTY CALORIES
SERVING SIZE
ENERGY
TISSUE REPAIR
ESSENTIAL
TRADITION
FOOD INFLUENCES UNSATURATED FATS FOOD LABELS
VEGETABLES
FRIENDS
VITAMINS
GRILLING
ZINC
HEART DISEASE
D N C H E E S E A M I N O A C I D S D E R S
O C A F F E I N E N W F R I E N D S E E N
S A H E A R T D I S E A S E E G G S V M T I
E O U E I N W I V E G E T A B L E S P T M
E S T A F D E T A R U T A S D A U N E T U A
N U T R I E N T D E F I C I E N C Y Y B T
O L E S E Z O O I U L T S H E F Y T C S I
T Y F N S I N N R N E D I E N O T F A E V
A A C D O S N R G T S A T S L E O S U L K I
T A A I E C E N I A N R O D R D N E O I N
O R I T N S F I S T M A F I G I U A R L S
R P B R I T E I L S U E D O G Y N T T I S E
D O Y R I R N L U R A I O E B F R Q E I A
E H P T A V E I E A T T D S A L I M S D S
C K Y R U L I D R R T S I L T P U E I I O O
A D O N H N S G E E B O A I P E N N A B N
B R D P U G U R P D R N B O E N T E L E V
H C A U A N S G O A F E A E N T C S R O S N
T T C S G I A T I A A C L G I E E A S I E
A E T T E Z R K R T D V S M T S G L E T P
ACROSS
E S S A R E G D W S S E D E E F C S C Y I
1. Church alcove 5. Small amount 10. Contest 14. Untruths 15. Pass-the-baton race 16. Pitcher 17. Tasteless 19. French Sudan 20. Estimated time of arrival 21. 3-banded armadillo 22. Jays and owls, for example 23. Incessantly 25. Duplicate 27. Directed 28. A single-reed instrument 31. Append 34. Culinary herb 35. Historic period 36. Rich soil 37. Not those 38. Russian emperor 39. Unruly crowd 40. Seraglio 41. Lariat 42. Pennant 44. Vehicle 45. Wall climbers 46. Imagination unrestricted by reality 50. Academy award
52. Stockpile 54. Chief Executive Officer 55. Deceased 56. Exchange messages 58. A romantic meeting 59. Location 60. Sea eagle 61. Sleigh 62. Lazybones 63. A Freudian stage
DOWN
1. Extraterrestrial 2. Kind of bean 3. 4-door car 4. East southeast 5. A three-legged rack 6. Summary 7. Winglike 8. Catastrophe 9. Center of a storm 10. Third sign of the zodiac 11. Cognizance 12. Blend 13. Twin sister of Ares 18. Type of rubber 22. Drill 24. Slender 26. Disabled 28. Inspire 29. Historical periods 30. Tropical tuber 31. Charity
32. 12 inches 33. Manufacture 34. The sill of a door 37. Docile 38. Sourish 40. Found on most heads 41. Territories 43. Avoided 44. Profession 46. A satirical comedy 47. Fruit of the oak tree 48. Ringworm cassia 49. Alpine call 50. Probabilities 51. Secure against leakage 53. By mouth 56. Consumer Price Index 57. A leguminous plant
Ans to CrossWord 2828
CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862-282777/101 (O) WOKHA: 03860-242215 (O) 9402643782 MOKOKCHUNG: 0369-2226225/101 (O) 9856872011 (OC) PHEK: 03865-223838/101 (O) 9436012949 (OC)
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O
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W
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LOCAL
The Morung Express
Thursday 13 March 2014
‘Look into matter without any bias’ Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): The Dimapur Lakhuti-i Ekhung has written to Y. Tushila Caroline, President TWA, N. Yutsu, President, TTUD, and Peter Limti Tikhir, President, TSUD, asking for allegations made against the police officers of the Dimapur women’s cell to be “thoroughly delved into to ascertain the actual facts.” This was written in a letter, signed by Motsuo Ezung, Chairman of the
Dimapur Lakhuti-I Ekhung writes to Tikhir civil society over allegation of police harassment of rape victim Dimapur Lakhuti-i Ekhung, to the Tikhir civil society after the latter alleged that cops from the Dimapur women’s cell had harassed, beaten and subsequently coerced the victim of the January 12 gang rape in Dimapur to
withdraw the complaint. Mentioning that Rose Yanthan, Inspector Officer-inCharge, Women Cell, Police Station, Dimapur (one of those against whom the accusation has been leveled) is a “bonafide member of this Ekhung” hail-
St. Joseph’s College students meet parliamentary secretary Torechu
JaKhama, march 12 (mExN): Department of Political Science, St. Joseph’s College Jakhama led by department president Nungsangtoshi Aier and general secretary Chumseli Anar, visited Naga political leader and parliamentary secretary, Torechu on March 6. According to a press release, there was a marathon exchange of views, discussions, and sharing on issues currently concerning the state. The core of the interaction was on ‘Defiled of politics in Nagaland and youth - the leaders of tomorrow.’ Summarizing the topic, Torechu said Naga leaders have different angles of perceptions for bringing about developmental solidarity in the society. He lamented that Nagas are divided, fragmented, and the feeling
of oneness is losing in Naga community. “Our rich cultural heritage proves to be a liability rather than an asset,” he stated. “The root causes for the menace are tribalism, ethnicity, illiteracy, dying moralism and the socio-political system in system for some vested interests.” Youths have the herculean accountability to do away with the problems, he added. To do so, he suggested, youths are to be well armored with value based principles to lead the society as one family without any distinction or discrimination. Torechu revealed that he became a politician because communication, transport and education in his assembly constituency and regions alike lacked behind, and he wanted to bring change, which was
the need of the hour. He exhorted, “Students are like a train ticket, not a bus ticket.” Students, he said, are the next generation leaders who can ensure to bring developmental changes in the society. He also commented on students’ tendency to forget the natural beauty of Nagaland and flock to manmade skyscrapers. Nagaland has natural beauty like Mt. Saramati, Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, minerals like magnetic stone and varieties of stones found in Pokphur Village, and other places worth visiting, he reminded. He appreciated the visit and encouraged the students to be leaders of progressive change transforming the Naga society to greater heights, the release stated.
ing from Lakhuti Village, it noted that “contending parties may be given the opportunity to hear from both sides, so that any misconception causing collateral damage may be avoided.” Ezung, on behalf of Di-
mapur Lakhuti-i Ekhung, requested and urged authorities concerned to “look into the matter without any bias or partially and let the actual fact and truth come out so as to avoid any misunderstanding between the two communities.”
The Ekhung has also expressed “deep sympathy to the victim and her family members for the inhumane, macabre and heinous crime committed upon the young girl by the three accused persons in 12.01.2014 and vehemently condemn the crime. We have full faith that the law will take its own course of action and exemplarily punishment awarded to all the three accused persons.”
BAN conducts business stewardship program Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): Business Association of Nagas (BAN) along with Christian Business Mentors Council (CBMC) after the business stewardship program on March 9 in Dimapur conducted a similar program in Mokokchung on March 10 in collaboration with Mokokchung Entrepreneur Consortium (MEC) at MCCI building, which was attended by people from various business sectors. A press release from Mar Longkumer, Information & Publicity secretary, BAN informed that MEC chairman and proprietor of Whispering Winds hotel Tsukti Longkumer stressed that CBMC was a “God sent blessing for Nagas and comes at a time when first generation Naga entrepreneurs needs guidance.” The resource person Richard Samuel and D. Sam Devavaram, besides speaking briefly on various aspects of business and financial management also
co-ordination with the apex body of All Nagaland Industries Entrepreneurs Federation (ANIEF). The release stated DDIEA had anonymously affirmed to form the association and fully commit to work mutually with the Department of Industries and commerce Nagaland, in relation to industrial developments in the state and for the welfare of the association under the apex body of ANIEF Nagaland. The newly office bearers of the DDIEA are: Gho-
tovi Chophy – President; Yanger Ao, P. Metha, Zeito Tuccu - Vice Presidents; Kashito Kiba - General Secretary, C.James Mozhui - Assistant General Secretary; Hukato & Kivito Awomi - Finance and Asst Finance Secretary; Solomon L. Awomi - Media & Publicity; and Anthony Angami – Banker. District representative members Vikugha, Khezheto Chishi, Amongla, Shihovi Chophy; Advisory Board Members Lima Ao, Kughalu Aye and D.Angami.
Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): VON (Voice of Nagaland), which is being organized for the first time in Nagaland by some young and upcoming local musicians, is scheduled for audition on March 14 and 15 in Dimapur and Kohima respectively. According to a press note, the competition will be based on card voting, and also, for the first time the judges will have the power to call back any contestant even if voted out basing on his or her talent. In the semi final and final round, contestants will per-
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MEx FILE GPRN/NSCN recovers motorcycles Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): GPRN/NSCN UT-1 chairman has informed that two motorcycles have been recovered. Owners have been asked to claim it with proper documents. Bike particulars are: R15 Yamaha (black colour), Chassis number- ME11CK01AB2004185, engine number 1CK1004068; and Platina Bajaj (black colour), Chassis number - MD2DDDZZZSWJ06652, engine number - DUMDFJ27921. Rightful owners have been asked to contact 9612020210 to claim the bikes.
CAO UT-I (NSCN/GPRN) informs on tax collection Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): CAO, UT-I, NSCN (IM), Daniel Lotha through the Ministry of Information & Publicity has informed that all source of collection/ taxation in and around Dimapur, under the jurisdiction of UT-I, “in any appearance without the authority concerned will be fatally viewed till further orders.” Therefore, all citizens and business establishments have been requested to co-operate. For further query, call 9436971965/ 8575659190.
Association supports ANEFWA ultimatum Kohima, march 12 (mExN): All Nagaland Department of Power Meter Reader & Bill Assistant Association has expressed support to the ultimatum submitted by All Nagaland Electricity Field Workers Association (ANEFWA) regarding non-payment of time bound scale of pay and past arrears. In a letter addressed to the Chief Engineer, Department of Power, Kohima, the Association also served its ultimatum stating it will join the agitation after the expiry of the grace period of thirty days given by ANEFWA.
Resource persons with others at the business stewardship program held in Mokokchung on March 10.
spoke on the need for Christian business people to do business in a Christian way, the release added. Invocation prayer was pronounced by M.R. Rai, member, MCCI. Vote of thanks was delivered by BAN representative Mar Longkumer. Stating that it took many organizations and people to make an
event like this possible, Mar thanked MEC and business community of Mokokchung for the warm reception and their hospitality and BAN members for their time and financial support. He further stated that time has come for Naga business community to have network and cooperation among themselves.
Industry units in Dimapur form DDIEA Voice of Nagaland audition starts March 14 Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): Members of industry units in and around Dimapur division during their general meeting held on March 8 formed Dimapur District Industries Entrepreneurs Association (DDIEA). A press release issued by Media & Publicity, DDIEA informed that the association was formed in order to encourage and uplift the upcoming industries in and around Dimapur and for the welfare of all industry units in Dimapur Division, and to work in better
Dimapur
form with a live band. Any willing contestant can audition on the said dates with songs either in English, Hindi or any local dialect. Registration for audition will start by 9: 00 am till 11:00 am for both the venues. The grand prize of the contest will be a cash award of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh) and a deal of one music video production. Judging the show will be Lamtsala H Sangtam and Mhathung Odyuo of the band “Purple Fusion”. For more details about the contest, one
can contact these numbers: +919089858646/ +918575647106 / +918257910495.
WSBAK youth executive meeting postponed Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): All the WSBAK youth executive members are informed that the meeting scheduled in the calendar for March 14, 2014 has been postponed to March 22, 2014 due to unavoidable circumstances. Secretary, youth department, Rev. Ikuto Jimo in a press release has urged all the members to attend the meeting without fail. The meeting will be held at WSBAK Mission Centre, Aküvüto at10:00 am.
ASHA Peren block monthly meet held pErEN, march 12 (mExN): ASHA Peren Block held its monthly meeting on March 12 at IDSP conference hall, Chief Medical Office, Peren. The meeting was held with an objective to review the performance and discuss the activities of the ASHAs. At the same time, health talks were taken up and ASHAs were reoriented on the previous trainings skills, stated a press release. The meeting was carried out by the District Community Mobilizer along with Block Programme Manager and Block ASHA co-ordinator, Peren Block. The block meeting is held every month block wise. Altogether 16 ASHAs under Peren Block attended the meeting.
DC Kohima warns against bribing voters Kohima, march 12 (Dipr): In view of the parliamentary elections 2014, Deputy Commissioner & District Election Officer, W. Honje Konyak has stated that any person giving or accepting any gratification in cash or kind during election process, with a view to inducing the person to exercise his electoral right is punishable with imprisonment up to one year or with fine or with both. Further, as
per section 171 C of Indian Penal Code, any person who threatens any candidate or elector, or any other person, within jury of any kind, is punishable with imprisonment up to one year or with fine or both. The Deputy Commissioner & District Election Officer has stated that Flying Squads have been formed to register cases against both the giver and the taker of bribe and for taking action
against those who are engaged in threat and intimidation of electors. All citizens have been requested to refrain from taking any bribe and in case, anybody offers any bribe or have knowledge about bribe or cases of threat/intimidation of electors, then one should call and inform - 0370-2292236 of the 24x7 Complaint Monitoring Cell of the district, set up for receiving complaints.
Carrying arms/ammunitions banned in Kohima Kohima, march 12 (Dipr): Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Kohima, W. Honje Konyak has banned carrying of arms and ammunition in the district. He has also ordered suspension of all Arms Licenses issued in the district, adding no new Arms License will be issued MTBA Youth Department organized a one day trekking to Jentisang Resort, Ungma Village under the theme “Go! Venture for Christ (Matthew till the completion of parlia28:19)” with P. Toshi Pongen, Associate Pastor, MTBA as speaker. The participants seen in the image experienced recreational based gospel mentary elections 2014. All message and orientation in leadership.
licensed fire arms and ammunition are to be deposited at the nearest police stations on or before March 28, 2014, failing which arms licenses shall be liable for cancellation under section 17 of the Arms Act 1959. In this connection, all the Village Council Chairmen have been directed to instruct the villagers who possess licensed fire arms
and ammunition to deposit the same at the nearest police stations. The Village Council should make necessary arrangement to keep all licensed fire arms and ammunition under each jurisdiction within the village in case the villagers find it difficult to deposit at the police stations under intimation to the office of the DC Kohima, the DC informed.
ACAUT Nagaland lauds people’s participation NAAME members asked to produce new ideas Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland has lauded all the individual churches in Nagaland belonging to every denomination for responding to its appeal and praying for the Committee on March 9. On the day, ACAUT NaLabourers construct road between Kashaniu Junction galand members attended (Tseminyu division) and Pughoboto Town. Pughoboto devotional services at CovArea Students’ Union (SAKK) officials led by President Tohovi Swu and General Secretary Kashiho Sheqi inspected the black topping road construction on March 4. Appreciating the work of the contractors, the Union has urged them to finish the work before rainy season.
AR donates sports items WoKha, march 12 (mExN): 17 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ 5 Sector Assam Rifles donated sports items to Chukitong Range Sports Association on March 8 under Assam Rifles Civil Action Programme, a release informed. Water storage tank con-
structed at Wangti: Meanwhile, on March 7, 23 Assam Rifles, as part of DGAR Military Civic Action project constructed an RCC water storage tank at Wangti village in the Indo - Myanmar border. The completion of the project will facilitate availability of sufficient water throughout the year, Assam Rifles stated.
enant Church, Dimapur and NCRC & Prayer Centre, Kohima, stated a press release issued by Media Cell, ACAUT Nagaland. ACAUT Nagaland further stated that the affirmation of the 9 (nine) ward Chairmen and GBs of Peren town to pay only one tax to only one national government is timely and a big morale boost to all the
citizens of the state. So is the initiative of SP, Wokha to weed out corruption in the form of gate tax under his jurisdiction, ACAUT Nagaland asserted. “The display of sign board warning anyone against paying illegal gratification to policemen at the gates should be an eye opener for the police top-brass in the state,” it added.
Health & FW bids farewell to officers & staff Kohima, march 12 (mExN): Directorate of Health & Family Welfare bid farewell to Dr. Khanlo Magh, Mission Director (NHM); Dr. Neiketou, Director (FW); Dr. V Nagi, Joint Director; R.Abenla Joint Director (Nursing); Vikeyiekhole, Deputy Director (Nursing); Kiyasetunou, Deputy Director (Nursing); and nine officers and staffs. A press release issued
by Neingusa Yhokha, Joint Director (IEC Bureau) informed that Dr. Neiphi Kire, Principal Director, addressing on the occasion quoted from the book of Ecclesiastics 3:1. He congratulated all outgoing officers and staffs on successfully completing the 35 years of service. He urged them to take stock of all the remaining good times. He further stated that designation empow-
ers everyone, but what matters at the end of the day is the kind of person one is, and not the designation. Hence, he asserted, “it is important to assess who and what we are, irrespective of the designations we hold.” Dr. G. Kemp, Director (H) chaired the programme. Mission Director and other directors of the department as well as outgoing officers and staffs gave speeches.
Zha-u Sanchu, principal, Hope Institute of Theology seen with NAAME Technical Team at Green Park, Dimapur.
Dimapur, march 12 (mExN): Nagaland Association for Adventure Mountaineering and Education (NAAME) Technical Team had time together with Zha-u Sanchu, principal, Hope Institute of Theology to seek God’s blessings at Green Park, Dimapur, a press release said. The release appended by NAAME president, Ruokuovikho Chale, stated that Zha-u Sanchu exhorted the youth present that churches are praying for the youth to come up with
good things and new ideas for the society. Expressing his interest and envisioning future of youths through these kinds of (adventure) activities, Sanchu encouraged NAAME members to continue and come up with more ideas that are new. The Association expressed interest and scope to tie-up with various NGOs, schools and departments for more activities through mobilization of experts in institutes such as Zoological Park, Botanical Park,
Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), DIMUL, and ICAR, Veterinary, State Horticulture Nursery etc, to enable complete package study tour for students and youth in general. Trekking guides to various places of interests also will be worked out, the release said. Presently, the Association is putting up adventure activities at Green Park under the initiative of Dr. Moa Walling, deputy director, Horticulture, who is also taking care of State Horticulture Nursery, Dimapur.
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IN-FOCUS
The Power of Truth
The Morung Express THursDAy 13 MArcH 2014 voluME IX IssuE 69 By Aheli Moitra
Grass and leaf graduation
THE EDIT PAGE
C O M M E N T A R Y
Lawrence Scanlan
A year of living generously
T
he women farmers giggled as they were given an award by way of honour on March 8, 2014. The semi-formal ceremony was underway at the North East Network’s resource centre in Chizami, Phek district of Nagaland. The women farmers were being recognized for practicing ecological agriculture (biodiverse farming) and their significant contribution to conservation of genetic biodiversity, ensuring food and nutritional securities in their homes and communities, on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2014, and the International year of Family Farming. The women who came up with the idea to honour the farmers thought they would weave leaf hats that would protect the farmers’ heads from the harsh sun while working in the fields. This along with grass coats—all made by local craftspersons—would double up as a rain and sun shield, and make excellent honorary gestures to be given to the women farmers by the chief guest for the day. The leaf hats ended up, inadvertently, looking like graduation hats made of leaf. The grass coats tied up at the neck and flowing on the back made the whole ceremony look like a graduation ceremony for the farmers. No one had anticipated this, and everyone went into giggles as the women farmers posed for what looked like the graduation ceremony of a Farmland University. Thereafter, everyone at the event wanted a “graduation picture” taken individually and in groups. These are women from remote villages like Noklak (Tuensang), Fakim (Kiphire) or Laitsohpliah (East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya), among many others, who have never had the opportunity to complete their schooling, leave alone graduating from a university. Yet it is women like these who have kept nutritious and organic food on our table in this part of the world. Food is not just a basic requirement of physical life, but it defines culture, has religious significance and defines politics. While women all over the world have remained central to the production of food, they have also found themselves most sidelined and marginalized in religion as well as politics. In day to day life, apart from their obvious motherhood, they are recognized for holding little other systems of knowledge, often brushed aside for being ignorant. Many an agriculture scientist, especially among women of the North East region of India, has been lost due to this incompetent attitude of the society towards them. With a little help from the government, to start with, this can change. Policies that recognize the equitable contribution of women on the farm land, homestead land and forest land, take the consent of women for land use, provide equal remuneration for all women farmers, agriculture labourers and workers and other such could not only empower women to deal with their position of vulnerability but make this constituency an important partner in the essential changes required in societies, especially those that are wholly marginalized. In today’s scenario of rapid marginalization and homogenization of communities, it is not just a desire but a need to recognize that women not only hold knowledge systems that could bring transformative change, but that they have the will power and diligence to execute these systems without patriarchal violence. If you have fresh knowledge systems to share, please do so at moitramail@yahoo.com
lEfT wiNg |
Amit Kapoor IANS
Remove cumbersome regulations to limit bureaucratic corruption
W
e, as citizens of India, need to understand and appreciate that two forms of corruption pervades our public discourse -- public and private corruption. The discourse on corruption is itself getting shriller, murkier, more annoying and personally scathing with every passing day. We are focusing too much on corruption at the level of politicians and not focusing enough on how the bureaucracy functions, supports and connives to make it all possible. Public corruption is the illicit use of political influence (sale of political influence, political extortion, industry capture, strategic investment decisions, etc.), whereas private corruption arises when the either the private player curtails competition (thus, compromising consumer interests) or when there is a case of industry capture with regulators getting too close to the industry and promoting its interest at the expense of broader societal interest. Public corruption in India arises due to high level of governmental or bureaucratic intervention in the country. The complete authority that the bureaucracy has over the tasks ordained to be completed and executed by the government gives it powers that are absolutely gargantuan and liable to misuse. The adage "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" fits exceptionally well here. The absolute corruption that we see within the bureaucracy is reflected in their attitude towards learning, their limited perspective, narrow views, their inability to think and unwillingness to appreciate a different perspective -- causing grievous harm to individuals who disagree with the bureaucrats. There is not a single sector or aspect of our lives where influence and illogical intervention is not the norm. Today, the bureaucracy is using public discourse to divert attention from itself and even formulating foreign policy (remember the Devyani Khobragade case?), which is absolutely dangerous, and underlines the breakdown of democratic institutions. Corruption is a stark manifestation of the rent-seeking behavior of government officials, the bureaucracy and the private sector. The fight today is between social welfare and pursuing self-interest. The self-interest of the politician is to get re-elected and he/she performs keeping their political agendas in mind, whereas the bureaucrat has no reason to fear the law, perform, be reasoned and maybe well-meaning. Non-performance of the bureaucracy (which is a form of individual corruption) or performance that only keeps in mind the protection of their individual interests is the gravest danger to the country. The adverse effects of corruption are already visible in the lower acceptance of established institutions, deficient counter-systems, etc. This could not have happened without the explicit support of the bureaucracy -- and not only the politicians we tend to blame. Corruption is a complex phenomenon that affects the quality of institutions within the country. It is like an arbitrary tax, a complex social behaviour, which occurs because of a need to speed up procedures. Bureaucratic corruption, simply put, is the biggest obstacle to economic and social development as it undermines development by destroying the rule of law and weakening institutional foundations. The best way to curb corruption is to reduce the opportunities for intervention by the government and bureaucracy. Corruption, without doubt, can be looked at as a resource allocation problem in most of the developing world, which is executed by its bureaucracy. The government should ideally, as a first step, remove cumbersome regulations that increase opportunities for public officials to interact with individuals and businesses, and give them summary control over resources. This would be one significant step for India to recover lost ground in its march towards becoming a productive and competitive nation. Let's not forget what Mahatma Gandhi said -- that we are not simply interested in exchanging the rule by white sahibs for rule by brown sahibs. Unfortunately, this is exactly what has happened. What we need, more than anything else, is a revolution to free us from the clutches of bureaucracy.
Genuine happiness involves sharing time and money, but beware of thinking that the poor belong to some other tribe. Do not judge, presume or patronize. There are no unimportant acts of kindness
O
n one wall at Vinnie’s - a hot lunch refuge for the poor of Kingston, Ontario - is a line of Bob Dylan’s that someone has framed and granted prominence. “You are better than no one,” the minstrel had proclaimed, “and no one’s better than you.” I had spent a month at Vinnie’s several years ago as I researched a book on generosity, and the lack of it. The research got me thinking long and hard about the power imbalance between those who disseminate food or clothing or support and those who are forced to ask for it, again and again. I volunteered at twelve different agencies, one for every month of my year of trying to live generously, a nod to the 1982 film, A Year of Living Dangerously, starring Sigourney Weaver and Mel Gibson. Volunteering isn’t usually dangerous, but there’s one big risk, and it’s one that anyone who works with a charity - or indeed anyone who pays taxes - should be wary of: thinking that Dylan was wrong, and that the poor belong to some other tribe. What gives poor people away as poor are two things: shoes and teeth. The shoes are often battered running shoes, of little use in winter against cold and deep snow. Many of those who come to Vinnie’s have rotten teeth an immediate barrier to meaningful work. Where I live in Canada, the state will pay to have bad teeth pulled, but not to replace them - a classic half measure. During a month in Toronto in mid-winter, I ate at shelters and rode shotgun with community workers, driving around all night and checking on homeless people sleeping on top of grates. An anti-poverty organization called the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee wanted me to act as a mole, so I put a backpack on my shoulder and knocked on shelter doors posing as a homeless man. The Committee wanted to know: were the shelters full? How was I treated? Were the shelters clean? One night at about 2 am I looked on as a homeless man was approached by a worker in a warming room. The homeless guy stood up, called the other person “sir” and practically saluted. I guess he hadn’t
J
ack Angelides was about to board a flight out of Israel's international airport when he was given a curious choice that baffles him to this day. Traveling with a laptop and a stack of printed reading material, he was told to part with one or the other, due to unspecified security concerns. The Israel-based British-Cypriot businessman says he negotiated a compromise in which he kept the computer and several pages, checking in the rest of the documents. "It was a very unpleasant, very uncomfortable" experience, said Angelides, the general manager of the Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv. While standing in long lines, walking through scanners and removing belts and shoes are a fact of post-Sept. 11 travel worldwide, Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport seems to stand alone with its security techniques, often leaving travelers dumbfounded. Though Israel denies profiling travelers, business executives, journalists and especially Arabs and visitors to Palestinian areas seem especially prone to being targeted with aggressive questioning, long luggage examinations and even strip searches. The tough security is not new, but it is stirring debate. On one side stand those concerned about Israel's good name, tourism potential and moral standing. On the other are those for whom security arguments can seem close to sacrosanct in a country hit with decades of attacks by Palestinian militants, a series of hijackings in the 1960s and '70s, and whose travelers abroad are targeted in terrorist attacks. The issue recently burst onto the national agenda after an Arab schoolteacher who teaches at a Jewish high school was strip-searched at Israel's airport in the southern resort town of Eilat during a class trip with her students. Israeli Arab citizens, including lawmakers and other community leaders, complain of frequent discrimination when traveling. Aryeh Shaham, the Airports Author-
heard Dylan’s line. What, I wonder, was going on in the worker’s head? Did he think this street guy was somehow the author of his misery? Did he blame him? Why, I wonder, did the worker (who was otherwise kind) not say, “Hey brother, no need to call me sir.” I remember being in New Orleans and working on a new house that was being built for a woman named Edna, whose previous house had been washed away by Hurricane Katrina. I was putting up plywood over her windows, using hardware that came in a plastic container called a “Hurricane Protection Kit.” The idea is to store the plywood coverings under the house and when the next hurricane threatens, slap the predrilled plywood sheets over the protruding bolts and wing-nut them into place. Edna would greet us every morning with a hug and watch as the Habitat for Humanity crew put her new house together. She was fussy, Edna was. She wanted this trim over the door and not that one, and the kitchen cupboards arrayed just so. At first I thought, “Edna, shouldn’t you be grateful for what we’re doing? Aren’t you looking a gift horse in the mouth?” My second thought (which should have been my first) was “way to go, Edna. I like your dignity, your pride, and your spunk.” That forelock-tugging man in the Toronto warming room had no dignity left. It had been beaten out of him. If I hear one more politician utter some inanity about the impoverished (“They should learn to pull themselves up by their boot straps” or “I’m tired of these folks claiming to be victims”), I think I will scream. The normalization of poverty, the sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street, the food banks: it’s all such a disgrace on a continent awash in wealth. People often ask me, which of the twelve volunteering stints stayed with you? Who are you still in touch with? Hands down, it’s Vinnie’s. This is what I learned about poverty from researching and writing my book. One of the greatest challenges we face around the world - maybe the greatest challenge - is sharing wealth. As the gap grows between rich and poor, those with wealth and power become even less able to conceive of how want and desperation look and feel. A toxic brew results. The stuff of revolution in the 19th century. Who’s to say it won’t happen again? The greatest need among the poor is decent housing. Drafty, cockroach-infested, noisy and dangerous shelter leaves tenants ill-equipped to face demons such as addiction and mental health issues. Give people true shelter from the storm of their everyday lives. The poor are by necessity peripatetic, since they must wander from this to that church or shelter or agency.
For God’s sake, let their wandering cease. Admit that luck matters. As I spoke with men and women in shelters, I was forced to compare my own childhood and upbringing with theirs. I had all the advantages: loving parents, supportive siblings, a house where books and education mattered. An extraordinary number of the dispossessed people I talked to had been sexually or physically abused as children, had few or no role models, and little encouragement to do well in school. Life is a sprint, and some of us start close to the starting line and others far behind. Tax is not a dirty word, so stop rewarding politicians who brag about cutting taxes. Tax cuts almost always punish the poor. Those societies that share their wealth (such as the Scandinavians) are healthier, happier, saner and safer by far. Every elected politician should spend their first week in office serving at a shelter or a soup kitchen. Learn names, hear stories, and make contact. It will take every oar in the water to end food banks and homelessness: compassionate government, philanthropy, rock stars, Warren Buffett... Genuine happiness involves sharing - your time, your wealth, and your energy. Psychologists have studied this exhaustively. An experience has far more lasting appeal than a new car or dress. I came to loathe the word “volunteer.” What I’m talking about is solidarity and service, which have the power to transform and delight in a way that no purchase ever can. Roll up your sleeves, get involved, and get happy. Contact is critical. People yearn for human interaction. A panhandler would like your coins but maybe you’d rather not dip into your pocket because you believe that your contribution will go to drugs or alcohol. Fine. But at least engage the person. Ask them how their day is going, comment on the weather, buy them a meal. Treat them as equals, and grant them their dignity. Do not ignore them. When I was down in the dumps about greed and the state of things, a wise friend who had spent a lifetime as a Red Cross strategist working in disaster zones around the world sat me down. Do not think for a minute about changing world poverty, he said. Think about helping one person, or a dozen in hopes that this dozen can help a dozen more. Do not judge, do not presume, and do not patronize. I managed, I think, to avoid two out of the three, but I did presume many times. I presumed, for example, that the man at the shelter eating his macaroni and cheese next to me was both homeless and jobless. Wrong. He had a job, he had a place - he just couldn’t manage to pay rent and buy food at the same time. Don’t presume that you have the answers and that “they” have none. At Vinnie’s, for example, I met a formerly homeless man called John Dickson. In a letter to the agency’s administrator, he described how little it took to make a difference in his life. “Despite mental health challenges and a very limited income,” he wrote, “I wish to flourish, not just survive.” John noted that seemingly small items such as a few good books, some art reproductions, glassware and dishes, jigsaw puzzles and board games - all donated to Vinnie’s - had transformed his apartment. “I have for the first time in a decade,” he continued, “been able to create a peaceful, attractive and edifying environment absolutely singular to me and, most importantly, one in which neither I nor my company are confronted by my poverty . . . With the help of St. Vincent’s, I and others feel . . . less poor. Feeling poor is worse than being poor.” To me, that insight is profound. Bob Dylan was only 23 when he wrote “To Ramona.” He could not have imagined that those words would serve as a mantra at a soup kitchen in Ontario. At Vinnie’s there is another sign, this one from “Life’s Little Instruction Book,” by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. - a Tennessee advertising man who gathered words of wisdom and gave them to his college-bound son. “There are no unimportant jobs,” he wrote. “No unimportant people, no unimportant acts of kindness.”
Israeli airport security measures questioned Josef Federman Associated Press ity's legal adviser, told a parliamentary hearing that there is no ethnic profiling at the airport. "The inspection is not done according to population groups," Shaham said. Instead, it is done according to criteria set by security officials "and I can't disclose those." He said fewer than 5 percent of Arab travelers are inspected in Ben-Gurion Airport, and said the authority receives more complaints from Jewish travelers than Christian or Muslim Arabs. In response to emailed questions, the Airports Authority said its inspection process is "anchored" in Israeli and international law. It said the high level of security threats facing the airport "demands a severe level of inspection," including questioning, scanning of luggage and inspections of handbags and travelers. But it acknowledged that with 20 million traveling through the airport, "there are extraordinary events that we regret." And it is not clear whether terrorists have ever been caught as a result of the airport interrogations. Adi Kol, the lawmaker who chaired Monday's parliamentary hearing, said she found the responses by security officials "frustrating," particularly their denial that there is a problem. Kol, whose Yesh Atid party is a member of the governing center-right coalition, said she is now trying to set up a training program in which Arab community leaders will give awareness training to
airport security workers. Security authorities "can use the proper technological equipment" to find explosives "and spare us all this disgrace," said opposition Labor Party lawmaker Nachman Shai. "It is simply a disgrace." In an editorial, the Haaretz newspaper wrote that the incident involving the teacher "proves that the religion of security drives the authorities out of their senses" and called for checks "devoid of racism and humiliation." In some cases, pro-Palestinian activists have been asked to open their email or Facebook accounts for inspections, and a small number have been barred from entering the country. Diana Buttu, an Arab lawyer who holds Canadian and Israeli citizenship, said she has traveled out of BenGurion dozens of times and has gone through intense security checks each time. This includes questions about what holidays she celebrates, the names of her parents and grandparents, why she doesn't speak Hebrew, as well as the unloading the contents of her bags, passing through metal detectors and undressing. "I get the same exact treatment since I was 17 or 18 years old. It's clearly not random," she said. American Michael Silberling said he was removed from the immigration line, "left to stew" for 20 minutes and then quizzed aggressively about why he came and why the person he was visiting
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worked in a different industry than his. "It makes one think twice about where to visit," Silberling said. Journalists also appear to be a target. Several weeks ago, a senior executive from Sky News was detained for two hours of questioning as he entered the country. In another recent case, an Associated Press manager who is a British national almost missed a return flight to Cairo after facing a prolonged barrage of questions. Officials ran his socks and individual bank notes through an anti-explosives machine and demanded he lower his pants and be further scanned. He said he was asked three times by different people about a small hole in his carry-on bag. "Why do you not have more luggage? Why did you choose to stay in Israel for just three days? Why did you not come overland?" he was asked. Also: "What is the ethnic makeup of the people in your office in Egypt?" "If they are using security as an excuse to abuse journalists I condemn that," said Nitzan Chen, the head of the Government Press Office. He said that path can be smoothed by new procedures enabling journalists to coordinate their arrival ahead of time. He also said some accounts might be exaggerated. Jeff Price, an aviation security expert, said there is some logic to ethnic profiling in a place with a long history of conflict with the Arab world, and that odd and random questions are part of a strategy: "Once you understand how people respond to 'normal' questions that they should know the answers to and have no reason to lie about, you'll be able to spot the lie when asked other questions." Price, owner of the consulting firm Leading Edge Strategies in Denver, said Israel is generally considered the "gold standard" for airport security — but added that "security questioning should never demean or degrade an individual."
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PERSPECTIVE
7 2 Star-Crossed Afghans Cling From disillusionment to (real) democracy? to Love, Even at Risk of Death
Thursday
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
13 March 2014
NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE
agnès Callamard
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rod Nordland New York Times
he is his Juliet and he is her Romeo, and her family has threatened to kill them both. Zakia is 18 and Mohammad Ali is 21, both the children of farmers in this remote mountain province. If they could manage to get together, they would make a striking couple. She dresses colorfully, a pink head scarf with her orange sweater, and collapses into giggles talking about him. He is a bit of a dandy, with a mop of upswept black hair, a white silk scarf and a hole in the side of his saddle-toned leather shoes. Both have eyes nearly the same shade, a startling amber. They have never been alone in a room together, but they have publicly declared their love for each other and their intention to marry despite their different ethnicities and sects. That was enough to make them outcasts, they said, marked for death for dishonoring their families — especially hers. Zakia has taken refuge in a women’s shelter here. Even though she is legally an adult under Afghan law, the local court has ordered her returned to her family. “If they get hold of me,” she said matter-of-factly, “they would kill me even before they get me home.” Neither can read, and they have never heard Shakespeare’s tale of doomed love. But there are plenty of analogues in the stories they are both steeped in, and those, too, end tragically. Zakia invokes one, the tale of Princess Shirin and Farhad the stonecutter, as she talks about her beloved, and her long wait in the women’s shelter to marry him. “I would wait until I reach my love, no matter how long,” she said. In 21st-century Afghanistan, as well, life is no fairy tale, especially in rural places like Bamian. Young people who want to choose their own mates face the harsh reality that strict social traditions still trump new laws and expanded rights — and that honor killings in such cases remain endemic. Nearly all marriages are still arranged by the parents, and girls bring to their families bride prices that can be considerable — although for poor families like Zakia’s and Mohammad Ali’s, that might be a few goats. Afghan courts can also apply Shariah law, interpreting it to justify parental authority even over an adult child. “The story of true love in Afghanistan,” said Reza Farzam, an Afghan university professor, “is the story of death.” Zakia and Mohammad Ali knew each other from childhood, working in adjacent fields in the village of Khame Kalak, near the provincial capital. “We would go to the desert and take our animals for foraging, and we used to spend our days in the huts around the animals,” Mohammad Ali said. Their love affair did not begin then. “We were too young to know of these things,” he said. But their friendship was close, and it was abruptly cut off. “Unfortunately, she grew up, and I could no longer see her,” he said. Once past puberty, girls must remain covered and usually can go out only in the company of close male relatives. Complicating matters, Mohammad Ali is a Hazara, who are mostly Shia Muslims. Zakia is a Tajik, a Sunni ethnic group. (As with many Afghans, neither has a surname.) Occasionally, though, Mohammad Ali would glimpse Zakia in the fields and catch her eye under her head scarf. He was sure she returned the interest. “One hundred percent, I knew she loved me, too,” he said. He found a young girl to be an intermediary, and gave her a cellphone to take to Zakia. Zakia hid the phone where no one would find it, and for most of the past four years they spoke to each other once a week or so. Whenever Zakia, one of 10 children, could find some privacy, she would call him, let it ring once, and he would call back. Mohammad Ali gave her calls a ringtone that was a verse from a popular Afghan song that recalls the story of Yusuf and Zuleika. On one of their calls, he told Zakia the story. In the version as told among Afghans (details differ across the Islamic world, and in the Christian version it is the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in Egypt), Zuleika is a married woman who tries unsuccessfully to tempt Yusuf into adultery. He is thrown into prison, and Zuleika waits 36 years for him to be freed. By then she is homely, old and blind, but her love has not flagged, and Yusuf marries her, miraculously turning her into a young beauty. When he finished the story, Mohammad Ali said, “Her reply to me was that she’s ready to wait for me for even 50 years.” Through his father, he twice sent messengers to Zakia’s father to ask permission to court her. They were rebuffed, even after the offer of part of Mohammad Ali’s family fields as a bride price. Zakia took the initiative and showed up at Mohammad Ali’s house, pleading to be
F
or six years in a row, India's monopoly coal producer has missed its production targets, leading to chronic electricity shortages and sending power producers scrambling for pricier imports. But what looks like a looming crisis could turn out to be an almost accidental energy overhaul. Like many developing nations, India has relied for decades on cheap coal to provide electricity for burgeoning industry and fast-expanding cities, putting aside worries about pollution and global warming. But from three years ago when solar capacity was almost zero, the country has added 2.2 gigawatts of solar to its electricity grid, enough to power 20 million Indian homes. It plans another 2 GW this year, toward a total 15 GW addition by 2017. Individual states plan even more. India has also added about 26 GW in coal-fired capacity since 2011, but already plants are sitting idle for lack of cheap supply. "I've stopped developing coal plants," said Ratul Puri, chairman of Hindustan Power Projects Ltd. "There's not enough coal, and I'm not going to rely on imported coal. It's too risky." After building two coal-fired plants due to start generating this year, Hindustan Power plans to invest nearly $3 billion to expand its 350 megawatts of solar generation to 1 GW by 2017. Decisions like Hindustan Power's are more pragmatism than idealism as the coal industry trips up on its own dysfunction. Coal India, the monopoly producer, is too large and unwieldy to do any better. Much of the country's easy-to-access surface coal has been extracted, with the remaining reserves harder to reach: underground, beneath cities or within national parks and tiger reserves. New projects can take almost a decade
Zakia
Mohammad Ali
taken into the family to marry him. Mohammad Ali’s family sent her back, not once but twice, despite his protests. His older brother and father beat him so badly that he was hospitalized, and he still bears a prominent bruise on his left cheekbone. “We didn’t want them to be disgraced,” he said. “But when they sent her back to her family it was not a secret anymore.” The second time, Zakia said, she, too, was badly beaten, and her cellphone was discovered and confiscated. She fled to Mohammad Ali’s house a third time. “I saw there was no place to go,” he said, “so I brought her to the Women’s Ministry.” When Zakia and Mohammad Ali showed up at the Bamian branch of the ministry, they were chased by Zakia’s family, who rampaged through the building trying to find them. Policemen subdued the male relatives, but Mohammad Ali had to hide in a closet from Zakia’s angry mother, he said. When order was restored, Zakia’s parents claimed the girl was legally engaged to someone else, an aunt’s son, although the head of the Bamian Women’s Ministry, Fatima Kazimi, said their versions varied about which one. Zakia denied she had consented to an engagement, so she was given refuge in the shelter, and the matter was referred to court. Ms. Kazimi, who has successfully pushed the Bamian police to bring hundreds of prosecutions in cases of violence against women, was barred from the court proceedings. But she later learned that at the request of the judges, who were all Tajik, Zakia had put her thumbprint on a document agreeing that she would return to her family. Her family also put their thumbprints on written promises not to harm her if she did. “The chief judge told me, ‘We are Tajiks, and it dishonors us if you decide to marry a Hazara,’ ” Zakia said. “I told them whatever he might be, he’s still a Muslim.” Ms. Kazimi visited Zakia with police and government officials present, telling her that she was free to do as she chose and that they would support her. Zakia asked to be kept from her family, saying she had no idea what she had signed with her thumbprint. As Ms. Kazimi and policemen escorted Zakia out of the court, her family went wild. “My father and mother were pulling my clothes and even ripping them off me,” Zakia said. Her mother screamed at her, calling her a whore over and over — about the worst thing one can say to an Afghan woman. Zakia said her brother and brother-in-law tried to beat her, and they all threatened to kill Mohammad Ali and her, as well as Ms. Kazimi. “They said if I go marry him, they will not let us live,” Zakia said. “But if I go home, I know my mother and father will not let me live either.” In February, the chief judge, Atola Tomkin, issued an order suspending Ms. Kazimi and another Women’s Ministry official from their jobs for intervening on Zakia’s behalf. He also insisted that the document with Zakia’s thumbprint was valid and that she should return to her family. Judge Tomkin refused to speak to a journalist, but another judge who had served on the panel in Zakia’s case, Sayif Rahman, called Zakia’s charges of ethnic bias in the
court “just propaganda.” He said the court was just trying to mediate to reach a peaceful settlement, as called for under Islamic law. The Women’s Ministry has appealed the judicial decision, and the attorney general’s office is reinvestigating the family’s claims. Ms. Kazimi has little faith in the local legal system, however. Another of those in the shelter is a 14-year-old girl who had been raped by an old man, she said. The court ordered both of them tried for adultery and dropped the rape charge. Zakia has now logged her fifth month in the shelter. She is not allowed a phone there, and has been unable to talk to Mohammad Ali. “I’m very worried that my family is trying to harm him and his family,” she said in an interview at the Bamian Women’s Ministry. “If he should die, I should also die.” Mohammad Ali was interviewed separately at the ministry. “Our story is the same as Shirin and Farhad,” he said. “We are stuck in such a story.” In the Afghan version of that Persian tale, Shirin is courted by a wealthy prince, as well as the penniless Farhad. She tells Farhad that if he can remove the face of the mountain with an ax, she will marry him instead of the prince. He labors for months, and when the prince sees he really is moving the mountain for her, he sends a woman to tell Farhad that Shirin has already married. Farhad kills himself, and so does Shirin when she learns of his death. “I’m still standing on my word, and I will try to reach her until the last drop of my blood,” Mohammad Ali said. “Shirin and Farhad knew that in this temporary world they might not reach one another, but God knew they might do so in the next world, and my ambition is also the same. “If they separated me from her, if anything happened to her,” he added, “I would commit suicide.” Mohammad Ali said he moves around his village with great care now, fearful of being attacked by Zakia’s family. He says he is unarmed — “I don’t have so much as a nail file” — although Zakia’s family claims he carries a rifle with him. Zakia’s aggrieved father, Mohammad Zaman, and some of her brothers sat in their mud-walled house and gave their side of the story. By last week it had changed considerably. Instead of being already engaged, as the family had told officials at the Women’s Ministry, Zakia was actually already married, to her cousin, and so could not marry again, her father said. Court officials said there was no evidence that was true, and Zakia denied it. Mr. Zaman said his nephew had already paid the bride price — 28,000 Afghanis, or $500, about the price of three goats. Mr. Zaman said he knew he could have gotten much more, “but he’s my nephew, and I didn’t want to cheat him.” The marriage was never consummated, he said, because of a delay in arranging a wedding party. In the meantime, Mohammad Ali came on the scene and lured Zakia away. “We would not harm her. We would not do anything to her,” said Mr. Zaman, who also claimed he had “not even a nail file” as a weapon. “We know that boy just deceived her. It was not her fault. We just want her to come home.”
coal crunch gives impetus to India's solar switch Katy daigle associated Press to get going thanks to village protests, bureaucratic entanglements and trouble securing fuel. Meanwhile, more than 300 million people still have no electricity, while hundreds of millions more are lucky to have a few hours a day. Coal-fired thermal power remains the bulwark of India's energy supply, accounting for 59 percent of the nation's 234 GW generation capacity. India still has ambitions for another 70 GW in coal capacity by 2017 if it can find the investors. But there's an additional crucial factor that is making solar a viable alternative: For the first time, solar electricity prices have fallen to near parity with India's coal-generated power prices. Subsidies at about a third of cost put solar prices at about 7 rupees (11 U.S. cents) per kilowatt/hour, versus coal's 5-6 rupees per kilowatt/hour. Solar projects also need fewer clearances and take just six to 12 months to develop, versus about eight years for a coal plant. Analysts say India is set to surpass its target of having 15 percent of its energy produced by the sun and other minimally polluting sources by 2022. "Today's coal availability is inadequate. And investors are worried. In India, if there are coal shortages, there will be power shortages, and industrial growth will be inhibited," said Vivek Pandit, senior director at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Com-
merce and Industry. India's coal bind is in part a product of its bounty. Declaring the world's fifthlargest coal reserves, India invested heavily in coal-fired power as a low-cost way of boosting energy production. For a while, the formula worked. Energy capacity doubled over the past 10 years, while economic growth averaged above eight percent during that time. The coal-power recipe also helped to jump start economic development in China, Indonesia and other developing countries. But it has come with a heavy toll. India is suffering from water shortages and toxic runoff from a host of polluting industries, including coal. Emissions of sulfur dioxide, which leads to acid rain and lung ailments, increased more than 60 percent in India between 2005 and 2012, surpassing the United States to become the world's second highest SO2 emitter after China, according to a study by the Argonne National Laboratory analyzing NASA satellite data. The Reserve Bank of India has rung economic alarm bells. It warned in a 2013 report that power cuts and coal shortages were "a major constraining factor for industrial growth." India's current account deficit hit a record $88 billion last year, made worse by a trade bill bloated by $18 billion in coal imports. "If India stays the
course it'll be a disaster," said Tim Buckley, an analyst at the Sydney-based Arkx Investment Management which runs a green energy fund. "It's so ugly at the moment. But it's always darkest before the dawn." China and the U.S., the world's No. 1 and 2 carbon polluters, are already winding down coal dependency. The U.S. closed 138 coal plants in 2011-13 and plans to retire another 150 soon, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. In China, where investment in solar infrastructure has helped bring down prices, coal consumption had its lowest growth in 50 years last year at 2.6 percent, according to the China Energy Agency. For India, "if we constantly focus on wind and solar, our country will be energy sufficient in the coming future," said Tarun Kapoor, a senior official in the Renewable Energy Ministry. Despite that enthusiasm, analysts say it would take several decades for India to replace its thermal power base. The International Energy Agency estimates India will need to at least triple its total power capacity before 2050, adding between 600 GW and 1200 GW. But coal may be a diminishing part of that. Coal India, responsible for about 80 percent of India's supply, last year produced 452.2 million tonnes, falling short of its 464.1 million-tonne target, while importing another 152 million tonnes to meet demand. This year is just as uncertain. In February, 28 percent of the country's coal plants had fuel stocks to last less than a week, according to the Central Electric Authority. "Solar is the way to go," said Puri, the Hindustan Power chairman. "Eventually the policy makers always wake up."
he year 2014 has begun with new and renewed social, and political unrest. Political violence has continued in Ukraine and Thailand, even as new, violent disturbances erupt in Bosnia-Herzegovina. After nearly 20 years of decline in political violence worldwide, there is now strong evidence that political instability worldwide is on the rise. According to Freedom House’s latest report, freedom itself has declined for eight years straight, with respect for political rights and civil liberties deteriorating in 54 countries in 2013, as compared with 40 that showed gains. Maplecroft’s Political Risk Atlas, 2014 details a trend of escalating political violence in which 10% of countries are shown to have a substantial increase in political risk; the Oppressive Regimes Index categorizes more than 50% of countries as being at ‘extreme’ or ‘high risk’. The world is restive. But what does this mean for human rights and more specifically for the human rights project? Much has been written about the associated human rights abuses linked to the spreading protests, including restrictions on free assembly, arbitrary arrests and the excessive use of force. These are important concerns, but they are not the only human rights stories emerging from the protests. A key factor in this contemporary story is that of deep disenchantment with what has been seen as a crucial citadel of human rights – elections. It is not so much that people are being prevented from voting or from participating in elections, or even that elections are being tampered with (although all of this, of course, is happening). It is that elections themselves are losing their authority, particularly in countries where aspirations for democracy have brought vast numbers of people onto the streets to protest against dictatorship. It is true that, worldwide, elections are increasingly peaceful and more competitive. These elections, however, are too often bringing to power individuals who quickly stoop to abuse of their authority behind the veil of their electoral legitimacy. And while political rights indicators improved over the last 5 years, there were also “… notable declines for freedom of the press and expression, freedom of assembly and the rights of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), an independent judiciary, and equal protection under the law.” Democratic elections not only fail to bring about democratic changes, they frequently, according to Human Rights Watch, bring in authoritarian, if not downright dictatorial, practices at the hands of leaders pursuing their vision of what the majority demands. The second wave of protest, post-Arab spring, in Egypt or Tunisia shows little faith in elections, or with their results. I remember well a young Tunisian activist in a tent camp struck in front of Tunis’ parliament in September 2013, telling me that “… if Ennadha gets re-elected at the next elections, we will return to the street. We will never accept it.” A moment of bravado maybe, but a telling one nonetheless: in this post-Arab spring context, democratic elections are losing the significance and authority that the world’s political elite vest in them. This has been strikingly illustrated in Egypt, just as it has in a very different context in Thailand where protesters have actually been demonstrating against ‘free and fair’ elections. This is perhaps not as freakish as it appears, as disenchantment with what democratic elections yield is shared in many countries, from Italy to Greece to Venezuela and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Disillusionment as regards elections is related to the weakening of another key institution: political parties. In countries around the world, protests have spiralled out of the control of political parties, which are perceived as failing to represent, channel, and act on demands for change. “Empty shells”, is how protestors described Tunisia’s main opposition parties to me time and time again. Commenting on the protests in Brazil in 2013, the sociologists Teixeira and Baiocchi concluded that the protesters were adopting a different meaning for politics, one that places a great importance on remaining autonomous from any political party. This urge for autonomy arises from disillusionment. Protesters in Ukraine riot against the government while booing the opposition leaders; in Bosnia, it is the entire political system that is attacked, with its multitude of ineffective and corrupt, ethnic based political parties. The protests warn us against a truncated human rights diagnosis that, by focusing exclusively or even primarily on the forms of the protests, and of the official reactions they trigger (peaceful vs. violent), may well end up masking and muffling where it should be exposing. They force human rights actors to ask what deeper messages might be emerging - about participation and representation, and about strengthening democracy. The current protests, therefore, highlight disillusionment with the institutions that had been entrusted to channel democratic aspirations and the realisation of rights, and which, until now, were prioritised as part of a linear understanding of human rights protection. On the other hand, in their disillusionment with elections and parties, the protesters do not repudiate the right to participate equally in public affairs. Rather, their actions suggest that these institutions are in urgent need of repair if the growing global crisis of public participation and representation is to be addressed. The current protests are over values, over a vision for the country, the Polity, and as importantly, the Self. They are generational as much as they are political and cultural. More than 40 per cent of the world’s population is under the age of 25: This is the largest generation of young people the world has ever seen, and this matters enormously to the future of human rights. The protests call upon the human rights establishment – at national and international levels - to reengage the interpretative capacity of human rights, which challenges our certitude and fixed interpretations, and which anchors human rights norms in people’s experiences, including experiences of oppression, and not only in institutions. They remind us that human rights are neither linear nor circular. They zigzag and crisscross. They are messy. Agnès Callamard is the Director of the Colombia University’s Global Freedom of Expression Project
Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
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Thursday 13 March 2014
The Morung Express
Govt vows Maoist rebels won’t ruin India elections
NEW DElhi, March 12 (aP): Maoist insurgents will not be allowed to spoil next month’s Indian elections with violent attacks, the home minister said Wednesday, a day after rebels killed 16 people in their deadliest raid in almost a year. About 200 rebels had ambushed a group of 44 troops and police guarding construction workers in the south of central Chhattisgarh state on Tuesday, police inspector general Mukesh Gupta said. He initially said 20 troops died but revised it to 16 early Wednesday, 15 law enforcement officers and one civilian. Surviving troops engaged in a three-hour gunbattle with the rebels, who eventually escaped into nearby jungles within Sukma district. No casualties were reported for the rebels, who commonly take their dead and wounded back to their hideouts. Two weeks earlier, the rebels had killed five security personnel in nearby Dantewada district. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the national government had issued warnings to leaders in 20 of the 28 Indian states where rebels operate, and that
An Indian man takes photographs of charred vehicles after an ambush by Maoist rebels in Sukma district in the eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh, March 11. Indian Maoist rebels ambushed paramilitary soldiers in a brazen daytime attack Tuesday, killing 20 at a camp in a remote central forest and putting authorities on alert just weeks before national elections. (AP Photo)
authorities “would provide adequate security and will not allow the polls to be disrupted in any manner.” Tuesday’s rebel attack was the deadliest since May 2013, when the Maoists killed 27 people in the same Jiram Ghati valley, including several state politicians
from the nationally ruling Congress party. Another attack in the area in 2010 left 76 policemen dead. Shinde said the rebels were trying “to frighten people before the national elections.” But he said, without specifying where the information was com-
ing from, that “support for the rebels is waning” and the rebels “are afraid their organizational strength is declining.” Schinde vowed to hunt down those involved in Tuesday’s attack. “We will definitely take revenge,” he said in nationally televised
comments from Jagdalpur, a city in southern Chhattisgarh near where the attack took place. “We know where they are.” He did not elaborate. The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fight-
ing for more than three decades, staging hit-and-run attacks against Indian authorities as they demand a greater share of wealth from the area’s natural resources and more jobs for farmers and the poor. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called them India’s greatest internal security threat. Thousands have died on both sides, but little has changed in the struggle, with politicians still debating whether a military operation to flush the rebels out of their jungle hideouts is preferable to offering better economic opportunities to assuage the rebel fury. Many Indians have grown weary of the conflict. The rebels have called for a boycott of elections, which are being held nationwide over nine days in April and May so that security forces have time to move between polling districts. The rebels say they represent the poor living close to the land, including farmers and members of tribal groups who depend on forests for food, fuel and building materials for their thatched huts. They oppose efforts to open up the area for more mining, fearing it would degrade forests and pollute water sources.
11 killed in avalanches, house collapse in J&K SriNaGar, March 12 (PTi): At least 11 people, including two Army jawans, were killed while over 100 others were evacuated to safety as the unprecedented snowfall in March triggered avalanches and damaged over 150 structures including dozens of houses in Jammu and Kashmir. Two Army personnel, Naik Vijay Prasad and Dharmindra Singh of 82 field regiment, died after an avalanche hit their camp in Kargil sector of Ladakh region, police said on Wednesday. Bodies of both the personnel have been recovered. Four persons were killed after an avalanche hit two houses at Paiseran-Dragdun village in Damhal Hanjipora area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district in the wee hours on Wednesday, a police official said. A 48-year-old woman died after her tin shed dwelling collapsed due to heavy snowfall at Mimigam village in Qazigund area, the official said. Three Nepali labourers were killed when an avalanche hit a stone quarry at Kaksar in Kargil sector, he said. A 60-year-old woman Fazi died after her house collapsed under the weight of snow at Kansu village of southern Shopian district last night. Two other family members were rescued. A police spokesman said 14 Gujjar families comprising 65 persons were shifted from Waltengo Nard area of Qazigund in Kulgam district to safer places due to threat of avalanches. Six more Gujjar families comprising 24 persons were shifted from Meerasi Nallah area of Qazigund to safer places, the spokesman said. Two persons, Qasim Khatana and Mohammad Iqbal Barkat, were rescued from Muspora village and shifted to safety. In another rescue operation, police along with Army rescued 10 members of two families from Kellar area of Shopian. Two more families, consisting of five members each, were rescued from Shopian. The families were shifted to the houses of village heads of Moshwara, the spokesman said, adding one more family of Yousuf Ganie from Dublipora Wachi was rescued and shifted to another house in the village. Quoting preliminary reports, the officials said more than 150 residential and other structures have been damaged due to the snowfall. Kupwara district in north Kashmir has been the worsthit and the damage could be of higher magnitude than reported so far, the officials said. Heavy snowfall across Kashmir has paralysed normal life in the Valley, snapping its links with the outside world and hitting power and water supply. Authorities had issued a high danger avalanche warning for higher reaches of the Valley and asked people not to venture on steep slopes till Wednesday evening.
SC dismisses centre’s plea on mercy petition NEW DElhi, March 12 (iaNS): The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed the central government’s plea for a review of its Jan 21 order which said unexplained and inordinate delay in deciding mercy petitions was a ground for commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment. Condoning the government delay in filing the review petition, the bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh said: “Permission for hearing in open court is rejected. We have carefully gone through the review petitions and connected papers. We find no merit in the review petitions and the same are accordingly dismissed.” The court Jan 21 said there can be no distinction between people convicted under anti-terror laws or
normal criminal laws for seeking commutation of death sentence on the grounds of inordinate and unreasonable delay in deciding the mercy petition by the president. The court said this also included death row convicts suffering from insanity or mental illness or schizophrenia. The court earlier commuted the death sentence of 15 convicts. In cases of 13 death row convicts, it was on account of years of delay in deciding the mercy petitions and in respect of two, it was due to mental illness. The same judgment was relied on by three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in getting their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment. It is now being relied upon by Navneet Kaur - wife of 1993 Delhi terror convict Devinderpal Singh
Bhullar - to seek commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment on grounds of delay in deciding his mercy petition and his mental health. A review petition was taken up for consideration by the judges. The central government March 1 moved the Supreme Court, seeking a recall of its verdict holding that inordinate, unexplained and unreasonable delay in deciding mercy petitions by the president was a ground for commutation of death sentence, and it would not exclude those convicted under anti-terror laws. The centre said the president’s decision to reject mercy petitions could not have been interfered with by the court as it was not subject to judicial review. It had contended that the court could not have substituted life imprisonment for
death sentence while exercising its power of judicial review of the president’s decision to reject the mercy petitions. The centre also argued that if at all the court was of the view that the mercy petitions were not properly considered, then these could have been returned to the president for reconsideration. The petition to to the Supreme Court recall its Jan 21 verdict said the president or the governor were not required to spell out any reason for deciding mercy petitions either way. The centre also said the scope of judicial review was extremely limited and ought not to have been exercised except on the grounds of mala fide, political expediency, extraneous factors, undue haste and nonapplicability of mind to the material available before the president.
Indian police officers stop Tibetan women as they try to reach the Chinese Embassy to protest on the occasion of Women’s Uprising Day in New Delhi, on March 12, 2014. The Tibetan students protested to show solidarity with Tibetans who immolated themselves as well as to demand the return of their spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, to China. (AP Photo)
Healthcare finds little space Media should correct aberrations: PM HC refuses to seize AAP accounts eye on the work of the govern- group was born of idealism. New Delhi, March 12 (iaNS): ter for May 7. The AAP had earlier told in India’s political agenda ment,” he said at a function to Defence Minister A.K. Antony The Delhi High Court Wednesday the court that it was the only party New Delhi, March 12 (iaNS): While healthcare is a major political issue in the western world, in India it sadly finds just passing mention in the election manifestos of various political parties. Health has failed to pick up as an election issue in India despite the country having overwhelming concerns over the quality of its delivery systems. While Congress sources said that its manifesto would promise universal healthcare and free medicine for the poor, a BJP spokesperson refused to commit anything about what the party promises to do on the health front. “Obviously health is one of the major issues on which the manifesto will speak,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told IANS. Last year’s economic survey pointed out that India has the lowest health spend - 4.1 percent - as a proportion of its GDP. Despite this, 70 percent of the population spends from its own pocket. Even the private plus government spending is abysmally low compared to other nations. While the United States spends around 15.2 percent of its GDP on health, France spends 11.2 percent and Britain 8.4 percent. Countries like Brazil and South Africa spend around nine percent. Stakeholders in the health sector and international agencies say that it is time health found a place in the political discourse of the world’s largest democracy. “India needs to spend more on health,” Seth Berkley, CEO Gavi Alliance, a global health partnership
in the field of immunization, told IANS. “We need more political discourse on healthcare in India”, he added. According to Genevieve Begkoyian, Chief of Health, Unicef India, the country has the requisite knowledge and skilled human resources to prevent maternal and child mortality and deaths due to diseases which can be prevented by routine immunization. “Nearly 1.4 million children die each year before their fifth birthday. Unfortunately a majority of these deaths are preventable and low cost interventions to avert these deaths are available but fail to reach those who need them the most,” she said. “Saving these 1.4 million children that are dying of preventable causes should be the top priority of any political party in India. Saving the 56,000 mothers who die while delivering a baby should equally be topmost on the agenda of all political parties,” the Unicef official told IANS. “The need is to convert policies into action, especially for the most vulnerable and invisible children and women,” she added. Universal healthcare, clean drinking water and free drugs are some of the issues which are likely to find mention in the manifestos of the political parties for the April-May Lok Sabha elections. According to sources, the Congress manifesto, which is yet to be released, is set to promise universal healthcare coverage, including free medicines at government hospitals and health centres.
New Delhi, March 12 (iaNS): Some aberrations have crept into journalism in India and the media should itself find ways to remove them, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday. “Vibrant and fiercely independent media in our country is an asset for all of us. It has served us well in disseminating information, educating the public and keeping a critical
mark 125 years of the Malayala Manorama group. Manmohan Singh said that while the media had evolved and grown in size, some “aberrations” have crept in. “But the good thing is that these aberrations are also being discussed and debated. It is for media itself to find ways and means of removing the deficiencies which it suffers from,” he added. He said the Malayala Manorama group was a shining example of good journalism which had informed, educated and entertained millions. The prime minister said it would not be wrong to say that the Malayala Manorama
said the media has aided the demand for transparency by vehemently demanding answers on behalf of citizens. Malayala Manorama chief editor Mammen Mathew said the group was established in the pre-independence era when it espoused social justice and nationalist causes. Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said that while it was distressing to see that many newspapers were shutting down globally, the good news was that India seemed to have bucked this trend. He said publications like Malayala Manorama followed the highest principles of journalism.
refused to seize the accounts of the AAP on a plea seeking registration of a criminal case against party chief Arvind Kejriwal and others for allegedly receiving foreign funds. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul said it “cannot seize the accounts of Aam Aadmi Party without deciding the case”. The bench said it has not decided the case yet and “accounts cannot be seized like that”. The court’s observation came after advocate M.L. Sharma, who filed the plea, asked the court to seize the accounts of the AAP as it was still receiving foreign funds in clear violation of law. The court also asked the centre to file its response and posted the mat-
whose financial records and other details were open for public view and got donations of Rs.30 crore from Indian citizens only, out of which Rs.8.5 crore came from NRIs. Earlier, the court had directed the central government to go through details of the money donated to the AAP since its inception Nov 26, 2012 and to take action if anything was found in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The plea named Kejriwal, advocates Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan and party member Manish Sisodia. It said the AAP and its members were promoted and funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the US through various companies and trusts such as Ford Foundation.
Ahead of polls, it is defection season once again
New Delhi, March 12 (iaNS): With the Lok Sabha battle set to kick-start in less than a month, disgruntled politicians across the country are joining political parties offering them greener pastures. Almost all parties have been hit hard, in state after state, although the Congress, India’s oldest political outfit, is the worst sufferer amid growing signs that it is set for major electoral reverses. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by a confident Narendra Modi, the Gujarat chief minister, has won over most deserters nationally as well as LJP leader Ramvilas Paswan as an ally in Bihar. Nowhere has the Congress suffered more than in Andhra Pradesh, where its decision to create a Telangana state has led to mass desertions, with N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, the last chief minister, forming a new party. Another prominent defector is D. Purandeswari, a central minister who too dumped the Congress to embrace the BJP. In Telangana re-
gion, the Telugu Desam Party saw three former legislators cross over to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Karnataka’s tainted former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is back with the BJP. One of the biggest blows to the Congress came in Haryana - the birthplace of ‘Aya Ram, Gaya Ram’ culture -- when Ambala legislator Venod Sharma, a confident of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has quit. So has Congress MP and former union minister Rao Inderjit Singh, who has joined the BJP. Nowhere is the defection spree more pronounced than in Bihar, where the April-May election is expected to see a three-way battle involving the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), the Congress-RJD alliance and the BJP. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad’s biggest setback was the defection of senior leader Ram Kirpal Yadav, who is joining the BJP. Yadav is now set to take on Lalu Prasad’s daughter in the very constituency where he was not allowed to be the RJD candidate.
Another prominent RJD leader, Ghulam Ghouse, has joined the JD-U. So has BJP’s suspended legislator Avinash Kumar Singh. The JD-U has also suffered desertions to the BJP - the two parties were allies for 17 long years until 2013. JD-U legislator Chedi Paswan has gone over to the BJP. In Assam, the once formidable Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) suffered a blow when its former president Chandra Mohan Patowary and a colleague, Hitendra Nath Goswami, joined the BJP. Both the Congress and the BJP suffered in Odisha, with more than a dozen leaders from these parties won over by the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD). One of them is Congress legislature party leader Bhupinder Singh, who, like many others complained that the party was not respecting senior members. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) lost a Lok Sabha member, Kamkeswar Baitha, and legislator Hemlal Murmu. The former is tipped to get a BJP ticket. Con-
gress legislator Chandra Shekhar Dubey joined the Trinamool Congress. In Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena has lost three of its sitting MPs. Anand Paranjpe (Thane) and Ganesh Dudhgaonkar (Parbhani) joined the Nationalist Congress Party, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), the Congress. Most political grasshoppers in Uttar Pradesh are from the Congress and the ruling Samajwadi Party. Old Congress loyalist Jagdambika Pal sailed to the BJP, he too complaining that the party does not respect “old timers”. Samajwadi Party MP Brij Bhushan Saran Singh is moving towards the BJP while former SamajwadiveteranAmarSinghhasjoined the Rashtriya Lok Dal along with actress-politician Jaya Prada. The unbelievable happened in Kerala. The Revolutionary Socialist Party bid goodbye to the Left Democratic Front, after four decades, and moved over to the Congressled alliance. On the other side, long-time Congress leader Phillipose Thomas will contest the elec-
tion with Left backing. The main beneficiary in West Bengal is the ruling Trinamool Congress, which has attracted both Congress and Left Front leaders. But Somen Mitra, a former state Congress chief, returned to it from the Trinamool. In Punjab, Congress legislator Jeet Mohinder Singh joined the ruling Akali Dal. But People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal has allied with the Congress. In Tamil Nadu, where the Congress finds itself friendless, three of its former legislators - S. Sivaraj, U. Amaramurthy and K. Venkatachalam - are now with the ruling AIADMK. Some politicians have opted for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). They include former Bihar minister Perween Amanullah, Congress leader Alok Nayak in Odisha, former AIADMK legislator Bader Sayeed in Tamil Nadu and suspended BJP MP Rajan Sushant in Himachal Pradesh. Sushant explained why he did what he did: “The AAP is the only hope for India.”
Thursday
InternatIonal
the Morung express
13 March 2014
Dimapur
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Malaysia defends search for missing jet kuA L A Lu M P u r , MArcH 12 (AP): Malaysian authorities defended their handling of the hunt for the missing Boeing 777 on Wednesday even as they acknowledging they were unsure which direction the plane was headed when it disappeared, highlighting the massive task facing an international search mission now in its fifth day. The mystery over the plane’s whereabouts has been confounded by confusing and occasionally conflicting statements by Malaysian officials, adding to the anguish of relatives of the 239 people on board the flight — two thirds of them Chinese. “There’s too much information and confusion right now. It is very hard for us to decide whether a given piece of information is accurate,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters in Beijing. “We will not give it up as long as there’s still a shred of hope.” Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein described the multinational search for the missing plane as an unprecedented and complicated effort and defended his country’s efforts. Some 43 ships and 39 aircraft from at least eight nations were scouring an area of 92,600 square kilometers (35,800 square miles). “It’s not something that
Malaysian well-known shaman Ibrahim Mat Zin, bottom right, uses spiritual methods and prayers to locate the missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, Wednesday, March 12, 2014. The missing Malaysian jetliner may have attempted to turn back before it vanished from radar, but there is no evidence it reached the Strait of Malacca, Malaysia’s air force chief said Wednesday, denying reported remarks he said otherwise. The statement suggested continued confusion over where the Boeing 777 might have ended up, more than four days after it disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board. (AP Photo)
is easy. We are looking at so many vessels and aircraft, so many countries to coordinate, and a vast area for us to search,” he said. “But we will never give up. This we owe to the families” of those on board. Malaysia Airlines flight
370 took off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing early Saturday morning and fell off civilian radar screens at 1:30 a.m. about 35,000 feet above the Gulf of Thailand between Malaysia and southern Vietnam. It sent no distress signals or any
indication it was experiencing any problems. Malaysian authorities have since said that say air defense radar picked up traces of what might have been the plane turning back and flying until it reached the Strait of Malacca, a busy
shipping lane west of the narrow nation some 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the plane’s last known coordinates. Military and government officials on Wednesday said American experts, and the manufacturer of the
radar systems, were examining that data to confirm it showed the Boeing 777. Until then, they said the search would continue on both sides of the country, with an equal focus. Dozens of ships and planes searching waters have failed to turn up anything, prompting officials to expand the hunt. Malaysia asked India to join the search for the missing jet in waters near the Andaman Sea — far to the northwest of its last reported position. “As of today, we have not found anything, but we are extending (the search) further,” Hishammuddin said. Air force chief Gen. Rodzali Daud said air defense radar showed an unidentified object at 2:15 a.m. about 200 miles (320 kilometers) northwest of Penang. “I am not saying it’s flight MH370. We are still corroborating this. It was an unidentifiable plot,” he said. It’s unlikely the plane would have flown across Malaysia without being detected by civilian radar unless its electrical systems, including transponders allowing it to be identified by radar, were either knocked out or turned off. Authorities have not ruled out any possible cause, including mechanical failure, pilot error, sabotage or terrorism. Both the Boeing 777 and Malaysia Airlines have excellent
safety records. Until wreckage or debris is found and examined, it will be very hard to say what happened. Malaysian authorities had contacted their Indian counterparts seeking help in searching areas near the Andaman Sea, India’s ministry of external affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said. Hishammuddin praised India for joining the efforts and vowed to keep up the search until the plane was found. Earlier, Gen. Rodzali released a statement denying remarks attributed to him in a local media report saying that military radar had confirmed that aircraft flew west over and made it to the Malacca strait. The Associated Press contacted a high-level military official, who confirmed the remarks. Indonesia air force Col. Umar Fathur said the country had received official information from Malaysian authorities that the plane was above the South China Sea, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Kota Bharu, Malaysia, when it turned back toward the strait and then disappeared. That would place its last confirmed position closer to Malaysia than has previously been publicly disclosed. Confusion over whether the plane had been spotted flying west has
prompted speculation that different arms of the government have different opinions over where the plane is most likely to be, or even that authorities are holding back information. Asked about this, Hishammuddin said his government had been transparent from the start. “There is only confusion if you want to see confusion,” he said. Choi Tat Sang, a 74-yearold Malaysian man, said the family is still holding out hope that the plane and all on board are safe. His daughter in law, Goh Sock Lay, 45, is the chief stewardess on the flight. Her 14-year-old daughter, an only child, has been crying every day since the plane’s disappearance. “We are heartbroken. We are continuing to pray for her safety and for everyone on the flight,” he said. The mother of passenger Zou Jingsheng, who would only give her name as Zou, wept and spoke haltingly about her missing son while staying at a hotel near the Beijing airport. She expressed frustration with the airline and the Malaysian government over their handling of the case. “I want to talk more, but all this is very stressful, and after all it is my son’s life that I am concerned about. I just want to know where he is, and wish he is safe and alive,” she said.
Explosion in New York, buildings collapse Ukraine vows not to fight Russia over Crimea
Emergency workers respond to the scene of an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York, on March 12. (AP Photo)
NeW YOrk, MArcH 12 (AP): A huge explosion leveled two apartment buildings in New York City, killing two women and injuring 17 people. A utility company says a resident in a nearby building reported smelling gas shortly before the blast. Sidewalks for blocks around the building in Harlem were littered with broken glass from shattered storefront and apartment windows. Witnesses say the explosion was so powerful it knocked groceries off the shelves of nearby stores. Police, some wearing gas and medical masks, set up barricades and handed out masks to residents and onlookers to protected them from the thick, acrid smoke that shrouded the area. “It felt like an earthquake had rattled my whole building,” said Waldemar Infante, 24, a porter from a nearby residential building who was working in the basement when the explosion occurred. “There were
glass shards everywhere on the ground and all the stores had their windows blown out.” A resident from a building next to the two that collapsed reported that he smelled gas inside his apartment, but thought the odor could be coming from outside, Con Edison spokesman Bob McGee said. He said the utility dispatched two crews just after 9:15 a.m. but they arrived after the explosion. McGee said the street is served by an eight-inch (20centimeter) low pressure gas main, but would not speculate on whether a gas leak caused the explosion. “We’re working with the FDNY and checking gas lines,” he said. “We’re working to isolate any leaks and make the area safe.” A man who lives several blocks from the scene of the blast said he heard the explosion at about 9:30 a.m., ran to the window and saw flames consuming one building and smoke rising into the air.
kIev, MArcH 12 (AFP): Ukraine’s acting president told AFP he would not wage war over Crimea as the ex-Soviet state’s premier prepared Wednesday to seek US President Barack Obama’s help against Russia’s expansionist threat. The first meeting between Obama and Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk comes with Europe’s largest nation in danger of breaking apart when the predominantly ethnic Russian region holds a Moscow-backed referendum Sunday on switching over to Kremlin rule. Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said his heavily outnumbered army would never try to seize back the Black Sea peninsula from Russian troops who made their land grab days after the February 22 ouster in Kiev of pro-Kremlin leader Viktor Yanukovych. “We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border and Ukraine would not be protected,” Turchynov said in an interview with AFP. Turchynov also said Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far resisted intense international pressure and refused all contacts with Kiev aimed at resolving the crisis. “Unfortunately, for now Russia is rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict,” he said. “They are refusing all contact at foreign ministry and top government level.” Russia’s first military involvement
in a neighbouring country since its brief 2008 war with Georgia has sparked an explosive security crisis and exposed major rifts between Western allies over ways to deal with Putin’s undisguised efforts to rebuild vestiges of the Soviet state. Washington has imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Russians held responsible for violating the territorial integrity of the culturally splintered nation of 46 million people. But the European Union -- its financial and energy sectors much more dependent on Russia than those of the United States -has only threatened tougher mea-
sures after taking the lighter step of circled their bases and kept their suspending free travel and broad ships from going out to sea. economic treaty talks. Turchynov said that as commander in chief he fully realised the Ukraine ‘will not attack’ futility of launching an all-out war Russia’s parliament is due on against a much larger invading force March 21 to consider legislation that has nuclear weapons and tens of that would simplify the procedure thousands of additional troops staunder which Moscow can annex tioned just inside Russia. “Significant part of another country that has tank units are massed near Ukraine’s proclaimed independence -- as eastern border,” the acting president Crimean lawmakers did Tuesday. said in the interview. Ukraine’s soldiers and marines “They’re provoking us to have have won plaudits from Western a pretext to intervene on the Ukraileaders for refusing to open fire nian mainland... (but) we cannot against Russian troops and Krem- follow the scenario written by the lin-backed militia who have en- Kremlin.”
A man walks past a poster reading “On March 16 We Vote Or,” in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 11, 2014. Crimea’s Parliament said Tuesday that if the public votes to become part of Russia, the peninsula will declare itself independent and propose becoming a Russian state. That could offer a way of de-escalating the standoff between Russia and the West. (AP Photo
UN warns world powers not to forget Syria WASHINGTON, MArcH 12 (reuTerS): The head of the United Nation’s refugee agency said on Tuesday it must be ready in case Ukraine’s crisis causes refugees to flee Crimea, but his biggest worry is that “a total disaster” could occur if the international community diverts its attention away from Syria’s conflict. Antonio Guterres, the head of the U.N.’s High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), said in an interview that little progress was being made in efforts by the United States and Russia, now at loggerheads over Ukraine, to bring Syria’s warring sides together after the collapse of talks in Geneva last month. “In the moment in which we need the most relevant countries in the world to be able to come together to narrow their differences and to try to find a way to move into peace for Syria, this tension around Ukraine will obviously not help,” Guterres told Reuters while visiting Washington to discuss Syria’s refugee crisis. “I hope that those that have the most important responsibility in world affairs will be able to understand that forgetting Syria will be a total disaster,” he said. Tensions between Washington and Moscow have risen over Russia’s bloodless seizure of Ukraine’s Crimea region, which
has brought U.S.-Russian relations to one of their lowest points since the Cold War. The United States and European allies have threatened sanctions against Moscow, which has said people in Crimea, a small majority of whom are ethnic Russians, should have the right to secede by voting in a referendum to be held on Sunday. Guterres said his agency was preparing for the possibility of refugees from Crimea and had moved teams inside Ukraine to monitor the situation. “We are preparing ourselves for any movement of population that might occur,” said Guterres. “Until now it has not happened in a significant way, and we hope that it will be avoided,” he said. “Our hope is that things will not evolve in a way that will force large numbers of people to be displaced. We have enough problems of refugees and displaced people in the world, we can live without a new massive displacement,” he added. But Guterres said he was concerned that tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine could worsen divides that have already played out in the U.N. Security Council over Syria. Throughout the civil war, Russia, backed by China, has shielded Syria on the U.N. Security Council by vetoing three resolutions condemning Syria’s gov-
In this Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013 photo, veiled Syrian women wait with their children for vaccinations against polio at one of the Syrian refugee camps in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. An international charity organization Save Children has warned Monday, March 10, 2014 of a health care disaster in Syria with newborns dying in hospital incubators during power cuts and children having their limbs amputated for lack of alternative treatment. (AP File Photo)
ernment and threatening it with possible sanctions. “I don’t think there are reasons to be optimistic,” he said of the possibility of resolving the Syrian war. “We see the war going on and on and on, not only with tragic humanitarian consequences with suffering of Syrian people that is unimaginable, but also becom-
ing a serious threat to global peace and security, not only to regional stability but also to global peace and security.” Repeating what political leaders have said that the conflict can only be resolved through political dialogue, Guterres also said that “discreet diplomacy” was needed
among the main players - the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran - to narrow differences and avoid a prolonged deadlock in talks. “There was never any major international crisis that was solved without a lot of silent, discreet diplomacy behind the scenes to support the public diplomacy process,” he said. “That is lacking in the Syrian crisis.” With the Syrian conflict now heading toward a fourth year this week and more people fleeing the war, the UN has warned that Syrians are about to replace Afghans as the world’s largest refugee population. There are currently more than 2.5 million Syrian registered by the U.N. in neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, but Guterres said it is believed more than 3 million have fled the conflict. “It is absolutely essential that the international community mobilizes massively to support Lebanon, to support Jordan, to support all the other neighboring countries to make sure that they are able to cope with the challenge and to preserve the stability of the region,” he said. With the bulk of U.N. funding for refugees focused on Syria, Guterres said other U.N. operations in Central Africa Republic, South Sudan, Mali and Democratic Republic of Congo were underfunded.
Spanking toddlers at home a worrisome trend: Study
NeW YOrk, MArcH 12 (IANS): Do you spank your baby often, little realising that this may lead to greater aggression, depression and other negative behaviour in his/ her life later in life? You are not alone in this disturbing trend that is catching up with the parents worldwide. According to research, 30 percent of one-year-old children were spanked at least once in the past month by their mother, father or both parents. What is more worrisome is that spanking is used on children who are so young that in some cases, they have not even taken their first step, warned researchers from University of Michigan. This time, researchers examined 2,788 families who participated in a study of new births in urban areas. The study indicated that spanking by the child’s mother, father or mother’s current partner when the child was a year old was linked to child protective services’ involvement between ages one and five. “Spanking babies is particularly misguided and potentially harmful and may set off a cascade of inappropriate parental behaviour. Their research is a snapshot of a larger problem: many people lack parenting skills that include alternatives to spanking,” explained professors Shawna Lee and Andrew Grogan-Kaylor from University of Michigan. Previous research has focused on disciplining children as young as age three, in part, because spanking is common among children of this age. “Intervention to reduce or eliminate spanking has the potential to contribute to the well-being of families and children who are at-risk of becoming involved with the (social services) system,” Lee added. Clinical and home visits after the child’s birth are opportunities for pediatricians, nurses and social workers to talk to parents about alternatives to spanking babies and toddlers, the researchers noted. The study appeared in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect.
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Thursday 13 March 2014
WIndies beat England to clinch T20 series West Indies' Darren Sammy celebrates beating England by 5 wickets with 7 balls remaining during their second T20 International cricket match at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on March 11. (AP Photo)
BRIDGETOWN, MARch 12 (REuTERs): West Indies cruised to a five-wicket win over England in the second Twenty20 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Tuesday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the threematch series. The hosts overhauled England's total of 152 for seven with five wickets and seven balls to spare. Jos Buttler provided the backbone of the England innings, blasting 67 off 43 balls highlighted by five fours and three sixes. He was well supported by opener Alex Hales, who hit 40 off 36 deliveries, but only one other batsman made double figures. Left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie was the pick of the West Indian bowlers, capturing four for 21 from his four overs to win the man of the match award, while Dwayne Bravo chipped in with two vital scalps. "Feels good. It's a while since we won a series," captain Darren Sammy said at the presentation ceremony after ending the match in spectacular fashion with an unbeaten 30 off nine balls containing three sixes. "This
is preparation for the T20 World Cup. We have one more game and we want to give the fans something to celebrate - it's good that all the guys are firing." Opener Chris Gayle, more watchful than normal, top scored for the West Indies with 36 off 30 balls. He batted patiently but punished any loose deliveries, slamming four sixes. He shared a first-wicket partnership of 48 with Dwayne Smith, who raced to 30 off 16 balls, that put the home team on the road to victory. "I think we were about 15, 20 runs short," said England captain Eoin Morgan. "Starting at 26 for three wasn't ideal and we had to work on a balance between trying to score runs and not lose wickets. "I thought (Buttler and Hales) kept us in the game with a great effort. They showed a lot of fight and towards the end we were always in the game but we had to continue to take wickets."The teams meet again in Barbados on Thursday before heading to Bangladesh for this month's Twenty20 World Cup.
The Morung Express
Costa brace propels Atletico into last 8
MADRID, MARch 12 (AP): Diego Costa's breakout season continued to be the catalyst to Atletico Madrid's success as it beat AC Milan 4-1 to reach the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday for the first time since 1997. Diego Costa added two more goals to his season tally, jumping high to stab home at the far post following a Milan turnover just three minutes into a raucous contest at the capacity Vicente Calderon Stadium. Kaka gave Milan some hope by canceling out the opener in the 27th only to rue a glaring miss moments before Arda Turan volleyed over Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati to put Atletico back in front. With Milan striker Mario Balotelli ineffective, Atletico choked its opponent with constant pressure after the restart and slowly began to pull away with Raul Garcia heading home before Diego Costa completed the 5-1 aggregate win with his 29th goal of the season. Milan's exit left Europe's toptier tournament without an Italian team in the last eight. Atletico's near 50,000 fans provided the Spanish club with extra pep throughout, but especially at the start when the hosts dominated a Milan team that seemed a step behind. "I'm happy because this is a group of men who interpret football in an extraordinary way," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. "They have incredible passion for our play. We played the game we needed to, especially at the start." Michael Essien was particularly exposed by Atletico's speed, and his turnover led Koke to set up Diego Costa for the acrobatic opener. Milan began to dominate possession and bounced
back into the contest. Despite a weak effort from Balotelli, Milan made Atletico pay for its lethargic play as Kaka reached Andrea Poli's cross at the far post to head off defender Juanfran Torres and beyond goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Kaka should have made it 2-1 after another defensive lapse by Atletico, but the Brazilian headed over while alone in the box. That miss proved costly as Turan chested the ball down in the 40th for a quick volley that took a deflection and dipped over Abbiati. "The second goal killed us, the players lost a lot from that," said Milan coach Clarence Seedorf, whose team's poor domestic season means it is unlikely to return to the competition next season. "Mentally we couldn't recover after that." Balotelli's frustration got the better of him as he was booked for protesting before halftime, the Italy striker looking sullen and adrift of his teammates for most of the match. All of Atletico's players, meanwhile, seemed to be contributing as the Spanish upstarts also thrived off the boot of Diego Costa. "If I am where I am, it's because the team helped get me here. I could never have achieved this on my own," Diego Costa said after taking his Champions League tally to seven goals. "I just try to help the team." Garcia rose high to nod home a free kick in the 70th before Diego Costa capped the rout, with the Spain striker dragging the loose ball between Milan defenders before setting up to cut a low shot beyond Abbiati. "To score four goals against Milan is never easy," Simeone said. "No doubt the quarters will be difficult so now we have to rest and regroup without losing our intensity."
Atletico's Diego Costa, right, scores his goal during a Champions League last 16 second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and AC Milan, at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Tuesday, March 11. (AP Photo)
Simeone open to all Spanish quarterfinal
MADRID, MARch 12 (AFP): Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone welcomed the possibility of meeting La Liga rivals Real Madrid or Barcelona in the quarterfinals of the Champions League after his side thrashed AC Milan 4-1 in the second leg of their last 16 tie on Wednesday to progress 5-1 on aggregate. It is the first time since Simeone was an Atletico player back in 1997 that Los Rojiblancos have reached the last eight of the Champions League and the Argentine insists they must enjoy the experience no matter who they are paired with. "We will wait until the opponent comes out of the hat. It doesn't bother me at all if it is a Spanish team.
"We will continue with humility as we always do and you can't choose who you play. All we can do is relax and recuperate." Already leading 1-0 from the first leg three weeks ago, Atletico made a fast start and went in front on three minutes through an acrobatic effort from Diego Costa. Kaka's headed equaliser 24 minutes later briefly gave Milan hope of a comeback, but Arda Turan's deflected effort restored Atletico's lead before half-time. And goals in the final 20 minutes from Raul Garcia and Costa once more rounded off a glorious evening for the hosts. "We started better and it seemed like the tie was well on track, but then they grew into the
game. We weren't getting to them on the wings and it complicated things for us. "It was not so much the second goal, but the third goal that allowed us to relax because it was then very difficult to come back in the tie." Milan boss Clarence Seedorf congratulated Atletico on a deserved win over the two legs, but lamented his side's luck as Arda's deflected goal came when they were having a good spell. "Congratulations to Atletico, they deserved this victory, especially in the second-half. "We lost control of the game. Their second goal arrived when we were having our best spell in the game, but that is football." Seedorf has only been
in charge of the seven-time European champions since January as he replaced the sacked Massimiliano Allegri. The Rossoneri's season is now effectively over as they lie 11th in Serie A, nine points off the European places. And the former Dutch international admitted he now has to build the side with an eye to returning Milan to their former glory next season. "I arrived to help and improve the situation. Next season we will build something new and better. This year everything started badly and now we are trying to fill the holes. "There will be a natural change in the side. We still have 11 games left and we need to get as many points as possible to finish the season with dignity."
F1 heads into unknown NBA: Thunder edge past Rockets in season opener O K L A h O M A c I T Y, MARch 12 (AP): Kevin Durant scored 42 points to help the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Houston Rockets 106-98 on Tuesday night. Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook scored 24 points and got the best of nemesis Patrick Beverley. During last year’s playoffs, Beverley dived for the ball and ran into Westbrook’s right knee as a timeout was being called, causing the injury that ended Westbrook’s season and cost him about half of this season. It was their first meeting since the incident. Serge Ibaka had 12 points and 16 rebounds for the Thunder, who had lost two straight. Former Thunder guard James Harden scored 28 points, Chandler Parsons scored 19 and Dwight Howard had nine points and 10 rebounds for
Valtteri Bottas, left, and Felipe Massa pose with their car during a photocall at the official launch of the Williams 2014 Formula One team, in London Thursday March 6. (AP Photo)
MELBOuRNE, MARch 12 (AP): Formula One teams hate uncertainty. Formula One fans love it. At this weekend's seasonopening Australian Grand Prix, it'll be the fans that get what they want. After four years of an increasingly stultifying dominance by Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel, the only thing most experts agree on when discussing Sunday's race at the Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne is that it won't be those same blue cars at the front this time. Aside from the likelihood of a Red Bull struggle, the pecking order for the Australian Grand Prix is anyone's guess, with nobody quite sure how the teams will adapt to the switch to V6 turbo hybrid engines. The change of powertrain — engine, turbocharger and increasingly important battery-stored hybrid power — has been problematical for all teams in preseason testing, most notably the Renault-powered teams, and particularly Red Bull. Throw into the equation the reduction in fuel loads from an average of 160 kilograms (353 pounds) of fuel per race to a maximum of 100 kilograms
(220 pounds), add a dash of the usual first-race teething problems and driver rustiness, and then factor in forecasts of rain and Melbourne's typical sudden shifts in temperature, and it becomes apparent why some observers are predicting that Sunday's race will not even have ten finishers to fill the points positions. Some have complained that F1's rapid-fire regulation changes are becoming increasingly contrived and gimmicky — the doublepoints for the season's last race has outraged the purists — but the sport's officials can hardly be blamed for trying to shake up the sport. Vettel, Red Bull and the team's ace designer Adrian Newey are all capable of staging a recovery from the likely slow start and earn a fifth-straight title, but if so, it will definitely not be a cakewalk like last year. Instead it's Mercedes being freely tipped as the team to beat in the early races of the season after impressing in preseason testing, and hopes are high that the German mark can finally win its first-ever constructors' championship. Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have been installed as favorites in betting
markets for this weekend's race, and Red Bull principal Christian Horner was already sounding defeated. "If they were to finish two laps ahead of the opposition in Melbourne, that wouldn't be a surprise, based on what we've seen in pre-season testing," Horner said. "They invested more, they invested earlier. They have got themselves into a good position." Ferrari is always a center of attention in any race, but the scrutiny will be further heightened in Melbourne as it is the first race with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen as teammates. Many seasoned observers have said the team is simply not big enough for the two of them, and Albert Park will be the first skirmish as each tries to establish himself as the top dog. McLaren is targeting Melbourne as the start of a renaissance after a highly disappointing 2013 that cost team principal Martin Whitmarsh his job. His place will be filled at the management end by Ron Dennis, who returns to trackside after five years in the company's management in England, and at the racing end by Eric Boullier, who has decamped from Lotus.
the Rockets. Houston had won five straight, including victories over Miami, Indiana and Portland. The chippiness started early in Tuesday’s game. Beverley swiped the ball away from Westbrook after a timeout with 6:10 left in the first quarter. Beverley and Westbrook had to be separated, and Beverley issued a technical foul. Beverley and Westbrook got tangled up again about a minute later. Midway through the second quarter, Harden and backup Oklahoma City point guard Reggie Jackson had to be separated. Westbrook spent the rest of the second quarter dominating Beverley. Westbrook blew past him for a layup, then lost him on a screen and made a 3-pointer to put the Thunder up 49-32. Westbrook drew Beverley’s third foul on a 3-point attempt
with 2:50 left in the first half. Westbrook scored 11 points in the final 6:19 of the quarter to help the Thunder take a 56-41 lead at the break. Oklahoma City held Houston to 35 percent shooting in the first half. Howard committed his third and fourth fouls in the first two minutes of the third quarter, and Beverley committed his fourth with 8:52 left in the third as the Thunder maintained control. Oklahoma City led by 18 at one point in the third quarter, but the Rockets chipped away late in the period and trailed 77-67 heading into the fourth. Houston rallied, and a 3-pointer by Francisco Garcia and a dunk by Omer Asik cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 77-72 early in the fourth. Durant answered with five straight points to put the Thunder back in control.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots over Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, March 11. (AP Photo)
St Paul Phesama Celebrates Schumacher shows "small signs" of improvement Sports Meet – 2014
Hoisting of the school flag by the Chief Guest.
KOhIMA, MARch 12 (MExN): The annual sports meet of St Paul High School Phesama was inaugurated by Dominic Yazokie Joint Director Information and Public Relations and PRO to the Governor. In his address to the students he lauded their disciplined performance and appreciated the staff for their sincere effort in bringing out quality students. He also recalled his own school days and compared to the pres-
ent students. He encouraged students to take active part in every school activity and to excel in every aspect of development. The programme began with an invocation prayer by Thepüsa Zashümo, catechist St Paul Church Phesama. The school students mesmerized the invited guests and audience with their prayer dance, traditional dance and colourful aerobics. The chief guest hoisted the school
flag and later inspected each house. Disciplined march past was well appreciated by the audience. The students got into the competitive mood as soon as the inaugural programme ended. Students will compete among the four houses in different track events. The programme was graced by Vikeko-o Zashümo, Chairman Phesama Village Council and office bearer of Phesama Students Union and other associations.
LONDON, MARch 12 (IANs): Michael Schumacher has showed improvement in his "wake-up phase" and his family is confident that the seven-time Formula 1 world champion will recover from a lifethreatening head injury he suffered while skiing at a French resort in December, the racing legend's manager Sabine Kehm informed Wednesday. "We are and remain confident that Michael will pull through and will wake up. There sometimes are small, encouraging signs, but we also know that this is the time to be very patient," said Kehm. "Michael has suffered severe injuries. It is very hard to comprehend for all of us that Michael, who had overcome a lot of precarious situations in the past, has been hurt so terribly in such a banal situation. "It was clear from the start that this will be a long and hard fight for Michael. We are taking this fight on together with the team of doctors, whom we fully trust. The length of the process is not the important
part for us," she stressed. Kehm said Schumacher's family was grateful to his fans around the world for their continued prayers and support, requesting privacy at the same time. "It is heart-warming to see how much sympathy his family is shown and I can say that the family is extremely grateful for it. However, it should not be forgotten that Michael's family is dealing with an extremely intimate and fragile situation. And I would like to remind all of us that Michael has always actively kept his family out of the public eye and consequently protected their private lives. "We try to channel all the energies we have toward Michael and we firmly believe that this will help him. And we believe that he will also win this fight," she added. Schumacher was put in induced coma in a Grenoble hospital in France after the 45-year-old severely injured his head in a skiing accident at the French resort of Meribel Dec 29. Doctors initiated the wake up phase Jan 30.
Entertainment
The Morung Express C M Y K
My daughter is ‘obsessed with makeup’
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ennifer Lopez flaunts her gorgeous beauty on the cover of the April 2014 issue of ‘InStyle,’ admitting that her 6-yearold daughter Emme loves her makeup and her shoes! Jennifer Lopez, 44, looks beautiful on the cover of InStyle, wearing a bright coral lipstick and soft waves in her hair. We love her bronzy look — it’s perfect for spring — and it seems like her 6-year-old daughter, Emme Muniz, is interested as well! Her makeup was flawlessly done by celebrity makeup artist, Mary Phillips who constantly helps make Jennifer look extra glamorous on American Idol. She gave her a stunning
bronze eye and a bright red lip. The light hits her face on just the right spots, giving her a luminous glow! Redken‘s Creative Consultant for color and the owner of MèCHE Salon in Los Angeles, Tracey Cunningham, colored Jennifer’s gorgeous locks. Tracey has previously worked with Drew Barrymore, Camilla Alves, Kate Beckensale, and more. Jennifer’s hair looks perfect for spring and summer! We love the blonde highlights that blend in with her natural hair. The beauty look was on point for the upcoming warm weather! Looks like Jennifer’s passion for beauty is rub-
bing off on her adorable 6-year-old daughter, Emme Maribel Muniz! She reveals to writer Nancy Hass: ”Emme is obsessed with makeup. She puts blush on her eyes, shadow on her face — it’s very artistic. And she loves my shoes. She’s been walking around in my heels ever since she was a year old.”
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beaten to the top spot by Madonna last year. However, the 24-yearold singer's 'Red Tour' helped her to get ahead on the list this year, with six months in the US bringing in a reported $30m. The staggering sum is notwithstanding the three sponsorship deals which accompa-
sharing content on social networks and contacting politicians about issues involving food, hunger and education. Collecting enough points will give them the chance to win tickets to shows and events featuring their favourite artists. The 1D boys said:
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nlike her fellow Alisters, she's never looked at ease in heels. And now Kristen Stewart's preference for comfy footwear could prove
highly lucrative for the Twilight star as she has reportedly been offered a deal to promote Nike. Following in the footsteps of stars including Lance Armstrong,
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'We are absolutely proud to join so many amazing artists to inspire people to take action to end extreme poverty.' The Global Citizen tickets scheme is launching in the UK after proving popular in the US, Australia and New Zealand with
nearly 1.7 million 'actions' having already taken place worldwide. The efforts of those volunteers have helped to increase funding of polio eradication programmes and secured pleges of more than £600,000 to pay of community health
workers in sub-Saharan Africa. About a fifth of the world's population are estimated to be suffering extreme poverty. All Saints, Ed Sheeran, Franz Ferdinand, Russell Brand, John Newman and Chvrches are among the 100 artists already signed up.
Usher is ‘embarrassed’ by the
man Justin Bieber has become
nied the tour - due to lack of data - but the trade publication estimates the deals totted up seven figures. Kenny Chesney has risen to second place, while Justin Timberlake sits behind in third, following his chart comeback last year with 'The 2020 Experience', his first album in seven years. Rock
acts Bon Jovi and The Rolling Stones round up the top five coming in fourth and fifth place respectively. Meanwhile, Beyonce's surprise self-titled album released in December has earned her sixth place, gruelling 132 date 'The Mrs.Carter Show World Tour' bringing in an estimated $19.9m in the US leg alone.
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t’s time to hear the ugly truth for Justin Bieber, and it sounds like he’s going to be hearing it from his mentor himself! A source close to Usher told HollywoodLife. com exclusively that he’s really embarrassed by his protégé’s recent actions — and doesn’t know if he’ll be able to help. Selena Gomez may be happy to take Justin Bieber back, but Usher feels like the love he really needs
Kristen Stewart 'offered endorsement deal' after wearing trainers on the red carpet
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he voices of 18 million young people speaking in unison would be a political force to be reckoned with. That's how many followers One Direction can reach through Twitter alone, and now the boy band are calling on their fans to help end the suffering of the world's poor. One Direction, Jessie J and Bastille are among the pop stars backing a new plan to urge youngsters to join the fight against global poverty. Nevertheless, the charttopping stars have joined up with some of the UK's most popular festivals to give away tickets to their shows in exchange for fans' actions on social issues. They join more than 100 well-known names who are already backing the Global Citizen Tickets initiative, including Katy Perry and Kings Of Leon. Music fans who register with the scheme win points by signing petitions,
Taylor Swift earned a $39.7m from a combination of music sales, royalties, and touring placing her ahead of Beyonce in the annual list by Billboard Magazine. he 'I Knew You Were T rou b l e' s i ng e r earned $39.7m from a combination of music sales, royalties, and touring last year, with the large sum placing her ahead of Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and The Rolling Stones on the annual list. Taylor previously held the title in 2012, before being
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Michael Jordan and Kanye West, Kristen would be sure to be offered a huge pay packet were she to agree to the endorsement. 'The company obviously wants
to broaden its base from athletes to actors, and, in particular, appeal to young women,' a source told Radar online. A source told MailOn-
line that Nike had yet to approach the star, however the appeal in having Kristen promote the brand is obvious. Even when dressed up for the red carpet Kristen is known for switching out of her designer pumps into her favourite Converse or Nike at the earliest opportunity. And when off duty the 23-year-old always wears trainers. At the premiere of Snow White And The Huntsmen in 2012, Kristen raised eyebrows when she teamed her sheer paneled black dress with a black and white pair of Nikes. And with Twilight's impressionable young fans following Kristen's every move, her tomboy look has spawned many a copycat. However the publicity-shy star has previously shied away from the limelight. She has taken on just two deals since finding fame - promoting Balenciaga perfume and Chanel clothing. But the Nike deal would expose her to a much larger audience, which Kristen is reportedly uncomfortable with. 'She’s terribly self-conscious about seeing her face on products,' the source told Radar.
is “tough love” — he’s actually “embarrassed” of the man that Justin has turned into, following his recent legal troubles. Following the video surfacing from March 6 of Justin storming out of his court deposition, it’s no surprise that people are starting to realize he may need to get in shape — and Usher is one of those people. Do you think Usher should sit Justin down to
talk to him? Yes, he needs to give him some tough love! No, he won't be able to help Justin. “Usher feels like the person that Justin has become is a complete embarrassment,” a source close to the singer told HollywoodLife.com exclusively. “Usher is certainly a mentor to Justin but he feels that Justin has gone off the rails and hasn’t listened to his advice. Usher is now taking things tot he
point that Justin has to live and learn. Tough love is the remedy he thinks Justin needs.” Usher, who has supported Justin ever since Scooter Braun discovered him at the age of 13, has other things to worry about and is having a hard time getting through to the “Confident” singer. “He can’t really reason with Justin over his actions,” the source added. “He has tried, but overall [he] has his own career to worry about. Usher makes money off of Justin, which is true, but Usher also has enough money that Justin isn’t his main focus either.” However, Justin needs someone to be focused on helping him! During the deposition, obtained by TMZ, Justin was very disrespectful, actually responding to one question with, “What is this, 60 Minutes?” and later, “Okay, Katie Couric, what’s your question again?”
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Sonakshi Sinha ends show with a bang at Lakme Fashion Week
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ctress Sonakshi Sinha walked the ramp for ace designer Manish Malhotra as he opened the Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014. Sonakshi made a graceful entry in a long floor-kissing sheer black kurta with stunning white embroidery to set the mood of the delicate ethereal collection. She was the third one to walk the ramp. Manish opened the Lakmé Fashion Week Sum-
mer/Resort 2014 season with a collection called 'A Summer Affair' last night. The fashion extravaganza begins from today and will go on till March 16. Tree trunks were curved elegantly along the ramp, clumps of blossoms and creepers flowed down from the ceiling. Manish showcased about 60 ensembles on the runway. The collection saw kurtas, summery skirts, slim pants,
pre-stitched saris and cholis, long gowns, high neck women's sherwanis, wide pleated palazzos, jackets, printed sherwanis, shirtkurtas, cotton and linen trousers. Staying true to his favourite navy blue and grey, Manish added shades of pink to the collection. The designer also allowed neutral beige, white and black to complete the colour spectrum.
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UAE, India to co-host IPL
Bangladesh to be on stand-by
MUMbaI, MarCH 12 (IaNS): The Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled April 16-June 1, will be co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India while Bangladesh has been kept as a stand-by due to the general elections, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced here Wednesday. A BCCI statement said that UAE will host 16 matches from April 16-30 and if matches are not possible in India during May 1-12 due to the elections, it would be held in Bangladesh. The remaining matches from May 13, including the play-offs and the final slated for June 1, will be held in India. "At least 16 matches will be held in the UAE. BCCI is very grateful to the Emirates Cricket Board, its chairman, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, and the government of the UAE for their offer of wholehearted support to host the Pepsi IPL for this period," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in the statement. Patel also said that if it was not possible to host the IPL at home during May 1-12 due to the elections then it would be shifted to Bangladesh during that period. "For the period from Thursday 1st May to Monday 12th May, BCCI has approached the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, seeking permission to play IPL matches in India in cities where the polling has concluded in the respective state. BCCI is extremely conscious of the various complexities involved, but hopes for a favourable consideration," Patel said in the statement. "BCCI will abide by the decision of the authorities in this regard. If it is not possible to play in India during this period, IPL matches will be held in Bangladesh and BCCI is thankful to the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the government of Bangladesh for their support," Patel added. The BCCI secretary said that after the last day of polling May 13, the remaining matches will be held in India. But no matches would be held on counting day May 16. "From Tuesday 13th May (once polling has concluded in all states), the remaining league matches plus the Playoffs will be played in India. There will be no matches scheduled on the counting day of Friday, 16th May. BCCI will take the advice of the authorities if any further restrictions are required around the counting day," he said.
Bayern oust Arsenal with a draw
Bayern's Mario Goetze, left, and Arsenal's Per Mertesacker challenge for the ball during the Champions League round of the last 16 second leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Arsenal FC in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday, March 11. 2014. (AP Photo)
MUNICH, MarCH 12 (aP): Club president Uli Hoeness' trial overshadowed a subdued performance as Bayern Munich drew 1-1 with Arsenal to reach the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 aggregate win from the round-of-16 on Tuesday.
With his trial for alleged tax evasion grabbing the headlines in Germany, Hoeness attended the game and was probably glad the spotlight left him, albeit temporarily. "Good luck to Bayern. They're a good side but this side is more vulnerable than last year's," Arse-
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nal midfielder would have been through on goal, and Dante will now miss Bayern's next match. Podolski forced a corner on another rare break. It was no trouble for the Bayern defense. The
former Bayern forward was later booked for kicking the ball away in frustration. Javi Martinez thought he scored with a flick on from the resultant free kick but it was ruled offside.
Arsenal was living on scraps. Oliver Giroud came closest with a header from a corner. Neuer caught it easily. The best chances fell to Arjen Robben at the other end.
Li sets up rematch with Cibulkova
ICC welcomes BCCI's decision to stage IPL matches in UAE
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) to stage the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League matches in the United Arab Emirates. "The BCCI`s decision to stage the first part of the IPL 2014 season in the UAE is great news for the people of the UAE and the region. It will complete a remarkable season of cricket in the UAE, which has already seen the successful staging of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 and the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2014," said Richardson in an ICC release. "This news comes on the back of the onfield success of the UAE national team which has qualified for both the ICC World Twenty20 2014 in Bangladesh and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand and has the potential to propel cricket`s profile to new heights in the country," he added.
nal coach Arsene Wenger said. Bayern captain Philipp Lahm acknowledged Hoeness' trial was in the players' minds. "Of course it's also an issue within the team," Lahm said. Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger finished coolly from
Franck Ribery's cross to put the defending champion in a commanding position in the 55th minute. Lukas Podolski responded within two minutes against his former side by dispossessing Philipp Lahm in the penalty area and smashing the ball past Manuel Neuer to the roof of the net from an acute angle. The goals breathed life into a game that Bayern mostly dominated. Nerves gripped the home side — perhaps as a result of the 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal at the same stage last season — but they didn't last long. "We played with a lot of intelligence," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. "We deserved to progress." Thomas Mueller had the chance to make it 2-1 after Arjen Robben went down under Laurent Koscielny's challenge, but Lukasz Fabianski saved his penalty on the line in injury time. "Progression was never in danger. The way (we did it) will be all the same tomorrow," Mueller said. In the night's other game, Diego Costa scored twice to lead Atletico Madrid to a 4-1 win over visiting AC Milan for a 5-1 aggregate victory. Atletico reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1997. Arsenal needed at least two goals but barely threatened in the first half. The home side enjoyed the lion's share of possession and worked quickly to recover the ball after losing it. "We played a very, very good first half," captain Lahm said. Dante earned a yellow card for taking down Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on a counterattack in the eighth. The Arse-
Li Na, of China, smiles after defeating Aleksandra Wozniak, of Canada, 6-1, 6-4 at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Tuesday, March 11 in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo)
INDIaN WELLS, MarCH 12 (aFP): Li Na needed 11 match points to put away Aleksandra Wozniak on Tuesday and book an Indian Wells clash with Dominika Cibulkova, the woman she beat in the Australian Open final. China's Li, the world number two and top seed in the $12 million combined ATP and WTA tournament, defeated Canada's Wozniak 6-1, 6-4 to secure her quarterfinal berth. She steamed through the opening set in 32 minutes, but needed another hour to finally wrap up the second set against a player whose ranking has tumbled to 241st as she was sidelined by injury. All 11 of Li's match
points came in the final game, with two break points for Wozniak mixed in. "Welcome to the crazy women's tennis tour," Li said. "The funny thing is, beginning of the game I was feeling tight, nervous, and then I was feeling like what's going on? Why can't I finish the match? "But she never gave up, she tried to defend every point. Yeah, it was a little bit tedious in the last game." Four of Li's nine double faults came in the final game, and she lost her cool briefly when a successful challenge of a line call brought not a point awarded -- on her third match point -- but a replay of the
point. "I was really angry, because I saw I won the point," she said. "But suddenly I heard 'Replay'. "I was like, 'Replay? What are you talking about?'" Li lost the replayed point and the game went to the first of 10 deuces. "At least I'm still in the tournament," Li said. "I still can smile." Cibulkova defeated eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-2, and Li said she wouldn't be taking anything for granted against the Slovak. "Last win (against her) doesn't mean anything because I see she played well here. For me it's always a tough match to play against her." Jelena Jankovic ended her skid against Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki to set up a quarterfinal meeting with second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. Jankovic, seeded seventh, defeated 10th-seeded Wozniacki 6-3, 6-1 in a battle of former world number ones. In a rematch of the 2010 final in the California desert won by Jankovic, the seventhseeded Serbian showed no signs of the back trouble that required several visits from the trainer during her thirdround victory over Magdalena Rybarikova on Sunday. "Yesterday I was a little bit scared," Jankovic said of the pain that began when she wrenched her back on a point early in the match against Rybarikova. "If I had to play yesterday, I probably wouldn't be able to go on court." Since her 2010 triumph here, Jankovic had dropped five straight decisions to Wozniacki. Radwanska advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over France's Alize Cornet. Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi, who shocked defending champion Maria Sharapova in the third round, couldn't maintain her momentum, falling 6-2, 6-1 to compatriot Flavia Pennetta. Sixthseeded Romanian Simona Halep reached the last eight with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory over rising Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard.
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