December 23rd, 2016

C M Y K

C M Y K

www.morungexpress.com

FriDAY • December 23 • 2016

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 352 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

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Christmas is about giving, and it all stems from the greatest gift the world has ever received - the gift of Jesus Christ C5 fills Mokokchung with the Christmas spirit

2016 - A year of transition from talk to action on climate change

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

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rajnath writes to cMs ‘Festivals are important for solidarity building’ of nagaland & Manipur Visiting professors draw similarity between the Sami and Naga people Vibi Yhokha

Belly ache? Told you not to eat too much roasted pork ribs with potato and yam mash and steak tacos in red wine and apple sauce. Saala!

PublIC NoTICE On account of the Christmas Holiday, The Morung Express will remain closed from December 23 to 26. The offices will reopen on December 27 and the next issue of The Morung Express will be available from December 28.

Thank you for your support and kind understanding.

Wishing you a

Merry Christmas The Morung Express

DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 22 (MExN): Union Home Minister, Rajanth Singh has written to Chief Ministers of Nagaland and Manipur states expressing concern at the “extremely distressing situation” caused by the continuous blockade of National Highway 2, which has caused acute shortage of essential and other goods in Manipur, and the “breakdown of law and order.”

In his letter to the Manipur CM, the Home Minister lamented that the Manipur state government has “failed to keep the NH 2 open” despite the GoI’s “repeated requests and making available central forces to assist local forces.

Reminding the CM that law and order falls under the state government, Singh said that the GoI can only assist the state government, in case such assistance is required and asked for. It added that the Ministry of Home Affairs has responded to the request for deployment of extra forces in Manipur by making 30 Coys available to the state government. He informed that when the state government moved two convoys along the NH 2 on December 2 and December 8, central forces assisted the movement of this convoy which enabled some essential supplies to reach Manipur.

However, the Home Minister lamented that since then, there has been no initiative from the state government to either ensure that NH 2 is kept open or that at least movement of convoy is made. This, he stated despite the availability of central forces, and officers of the MHA being in constant touch with the state officials, including visit by the Special Secretary (Internal Security)

on December 14 and 15. Singh also reminded that on December 19, a message was sent to the DG (Police) assuring the Manipur Government that the GoI is fully committed to support the state government in opening the national highway. This has been followed up by telephone calls, both by the SS (IS) and the concerned JS. However, the Home Minister stated that there has been no response or action by the state government.

The Home Minister urged the Manipur CM to ensure the supply of commodities to Manipur through NH 2, “rationally using the assistance of central forces as necessary.” “Maintaining law and order and essential supplies are constitutional obligations of the state government,” he reminded.

In a separate letter to the Nagaland State Chief Minister, the Union Home Minister apprised that due to the “blockage of NH2 by certain elements, movement of essential and other supplies to Manipur have been seriously and adversely affected, causing great distress to the people of Manipur.” The Government of India is trying to persuade the State Government to keep NH2 open, for which purpose Ministry of Home Affairs has provided additional forces to them, he added.

Singh also expressed concern that the Naga Students’ Federation has called for blockade of vehicles even in the portion of NH2 which passes through Nagaland.

The Home Minister asked the Nagaland CM to ensure that there is no disturbance of movement of vehicles going through Nagaland State, to enable supplies to pass safely through the State.

Kohima | December 22

There are quite a few similarities between the Sami and Naga people, particularly in nation building, sharing national/international border states, and practice of particular religious traditions.

In a brief interview with The Morung Express, Professor Siv Ellen Kraft of UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, and Greg Johnson, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Colorado Boulder, USA, (who were present at the Hutton Lectures 2016 Symposium, Kohima Institute) drew comparisons on the Sami people and Naga people, and further discourse on the lessons Nagas can take from the Sami people.

Well known for reindeer herding, the Sami are the indigenous people of northernmost Europe and inhabit four Scandinavian countries.

Greg Johnson pointed out that the focus on dance and songs, though different in style and emphasis on dress, different rituals are similar indicators.

Narrating a brief account of the Sami people, Prof. Kraft stated that the Sami coexisted with other Norwegian people for centuries up until the 1960s where there was hard suppression of the Samis under the Norwegian Government which tried to take away the Sami culture, religion, traditions, and make them ordinary Norwegians.

“Since then there has been revitalization movements of nationhood building, teaching their language again, learning the traditions and traditional religious forms has become strong and also with other indigenous people around the world,” said Prof. Kraft. She also informed that there is a group called Sami Naga-

‘Naga women are ready for election not nomination’

DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 22 (MExN): A consultative meeting between the Naga Hoho and the ENPO with the Naga Mothers Association and the Joint Action Committee on Women’s Reservation (JACWR) was held in Kohima to discuss the issue of municipal elections and women reservation.

A press note from the JACWR informed that thirty eight women leaders representing different tribe women organisations attended the meeting.

The NMA and JACWR while thanking the apex Naga Hoho and ENPO leaders for the invitation to a meeting, categorically made their position very clear that Naga women were ready for election and not nomination and that there was no question of withdrawing the case till the election dates are announced by the State Government.

In the second meeting held on December 19, between the NMA, JACWR and the various tribe Hoho

leaders hosted by the Angami Public Organization, the Tribe Hoho Presidents again appealed women to consider nomination and not election and for withdrawal of the case. This meeting was attended by around forty women leaders of the different tribe women organisations from the NMA, ENWO and the JACWR. The women leaders shared the history of the struggle for the women's right to reservation as per the Nagaland Municipal First Amendment Act and

the importance of the Government decision to hold the elections with reservation for women.

It was conveyed with regret to the tribe Hohos in the meeting that the decision of Naga women will stand and that they will go for election not nomination. With the election dates announced, JACWR said that the purpose of going to the court for appealing to hold municipal election and women reservation will be fulfilled, by its implementation.

Youth beaten up for purportedly supporting NBCC clean election Morung Express News Phek | December 22

A youth from Phek Village was physically assaulted by some members of its village youth organization for voicing support to the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) Clean Election Campaign.

In a belated report received here, the youth identified as Khochiyi, hailing from Phek Village was allegedly assaulted by the Phek Village Youth Organization (PVYO) on the allegation of propagating the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) Clean Election Campaign guidelines at Phek Village.

The victim disclosed that he was summoned by the PVYO on December 19, 2016 at their office around 4:30 to 5:00 pm and was trashed black and blue after blindfolding him. He was also verbally abused.

After the physical and mental torture, the victim was told not to spread word about the incident.

Khochiyi said the PVYO were incensed that he was asking people’s

— Monica Johnson

Ashwin named ICC Cricketer of the Year

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opinion from the village and obtaining their voluntary signatures of those who were in favour of the Clean Election movement by upholding the NBCC guidelines.

Maintaining that it was unfair to impose a political resolution to support one particular candidate for three consecutive terms (since 2003 till date), Khochiyi alleged that those who voiced out against such undemocratic decisions were threatened, manhandled and harassed.

“I was impressed by the NBCC guidelines on clean election campaign and wanted to get the opinion of the villagers whether they support the democratic means of electoral voting or this ugly culture of imposing a particular candidate on every individual,” Khochiyi said.

It may be recalled that the Phek Village Council had only recently announced their resolution to support a particular candidate in a section of the local dailies. Further sources from the victim’s

family informed that prior to the incident, the victim was also warned to submit the list of the signatures to the youth organization.

PVYO president when contacted admitted that a youth was “punished” for going against the resolution of the village council.

However, the youth organization president claimed that the said victim was not punished for supporting the NBCC election campaign but because of other motives.

The motive behind the physical harassment meted out to the victim was not elaborated.

Greg Johnson (L) and Siv Ellen Kraft (R)

land that goes back to the 1980s which was initiated after a Sami artist visited Nagaland.

Greg Johnson stated that the Sami really emphasize on University level education for their own people by establishing tribal colleges and developing college university system which has been a strong movement among the Samis.

While Nagaland has the Article 371 (A), Johnson noted that the Samis have their own parliament system called the Sami Parliament where they have a strong voice for sovereignty but within the Norwegian state. The Sami Parliament is the representative body of the Sami people where they assert issues relating to their traditions, culture, education, lands, environment and traditional professions as well as economic activities.

“They have not claimed for full sovereignty but they have been really strong at organizational building,” said Prof. Kraft.

A vital lesson is the Sami’s strong stance on environmental issues. With similar challenges facing most indigenous people across the globe on land acquisition and alienation by dominant groups and companies, and environmental destruction on the pretext of development, the Samis too are battling environmental concerns.

The Sami people have similar festivals like the Hornbill Festival, highlighted Prof.

Kraft, but in a larger and significant way where young performers not only have an arena to meet other indigenous people from other countries, but to perform their cultural dances and songs and having these performances recognized by others.

Prof. Kraft believes that these are quite important for solidarity building and positive thinking of one’s culture.

Decades ago, there was a lot of shame among the Sami people about their culture, most of these being tactics of the government to suppress the people.

Prof. Kraft pointed out that for a long time Sami people viewed their culture as of lesser value than the Norwegian culture, that they were uncivilized. “The elders grew up feeling shameful about their identity. They tried to hide it. Many stopped using the traditional Sami language and hid it from their children. They thought that their indigenous identity was kind of a stigma that cannot easily fit with modernity,” claimed Prof. Kraft.

However in recent years, activities such as festivals have enabled the younger generation to feel proud about their culture, their traditions, and heritage.

“The question is,” according to Greg Johnson, “How within the State of India can the Nagas exert their strongest voice, take the culture in the most robust way, and keep their environment strong?”

Like the Nagas spread across two countries and several states, the Sami people too inhabit four countries, namely, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia with majority of the population residing in Norway. However in recent years, the Sami people have at least been able to recreate their nationhood peacefully within the structures of the four countries.

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FriDAY 23•12•2016

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The tradition of putting up Christmas decorating is one of the most awaited occasions every year. In many places in Nagaland, there is an increase in creating DIY or handmade decorations using indigenous material especially in places where competitions are hosted by churches, youth organisations or other such groups. Besides putting up the customary tree, decorating the house with lights and the star, Christmas decoration has gone out to the outdoor lane and road side, displaying more renovation and creativity. Here are some pictures of distinguished Christmas decorations shared by different people in the social media site. (Photo source: Facebook)

Kutsapo Students’ Union ‘We don’t need tall pillars, we need youth hall’ 48th session conducted Happy Club inquires on construction of youth hall in Tobu Town Our Correspondent

Kutsapo | December 22

Kutsapo Students’ Union (KSU) president Dr. Nutazo Lohe today said that every human being aspires to become a successful person in their respective field of profession or occupation where one is conditioned to live. However, the practical reality to realize that aspiration has its own price tag on it and comes not without price and one cannot privileged success upon others without personally achieving it and success is one such virtue that cannot be reasoned or bargain with, in the absence of skills set of hard work and will power.

He said this in his presidential address at the 48th session of KSU at Kutsapo village in Phek district. Kutsapo is the first VDB village in Nagaland. He said one has to be really efficient enough in their respective assigned profession and occupation to be accountable in today’s fast and competitive world.

Also stating that technology has completely re-

Kutsapo Students’ Union, president Dr. Nutazo Lohe addressing the 48th session of KSU on December 22. (Morung Photo)

oriented our lifestyle for both good and bad reasons, he said, “We cannot stop the progress and advancement of these technologies, yet we can always prioritize our assignments and purpose while we are still students and not let all these advance technologies handicap or overcome our skills and capabilities, including breaching our social life and relationship.”

Referring to annual session of KSU, he said, “This is the time where we come together to celebrate and at the same time review our

yearly academic work in progress with one another; A time also to retrospect and rectify our failures and mistakes, if there are any.”

He also highlighted some of the KSU members who brought laurel during 2016. It includes Dozohu Rhakho son of Zashepra Rhakho who came out in top 3 in the last BA degree examination 2016 conducted by Nagaland University, Kukhrunehu Sapuh son of Zachizo Sapuh who scored the highest mark in the subject of Geography in the last HSSLC Examination 2016, Chothayi Rhakho son of Vezoi Rhakho who had cleared CAT examination and graduated from Indian Institute of Management (IIM)Tiruchirapalli and got placement in Aditya Birla Group's, Tsuzolu Rhakho daughter of K.Shevotso Rhakho Std. VI student from Living Stone Foundation Higher Secondary School Dimapur who recently won 2nd position in National Level Painting Competition on Energy Conservation held in New Delhi by Ministry of Power Govt. of India.

M o n, D e c e M b e r 22 (Mexn): The Happy Club, Tobu Town has expressed dismay over the fact that the construction of youth hall in Tobu Town which was allotted “for the year 2011-12 has been left abandoned with only the pillars.”

The Happy Club in a press release issued by its President, H. Moba and General Secretary, Obey Benjamin said, “What we need is youth hall, but what we see is only the tall pillars for years and years. We don’t need tall pillars, we need youth hall.”

While asking whether the politicians, contractor, NGOs or common

people is to be blamed for the incomplete project, the Club added that every year the youth have been hoping and expecting to see the completion but the construction have been dumped, costing the youth with very less privilege to conduct or carry out any social activities.

Further, the Club added that the youth of Tobu Town wanted to know whether the “allotted budget has been misused or is still about to reach Tobu.”

The Happy Club, requests the contractor concerned to finish the construction at the earliest for the welfare of all.

Members of Happy Club put up banner demanding for completion of the youth hall in Tobu Town.

Rajeshwari Karuna School annual function held

Medical camp at Mongchen Village Students of Rajeshwari Karuna School, Tuli participates in the annual function held on December 16.

Tuli, DeceMber 22 (Mexn): Rajeshwari Karuna School, Tuli celebrated its annual function on December 16 with the theme “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream coat.” The programme was initiated by all the staff of Rajeshwari Karuna School.

Rev. Temshi, Tzudikong said the invocation for the programme. The students enthralled the gathering with dance, fashion show, folk songs, instrumental music etc. the main item of the evening was the musical play " Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream coat

performed by the residential students of Rajeshwari Karuna School , a wonderful play about the life story of Joseph and his brothers. The programme was attended by all the parents of R.K.S students along with other invitees. A special dinner was hosted after the function.

H&FW directorate celebrates advance Christmas kohiMa, DeceMber 22 (Mexn): The Directorate of Health & Family Welfare celebrated advance Christmas on December 20 at the Directorate in Kohima.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. L. Watikala, Principal Director, H&FW in her Christmas greetings said that God sent his son Jesus to this world with a purpose - “to save mankind.” She reminded the department that every individual was born in this world with a purpose and responsibility. She asked the gathering how far one realize that very purpose and urged the officers and staff to be more sincere in their duties.

Dr. Rose Chakhesang in his Christmas message urged “to let Jesus be born in our hearts during this Christmas regardless of positions and status and let Jesus be the centre of our lives every day.”

The programme was chaired by Dr. Bendangla, Joint Director, RCH, scripture reading and invocation was done by CH Henia, Joint Director, Nursing. Christmas special numbers were presented by officers and staff of NHM and Benthungo Humtsoe, NSACS respectively.

Benediction was made by Dr. Sao Tunyi This was stated in a press release issued by IEC Bureau, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Kohima.

‘Only alert consumers can protect themselves’ NVCO creates more awareness on National Consumer Day

People availing the medical camp conducted in Mongchen Village in collaboration with medical fraternity of Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, Mokokchung on December 21.

Mokokchung, DeceMber 22 (Mexn): A medical camp was conducted in Mongchen Village in collaboration with medical fraternity of Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, Mokokchung on December 21.

A press release informed that the camp was organized as part of advent

Christmas celebration during which a total of 275 patients including those from neighboring villages were provided with free treatment and medicines.

The medical team during the camp included Dr Medem (M.S. IMDH) Dr Atemla (Gyne & Obs), Dr. Mar (Ortho), Dr Theja

(ENT) Dr Rongsenlemba Jamir (Med.), Dr Keris (Anesth.), Dr Nikenlemla Imchen (Dental), Dr Obed, Yanger (Optha Asst,) Mayang (Pharmacist), Akangkokla (ANM), Tiamenla (ANM), Sashinaro (ANM), Purkumla (ANM), Temjenjingla (Pharmacist) and Tialemla (ANM).

kohiMa, DeceMber 22 (Mexn): Every year December 24 is observed as National Consumer Day and it provides an opportunity for highlighting the importance of the consumer movement and the need to make the consumer more aware of their rights and responsibilities, particularly in the rural areas.

Highlighting the significance of National Consumer Day, Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation Press & Media cell stated in a press release that on December 24, 1986, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 received assent of the President of India.

NVCO, president Kezhokhoto Savi stated that the responsibility

rests with all and more particularly with the government agencies and the state government to play a vital role for promoting welfare of consumers and protection of their rights.

Making an appeal to remain alert while buying goods and availing services, NVCO assured the consumers that it will continually fight for the interest of consumers and it is all set to reach out the rights of the consumers to every nook and corner in the state.

NVCO informed that Consumer Disputes Redressal Agencies, popularly known as Consumer Forums are set up under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 as District, State and National level to

provide simple and inexpensive quick redressal against consumer complaints.

A consumer can file complaint in the consumer forum against any defective goods purchased or deficient service rendered including restrictive/unfair trade practices adopted by any trader/person. Normally, a complaint is filed within two years from the date on which cause of action arose. The consumer forum/commission has the power to order removal/replacement of defect/deficiencies in goods and services, refund of price paid, compensation for loss/ injury suffered, discontinuation of unfair/restrictive trade practices,

and withdrawal of hazardous or unsafe goods or award adequate cost to parties etc.

NVCO encouraged consumers not to hesitate to approach the Consumer Forum or State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to assert their rights, whenever necessary. “Only alert consumers can protect themselves and the society from the exploitation of trade and industry.

Remember, your own welfare now remain in your own hands,” the media cell added.

While observing the National Consumer Day, the NVCO also wishes every citizen a blessed Christmas.

FRIday 23•12•2016

NORTH-EAST 3

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

ZUF urges Manipur govt to end imbroglio of election,” the ZUF maintained that the State Government must immediately find out a mechanism to bring an amicable solution to end the sufferings of the innocent public.

Taking cognizance of the hardships being faced by the people of the state due to the indefinite economic blockade called by the United Naga Council (UNC) and the counter blockade by some valley based groups, ZUF also appealed to the leaders of UNC to bring about understanding with the Government of Manipur and the Government of India at the earliest.

The Front also earnestly appealed to the public to remain calm and stop spreading rumours which may further vitiate the already tense situation.

Insisting that the pres-

ent turmoil is because of the “misrule” of the Congress Government in Manipur, the ZUF ridiculed the creation of new districts as a move to gain “political mileage”.

“Such power and hungry attitude”, the Front maintained, “has not only invited sufferings to the people but also created communal disharmony between different communities of the State.”

ZUF appealed the public to know the genesis of the present crisis and pressurize the State Government to bring immediate

Christmas

solution to the prevailing situation.

Further, the Front demanded the State Government to produce a “White Paper” on the boundary of the new districts reiterating that “not an inch of Zeliangrong traditional land should be included in the new districts of Kangpokpi and Jiribam.”

“If the interest of Zeliangrong people is not taken into account, the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) will take up all necessary measures to defend our rights at any cost,” the ZUF statement warned.

9aM – 5PM

Dimapur, Nagaland Ph.: 03862-229370/9862008081

DIRECTORATE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION NAGALAND: KOHIMA

NO.ED/MNE/REG-1/2015 Dated Kohima 21st Dec 2016

PRESS RELEASE

It is hereby notified to all concerned DEOs and SDEOs to submit 'Identification Proof' of teachers who will be facing written suitability test tentatively in the month of January 2017 for service regularization (i.e. 3 years of adhoc service as on 31.03.2015).

This format should be submitted to the Directorate on or before 10th January 2017.

Identification Proof format; 1. Name of the candidate 2. Name of Father/Husband 3. Date of Birth 4. Date of appointment 5. Present posting 6. Designation 7. Aadhar No Mobile No 8. Two passport dully attested by DEOs/SDEOs.

Government of India Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Regional Office Guwahati (An ISO9001:2008 Certified Ministry)

House No. 7, 2nd Floor, Rajgarh Road; Chandmari, Guwahati-781003, Ph: (0361)2525943, Fax: (0361)2464169, E-mail- roghy2015@gmail.com

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MORT&H) Govt. of India invites Bids for the National Highways works to be implemented through PWD (NH works),Nagaland in EPC mode as mentioned below: Sl. No. 1.

NOTICE

Out Patient Department (OPD) will remain closed on the 24th & 25th of December 2016 and also on 31st December 2016 and 1st January 2017 in view of the festive season.

Emergency services will remain open 24 hours.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

From Eden Management

Date: 19-12-16

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND

BIBLES – BOOKS – MUSIC - GIFTS

BOOK FAIR Venue: O.M. Books 12 – 24 City Tower Junction, Circular Road December 2016

AFFIDAVIT

I, JC-123176M NB Subedar Laxman Singh, Son of Lt. Udai Singh(Palyal), permanent resident of 15 A, Padampur Padlia, Lamachaur, Nainital, Uttarakhand, presently at Assam Rifles Transit Camp, Dimapur, Nagaland do hereby swear on oath and declare as follows: 1. That I am presently serving under 12 Assam Rifles, as NB Subedar.

2. That my surname is ‘Palyal’ and in some of my documents my name has been recorded as Laxman Singh Palyal. 3. That while joining my service, I have not put my surname ‘Palyal’ in my service record which I am keen to insert now in my service record in Assam Rifles. 4. That JC-123176M NB Subedar Laxman Singh and Laxman Singh Palyal, is the same and single person.

Deponent Solemnly sworn before me by the deponent.

Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dimapur: Nagaland

Name of Work

Packapprox. age No. value of work (Rs. in lakh) Improvement of 2 Black spot loca- CE/ tions (NL-001 & NL- 002) falling NWRS/ within Km 160.62 to km 160.85 of 201613.39 NH 36 in the state of Nagaland.

17/18 (Job No. 36-NL-2016-17RSCE-018)

Note:1. The Bidders must be registered in the e-tendering portal of MoRT&H "https://morth.eproc.in" for participating in the bidding process. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their ETS registration is valid (i.e. not expired) through the life cycle of the tender. The ETS registration is open to all registered contractors of PWD (NH), Nagaland. Contractors not registered with Nagaland PWD (NH), may obtain permission from the Chief Engineer, PWD (NH), Nagaland to register on the-ETS. 2. Value of work is approximate and may differ in the Detail Bid Document for which no claim will be entertained.

3. Corrigendum/addendum, if any, will be published only in the above website.

4. For any other details and clarifications, bidders may see the official website of the Ministry "https://morth.eproc.in" and may also contact the authority mentioned below during office hours.

Chief Engineer PWD (NaTIONaL HIGHWaYS) Sd/- (Samiran Saha), Executive Engineer for Regional Officer (Civil), Guwahati NPWD Complex, Kohima: Nagaland M/o Road Transport & Highways Email: cenhnagaland@gmail.com

Davp: 37109/11/0068/1617

Imphal, December 22 (mexN): The Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) has urged the Government of Manipur to bring an “immediate solution” to end the ongoing imbroglio in the state.

“The grave economic crises and the communal polarization being witnessed in the state cannot be taken for granted by the Government,” the ZUF stated in a press release. “The state government must admit its failure in all the policies taken so far. All these chaotic prevailing situations have clearly manifested that it cannot maintain law and order in the state,” it added.

Arguing that the communal flare up in the State is due to the “immature decision” of the Congress Government to create 7 new districts “on the eve

Regd. No: 1709/16

IMPUR CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL Impur-798615, Nagaland

No. ICH/BOT-1/2016

Dated: Impur the 15th December, 2016

ADVERTISEMENT

Applications are invited for undergoing the following courses at the Impur Christian Hospital under the following terms and condition: 1. Name of course Period Course fee a. Bedside Assistant: 10 months Rs. 6000/b. Community Health Care: 5 months Rs. 4000/2. Educational qualification: Class 8 passed (Relaxable for sponsored candidate) 3. Age: 14-25 years, Female and unmarried.

4. Course will begin from 1st February 2017.

5. These are residential courses. Free accommodation will be provided by the Hospital 6. Preference will be given to the sponsored candidates. Interested candidate are requested to apply to the Medical Superintendent, Impur Christian Hospital with complete particulars.

Last date to receive application will be 20th January 2017

Chairman, Board of Trustee Impur Christian Hospital

(WONTHUNGO TSOPOE) addl. Director (HOD)

4

friDAY 23•12•2016

business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Apple, Nokia again sue RBI’s latest figures: The math still doesn’t add up each other over patents New Delhi, December 22 (iANS): Despite much criticism, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has failed to give a credible account of the new notes supplied to the public.

In its latest press release on Wednesday, the RBI said it had sent out for distribution to the public 22.6 billion notes of various denomination worth Rs 5.93 lakh crore.

But the break-up given, taken with its earlier statements, shows that the RBI’s latest update is a mathematical impossibility.

Indeed, the gap between what the apex bank claims it has disbursed and what, according to its own earlier numbers, it could possibly have disbursed, has now grown to over Rs 66,000 crore.

This is assuming that 10 per cent of the high denomination notes distributed are of Rs 500 variety. But even if we assume the highly unlikely scenario that all the notes supplied by the RBI were of Rs 2,000 denomination, the math does not add up -- the shortfall would be around Rs 34,000 crore.

Despite attempts to seek clar-

ity, the RBI has not responded to IANS’ queries.

On December 7, during the monetary policy press conference, the Deputy Governor of RBI, R. Gandhi, informed the media that a total of Rs 4 trillion or Rs 4 lakh crore had been disbursed to the public in new currency notes till the day before.

Of this amount, Rs 1.06 lakh crore in value or 19.1 billion pieces were in smaller denomination currency notes while the rest -Rs 2.94 lakh crore -- was by way of high-denomination notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500.

On December 12, the RBI Deputy Governor told reporters that 21.8 billion pieces of notes were issued to the public till December 10, worth Rs 4.61 trillion or Rs 4.61 lakh crore. The next day, an RBI release on the deputy governor’s statement said that 20.1 billion pieces of small notes from Rs 10 to Rs 100 were circulated, while the higher denomination notes amounted to 1.7 billion (or 170 crore) pieces.

An earlier IANS report showed, as below, that the RBI math did not add up.

According to the RBI, the increase in small notes between December 6 and December 10 was only one billion pieces (from 19.1 billion to 20.1 billion). Even if all the small notes printed were of Rs 100 denomination, it takes the value of small notes to Rs 1.16 lakh crore (from Rs 1.06 lakh crore) leaving Rs 3.45 lakh crore to be covered by high denomination notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500.

Assuming that only 10 per cent of the total 1.7 billion high denomination notes (170 million or 17 crore) were in Rs 500 notes, its total value (17 crore x 500) amounts to Rs 8,500 crore. Rest of the 90 per cent (1.53 billion or 153 crore) of Rs 2,000 notes amounts to (153 crore x 2,000) Rs 3.06 lakh crore The value of these two high denomination notes amount to Rs 3.14 lakh crore.

That leaves a gap of Rs 31,000 crore to be covered, which finds no explanation in any of the RBI’s statements.

Now let’s look at the latest RBI statement on December 21.

In this, the RBI says that 22.6 billion currency notes worth Rs 5.93 lakh crore were issued to the

Kawasaki KX100 and KX250F launched in India New Delhi, December 22 (NDTV AuTo): Dirt bikes are a rarity in India.

But manufacturers are opening up and exploring this untouched segment of sorts.

Kawasaki is one of the very few manufacturers who have officially launched offroad ready dirt bikes in India. The Kawasaki KX100 and the KX250F were recently launched across the country at a price of Rs 4.68 lakh and Rs 7.14 lakh respectively.

The prices are ex-showroom, Delhi and are exempt from road and registration taxes as they are not road-legal. Therefore, riding these dirt bikes will be restricted to off-road trails and tracks only.

Kawasaki KX100 The Kawasaki KX100 is a mini-motocross bike which gets a 99cc 2-stroke (Yes! These

FiRe StatiOnS

KoHIMA soUtH: 0370-2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) KoHIMA nortH: 7085924114 (O) dIMAPUr: 03862-232201/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC) CHUMUKedIMA: 7085982102 (O) 8732810051 (OC) woKHA: 03860-242215/101 (O) 8974322879 (OC) MoKoKCHUnG: 0369-2226225/ 101 (O) 8415830232 (OC) PHeK: 8414853765 (O) 8413822476(OC) ZUnHeBoto: 03867-280304/ 101 (O) 9436422730 (OC) tUensAnG: 8414853766 (O) 9856163601 (OC) Mon: 03869-251222/ 101 (O) 9862130954 (OC) Kiphire: 8414853767 (O) 9436261577 (OC) Peren: 7085189932 (O) 9856311205 (OC) LonGLenG: 7085924113 (O) 9862414264 (OC)

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232224 229529 229474 MH Hospital 227930 231081 Faith Hospital 228846 shamrock Hospital 228254 Zion Hospital 231864 224117 227337 Police Control room 228400 Police Traffic Control 232106 east Police station 227607 west Police station 232181 CIHsr (referral Hospital) 242555 242533 dimapur Hospital 224041 248011 Apollo Hospital Info Centre 230695/ 9402435652 railway 131/228404 Airport 229366 Indian Airlines 242441 225212 Chumukedima Fire Brigade 282777 nikos Hospital and 232032, research Centre 231031 nagaland Multispecialty Health & research Centre

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Nusli Wadia removed as Tata Steel director

New Delhi, December 22 (PTi): Tata Steel on Thursday said its independent director Nusli Wadia has been removed from the company’s board, with 90.8 % of shareholders present at yesterday’s EGM voting in favour of his ouster.

In a regulatory filing, the company said out of its total shares of 97.12 crore, 62.54 crore votes were polled, which translate into 64.4 %.

“Total vote in favour of the resolution was 56.79 crore, i.e. 90.80 %, and total vote against the motion was 5.75 crore, i.e. 9.20 %,” it said.

“The motion (was) carried in favour of the resolution with overwhelming majority way beyond a special resolution hurdle of 75 %, even though this motion was an ordinary resolution requiring simple majority,” the company added.

The promoter and promoter firms held 30.45 crore shares in the company, of which 29.59 crore voted.

It further said the totaHaMZaM (formerly senapati) Police station Fire Brigade

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tal number of votes polled by non-promoter shareholders was 32.95 crore, of which 27.20 crore, that is 82.5 %, was in favour of the resolution.

The total number of votes polled against the proposal was 5.75 crore, accounting for 17.5 % of nonpromoters.

The company claimed that even if the promoter votes were excluded, the voting result showed an overwhelming majority (3/4th) in favour of the resolution.

Institutional investors held a total of 42.64 crore shares out of which 31.99 crore, which is 75 %, were polled.

As much as 26.39 crore of institutional shares, which is 82.5 %, voted in favour of Wadia’s removal, Tata Steel said. The share of institutional shares which polled against the resolution was 5.60 crore, that is 17.5 %.

As for retail shareholders, the company said that out of a total of 24.02 crore shares, 96.14 lakh voted, with 81.21 lakh (84.4 %) in

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high denomination notes (220 million or 22 crore) were in Rs 500 notes. It’s total value (22 crore x 500) amounts to Rs 11,000 crore.

Rest of the 90 per cent (1.98 billion or 198 crore) of Rs 2,000 notes amounts to (198 crore x 2,000) Rs 3.96 lakh crore.

The two high denomination notes together amount to Rs 4.07 lakh crore (Rs 3.96 lakh crore + Rs 11,000 crore), leaving a gap of Rs 66,713 crore.

How does the RBI explain this continuing discrepancy?

The ten per cent assumption is not without basis. In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Finance, Arjun Ram Meghwal, said that till November 29, 156 million pieces (15.6 crore) of Rs 500 and 1,608 million pieces (160.8 crore) of Rs 2,000 had been supplied. The Rs 500 notes amount to about 8.85 per cent of the higher denomination notes.

The Parliament reply is the only place where the government has given a break up of the high denomination notes supplied. The RBI has never given this break up -- and that’s where the problem lies.

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BSNL, Datamail partner to offer free email addresses in 8 Indian languages New Delhi, December 22 (PTi): State-run telecom firm BSNL has partnered with Jaipur-based Datamail for providing email addresses in 8 Indian languages.

Following the ‘Digital India’ dream of the government, BSNL has offered free e-mail address service in eight Indian languages to its broadband users by launching a ‘Datamail’ service. Now BSNL broadband users will be able to open an email address in Datamail service in their own language.

“Providing the linguistic email address is one of its kind initiative in the world to achieve our Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India. It’s now possible in every part of India to have an email address in their own language and communicate in preferred language,” BSNL Managing Director Anupam Shrivastav said in a statement.

The email service will be available through mobile application. BSNL broadband customers can use Datamail app which is free to be downloaded from any Android or iOS system through their respective play store.

“The linguistic email service offered by BSNL will have DataOne.Bharat domain (in Hindi or Devanagari script) and email address will be offered in 8 regional languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Marathi,” BSNL Director for Consumer Fixed Access services N K Gupta said.

Few months back, the government had launched .Bharat (in Hindi script) domain in Indian languages to increase the reach of Internet users by providing domain names in their own language so as to cover over 70 percent of the country’s population living in the rural and remote areas.

“Our fully ‘Made in India’ software product enabling Datamail service is a revolution in the world as many countries are waiting to inject the linguistic email address to empower the non-English speakers of the world. We are happy to contribute to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India dream by partnering with BSNL,” Ajay Data, Founder and CEO of Data XGen said.

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favour and 15 lakh (15.6 %) against.

“Both institutional and retail voted on a similar pattern with significant majority well beyond the 3/4th majority mark in all categories,” the company said.

Wadia had stayed away from yesterday’s EGM, saying it was stage-managed.

Last week, he filed a Rs 3,000-crore defamation suit against Ratan Tata, Tata Sons and some of its directors. He flied the case in the Bombay High Court following the move by Tata Sons to remove him from the board of the three companies.

Wadia had denied allegations by Tata Sons that he was acting in concert with ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry. Besides, he has refuted claims that he was “galvanising” independent directors and mobilising opinion, forcing disruptions and issuing statements” which were contrary to the interest of the companies as “totally baseless and completely unsubstantiated”.

New York, December 22 (iANS): Five years after Apple and Nokia settled a lawsuit, the tech giants have again locked horns over patents with Apple filing an antitrust lawsuit against third-party companies Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs) that act on Nokia’s behalf, and the Finland-based firm suing Apple directly.

Nokia on Wednesday filed a suit directly against Apple in Europe and the US, claiming the company is still infringing on Nokia patents. The lawsuit covers 32 patents, including display, user interface, software and videocoding technology. Nokia said that since settling that initial case, Apple has “declined subsequent offers made by Nokia to license other [parts] of its patented inventions, which are used by many Apple products.”

In its lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Apple argued that Nokia already has agreements to license its patents for fair and reasonable terms, also known as “FRAND”. “But Nokia is transferring these patents to PAEs in order to aggressively pursue money,” a report in The Verge said on Thursday. Apple said that this should not be allowed because it is “anticompetitive and abusive” to the Cupertino-based company and other technology firms.

Apple is behind the PAEs that Nokia has partnered with to pursue additional patent money. According to Apple, these companies, which include Acacia Research and Conversant Property Management, are “conspiring with Nokia in a scheme to diffuse and abuse and, as the PAEs and Nokia fully intended, monetise those false promises by extracting exorbitant non-FRAND royalties in way Nokia could not.” “PAEs have reportedly sued Apple at least 12 times based off former Nokia patents. Acacia has sued Apple more than 40 times based off patents from Nokia and other companies,” the report said.

CROSSWORD # 3812

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Kawasaki KX250 On the other hand, the Kawasaki KX250F gets a bigger 249cc single-cylinder engine which is liquid-cooled. The highlight is the launch control, which ensures that you get the perfect start in a race situation or even just for kicks. The bike is built around an aluminium perimeter frame and weighs in at 107 kg. At the front end, it is fitted with Showa SFF forks and a Showa monoshock at the rear. The travel is 310mm at both ends. The ground clearance on the bike is a massive 330mm.

Both these bikes will be brought to India as CBUs. Time to get dirty, then!

DiMaPUR

W AdIPose

still exist!) Single-cylinder engine which is liquid-cooled and features Kawasaki’s integrated power valve system (KIPS) which can change the exhaust port open times and the ignition timing as well, so as to offer a broader powerband. It also gets 36 mm inverted forks at the front which has 275mm of travel and can be adjusted for compression while at the rear, it gets a Uni-Trak monoshock, again fully adjustable and having 275mm of travel. The bike weighs in at barely 77kg.

public by December 19. Of this, small notes upto Rs 100 denomination were 20.4 billion pieces (2,040 crore pieces) and the rest, 2.2 billion pieces (220 crore pieces) were of higher denomination of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500.

Let’s do the calculation based on this claim.

The RBI had said earlier that

by December 10, the smaller notes upto Rs 100 in circulation were 20.1 billion. The latest statement thus adds just 0.3 billion (30 crore pieces) to the smaller notes in nine days, till December 19. For the higher denomination of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500, the total notes go up from 1.7 billion pieces to 2.2 billion pieces, thus adding 0.5 billion pieces (50 crore pieces).

Even if all the small notes supplied after December 10 were of Rs 100 denomination, it takes the value of small notes to Rs 1.19 lakh crore on December 19 (up from Rs 1.16 lakh crore on December 10) leaving Rs 4.74 lakh crore to be covered by high denomination notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500.

Let us again assume that only 10 per cent of the total 2.2 billion

SUDOKU

Simple Rules - Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Game Number # 3807

Answer Number # 3806

ACROSS 1. A single time 5. Anagram of “Cabs” 9. Timbuktu country 13. Space 14. To deceive or cheat 16. Chilled 17. Masterstroke 18. Young people 19. Heavy cart 20. Try 22. Staircase 24. Blockhead 26. Boredom 27. Cleaning device 30. A strikingly beautiful woman 33. Rabbit keeper 35. Jeans material 37. “Eureka!”

38. Oodles 41. South southeast 42. Italian for “Mouth” 45. Wood engravings 48. Not these or those 51. Feed 52. Angry 54. Brag 55. Partial sums 59. Anagram of “Space” 62. Gait faster than a walk 63. French for “Storehouse” 65. Wild goat 66. Leer at 67. Indian instrument 68. A flat mass of ice 69. Don 70. Formally surrender 71. Cravings DOWN 1. Killer whale 2. Midday 3. Neutralize 4. Authorize 5. Timid

6. Murmurs 7. Critical 8. A flammable gas 9. She delivers babies 10. Unit of land 11. Loyal (archaic) 12. Bucolic 15. Lustrous 21. Cry of pain 23. Regretted 25. 10 10 10 10 27. Q-Tip 28. “Yippee!”

29. Record (abbrev.)

31. Unfit 32. Enumerates 34. Uncooked 36. Netting 39. Put clothing on 40. Lampblack 43. Chirp 44. Relating to aircraft 46. Twosomes 47. Treat cruelly 49. Charges per unit 50. Interference 53. Gladden 55. Put away 56. Desire 57. South American weapon 58. WW1 plane 60. Hireling 61. X X X X 64. Before, poetically Answer to Crossword 3811

friday 23•12•2016

NAGALAND

Charter that ferried 3.5 cr minimize chief guest culture: Azo old notes to Dmp grounded New Delhi, December 22 (busiNess staNDarD): Air Car Airline, a private charter has been grounded for allegedly allowing a passenger to carry Rs 3.5 crore in old notes from Haryana's Hisar to Dimapur in Nagaland on 22 November, said a Times of India report.

According to the report, the airline had got the clearance from the Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation (HICA).

The charter company, despite being aware of the government's effort to crack down on black money, failed to report the passenger to the air traffic control (ATC) in Dimapur, for which the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)

has cancelled its "security programme", Times of India reported.

No charter plane can fly without clearance of 'security programme' from the BCAS. According to the airline, the pilot was unaware of the currency amount being carried. The passenger allegedly provided the pilot I-T declarations and personal declarations that the money was tax paid/ exempted and they were to deposit it in their bank at Dimapur, reported Times of India.

The airline defended its stand stating "we have no authority to question a person's belongings as long as they do not compromise aircraft safety".

Air Car has three planes in its fleet — a Cessna Citation XL, a Piaggio Avanti and a King Air C-90. The Citation XL had been hired to fly from Hissar — a small airfield which does not have the security checks of a big airport — to Dimapur on November 22.

Since November 8, there have been several cases in which people rented charter planes from small airfields without proper security checks to transport old notes.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now made it mandatory for pilots operating from small airfields to check baggage under police supervision before taking off.

MLA Azo at KSU session at Kutsapo village on December 22. (Morung Photo) Our Correspondent Phek | December 22

MLA Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu today felt the need to minimize the chief guest culture in the social events at the village level.

Addressing the 48th session of Kutsapo Students’ Union (KSU) at Kutsapo village under Phek district, he also said that it will be wiser to invite academicians/scholars as chief guest rather than the politicians to the social events as politicians are “jack of all trades but master of none” whereas one can gather more knowledge and wisdom from the expertise of academicians/scholars.

He also said inviting chief guests must be for the purpose of gathering knowledge and not for monetary benefit. MLA also said that using expensive gifts as presentation to chief guest must be done away with as chief guest usually come to assist and help the concerned and not to take something away.

Also expressing personal opinion, Azo said demonetisation is a process of good governance. He said in the initial stage, every common man will suffer and to some extent Indian economy has also been affected because of the fact that purchasing power has been cut down or limitize for which economy has been affected.

He, however, said that in the long run it may have a very positive impact towards country’s economy.

Azo also stated that if withdrawal limit continues it will lead to corruption free society, adding that it will also lead to clean election campaign “as because without cash no candidate will be able to purchase vote and thereby only capable candidates will be elected and people will not elect candidate for their money.”

The session will go on till December 23 with Kupota Khusoh, former chairman Phek Town Council as guest speaker.

Yachem Students Union 58th General Session held

loNgleNg, December 22 (mexN): The 58th General Session of Yachem Students Union (YSU) held under the theme, ‘Be a Torch Bearer Towards New Era’ concluded in Yachem Village on December 22 with Shayung Phom, ADC Tamlu as guest speaker.

The programme started with invocation by S. Lomba, YSU Treasurer and special song was presented by L Bauham Phom.

Shayung Phom in his address advised the youths to give importance on local dialect as it is the only source to keep us close and united. He elaborated the quote, “youth need roots to grow and wings to fly”, saying “values are the roots and success our wings.

Both combining makes value-based success in life.”

He urged the youth and the students to live, hard work and be someone

The speakers at the 58th General Session of Yachem Students Union (YSU) held with the theme, ‘Be a torch bearer towards new era’ at Yachem Village.

and to earn and eat living without depending others. He urged the youths not to give up when things get unstable and tough but

nPCC condoles DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): The rank and file of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has condoled the demise of Zutsoü Therie, the mother of NPCC President, K Therie.

Late Zutsoü was a loving mother not only to her children, grand children and great grand children, but also to all those who came to know her, NPCC said in a message issued by its Secretary (Adm), Moa Imchen.

She was a strong lady who stood for values that have come through generations and has passed them on through her family, it said.

We are sad that a good heart has stopped beating but are comforted that a good soul has ascended to take her place in Heaven, it added.

“The Congress Party shares the sorrow and pain of the President, NPCC and of the bereaved family members’. It is our humble prayer that the Grace of the Almighty God comfort and console you all through this difficult time.”

“think positive” and find fuel in failure.

In conclusion, he also acknowledged the Mawang Organisation and Yachem

Anuti Lunglak for working hard to fight against Opium and alcohol. He challenged the student body to take up this fight strongly and effectively as “students are the strongest force”.

On the previous day, workshop on different topics was held with speakers including M. Kichung Phom (Skill Development and Enhancing Opportunities), C Chenti Phom, Executive Chef (Management and Ethic) and Angbhen Phom, Women Secretary PBCA (Christian Youth Response to Social Change.) The workshop was moderated

by Nokchem Angth, Info & Publicity Secretary YSU. The speakers focused on the opportunities that are available in the state and country. They encouraged the gathering to be different from other by taking the blue collar job which they believed that

the government job is not the only solution for survival. They also told the gathering that we should recognize our talent and show to the world, “We are none to second” and one should live exemplary life.

Angbhen Phom highlighted the social issues that are prevailing in the present society. Speaking on social media, Angbhen said that many youth are using gadgets in negative, “We don’t feel ashamed to explore our body in social media”. However, she also stated that the social media should be use judiciously as it contribute many positive things in our life, “It make us easy correspondence for any emergency matters”. Further, she encouraged the leaders to serve the society sincerely while they work for society.

She also asked the leader to avoid taking alcohol

KMC Returning Officer issues notice for nominations Kohima, December 22 (DiPr): The Returning Officer, Kohima Municipal Council, Lithrongla Tongpi has issued notice for Nominations stating that an Election is to be held for member to Ward No. 1 (High School), 2 (Bayavü), 3 (North Block), 4 (Naga Bazaar), 5 (Kitsubozou), 6 (D. Block), 7 (Daklane), 8 (New Market), 9 (Midland), 10 (Hospital Colony), 11 (PWD Colony), 12 (Chandmari Upper Colony), 13 (Lower Chandmari), 14 (Poterlane-Old Minister Hill), 15 (A.G), 16 (New Min-

ister Hill), 17 (Agri-ForestElectrical), 18 (Paramedical), 19 (P.R.Hill) of the Kohima Municipality.

Nomination papers may be delivered by the Candidate or his proposer to the Municipal Returning Officer/Assistant Returning Officer at D.C Office Kohima between 11 A.M and 3 P.M on any day (other than public holiday) January 3, 2017 onwards but not later than the January 7 2017; Forms of nomination papers may be obtained at the place and times aforesaid; The nomi-

nation papers will be taken up for scrutiny on 1January 10 at D.C Office Kohima.

Notice of withdrawal of candidature may be delivered by a candidate or his proposer or his election agent (who has been authorized in writing by the candidate to deliver it) to the office specified in paragraph (2) above at his/her office latest by January 17 before 3:00 P.M. In the event of the election being contested the poll will be taken on February 1 between 7 A.M and 3:30 P.M.

and behave like a true and Christian leaders.

On December 20 and 21, night service was held at Yachem Baptist Church with O. Yanngang Phom, Christian Education Secretary PBCA as speaker on the theme ‘Resurgent Mind’. He encouraged the gathering to revive our mind and live our life away from laziness, enjoyment.

He also asked the students not to waste time in merry making but use it wisely while we are young. He also called upon the gathering to avoid selfishness, greediness etc as it will only be our virus. He called to value the Christian principle as a Christian.

The four day long general session will conclude on December 22 with PSC President Hongkam D. Ngonyen as special guest followed by lighting bonfire and talent expo.

MEx FILE ‘Model Code of Conduct’ for ULBs Comes into effect Kohima, December 22 (DiPr): In pursuance of State Election Commission Notification Vide No. SEC/MTC-1/2004-05/164 dated 21/12/2016 for holding General Election to constitute the Kohima Municipal Council, the Returning Officer Kohima Municipal Council & Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kohima has notified that the Model Code of Conduct for guidance of political parties and candidates, 2004 has come into effect from 22nd December 2016 and shall remain in effect till the completion of all election process to the Kohima Municipal Council.

The notification will be applicable to all political parties, candidates and the State Government Machinery under Kohima Municipal Council area.

DDTOA informs DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): The Office of Dimapur District Truck Owners Association will remain closed from December 23-Janaury 3, 2017 on account of Christmas and New Year. All the Truck Owners and Drivers are informed that normal office will resume from January 4.

Government notifies Kohima, December 22 (DiPr): Consequent upon upgradation of the ex-cadre post of Commissioner & Secretary originally created vide NO. PAR/ XC-05/2003 dated 16/02/2010 to Principal Secretary vide letter of even number dated 16/12/2016, the Government of Nagaland has allowed the incumbent F.P. Solo to hold the upgraded post in PB- 75500-(increment @ 3%)-80000/- pm with effect from 13.12.2016.

ULB committee secretary informs DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): In view of the State Election Commission’s notification for the Urban Local Bodies Election (ULB) on December 21, the Secretary General of the Nomination Committees for the Municipal and Town Councils Election, KG Kenye MP are directed the members immediately to come forward and submit their respective list of the proposals of candidates to the Central Office for the final approval on or before the December 30.

Corrigendum In regard to the article titled, “Naga unity and final settlement”, published on December 18 in the public discourse section, the author Zaleo Chakhesang has corrected that NNC upholds sovereignty as was made in the Independence declaration of 14th August, 1947 and endorsed in the historic Plebiscite of the 16th May 1951 and “not 16th May 1956” as published.

LBCD Christmas programme underway DimaPur, December 22 (DiPr): The 44Th Christmas programme of Lotha Baptist Church Diphupar 'A" started today where the Pastor Limhathung Lotha opening the Christmas theme, shared on the topic "God of new generation ."

In the programme Likhya members (the host Group) along with other church members enacted a short presentation showcasing representatives from various tribes and other parts of the country who conveyed Christmas greetings and also present-

Members representing various tribes and countries presenting special number. (DPRO Dimapur)

ed a song.

Special number was also presented by church colony members while Nzanbeni Kithan read the scripture. Associate Pastor,

Wopansao Ovung led the congregation while Deacon Rakomo Shitio offered the benediction. This was followed by screening of film "Birth of Jesus Christ."

C5 fills Mkg with the Christmas spirit PTYS & PCCI clarifies on Dec 15 incident An Honest Merry Christmas: PheK, December 22 (mexN):The Phek stand the action taken by the NGOs, it asked the NPCC, others extend greetings Town Youth Society (PTYS) and Phek Cham- NSCN-K to open up on the act of Neile Vero and

ber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI) have issued a clarification on the December 15 incident reportedly involving NSCN-K cadres. The two organisations in a press release stated that two NSCN-K cadres, namely – Neile Vero and Nipaka Awomi - were apprehended for allegedly extorting from businesses at Phek town and in the recent case for intimidating one businessman. Terming Neile Vero as a “regular offender,” the release stated that he was also apprehended by the Phek town public in a kidnapping case dating to June 2012.

Clarifying in regard to the December 15 incident, the two organisations maintained “The NGO’s never intended to handover the culprit to the paramilitary.” As per the release, the intention was to hand over the duo to the police but the “paramilitary” took them away. Stating that the incident was not an act against the NSCN-K or any other Naga Political Groups, it made clear that the two NGOs are only against “anti social Winners of the 28thChildren’s Christmas Cake Carol Competitions , Aongza elements.” While appealing not to misunder-

initiate necessary action against him.

In a separate release, the Phek town civil society has demanded Neile Vero’s termination from “active national service.” In a joint representation to the chairman of the Chakhesang Region, NSCN-K, 9 organisations of Phek town stated that Vero, “who is understood to be under suspension currently,” was “caught red-handed in the kidnapping case of a businessman at Phek Town on June 3, 2012.” Terming acts of kidnapping, threats and extortion as unbecoming on the part of a person, “who claims himself as a National Worker,” the organisations demanded that Vero be terminated from “Nationa Service” and that the action taken against him be intimated to the public officially. The representation was appended by the presidents of PTYS, PCCI, Taxi Union Phek Town, Phek Town Chakhesang Students Union, Phek Area Mothers Association, Truck Union Phek Town, Phek Town Public Welfare Committee, GB Union Phek Town and Phek Town Colony Chairman Forum.

Youth Fellowship performing live at the C5 competition organized by the Mokokchung Town Ao Baptist Church Youth Department on December 22.

Morung Express News Mokokchung | December 22

The 28th edition of the popular annual Children’s Christmas Cake Carol Competitions (C5) was held here today at Town Square, Mokokchung with participation from more than five hundred children from nine different youth fellowships of Mokokchung Town Ao Baptist Church.

Thousands of people filled the town square where the competition was held. C5 is a yearly Christmas event hosted by MTBA youth Department.

Rev. Dr. Mar Pongener , Principal, Clark Theological College, exhorted at the event where he spoke on the theme of the event – ‘Lowly in a manger’.

The competition was hosted by Arenla Lemtur and special appearances were made by Chapangmayim, United Christian Fellowship and Meyu and Akum.

The winners of the 28th edition of C5 were Aongza Youth Fellowship while the second prize was bagged

by Tongdentsuyong Youth Fellow- A group presenting Christmas song during the event ‘BELIEVE’ held to rekindle the joy and the ship and the third by A& D Youth wonder of Christmas under the aegis of Adults Ministry of Faith Harvest Church (AMPLIFY) at Fellowship.

Old NST Kohima on December 21. (Morung Photo)

DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): Organisations, political parties and others have extended warm Christmas and New Year greetings to all.

“May the Joy of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and faith in the promise of Salvation, lift the spirit of Christmas in each of our hearts,” Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee said in a message issued by its President K. Therie.

“Enjoy an Honest Merry Christmas to harvest a true Happy New Year, 2017,” NPCC further conveyed.

Lok Janshakti Party The Lok Janshakti Party, Nagaland Unit has also extended a joyful Christmas and a Happy New Year to the citizen of the Nagaland. “May you all have peace, joy, and all the best the season has to offer and may the time of giving and spending time with family and friends brings you joy that last throughout the year and may it be a season for sharing the love of Christ,” the Party said in a message issued by Chief General Secretary Manthungo Odyuo.

MKPON The Mech Kachari Public Organization Nagaland (MKPON) has extended warmest greetings to all the citizens the auspicious occasion of Christmas with the message of hope and faith of prevailing peace and solidarity. MKPON further conveyed best wishes for a Happy New Year 2017.

Rotaract Club 'The Rotaract Club of Dimapur has also extended everyone in and around Nagaland a Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year.

“May this festival celebrating the birth of the Price of Peace “Jesus Christ" brings immense joy & happiness in our life with peace, brotherhood and tranquility around the atmosphere. May the New Year brings good fortune & new ushers in our life,” the Club said in a message issued by its President Amit K Sharma

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friday 23•12•2016

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express volume Xi issue 352

By Witoubou Newmai

Political advantage over human security in Manipur

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here is not an iota of doubt that the Ibobi Singh government is exploiting the situation to full political advantage. To many, it appears to be poor handling of the situation by the Manipur State Government.

When selective attacks on plying vehicles in Imphal valley could go on for a considerable length of time amidst wails from victims, and perpetrators continued to burn vehicles in a zone where Section 144 CrPC had been promulgated (barring the gathering of more than five persons), the role of the Ibobi Singh government needs to be questioned.

On that fateful day of December 19 morning, hundreds, if not thousands, of stone and stick wielding people attacked a convoy of vehicles heading for Ukhrul and Kamjong districts carrying home bound students and others in Imphal East district without the needed resistance from security forces. Videos on social media show perpetrators snatching the belongings of the victims to make bonfires from them. When such cruelties could happen in the state capital, the zone supposed to be under prohibitory order, how does one define that government; only mindful of security of commodities, ignoring the security of human lives?

It has become extremely important to raise doubts on the integrity of the Ibobi Singh government to understand why it continues to be indifferent to the communally charged situation.

In the choice between political advantage and the security of citizens, the Ibobi Singh government veered toward the former, reinforcing old memories of a Manipur filled with episodes of ethnic clashes.

If FIRs can be filed against the leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC) for protesting against the government, what measures has the Ibobi Singh government taken on those people attacking innocent people on that fateful day in Imphal East district? For a government that is only interested to count the number of stray incidents in the Naga areas but calculatedly turns a blind eye on those sporadic incidents in the valley on the hills bound vehicles, more than a ‘communal’ tag is justified, which has been attached to it by Naga organizations in Manipur. Such attitude of the Manipur government has dispelled chances of sitting down to understand issues together.

Equally to be blamed is the Central Government. Time and again this column has been saying that the Central Government’s partisan and cock-eyed approach in dealing with the volatile situation in Manipur State is to be questioned. For almost two months now, the three communities in Manipur— Nagas, Kukis and Meiteis— have been juxtaposed in an extremely dangerous situation.

Regrettably, the Central Government, whose pertinent attention and intervention is imperative to diffuse the situation, is still absent. When will the Central Government make an effort to separate what is hypocrisy and what is not? Except to cut ribbons, not a single Union minister has shown urgency to visit Manipur so far to take stock of the situation.

lEfT WING |

Rupesh Dutta IANS

The year India became free of yaws and neonatal tetanus

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ndia, where just 1.5 per cent of the GDP goes to healthcare, took some promising steps to uplift patient care in 2016 -- a year that also saw it becoming the world's first country free from yaws, an infection common in children, and neonatal tetanus, a lethal consequence of unhygienic deliveries.

The development won India praise from global health groups after the World Health Organisation (WHO) certified that the country had eradicated the two infections.

With this, India became the first country under the WHO 2012 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) road map to eliminate the infections. The certification came when a team of WHO experts found that the infections no longer spread in the country.

Yaws is a chronic disfiguring and debilitating childhood infectious disease that affects the skin, bone and cartilage. It was among the first targeted by WHO for eradication in the 1950s.

India, which hosted the seventh edition of WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) COP 7, also moved to the third rank globally among 205 countries with 85 per cent implementation of pictorial warnings on tobacco products packs. This is considered a colossal success for a country that roughly spends Rs 30,000 crore ($4.5 billion) annually in public and private spending on treatment of tobacco-related illnesses.

The government also took a key decision in regard to the health prospect of surrogate mothers. It gave its nod for the introduction in Parliament of the Surrogacy Regulation Bill, 2016. The bill proposes a ban on commercial surrogacy and allows ethical surrogacy to needy infertile couples.

Aiming to slash the prevalence of diarrhoea, the Health Ministry also launched Rota Virus vaccine to be made available free of cost at public healthcare facilities, initially in four states -- Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. Rota Virus diarrhoea causes about 78,000 deaths and about 870,000 hospitalisations each year in India.

Also, to curb the break-out of vector-borne life-threatening diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya every year, the government announced a joint project under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model with the Indian Council of Medical Research and Sun Pharma to initiate research for their eradication.

The research organisaton also signed an agreement with the pharma company and the Madhya Pradesh government to establish a malaria elimination demonstration project titled "Malaria-Free India".

Efforts were made to boost the healthcare of mother and child -- both pre- and post-pregnancy. As part of this, a scheme, the "Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan" (PMSMA), was launched to provide fixed-day assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care to pregnant women on the ninth of every month. A minimum package of antenatal care services would be provided to pregnant women in their second or third trimesters at government health facilities during the campaign.

India's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target for maternal mortality rate (MMR) is less than 70 per 100,000 live births and for preventable deaths of newborns and children under five (neonatal mortality) is 12 per 1,000 live births.

Indian Society of Nano Medicine (ISNM) -- monitored by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) -- was also formed to slash the increasing cost of medical treatments of various kinds. ISNM is an initiative to bring several Indian nano-technology researchers together and find ways to slash the high cost of medicines, provide customised treatment and improve diagnostics. It is billed as the biggest advantage to the Indian medicine system in precise cancer treatment, which means nano-technology will be used to destroy cancerous cells without harming healthy cells at a less cost.

C O M M E N T A R Y

Amoge Ukaegbu New Internationalist

The dark side of Christmas: the impact on sweatshops It’s not elves, but underpaid Chinese workers working around the clock that will enable you to unwrap your presents

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elevision screens are filled with Christmas advertising, propagating the apparent need to buy something, and above all electronics, apparel, toys – the most popular Christmas gifts. The festive countdown is well underway.

Three points specifically define the ‘festive’ season: advertisements and commercialisation, shopping and spending, and increased revenue for the Western economy. Data from Capgemini and new in the UK’s industry association for e-retail, the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), reveal that in 2015, British retailers took in over £24 billion (roughly $30 billion) during the Christmas period alone, more than the entire GDP of countries like Nepal or Honduras. This spending craze is linked with advertisement and the increasing consumerism promoted by mass-, and now social media.

US discount events, hyperbolically labelled ‘Black Friday’ and Cyber Monday’, have been transposed across Europe, with the periods before Christmas and between Christmas and New Year’s Day becoming the busiest spending times in our annual calendars.

Over last year’s discount weekend, British consumers spent a whopping £3.3 billion ($4.16 billion). Masses took to the internet to buy, spending £968 million on Cyber Monday alone, causing the websites of large UK retailers, including Argos, Tesco and John Lewis, to crash. Struggling to cope with the surge of online purchased goods, courier firms imposed daily caps on the number of orders accepted from online retailers.

Real world elves The imagery of cheerful elves making gifts in Santa’s workshop is far from the reality, and contributes to hide from our sight the conditions of workers in the factories that make what we so enthusiastically buy. Some 80 per cent of the world’s toys are manufactured in China, with just about every popular children’s toy bearing a ‘made in China’ label on its underbelly. The harsh reality is that long before Christmas songs are blasting from every department store in the West, these ‘elves’ who are in fact, real, living Chinese workers, are forced to work around the clock to churn out millions of products, ready for arrival in western stores for the festive season.

In the UK alone, Chinese toy factories serve a market worth of £2.8 billion ($3.53 billion) a year, yet the big brands for which these products are made – including Lego and Disney – pay factories only a fraction of the shop price, with the social and environmental costs not reflected in the price of these toys. Exploitation is the only term to adequately describe this phenomenon.

Of course, sweatshop labour is not limited to toys, also including electron-

ics and apparel. Topping many Christmas wish-lists are Apple, Amazon and Samsung gadgets, companies all found to be complicit in worker rights violations within their supply chains, in the company of notable high street brands such as Nike and Topshop. Samsung have come under criticism for exposing their workers to toxic chemicals and for their ‘no union’ policy in Asia, and Apple for working conditions that have forced workers to suicide. Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo end up in more than 50 per cent of all battery powered equipment.

To cope with this, workers are forced to endure inhumane treatment, working excessively long hours for unethically low wages, in unsafe conditions, facing verbal, and often physical or sexual abuse. All in complete violation of their fundamental human rights.

This is the gruelling monotonous life endured by millions of factory workers across the world, to meet the increased consumer demand of the Christmas shopping period.

A call to action Christmas consumerism undoubtedly fuels sweatshop labour, but to place blame on consumers is misguided, landing us in the old trap of blaming individuals for a problem ultimately systemic. For many consumers facing stagnating wages and increasing product prices, the mainstream goods are the most, if not only, affordable options.

Products like the Fairphone are expensive, and no such alternatives exist for the common laptop or desktop.

Arguments that sweatshops increase gender empowerment for women who work in factories, or increase the wealth of individuals previously impoverished, fail to accept one harsh reality: in some places sweatshop employment is akin to slavery. Benefiting while wronging is exploitation at its core.

It is the structure that leaves workers with poor ‘choices’, if any, that must be questioned.

Genuine worker participation remains the key for making real progress in the fight to abolish sweatshops in supply chains. As consumers, the best approach to the injustice of sweatshops is to support the unionisation of workers, highlight the resistance from workers themselves, and provide opportunities for their voices to be heard, supporting campaigns for better wages and conditions, despite their often slow and incremental progress.

Critics argue that campaigns for higher standards often translate to factory closures, but there are two reasons to doubt this claim. Firstly, the gap in pay and conditions between the Global South and the Global North is so large that significant improvements can be made without removing the incentive for companies to remain invested in the Global South. Secondly, in fact major progress has already been made by labour activists challenging the status quo, yielding promising results.

Bangladesh is an important example. The disturbing collapse of the Rana Plaza building in 2013 killed over a thousand workers. After that, over 200 apparel brands (such as Adidas and Primark), retailers and importers (from over 20 countries across four continents) have signed up to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. A total of 1,592 factories are now covered under the Accord inspection programme.

In addition, although Bangladesh still has the lowest minimum wage in the world, this has increased significantly from $38 per month to $68. This change can be attributed to labour unrest and public protest.

Bangladesh remains very much open for business. Undoubtedly, this is a reason more and more workers

around the globe are coming out in their thousands, braving unemployment, reprisals, and police brutality, to press for better pay and conditions.

Despite their courage, sweatshop labour persists. We need to show solidarity. It is unacceptable that a century after 146 workers perished in the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City, after which public outcry brought US workers basic rights and protections, we are still advocating for the same basic rights and protections in the Global South.

Current laws prohibiting sweatshop labour within countries are largely ineffective, inadequately enforced and are too often circumvented or ignored.

The absence of effective policy action and legal frameworks to ensure worker rights, together with the lack of sanctions against these abuses, represents state complicity and neglect of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. This applies to states in which manufacturing occurs, and states that benefit from the imports. So, governments and businesses are jointly to blame. The persistence of sweatshops directly reflects the failure of the collective global responsibility to protect the human rights of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Eradicating sweatshop labour is daunting, but possible. It requires political will, pro-active multifaceted approaches at the community, national and international levels , and relentless pressure from workers, stakeholders, governments and consumers.

In a complex global economy, with supply chain webs, transparency is the first step to accountability. By supporting campaigns by groups like Maquila Solidarity Network, the Worker Rights Consortium, Electronics Watch and SweatFree communities, consumers can show solidarity with those on the frontlines fighting to ensure that the gifts under our Christmas trees are sweatshop free.

After the battle, Aleppo shows its scars laila Bassam

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Reuters

efore the war, Aleppo's ancient walled citadel drew in armies of visitors to one of the Middle East's greatest treasures.

But for the past four years the Citadel's high stone ramparts have been on the front line of fighting pitting the Syrian army and its allies against rebels who occupied much of the Old City surrounding the fortress.

Sudden advances by the army led to a ceasefire last week and evacuation of insurgents and many civilians, ending the warfare in Aleppo and putting the city entirely into government hands.

Reuters photographs from before and after the fighting reveal how the city has been scarred by years of air strikes, shelling, street fighting, fires and neglect.

The fate of Aleppo, listed by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site, has been the subject of great anxiety for city residents, archaeologists, historians and travellers, even as they despair for the human suffering caused by the fighting.

"We are now exactly in front of the Citadel's entrance. These streets are very familiar. My school was nearby.

Now, only part of it is left," said Abdel Rahman Berry, a lawyer. "It was ruined.

They ravaged our childhood memories," he added.

Large sections of Aleppo's Islamicera covered market or souk, one of the most extensive in the world, were destroyed in clashes in 2012 and 2013, and the 11th century minaret of the Umayyad mosque was brought down by shelling.

During a visit to the Old City and inside the Umayyad mosque with the Syrian army, reporters were shown rubble-strewn streets and scorched walls that were once part of the souk, pocked with bullet holes and daubed with slogans.

The Umayyad mosque was also scarred by the fighting, and the remains of its ancient stone minaret lay in a heap in one corner where it had collapsed after suffering a direct hit, but despite damage, its elegant floor and arcaded walls remained.

the citadel even when it was surrounded by insurgents on three sides and could only be accessed by a tunnel.

"There were around 25 of us protecting the citadel. We used to switch with armed men who were stationed in the old market through a tunnel that was dug underneath," said a Syrian soldier from the Citadel's garrison.

Despite that exposed position, and repeated attempts by rebels to capture it, the damage to the Citadel, with its towering gatehouse and sloping arched bridge, was not as bad as elsewhere in the Old City. Government snipers fired at rebels through arrow slits in walls.

"There is some damage but it can be managed. The situation is good inside the Citadel but the disaster and the real damage was inflicted on the old market," said Mamoun Abdelkarim, Syria's Director General of Antiquities.

During its stormy history, Aleppo has been controlled by Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamluks and Ottomans and it bears the marks of many of those conquerors in its diverse architectural styles.

The great Ayyubid leader Salah al-

WRITE-WING

"THE EYE AND ITS PUPIL" While the city, one of the oldest continuously habited in the world, was split into warring government and rebel sectors, the army retained control of

Din, who battled European Crusaders in the 12th century, described Aleppo as being "the eye of Syria, and the citadel is its pupil".

No stranger to war and disaster, the Citadel was damaged by the Mongol invasion of 1260 and again destroyed by invading forces in 1400. It was used as a barracks for Ottoman troops and more recently for soldiers during the French mandate. It sustained heavy damage in the earthquake of 1822.

Among important features lost in recent fighting were mediaeval mosques and trading houses. Others, including the al-Shibani church school, evidence of Aleppo's history of religious tolerance, and the 13th century Nahasin bathhouse were damaged.

Aleppo's Old City and citadel had been restored in 2004.

One of the tactics used by rebels in the intense street fighting through the Old City's narrow alleyways was the detonation of mines, dug beneath army positions in tunnels. The soldier said even on top of the citadel one such blast, under the Carlton Hotel, a landmark, had felt like an earthquake.

"The bodies of our comrades are still under the hotel rubble," he added.

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The morung express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender.

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.

Friday 23•12•2016

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

How will A. Guterres tackle the UN’s gender problem?

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Beyond Standing Rock: Extraction Harms Indigenous Water Sources

Ourania S. Yancopoulos

an António Guterres make good on his promises to advance gender equality as UN Secretary-General, or will “politics trump gender” once again in an organization that stands for us all?

Throughout the Secretary-General selection process, António Guterres publically committed to achieving a genderbalanced United Nations. “The UN must be at the forefront of the global movement towards gender equality,” he wrote in his vision statement dated February 2016, “Given that previous commitments to gender parity were not fulfilled, the SG should present and implement a road map for gender parity.”

The occasion of Guterres’s appointment on 13 October 2016, served as yet another visible reminder of just how far the United Nations needs to come. Despite remarks by both the General Assembly President, Peter Thomson, and current Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on women’s empowerment and their historic role in this year’s selection process, only one woman crossed the stage to welcome Guterres to his new position.

However, the UN’s only woman Permanent Representative serving on the current Security Council – US Ambassador, Samantha Power – took the opportunity to deliver a hopeful message, “[W] hile being a woman is not among Mr. Guterres’s many qualifications, he has pledged gender parity at all levels of the United Nations, with clear benchmarks and timeframes.”

As the work of his transition team gets well under way expectations are high for Guterres to make good on his pledges.

UN Women’s former Chief Advisor on Peace and Security, Anne-Marie Goetz told openDemocracy, “Mr. Guterres has been careful to mention gender issues in recent public statements. But now is the time to send a convincing message about his intentions, a confidence-building indication of the steps he will take to strengthen the UN's flagging work on gender equality and to build women's leadership.”

The UN has an obvious and complex gender problem – and it’s up to Guterres to provide clear indication that he will move the United Nations in the right direction.

And quickly.

The United Nations was founded seventy-one years ago. Since then, 28 women have chaired one of the UN’s six main committees (compared to 424 men); 3 women have served as General-Assembly President (compared to 68 men); and zero have ever held the position of Secretary-General.

Recent revelations about the organization’s failures to empower women within its senior staff show that the roots of gender bias run deep. Moreover, the UN’s selection last month of comicbook character Wonder Woman as its first honorary ambassador for women and girls’ empowerment is a graphic reminder of the UN’s failure to take gender issues seriously. Protests by UN

staff erupted immediately. One of the protest organizers who spoke to openDemocracy on the basis of anonymity explained,“[F]or something that is this important, you need a woman or a man who can speak, who can travel, who can champion these rights.” “If you’re looking for a woman with long black hair, toned arms, […] great legs- pick Michelle Obama,” she exclaimed. “She’s out of a job on the first of January – and she kicks ass!”

For another protestor, Cass DuRant, what Wonder Woman stands for goes completely against the core values of the UN, “She is a warrior and those are male values. The UN is not about going in and fighting to resolve issues, it is about talking and compromising and agreeing, so on every imaginable level we think she is a poor choice.”

The nearly 30,000 people who have signed the online petition, started by U.N. staffers, agree. The petition reads, "The message the United Nations is sending to the world with this appointment is extremely disappointing."

Wonder Woman’s appointment is a reminder that in an organization that has made gender equality a stated “top priority,” today, women make up just twenty percent of Permanent Representatives, twenty-one percent of Senior Managers, six percent of military experts, and three percent of military troops.

It could not be more obvious—from reports of sexual violence by UN Peacekeepers, to the persistent gender imbalance in the UN’s senior management, and now the seemingly tone-deaf appointment of Wonder Woman—that the United Nations desperately needs an overhaul in its attitudes about women.

That task will fall to António Guterres.

The work Guterres has performed in the areas of gender parity and women’s empowerment both as a politician in Portugal and as an official in the UN is well recognized. But while he has a laudable feminist record, there are aspects to his career that give gender equality advocates pause.

Even before becoming Portugal’s

Prime Minister in 1995, Guterres was committed to gender equality. In an email to openDemocracy earlier this fall, Guterres reflected on his early exposure to gender issues, “I became aware of these issues as a teenager doing volunteer work in poor neighborhoods of Lisbon. I witnessed the extra burden that weighed upon women living under precarious conditions, doing menial jobs and still carrying the responsibility for keeping extended families, often on their own. I wanted to help change this and other harsh realities in my country. That is why I went into politics—to effect change.”

As leader of Portugal’s Socialist Party he enacted a quota system to impose a minimum threshold of representation of women in party offices. The thirty percent quota was far from parity but still quite impressive almost two decades ago in a country that had only recently transitioned to democracy.

Such change did not come easily. In the email exchange, Guterres noted, “Reactions … ranged from harshly opposed to mildly indifferent. We had to go the extra mile to convince people that this was important and this was the right way to go.”

At the same time, however, Guterres publicly opposed a referendum on Portugal’s strict law against abortion, instead favoring a law that mandated jail time for Portuguese women who performed the procedure. According to the New York Times, while a majority of the Socialist Party favored the move to reform abortion laws, Guterres opposed it based on his Catholic faith.

While his stance on abortion may call into question his stance on gender equality, Guterres’s commitment to women’s empowerment did not waiver when he became the UN’s tenth High Commissioner for Refugees in 2005. During his tenure, he worked to shift UNHCR’s focus from perceiving refugee women and girls as vulnerable victims, to promoting their empowerment.

The successes of Guterres’s programs during this time abound. In Pakistan, UNHCR arranged for mass information campaigns to ensure women are aware of individual registration to guarantee their security, access to essential services, and political rights. In Liberia, guidelines on refugee election procedures now ensure that fifty percent of the camp leadership is women. To advance gender equality in food security in Afghanistan, women are now prioritized for food distribution.

And in Jordan, separate pick-up areas and times for food distribution are designated for women.

Not only did Guterres work to advance a different narrative about women and girls on the ground, but he also worked to achieve gender parity at all levels of institutional leadership. When Guterres came into office in 2005, women made up not even thirty percent of the UNHCR’s senior positions. According to UNHCR records, gender parity was fully met within his Senior Management Committee by the end of his tenure—with ten women and ten men—and rose to fortytwo percent among all senior leadership

positions. “If I had to choose just one measure during my years at UNHCR that really had an impact and triggered substantive change I would say parity at the Senior Management Committee,” said Guterres in an email to openDemocracy.

He does regret however, that during his tenure the proportion of women among junior levels staff appeared to drop.

Now, Guterres has committed to achieving full gender parity in the United Nations. In an interview with openDemocracy in early September, he provided more detail, saying he would start with the UN’s most senior levels—a tactic he believes will have the greatest and swiftest impact.

But some gender-parity advocates worry that these rhetorical commitments are empty, and that promises of a feminist agenda from a male Secretary-General may not amount to much. In a recent interview with openDemocracy, Shazia Rafi, UN Expert and former SecretaryGeneral of Parliamentarians for Global Action, said, “[Men] have had their chance for seventy years, they have not created a more equal or peaceful world, they have not kept their commitments on gender equality made over twenty years ago at the Beijing Conference 1995; I was there, I helped write the words. There is no reason to believe the men will do so now.” After the appointment of Mr. Guterres, Rafi says her views have not changed per se. “But, I am open to them doing something completely different from the pattern of the last 70 years,” she wrote in an email on 3 November.

The UN has committed itself to fiftyfifty gender parity in top senior managerial posts since February 1996. The closest it ever got in those twenty years was twenty-four percent in 2012. In fact, if the current trend continues, the UN will favor men in its senior positions for the next 110 years.

The UN’s gender problem is much more than just staffing issues.

Gender equality activist groups such as the United Nations Feminist Network, and the International Center for Research on Women, have outlined clear, concrete proposals for the next SG. These feminist agendas include targets from achieving gender parity to preventing and addressing sexual harassment, and even repurposing the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women.

Changes in staffing, however, can be delivered almost immediately.

On the occasion of the appointment of a new Secretary-General, all high-level employees submit letters of resignation.

This gives Guterres the chance to take bold action toward parity. If Guterres appoints a gender-equal Senior Management Group—just as Canada’s Justin Trudeau appointed a gender-equal Cabinet upon taking office in 2015—the move would be a brave step forward toward a genderequal UN. He might next consider sending seventy-five-year-old Wonder Woman back into retirement.

For South Asian Policy-Makers, Climate Migrants Still Invisible Manipadma Jena

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Inter Press Service

asura Begum straightens up from picking a bushel of green chilis and looks at the mighty Padma River flowing by, wondering whose life it ruined today.

She remembers how she and her husband fretted about the river getting closer and closer to their thatched hut and tiny farm in Bangladesh’s Beparikandi village until, on that fateful day, they watched it engulf all their hopes and dreams.

Soon her husband had to take a job as an unskilled construction worker in Saudi Arabia to repay the loan they had meanwhile taken to buy food and rebuild another hut further back from the river. Her teenage son left for the capital Dhaka, leaving Tasura Begum with her youngest 4-year-old boy and an adolescent daughter who dreamt of becoming a doctor so she could cure her mother’s painful kidney ailment.

Crop failure, rising sea levels and flooding all caused by climate change is pushing migration like never before in South Asia, says a joint study released Dec. 8 Climate Change Knows No Borders by ActionAid, Climate Action Network-South Asia and Bread for the World (Brot Fuer Die Welt).

Address policy gaps before climate forces mass migration, xenophobia, conflict The three international organisations warn of the devastating and escalating strain climate change places on migration, particularly in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and call for governments to recognise and fill the policy gap before it blows up into mass migration, unrest and large-scale conflict over resources.

Sudden events such as cyclones and flooding can lead to temporary displacement. However, if these events happen repeatedly, people lose their savings and assets, and may eventually be forced to move to cities or cross borders, even illegally, to find work, several studies have shown.

Slow onset events such as salinization from rising sea levels and loss of land to erosion also push people out of their homes in South Asia, where livelihood dependence on natural resources – as well as poverty – is high.

In May 2016, Cyclone Roanu ripped through Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, causing widespread damage with reconstruction costs estimated at 1.7 billion dollars.

The impact of drought and crop failure this year was spread across India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, affecting 330 million people in India alone.

In 2015, South Asia – recording 52 disasters and 14,650 deaths, a staggering 64 percent of the global fatalities – was the most disaster-prone sub-region within Asia-Pacific, which itself is the world’s most disaster-prone region, according to the UN Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

Between 2008 and 2013, over 46 million people were displaced by sudden-onset disasters in South Asia. India ranked the highest with some 26 million people displaced, estimates Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) a leading data-source on internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The UN Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) 2016 warns 40 million Indians and 25 million in Bangladesh (approximately 3 percent and 16 percent of respective populations) will be at risk from rising sea levels by 2050.

“Despite the clear writing on the wall, the magnitude of climate change as an additional ‘push’ factor remains largely invisible in the migration discourse,” Harjeet Singh, ActionAid’s Global Lead on Climate Change, told IPS. “The invisibility of those forced away from their homes as a result of climate change means that they are falling through gaps in policy, and they may not be granted the same protections and rights granted to internally displaced persons or refugees,” Singh added.

“Populations forced to migrate, driven by desperation and lack of op-

tions, are least secure when they leave home for unknown lands. They have to opt for lower jobs, are often exploited and face harassment from enforcement agencies,” Sanjay Vashist, Climate Action Network – South Asia’s Director, told IPS. Trafficked and exploited women face brunt of climate migration, lack social safety net The report also flags the growing and alarming trend of women and girls trafficked into sexual exploitation as a result of migration, as well as the disproportionate burden placed upon women left behind at home like Tasura Begum, whose husbands are forced to migrate.

Women migrating alone across borders are most vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Young Nepali and Bangladeshi females, migrating alone to seek work in India, have no other contact except those of local ‘agents’ who promise to arrange employment, mostly as housemaids. But in many cases, these agents are in fact traffickers. Once the migrating girls arrive in cities they may be forced to work in brothels against their will.

While this phenomenon has been taking place for years and is widely recognized, the extent to which climate change is contributing to this and further threatening girls’ safety is not yet fully understood, the report points out.

According to the World Bank 12.5 percent of households in Bangladesh, 14 percent in India and as much as 28 percent in Nepal have a female head and many of these are as a result of male migration.

Farm or other work-related stress, increased childcare and household burdens, high occurrence of poor health and threat of physical and sexual violence are faced by women left behind, according to a 2015 UN Women documentation of the experiences of Tasura Begum and others.

“Clearer definitions are needed for climate migration and displacement, and these need to provide the basis for data gathering, analysis and clear right-based policies,” Singh told IPS from the Global

Forum on Migration and Development in Bangladesh where civil society organizations, policy makers, UN bodies and migration experts met over Dec. 8-12 to find solutions to migration issues.

“The UN’s Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage must work to ensure legal protection for people forced to migrate or displaced by climate change,” Singh said.

Politics over trans-boundary water issues increasing climate vulnerability of poorest Trans-boundary water issues, which are largely political processes and highly complex, are also exacerbating communities’ vulnerability to climate change, the report highlights.

The Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus rivers originate in the Himalayas region and pass through two or more countries. These rivers provide critical water, irrigation, livelihood, food security and culture to hundreds of millions of people in river basins.

India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China have tried to navigate these trans-boundary water flows through a series of treaties and ongoing negotiations. However, amid geopolitical power tussles, the implementation of these legally binding bilateral agreements is often being contested. New dam or hydropower developments constantly bring newer dimensions to the debate.

“The governments of South Asia must recognize that climate change knows no borders,” Vashist said, adding, “governments have a responsibility to use our shared common ecosystems, rivers, mountains, history and cultures to seek common solutions to the droughts, sea-level rise and water shortages being experienced.”

“Shared initiatives such as regional early warning systems, food banks, and equitable approaches to trans-boundary water governance can enhance cooperation and learning and strengthen resilience,” Singh said.

“South Asian solidarity will also put the lid on regional xenophobia before it can rear its ugly head,” he added.

Tharanga Yakupitiyage Inter Press Service

ince the decision by the U.S. army to suspend the Dakota Access pipeline on 4 December, many are still unsure of the controversial pipeline’s future or its implications for other mega infrastructure projects affecting indigenous communities across North America.

After months of demonstrations by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and thousands of allies from across the world, the Army announced that it will not allow the 1,172-mile long pipeline to cross Lake Oahe in North Dakota.

The statement was met with celebrations and tears by those who have taken up residence in camps along the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers as part of the #NoDAPL movement.

“Everyone was very excited, very pleased at the camp,” said Sioux County native involved in #NoDAPL Cannupa Hanska Luger told IPS. Among concerns over the pipeline is its risk of contaminating the Missouri River, the tribe’s main source of water.

However, the excitement over the Army’s decision did not last long, Luger said.

“Primarily this is an issue of Native people not being too comfortable and too steadfast with government decrees.

All of our treaties have been broken…we were elated in the moment but then we also readied ourselves for any future statement or outcome,” Luger told IPS. One such treaty is the 1851 treaty of Fort Laramie which defined Sioux territory as the land where DAPL is being constructed. Though it was later taken away under a 1868 treaty, the land remains disputed as some say they never ceded the territory.

Despite the recent decision and territorial disputes, Energy Transfer Partners, the oil company in charge of the $3.8 billion project, has vowed to continue DAPL, stating: “[We] are fully committed to ensuring that this vital project is brought to completion and fully expect to complete construction of the pipeline without any additional rerouting in and around Lake Oahe. Nothing this Administration has done today changes that in any way.”

Many also fear that incoming President-elect Donald Trump will overturn the decision as he has vowed to divert billions of payments to UN climate programs towards building up domestic coal, oil and gas industries.

His cabinet nominations also suggest an increased focus on such industries including ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt – who has been battling President Obama’s climate change policies – as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Rick Perry as Energy Secretary who, during his time as governor of Texas, expanded oil and gas development.

“This fight is not over, not even close. In fact, this fight is escalating,” said a coalition of grassroots organisations including Sacred Stone one of the Dakota Access resistance camps, pointing to the new administration as a source of uncertainty.

The struggle is far from over, not only for DAPL, which is just one of many extractive projects that threaten access to clean water for many indigenous communities on the continent.

One such case is the legacy of uranium mining in the Navajo Nation in the Southwestern United States.

During the Cold War, the U.S. government extracted uranium from the Navajo Reservation, which is home to the largest indigenous population in the country. According to the EPA, over 30 million tonnes of uranium ore was extracted from or adjacent to Navajo lands.

Executive Director of global water organisation DigDeep George McGraw remarked on the similarities between DAPL and uranium mining to IPS, calling it “if not sister problems, cousin problems.”

“The Sioux, like the Navajo, have struggled to maintain water access for the majority of their population in general…so to come in and threaten, in a really meaningful way, the resources that they do have like a river is an even more gross offense,” he said.

Decades of uranium mining have contributed to a water crisis leaving approximately 40 percent of Navajo households without clean running water.

McGraw noted that water contamination has only worsened because mines have not been cleaned up. There are over 500 abandoned mines with radioactivity levels as high as 25 times above what is considered to be safe.

Such exposure has led to alarmingly high rates of cancer in a population which the medical community previously thought had “cancer immunity.”

By treaty and law, the United States is responsible for protecting the health of the Navajo Nation. However, McGraw pointed to unfulfilled treaty obligations, similar to that of the Sioux Nation.

Despite a recent settlement between the Navajo Nation and the U.S. government to help clean up 16 abandoned uranium mines, access to clean water remains elusive as ongoing coal mining in the Navajo reservation poses a further threat to drinking water sources.

McGraw noted that such extractive processes tend to take place more often on Native American land.

“That’s symptomatic of our treatment of Native Americans when it comes to all these energy issues…most of the country ignores this place and they can get away with that, “ he told IPS. Chair of the Center for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS) Rudolph Ryser echoed similar sentiments to IPS, stating: “The indigenous world is invisible to the rest of the world… so it’s easy for developers, corporations, governments to press economic development projects that advantage them at the expense of indigenous nations and it’s been going on for a long time.”

Ryser particularly pointed to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in Canada which was recently approved by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The expansion will create a twinned pipeline which was increase oil transports from 300,000 to 890,000 barrels per day.

Some First Nations have strongly opposed the project, citing concerns of an increased risk of an oil spill. Oil company Kinder Morgan only garnered support for the pipeline from one-third of the 120 indigenous groups it consulted.

The Canadian province of Alberta also approved another three oil sands projects including Husky Energy’s Saleski project, the same company responsible for a July oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River from a different pipeline.

Approximately 250,000 litres of oil was leaked, impacting numerous cities including the James Smith Cree Nation territory. Five samples from the First Nation’s water revealed levels of toxins unfit for human consumption.

Though the DAPL movement was important in that it brought different tribes together, Ryser said that as long as these projects continue, the “struggle is not over.”

Similarly, Luger noted that stopping one pipeline does not mean the end.

“The solidarity that was created within Native communities at Standing Rock…set a precedent where we went and decided that we must help one another. And because most of these extractive resources are taking place on or near Native borders, we also know that we are readying ourselves to work towards the future and help one another within our communities nationally and internationally,” he concluded.

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.

8

friDAY 23•12•2016

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

PM’s ‘Digital India’ vision versus reality Shreya Shah

S

IndiaSpend and IANS

antosh Bavash, 30, said he knew about the internet. "Ive heard it tells you about the future," he told IndiaSpend when we spoke to the short and thin labourer, from the village of Gyanpura, in the western district of Dhar, in Madhya Pradesh (MP), one of Indias poorest states.

After the withdrawal of Rs 14 lakh crore - 86 per cent by value of Indian currency in circulation - the government has pushed for digital payments to counter the lack of notes in the economy. Of the 28 tribals IndiaSpend met in a state with more tribals than any other, all but two had a bank account (92.8 per cent), 17 had a personal cell phone and knew how to use it (60.7 per cent), six owned an ATM card and knew how to use it (21.4 per cent) and two knew about the internet (7.1 per cent), an indication of the gulf between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a "digital" or "cashless" economy and the reality in India's most disadvantaged areas.

India has 104 million tribals, 8.6 per cent of the total population. MP has 14.69 per cent of India's tribal population (15.3 million). Tribals have lower access to banking services, lower income, education levels,

#Notebandi frontlines: In tribal areas, low literacy & cellphone use; few ATMs

A labourer talks on his mobile phone as he sits on the sacks of spices at a wholesale spice and chemical market in the old quarters of Delhi. (Reuters Photo)

and health outcomes than the rest of the population, according to data from Census 2011, and the socio-economic caste census.

Why tribals are more unprepared than other Indians for the cashless era A small group of men and women sat on a raised platform, as a child played on a makeshift swing hanging from a tree. To one side lay farmland,

Mamata announces 'Modi hatao’ protests from Jan 1 KolKAtA, December 22 (iANS): Launching another all-out attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her Trinamool Congress will hit the streets from January 1 with the slogan "Modi hatao, desh bachao (remove Modi, save country)". "This is the only slogan of the day.

We will be on the streets from Janauary 1 holding meetings across the state with this slogan. "The country is not at all safe in the hands of someone who got initiited into politics through communal riots," she said, in an indirect reference to the Gujarat riots of 2002 when Modi was the state Chief Minister. Speaking to media persons afrer an extended core committee meeting of her party, Banerjee announced that the Trinamool would send a list of job losers due to demonetisation of high value currency to President Pranab Mukherjee.

Indian child's custody: SushmacontactsenvoyinNorway New Delhi, December 22 (iANS): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday got in touch with India's Ambassador to Norway following reports that a fiveyear-old Indian child was separated from his parents, who have been accused of beating him up. "I have asked the Indian Ambassador in Norway to send me a report," Sushma Swaraj tweeted. According to reports, the child was taken from his kindergarten school on December 13 without the parents being informed and is being kept at a children's welfare home some 150 km away from Norwegian capital Oslo. His mother, Gurvinderjit Kaur, was also taken into custody and was subjected to interrogation. The child's father, Anil Kumar, who runs an Indian restaurant, has denied all the allegations and said that his son was asthmatic. This is the third such case in Norway involving Indian children. In 2011, a three-year-old and and a one-year-old were separated from their parents but were later reunited when the UPA government took up the issue with Norwegian authorities.

In another case of alleged child abuse in December 2012, a seven-year-old and a two-year-old were separated from their parents. The mother got a 15-month prison term and the father was jailed for 18 months. The two children were sent to the custody of their grandparents in Hyderabad.

UN chief calls for India, Pakistan dialogue UNiteD NAtioNS, December 22 (iANS): The outgoing UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has again called for India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through dialogue and has expressed concern over the tensions along the Line of Control. Ban, whose term ends this month, encourages the South Asian neighbors to continue their efforts to deal with their disputes peacefully and through dialogue, Farhan Haq, the Secretary-General's Deputy Spokesperson, told reporters on Wednesday. Haq was replying to a Pakistani journalist who said that Ban has neither been outspoken on the Kashmir issue and the human rights situation on the Indian side of the line of control, nor endorsed the demand for sending human rights investigators made

by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein.Haq denied that Ban had ignored the Kashmir issue. "I would disagree with you on that. We have had statements including on the situation between India and Pakistan and specifically on Kashmir," he said.

"All I can say is that the secretary-general has had a very consistent position," he added. "One fact which we expressed last month is to say he is following concern the recent tensions along the Line of Control." Ban "continues to encourages them to continue their efforts to peacefully and resolve their difference through dialogue," he said. Ban has avoided becoming embroiled in the Kashmir dispute, which India has said is a bilateral issue and recognised as such by the two countries in the 1972 Simla Agreement. Ban has offered his "good offices" to help the two countries resolve their difference if he is assed by them. Other UN bodies like the Security Council and the General Assembly also sidelined Islamabad's attempts to raise the Kashmir issue. Zeid is the only official to forcefully get involved in the Kashmir issue. He criticised India in September for not responding to his request to send a team from his office to Kashmir to carry out an "independent, impartial and international mission" on both sides of the line of control.

to the other, houses. This was the village of Footiya, in the MP district of Jhabua, along the border with Gujarat. Footiya is inhabited predominantly by adivasis, or tribals, and does not have a post office, a cooperative or commercial bank, an ATM, or a public phone booth, according to information from Census 2011.

Zumla (he uses only one name),

a tall, well-built man with a white moustache, also sat under the tree.

He said he had had a bank account for years now, but rarely used it because he had little money to deposit into the account, and because going to a bank took very long. It takes him an hour to walk to the nearest bank branch, about 6 km from the village, he said.

"I am anguthachaap," Zumla, a Bhil tribal with a white turban, added in Hindi, using the term for a thumb impression, a sign of illiteracy. "I use a chequebook (he meant passbook) to put in money and take out money, but I don't know how to use an ATM," said Zumla, dressed in a grey shirt paired with a white dhoti tied above the knees. "If I can't read, how do I know what buttons to press?"

The district of Jhabua - over 91 per cent of all households here are classified as scheduled tribes - has one of the lowest rural literacy levels in the state. Less than half of the population in the district (40.1 per cent), and less than one third of the women (29.8 per cent), in rural areas is literate, according to 2011 Census data.

Overall, tribals have a lower literacy rate than the rest of the population. About half of the tribal population (50.6 per cent) in MP is literate, compared to 70.63 per cent for the population overall, according to

data from Census 2011.

Tribals lag other Indians in use of banking services Less than 45 per cent of scheduled tribe households used banking services in 2011, compared to over 58 per cent of the whole population, according to Census data.

A lack of jobs and abject poverty meant that some tribals had no money to put into a bank account.

On average, the tribal population earns less than the rest of the population. In MP, 1 per cent of tribal households pay income tax - one sign of a lower income - as compared to 2.4 per cent of the non-tribal population, as IndiaSpend reported in July 2016. Along with Odisha, MP has the second lowest percentage of tribal households who pay income tax, based on data from the socio-economic caste census.

ATMs, cellphones, bank accounts are, often, unknown territory A lack of knowledge about ATMs, cellphones or bank accounts emerged as one of the main reasons for the reluctance to use bank accounts and ATMs more often.

Those who used ATM cards were either educated, or had been helped by either a friend or a bank official.

In general, researchers have found a strong correlation between the spread of banking and reduc-

5,423 new publications registered during FY16: Report New Delhi, December 22 (Pti): Print media registered a growth of 5.13 per cent with 5,423 new registrations during last fiscal, according to the 'Press in India 2015-16' report released today.

The total number of publications as on March 31 this year stood at 1,10,851 with the largest number of registered publications being in Hindi followed by English.

The number of newspapers and periodicals registered in Hindi were 44,557 while there were 14,083 publications in English, according to the report.

Out of the 1,10,851 registered publications 16,136 were dailies and bi-tri weeklies while the remaining were of other periodicities.

The report was released to-

day by I&B minister M Venkaiah Naidu at an event where Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore was also present.

Circulation-wise, Hindi publications continue to lead with 31,44,55,106 copies per publishing day followed by English with 6,54,13,443 and Urdu with 5,17,75,006 copies.

As per the report, 'Anand Bazar Patrika' in Bengali is the largest circulated daily with a circulation of 11,50,038.

The second largest circulated daily is 'Hindustan Times', Delhi, with a circulation of 9,92, 239.

The largest circulated Hindi daily is 'Punjab Kesari', Jalandhar with a circulation of 7,36,399 while the largest circulated multi-edition

daily is 'Dainik Bhaskar' in Hindi with a circulation of 46,14,939.

The second largest multi-edition daily is 'The Times of India' with a circulation of 44,21,374. The largest circulated periodical is the 'The Sunday Times of India' with a circulation of 8,02,466.

At the end of the year 2015-16, Uttar Pradesh with 16,984, Maharashtra with 15,260 and Delhi with 12,482 publications were at first, second and third positions respectively in terms of number of publications.

The number of publications ceased during last fiscal was 15 while the number of publications deregistered was 22.

According to the report, 27,445 publications submitted their Annual Statements.

Hawala trader Paras Lodha arrested, sent to ED custody New Delhi, Dec 22 (iANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it has arrested hawala trader Paras Mal Lodha here for converting over Rs 25 crore demonetised notes linked to industrialist J. Sekhar Reddy and lawyer Rohit Tandon into new currency. A city court later sent Lodha to sevenday ED custody.

The Kolkata-based businessman was arrested on Wednesday evening after hours of questioning by the ED officials.

"We had called Lodha on Wednesday for questioning him over the conversion of more than Rs 25 crore of old notes to new currency in Shekhar Reddy and Rohit Tandon cases. He was arrested later," said an ED official. The ED booked Lodha under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laun-

dering Act (PMLA) and produced him before a court here on Thursday seeking his custody to track other accused involved in the corruption. Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Jain sent Lodha to sevenday ED custody.

Lodha, a leading businessman with interests in real estate and mining, was intercepted by a team of ED sleuths at the Mumbai airport on Wednesday while he was trying to flee to Malaysia. The ED's move came when it got a tip-off about Lodha planning to leave India, as it had earlier issued a look out circular against him. Officials said that separate teams were sent to Kolkata and Mumbai to arrest Lodha who facilitated businessman Shekhar Reddy and owner of T&T law firm Rohit Tandon convert their old high value currency into new currency.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested Reddy, a former Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam Board Member, and two others from Chennai for money laundering after Income Tax (IT) department recently seized 177 kg of gold, Rs 96 crore in old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes and Rs 34 crore in new currency from their premises.

Cash amount of Rs 13.65 crores, including Rs 2.60 crore in new currency notes, was seized from south Delhi's Greater Kailash-I office belongs to Tandon during a raid conducted by Delhi Police on December 10.

Sources said that Reddy had executed a lot of work for the Tamil Nadu government, In connection with the case, IT officials raided at 12 locations on Wednesday, including the house of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao.

tion in poverty, as a 2003 paper found in India.

IndiaSpend found that some in tribal MP had opened bank accounts to access direct transfers from the government. It was unclear whether a bank account led to enhanced access to government subsidies, or bank accounts were a consequence of awareness of government subsidies.

Those who get government subsidies use bank accounts, but only 1/3rd use cellphones Indeed, those better acquainted with government programmes used their bank accounts to access money from direct transfers of government subsidies or doles.

Though most households IndiaSpend visited had at least one cellphone, mostly with a male or younger family member, cellphone ownership was still not universal.

A little over 31 per cent of tribal households owned a cellphone in 2011, compared to 53.2 per cent of the entire population, according to Census data.

In all this, some said demonetisation would eventually be beneficial to the poor. "The black money that has come out, Modi might distribute it. He might approve the building of a house or something (for the poor)," said Mithun, a labourer from Dhar district.

Mumbai police bust baby trafficking racket amid fears more children at risk mUmbAi, December 22 (thomSoN reUterS FoUNDAtioN): Mumbai police have arrested a gang of six people accused of stealing babies or convincing single women to sell their children in the latest bust in a series of baby trafficking rackets.

A police spokesman said the group, which included five women, sold the infants to childless couples in various states across India.

The arrests followed the rescue of five children – four boys and one girl – aged between four months and one year in the states of Goa, Gujarat and Karnataka, and came less than a month after a similar trafficking racket was busted in West Bengal.

Officers are now investigating if the couples that purchased the babies, for between 200,000 to 400,000 rupees ($3,000-6,000), were aware that the children had been kidnapped or bought from their biological parents.

"The gang was operating for the last two to three years.

We are still investigating the number of children they may have kidnapped and sold," senior police inspector Naresh Kasale told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"We suspect more people are involved in the racket."

The police spokesman said one child has been reunited with its biological parent but the others were at a rescue home.

Local media reported that

police were looking into whether the group was linked to cases of kidnapping in hospitals.

'ALARMING TREND' Kasale said police first uncovered the racket in early December while investigating the case of a missing child in Sathe Nagar slum in Mankhurd, eastern Mumbai.

They found a woman from that slum was also missing and tracked her by her mobile phone to Goa where she was detained.

She told police she had sold the child and gave them details of the racket.

"She had told the couple that it was her own child and that her husband was dead and she wanted to remarry.

We rescued the child and have reunited him with his parents," Kasale said.

Last month, 13 babies were rescued and the remains of two other infants discovered in a series of raids in West Bengal in what police suspect is an international child trafficking racket.

Eighteen people, including doctors, midwives and the owners of charities and clinics, were arrested, suspected of taking babies from women immediately after they had given birth and telling them their children were stillborn.

Adoption experts said that two gangs busted in quick succession is indicative that baby trafficking is becoming a widespread and organised crime in India.

Najeeb Jung quits as Delhi Lt Governor

New Delhi, December 22 (iANS): Delhi's Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, who had a running battle with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Thursday resigned, taking both the central and Delhi governments by surprise.

A brief statement released by the Lt Governor's Office did not say why the 66-year-old former IAS officer had called it quits but quoted him as saying that he would return to academics, "his first love".

In the statement, Jung thanked both Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kejriwal for their association with him.

"He thanks the Prime Minister for all help and cooperation he received during his tenure as the Lt. Governor," it said.

Jung became the Lt Governor on July 9, 2013 when a Congress-led coalition was in office. The Modi government retained him even as it replaced most Governors in the states, raising eyebrows.

"He (Jung) also thanks the Chief Minister of Delhi for his association in the last two years," the statement said.

Jung thanked the people of Delhi too for "their support and affection, especially during the one year's President Rule" leading to the assembly elections that led to an AAP victory in February 2015.

A former Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, Jung gave no reason for his dramatic decision to step down, not even to his official advisors.

He directly sent the resignation to the union Home Ministry through a

Congress questions Najeeb Jung's 'unceremonious exit'

special messenger.

His advisor Ajay Chaudhary said he and his colleagues were not aware of Jung's move. "It was surprising," the official told India Today news channel.

Chief Minister Kejriwal, who was in Ranchi, immediately telephoned Jung and later said his exit "is a surprise to me. My best wishes in all his future endeavours".

AAP sources said Kejriwal was likely to call on Jung on Friday.

The central government, which appoints the Lt Governor, was equally taken aback.

Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi told the media that he had met Jung on Tuesday but the latter gave no inkling of his thinking.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which

New Delhi, December 22 (iANS): The Congress on Thursday termed Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung's surprise resignation an "unceremonious exit" and asked if a deal was struck between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"This is an unceremonious exit.

Central government will have to tell what happened," Congress leader Ajay Maken said.

"We also want to know what is the deal between Modi and Kejriwal, due to which he has been removed," he added.

"If central government is trying to get some RSS representative (as Lt. Governor), we will protest and come on the streets against it," Maken said.

"We feel there has been a deal between the BJP and AAP because of which he has been made to leave. The central government should come out clean," the Congress leader added.

Delhi's Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, who was locked in a running battle with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Thursday resigned and said he will return to academics.

openly backed Jung, did not react immediately. But the Congress said it suspected a "deal" between the Modi and Kejriwal governments leading to Jung's exit.

Informed sources said Jung, who could take up an academic job abroad, also wanted to spend more time with his family.

Jung's tenure was marked by a sharp escalation in tensions between his office, which reported to the union Home Ministry, and the AAP government of Kejriwal.

What began as a turf war turned into an often nasty confrontation between Jung and Kejriwal over who is the boss in Delhi, which, although a state, does not enjoy parity with other states.

The central government, through the Lt

Governor, controls Delhi Police, law and order and issues related to land in the capital.

Jung made it a point to question almost every decision taken by the Kejriwal government, often declaring many of them null and void. Kejriwal repeatedly accused Jung of being "a Modi agent".

The recurring Jung-Kejriwal battle was decided in favour of the former on August 4 by the Delhi High Court. The AAP government has moved the Supreme Court, where the matter is yet to be decided.

Jung had reportedly confident to friends that he would quit if the Supreme Court decided the turf war in favour of the Kejriwal government.

fridAY 23•12•2016

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

2016 - A year of transition from talk to action on climate change BARCELONA, DECEmBER 22 (ThOmsON REuTERs FOuNDATiON): When it comes to climate change and the battle to keep it in check, 2016 was a year of extremes.

The euphoria of the super-fast entry into force of the Paris Agreement to curb global warming crashed days later with the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president, fuelling fears he may pull the world's second-largest emitting nation out of the pact.

But the explosion of efforts to drive climate action forward - at local, national and international levels - nurtured hopes the global movement to tackle climate change has grown more powerful than any single government.

One important reason is that money is moving away from environmentally harmful projects into cleaner, greener investments. Renewable energy has become much cheaper, making it competitive with fossil fuels in many places.

And in a year set to notch up a new heat record, stoked partly by the

El Niño phenomenon, governments stepped up concrete measures to protect their people from climate and weather extremes such as floods, droughts and storms.

As 2016 draws to a close, the Thomson Reuters Foundation asked experts to list the top five signs climate action is gathering speed. Here is a compilation of their views.

1. AGREEMENTS GALORE The Paris Agreement on climate change took effect in November - 11 months after it was crafted by U.N. member states. Its swift entry into force was unexpected, but the prospect of a sceptical U.S. leader moving into the White House spurred international determination to push on with ratification.

At U.N. climate talks last month, governments gave themselves two years to hammer out the rules to put the Paris accord into practice and review national plans to keep temperature rise to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius.

ness from climate change, as well as the impact of emissions cuts on their bottom line.

And a global campaign to persuade investors to pull their money out of fossil fuels gathered pace, doubling in size in 15 months, as the number of institutions that have committed to divest reached 688, representing $5.2 trillion in assets under management.

A view of dried Ajuan Khota dam, a water reserve affected by drought near La Paz, Bolivia, November 17, 2016. (REUTERS PHOTO)

In October, 191 countries in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreed on a global carbon reduction and offsetting scheme for air travel.

That same month, 197 parties to the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer signed up to an amendment to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), one of the fastest growing and

most potent greenhouse mitment at a later summit. gases, used mainly in coolMeanwhile, Bank of ing and refrigeration.

England Governor Mark Carney led the charge to 2. FOSSIL FUELS ramp up pressure on comLOSE FRIENDS panies to heed the financial In May, the G7 group implications of their fossil of wealthy countries set a fuel assets. deadline for the first time to An international task end "inefficient" fossil fuel force set up to prevent subsidies, encouraging all market shocks from global countries to do so by 2025, warming will ask compaalthough the wider G20 nies to disclose how they shied away from a firm com- manage risks to their busi-

3. RENEWABLES STEAL THE LIMELIGHT The International Energy Agency boosted its fiveyear growth forecast for renewable energy thanks to strong policy support in the United States, China, India and Mexico, and sharp cost reductions.

Renewables surpassed coal last year to become the largest source of installed power capacity in the world, it said.

Solar energy had a good year, as 2016 heralded the first solar-powered roundthe-world flight, plans for roads paved with solar panels were announced for four continents, and Tesla Motors

Inc. unveiled solar roof tiles.

A group of 48 developing states most at risk from climate change said they would strive to make their energy production 100 percent renewable as soon as possible before 2050.

4. PUSH TO PREPARE Severe droughts linked to a powerful El Niño, hitting more than 60 million people, especially in southern Africa, reminded governments of the importance of preparing for weather and climate extremes by improving infrastructure, public services and food security.

U.N. envoys drafted a blueprint to reduce the damage from such events in future, while aid agencies tested innovative ways to get money to where it's needed before a disaster strikes.

Meanwhile, developing states are working on national plans to adapt to climate change effects - including wild weather, rising seas and melting glaciers backed with up to $3 million per country from the fledgling Green Climate Fund.

5. IN WITH THE CLIMATE CROWD This year saw a flurry of initiatives to tackle climate change get underway or expand - involving businesses, investors, cities and local governments, among others.

For example, the Under2 Coalition, a club of sub-national governments that have committed to cut their emissions by at least 80 percent by 2020, grew its membership to 165, accounting for a third of the global economy.

And the Science Based Targets initiative said more than 200 companies had pledged to set emissions reduction targets in line with the global effort to keep temperature rise under 2 degrees.

"2016 truly marked the year of transition from endless talks and global negotiations on how to tackle climate change to moving into action by governments, provinces, cities, companies, parliaments and affected communities," said Saleemul Huq, director of the Dhaka-based International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD).

Australian police say blast at Christian Philippines publisher killed after article report on island drugs lab DECEmBER 22 (RE- ments, and one of the most dan- phetamine that Duterte has vowed to not only by quickly solving these group's HQ is not politically motivated mANiLA, wipe out, along with anyone selling it. brazen assaults on press freedom uTERs): A Philippine provincial gerous for journalists.

The damaged entrance to the offices of the Australian Christian Lobby Group in Canberra, Australia, December 22, 2016 after it was rammed by a van reportedly carrying gas bottles. (REUTERS PHOTO)

sYDNEY, DECEmBER 22 (REuTERs): Australian police said on Thursday an explosion caused when a van drove into the headquarters of a conservative Christian lobby group in the national capital, Canberra, was not politically or religiously motivated.

The 35-year-old Australian driver of the van, which was carrying gas-filled cylinders, walked into a nearby hospital suffering severe burns and was in critical condition, Australian Capital Territory Police Commander Mark Walters said. " ... As a result of our conversations with the male driver of the vehicle, we have established that the actions of this individual are not politically, religiously or ideologically motivated," Walters told reporters.

Walters would not elaborate further.

The driver of the truck ignited gasfilled canisters before smashing into the building that acts as headquarters for the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), which has been an outspoken critic of abortion and same-sex marriage.

ACL managing director Lyle Shelton posted a photograph on Twitter showing the burned-out van in front of the group's headquarters. He said no staff were injured.

"I don't know the motivation of last night's attack, but the context of what I see here is in the context of multiple death threats and threats of violence that my staff have endured over the course of this year," Shelton told reporters.

Japan's 2016 births likely fell below 1 million for first time

FILE PHOTO: People take a break on bench seats at Tokyo's Sugamo district, an area popular among the Japanese elderly, in Tokyo August 29, 2014. (REUTERS PHOTO)

TOKYO, DECEmBER 22 (REuTERs): The number of annual births in Japan is set to fall below 1 million this year for the first time since data became available in 1899, reflecting a fast-ageing society and the high cost of childcare, Japanese media reported on Thursday.

The total number of births is expected to be between 980,000 and 990,000 this year, reports in the Nikkei business daily and the Kyodo news agency said, down from slightly more than 1 million last year.

Kyodo cited unidentified government sources, while the Nikkei did not indicate the source of its information.

Births hit a record high of 2.696 million in 1949.

A shrinking population of women in their 20s and 30s - about 13.66 million in October or 20 percent fewer than a

decade ago - is a key factor in the falling number of births, the Nikkei said. So is a low fertility rate.

Japan's fertility rate was 1.45 in 2015, up 0.03 points from a year earlier, helped by an economic recovery, and is recovering from the record low of 1.26 hit in 2005.

However, it is still far from the government's goal of 1.80.

Japan will again post a natural population decline this year as deaths outpace births, its 10th consecutive drop, the Nikkei said.

On Thursday, Japan's cabinet approved a record $830 billion spending budget for fiscal 2017, which includes child-rearing support.

The health ministry plans to release its estimate of the number of this year's births this week, a ministry official said.

newspaper publisher has been shot dead after writing a column alleging official negligence over a recently discovered methamphetamine laboratory, in the first killing of a journalist during the country's war on drugs.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) condemned Monday's murder of Larry Que, publisher of a news site on the island of Catanduanes, and said it "challenged" President Rodrigo Duterte to find the perpetrators and utilise a special task force he set up to protect media.

The Philippines enjoys one of Asia's most liberal media environ-

Scores have been killed in the past three decades, with radio broadcasters who cover provincial politics among the most common victims. Investigations of killings have often been inconclusive.

The NUJP said Que had run Catanduanes News Now, a new publication, for only two weeks before he was shot in the head outside his workplace. He also owned an insurance firm and previously ran for local office.

His article, according to NUJP, suggested local officials were negligent when a laboratory was illegally set up to make "shabu", a metham-

Duterte signed an administrative order in October to create a task force of ministers, police, defence and justice officials to protect media, investigate attacks on media workers and create an oversight body to scrutinise probes.

The NUJP said the presidential panel should be put to work to find Que's killers. It criticised the government for its approach towards media and for what it said was a tendency to accuse journalists of distorting the president's words.

"We call on this administration to walk the talk and prove its professed respect for press freedom,

but, just as importantly, by ending its penchant of falsely blaming media for deliberately misinterpreting its often inconsistent and incoherent messages," the NUJP said.

Duterte's office has often issued statements that contradict the mercurial president's public remarks.

After some of his most controversial comments, his communications team has said his words should be taken seriously, but not literally.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government condemned violence against journalists and called for a thorough investigation into Que's death.

Lake Chad most neglected crisis in 2016 despite hunger on ‘epic scale’ LONDON, DECEmBER 22 (ThOmsON REuTERs FOuNDATiON): The humanitarian catastrophe in Lake Chad basin, where conflict has left over 8 million people destitute with many "teetering on the brink of famine", was the most neglected crisis in 2016, according to a survey of aid agencies.

Following Lake Chad in a Thomson Reuters Foundation poll of 19 leading aid groups were Yemen, where children are starving, and South Sudan where U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon fears genocide is about to start.

Overshadowed by the wars in Syria and Iraq and the global refugee and migrant crisis, Lake Chad barely made the headlines this year, but aid organisations said the crisis was "on an epic scale" with "terrifying rates of child malnutrition".

"Syria broke my heart, but for out and out human suffering and almost zero media coverage, the food crisis sparked by Boko Haram in Nigeria and Niger was the pits," said Suzanna Tkalec, humanitarian director at Caritas.

Boko Haram militants have displaced 2.4 million people across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger during a seven-year campaign to create an Islamist caliphate.

Oxfam said parts of northern Nigeria were already experiencing famine and Action Against Hunger warned many children were at risk of dying.

Almost 7 million people lack food but insecurity makes it hard for aid agencies to reach the most vulnerable.

International Medical Corps' programmes director, Ognjen Radosavljevic, said border closures had disrupted markets, agriculture was collapsing and food was unaffordable.

"It is essential that the global community wakes up to the horrors ... in this region," he added.

famine in Yemen where nearly two years of war between a Saudi-led Arab coalition and the Iran-allied Houthi movement has pushed the Middle East's poorest country to breaking point.

The crisis, exacerbated by restrictions on imports, has left over four fifths of the population struggling to find enough food and water to survive.

"That's the highest level of humanitarian needs in the world and yet Yemen has received negligible media attention," said Laurie Lee, head of CARE. Eight in 10 children are stunted and every 10 minutes a child dies from preventable diseases, agencies say.

Some have warned that Yemen could run out of food within months.

"It is heart-breaking to already witness starving children," said Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, adding that all sides in the conflict were hampering aid deliveries.

"We must put an end to this man-made disaster that shames us all. If the situation is allowed to continue to deteriorate, it will result in YEMEN "SHAMES US ALL" Aid workers also warned of famine across Yemen in 2017."

"OMINOUS SIGNS" Several agencies sounded the alarm over South Sudan where there have been calls by the head of a U.N. human rights commission to deploy a 4,000-strong protection force to stop a "Rwanda-like" genocide.

"South Sudan passed the one million refugee mark this year, yet it is a crisis that has barely made the front pages," said Mercy Corps' director Craig Redmond, adding that the world's youngest country had overtaken Afghanistan as the most dangerous place to be an aid worker.

More than 3 million people have been uprooted by fighting, with 1.2 million seeking shelter in nearby countries.

Agencies said the response was chronically underfunded with the regional refugee plan getting only a third of the support it needed.

"In sheer scale it has become Africa's biggest displacement crisis. And as 2017 approaches the signs are ominous that more suffering is to come," U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi said.

The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and World Vision named the fallout from the powerful 2015-2016 El Nino weather phenomenon as the most neglected crisis, saying over 60 million people

remained affected worldwide.

In southern Africa, El Ninoinduced drought has devastated farms, killed off livestock and crippled food production, with "alarming consequences", said Garry Conille, IFRC's head of operations.

"It is the poor and vulnerable once again who are suffering disproportionately and far too quietly," added Conille, a former Haitian prime minister.

Libya and Myanmar, where renewed violence has uprooted many Rohingya Muslims, were also flagged up in the poll.

International Rescue Committee's policy director Sanjayan Srikanthan said Libya, which has made headlines for the refugees and migrants leaving its shores for Europe, was in crisis.

Instability and fighting has left more than one in five Libyans needing humanitarian assistance and displaced 240,000 people, he said, adding that the healthcare system was on the brink of collapse.

Several agencies expressed alarm at the sheer number of neglected crises.

Christian Aid said 2016 was notable for "an emerging chasm between need and response" which threatened to undermine the foundations of humanitarian aid.

10

fridAY 23•12•2016

SPORTS/PUBLIC DISCOURSE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

learn tough 'lesson' Westbrook paces Thunder in win over Leipizg in Bayern trouncing pelicans, cavaliers down bucks again

Los AngeLes, December 22 (AFP): NBA scoring leader Russell Westbrook put on another display of offensive fireworks, pouring in 42 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 121-110 victory over the Pelicans in New Orleans.

Westbrook on Wednesday flirted with a tripledouble, finishing 10 rebounds and seven assists.

But Westbrook had plenty of help from the Thunder's supporting cast.

He was on the bench early in the fourth quarter when Oklahoma City's reserves produced 11 points in a 16-2 scoring run that broke open a close game, turning an 8987 edge into a 105-89 lead.

Backup guard Alex Abrines scored 12 of his career-high 18 points in the fourth quarter.

The 23-year-old from Spain, playing in his first NBA season, finished with five three-pointers.

"It was one of those days where you feel like the rim is bigger and you can score on almost every shot," Abrines said.

Westbrook was delighted to see Abrines show in a

game, and that's the best part about him. This is his first year and he's going to learn the ups and downs throughout the whole season, but tonight he did a great job making shots."

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, top, makes a layup against New Orleans Pelicans guard Tim Frazier, bottom, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. (AP Photo)

game the long-range skills out of the ball, man," he he has displayed in practice. said. "He works out ev"He can shoot the hell ery day and works on his

- Irving, James lead Cavs A day after their overtime win in Milwaukee, the reigning champion Cavaliers beat the same Bucks team 113-102 in Cleveland.

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, who both played big minutes on Tuesday, showed no sign of fatigue, Irving scoring 31 points and handing out a career-high 13 assists and James adding 29 points in the victory.

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue admitted he thought about resting the pair, but with Kevin Love still sidelined by a sore knee and J.R. Smith out with a broken thumb, his options were limited.

Irving, for one, was glad to get another crack at the Bucks, who stunned the Cavs 118-101 in November.

"I'm fired up to go against them every time now, for real," he said. "Ever since they kicked our ass in Milwaukee, it's been per-

sonal and it's going to continue to be personal."

In Phoenix, James Harden scored 27 points and handed out 14 assists to help the Houston Rockets bounce back from their first defeat of December.

The Rockets drained 18 three-pointers in the 125-111 triumph that came a day after a tough 102-100 loss to San Antonio ended Houston's 10game winning streak.

"It's a good bounceback win, back-to-back, and the guys showed some heart," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said.

- Timberwolves down depleted Hawks With Dwight Howard sidelined for a second game by tightness in his back, the Atlanta Hawks fell 92-84 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who put together consecutive victories for the first time this season.

"It changed the game plan a little bit," Towns said of Howard's absence.

"We went in there and did a great job of attacking the paint and using the paint to our advantage."

Andrew Wiggins scored 19 points and Zach LaVine added 17 for Minnesota.

In a game that featured a dozen lead changes, the young Timberwolves kept their composure as the Hawks closed within three points with 4:51 remaining.

"We did a great job finishing the game," Towns said. "We stayed the course and stuck with our game plan and executed it near flawlessly at the end."

The Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks both eked out narrow road wins.

DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points, including five key free throws in the final minute as the Kings rallied to down the Jazz 94-93 in Utah.

And the Mavericks edged the Trail Blazers 9695 in Portland.

Dallas led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter, but escaped with the victory only after Trail Blazer guard Damian Lillard's three-point attempt bounced off the rim as time expired.

berLin, December 22 (AFP): Ralph Hasenhuettl admitted 10-man RB Leipzig had been taught a tough "lesson" as leaders Bayern Munich handed out a 3-0 hammering to their nearest Bundesliga rivals.

Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed a "perfect" opening 30 minutes in which Thiago Alcantara and Xabi Alonso scored early goals before Leipzig winger Emil Forsberg was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle.

It left the visitors to play an hour on Wednesday at Munich's Allianz Arena a man down in the top-ofthe-table clash.

Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi then compounded his team's problems by fouling Douglas Costa to concede a penalty which Robert Lewandowski converted on 45 minutes to make it 3-0.

The result left Munich three points clear of their battered opponents at the top of the German league table heading into the winter break.

"That was a lesson, it was a top show from Bayern," admitted Leipzig coach Hasenhuettl.

"Our system only works when everyone is in sync and we had a few players who weren't 100 percent fit.

"You can't do much to defend against Bayern when they play like that."

Any chance Leipzig had of clawing their way back from 2-0 down was ended by Forsberg's dreadful tackle on Philipp Lahm when the Sweden international trod on the Bayern captain's Achilles tendon.

"We don't need to talk about the red card by Emil," added the Leipzig boss.

"We all make mistakes, so I'm not going to demonise him, but I'm still proud of how the team has done so far."

Prior to the Munich showdown, Leipzig had kept Bayern off top spot for three weeks at the start of the month and the two teams have been in a neckand-neck battle since.

But Ancelotti's side dominated and shut Leipzig out after the break as they used their 75 percent possesssion to dish out a masterclass to their young rivals, who are in their first German league season.

"We were very aggressive and quickly established control," said Bayern's Italian coach.

"Everything was in tune - the pace and the gameplay, which gives us selfconfidence, but we must still improve."

public discourse

THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI

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he Gifts of the Magi refer to the Biblical story of the Three Wise Men who presented the Infant Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; it is also the title of the popular short story by O’ Henry, the noted American writer, which deals with the predicament of a young couple who don’t have enough money to but each other presents during Christmas. The pride of their possessions are a pocket watch handed down to the husband from his grandfather and father; and the beautiful tresses of his wife’s hair.

The wife sells her hair to a wigmaker to buy a gold chain for her husband’s pocket watch only to discover that her husband has sold the watch to buy a beautiful set of combs for his wife’s hair.

This story illustrates the essence of gift giving; especially during Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Our Saviour Jesus Christ. For we confuse the value of any gift with the monetary value of the gift. What we should consider is the value of the gift to the giver. A Millionaire can buy thousands of rupees worth of gifts without a sec-

ond thought; but a poor man who gives a gift worth a few rupees gives much more. Because, while the rich man is giving a little from the plenty he owns, the poor man is giving plenty from the little he owns.

The Autorickshaw Drivers of Dimapur have once again put to shame the high and mighty of Nagaland.

Their, apparently, simple act of offering free ride to the citizens of Dimapur in Honour of the Birth of Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, has done more to show us the true essence of Christianity than a thousand preachers shouting from a thousand pulpits. They have shown us that Christ, Christianity and Christmas are about what I can give and not what I can get or take. While others complain about the delay of their supply of rice; they have given us plenty from the little they have. They are the Magi; they are the Wise Men of the Bible.

GOD BLESS THE AUTORICKSHAW DRIVERS OF DIMAPUR, AND GOD SAVE OUR NAGALAND Kahuto Chishi Sumi G.B. Hevishe Village, Dimapur Kahuto107@gmail.com

Corruption and value teaching in Nagaland

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uring my college days, elders encouraged me to study hard and get a government job. Thanks to all those who have encouraged me with the right perspective. But I often overheard some elders talking like, “Get a govt. job for job security and out-income or side-income. All the better if you get into certain departments.”

Those days, for example, it was Supply Dept. or a Store Keeper in certain departments. These days, I sometimes hear people talking about RD (Rural Development) dept. where employees can have access to “side-income.”

Well, with due respect to all the government servants/employees who are genuinely rendering tireless services to the public, what I am trying to say is, our socialization or rather our employment motivation is in the wrong track or defective. When we encourage a student or an unemployed youth, instead of focusing on “What can you give to the society?” our focus is more on “What will you get (materially/monetarily) from the government job?” Therefore, when money is a necessity and working hard to earn more is a good thing, unemployed youths after getting a govt. job is more focused on making money be it legal or illegal.

Drawing nearer to my point, today we have some few corrupted govt. officials who are used to committing White Collar Crime and so hope to continue with the habit. However, we have the God sent angels in the form of ACAUT in Nagaland. I know it will be hard to entirely uproot the “Tree of Corruption” in Nagaland because old habits die hard but ACAUT is making some impacts in Nagaland coupled with the

support from younger generation who are tired of corruption and gun culture.

Therefore, keep up the Good Fight. The oppressed, exploited and downtrodden Nagas are with you for a corruption-free Naga society.

It is only natural that the Government will use all its forces to suppress the mass movement fearing complete breaking down of law and order as Nagaland has already witnessed such incidents of public mob (mob justice) in the recent past when the Naga public lost complete trust in the government machineries/authorities to punish the guilty and the criminals.

Nagaland has witnessed enough of “Justice runs from the barrel of the gun” and “Might is right”. Therefore, it is high time we bring back the maxims, “Pen is mightier than sword”, “Right is might” and “Honesty is the best policy”.

Where have all those value teachings in the schools gone? Except some few committed educational institutions and teachers, most of the institutions in Nagaland has become result-oriented (admitting only toppers to produce toppers) and business-oriented forgetting the true value teaching and practical-oriented skills to produce employable or self-reliant students.

It is encouraging to see some govt. retirees like K.K. Sema and T. Solo and the young and active ACAUT members, Naga intellectuals and writers, social reformers and NGOs who are sacrificing all their resources.

Lets remember that there is always a silver lining in the dark cloud. May God help all those working tirelessly for a corruption-free and peaceful Naga society.

Dr. M. Temjen Longkumer Lerie colony, Kohima

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

E

nding the year on a sour comical note is not a preferred choice but a circumstantially induced one after enduring a public bath with added compliment of tear gas on 15th December 2016 at Khermahal junction, Dimapur.

This was the first public bath that I have had and perhaps more will be forthcoming in 2017 judging from the determined stand of Chief Minister of DAN Government intent on protecting the interest of his friends living on the shady side of the public grazing pasture.

Quite right Mr. Chief Minister..."No one is above the law and no individual or group should take law into their own hands"... which includes the highhandedness of the Government abusing the law with such vindictive impunity.

Knowing well that the Government was unable to stop a rally being proposed in the private premises of NRL gas station near the city tower, Section 144 CrPC was hastily declared within 100 meters radius of the city tower as a prohibited area for public gathering. As law abiding citizens ACAUT shifted the rally venue way beyond the curfew zone to Khermahal Junction in compliance. There was no real compelling reason for the government to spew its corrupted venom on a peaceful crowd. The joke of an ending year 2016 is that of a Government literally chasing down ACAUT's peaceful rally all over Dimapur on a comical excuse that "inconvenience would be caused to Christmas shoppers during a festive season". Can any sensible Naga accept this as a reasonable 'law and order' threat to warrant the imposition of Section 144 CrPC? Was the CM so adamant to stop the ACAUT rally at all cost because some of his ultra-rich VVVIPs were suddenly slated for Christmas shopping in Khermahal junction area at around the same time of ACAUT rally that would have caused them inconvenience?... Or was Mr. Chief Minister making an effort to share his preChristmas PJ with his people? We on the receiving end did not enjoy his joke one bit! Damn right Mr. Chief Minister..."peace and harmony cannot be maintained in such a manner" by attempting to drown the legitimate voice of the people against corruption with water cannon, tear gas and 'lathi charging' an absolutely nonviolent crowd. The people have the right to express themselves against a thoroughly corrupted system being perpetuated by his government.

Mr. "Cabinet rank" Senior Advisor to the Chief Minister of Nagaland should diversify his advice beyond introducing the CM to the by-lane options of salvaging fiscal benefits for the 'state' and urgently advise his Chief Minister, who is also the Minister in-charge of scam infested

F&CS Department, to undertake an emergency crash course to learn this fundamental principle that 'no one is above the law' before he commits hara-kiri. His arrogant itch of ordering his Police robots to give innocent objectors a taste of water cannon, tear gas and lathi charge at a drop of a hat is becoming an insufferable habit he needs to get out of and instead absorb the art of listening to the voice of the people for his own good.

No amount of distorting the facts by the Government, to suit its "not very honourable" agenda of protecting scumbags like Tinku, Nirmal and R.Z. Lotha, will stand the test of truth. The Government's effort to paint a disfigured picture of ACAUT for "taking law into their own hands" and accusing them of "trespass" is mere garbage because the actual event that transpired was entirely different. ACAUT members were tipped off that the FCI rice was being repackaged in a godown owned by one R.Z. Lotha. As responsible citizens a few ACAUT members went to first ascertain the veracity of the information. This godown in question is located in an area of a public thoroughfare. There wasn't any "No trespassing" notice being displayed within the premises to ward off unwanted guests. The re-packaging of rice in FCI marked gunny bags in good condition into unmarked plastic bags was being conducted in a wide open godown in plain sight by the pilfering crew because such illegal operation was now a mundane recurring sight for the past many years that no longer attracted undue attention. There was absolutely no need for ACAUT members to forcefully barge in into this facility. They were allowed to enter the godown without objection from any working inmates and took photographic evidence of a huge stock of FCI rice with an equally large quantity of already bagged rice in plain plastic bags. Interestingly the same PDS rice in the same unmarked plastic bags costing Rs.3/- per Kg at a subsidised rate is being sold in the open market for an average of Rs.35/- per Kg in the open marketplace in Dimapur as verified

by ACAUT. It means that the stockists/sub-stockists is raking in a neat Rs.30-32/- clear profit with every Kg sold. Now multiply this amount to the total State's rice quota in a year that runs into multiple thousands of tonnes. That is more or less the average size of the rice scam every year for the past several decades. The ACAUT members thereafter immediately informed the District Administration and the Police about the ongoing illegal operation. In the presence of District Administration it was the Police who locked up the facility...not ACAUT. The question therefore is: why did the District Administration allow the Police to lock

up the godown if no wrong-doing was being committed? Subsequently ACAUT in coordination with the representatives of the 13 Colony lodged an FIR against the identified FCI rice consignment owners, Tinku and Nirmal from another such shady godown, belonging to R.Z. Lotha as an abettor to this ongoing illegal pilferage of PDS rice in both the godowns and had expected the Government to take appropriate action against the culprits. Members of ACAUT learnt a very harsh lesson of a 'New Law' of the present DAN Government that when one files FIR against thieves the complainants are the ones liable for arrest not the thieves. The comedy of this rule is the absolute flexibility that the Government can exercise to its advantage. When R.Z. Lotha, the abettor of the crime, was pressurised by the powers that be (as admitted by him) to file a counter FIR against ACAUT on a flimsy excuse that ACAUT had trespassed into his premises (which ACAUT did not as explained)... three ACAUT members were very promptly arrested and put behind bars while the government conveniently overlooked the gigantic ongoing malpractice within RZ Lotha's godown as witnessed by the Police and the Administration. On being questioned why Tinku, Nirmal and RZ Lotha were still not being arrested, the Police said Tinku and Nirmal were not in Dimapur, (which of course was a fact), but also had the audacity to say that they were unable to locate the residence of RZ Lotha.

Wow! ACAUT members then felt that the Police was seriously in need of a helping hand and therefore provided them with the precise location and address of the goofy in question. The Police still seem to have problems finding RZ Lotha's residence despite information being given to them. He has still not been arrested to date. This should sufficiently embarrass any law abiding citizen having to watch our government so intensely determined to protect the wrong doers.

The stand of CM and the powers that be in Government is transparently clear. It has no intention of punishing the peer comrades in the same 'goon club' because hanging club members like Tinku and Nirmal would be as good as putting the noose around their own necks for obvious reasons. The determined intensity on the part of the Government to disallow ACAUT's rally on 15th December 2016 should be an eye opener even for the blind. The look of reluctant consternation on the faces of some Police Officers on duty having to carry out the direct order coming from way way way above their heads against their conscience was plain to see. In general, shady business tycoons like the Tin-

kus are controlling the Government machinery by remote control and good old Chief Minister seems prepared to protect the common turf by shamelessly deploying extreme measures to silence the voice of dissent using his unquestioning robots in uniform. The past headhunting tradition of our ancestors would appear to be a more honourable pastime of a straightforward nature as compared to the present moneyhunting cesspool intrigues that is torturously depriving the common man. Had we been living in another world of ethical decency the reigning incumbent would have claimed a moral responsibility for all the unearthed garbage scams and step down...but this is Nagaland! Such an ethical act would uncomfortably bring the blue sky down our heads. If CM would like to disprove the accusations directed against his department, we dare him to call in the CBI! The Government may perhaps think that it has won the first physical battle of disrupting the rally but ACAUT knows that it has registered a moral victory and the war is not yet over. The infamous incident of 15th December 2016 has greatly enhanced the resolve of ACAUT. The challenging task of waging war against corruption will relentlessly be pursued and ACAUT is determined not to back down until CBI is brought into the frame to start the clean-up operation of the PDS mess in high and shady places and the criminals are brought to justice.

ACAUT team is tentatively scheduling a visit to every District in Nagaland come January 2017 to address the issues of corruption and Clean election. Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters and all honest conscientious Nagas are being expected to participate in this war against corruption without reservation or hesitation when ACAUT reaches their respective Districts. Know that it is our indifferent silence that is encouraging the healthy growth of corruption. The voice of the people must now be heard loud and clear.

Nagas definitely have a more honourable DNA than the degraded visibility before us today. This is a war that must be fought for the sake of our children. They deserve a better future. We hope to see you soon... that's a promise.

Before winding up, here is wishing all the readers from the bottom of my heart "A Blessed Christmas and an invigorating 2017 for change". God bless us all...including the Minister of F&CS with a hope that our District Godowns will now get an overflowing consignment of FCI rice for the people during the festive season at least.

Khekiye K. Sema IAS (Retd.)

Upper Forest Colony; Kohima; E-mail: kksema@gmail.com

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.

friday 23•12•2016

EntErtainmEnt

Beckhams hire Mel C for NYE bash

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avid and Victoria Beckham have hired Mel C to perform at their New Year’s Eve bash. The retired footballer and former Spice Girl - who have kids Brooklyn, 17, Romeo, 14, Cruz, 11, and five-year-old daughter Harper - have enlisted the services of the fashion designer’s bandmate to provide the entertainment at their getaway in the Maldives with pals Gordon and Tana Ramsay.

A source said: ‘’Victoria has been the instigator for the whole trip. ‘’She’s sorted all the accommodation for both families and ensured Mel is there to perform.’’

Mel and Victoria are said to have grown closer in recent months after both turned down the chance to reform the Spice Girls alongside Emma Bunton, Geri Horner and Mel B. The source added to The Sun newspaper: ‘’They’ve always been great pals, but have got closer over the past few months due to their shared stance on the Spice Girls comeback. ‘’There was no way Mel was going to turn down the invite as the gig will be something special.’’

The Beckhams will see in 2017 at five-star luxury resort Amilla Fushi. It won’t all be hard work for Mel as she will be joined by her boyfriend Joe Marshall for the celebrations when she is not performing.

Victoria turned down a Spice Girls reunion to concentrate on her fashion label and Mel later admitted she didn’t want to re-join the band as a fourpiece.

She said: ‘’I know there are people that want to see it. But there were various reasons ... but the one thing that I couldn’t get away from was that, we did reunite as a five piece [for the Olympics] and it was so incredible, and for me we are like a jigsaw puzzle and if there’s a piece missing it’s not complete. We’re not a band of interchangeable parts. So for me, it didn’t feel right.’’

Jim Carrey calls STD allegations irrelevant

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ctor Jim Carrey has accused his late girlfriend Cathriona White‘s mother of making false allegations against him in her daughter’s death lawsuit.

In court documents Carrey has asked the judge to strike all allegations and mention of him suffering from multiple STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and passing them to White during their relationsource: Contactmusic ship, dubbing the claims “irrelevant” to

Actors should respect New Christmas single ‘All Around’ released audience: Shah Rukh

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uperstar Shah Rukh Khan is of the view that actors should respect their audience and not look down upon them.

“After working for so many years on film stories, with film people (celebrities), people who are watching films matter. As you wake up in the morning you should have respect for them (audience) and not look down upon them saying audience are silly they don’t understand my films, I think they understand everything,” Shah Rukh told reporters at an event here last night.

“One should respect their work. I am shy, I don’t have sense of extra confidence, I take help of people who are backstage. I prepare a lot when I am on stage and I don’t always get it right,” the 51-year-old actor said.

He was talking at a press conference to launch the ‘Indian Academy Awards’ (IAA), executed by Cineyug. The awards aim at bringing together the talents of Hollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood (southern film industry).

Shah Rukh said, “The more the awards, the merrier it is. I am honoured to be part of the launch of first Indian Academy Awards. It will be great to see all of them together (celebrities from different film worlds). We want to take Indian cinema (to) international (platform).”

Indian Academy Awards will be a two-day extravaganza of live performances and fashion shows, to be held on July 7 and 8 next year at Silicon Valley in the US.

the case, reports people.com.

Carrey, 54, also pointed out that in two of White’s suicide notes, she wrote lovingly of him, describing him as family and made no mention of Brigid Sweetman, her mother.

“From the two suicide notes, it is indisputable that White looked to Carrey as the person she loved and trusted most,” state the court documents.

Carrey accused Sweetman of suing him in an attempt to profit from her daughter’s suicide. He called the lawsuit a “shakedown”. He also disputed claims that he went back on his agreement to pay for White’s funeral costs.

Sweetman’s lawyer responded: “Jim Carrey has admitted he gave White multiple sexually transmitted diseases and purposely lied to her.”

Along with the STD allegations, both Sweetman and White’s estranged husband Mark Burton, who is also suing Carrey, separately claim that Carrey obtained the drugs that killed White under the false name “Arthur King”.

He provided the drugs to White despite knowing she was prone to depression and had previously attempted suicide. source: IANs

Fame is overrated: Denzel Washington

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eteran actor Denzel Washington thinks fame is overrated.

The “Magnificent Seven” star doesn’t like the term as he believes it doesn’t necessarily equate to the success of his father, who worked 50 years for the water department and was a Minister, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“My father worked 50 years for the water department, he was also a Minister and he worked three jobs all the time. He made it, he was successful. Celebrity is really overrated - we don’t want anything to do with celebrity. I am an actor,” Washington told the New York Post.

Washington has four children, John, 32, Katia, 29, and 25-year-old twins Malcolm and Olivia, with his wife Pauletta. source: IANs

he Red Light Passengers, pop rock band based in Delhi has released its new Christmas Single called ‘All Around’. The catchy merry song can be downloaded at Indihut while the video is available at Youtube.

Red Light Passengers is a Naga band based in Delhi comprising of four members Thotmung Muivah (main vocals/ guitars/ukulele), Ram Gonmei (Bass), source: PTI Poujen Pamei (Lead guitars) and Vikepe

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Y (Drums). Formed in 2012, the band believes in spreading goodwill and love through their music.

‘All Around’ was written and composed by the frontman Thotmung Muivah.

The backing vocals for ‘All Around’ were Joylene Medom, Mimi Ruivah, Shon Zimik, Alice Jamir and Asui D. Pehau. The audio was recorded by Obed Zeme and video productions by StillFilms Productions.

I want to do TV, pursue studies: Super Dancer winner Ditya Bhande

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ine-year-old Ditya Bhande is a star now, courtesy her win on Sony’s dance reality show, Super Dancer. In a chat with indianexpress.com, Ditya, who spoke with confidence and clarity unusual for her age, talked about her dream to become a renowned choreographer and her wish to act.

“I would like to do serials like other children, and my parents are also willing to let me act. I would want to do more television,” Ditya said, quick to add that her priority, however, will be studies. “I have my exams coming up and I know studies are the most important thing for me right now and I will not let anything, even dance, compromise on my academics.”

Her, long-term dream, however, is not acting but choreography. “My aim is to be a choreographer, who is re-

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spected all over the world and I would love to choreograph for Bollywood movies. I love dancing and I want to keep doing that,” she said.

Evidently, her favourite judge on Super Dancer was choreographer Geeta Kapoor, who shared the panel with actor Shilpa Shetty and filmmaker Anurag Basu. “My favourite was Geeta maa because she has knowledge of dance. She used to correct us when we went wrong and also taught us a lot,” Ditya said.

One of the most talented contestants on the show, Ditya’s love for choreography gets proven by the fact that she runs her own dance school. Talking about it, she said, “It’s not exactly a dance institute but I do teach dance to other kids and whosoever is willing to learn, I will teach them.” source: The Indian express

This Christmas season of joyful giving and love is a time for us to pause and personally reflect on the true spirit and values Jesus Christ modeled for us.

Shawn Mendes to release live album

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hawn Mendes is to release a live album of recordings from his show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The ‘Treat You Better’ hitmaker is giving his fans an early Christmas present by dropping the new record ‘Live At Madison Square Garden’, comprised of live tracks from the 18-year-old Canadian hunk’s one-nightonly live concert, which took place on September 10. The compilation includes the hit songs ‘Mercy’, ‘Stitches’ and ‘Life Of The Party’ and special medleys.

Meanwhile, Shawn recently revealed he is planning on hitting the studio with his new best friend, One Direction’s Niall Horan. ‘Live At Madison Square Garden’ will be released on Friday (23.12.16). It comes ahead of the pop hunk’s upcoming UK arena tour, which seems him play two nights at The O2 in London on June 1 and June 2, 2017. source: Contactmusic

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Winter Cricket Challenge: Ashwin named ICC Test Imperials, Renegades register wins Cricketer of the Year 2016

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Dubai, December 22 (iaNS): India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday was named the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Cricketer of the Year, while Test skipper Virat Kohli was chosen to lead the ODI Team of the Year.

Ashwin was the only Indian in ICC's Test Team of the Year and was also named the Test Cricketer of the Year. Batsman Rohit Sharma and all-runder Ravindra Jadeja were named in the ODI team.

Pakistan captain Misbah-Ul-Haq won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award, becoming the first player of his country to win the award.

South Africa's Quinton de Kock was selected the ODI Cricketer of the Year.

Afghanistan's Mohammad Shahzad was named the ICC Associate/Affiliate Cricketer of the Year while the West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite won the T20 International Performance of the Year.

Bangladesh pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman was given the Emerging Cricketer of the Year.

Legends Rahul Dravid, Gary Kirsten and Kumar Sangakkara selected the ICC Test and ODI sides based on players' perfor-

Ravichandran Ashwin was named the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricketer of the Year. (REUTERS PHOTO)

mances in the period from September 14 2015 to September 20 2016.

England's Alastair Cook was named the captain of the Test Team of the Year, which included four Englishmen, three Australians, and a player each from New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

It was the third time Cook has been appointed captain, while it the eighth time in nine years that Dale Steyn was selected.

Joe Root, David Warner and Kane Williamson have been chosen for the third successive year.

The ODI Team of the Year, included three Australians, Indians, South Africans each, and one each from England and the West Indies. AB De Villiers has been selected for the sixth time since 2010, while Starc has been picked up for the third time in four years.

Starc and his teammate Warner are the only

two players to have been selected in both the Test and ODI sides in 2016.

The Test team: David Warner (Australia), Alastair Cook (England, captain), Kane Williamson (New Zealand), Joe Root (England), Adam Voges (Australia), Jonny Bairstow (England, wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (England), R. Ashwin (India), Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Steve

Smith (Australia) The ODI team: David Warner (Australia), Quinton de Kock (South Africa, wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma (India), Virat Kohli, (India, captain), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Jos Buttler (England), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Ravindra Jadeja (India), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Sunil Narine (West Indies), Imran Tahir (South Africa)

Turan helps Barca pummel ‘Aai Sagi Sports Hercules in Copa del Rey Meet’ from Jan 6

DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): The Aai Sagi Sports Meet 2017 organised by the Mech Kachari Public Organization (MKPO) Nagaland for Village/Area wise will be held from January 6 to 8 at Kachari Community Sports Complex, Darogajan-Kushiabill village, Dimapur. Under the theme, “Unity Through Sports”, the tournament will feature volleyball and athletics, a press release informed. Participants/teams from Mech Kachari Community of Nagaland have been asked to contact the MKPO Games & Sports Secretary at 8575012905/8575886300 for further information.

Wokha, December 22 (mexN): Imperials Cricket Club defeated Blue Hill Youth Organisation (BHYO) by 3 wickets while Renegades CC trounced Mt. Tiyi Colony CC by 116 runs to enter the next round of the 21st edition of Winter Cricket Challenge, played at Local Ground, Wokha.

In the first match, BHYO won the toss and elected to bat. BHYO batsmen were bowled out in the 20th over of the inning setting up a total of 115 runs. The notable contributors included Zuchobemo – 26 runs, Yambothung – 24, and Chumthungo – 14. Abemo Kikon led the wicket takers with 3 wickets while Lawrence and Mhathung claimed 2 wickets each.

In the run chase, the one-time champions Imperials were lifted by a solid half century from Abemo Kikon enabling the team to reach the target in the 20th over of the inning. Man of the match Abemo’s inning of 53 runs consisted of 8 fours and two sixes. Pema Tamang also contributed 28 runs. Tumbemo claimed 3 wickets, Khyothungo claimed 2 wickets while Benri and

Abemo claimed one wickets a piece.

In the second match, Renegades opting to bat after winning the toss posted a mammoth 205 runs with all the batsmen contributing with the willow. Romokhon – 46, Nayen Hazarika – 43 not out, Renben Murry – 41, Nchumbemo – 38, and Upender Rai – 20 were the contributors for Renegades. Mhonyamo claimed 2 wickets while Randenbemo, Nchumthung and Lichamo claimed a wicket each.

Mt. Tiyi CCC batsmen were bundled out in the 18th over of the match for just 89 runs – 116 runs short of the target. Biben was the lone batsman who defied the onslaught of the Renegades bowlers with 24 runs. Three bowlers of Renegades – Renchio, Thechamo and Nayan Hazarika claimed 3 wickets each with Shanjo Murry claiming 1 wicket. Nayan was adjudged Man of the Match for his unbeaten 43 runs and 3 wickets.

Friday’s matches GAPYOCC (Blue) vs Hurricanes CC Shoorveer 28 AR vs Young Masters CC

5 AR wins 3rd Sumi Open T20 Tourney ZuNheboto, December 22 (mexN): 5 Assam Rifles defeated ICC Mokokchung by 6 wickets to emerge as winner of the 3rd Sumi Open T20 Cricket Championship.

Batting first ICC Mokokchung posted 131 runs while losing six wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.

The AR team chased down the target

with an over to spare while losing 4 wickets. Colonel Sachit Suri, Commandant 5 AR was adjudged ‘Man of the Match’.

A total of 10 teams from Zunheboto and adjoining districts participated in the tournament which was held from December 12 to 20 at Public Ground, Zunheboto.

The tournament was organised by Highlanders Cricket Club.

State bags 7 medals in World MAC C’ship

Argentina, France take FIFA ranking honours

Arda Turan (R) celebrates after scoring. (AFP Photo)

maDriD, December 22 (aFP): Turkey international Arda Turan scored a hat-trick as holders Barcelona thrashed third-division side Hercules 7-0 in the second leg of their Copa del Rey last-32 tie.

Turan struck his second hat-trick in as many weeks -- following a quickfire treble against Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League a fortnight ago -as Barca eased into the last 16 following an 8-1 aggregate win.

Luis Enrique rested his formidable front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar but the floodgates opened once Lucas Digne broke the deadlock on

37 minutes at the Camp Nou. Ivan Rakitic added a penalty before half-time with Rafinha and Paco Alcacer the others to get on the scoresheet.

Luciano Vietto and Wissam Ben Yedder also scored three goals each as last year's beaten finalists Sevilla pummelled fourth tier Formentera 9-1 in Andalusia, completing a 14-2 victory over the two legs.

Rodrigo netted both goals for Valencia in a 2-1 win over Leganes in an all-La Liga affair, with the former progressing 5-2 on aggregate.

Eibar, Deportivo La Coruna and Osasuna also advanced to the next round.

Irish FA seeks 'urgent' FIFA meeting over fine LoNDoN, December 22 (aFP): The Irish FA on Wednesday sought an "urgent" meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to protest over a 15,000 Swiss franc fine imposed for Northern Ireland's tribute to Britain's war dead.

The Irish FA board expressed "severe disappoiment" at the fine (14,000 euros/$14,600) imposed by FIFA's disciplinary commission on Monday.

The English FA has already said it would try to appeal against a 45,000 Swiss franc fine imposed for wearing poppy armbands as a tribute in their November 11 Armistice Day game against Scotland.

Scotland were fined 20,000 Swiss francs for making the same gesture while Wales were also fined 20,000 Swiss francs for their remembrance tribute the same day. FIFA said all had breached a ban on political symbols on kit during official games.

"The board of the Irish FA wishes to express its severe disappointment that the FIFA disciplinary committee issued the association with a fine and a reprimand for acts of remembrance at the Northern Ireland v Azerbaijan game on Armistice Day," said a statement.

"In the weeks leading up to the match on November 11, the Irish FA had discussions with FIFA to get guidance on what was permitted within the laws of the game.

Having followed that guidance in the delivery of the acts of remembrance at the match, it is extremely disappointing that the FIFA disciplinary committee came to the conclusions that it did."

The Irish FA said it cannot appeal under FIFA regulations and would not pursue any further legal action.

"However, the association will write to the president of FIFA to arrange an urgent meeting to seek clarity on this issue going forward."

FIFA disciplinary committee chairman Claudio Sulser said Monday the world body was not making judgements on "specific commemorations as we fully respect the significance of such moments in the respective countries".

But he said "rules need to be applied in a neutral and fair manner across FIFA's 211 member associations".

"In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else," Sulser added.

Zurich, December 22 (aFP): Lionel Messi's beaten Copa America finalists Argentina end the year top of FIFA's world rankings while France, defeated in the Euro 2016 final, were named 'mover of the year'.

Argentina finish 2016 out in front of arch rivals Brazil to inherit the 'team of the year' title from Belgium, displaced from the FIFA summit by the Edgardo Bauza-coached Albiceleste in April.

In all the Argentinians won 10 of their 15 games, with one of their three losses coming in the continen-

tal showpiece on penalties to Chile in June.

France too lost their own continental showpiece in extra time to Portugal on home soil but were named mover of the year after gaining the most ranking points with 13 wins out of 17 games.

FIFA top 10 rankings on Thursday: 1. Argentina 2. Brazil 3. Germany 4. Chile 5. Belgium 6. Colombia 7. France 8. Portugal 9. Uruguay 10. Spain

DimaPur, December 22 (mexN): The International Mansuria Kung-Fu Nagaland team bagged 7 medals – 4 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze – at the World Championship MAC Games 2016 held from December 11 to 15 in New Delhi.

The names of the medal winners are: Keyisuiding Lungalang (gold), Krishna

Kumar (gold), Kethosituo-ii Kesiezie (gold), Perampaugumding Lungalang (gold), Bharat Kumar (bronze), Namdingwangbe Haralu (bronze) and Ganesh Ram (silver).

The team was led by Team Coach Kangkang Lungalang and Team Manager Neikhonuo Haralu.

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