February 21st, 2015

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www.morungexpress.com

The Morung Express

Dimapur VOL. X ISSUE 49

www.morungexpress.com

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Julia Roberts’ mother dies after battle with lung cancer

[ PAGE 8]

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Saturday, February 21, 2015 12 pages Rs. 4

Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument

Seven arrested for leaking energy documents

ACL introduced in 437 schools [ PAGE 2]

Antarctica: Mystery continent holds key to future [ PAGE 9]

[ PAGE 11]

• South East Asia has been implicated in the rise of resistance to both chloroquine and artemisinin.

• The main explanation is that lower levels of natural malaria immunity exist in the region than in Africa.

• With no background resistance, the drugs have to do all the work in infected patients in South East Asia.

• But there are far more cases of malaria in Africa, and repeat infection is common Aww Begum, don`t cry. My so people there develop some immunity. commanding officer will be • It means the natural immune system here soon! and the drug share the load of fighting off malaria. This makes South East Asia ‘Cease work’ agitation Malaria is spread by mosquitoes and scientists say the resistant paraa riper region for the parasite to develop

by NSEAOA, NSSFOF & sites found in the Saigang region of Burma, just 15 miles from India, in resistance.

ANSTA from March 2 an ‘alarming development.’

Honour agreement to withdraw defamation case: NFHRCC to Azo Morung Express News Dimapur | February 20

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The Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) on Friday reiterated that former R&B Minister, Kuzholuzo Nienu honour the agreement to withdraw defamation lawsuits filed against contractors A. Neangba Konyak and Yashitsungba Aier. Four Dimapur-based news dailies are also named as ‘proforma defendants’ in the case filed by Nienu in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kohima.

“The NFHRCC was under the impression that the former minister had already withdrawn the cases as assured by him. However, the former minister instead of withdrawing the cases rather is rigorously pursuing it, which is highly unbecoming on the part of the popularly elected leader,” stated the NFHRCC. The NFHRCC reminded of the October 10, 2014 agreement at the Dimapur DC’s official residence wherein “the committee and the former minister amicably agreed to resolve all misunderstandings under the principle of forgive and forget.” The agreement included the mutual withdrawal of the case filed at the Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court by the NFHRCC recommended contractor against the PWD (R&B) and the defamation cases filed by Nienu. It was reaffirmed subsequently on October 29, 2014 at the residence of the former R&B Minister in Kohima. Consequent to the agreement, A. Neangba withdrew his against the PWD (R&B) on October 31, it was added.

Stating that a copy of the withdrawal order was “made available” to the department in concern, the NFHRCC said that it was Nienu, who asked that the case against the PWD (R&B) be first withdrawn and that he would follow suit.

At the meeting held today, the NFHRCC alongwith the contractors (of the Mon sector) further reaffirmed the February 14 decision to temporarily suspend work at the Mon sector till an amicable settlement is arrived between the committee and the Konyak Union.

”

– Samuel Johnson

Brendon McCullum hits fastest World Cup fifty [ PAGE 12]

Drug-resistant malaria parasite china protest PM’s from Myanmar threatens india visit to Arunachal Why South East Asia?

Full story on Page 5

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LOnDOn, FeBruary 20 (reuTerS): Malaria with total resistance to the antimalarial drug artemisinin has taken hold in Myanmar and spread close to the border with India, threatening to repeat history and render crucial medicines useless, scientists said on Friday.

If the spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites were to reach into India, they said, that would pose a serious threat to the chances of global control and eradication of the killer mosquito-borne disease.

And if resistance spreads from Asia to Africa, or emerges in Africa independently -- as has been seen before with previously effective but now powerless antimalarials, “millions of lives will be at risk”, they said in a report.

“Myanmar is considered the front line in the battle against artemisinin resistance as it forms a gateway for resistance

to spread to the rest of the world,” said Charles Woodrow of the Mahidol-Oxford tropical medicine research unit, who led the study at Oxford University.

In a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, Woodrow’s team collected 940 parasite samples at 55 malaria treatment centres across Myan-

ed by the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Bangkok, Thailand.

They also confirmed resistant parasites in Homalin, in the Sagaing Region, only 25 km (15 miles) from the Indian border.

While there have been significant reductions in the numbers of people falling ill

resistance to SP subsequently emerged in western Cambodia and again spread to Africa. SP was replaced by artemisinin combination treatment, or ACT, and experts now worry that history may repeat itself yet again.

“The pace at which artemisinin resistance is spreading or emerging is alarming,” said Philippe Guerin, director of the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network.

Woodrow noted that thanks to advances in the science of genetic analysis, researchers tracking artemisinin antimalarials are in “the unusual position of having molecular markers for resistance before resistance has spread globally”.

“The more we understand about the current situation... the better prepared we are to adapt and implement strategies to overcome the spread of further drug resistance,” he said.

‘We are facing the imminent threat of resistance spreading into India, with thousands of lives at risk’ mar and its border regions.

They found that almost 40 percent of the samples had mutations in their socalled kelch gene, K13 -- a known genetic signal of artemisinin drug resistance.

The collection of samples from across Myanmar and its border regions was led by Kyaw Myo Tun of Defence Services Medical Research Centre, Napyitaw, Myanmar and coordinat-

and dying from malaria, it still kills around 600,000 a year -- most of them children in the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

From the late 1950s to the 1970s, chloroquineresistant malaria spread across Asia to Africa, leading to a resurgence of cases and millions of deaths.

Chloroquine was replaced by sulphadoxinepyrimethamine (SP), but

Says ‘the act of the Indian side is not conducive to properly resolving and controlling disputes between the two sides’

Beijing, FeBruary 20 (PTi): China today lodged a strong protest with India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh and expressed its “diametrical opposition” to the trip which it said was not conducive for resolving the border dispute.

“The act of the Indian side is not conducive to properly resolving and controlling disputes between the two sides, nor in conformity with the general situation of growth of bilateral relations,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said in strongly worded statement.

China has lodged a strong representation with India to express “diametrical opposition” to Prime Minister Modi’s visit to a “disputed zone” along the China-India borders, Hua said. The remarks came as Modi visited Arunachal Pradesh today and said the Centre was planning to make the region an organic hub to boost agriculture production and improve 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity in the northeast region neglected for long.

“Modi visited a disputed zone in the eastern part of China-India borders on

Modi promises to develop North East into organic hub

iTanagar, FeBruary 20 (PTi): With the government’s thrust on development of North East, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the Centre was planning to make the region an organic hub to boost agriculture production and improve 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity in the region neglected for long.

The Prime Minister said the Centre is pro-active about North East and will initiate measures to bring the region’s development on par with other developed parts of the country.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion of 29th Statehood Day celebration at Indira Gandhi Park here, he said the Centre was planning to convert North East into an ‘Organic Hub’ of the country to boost agriculture and horticulture production keeping in view its conducive agroclimatic condition and has proposed establishment of six new agriculture universities in the region.

“My government is planning to launch 18 new FM channels for the region for which auction will be conducted soon. Besides, proposals have been made to improve 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity in the region which had remained neglected for many years,” the PM said to thunderous applause of the people. “There is no dearth of funds....But the respective state governments of the region should ensure judicious utilization of all Central funds,” he said and added that he had directed all his ministers to visit the North East states twice in a month to oversee development initiatives undertaken and study the problems of the region.

Related story on page 3 Friday to attend activities marking the founding of the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’, a state that Indian authorities illegally and unilaterally declared in 1987,” state-run Xinhua news agency claimed in a report on Hua’s statement.

Hua said, “The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’.”

She said China’s stance on the disputed area on the eastern part of the ChinaIndia border is consistent and clear. Hua asserted that it is a universally rec-

ognised fact that huge disputes exist on the eastern section of China-India borders.

“The so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ was established largely on the three areas of China’s Tibet -- Monyul, Loyul and Lower Tsayul currently under Indian illegal occupation.

These three areas, located between the illegal ‘ McMahon Line’ and the traditional customary boundary between China and India, have always been Chinese territory,” the Xinhua report claimed.

United colony residents Swine Flu in Nagaland: 4 more suspected cases • Samples sent to Dibrugarh for protest ‘encroachment’ further examination DiMaPur, FeBruary 20 (Mexn): Samples of four more suspected Swine Flu cases from Nagaland state have been sent to Dibrugarh, Assam for further examination. The Nodal Officer from the State Surveillance Unit of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) informed on Friday that three of the suspected cases are from Kohima, while one is from Dimapur.

Results from Dibru-

Morung Express News Dimapur | February 20

The limited land under the Fisheries Department in Dimapur between Super Market and United Colony is likely to be overtaken by private individuals soon.

This development comes after the Revenue department (cell) under the district administration allotted land pattas to more than nine persons.

The land in question starts from GHSS Nagarjan till Super Market, belonging to the State Fishery Department. The breadth of the allotted patta is some ten meters, touching both ends of fishery ponds owned by the Fishery Department and the main Nagarjan (Kuda) road.

In the middle of the allotted land runs the main drainage and sewerage outlet for United Colony and Kuda Village. Outraged by the rampant allotment of land pattas by the district administration, residents of United Colony on Friday requested the Dimapur DC to visit the site of “encroachment.” Residents of the colony tore down the temporary thatch structures constructed by the allottees between the fishery ponds and the main road.

The allottees had erected bamboo walls in their allotted land between the fishery ponds and main road. Sources informed

The “encroached” land (enclosed in bamboo walls) belonging to the Fishery Department, between the fishery ponds and main Nagarjan (Kuda) road, falling under United Colony jurisdiction.

that the leader of the allottees is a Kilonser of a Naga political group.

GBs and elders of United Colony told media persons that the Dimapur DC visited the site and interacted with one of the allottees, who reportedly produced the patta and a No Objection Certificate issued by the district administration.

According to GBs of United Colony, the DC advised the allottees to desist from any construction work in the site till the matter is settled.

Meanwhile, the United Colony Council informed that it would submit a representation to DC on the “encroachment” of the only drainage system in the colony by private individuals. Elders and residents of United Colony stated that the district administration is entirely responsible for the “encroachment” issue. They alleged that

some vested government officials have been indulging in rampant issuance of land pattas.

“It is only because of the district administration and vested revenue officials that the encroachers are taking advantage. Once they (encroachers) have their way and construct permanent buildings right in the middle of our main drainage, then the woes of the colony residents will multiply, especially during monsoon,” a colony elder said.

“Even without the latest encroachment, the Government Primary School in our colony is most of the time closed during monsoon because of flood. If the administration yields in to the encroachers this time, then come monsoon this year, most areas of our colony will be flooded including the road leading to GHSS Nagarjan,” he added.

• Medication to be made available in all district hospitals • State’s first Swine Flu patient ‘cured’

gargh for the four suspected cases are scheduled to arrive on Saturday evening.

It was also revealed that the first patient who was diagnosed with Swine Flu recently has been “cured”

and that she has been discharged from the hospital.

Meanwhile, medication for Swine Flu is scheduled to be made available to all the district hospitals in a couple of days. It may

be recalled that the department had placed orders for 1000 tablets of Oseltamivir and 100 bottles of Susp Oseltamivir from the central government to counter the H1N1 flu. The medication, it was informed would need to be used in a very judicious manner.

The Nagaland state health department has meanwhile appealed for the people not to panic and assured that it is prepared to tackle the situation.

Ammo manufacturing unit busted in Peren

Peren, FeBruary 20 (Mexn): A large amount of ammunition was recovered by personnel of the 18 Assam Rifles under the aegis of Headquarters 6 Sector, when they raided an illegal ammunition manufacturing unit in Peren Town on February 17.

A press note from the PRO, Assam Rifles informed that an operation was conducted based on “information about the movement of an arms peddler in the general area Tening.” The 18 AR intercepted one individual moving from Peren to Katang on a motorcycle, along with some “unauthorised ammunition.”

On searching the individual, the AR troops recovered 750 gm of gun powder, 250 percussion caps and assorted ammu-

Seen here are large quantities of ammunition and gun powder recovered from an illegal ammunition manufacturing unit at Peren Town on February 17.

nition. The apprehended person was identified as one Teulak (40), a resident of Katang, Manipur. The apprehended individual along with the recovered

items was handed over to Tening Police Station, the AR informed. According to the AR, the apprehended person, during “spot questioning,” revealed that “he

had purchased these illegal ammunition and items from Peren Town.”

Based on this information, the 18 AR launched search parties in Peren Town. During the operation, troops unearthed an illegal ammunition manufacturing unit at Peren and apprehended the owner of the unit. The recoveries during the search included approximately 10 Kgs of gun powder, 13, 417 numbers of .22 live rounds, 1263 cartridges 12 bore, 197 live rounds of assorted ammunition, percussion caps, empty cases and equipment used for manufacturing of ammunition. The owner of the unit was identified as one Raghu Nath Das (40), a resident of Peren Town. He was handed over to Peren Police Station along with the recovered ammunition and items.

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Dimapur

Saturday

LocaL

21 February 2015

TRIBAL HUT: New restaurant opens in Town

The Morung Express

ACL introduced in 437 schools

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Targets to cover 1806 govt primary schools

Entrance to the restaurant.

Imojen I Jamir Dimapur | February 20

Tribal Hut, a new restaurant that will cater to the desires of the gourmets and needs of the rumbling tummies was recently opened at first floor, Naga Council Building near East Police Station and opposite to Hotel Acacia in Dimapur.

Limanaro Jamir (28), a Hindi graduate is the owner who opened the restaurant with financial assistance from relatives.

After graduation, she used to work in private companies to earn a living while helping needy

students by imparting free Hindi tuition. Though she could pursue her further studies or look for government job as a teacher as most of her friends do, she reveals her interest has always been to be an entrepreneur and that this is a ‘dream come true’ for her.

Shyly, she expresses hope that people will come and enjoy their meal in her restaurant.

She is helped by three educated Naga men of whom all are her friendsAngam, Merentoshi and Tiatemsü. There are no other employees apart from the four of them and

Tia, Meren, Naro and Angam (left-right) inside the restaurant.

all work, including cooking and washing is done by them. “We have trained hard and learned to cook different Naga dishes”, asserts Toshi excitedly while stating that all Naga dishes will be available in the restaurant – meat in anishi, axone, pongsen, dry-fish etc including amru-su/ aam-su (meat dish made in local grinded rice) and biscuit made of sticky rice.

Angam, who is also a graduate, has experienced working for some private companies and enthusiastically undertaking this venture. He hopes this may hearten young edu-

cated unemployed youths to look for jobs apart from government services and spread the message that there is dignity in any kind of sincere work or labor.

After their completion of studies, he encourages young Nagas to take up any kind of honest job and start earning instead of wasting time at home and being a burden to parents. “The culture of completely depending on parents after formal years of education should be eradicated”, he exclaims, while acknowledging some sincere students dedicated wholly to passing competitive ex-

ams.

The team also volunteers in Survival Nagaland initiations whenever they get time and disclose that the “Dignity of Labor” campaign by Survival Nagaland partly influenced and encouraged them to take up the present business enterprise. “Though the interior is yet to be ornamented completely, all are welcome to taste our scrumptious dishes”, states Limanaro.

Food is reasonably priced at Rs.120.00 per plate. Tribal Hut also takes orders and can be reached at 8794969092/8014020767.

Kohima, February 20 (mexN): Thungchibemo Lotha, Reader, SCERT & Member Secretary ACL while giving a brief report on the three days Activity and Competency Learning training held at SCERT, Kohima said that ACL has been introduced in 437 schools covering all districts.

“So far, the performances have been very encouraging. It is now necessary to expand the project in all the 1806 government primary schools within a few years as per the directive of the Centre. In this regard, District Resource Group (DRG) has been formed in all district,” added the Reader.

The three-day teacher’s training programme on expansion of Activity and Competency Learning (ACL) in Kohima district was held at SCERT from February 17 to 19. Altogether 48 teachers participated in the programme from 30 schools.

Vipralhou Kesiezie, Director SCERT, in his speech said that the training has

received the best response in Kohima District. He further mentioned that the Government of India has re-structured teacher education where new programmes have been introduced. He also talked about ASER (Annual School Evaluation Report) where more than 30% of class V students cannot read the textbook of Class II. In Mathematics the students were able to perform well in addition but 26% could not do division, multiplication and subtraction. Dropout rate in 2013-14 has doubled. In 2013, 35,000 thousand students appeared for Class IX where only 20,000 students passed and the remaining failed. 5000 student did not appear the final exam.

He concluded by saying that the present teachers can perform multi-tasking since they are well qualified and capable. Hence, Kohima District can be a model district in the state.

The trainees shared their experiences on the three days training where

they thanked the department for the opportunity and for conducting such trainings. One of them mentioned that ACL is something where students will learn without knowing that they have learned in the sense that learning is now interesting and not burdensome. They also assured the department that they will strive with commitment and sincerity to make Kohima a model district for ACL. The programme was chaired by Kevi Liegese, Project Director, SCERT. He said that ACL has been taken up as a very important innovative educational project in the State of Nagaland.

It is an educational system that incorporates all aspects of “learner-centered education”, which promotes creative learning based on activities and competencies. SDEO Kohima Rokovolhulie Nagi thanked the Director of SCERT for conducting such trainings and thanked the teachers for their co-operation.

ICAR prepare to counteract climate change AR one-stop shopping complex coming up shortly

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Kohima, February 20 (DiPr): Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ, IGAR (N) has initiated another landmark welfare project, where a one-stop shopping centre located opposite to SBI Main Branch Kohima has started functioning partially and would be fully functional very shortly after re-doing of some renovation works which is in progress.

The idea of the converting the old IG office to a shopping complex was conceptualized by IGAR (N) Major General MM. Naravane, SM, VSM, with an objective for catering to the local needs as well as to generate employment opportunities to the local people. It is a complete one stop shopping complex for meeting the daily requirements of the shoppers conveniently with quality control and will be opened till 9:00 pm.

An outlet has also been

kids. The Day Care Centre would be a respite for the working ladies too, as they can keep their kids during office hours, totally free of cost initially for 3 months subsequently, a minimum charge will be levied solely to cater to the salary of the attendants and not for profit.

Major General inspected the market complex yesterday, to oversee the work in progress and to ensure that perfect services would be rendered to the customers as well as the vendors.

He also disclosed that young unemployed youth could work as part time or full time salespersons as per their conveniences in the shopping complex. It may be mentioned that the Pineapple Canning Plant at Medziphema, which was inaugurated last year, is another commendable welfare project, also the brainchild of Major General Naravane.

JharNaPaNi, February 20 (mexN): ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre organised a threedays training programme on ‘Resource conservation technologies in the context of climate change’ organised under National Initiative for Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project from February 17 to 19 at Jharnapani.

The inaugural function was graced by Dr. DJ Rajkhowa, Principal Investigator, NICRA as the chief guest, Dr. S Hazarika and Dr. SK Das as guest of honour and Dr. Bidyut C Deka, Joint Director as the chairman. The welcome address was conveyed by Dr. Dibyendu Chatterjee, Scientist, Soil Science followed by the release of the training manual by the chief guest.

The chief guest in his speech briefed about the vagaries of climate change, which may influence the agriculture negatively in coming future.

Dr. Deka in his chairman’s remark mentioned how ICAR has prepared to counteract the climate change through research and extension activities.

Christy BK Sangma delivered vote of thanks.

All together 26 participants who are the field level functionaries and officials of the Department of Land Resources, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Government of Nagaland registered in this training.

The training consisted of three technical sessions. Dr. D.J. Rajkhowa, Dr. S. Hazarika, Dr. S.K. Das, Dr. D.M. Firake, Dr. J.S. Bordoloi, Dr. D. Chatterjee, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Ray, Christy B.K. Sangma, Roben Singh, Z. James Kikon, Dr. L.J. Bordoloi, Er. P. Chowdhury, Dr. M.K. Patra, Dr. A. Thirugnagnavel, Dr. Rajesha G., Tasvina R. Borah, Dr. Kolom Robi, Imtisenla Walling were the resource persons for the technical session.

The trainees acquired knowledge on the ba-

Need for support of creative professions: ANDTA

State CS expresses disappointment on SSA performance Health mela at Doyapur

Kohima, February 20 (mexN): The Department of Art & Culture, School Education, All Nagaland Drawing Teacher’s Association (ANDTA) expressed that the Association endeavours to revive and to popularise art forms through various mediums and platforms. “As anywhere else, the creative professions in our state need encouragement from the Government and the people for satisfactory development,” V. Hetoi Swu President, All Nagaland Drawing Teachers Association (ANDTA) said in a press note.

ANDTA further states, “setting definite targets in the School of Art Education promotional, Art Activities research and promotion of art and styles with adequate manpower and strategies is a deep-felt need today. What is viewed as a vital responsibility of the Department today is to make our people realize their own creative ability to make life meaningful and more enjoyable.”

Meanwhile, the Association has acknowledged Vilalhou Noudi of Art Executive in the Directorate of Art and Culture Nagaland Kohima, T. Yanger Ozukum Art expert & Culture Department, Neivotou, Senior Artist in the Art & Culture Department and Zavyi Nykha Director of School Education for taking the responsibility and initiative on art field for Schools Education Department.

Kohima, February 20 (DiPr): The State Executive Committee meeting of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was held on February 19 at the Chief Secretary’s conference hall at Secretariat Kohima.

The meeting reviewed the schemes of the previous year over which the Chief Secretary C.J Ponraj expressed his disappointment on the performance during the period. It was observed that the only

sic concepts of climate change and resource conservation technologies abiotic stresses, meteorological variations in the hill climate, resource conservation options and soil health management in the context of climate change, soil and water conservation through mulching, nutrients recycling through waste management, important varieties in the context of climate change, pest population dynamics, plant disease and their management, impact of climate change on horticulture, livestock production in a changing climate, climate resilient aquaculture, and effective contingency planning.

The participant was evaluated and two trainees- Wondangbeni Kikon, ASSO Directorate, Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Kevizekho Kar, member of WDT, Department of Land Resources were adjudged as the best participant.

achievement was the release of salaries up to date the failure to perform was due to the defective funding pattern. The meeting in its review made comprehensive suggestions for improvement of policy and planning process in the State pertaining to SSA schemes.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary C.J Ponraj who is the Chairman of State Mission of SSA highlighted about SSA

as the National Flagship Programme, which he said is also an instrument at the hands of Government under Right to Education Act. The Chief Secretary also said that SSA is a universal accessibility, database of quality and innovative education of National Programme. SSA was an inclusive programme where specific objectives, areas target, intervention and mobilization should all be taken into consideration

Major General MM. Naravane IGAR (n) inspecting the day care centre at the shopping centre in Kogima. (DIPR Photo)

given to the N.E network Chizami, to facilitate them in showcasing their products and also to assist them in marketing their Handloom products in Kohima and outside the state.

Christened as Souvenir shop, the products from Chizami are already on sale. The market complex

for procurement and capital to come about. He also suggested that the existing school have to cover with drinking facility, residential hostel, research as well as teachers training and data base quality parameter etc should be incorporated into the programme.

The Chief Secretary expressed appreciation of SSA in conducting the activity base learning and made suggestions to SSA for future programmes.

will provide outlets including grocery, chemist shop, beauty parlor, tailoring unit, ATM, stationary shop, hair cutting saloon, hygienic butchers shop, vegetable shop, garments and footwear, fast-food restaurant, cafeteria etc.

An added attraction inside the complex

is the Day Care Centre fully equipped with play things and toys, where the kids can be kept under well trained female attendants, while the parents do the shopping. A self-help kitchen is also attached in the Day Care Centre, so that parents can give warm food to their

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conducted successfully

Medical team visits Peren for monitoring and supervision

Monitoring and Supervision team State NHM DHFW along with District Hospital Staffs at District Hospital Peren February 19.

PereN, February 20 (mexN): Officials from Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, National Health Mission State Team Kohima visited

Peren district for monitoring and supervision from February 17 to 19.

Pezanguno Celine Secii, District Media Officer CMO Office Peren

in a press release stated that the team visited the health units under the four Blocks of Peren District i.e., District Hospital, Community Health

Centre, Primary Health Centre’s and Sub Centre’s.

They monitored and supervised on various fields such as the manpower status, physical infrastructure, equipments, essential Drugs and supplies, quality parameter of the facility, records/registers maintenance, service delivery, ASHA’s and places of importance under the jurisdiction of the health unit.

The team included Dr. Limakum State Program Officer, Dr. Khriesatuo Deputy Director, Dr. Khriesilie, RBSK Nodal Officer, Kingson, UNICEF Coordinator, Puni, State Facilitator, Rajesh, Consultant Community Mobiliser, Aotemsu, Program Manager, Abeni, Assistant Program manager MCTS, Ruth State ASHA Corodinator, Nisa, Assistant Program Manager RCH, Rovi and Moatemsu Office Assistant RCH & HR.

Medical team examines patients during the free health mela conduced at Doyapur under Dhansiripar Block, Dimapur on February 19.

DimaPur, February 20 (mexN): A free health mela was concluded successfully at Doyapur under Dhansiripar Block, Dimapur on February 19.

The health mela was organized by the Department of Health & Family Welfare under the aegis of National Health Mission at Government Middle School building at Doyapur village.

Specialist doctors and health workers from various health programmes including National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, National Programme for Control of Blindness, National Leprosy Eradication Programme, District Aids Control Programme Unit, Universal Immunization Programme, Reproductive & Child

Health, Revised National TB Control Programme, National Tobacco Control Programme, Gyneacologist, Paedetrician and general Medical Officers and Laboratories Technicians were available to examine the patients. Family planning services such Sterilization was also performed.

A total of 182 patients availed the services provided during the mela. Total 16 laproscopy ligation was performed and25 Children were also immunised during the Mela besides other health check-ups. Interpersonal Communication on Safe motherhood, Diarrhea, Exclusive Breastfeeding, Family planning and New Borne Care were carried out. Screening documentaries on Health services

were also aired besides distribution of IEC materials in local dialect. Free Medicines were also distributed to patients and compensations were also paid to those beneficiaries opting for permanent method of Family Planning.

The department has acknowledged the medicine contributed by different Pharmaceutical Companies and participation of Health personnel such as Dr. MA Wati CMO, Dr. Imchameren, Dy. CMO, Dr. Lanuakum, Dr. Kuotsutho, Dr. Toshirenla, Dr, Moa Jamir, Dr. Imnapokim, Dr. Kezo, Dr. Obed, Dr. Talitoba Ozukum, Dr. Kezeneilie, Dr. Shabana, Dr. Sashi, Dr. C Tetseo, KunuAngamiand the health workers under CMO, District Hospital and Dhansiripar Block.

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REgional

The Morung Express

Modi promises new train, power projects to boost connectivity to NE Flags off Arunachal-Delhi train New Delhi, February 20 (PTi): Blaming poor connectivtiy for under-development of the North East, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Centre was working in tandem with the states of the region to remove bottlenecks in development.

The PM flagged off through remote control the AC Express Train between Naharlagun and New Delhi and the Intercity Express between Naharlagun and Guwahati besides dedicating to nation the 21.75 km long broad gauge railway track between Naharlagun in Arunachal and Harmuti in Assam's Lakhimpur district.

Modi said "Arunachal Pradesh is getting both 'gati' (momentum) and 'urja' (energy) today." The projects being launched today would boost connectivity and provide elec-

Modi wishes Arunachal, Mizoram on statehood day New Delhi, February 20 (iaNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday greeted the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on their statehood day. Both Arunachal and Mizoram were conferred statehood on Feb 20, 1987.

Extending his greetings to the people of Arunachal Pradesh, the prime minister said: "Warmest greetings on the statehood day of your state. Arunachal Pradesh is a land known for its natural beauty and its warm people. I am committed to ensuring all possible support that enhances the state's development journey."

Wishing his "sisters and brothers" of Mizoram, Modi in his message said: "Greetings on Mizoram's statehood day. My best wishes for the overall development of Mizoram. May the state scale new heights of progress in the years to come." tricity, Modi said after formally bringing Arunachal in the railway map of the country. "Ministers and senior officers of the Centre are working in tandem with the North-East states to remove bottlenecks in development," he said. "In-

dia will grow if Arunachal grows."

He also laid the foundation stone of a 132 KV power transmission and distribution system project and unveiled the Itanagar Water Supply project.

Describing the new

trains as a "special gift" to the people of the state on the occasion of 29th Statehood Day, Modi said that with the new train linking the state capital and the national capital, tourism industry would flourish soon enabling visitors from different parts of country.

Referring to the immense hydel power potential of the state, the Prime Minister cited the examples of how Nepal and Bhutan were harnessing hydropower to transform their economy, and how Himachal Pradesh had done the same for country.

He said Arunachal Pradesh could provide electricity to the entire country and called for development of the state's hydel potential, simultaneously giving proper compensation to people who get displaced by hydro projects.

About bringing Arunachal on the rail map of the country, Modi said, "Railway is not only for communication but a medium of development."

He said the Centre had earmarked Rs 4,200 crore for the railway project in the state besides Rs 3,200 crore for the power transmission project. "I am pained to note that 60 years were taken by Independent India to provide safe drinking water to the people of the state capital," Modi added.

The PM asked the state government to ensure judicious utilisation of the plan allocation while assuring more funds saying that both the Centre as well as the state government are accountable to the people on fund utilisation.

The PM also inaugurated the Festival of Arunachal and released a souvenir on the occasion.

Saturday

21 February 2015

Dimapur

3

Meghalaya government seeks Rs 1653 crore from Centre

ShilloNG, February 20 (PTi): Meghalaya government has sought Rs 1653 crore from the Centre to improve road connectivity with neighbouring state and to develop roads of economic importance, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said.

The Chief Minister has also sought special relief from Union Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari wherein funding for these road projects would be followed in a 90:10 funding pattern and not the usual 50:50 share in the absence of any viable rail connectivity.

"We have sought Central funding for important roads in the state connecting with neighbouring state and also roads of economic

importance which would improve livelihood to the people," Mukul told PTI. He said Rs 680.83 crore was required for improving at least 227.2 km length of road connecting with neighbouring Assam in the Garo Hills region and in Ri-Bhoi area which are also roads of economic importance.

Another Rs 973 crore has been placed for the Centre's nod to improve upon the two-lane roads connecting 139 km of district headquarters in the state.

Often, the chief minister said, existing narrow roads kutcha roads were being exploited by militants in ambushing security forces and recently there were three such instances.

While there was no rail network in the state, Mukul said the state has failed to avail the benefits of the two important road schemes due to a 50:50 funding pattern since there was not enough allocation.

According to the Chief Minister, the Centre has agreed to provide 100 per cent funding for important road projects which are of economic importance and that links to other state.

Calling on the Union Minister yesterday at Delhi, Union Minister of Road Transport was quoted as appreciating the Chief Minister and asked the state government to expedite land acquisition process in order to implement the projects at the earliest time.

9 yr old sits for Class X exams in Assam

GuwahaTi, February 20 (TNN): at least 15 to sit in the board examination.

A senior official of Seba said Mehfiz is A Class V student from Assam's Darrang district appeared in the Class X state board aware of the board rules. "We have issued provisional admit cards to candidates who examination that began from Thursday.

Shamim Mehfiz, a nine-year-old boy, have mentioned their age as being less was granted permission by the Secondary than 15 while submitting the forms. Before Education Board of Assam (Seba) to ap- the results are declared, he or she will have to prove that he or she has attained the age pear in this year's board examination.

"Yes, I am going to appear in the matricu- of 15," the official said.

Though some students aspire to clear lation examination and I am hopeful about clearing it. Usually, I study for around five or the board examination at an early age, six hours during the day. I put in four hours mainly to set records, Seba rules do not alof study in the morning, one hour in the eve- low for such cases, he added.

"Usually when we find in the applicaning and two hours at night," Mehfiz said. an nations.

But Seba clarified that the boy's results tion that a student is underage, we issue The tea industry, which would not be declared if he is unable to prove provisional admit cards. It is the duty of is the primary industry in that he is at least 15 years of age. According to the candidate to prove his age later," the Assam, was also discussed the rules of the board, a candidate has to be official said. and the delegates also looked into its nuances with help from stakeholders of the northeast region who were present at the meeting, it said.

The other members of the delegation included VACANCY FOR THE POST OF HEADMASTER AND Members of the House of Lords and Members of ParCASUAL FRENCH & GERMAN LANGUAGE TEACHER liament.

Swine flu alert in northeast Commonwealth delegation aGarTala, February 20 (iaNS): The northeastern states have sounded a high alert to prevent the spread of swine flu in the bordering region even as two women tested positive for the virus in Nagaland and Mizoram, officials said Friday.

In Mizoram a Mizo woman was detected with swine flu, the first case in the state, bordering Myanmar. An official informed that blood samples of four people, including the woman, were sent to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata where one sample (of the woman) was found to be H1N1 positive. The woman is now under medical supervision.

In Nagaland, the state's health and family welfare department sounded a high alert in all its 11 district units after a woman in Dimapur tested positive for

swine flu.

The Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya governments have also sounded high alerts and directed the district medical authorities to be ready to deal with any eventuality.

In Manipur, director of state health directorate Okram Ibomcha said that surveillance cells have been opened in all the nine districts of the state.

He said that district medical officers and nodal officers of the surveillance cells have been asked to conduct awareness programmes on swine flu among the people.

The official advised people to take precautionary measures as per the advice of the doctors.

In Assam, special swine flu disease prevention facilities have been set up at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, Assam Medical College

PuBliC NoTiCe

This is to notify to all concerned that Bilongkyu Village has applied for recognition of Village under EAC Amahator Circle of Kiphire district and to register it under the Government of Nagaland.

The area of the Village as per the survey report submitted by LRSO Tuensang is 2051 Acres with the following boundaries as under:.

North : Dukhatongya Top Hill (Boundary with Changchor Village) South : Kiting Nalla (Boundary with Thsinger Village) East : Amamohji Top Hill (Boundary with Keor Village) West : Hurongki Nalla (Boundary with Kisetong Village)

Therefore, public notice is hereby given for filling claims and objection, if any within 30 (thirty) days from the date of publication of this notification and that on expiry of 30 (thirty) days, if no claims and objection is received, the case will be forwarded to the Government for recognition.

(A. CHUMREMO ODYUO) Deputy Commissioner Kiphire, Nagaland

in Dibrugarh and Silchar Medical College.

Tripura Health and Family Welfare Minister Badal Choudhury said that a special medical ward has been created in Agartala government medical college to deal with the infectious disease.

"The state health department is fully alert to deal with swine flu in the state. The health department has procured the required medicines from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra," Choudhury told reporters.

"There is no case of swine flu so far in Tripura," said the minister, who held a review meeting here Thursday with health department officials and doctors.

The meeting decided to post medical teams at Agartala airport and other entry points including the India-Bangladesh checkposts to screen people.

interacts with NE stakeholders

GuwahaTi, February 20 (PTi): A Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) delegation today discussed with stakeholders about foreign investment prospects and modalities for an investment in high speed rail network in North East.

The delegation was led

by Rt Hon Lord Speaker Baroness D' Souza and held discussions with stakeholders from key sectors of the region on other secors like tea, tourism, power and MSME at an interaction on 'Economic Challenges and Opportunities in the North East' organised by FICCI here.

A FICCI release said the delegation showed keen interest in understanding the dynamics of the MSME sector in the region and how SHGs could gear up to meet demand and supply gap of Europe-

assaM riFles MiDDle sChool JaluKie, (PereN) NaGalaND

losT NoTiCe A black ladies purse containing cash, SBI ATM card, Driving license and 3 Nos. of ID cards.

Finders may please contact: 9856522289.

C/o The Morung Express, Kohima, near Oking Hospital.

TheTa TuTorials (Estd. 2006)

Lower P.R. Hill, Kohima, Nagaland

Admission Notice 1. Coaching for JEE (MAINS) – 2015 [for Engineering Courses] 2. Coaching for NSEE (Nagaland State Entrance Examination)/AIPMT-2015 [for MBBS, BDS & Allied Courses]

1. Handwritten/typed in plain paper application is invited with passport size photograph for the post of Headmaster and casual French & German language qualified diploma holder for French language teacher in Assam Rifles Middle School, Jalukie at 18 Assam Rifles:2. Application may be personally submitted/sent by registered post to the Chairman Assam Rifles Middle School, P.O- Jalukie, Peren District (Nagaland) Pin- 797110 or be forward by email to pawistars@rediffmail.com. In campus accommodation on availability basis and other facilities available at Assam Rifles Garrison at Jalukie will be made available for selected candidates during their period of employment. Competitive pay scales will be paid. Transport/Transportation allowance will be provided.

3. The last date for submission of application is 28 Feb 2015 and date for walk in interview will be on 05 Mar 2015. Contact details, landline/ mobile numbers to be included in the application by the applicants. Applicants to carry original copy of qualification/ experience certificates for the interview.

Sd/- xx xx xx Chairman Assam Rifles Middle School Jalukie

Issue of Forms & Prospectus : In progress Admission : In progress Commencement of Classes : 02-03-2015 Contact No. (0370) 2226005

FELICITATION The Council of Rengma Baptist Churches felicitates Mr. Joshua Lorin son of Rev. MK Lorin for successfully completing his PhD in Church History and Historical Theology from the School of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, USA. His dissertation entitled “Naga Christianity: The Baptists in the Formative Years, 18381915” explores the crucial beginnings among the Aos, Angamis, Lothas, Sumis, Chakhesang, Rengma, and Zeliangrong. Dr. Lorin’s research shows that “indigeneity” (“self-propagation” and “self-support”) was a leitmotif of Naga Christianity, as he accentuates the indigenous element that went to the foundational period. We believe that Dr. Lorin’s work is an indispensible contribution to the growing body of literature on the study of Christianity in the majority world (the non-western world). He is a faculty member at Oriental Theological Seminary, Dimapur. The CRBC fervently pray for God’s continual blessing and prolific undertakings as he serves the Lord in different capacities.

Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Government of Nagaland : Kohima

4

Dimapur

businEss

Saturday 21 February 2015

The Morung Express

RBI warns banks against making “mockery” of its lending operations’ MuMBaI, FeBruary 20 (reuterS): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is getting tougher on extending unlimited credit to the country’s banks to try to ensure they push interest rate cuts through the financial system and to stop them from making what one official called a “mockery” of its operations.

India’s commercial banks readily borrow from the central bank at the policy rate but then lend that money out at a high rate, in what RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan describes as a culture of “lazy banking.” The RBI argues this reduces the effectiveness of its monetary policy decisions and the cheap funding rates for banks are not passed on to retail and corporate borrowers at a time when the economy is only gradually recovering from a slowdown.

“They have made a mockery of our monetary policy transmission framework,” said one official familiar with the RBI’s think-

ing. Another senior official with knowledge of the central bank’s views said the RBI wanted to end a “whenever you want, you come” mentality that many lenders had regarding funding.

“It is not actually the responsibility of the central bank to always keep the tap open,” he said.

An RBI spokeswoman did not have immediate comment. Reducing banks’ reliance on overnight funding from the central bank is a key part of Rajan’s goal of reforming Indian money markets unveiled in January 2014.

The RBI believes that banks which manage their assets and liabilities without always tapping the central bank for cash, will be more efficient and so will react more quickly to changes in monetary policy through their deposit and lending rates.

India’s banks rely on overnight borrowings to fund longer-term lending and these rates are often volatile. Furthermore, tight liquidity constrains lend-

ing with banks worried they will be caught short of funds, according to bankers.

Only three of 45 commercial banks have cut base lending rates since the RBI’s surprise easing this month, hurting the government’s drive to lift business investment. The sources said the RBI is adamant it will not inject additional liquidity after loosening the statutory liquidity ratio further to give banks more available cash. The ratio is the proportion of deposits that banks must hold in government bonds, cash or gold.

It also ruled out for now introducing longer-term repos beyond the 7-day and 14-day repos.

Old World A firm RBI stance risks increasing market volatility at a time when analysts expect the central bank to cut rates by another 50 to 75 basis points this year after last month’s 25 basis point cut.

The overnight cash rate surged to as high as 26 percent this month. Ideally, it should closely track the RBI’s 7.75 percent repo rate, the key policy rate. Tough-love tactics by China’s central bank in 2013, seen as a way to stop banks from using short-term funds to mask their activities in risky wealth management products, also sparked spikes in short-term lending rates.

Yet, lacking any means to penalise banks beyond verbal arm twisting, analysts say the RBI will struggle to change banks’ behaviour, with only a few incentives left such as shifting the timings of fund infusions to earlier in the day when cash needs are higher.

Banks have grown accustomed to easy overnight funding because the RBI was previously seen as always willing to inject funds, a practice that Rajan derided as “bailing out the banking system” and subsequently

curbed. “These banks are still in the old world,” said a senior executive at a large primary dealership.

“Earlier it was free-for-all.

Right now, the system has improved in terms of predicting shortfalls. And RBI is managing shortfall dynamically. It is the problem of the banks not the problem of the RBI.” That is not how domestic banks see it. Bank executives complain the RBI consistently underestimates how much money banks need and does not provide enough clarity on how much it plans to inject on days it anticipates tighter cash conditions.

A senior treasury official at a large state-run bank said as a rule of thumb it kept a daily cash cushion of 4 to 5 billion rupees ($64$80 million) to guard against any unexpected demand for funding from retail or corporate customers. “The only solution I see is that they (RBI) will have to give more cash,” he said.

Airbus in talks with Indian firms on helicopter joint venture Bengaluru, FeBruary 20 (reuterS): Helicopters said on Friday it is in talks with Mahindra & Mahindra, Reliance Industries and Tata Group to jointly make military helicopters, to comply with rules aimed at helping the nascent local defence industry. The company, a unit of Airbus Group, is offering to build its light utility AS550 Fennec and the medium lift EC725 for India’s armed forces, which are heavily dependent on an ageing fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.

“We are in the selection process, talking to different industries to form a JV (joint venture),” Rainer Farid, a senior Airbus Helicopters executive told Reuters on the sidelines of the Aero India airshow in Bengaluru on Friday.Under Prime Minis ter Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” initiative, foreign contractors used to selling directly to New Delhi must form partnerships with local

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4M ur dost Hung

companies and transfer more of the work to help grow the nascent defence industry.

India last year scrapped the planned acquisition of 197 light utility helicopters so that it could launch a new competition reserved for domestic companies that form joint ventures with foreign suppliers. In addition to Airbus, other firms including USbased Sikorsky Aircraft and Russian Helicopters are also expected to bid for the order.

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics is the only Indian company producing helicopters, meaning that global defence firms are likely to have to partner with a private company building a product for the first time and from scratch.

Airbus executive Farid said that was a concern. “It is a tough task because you need to establish your vendors here which are not as existent as in other countries,” MuMBaI, FeBruary 20 (agenhe added. cIeS): Consumer electronics major Videocon Industries, on Thursday, unveiled a range of Wi-Fi enabled ACs to expand grEETings its presence in the highly competitive domestic air-conditioner (AC) market.

The new Wi-Fi AC can be controlled Dear Atha’s, from anywhere in the world through an Birthday happiness app on a smartphone. It uses the Wi-Fi is warmly wished, just network at the consumer’s home to confor to let you know, that nect with a smartphone and receives sigyou are precious and nals on any 2G, 3G and 4G devices. The company, on Thursday, launched four dear to the heart..

Have a Beautiful new split ACs from 1-1.5 tonnes belonging to the Wi-Fi series. These are priced beBirthday tween Rs.35,990 and Rs.41,990. The focus With lots of love, markets for the range are Tamil Nadu, MaUr’s Honey bee.... harashtra, Gujarat, Kerala and Delhi. The

An Indian vendor arranges his roadside stall early morning at the wholesale vegetable market in old quarters of Delhi on Friday, February 20. Old Delhi despite of being extremely crowded and dilapidated still serves as the symbolic heart of the city. (AP Photo)

Videocon launches Wi-Fi enabled ACs

_

LEISURE

Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”

SUDOKU Game Number # 3144

range is to be launched nation-wide in the next few days.

Speaking at the launch, Videocon Group Head (Technology & Innovation) Akshay Dhoot said, “with a vision for connected homes, we applied out of the box thinking to create an AC with revolutionary technology. We invested around $10 million on development.” The Android App can be downloaded on Google Play and Videocon plans upgrades every month.

Dhoot said the company would launch the App on iOS in a few weeks and on Windows in a few months. Videocon claims the Wi-Fi range of ACs is the most energy efficient one. It has a unique Precise Energy metre to keep a tab on power usage.

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 3154

Answer Number # 3143

UK banks to use fingerprint as passwords lOnDOn, FeBruary 20 (agencIeS): Account holders of two of Britain’s largest banks - Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest will become the first to log into their accounts using their fingerprint as the password.

Starting from Thursday, RBS and NatWest customers will be the first of any UK-based bank to be able to login to their mobile banking app using only their finger print.

Using Apple’s new Touch ID fingerprint sensor, RBS and NatWest customers who have an iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus will be able to access their mobile banking app within seconds. The technology recognises the customer’s unique finger print, meaning they don’t have to remember a tricky password - making it easier and more convenient to access their finances.

RBS and NatWest have introduced Touch ID following feedback from their customers who took to the banks’ online community forum ‘Ideas Bank’ to ask for the latest technology in the mobile banking app. More and more of RBS and NatWest’s customers are using digital technology to bank. Nearly 50% of the banks’ 15 million customers actively use online banking with over 3 millon customers using the mobile app every week.

RBS and NatWest have 1.8 million active iPhone users who use the app on average 40 times per month. RBS and NatWest’s busiest branch is the mobile app itself with over 167,000 of RBS and NatWest’s customers use it between 7am and 8am on their commute to work every day. Stuart Haire, managing director, RBS and NatWest Direct Bank said “There has been a revolution in banking as more and more of our customers are using digital technology to bank with us. Adding Touch ID to our mobile banking app makes it even easier and more convenient for customers to manage their finances on the move and directly responds to their requests.”

Indian firm delivers aerostructures to Bell Helicopter Bengaluru, FeBruary 20 (IanS): Leading hightech engineering firm Dynamatic Technologies Ltd has delivered major aero-structures, including the fuselage subsystem, to US-based Bell Helicopter at the air show here, a company official said Friday.

The city-based Dynamatic has a 7-year global pact with Bell and Textron Systems to make in India major airframe assemblies for the latter’s new choppers - Bell 407GX and 407GT - four-blade, single engined civil utility machines. Bulkhead assembly is the other aerospace component the company delivered to Bell at the Aero India 2015 trade expo at the Yelahanka base of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the city’s outskirts.

“We have developed a robust process of converting Bell’s legacy engineering data from Bell’s 2D paper drawings into digital files for digital manufacturing technologies to modify its 407 products,” Dynamatic chief executive Udayant Malhoutra said on the occasion.

Dynamatic has been working with the US-based partners (Bell and Textron) since 2012 to build aeronautic capacity as part of their global sourcing strategy and develop about 200 aero parts to export them.

The development involves manufacturing subsystems and components from raw material and indigenising their assemblies in collaboration with Bell. As a sole source supplier of airframe assemblies for Bell’s new models, the company invested an unspecified amount to set up advanced engineering and manufacturing plant in the city.

“We have also contributed to develop an ecosystem of certified suppliers in the country in consonance with the ‘Make in India’ programme of the central government,” Malhoutra asserted. Bell’s light commercial aircraft director Van Wilson said his aerospace major was committed to the ‘Make in India’ campaign by setting up its own production facility in the country.

DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474

Metro 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 West Police Station

227607 232181

CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

242555/ 242533

Dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

W

O

R

Dental Words ACID HEALTHY APPEARHYGIENIST ANCE INFECTION ATTRACTIVE JUICE BACTERIA LIPS BITE MEAT MILK BRACES MOLAR CANDY CAVITY MOUTH MOUTHCHEESE CHEW GUARD CONFIDENCE NUTRITIOUS PLAQUE CREST DAIRY PREVENTION DECAY SEALANTS SMILE DENTIST SNACKS DISCLOSING DONLEY STAINS STICKY EAT SWALLOW ENAMEL FISH TEETH TONGUE FLOSS TOOTHFLUORIDE FRIENDLY BRUSH TOOTHFRESH PASTE FRUITS GRAIN VEGETABLES WEAK GUMS

D

M E H D J L G V R N O A A G U V X A J Q

I H R P X U Y X N L L I P S S P P A I Q

S

L G G Q F O B A C T E R I A C I D T S L

K C O N F I D E N C E D E N T I S T E E

N O I T C E F N I V O A T O G E Z R L M

E

B R V D O Y D K E C N A R A E P P A B A

I K X V Y O C N Y P E B D S S I D C A N

T F T A Z A T H W M F R P T D I D T T E

A

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D A Y N A T S S G A E F L K L E R E E K

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P L T E E K H H E U S O D Y U W Y D V G

P A H U C I T B G R S T N W O L L A W S

H N T A Y U G N R I F A E F R U I T S I

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S S U M R T L G H T S E R C D A D I O J

H

N M E O C A N N F I S H F A E U Q A L P

L A U E M H C P O J U I C E L I M S F K

J R B G H T E E T D S J I L B O H Y J L

Y T I V A C E W S T A I N S I U M J Z E

ACROSS

1. To the rear 6. Fully developed 10. Brand of credit card 14. Submarine detector 15. Decorative case 16. Poems 17. Terrace 18. Lady’s escort 19. Wreaths 20. Spontaneous abortion 22. Alley 23. City in Peru 24. Shoelace hole 26. A long way off 30. Type of airplane 31. Beam 32. Eatery 33. 1 1 1 1 35. Submarine 39. Attendance 41. Able 43. Meddle 44. Where two pieces meet 46. Give temporarily 47. Delivery vehicle 49. 16 in Roman numerals 50. Not more 51. African antelope 54. Pins 56. Encircle

57. A remarkable development 63. 62 in Roman numerals 64. An early videogame 65. Cognizant 66. Anise-flavored liqueur 67. If not 68. Face with masonry 69. Not closed 70. D D D D 71. Amount of hair

DOWN

1. Vipers 2. Ship 3. Against 4. Be unsuccessful 5. Fairy tale character 6. Army units 7. Go over again 8. Kick 9. One or the other 10. A sport involving a ball and a net 11. Something to shoot for 12. A river through Paris 13. Something of value 21. Type of jewelry 25. Wail 26. Does something 27. Roman deity 28. Hairdo

29. Refurbishment 34. Salvages 36. Double-reed woodwind 37. “Oh my!”

38. 10 10 10 10 40. Iridescent gem 42. Spanish for “Friend” 45. Cost 48. Slept briefly 51. Snow house 52. Confusion 53. Award 55. Intelligent 58. Puncture 59. Pitcher 60. Central area of a church 61. Mining finds 62. Catches Ans to CrossWord 3153

Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles

STD CODE: 0370 100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202 08974997923

CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862 282777/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC)

MOKOKCHUNG: 0369 2226225/ 101 (O) 9436012949 (OC) PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC) ZUNHEBOTO: 03867 280304/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC)

MON: 03869 251222/ 101 (O) 9436208480 (OC) KipHire: 8414853767 (O) 8974304572 (OC)

Toll free No. 1098 childline

Police Station 1:

DIMAPUR: 03862 232201/ 101 (O) 9436017479 (OC)

TUENSANG: 8414853766 (O) 8414853519

CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE

MOKOKCHUNG:

KOHIMA: 0370 2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC)

WOKHA: 03860 242215/101 (O) 9862039399 (OC)

Chumukedima Fire 282777 Brigade Nikos Hospital and 232032, 231031 Research Centre

KOHIMA

FIRE STATIONS

STD CODE: 0369

2226241

Police Station 2 :

2226214

Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home:

2226216 2226263

Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):

2226373/2229343

TAHAMZAM (formerly Senapati) STD CODE: 03871 Police Station: Fire Brigade

CURRENCY EXCHANGE CURRENCY NOTES

222246 222491

BUY(Rs)

SELL(Rs)

US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar Australian Dollar Singapore Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen

60.80 93.67 7.59 47.37 44.67 48.63 50.78

63.57 98.25 8.45 49.71 46.91 51.02 54.09

Euro

69.04

72.41

1.81

2.01

Thai Baht Korean Won New Zealand Dollar Chinese Yuan

0.0529

0.059

45.72

47.99

9.37

10.44

local/Public SPace 5 ‘Cease work’ agitation from March 2 Tuensang: Home Minister Saturday

The Morung Express

21 February 2015

MEx FILE Stolen motorcycle recovered Dimapur, February 20 (mexN): Dimapur police on February 19 around 1:00 pm recovered a stolen motorcycle from the possession of one Viloto Zhimo (23) at Hotel Yak premises in Dimapur. A press release from Addl. Superintendent of Police/PRO, Dimapur, informed that the owner of the bike, Kanato Sumi of Forest Colony, Kohima had filed a written complaint that on February 19, his motorcycle (Yamaha FZ) bearing registration No.NL01E-3997 was stolen by unknown miscreants from Eros Lane, Dimapur. A regular case has been registered against the arrested person by the Officer-in-Charge of East Police Station, Dimapur and further investigation is on, the release added.

Video conference on swine flu today Kohima, February 20 (Dipr): Commissioner and Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Sentiyanger (IAS) will have a video conference with all the District CMOs and Medical Superintendents of Nagaland to discuss pertinent issues relating to H1N1 virus (swine flu) and also to review the state of preparedness for tackling the same in the state. The video conference will be held on February 21 (Saturday) at 10:00 am.

LRD receives award

Dimapur, February 20 (mexN): Three associations consisting of employees from the Nagaland state department of School Education have decided to initiate a “total cease work’ agitation from March 2. The agitation has been planned due to the Nagaland state government’s “failure to address the genuine grievances of the associations as assured several times earlier.”

The three groups to participate in the agitation include the Nagaland School Education Administrative Officers Association (NSEAOA), Nagaland Secondary School Field Officers Forum (NSSFOF) and

Kohima, February 20 (Dipr): Chief Secretary of Nagaland CJ Ponraj today voiced against 'backdoor' appointments into government services by the departments; he propagated selection of best candidates and providing equal opportunity to all. Speaking at the meeting of Administrative Head of Departments (AHoDs) and Head of Departments (HoDs) held at the Secretariat conference hall here, Ponraj also directed all the departments Job opportunities to place their requisition Dimapur, February 20 (Dipr): The office of the for filling up of vacant Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur is in a position to provide posts in their respective some job opportunities to few educated unemployed indigenous inhabitants of Dimapur district. Therefore, willing candidates have been informed to register their desire for consideration from February 21, 2015 onwards.

Kohima, February 20 (mexN): As part of Kohima village Sekrenyi festival, the Kohima Village Youth Organisation (KVYO) is organizing a cultural competition on February 21 at Kohima Village Ground, Ziekezou from 10:00 am onwards. KVYO has informed all its members, residing in Kohima Village and elsewhere, to compulsorily attend the “very important” programme and “actively take part in this joint effort to preserve and promote our rich cultural heritage.” All attendees have been further instructed to wear full traditional attire. It also stated that except guns, firecrackers will be strictly prohibited throughout Sekrenyi Festival.

AAUD general meeting

All Nagaland School Teachers Association (ANSTA).

A press note from ANSTA President, Ponchulo Wanth; NSSFOF Convenor, Mezhu U Hozoyeh and NSEAOA Vice President, Ekonthung Lotha informed that the three associations had on November 19, 2014 submitted an ultimatum of seven days to the state government for fulfillment of their demands. This was after several other intimations for the same had been intimated to the government.

At this point, the Chief

Minister intervened and assured the three associations that their demands would be addressed “at the earliest possible time in consultation with key persons of the department.”

As a result, the associations stated that the proposed total cease work which was scheduled to begin on November 25, 2014 was called off temporarily.

“But now, even after waiting patiently for nearly 3 months nothing concrete has been done by the government till today. There-

fore, the Associations felt cheated by government…” they lamented. They informed that the total cease work from March 2 will continue till the state government issues official notifications on the demands.

Meanwhile, in view of proposed agitation programme, the three Associations are set to have a discussion on February 26 at 11:00am at the Conference Hall of the CANSSEA Office. All executive members of the three associations, DEOs, SDEOs, Assistant Directors, Deputy Directors, HMs, AHMs and JEOs have been requested to attend the meeting.

Chief Secy discourages 'backdoor' appointments

Kohima, February 20 (Dipr): The Land Resources Department, Government of Nagaland, has received award for excellent work and development of best practices in implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). The award was received

by Director, Land Resource Department, Mhathung Yanthan, from Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, drinking and sanitation Government of India, Birender Singh and Sudarshan Bhagat, Minister of State for Rural Development, Government of India at the celebration of ‘ABHINAV’s, Innovation of Integrated Watershed Management Programme organized by Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Land Resource Government of India at scope complex Lodi Road New Delhi on February 19. Kuolie Mere, PRO, Nagaland House, New Delhi, accompanied the Director.

Cultural competition at Kohima village today

NSEAOA, NSSFOF & ANSTA irked by Govt’s failure to address grievances

departments to the NPSC without fail. He further highlighted that the latest State civil list is ready for publication at the earliest.

Reviewing the last meeting minutes, the Chief Secretary inquired on the resolution of AHoDs paying visit to Directorate offices. Some confirmed and shared that there has been improvement in office attendance. The issue of purchase of garbage disposal truck and the contributions by departments was discussed and department concerned were directed to submit

their contributions at the earliest.

It was also brought to light that the proposed public toilet at the Secretariat entrance public area has been constructed by the PHE Department and it would be opened to public usage on February 27.

The meeting also discussed on financial institutions such as NABARD, HUDCO etc. and the institutions were urged to release the funds to the beneficiary organisations without delay. The observations and suggestions of the Secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice, GOI, was

Nagaland Government Primary Teachers' Association formed

Kohima, February 20 (mexN): The Nagaland Government Primary Teachers' Association (NGPTA) has been formed on February 20 during a meeting at ANSTA Guest House in Kohima, which was attended by representatives from different districts. The aims and objectives of the association is to press the government for framing of service conduct rules for

Dimapur, February 20 (mexN): The Aghunato Areami Union Dimapur (AAUD) has convened a general meeting on February 28, 10:00 am at conference hall of Circuit House in Dimapur. Therefore, all the members of Aghunato Areami residing in Dimapur have been requested to attend the meeting without fail.

The members have also been informed to bring annual TueNsaNg, Februmembership fee to the meeting. ary 20 (mexN): Chingmelen Students’ Union Kigwema Village impose ban (CSU) has condemned and Kohima, February 20 (mexN): Kigwema Youth mourned the “brutal murOrganisation has informed that Kigwema Village is a der” of a class VII student bio-diversity conserved village and hunting, fishing, of St. Josephs’ School, Tucollection of firewood, burning of jungle, washing of ensang, who was abducted clothes and vehicles in the river, immoral/illegal ac- from his residence on Febtivities and late night parties within its jurisdiction is ruary 14 noon. CSU alleged banned. KYO President Mezhüvo-o Thorie and General in a press release that this is Secretary Khisakedo Phira in a press release cautioned the second such incident that anyone found or caught indulging in the banned where the target has been activities will be penalized according to the village law. a minor from same village

primary teachers, granting of central primary teacher pay scale, informed a press release.

Following are the office bearers elected for a term of 3 years besides 11 executive members from each district: President- Heikieleung Zeliang; Vice Presidents- Mesewe Churah and Y Zubemo Ezung; General Secretary- Kezhalesa Kin; Joint Secretaries- Wepekha

shared during the meeting.

Further, the meeting decided that the state would also observe the Civil Services Day along with the central government during the month of April on 20th and 21st.

Regarding the budget session to be held on March 17, all departments were directed to submit their materials for Governor’s speech and material of Finance Minister’s speech on or before February 25 and February 21 respectively to the Home Department. All departments were also asked to get their annual administrative report ready in time.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner and Secretary, IT disclosed that the State will soon have a call centre in Dimapur, which has already been approved by the ministry. He also urged all the departments to utilize the e-facilities being provided by the IT department.

Dimapur

calls for mutual dialogue

Kohima, February 20 (Neps): Nagaland state Home Minister Y Patton today made a fervent appeal to all parties to refrain from violence in the Tuensang area and further urged both the communities to create a conducive environment for having mutual dialogue.

Talking to NEPS here on Friday, the Home Minister while expressing his pain and anguish at the loss of lives, properties and injuries caused due to the violence in Tuensang area, appealed to the two communities to create space for dialogue.

“We should exhibit the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation among us and should

not allow recurrence of such mindless acts of violence,” he said.

Stating that “violence begets violence only and there is so ending,” Patton said dialogue was the only means to resolve all the issues.

Patton also expressed his appreciations to various tribal bodies, student bodies and church organizations in the district for their interventions, mediation and humanitarian services rendered during the crisis. He also appreciated the district administrations and law enforcement agencies for their efforts in restoring normalcy in the district.

Kohima police arrest one for molestation Kohima, February 20 (mexN): One person was today arrested for reportedly molesting a Naga woman “under the influence of alcohol” near Razhü Point, Kohima on February 19 at around 2:00 pm. The accused identified as Sanjay Sahani (30) has been booked vide North P.S. Kohima Case No. 0013/2015 U/S 354 A(1)(i) I.P.C and remanded in police custody for conducting further investigation, informed Atu Zumvü, Sub–Divisional Police Officer & PRO, Kohima in a press release.

One arrested with ganja Meanwhile, the personnel of DEF Kohima manning Khuzama check-gate arrested one person with 130 kilogram of contraband ganja today at around 11:00 am. The arrested person, Gulo alias Elo Kaina (19), was transporting the ganja in a local taxi (Maruti Alto) bearing registration number NL-01T/7488.

According to the release by PRO, Kohima police, the records of the seized Maruti Alto Car was checked from the database of NCRB New Delhi and is suspected to be involved in Sector-29, Gurgoan, Haryana P.S case No. 0245/2011.

In this connection, a regular case vide Khuzama P.S Case No. 0003/2015 U/S 20 (1) (i) (ii)(b)(c) NDPS Act,1985 has been registered against the arrested person for “possession and exporting commercial quantity of contraband cannabis.” He is remanded in police custody for further investigation, it added.

Wetsah and L. Chingpom Chingkhung; TreasurerHaichuya Kath.

According to the release, the association has resolved to collect an amount of Rs. 200 for central and unit membership fees. It further requested the districts to form their own unit latest by March 31. Contact 19 AR asked to rectify statement, and publish the same 9402025917/985685195 for meluri, February minutes back before the AR faction and publishing his more information.

20 (mexN): The Pochury conducted raid in the Hotel. photograph was unwarHoho, Pochury GB Union, “Without any rhyme and ranted but for a cheap popPochury Students’ Union, reason he was picked by the ularity by the 19 AR at the and Pochury Women Or- AR along with some other cost of assassinating the ganisation have expressed persons unknown to him,” character of the innocent victim,” the oganisations resentment at the press re- the rejoinder said.

The organisations as- asserted. lease regarding Assam RiWhile appreciating the tims which is happening fles nabbing NSCN (K) cad- serted that Thüvüri is innocent and the question of AR for its efforts to root out res, which appeared in local under the very nose of the he being a cadre of NSCN social elements from the district administration,” dailies on February 19.

In a rejoinder, the four (K) is “totally false, base- society, the organisations stated the press release issued by CSU president organisations said that less” and accordingly the appealed to them not to Tsathvü Thüvüri was picked same was intimated to the publish such “false and Hongkin Chang.

Meanwhile, appeal- by the 19 Assam Rifles on Commanding Officer (CO) unsolicited allegations ing all the right thinking the evening of February of 19 AR. Upon learning his thereby causing innocent citizens, NGOs and all the 11 from Old Ministers’ Hill credentials, the CO admit- citizen emotional and apex bodies of Nagaland on mere suspicion around ted that it was a case of mis- mental torture and putting in general and Tuensang 7-7:30 pm. On the day, it in- taken identity and Tsathvü their lives at risk.”

The apex Pochury orin particular to condemn formed, Thüvüri, the driver was released unconditionsuch incidents, the Union of Pochury Hoho had come ally on February 12, it said. ganisations further de“Even after admitting manded that the 19 AR urged all the respective to Kohima with the Hoho stakeholders to take proac- leader and his colleagues that it was a case of mistak- apologise, rectify the tive measures to mitigate and checked in a hotel in en identity, the question of statement, and publish Old Ministers’ Hill just few he being a cadre of a certain the same. such incidents.

Pochury organisations demand apology from AR

Chingmelen Students’ Union condemns killing in Tuensang

I

A Word of Concern

come from Medziphema, formerly known as Ghaspani. I am not yet 50 years, and as far as I can remember, when I was younger and we would commute between Ghaspani and Dimapur, I did not ever hear of many of the village churches in the Dimapur area which have, since then, celebrated their Golden and Platinum Jubilees. Our church in Medziphema, which is not that young, is yet to celebrate its 50 years, and will do so only in 2018.

We are all aware that the year of reception of the Gospel by a particular village or community is counted from the time the first person of the village or community is converted, never from the age the convert had when he/she got converted. Subsequently, the year of the establishment of the church is counted from the time the church in the village/town was established. These are the logical reasons why I am wondering how villages that we have not heard a whisper of in erstwhile years have started celebrating jubilee years, rather mysteriously and rampantly, and according to the revered Naga reli-

gious jargon, "to the glory of God." Nagas, in general, are increasingly coming up very short on the ethical front - this is seen on a daily basis in our habits, lifestyle and demeanor. This matter assumes greater concern when custodians of the church in Nagaland can, without any qualms, affix their seal of approval on many questionable matters whatsoever, as long as their villages or communities can forge ahead of other villages or communities, especially when it comes to matters tied to claims to land and resources.

What also of some of the guardians of the church in Nagaland who have no hesitation to trumpet their latest acquisitions of questionable theological degrees (the most sought after are the doctorate degrees!)? Interestingly, these degrees become the passports to greater positions, fame and glory for aspiring “leaders” of the church. No wonder, we have spawned a whole lot of nominal Christians who live a “powerless,” “Christless” faith! We are losing our teeth, and our land reeks of

the stench of compromise!

I am a church minister and I humbly consider it a sacred heritage for church ministers to be people of utmost integrity, and that it is their sacred duty to set holy trends in family and societal living. However, it is sad to observe that the ethical standards in our society are getting corroded over time due to the carelessness and collusion of those in church ministry who act without thinking properly about the grievous consequences. Instead of church ministers setting godly standards, we are giving in to the designs and demands of a world gone crazy over pleasure, money, fame and power.

We like to act religiously, and we use God’s name so liberally and many times, for all the wrong reasons.

Our sins will surely find us out one day, and I rue the day when God will come calling on us to account for the serious and wanton lapses that have resulted in our society because we have been careless and untruthful in the small and big things of life.

Sanyü Iralu Medziphema Town

(Chingmelen Village).

The Union has questioned the measures taken by the District Administration against such “inhuman and antisocial” act meted out on innocent victims stating these “rampant and brutal instances” have been occurring time and again even after the passing of several orders and assurances. “We are amazed as to why there is no seriousness in booking the culprits and in providing justice to the slain vic-

Appeal to Chang and Yimchunger Communities Day three of NIC in Kisama

O

n behalf of the Chakhesang community, the Chakhesang Public Organization (CPO) expresses its deep concern at the manner in which the relationship between the two Naga communities – the Changs and the Yimchungers – is failing. Indeed it is disheartening to note that the differences and conflicts have resulted not only in disturbing the normal life of the two communities and properties but also in the loss of innocent lives as well. As fellow Nagas, we are pained to see all the violence and hurts. We express regret for our inability to make any timely intervention to ease or cease the ongoing tension.

It is a fact of life that as neighbors in a society, individuals and communities are bound to encounter differences and problems. But as humans, we have always found ways and means to deal with such adversities of life. Perhaps, in the past, some means of tackling conflict situations were primitive and so genuine

grievances may still persist in connection to former differences. That is quite natural since we are all humans. However, for so long, the Changs and the Yimchungers have coexisted as neighboring tribes. That explains your resourcefulness in nurturing traditional ties and ensuring the thrust and goodwill of each other. We do believe that even today without requiring external forces or resources, you will be able to find a way to end your conflicts and once again allow peace and goodwill to prevail upon the two communities.

Time has changed and so is our world. Today without raising the questions of honor and pride, we can practice love and forgiveness. To do so in resolving conflict situation would be deemed even more dignified and honorable.

(Thanks to our Christian Faith which offers us such a blessed alternative!) As such, it is not only fitting but also right that at a time such as this we reason together and make conscious efforts to find the path to

justice and resolve problems without insulting the dignity of each other. After all, we don’t have, in our today’s world, the liberty of changing our neighbors and humanity at will but to learn and tolerate the diverse natures of people in order to coexist together.

We pray to our Almighty God for wisdom and courage to be bestowed upon the Chang and Yimchunger communities, especially the leaders, so that the right things will be done to bring about timely reconciliation and restore the hope of living together in peaceful coexistence, not only with each other at this critical juncture but also to become models of conflict resolution for the larger Naga community in the coming years.

We convey our heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families. May Almighty God grant strength and comfort at this time of grieve and sorrow.

Kekhwengulo Lea Gen. Secy, CPO Sovenyi President, CPO

Kohima, February 20 (mexN): Day three of the National Integration Camp underway at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama today had some special guests from Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan headquarters New Delhi - Director General Dr. Prabhakant and Joint Director Sunil Malik.

Dr. Prabhakant in his speech emphasised on the role of youth in positive development of the nation, informed a press release from Jacky Ruivah, Zonal Director, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Kohima. “There is energy, potential, hope, positivity and determination among the youth. The ultimate purpose of National Integration Camp is to know oneself and make other know them self,” Dr. Prabhakant said.

Stating that “there are differences of culture, languages and religion, but ultimately we are all Indian,” he asked the participants if there was any useless part in our body. When the participants replied “No”, he added, “Likewise there is no useless state or community; every state and com-

munity is important for the positive development of the country. Together we are making India.” Dr. Prabhakant further spoke on drug abuse and alcoholism and said, “Usage of drug should be stopped or it will eat our economy.”

Meanwhile, Sunil Malik reminded the participating youths that “we” are from different parts of the country to share ideas and experience for a common cause. “There are differences but our aspiration is that we should be good in our family, society, country and humanity as a whole.

We should do something better for the society.”

The day also had academic sessions on the topic, “Role of youth in communal harmony,” which was delivered by C Theyo, SLO, NSS and “prevention of HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and alcoholism” delivered

by Y Laksman Singh, District Youth Coordinator, NYK Phek and Kiphire.

The camp also saw varieties of culture activities from the youths of different state.

The Morung Express is introducing “Public Space” as part of our intention to provide deliberate space for the opinions of the people to be expressed and heard through this newspaper. Nonetheless, The Morung Express points out that the opinions expressed in the contents published in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper or the editor.

6

People, life, etc...

Saturday | 21 February, 2015

The Harvard-educated Tibetan PM

Self-Immolations. Threats From Beijing. Playing Politics With the Dalai Lama. All in a day's work for Lobsang Sangay, the Harvard-educated prime minister of the quixotic Tibetan movement in exile.

Isaac Stone Fish

T

Foreign Policy

hese days, the Dalai Lama seems to make news mostly when world leaders decide whether or not to meet with him. On Feb. 5, the Dalai Lama will attend the annual U.S. National Prayer Breakfast — a rare victory for the globetrotting spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, as President Barack Obama will also be in attendance.

More typical is what happened to the Dalai Lama in mid-December, on the 25th anniversary of his Nobel Peace Prize, when he visited Rome for a summit of Nobel Peace laureates.

He requested a meeting with Pope Francis, but the pontiff declined for what a Vatican spokesman called “obvious reasons” — i.e., the Church’s relationship with Beijing. Much of the Western world views the Dalai Lama as a superstar: He regularly addresses tens of thousands in stadiums across Europe and the United States. But Beijing sees him as a dangerous separatist (a “splittist,” as the Chinese like to say), and has punished governments and agencies that engage with him.

Tibetan exiles in Dharamsala, the remote Indian town that serves as their headquarters, also wanted to mark the anniversary of their leader’s Nobel. In the Dalai Lama’s absence, the job of master of ceremonies fell to Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile. The Dalai Lama stepped down from his role as political head of the Tibetans in March 2011, and since then he’s been trying to unload power and responsibility — much of it to Sangay, a Harvard-trained legal scholar elected in April 2011.

On a makeshift stage in a Buddhist temple outside the Dalai Lama’s residence, the 46-year-old Sangay spoke about the bravery and courage of the Dalai Lama to an audience of a few thousand. Smiling and regal in his flowing black robe, he watched Tibetan dances and listened to long Indian speeches. If he was bored, he didn’t show it.

Time, however, is not on Tibet’s side. If interacting internationally is getting more difficult for the Dalai Lama, it’s easy to forget how much that problem is compounded for the small, quixotic, and increasingly irrelevant Tibetan movement in exile, and for Sangay himself. There are an estimated 6.5 million Tibetans worldwide, of whom all but a few hundred thousand live inside China. Sangay won the election for prime minister with roughly 27,000 votes, including exiles — a number that seems more at home with a mayoral election in a small American city. His annual operating budget is reportedly around $30 million — roughly the revenue Apple makes every two hours.

The Tibetan refugee population in Dharamsala, the town in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Dalai Lama made his home after fleeing China in 1959, is just 14,000, out of a total of roughly 20,000 people. The town is growing. When I visited in December, new apartments and hotels were springing up along the mountain, and the widening of one of the town’s only roads led to traffic snarls that were bad even for India. But the numbers of Tibetans are increasing slowly, if at all. “Before 2008, there was an average of a few thousand refugees” from China arriving to Dharamsala every year, says Thubten Samphel, who runs the Dharamsala-based Tibet Policy Institute, a government think tank. “For 2014, I’ve heard we only had eight.”

gotiations with China, while not seeming too pro-mainland. He has to keep his constituents happy — in Dharamsala, in Tibet, and in scattered communities across India, the European Union, and North America.

When I interviewed him during my December visit, Sangay made a point of telling me that he’s been to all of the major Tibetan communities in the United States. “Maybe there’s a few Tibetans in Montana,” he added. “But I’m not counting those.”

But his main task is keeping the Tibet independence cause relevant in a world where voicing support for it can lead to stern reprisals from Beijing. The closest Sangay said he came to meeting a head of state was an encounter around 2007 at Harvard with Ma Ying-jeou, who later became the president of Taiwan — an island claimed by China, that only 21 nations still recognize as an independent country. Sangay said he has not met any heads of state: “We don’t even try; it’s too sensitive for them.”

The Dalai Lama, on the other hand, has met with dozens of heads of state and global figures, and — despite the heavy hand of Beijing — maintains strong links with governments around the world. “The United States, because it considers Tibet a part of China, doesn’t have any official relations” with the Tibetan government-in-exile, the U.S. State Department’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Sarah Sewall told me.

“And yet we have met repeatedly, and routinely, with the Dalai Lama, as a cultural and religious leader.”

It’s always useful to meet with His Holiness, said Sangay. (Like everyone I spoke to in Dharamsala, Sangay referred to him by that phrase.) “We talk quite regularly,” he said, comparing his relationship with the spiritual leader to that of the British prime minister: “They have this weekly luncheon with the queen.”

That’s probably overstating it. Shortly after the Nobel Prize anniversary ceremony concluded in Dharamsala, I struck up a conversation on the stage with Penpa Tsering, the Tibetan speaker of Parliament, a charismatic man with a friendly frown. When I asked about the relationship between the Dalai Lama and Sangay, Tsering said that “His Holiness is always…” — he lifted his hand high — “and we are all down here.”

The next morning, I met Sangay at his massive office overlooking Dharamsala’s green hills. A visit to the Dalai Lama’s compound earlier that morning required a thorough security check, and I was expecting a similar exercise here as well, but Sangay’s office was unguarded. An aide apologized about a scheduling miscommunication because the phones weren’t working. The elevator didn’t seem to be working either, so I took the stairs.

Behind Sangay’s desk hung a life-sized picture of the Dalai Lama, in his trademark red robe. During the anniversary ceremony, Sangay had worn a black robe; today he wore a dark suit from Joseph A. Bank, a mid-range American menswear brand.

A man for all seasons Prime Minister Sangay’s challenges are “You buy one, you get another one for free,” many. He has to keep the door open to ne- he told me.

A Harvard man Sangay was born in 1968 in Darjeeling, a former British Hill Station of roughly 200,000 in the mountains in north India. Besides its eponymous tea, Darjeeling is famous for being the home of Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa climber who, along with Sir Edmund Hillary, was the first to summit Mount Everest.

Sangay, who grew up poor, was the first Tibetan to attend Harvard Law School. He received an S.J.D., a research doctorate in law, and wrote a thesis entitled: “Democracy in Distress: Is Exile Polity a Remedy? A Case Study of Tibet’s Government-in-Exile.”

Sangay spent 16 years at Harvard, most recently as a senior fellow at the law school, before campaigning for the prime minister’s position in 2011. His fancy degree, coupled with what his critics deemed “Americanstyle campaigning,” helped propel him to victory, defeating ex-Prime Minister Tenzin Tethong, who received 37.42 percent of the vote. (A third candidate won the remaining 6.44 percent of the vote.) “He gives good sound bites, knows how to talk, and how to dress up for the media,” said a young Tibetan in Dharamsala, who asked to remain anonymous.

Tethong, who now serves as the head of the Tibetan language section for Radio Free Asia in Washington, D.C., told me that Sangay “is very capable, and he’s able to communicate well, and that’s a large part of his appeal.” He praised Sangay’s ability to translate complicated ideas into easy-to-understand slogans about the need for progress and modernization. “Of course, I thought I was the better candidate, and still think I am,” Tethong told me. The 65-year-old Tethong has decades of experience working on Tibet issues; he helped set up the first visit of the Dalai Lama to the United States in 1979, while Sangay has spent most of his professional life at Harvard.

Tsering, the Tibetan Parliament speaker, said that some of the old guard “sometimes feel a little uneasy” about Sangay’s more populist governing style. “But we talk it out.”

Besides, he added, “people seem to like him –” in part because of his emphasis on education for Tibetans. “His main focus has always been on education,” Tsering said. “Securing funds for education, sponsorship, scholarship — on those areas, he has done well.” And Sangay appears to have a good relationship with some members of Congress and the State Department. “Always great seeing Lobsang Sangay, the free leader of #Tibet,” Sen. John McCain tweeted in November 2013. Sangay has met with Sewall, who’s also an under-secretary for civilian security, democracy, and human rights, several times. “He’s an extremely earnest and energetic person,” she said.

It’s hard to know how much support Sangay receives from Tibetans inside Tibet, however. Since riots in Lhasa broke out in March 2008, it’s been extremely difficult to get foreign journalists into or information out of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, a massive, windswept plateau that’s home to about half of the Tibetans in China (the rest

live mostly in neighboring provinces). In a May 2013 speech at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, Sangay said that “many artists inside Tibet have composed songs in honor of the election and my victory.” Several people told me that Tibetans inside of China have great respect and high expectations for Sangay — in no small part because the Dalai Lama publically praises him. Hanging in Sangay’s office is a Tibetan ceremonial painting known as a Thangka — with his own face on it — which he says he received from a supporter inside Tibet.

But some Tibetans in exile I spoke with feel he hasn’t done enough to engage in dialogue with the Chinese. “He’s reactive, not proactive,” the young Tibetan man told me, over dinner at an Italian restaurant in Dharamsala. “He keeps saying [to Beijing] we’re always ready to talk — but you can’t just be waiting!” he said.

His wife, a young Tibetan who also asked to speak anonymously, concurred. She criticized Sangay’s lack of response to the wave of an estimated more than 130 self-immolations that have swept Tibetan areas since 2009. Outside the Dalai Lama’s compound stands a memorial to the self-immolators, featuring protesting Tibetans subsumed inside a rock. It’s called “Burning Tibet.” The government “wasn’t able to do anything except pray for the deceased,” she said.

Sangay has spoken up about the issue, though. In his CFR speech, Sangay said that self-immolation reflects “the desperation and determined act on the part of Tibetan people that occupation is unacceptable, repression is unbearable,” but also that his administration discourages “drastic action by Tibetans, including self-immolation.”

Sangay says that his policy on dealing with Beijing is the same as that of the previous Tibetan governments-in-exile. Rather than seeking independence, or making do with the status quo, the Dalai Lama in 1974 conceived of a policy known as the Middle Way Approach. It calls for “genuine autonomy” for Tibetans living in China, and allows Beijing to maintain “the security and territorial integrity of the motherland.”

Samphel of the Tibet Policy Institute, who thinks Sangay is “doing a wonderful job,” admits that there’s little the prime minister can do. “Whether China thinks it’s within its interests to engage with him or not, that’s for China to decide. But at the moment, it seems that they don’t want anything to do with him.”

Between 2002 and 2010, Beijing had nine rounds of talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama. Possibility of dialogue between the two sides re-emerged in October, when the Dalai Lama indicated he was discussing with Beijing the possibility of returning to China for a visit — but that seems unlikely.

The Dalai Lama is a household name in China, owing in large part to the constant attacks on him in Chinese media. Beijing appears to think Sangay isn’t worth slandering. One rare exception was a July 2012 article in the nationalistic tabloid the Global Times, which referred to him as “the so-

called administrative head of the ‘Tibetan government in exile.’” The Chinese Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment — nor does it attempt to communicate with Sangay. But a Chinese foreign-policy expert, who asked to speak anonymously, told me that dialogue with Sangay is possible. “The Dalai Lama has to first apologize that he committed the crime [of trying to split China] and ask for forgiveness. He has to do this first,” he said. “We already give some autonomy to Tibet. But no one who asked for independence of Tibet should be entitled to autonomy.”

It’s hard to see how Tibet can win. “In the name of development, many things are happening,” said Tsering. “Mainly the migration of Han Chinese into Tibet.” The Han population inside Tibet is a very sensitive issue — there are no reliable statistics. But the percentage of Han Chinese in Tibetan areas, especially Tibet’s spiritual center and capital Lhasa, is almost certainly increasing. “In another 20 to 30 years, autonomy might not even make sense,” said Tsering. “I hope we will not be reduced to the status of Red Indians in America, where tourists come and take pictures of Tibetans in their natural dress.”

I asked Sangay about the uphill battle of returning Tibet to the international consciousness, and the likelihood of getting major countries to press China for genuine autonomy. He told me the story of a meeting he had with Jose Ramos-Horta, the Nobel Prize-winning activist who became East Timor’s first foreign minister after the country achieved independence from Indonesia in 2002. “Ramos-Horta had an invitation to speak somewhere in the southern part of the United States. Texas or something. What Ramos-Horta walked into was ‘six people interested in East Timor in a cafeteria,” said Sangay, recounting the story. “So RamosHorta sat down, and he had a good coffee and a good conversation.” Like Gandhi, who started in South Africa, Sangay says, you have to start somewhere.

The fifteenth coming The biggest unanswered question about the future of Tibet is what will happen when the Dalai Lama dies. At 79, he’s still in excellent health; he has said that he will deal with the issue of reincarnation when he nears 90. At the Italian restaurant in Dharamsala, I asked the young Tibetan woman what would happened if the Dalai Lama passed away before 90. “He won’t,” she said. “He says he’ll live to the age of 113.” This is presumably a reference to a prophecy by Nechung, the state oracle of Tibet, who has said the Dalai Lama will live to 113 if the Tibetans successfully “maintain morality, unity and enhance their collective merit.” Sangay also seems to believe the Dalai Lama will live for a long time. “If he says he’ll live until 90 — we’ll take his word for it,” he said. “He’s very healthy.”

In September 2011, the Dalai Lama released a statement laying out three possibilities for his successor: reincarnation, succession, and emanation. (More recently, he has also hinted that the line of Dalai Lamas, of which he is the fourteenth, may stop with him.) Sangay told me he favors emanation, wherein the Dalai Lama himself picks a successor while he’s still alive. Beijing, however, feels that the decision is its own to make.

Only Beijing “can decide on keeping, or getting rid of, the Dalai Lama’s lineage, and the 14th Dalai Lama does not have the final say,” Zhu Weiqun, executive vice director of the United Front Work Department, the Chinese Communist Party body believed to play a major role in Tibet policy, told the nationalist Chinese newspaper Global Times.

The Chinese foreign policy expert I spoke with concurred. “After he dies, we will find another Dalai Lama,” he said. That is, someone other than Sangay, who appears quite happy about where his karma has taken him. Sangay told me that Harvard Law School mentions his name on its list of famous alumni, one that includes Barack Obama as well as Taiwanese President Ma — a fact that he said he found embarrassing.

“Whoever did it, did it for the wrong reason,” he told me. “I don’t run a country.”

A little something about S-S-S-Stuttering

W

hy can’t I speak like others? Why are my words getting stuck? Why is it difficult for me to speak over the phone? Is something wrong with me? So many questions go through the mind of a person who stammers, and most often they are ashamed to ask these questions out loud for fear of being made fun of.

Well, not to worry, you are not the only one! There are so many famous people who also stuttered, some of them being Sir Isaac Newton, King George VI, Nicole Kidman, Marilyn Monroe, Julia Roberts and her brother Earl Roberts, Tiger Woods, Bruce Willis, Elvis Presley, and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean). For the celebrities who are still alive and active, how did they overcome their stuttering and go on to become huge movie stars? For those curious to know a little something about stuttering, here are the answers to a few questions that you may have.

What is stuttering? Are ‘stammering’ and ‘stuttering the same thing?: One simple way to define stammering is that it is a disruption in the flow of speech. So, if you come across someone who stammers, this

is how they may sound, “I-I ca-came to yo-your house yes-yes-yesteeerday.” Imagine how uncomfortable both the speaker and the listener would feel when this happens.

To answer the second question, yes, stammering and stuttering are the same. It’s as simple as that.

What are “Dysfluencies”?: When a person stutters, there are various breaks or irregularities that occur as the person speaks. These irregularities that interrupt the flow of speech are called “dysfluencies.

There are different types of Dysfluencies, the most common being Repetition. The person may simply repeat a syllable, for example, “JoJohn was here”. It may be part-word repetition (The compu-computer is old), word repetition (She is five-five years old), or phrase repetition (The train-the train is late). There are also times when the person feels “stuck”.

These are called blocks, i.e, the person’s mouth is positioned to say the word, but it appears to be stuck there and no sound seems to come out. Other dysfluencies are prolongation (It’s her bi-i-i-irthday today) and interjections (I’ll meet you, um um, you know, like, at seven o’clock).

Why do I stutter?: Sometimes, persons who stutter are told that their tongues are “too short” or that there is something wrong with their tongue and that is why they stutter. That is not true. Most often, there is nothing physically wrong with a person who stutters, unless of course, if that person has had some form of head trauma.

To be honest, there are hundreds of theories that try to explain why stuttering occurs, each convincing in their own way. The two most common types of stuttering are: Developmental stuttering, which occurs during childhood and neurogenic stuttering, which may occur after a stroke, head trauma, or any other type of brain injury. Some researchers have also found Genes that cause stuttering, thus proposing that stuttering can also be Genetic.

What is Normal Non Fluency (NNF)? It has been shown that about five in every hundred children stammer for a time when they are learning to talk. Like learning to walk, learning to talk does not happen smoothly. Young children often stop, pause, start again and stumble over words when they are learning to talk. Between the ages of two and

seven years, it is normal for a child to repeat words and phrases. As they get older, most children find it easy to talk fluently. Others continue to find talking difficult and gradually continue to do so till their teenage years and adulthood.

How should we react while speaking to a person who stutters?: Think of a situation when you were really nervous, like just before a viva, or an interview, or when you were about to go up on stage to deliver a speech. We get so nervous that we cannot seem to get the words out and we “stutter” throughout the interview or the speech. It is during such stressful situation that even the most fluent speaker may end up having lots of dysfluencies. Imagine feeling that way all the time. For a person who stutters, speaking itself is a stressful task.

The stress comes not just from having to be very careful about how they speak, but also the fear that the listener would find out about the “problem”, along the embarrassment that comes with it. So, the best thing we can do is to make the person comfortable and relaxed, and give them enough time to say what they need to say.

For children with stuttering, the

worst thing that can happen is to be bullied or made fun of by their peers.

This can later increase the child’s severity of stuttering. So, the parents must be very careful and make sure that no such thing occurs at school.

Give the child enough time to express what they want to say. Do not make the child aware of or feel that they have a problem. The more comfortable they are, and the more confident they grow, the better are the chances for them to develop fluent speech.

What should you do is you suspect that your child has NNF or stuttering? NNF does not require any specific treatment as it decreases and fades away as the child gets older. The most important thing to remember is to NOT make the child aware of his/her dysfluencies. However, appropriate diagnosis by a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) will help distinguish between NNF and stuttering, and will also advice the parents on how to help the child get through this temporary phase of non fluency.

If a child continues to stutter even after seven to eight years of age, or an adult has stuttering, they need to consult a Speech Language

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.

Pathologist.

Is stuttering “curable”? There is no medicine till date that can “cure” stuttering. However, it IS treatable.

There are a variety of successful approaches for treating both children and adults with stuttering What to expect from a Speech Language Pathologist?: The SLP will firstly do a detailed assessment to determine the possible causes or factors responsible for the persistent stuttering, and also ascertain the individual’s degree of stuttering. After the assessment, the individual with stuttering will be required to attend a few Speech Therapy sessions where the SLP and the individual will work together to reduce his/her dysfluencies.

So, to conclude, stuttering is not an “incurable disease”, and nobody should have to live their entire lives being afraid to talk. Stuttering is treatable and it is possible for a person who stutters to speak as fluently as anyone else.

Christina Walling Speech Language Pathologist and Audiologist CIHSR (Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research) aka Referral Hospital, Dimapur.

Saturday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

21 February, 2015

7

Morung Youth Express

The Ledo sTory

Part II

L

ight exists because darkness is real. The bright spots of war history have the dark threads woven into their making. Herman Perry was a young black American from a poor family that went east in search of a better life. The family moved to Washington D.C where the two older boys began to make names for themselves as fierce boxers.

Herman Perry was born on May 16, 1922 in Monroe, North Carolina. It was the Jim Crow South, with the Ku Klux Klan and its vitriolic rallies featuring large in community life.

Humiliating Monroe’s black citizens was a common part of daily life. Herman and his siblings, Aaron, Roscoe and Edna attended the segregated Winchester Avenue School. North Carolina was familiar with poverty and hunger, even before the great Depression when cotton prices went down 80 percent. Negro labourers were not allowed by their white employers to plant gardens, or keep cows and goats.

Consequently, the young migrated to other cities and states where the prospects of employment were better. Herman’s family moved to Washington D.C. around 1937-38 where Herman found work as a butcher’s assistant.

To get employment, Herman had lied about his real age and claimed to be two or three years older, as no one would hire a fifteen year old. The background of the story at this point is racially tense America, with a law system that avoided protecting rights of its black citizens. African Americans were forced to cluster around U Street, which was Washington’s equivalent of New York’s Harlem. U Street became a mecca of black culture, and a young Duke Ellington played piano at the more popular cafes.

While his brothers Roscoe and Aaron began to make names for themselves as fierce boxers, Herman sat

ringside quite content to watch his brothers slug it out with their opponents. Herman himself had no talent for boxing. But he had a steady job, a girlfriend and a lease on a new life in Washington.

All that was to be upended with the Nazi invasion of France in 1940. In November 1940, Herman Perry was amongst tens of thousands of aspiring soldiers who delivered their draft questionnaire to the Local board. Had Herman not lied about his age, he would not have been picked up by the draft.

diers found themselves assigned to back breaking work on the Ledo road.

Herman did not have a good start. He failed to show up for his physical examination, and was promptly arrested and put in prison. Fifteen months later, he joined the 849th Engineer Aviation Battalion and boarded a ship along with his batchmates. Though they were called engineers, they never learned anything about airstrip construction. On the other hand, Herman and his friends found themselves clearing brush, mopping floors, and

arrative N

by Easterine Kire

That little twist of destiny propelled him into the US Army where he was assigned to a segregated labor battalion, and shipped to South Asia in 1943.

The American military that Herman Perry had been inducted into was very influenced by Racial science, one of the fads of twentieth century academia.

Physiologists of the 1920s and 1930s, had examined several human cadavers and concluded that African Americans were unsuited to tasks requiring stamina rather than brute strength. They contended that the American Negroes were less intelligent than whites, and predisposed to cowardice, sloth, alcoholism and sexual licentiousness. The military conclusion was that American negroes were not fit for combat. The bigotry that existed in the army and the vogue for racial science led to the US military cleansing its ranks. Black regiments were disabled and blacks were forbidden from enlisting in the nascent Air Corps.

As a direct result of these theories and their influence, Herman and many other newly enlisted Black sol-

other janitorial work. There were no black recreational facilities. Fights between white and black soldiers regularly erupted, and racial strife became the norm in many regiments. In May 1943, when Herman’s regiment boarded ship, they had no clue about their destination, until they landed in Bombay, and a few days by train took them to Ledo in Assam.

Herman’s dysentery attack grew worse on the journey and at journey’s end, he was admitted to the Ledo military hospital in a very weak state.

When he recovered, he hitched a lift on a lorry to join his regiment. Ledo was a far cry from Washington. It was here that he saw Naga villagers for the first time. The small, dark traders were feared by the local people as they often carried around skulls of heads they had taken. The Nagas always had their flat bladed daos with them, and looked rather fearsome to outsiders.

At this stage, Herman’s letters home to his sister Edna were hopeful and did not mention the hard life he was discovering. A dismal sentence

about the hard side of life was all he allowed himself to write in an otherwise cheery letter. But in a second letter written during his imprisonment, he admitted it would be ‘a dead xmas’ with ‘nowhere to go and nothing to do and nobody to help you.’

The Ledo Road was built through dense jungles populated by tigers, and poisonous snakes. During the summer months, they lost miles of newly built road to the monsoon rains and floods.

In addition, they lost men to tiger attacks, snake bites, malaria, dysentery and scrub typhus. The engineers lived in sheds with the minimum of comfort. Their diet was an unvarying menu of army ration food. Some soldiers took to catching frogs and roasting or frying them to add to their diet. Trading went on between the locals and the soldiers, and part of the local trade was marijuana and opium. Naga coolies were paid by the British government in opium. For many young engineers who worked sixteen hard hours a day, marijuana and opium were easy habits to form. They craved the relief it gave to their exhausted bodies, especially since alcohol was denied them.

In the midst of this hardship, Herman was hauled up one morning for extra work. He refused. The refusal was swiftly followed by a special court martial, and imprisonment in the stockade at Ledo. The Ledo stockade was notorious for brutality. Habitual offenders were subjected to vile punishments, including ‘the box’ which was a windowless, concrete box with a corrugated metal roof so low that prisoners could not stand all the way. Herman had been charged with disrespect toward a superior and confined to hard labour, and forfeiting of 32 dollars of his 60 dollars salary. Herman took the injustice of his sentence very hard, and landed in ‘the box’ for his insubordination. His date of release was even delayed for several days. Herman certainly felt himself a victim as the injustices against him continued to pile up. (To be continued)

Sexist remarks, stalking and rape threats: how women are punished for speaking online

The Naga Blog is a forum on facebook where Nagas from Nagaland and around the world network, share ideas and discuss a wide range of topics from politics and philosophy to music and current events in Nagaland and beyond. The blog is not owned by any individual, nor is it affiliated to or associated with any political party or religion. The only movement it hopes to stir is the one raised by the voices of the Nagas every step of the way, amassing perhaps to mass consciousness one day. www.facebook.com/groups/thenagablog

Clarion call for the Nagas

Thejakhrietuo Kire Respected Educated Elders/Families/Friends/Colleagues/ Like-Minded People/ And to the esteemed Facebook groups of Nagas: Naga Spear/Youth Net/ Survival Nagaland/Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation A new era awaits us!!! The time has come for us to say "Enough is enough!!" We cannot remain mute spectators to this ever going drama of our political system. It's time for us to introspect and ask ourselves if we are satisfied with our politicians of today. Or are they doing justice to the Nagas as a whole.

The Road conditions, the electricity & Water facilities, our Transportation, our Agriculture, Hospitals, the ever sorry affairs of Sports and Tourism industries, the list goes on and on. A fact every one of us would admit, needs drastic changes to the changing demands of the 21st century.

We are the Youths of today, the future for tomorrow. Why confine ourselves behind our Laptop/Pc/Mobile and keep complaining? Isn't it time we wake up from our sleep and start the much needed action?

Let's replace our complaints with action, stop cursing our politicians and launch an alternate platform to counter them, together we can make a difference, YOU & ME. We can make a better Nagaland, a home worth calling home, politicians worth respecting, facilities worth appreciating, a place we all deserve together.

Don't you think our politicians deserve some much needed rest? After all, they are a part of nature and have grown old. We need to respect that, friends.

Nagaland is a small state with 11 Districts with a population of approximately 1900000 lakh including non locals.

Electing a few good men will not be enough to get the results we want. It will be like throwing pebbles in the ocean. It's time we forget our egos, our differences and come together as one. A new dawn awaits us! "Together we can make a difference" Krocha Nk TNB as always has ignited ideas worth pondering, hats off to you bro. Hope it will inspire our youth, the future of tomorrow to start the much needed awakening and walk the talk. As rightly mentioned, it's time we forget our differences and work together for the common betterment of our society.

We are proud to have capable leaders to lead us. We need to support someone who thinks for the welfare of the community rather than his/her own fortune. As a Christian state, we shall continue to lay our hopes on God to give us the right leaders to lead us in his righteous path.

Nivkhu Jakhalu Good idea....float some sort of party with like minded people... I think TNB is a good platform to start with... ACAUT may be one of the strongest base/ launch pad.....just sharing my thought.... And by the way...you have my vote.....

Wangkhao Angtok I believe capable & dynamic leaders who can lead Nagas are here in TNB. Ready to follow! Shall we start AAP here in Nagaland???

Nagato H Ayemi Let's march on brothers and sisters, it's high time for us to step out of door and build a strong pillar not a weak and shaken pillar where all Naga people fall... !

Photo Credit: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP

Richa Kaul Padte

A

Scroll.in

s Pakistan and India battled it out at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday afternoon, Buzzfeed India editor Rega Jha tweeted: “It’s so sad that no matter who wins, Pakistanis will continue to be way hotter than us and we’ll continue to be their ugly neighbours.”

It was a provocative tweet, lending itself to intelligent critique. But what came down on Jha was the ugly force of the bruised Indian male ego.

“She need waxing. Burn out your unwanted hairs” and “She got banged I guess by ugly Paki” were among the milder responses. Then came the rape threats.

For the past three days, Jha has been flooded on Twitter with threats of violence. On the internet, she’s not alone. Women face increasing levels of abuse online. Recent examples that have made international headlines include violence against women speaking up against sexism in the gaming community (#Gamergate), an American woman who received violent threats from her husband on Facebook for which she has pressed criminal charges, and the scores of threats faced by Trista Hendren, the founder of Rapebook, which highlights sexist content on Facebook.

Young women experience more severe types of harassment at disproportionately higher levels than the rest of

the internet-using population, a Pew Research report released last year found. Of the women interviewed, 26% had been stalked online and 25% were the target of online sexual harassment.

Women were in general more likely to experience higher rates of physical threats and sustained harassment than their male counterparts.

vulnerable to threats.

Men and women experience the internet differently not because there is anything extraordinary about virtual space, but precisely because it is, like all public space, gender unequal. From who makes technology, to internet platforms’ indifference towards gender abuse and the fact that there are more men online than women, it is clear from Go online, get abused the outset that our cyber experiences A combination of research and an- aren’t happening on a level playing field. ecdotal evidence gathered over the past few years by groups across the Speaking online is world indicate that a woman who is ac- like walking on a street tive online is highly likely to experience Online violence can be distina variety of attacks. As many women guished by the swiftness with which say, it almost comes with the territory. abuse is republished, replicated and In 1990, American attorney Mike stored, but it is a continuation of what Godwin came up with the following women face offline. principle: As an online discussion grows Imagine the experience of a woman longer, the probability of comparison in- walking down the road. Stares. Lewd volving [the] Nazis or Hitler approach- remarks. Gropes. Assault. These exes. Twenty years after Godwin’s formu- pressions of violence together send her lation, we need another principle: For a a clear message: the street is not hers, woman online, the probability of a rape and if she enters it, this is the punishthreat is always approaching. ment she must bear.

So when @ChetanBhagat – how can On the internet, particularly its more we talk about the online world without public platforms such as Twitter, speakreferring to its Baba Ramdev equivalent ing is the equivalent of walking, and is – asks people to “imagine the reaction punished by sexist remarks, stalking if a male editor had said Indian women or rape threats. If street harassment is are ugly and Pakistani women are hot”, punishment for entering a male-domithe question is flawed. For if we are nated space, then online abuse serves a to imagine the reverse, we would also similar purpose: to silence women. have to imagine a cyber world in which Indeed, the most significant factor women, like men, can speak, take self- preceding verbal gender violence is not ies and simply exist without becoming so much what women say, but that they

are speaking at all, research by the New Delhi-based Internet Democracy Project found. Women journalists and vocal women Twitter users perhaps make up the biggest targets of such violence. But almost all women using their voices online face a range of abuse that’s meant, ultimately, to shut them up.

But shut up they will not.

Some support Hearteningly, over the past few years, online communities have increasingly rallied around survivors of gender abuse. Where three years ago a survivor would have received perhaps a few dozen or so supportive comments, since Sunday Twitter has been flooded with support for Jha. From tweeting to her to taking on her abusers and condemning the violence she’s been facing, it’s clear that something, somewhere, has shifted. Yes, much of the support came from the rarefied circle of the Twitter Left. Yes, it’s likely she received so much support because she’s fairly well-known. Yes, there are probably more abusers than supporters.

But just as people took to the streets following the 2012 Delhi gang rape, perhaps we’re witnessing another form of mass outrage today, a refusal to be silent about online violence against women. Over the past three days and perhaps for the first time in virtual India, a large number of people have collectively, loudly and determinedly said that they simply will not stand for it.

Worhonthung Ezung Study shows, India has one of the highest youth population at 25% in the world. Today the youth all over the world are crying for changes. The recent AAP sweeping of Delhi election was because of the youth. Even the elected members are mostly the youth. Out of 67 elected members, 46 are below 42 years! That's history!

Also, remember the Arab Spring? It was initiated by a young lady who wanted changes. And there are many such stories.

So, if we young Nagas want to bring changes, we have to walk the talk, see no tribal color, rise above nepotism, stay united, give larger public interest than private interest, etc.

It just need a spark to start.

Msalong Alingri Isn't it another complain behind the PC/laptop/mobile and we are all awake Yes!You & Me we can make a better Nagaland..Ya we can..a 1000 more will say that ...yaawwnn!

Start a rally or something..call up a gathering or stage a show or conduct a workshop for (corruption, work culture, RTI, citizen rights, governance, etc) awareness..can somebody just do that so a noone like me can rise to follow you through cause just igniting alone will drain the fuel but accelerating will take us where we want to go! Lead us...

Atsung Imchen To speak honestly we are caught in a fix, if tomorrow by chance not a single Naga decides not to take a single penny for their votes and election process was fair and square who will you vote?

The current leaders we have are incompetent and workers of their own self interest, we don't have to give them any proof to show them how incompetent they are. The current sorry state of our people and our infrastructure is enough to shoot down any of their questions.

In our present condition we need a complete change in our leadership and change at the ground level as well.

We need to encourage those whom we think are capable to lead to step up from each of the district and constituency, we need to work and lead campaigns for them without expecting anything in return.

We are all tired of talks and just talks but even if you and i change but our leaders remain the same, with the same old thinking, it will be back to square one.

We need a complete and fresh structure of our political parties starting from their members.

Thejakhrietuo Kire Let this post notjust be another post that gets posted on The Naga Blog wall and dies off after a certain period of time.

Instead let this be a wake up call to each and every youth in farthest corners of Nagaland.

How long do we wait and keep complaining or are we satisfied with the governing style of our politicians....??

If the present generation youths feels that there needs to be a change..... why just talk about it or why remain a mute spectator?

"The world suffers a lot.not because of the violence of bad people. but because of the silence of good people" ~~Napoléon Bonaparte

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

Dimapur

NATIONAL

Saturday 21 February 2015

The Morung Express

Seven arrested for leaking energy documents NEW DELHI, FEbruary 20 (IaNS): The sensational petroleum ministry document leakage case assumed wider dimensions Friday with the arrest of a former journalist and an energy consultant and revelations in the police complaint that the papers stolen included inputs for the forthcoming union budget and a letter relating to the PMO. The stolen documents were also related to the power and coal ministries, police said. Delhi Police earlier Friday arrested Santanu Saikia, who runs a web portal for his alleged role in providing secret documents of the petroleum ministry to corporate houses.

The most high profile person among the seven people held in the leak case, Saikia is a former journalist who covered, among other areas, crime and petroleum ministry. Later, he came an energy consultant.

In a post on his facebook page, Saikia had brought to the attention of his friends and visitors about how the Official Secrets Act was being "misused" by the government. He also quotes The Week's story on CBI in December 2010, which mentioned "my 10-year court battle to escape prosecution from the CBI".

Prayas Jain, a Melbourne-based energy consultant, was also arrested.

Delhi Police chief B.S. Bassi said Saikia and Jain ran an independent website where they uploaded the analysis of the documents which were photocopies of the originals.

"And this information was further used by corporate houses. They also

Santanu Saikia: Not his first brush with law

Indian police in civil clothing escort two alleged suspects, center and center right, who are among the seven persons in an oil espionage case, to a police van to be produced in a court from the Delhi Crime Branch unit, in New Delhi on Friday, February 20. Police have arrested seven people for allegedly stealing classified documents from the Indian government and selling them to energy companies, a top police officer said Friday. (AP Photo)

shared this information with some individuals in return for money," Bassi told reporters. "It will not be good to reveal the names of these organisations as the investigation is still on."

Police officers, however, said they were questioning officials of RIL and Essar groups. Delhi Police Thursday arrested five people - two petroleum ministry employees and three others - for stealing documents and leaking them to corporate houses.

Rakesh Kumar, 30, Lalta Prasad, 36 - both brothers and residents of Delhi, and Raj Kumar Chaubey, 39, a resident of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, were held

red-handed with photocopies of some secret documents in Shastri Bhawan Feb 17.

Based on information provided by them, government employees Asharam, 58, and Ishwar Singh, 56 were also arrested. They were part of the multi-tasking staff (MTS) in Shastri Bhawan.

Police said Lalta Prasad and Rakesh Kumar were on the payroll of Jain and he used to pay them Rs.40,000 each per month.

The first information report (FIR) filed Wednesday accessed by the media Friday details the photocopies of documents recovered from the five people ini-

‘Lifting AFSPA from Valley not an option’ NEW DELHI, FEbruary 20 (TNN): As negotiations between BJP and PDP continue on the contentious issues of Article 370 and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) before the two agree to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu has hinted that while the former could be discussed, the latter was non-negotiable.

The two parties are currently discussing a common minimum programme to formalize the alliance and form a government. Sources said the discussions were stuck on the issues of abrogation of Article 370 and removal of AFSPA from the Valley. While BJP has been pushing for the former, PDP has been batting for the latter.

Parliamentary affairs minister Naidu on Thursday hinted that while the party could consider PDP's demands on Article 370 given the electoral reality, it would not compromise on AFSPA as it was not just the Army which was a stakeholder in the issue but "the entire country".

Talking to a TV channel, Naidu said, "We have to understand the reality. People have given a fractured mandate. We are not in a majority.

Discussions on Article 370 will keep sensitivities of Kashmir in mind."

On PDP's demand for removal of AFSPA from the Valley and opposition from Army being a factor, Naidu said, "It's not just the Army which is a stakeholder in the issue. The entire country is. It's an issue dear to all Indians. There are 40 terror camps operating. We cannot withdraw AFSPA." Naidu said he was sure that those negotiating with PDP would make the party understand the issue.

The assertion comes a day after Mufti Mohammed Sayeed hinted that there could be no deal with BJP if the latter did not agree to his party's demands on Article 370 and AFSPA. Removal of AFSPA was PDP's poll promise while abrogation of Article 370 is an issue not agreeable to any party in the Valley.

tially arrested in the case.

Some of the documents are latest and have been signed only this week.

Among the photocopied documents is a monthly gas report of December 2014 of the planning and analysis cell of the ministry. It was signed Feb 16. There is a letter of Nripendra Misra, principal secretary to the prime minister.

The photocopied documents also included "inputs material on natural gas grid for inclusion in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's budget speech for 2015-16", police said. The budget is regarded as a top secret document till it is un-

NEW DELHI, FEbruary 20 (IaNS): Santanu Saikia, the most high profile person arrested among the seven people held in the petroleum ministry leak case, is a former business journalist and an energy consultant. Ironically, this may not be his first brush with the law.

In a post on his facebook page, Saikia had brought to the attention of his friends and visitors about how the Official Secrets Act was being "misused" by the government. He also quotes The Week's story on CBI in December 2010, which mentioned "my 10-year court battle to escape prosecution from the CBI".

Saikia, from the very beginning, was interested in the oil and gas field sector. In the 90s he had covered petroleum ministry as a journalist with the Indian Express. He then moved over to Financial Express, the paper's sister publication when its editor, Prabhu Chawla shifted from the main paper to the business daily.

In early 2000, he decided to break away from daily challenges of journalism to set up a website to provide information on the oil and gas industry for subscribers. Indianpetro.com was set up by Saikia in November 2001 and soon journalists noted that the information given on the site was often quite authentic. This was attributed to his journalistic abilities, rather than any suspicion about purloining of documents.

According to Delhi Police chief B.S. Bassi, Saikia was arrested Thursday evening on sus-

veiled by the finance minister in parliament.

The information about leakage of budget inputs has come three days before the commencement of the budget session of parliament. Police also said Friday that documents relating to the power and coal ministries were also recovered from the people arrested initially.

Bassi said Friday that Lalta Prasad and Rakesh Kumar lifted documents indiscriminately. "The arrested people (Kumar and Prasad) did not steal particular documents. They instead used to lift any document lying on the table," he said.

Modi's pinstriped suit auctioned for 4.31 cr SuraT, FEbruary 20 (TNN): Finally, the personalized pinstripe suit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was won in an auction by Dharmanandan Diamonds Private Limited, a Diamond Trading Company (DTC) sightholder for Rs 4.31 crore. The diamond company, which entered into the bid on the last day of the exhibition-cum-auction at Science Centre, started with the bid of Rs 1.61 crore. The bid was increased to Rs 2.85 crore in the last leg of the auction and that the final amount was raised at Rs 4.31 crore. Hitesh Patel, managing director, Dharmanandan Diamonds Private Limited said, "It is worth the price.

Our mission was to get the PM Modi's suit at any cost and contribute to the Ganga Cleanliness mission."

chief minister. I publicly apologise for it to the people of Bihar. Please forgive me, as I will not repeat my mistake," Nitish Kumar said at a press conference here. Nitish Kumar saying sorry was akin to Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal's apology for resigning as the Delhi chief minister after 49 days in power last year. The AAP made a stunning comeback in the national capital, winning 67 of the 70 assembly seats.

Nitish Kumar apologised twice during his half-an-hour address to the media here. He made it clear that he will not take any such emotional decision in the future. Manjhi Friday resigned just ahead of a confidence motion in the assembly. "I have submitted my resignation letter to the governor. I should have quit before," said Manjhi soon after he met Tripathi here Friday.

arrested who used duplicate keys to open the offices after entering Shastri Bhawan on forged identity cards and temporary passes obtained fraudulently.

Meanwhile, Reliance Industries said it has launched a “robust internal probe" into detention of one of its employees by Delhi police in connection with alleged official document theft in the oil ministry.

"It has been brought to our notice that one personnel has been detained by law-enforcement authorities. We are unaware of more details. As per SOP (standard operating procedure), a robust internal probe is underway," a com-

pany official said The company is determined to cooperate with the police probe in every possible was, he added.

Congress party leaders Friday targeted Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his remarks that hinted at espionage in the ministry allegedly having taken place during the UPA regime and demanded an apology from him.

Party leader Manish Tewari demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the petroleum ministry document leakage case that had Thursday caused reverberations in the political and corporate circles.

Swine flu kills 743, alarm bells ringing across India

'Women empowerment need of the hour' LuckNoW, FEbruary 20 (IaNS): If a woman is empowered, she has the potential not only to change the society for the better but can also inspire others to make their lives meaningful, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, Kunda president Vishakha Tripathi said Friday.

Addressing more than 4,000 students at Jagadguru Kripalu Mahila College in Kunda in Uttar Pradesh, Tripathi said empowered and stronger woman could contribute to the society more effectively. She said female students from rural areas should not feel less empowered than their urban counterparts as they too have the same rights and same laws to protect them. The seminar was organised as part of the annual prize distribution ceremony of JKP Education.

Additional Director General of Police Sutapa Sanyal, who was the chief guest at the seminar, said it was Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's vision to make Uttar Pradesh a safe place for women. She highlighted various initiatives of the Uttar Pradesh government for women's security and empowerment. She said a special cell -- Mahila Samman Prakoshth -- was constituted on the directives of the chief minister and it was working round the clock to provide adequate safety to women all over the state. Pawan Rana, director of Experiments in Rural Advancement (ERA) in Dehradun, said the government, civil society and NGOs must come together to stop gender discrimination and crimes against women.

Manjhi quits, Nitish to be next Bihar CM PaTNa, FEbruary 20 (IaNS): JD-U leader Nitish Kumar will take oath as the new chief minister of Bihar Feb 22 after Jitan Ram Manjhi resigned Friday, less than an hour before a confidence vote in the state assembly.

Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi Friday invited Nitish Kumar to form the next government, a party spokesperson said. "Governor Tripathi has invited Nitish Kumar to form the next government after he met him at Raj Bhavan and formally staked claim," Janata Dal-United spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said.

Manjhi claimed he as well as some legislators supporting him had received threats to their lives. Nitish Kumar Friday publicly apologised to the people for his "mistake" for having resigned as chief minister last year.

"I admit that I made a mistake by resigning as

The theft of documents was taking place in the office of the ministry located in the high-security Shastri Bhawan near the Parliament House complex. All the seven arrested so far have been charged under sections of the IPC relating to stealing, forgery, trespass and criminal conspiracy, Bassi said.

Police are also mulling whether the arrested people can be booked under the Official Secrets Act. Crime Branch officials had also taken the five accused to Shastri Bhawan to recreate the scene. The FIR details how the "secret papers" were photocopied after office hours by the

picion of passing on stolen documents from the ministry to corporate houses. Bassi said the police needed to get to the bottom of the issue in which six others were also arrested. The police chief also said that they may even invoke the Official Secrets Act, if required.

Saikia, along with three others, was Friday remanded in police custody. The other three got judicial remand.

Indiapetro.com carries comprehensive information about the industry, including details on tenders, producer companies and services.

On any given day, there are several dozen news items and analysis related to petroleum and gas industry and policy matters.

In July 2002, Saikia set up a related portal called the Indianfertilizer.com with offices in Shahpur Jat in New Delhi from where Indianpetro.com also operated.

According to information given for setting up the site, the company also had another office in Defence Colony in Delhi. Both the sites boast about giving accurate information.

"All our stories are sourced from an impeccable network of industry and government contacts," says both the websites which have very similar approach to information and layout.

Although, most media organisations would claim accuracy in its information, the statement on the site takes an ominous colour in view of the arrests.

Nitish Kumar described Manjhi's sudden decision to quit as chief minister just ahead of the floor test as a "unique situation".

"There was high-voltage drama."

"This is perhaps happening for the first time.

The governor was to address the joint session. Half an hour before that, the chief minister resigned," Nitish Kumar told reporters. Countering Manjhi's accusation, Nitish Kumar said it was "hilarious". "I have never interfered in any work," he said. Nitish Kumar said he will work in the same manner in which he had worked during his last eight and a half years as chief minister. "For me, governance and only governance will be the priority," he said.

Nitish Kumar said the Bharatiya Janata Party's game plan has failed. "The BJP tried to split the JD-U but failed and Manjhi fled

the field," he said. The former chief minister said the BJP wrote the script for the current political situation in his state. "The BJP supported Manjhi." "But Manjhi resigned after he failed to get adequate numbers to prove his majority in the assembly," he said.

On Feb 8, the JD-U submitted letters of support to the governor staking claim to form the government.

The move came a day after Nitish Kumar was reelected the legislature party leader. Manjhi was picked by the former chief minister as his replacement when he quit last year after the JD-U's rout in the Lok Sabha polls.

In the 243-member assembly, the JD-U has 115 legislators - most of whom are with Nitish Kumar. The party has the support of 24 Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislators, five Congress legislators, two independents and a Communist

Party of India legislator.

The BJP has 88 legislators and is supported by three Independents. After he resigned, Manjhi said he had requested Tripathi to hold a secret ballot, saying, "in that case, I would have had the support of 4050 JD-U legislators". "But I realised that secret ballot may not happen, and a lot of legislators would have lost their membership if it would have been known that they had voted for me, that's why I decided to quit," he said.

Manjhi maintained that "quite a few MLAs had met him in the night and pledged support to him". He accused the JD-U of "horse-trading", an euphemism for driving a hard bargain to ensure adequate numbers in a floor test. The BJP also accused Nitish Kumar of horse-trading and humiliating a Mahadalit chief minister.

Indians cover their faces with masks as preventive measure against swine flu at the Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, in the southern Indian state of Telangana, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. Health authorities were working to ensure remote hospitals in India had adequate medical supplies for a flu outbreak that has claimed more than 700 lives in 10 weeks. More than 11,000 cases have been reported since mid-December with most of the cases being reported from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh states. Although it was being referred to as swine flu, doctors say it is a variant of the H1N1 pandemic influenza. (AP Photo

NEW DELHI, FEbruary 20 (IaNS): The number of deaths across India due to swine flu reached 743 Friday, with 40 more people, including a 23-year-old pregnant woman in Delhi, succumbing to the disease.

The woman, a resident of Krishna Nagar in east Delhi, was infected with swine flu during her pregnancy. This was the seventh death due to the viral disease in the national capital which has so far reported 1,917 cases.

Across India, the number of cases rose from 11,071 Thursday to 11,955 Friday, a health ministry official said.

So far, Rajasthan has reported 202 deaths, Gujarat 155 and Telangana 49.

Twenty-seven people have died in Punjab while 20 have succumbed in neighbouring Haryana, six have died in Delhi, four in Kashmir and three each in West Bengal and Chandigarh.

However, no fresh case was reported in Himachal Pradesh Friday, though 16 positive cases and three deaths have been recorded till date in the state.

The northeastern states sounded a high alert after two women tested positive

in Nagaland and Mizoram.

A woman in Mizoram was detected with swine flu, the first case in the state bordering Myanmar.

"A woman tested positive for swine flu in Aizawl.

She was in New Delhi for a short period and it is suspected that she contracted the H1N1 virus in the national capital," the nodal officer of Mizoram Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Pachuau Lalmalsawma, told reporters.

Another woman in Nagaland's Dimapur too tested positive for the virus as the state's health and family welfare department sounded a high alert in all its 11 district units. The woman works in Chennai, and had come to Dimapur via Kolkata Feb 13, a health department official said. As a result, the Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya governments have also sounded high alerts and directed medical authorities to be ready to deal with any eventuality.

The northeastern states share international boundaries with China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal and there is frequent cross-border movement of people in the region - legally and illegally.

Meanwhile, a team of ex-

perts from the health ministry was visiting Telangana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to extend technical support to these states while union Health Minister J.P. Nadda reviewed the health situation in Uttar Pradesh.

Nadda met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow to discuss issues and programmes concerning these diseases as well as the swine flu situation in the state. The ministry has asked states to study the patterns in mortality such as which areas, age groups and section of people have been most affected.The government had Thursday held a high-level meeting to review the situation in order to address issues like shortage of drugs.

The meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) was attended by chief secretaries and medical heads of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

The cabinet secretary stressed that the states should ensure that the outbreak monitoring cells and necessary helplines function round the clock.

InternatIonal

the Morung express

Saturday 21 February 2015

Dimapur

9

Antarctica: Mystery continent holds key to future

DECEPTION ISLAND, FEbruAry 20 (AP): Earth’s past, present and future come together here on the northern peninsula of Antarctica, the wildest, most desolate and mysterious of its continents.

Clues to answering humanity’s most basic questions are locked in this continental freezer the size of the United States and half of Canada: Where did we come from? Are we alone in the universe? What’s the fate of our warming planet?

The first explorers set foot in Antarctica 194 years ago hunting 19th century riches of whale and seal oil and fur, turning tides red with blood. Since then, the fist-shaped continent has proven a treasure chest for scientists trying to determine everything from the creation of the cosmos to how high seas will rise with global warming.

“It’s a window out to the universe and in time,” said Kelly Falkner, polar program chief for the U.S. National Science Foundation.

For a dozen days in January, in the middle of the chilly Antarctic summer, The Associated Press followed scientists from different fields searching for alien-like creatures, hints of pollution trapped in pristine ancient ice, leftovers from the Big Bang, biological quirks that potentially could lead to better medical treatments, and perhaps most of all, signs of unstoppable melting. The journey on a Chilean navy ship along the South Shetland islands and vulnerable Antarctic Peninsula, which juts off the continent like a broken pinky finger, logged 833 miles (1,340 ki-

In this Jan. 20, 2015 photo, wooden arrows show the distances to various cities near Chile’s Escudero station on King George Island, Antarctica. Thousands of scientists come to Antarctica for research. There are also non-scientists, chefs, divers, mechanics, janitors and the priest of the world’s southernmost Eastern Orthodox Church on top of a rocky hill at the Russian Bellinghausen station. (AP Photo)

lometers) and allowing the AP team a firsthand look at part of this vital continent.

Antarctica conjures up images of quiet mountains and white plateaus, but the coldest, driest and remotest continent is far from dormant. About 98% of it is covered by ice, and that ice is constantly moving. Temperatures can range from above zero in the South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula to the unbearable frozen lands near the South Pole. As an active volcano, Deception Island is a pot of extreme conditions. There are spots where the sea boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100ºC), while in others it can be freezing at below 32 (0ºC). And while the sun rarely shines on the

long, dark Antarctic winters, nighttime never seems to fall on summer days.

While tourists come to Antarctica for its beauty and remoteness, scientists are all business. What they find could affect the lives of people thousands of miles away; if experts are right, and the West Antarctic ice sheet has started melting irreversibly, what happens here will determine if cities such as Miami, New York, New Orleans, Guangzhou, Mumbai, London and Osaka will have to regularly battle flooding from rising seas.

Antarctica “is big and it’s changing and it affects the rest of the planet and we can’t afford to ignore what’s going on down there,” said David Vaughan, science di-

rector of the British Antarctic Survey.

Often, scientists find something other than what they were looking for. Last year researchers calculated that ice on the western side of the continent was melting faster than expected. Last month, scientists researching vital geology in that melting were looking a half mile under the ice in pitch dark and found a surprise: fish a half foot (15 centimeters) long and shrimp-like creatures swimming by their cameras.

Geologists are entranced by Antarctica’s secrets. On a recent scientific expedition led by Chile’s Antarctic Institute, Richard Spikings, a research

geologist at the University of Geneva, wielded a large hammer to collect rock samples in the South Shetlands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Curious members of a penguin colony on Cape Leogoupi watched as he pounded on slabs of black granite and diorite rising out of the southern ocean. By the end of the two-week trip, his colleagues had jokingly begun calling him “Thor.”

“To understand many aspects in the diversity of animals and plants it’s important to understand when continents disassembled,” Spikings said.

“So we’re also learning about the real antiquity of the Earth and how (continents) were configured to-

gether a billion years ago, half a billion years ago, 300 million years ago,” he said, adding that the insights will help him understand Antarctica’s key role in the jigsaw of ancient super continents. With names like Rodinia, Gondwana and Pangaea, scientists believe they were significant landmasses in Earth’s history and were periodically joined together through the movement of plates.

Because there is no local industry, any pollution captured in the pristine ice and snow is from chemicals that traveled from afar, such as low levels of lead found in ice until it was phased out of gasoline, or radiation levels found from above-ground nuclear tests thousands of miles away and decades ago by the U.S. and the Soviet Union, Vaughan said.

The ice tells how levels of carbon dioxide, the heattrapping gas, have fluctuated over hundreds of thousands of years. This is also the place where a hole in the ozone layer, from manmade refrigerants and aerosols, periodically parks for a couple months and causes trouble. It happens when sunlight creeps back to Antarctica in August, triggering a chemical reaction that destroys ozone molecules, causing a hole that peaks in September and then closes with warmer weather in November.

Exploring Antarctica is something Chilean Alejo Contreras, 53, began dreaming about as a teen after reading Robert Falcon Scott’s journal of his journey to the South Pole.

When Contreras finally got to the South Pole in 1988,

January 2015 was second Twin cyclones slam into Australia warmest on record globally rOCKHAMPTON, FEbruAry coastal city of Rockhampton, home terminal.

WASHINGTON, FEbruAry 20 (AP): Last month was the second warmest January on record globally, behind 2007, with temperatures 0.77ºC (1.4ºF) above the average for the 20th century, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Meteorologists calculated that the United States in January was 1.6ºC (2.9ºF) warmer than normal, making it the 24th warmest January since 1880, even though there were record snowfalls in parts of the U.S. northeast.

China had its warmest January since that nation started keeping records in 1961 with last month 1.9 ºC(3.4ºF) warmer than normal. Some areas in southern Siberia and far eastern Russia were more than 5ºC (9ºF) warmer than normal for January. Parts of Norway were 5 to 7ºC warmer than normal (9 to 11ºF), while Eastern Austria was 3.8ºC (6.8ºF) warmer than normal. Northern Australia, eastern Canada, and parts of the southern and eastern United States were cooler than normal, but not too much cooler.

WHO approves breakthrough rapid 15-minute Ebola test

GENEVA, FEbruAry 20 (rEuTErS): The World Health Organization has approved the first rapid test for Ebola in a potential breakthrough for ending an epidemic that has killed almost 10,000 people in West Africa, it said on Friday.

The test, developed by U.S. firm Corgenix Medical Corp, is less accurate than the standard test but is easy to perform, does not require electricity, and can give results within 15 minutes, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said. “It’s a first rapid test. It’s definitely a breakthrough,” he said.

The standard laboratory test has a turnaround time of 12-24 hours. While the Corgenix test is not failsafe, it could quickly identify patients who need quarantine and make it much easier to verify rapidly any new outbreaks.

Procurement and roll-out of the test kits will not begin immediately because the company is still working out costing and needs a week or two more to finish administrative procedures with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jasarevic said.

The health charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, which has been at the forefront of the fight against Ebola, had expressed an interest, he said.

The so-called ReEBOV Antigen Rapid Test involves putting a drop of blood on a small paper strip and waiting 15 minutes for a reaction in a test tube. It is able to correctly identify about 92 percent of Ebola infected patients and 85 percent of those not infected with the virus, the WHO said.

Knowing that margin of error is a major help, said Robyn Meurant, from the WHO’s department of essential medicines and health products. “The big fear has been that the market gets flooded with tests of unknown quality, or unknown performance, and with Ebola you need to know what are the limitations. A false positive has enormous implications. So does a false positive,” she said.

“So this is not a perfect test but... for a rapid test, (it is) not too bad at all.” It would be especially useful if a cluster of suspected cases flared up, she said. “If you had five patients with suspected symptoms and you went ahead and tested them and they were all positive you’d have a high degree of confidence that you’ve got Ebola.”

Because of the margin of error, the Corgenix test would then need to be followed up by the standard laboratory test. The WHO is still assessing four or f ive other rapid test candidates, but Meurant said it was not possible to say when the next approval might be.

20 (rEuTErS): A powerful cyclone slammed into northeast Australia on Friday, destroying homes, upending trees, cutting power lines and causing flash floods, while a second storm severed communications to a northern island where heavy damage was expected.

Tens of thousands took what shelter they could as Cyclone Marcia caught Queensland state almost unawares, gathering strength in just a few hours before making landfall midmorning as a category 5 system - the highest rating.

Emergency services scrambled to evacuate thousands of homes before pulling out and warning anyone who had not left to barricade themselves inside to avoid wind gusts peaking at 285 kph (177 mph).

Rail lines to coastal ports, an essential part of Queensland’s A$280 billion ($218 billion) commodities export-driven economy, were brought to a standstill.

“Stay indoors, take the safest room in the home and let the storm pass,” Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner John Watson told media after the storm passed over the

to 75,000 people, and headed south towards Australia’s third-largest city, Brisbane.

There were no reports of deaths or injuries and the storm was downgraded to a category 2 by evening. But authorities warned heavy rains and flooding were likely to continue for several days and extend inland.

Some 48,000 homes were left without power, Watson added, broken power lines and flooding leaving some areas too dangerous for energy companies to begin repairs.

The storm roared over the coastal town of Yeppoon which, like Rockhampton, was facing a night without power.

“The home is one of the oldest in Yeppoon,” Melanie Cobb told Reuters as she sifted through the rain-soaked contents of her grandmother’s 80-year-old house where one wall had been ripped away.

Among the ruined contents was Cobb’s childhood teddy bear.

More than 10 percent of Australia’s sugar crop was at risk from Marcia, an industry body warned.

BHP Billiton suspended rail lines hauling coal from its inland collieries to the Hay Point shipping

Marcia’s forecast trajectory indicated the impact on coal mining was expected to be less severe than in 2011, when Queensland missed its annual coal export target by 40 million tonnes after storms dumped unprecedented amounts of rain into pits.

Data supplied by the Bureau of Meteorology showed Marcia moving inland rather than directly impacting the Gladstone industrial hub, where Rio Tinto operates Australia’s largest aluminium smelter.

Emergency service officials in the neighbouring Northern Territory were beginning to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Lam that made landfall in the remote region east of Darwin.

The category 4 storm hit near the settlement of Ramingining, where residents were beginning to emerge to inspect the damage.

Communications had been cut with tiny Elcho Island, which was believed to have experienced widespread damage, police said.

By evening, Lam had been downgraded to a tropical low but continued to dump heavy rain across the north as it moved southwest.

he stopped shaving his beard, which today hangs down to his chest and often goes every which way, similar to his explorations.

Antarctica is “like the planet’s freezer,” said Contreras, who has led 14 expeditions to the continent.

“And none of us would dare litter the ice.”

Because of the pristine nature of the bottom of the world, when a meteorite lands here it stays untouched. So researchers find more meteorites, often from nearby Mars, including one discovered nearly 20 years ago which had scientists initially thinking, incorrectly, they had found proof that life once existed on Mars.

This is a place with landscapes out of an alien movie set. NASA uses the remoteness of the continent to study what people would have to go through if they visited Mars. The dry air also makes it perfect for astronomers to peer deep into space and into the past.

During a recent trip to Deception Island, Peter Convey, an ecologist for the British Antarctic Survey who has been visiting Antarctica for 25 years, braved heavy rain, near freezing temperature and winds of more than 20 knots to collect samples of the spongy green and brown mosses that grow in patches on the ash of the volcanic island’s black rock mountains. He was looking for clues in their genetics to determine how long the species have been evolving on Antarctica, in isolation from other continents.

“I’ve been lucky and I’ve gone to the middle of the

continent, so I’ve been isolated from the next human being for 400 to 500 kilometers (250-300 miles),” Convey said. In this remoteness are odd life forms, raising hope that life might once have existed in other extreme environments such as Mars or is even now hidden below the ice of Jupiter’s moon Europa.

“This is one of the more extreme places where you could expect to find life.

It’s even here,” said Ross Powell, a Northern Illinois University scientist who in January was using a remote-controlled submarine deep under the ice in another part of Antarctica to figure out about melting, when the unusual fish and shrimp-like creatures swam by.

About 4,000 scientists come to Antarctica for research during the summer and 1,000 stay in the more forbidding winter. There are also about 1,000 nonscientists — chefs, divers, mechanics, janitors and the priest of the world’s southernmost Eastern Orthodox Church on top of a rocky hill at the Russian Bellinghausen station.

But the church on the hill is an exception, a glimmer of the world to the north. For scientists, what makes this place is the world below, which provides a window into mankind’s past and future.

“Antarctica in many ways is like another planet,” said Jose Retamales, the director of the Chilean Antarctic Institute, while aboard a navy ship cruising along Deception and the other South Shetland islands. “It’s a completely different world.”

NSA says Sony attack traced to North Korea OTTAWA, FEbruAry 20 (rEuTErS): The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) identified North Korea as the source of the recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment after analyzing the software used in the intrusion, NSA Director Admiral Michael Rogers said on Thursday.

Speaking to a Canadian security conference, Rogers explained that the discovery was part of the agency’s efforts to develop software to counter cyberattacks. “We ultimately ended up generating the signatures to recognize the activity ... used against Sony,” Rogers said.

“From the time the malware left North Korea to the time it got to Sony’s headquarters in California, it crossed four different commanders’ lines or areas in the U.S. construct.”

Sony’s network was attacked by hackers in November as the company prepared

to release “The Interview,” a comedy about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The attack was followed by online leaks of unreleased movies and emails that caused embarrassment to executives and Hollywood personalities.

North Korea has described the accusation as “groundless slander.” Rogers said that cyberthreats are different from physical threats since they travel beyond geographical boundaries. He said the cyberthreats are also blurring the line between the public and private sectors, sometimes prompting new and unexpected partnerships. “If you had told me (in the past) that I was going to be spending time working on an offensive act against a motion picture company, I would have thought: ‘What? What does that have to do with me?’ And yet that’s the world we find ourselves in.”

Astrological signs bad for the Sheep Year bEIJING, FEbruAry 20 (AP): Chinese were seeing in the Year of the Sheep on Thursday, but with fortune-tellers predicting accidents and an unstable economy and some parents-to-be fretting over the year’s reputation for docile kids, it wasn’t exactly warming everyone’s heart.

This animal sign, which comes once every dozen years, can be said to have an identity crisis. Known variably as the Year of the Goat, Sheep or Ram, the sign’s confusion stems from its Chinese character, “yang,” which broadly describes any of the ruminating mammals, with or without horns.

Many Chinese prefer to translate it as the “Year of the Sheep” because sheep are more cute and cuddly, and large sheep figures have appeared around the capital’s shopping areas in recent weeks.

The goat, however, is more likely to be the original meaning because it was a popular farm animal among Han Chinese who started the zodiac tradition, Huang Yang, a researcher on the roles of sheep and goats in Chinese culture, was quoted by the official Xinhua News

agency as saying.

Still, Xinhua is going with “Year of the Sheep” in its English-language reports rather than “Year of the Goat.”

The United States also appears to be opting for the fluffier, more gentle animal sign, at least in the U.N. Security Council. A U.S. diplomat at a council meeting earlier this month wished China, this month’s council president, a happy “Year of the Sheep.”

During the seven-day holiday that started Wednesday, the world’s second-biggest economy largely shuts down.

Many mainland Chinese tuned into the annual New Year’s Eve TV gala Wednesday evening, and this year’s mascot managed to achieve the problem-solving feat of not being clearly a sheep or a goat.

The previous year, the Year of the Horse, is generally considered to be an auspicious time — never mind that Asian airlines had a string of high-profile disasters.

Astrologists interviewed said this year would bring a volatile economy, more transport ac-

cidents and windy natural disasters such as tornadoes in the United States and typhoons to Southeast Asia.

For China, which doesn’t get tornadoes, that means air pollution, “coming in with dirty air currents and affecting everyone’s lives,” said Shanghai-based astrologer Dong Jialing.

“In around June, when it’s getting hot in China, the Western economy will fluctuate quite a lot and will be very unstable,” Dong predicted. But August or September will mark the start of a very stable economic period.

Feng shui master Clement Chan, who appeared on “America’s Next Top Model” as a guest judge in an episode filmed in Macau, said he sees a lot of fire this year, and “fire means accidents.”

He anticipates plane crashes in the first half, but not as many as in 2014. He also sees a lot of road accidents.

On the positive side, he sees female managers and company leaders doing well this year. “I think you’ll see a lot of female world leaders — they’ll achieve something great, actually,”

Chan said.

A Hong Kong brokerage that publishes a tongue-in-cheek annual feng shui report, “more for your pleasure than profit,” said the Chinese territory’s Hang Seng stock index is likely to see some volatility as its rooster character clashes with this year’s sign.

The CLSA brokerage warns that people will be easily annoyed and difficult to deal with, so it’s “a good year to be on guard and not get fleeced.”

The brokerage also speculates on the fortunes of celebrities.

Jackie Chan’s actor son Jaycee, released Friday after serving a sixmonth sentence on drug-related charges, has the zodiac sign of a dog and will benefit from slowing down and learning more about himself, it said.

People born in the yang year, including Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Zhang Ziyi, traditionally are believed to be filial, kind-hearted and artistic, while also timid, obstinate and consummate worriers.

The Chinese character “yang” is present in other characters with positive meanings, such as “beautiful,” ‘’auspicious” and

“goodness.” Still, some superstitious Chinese find the year inauspicious and believe that sheep babies will be unhappy and more likely followers than leaders. Some parents say they’ll avoid having a child this year.

Dr. Meika Chin, a midwife at Shanghai United Family Hospital, estimated births in the coming year would be 20 percent below the average, with many couples saying “they’re going to skip the Year of Sheep and have the baby the year after.”

It was possible to induce births early to avoid the sheep year, Chin said. “We always say it’s the end of the horse year, rush hour, you know, they want to get in.”

One woman attending a prenatal class, and due in late February, said she doesn’t pay much attention to the zodiac.

“Lots of people think sheep babies’ lives will be very tiring and they have to work hard, so lots of people try to avoid having sheep babies,” said the motherto-be, who would only give her surname, Li. “But that means my baby won’t have as much competition, which is great.”

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Chelsea bans three fans for racism LONDON, February 20 (IaNs): Chelsea Thursday suspended three club fans from attending their home game for their involvement in a racist incident on the Paris Metro. A video showed a black commuter was pushed by what appeared to be a group of Chelsea fans travelling to the Parc des Princes for the 1-1 Champions League last 16 first leg against Paris SaintGermain Tuesday, Xinhua reported Friday.

The group of fans also chanted "We're racist and that's the way we like it". Chelsea suspended three people who had been identified and the ban means they can not attend Saturday's English Premier League match against Burnley at the Stamford Bridge, which has been designated a 'Game for Equality'. The supporters face life bans if they are found guilty. "Chelsea Football Club is suspending three people from Stamford Bridge as a result of investigations into the incident on the Paris Metro on Tuesday evening," a statement on the club's website announced. "If it is deemed there is sufficient evidence of their involvement in the incident, the club will issue banning orders for life."

Virat Kohli most talked about WC player on Twitter syDNey, February 20 (IaNs): India's star batsman Virat Kohli is not only scoring the runs on the field but is also the most talked about World Cup player on social networking site Twitter. A recent survey by the networking site found all the most frequently mentioned players on Twitter were from India or Pakistan, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. The sub-continent is also generating far more social media interest than Cup cohosts Australia and New Zealand. During India's game against Pakistan last Sunday, Twitter had 9990 posts a minute when the match ended. The most mentioned match was India vs Pakistan, followed by Australia's game against England. Twitter promotions, of varying scale in the sub-continent, is believed to have boosted its use in the cricket-dominated zone, the report adds.

The Morung Express SPORTS Anand loses to Nakamura at last Balotelli causes fuss hurdle, finishes second in Zurich with Liverpool winner ZurICH, February 20 (PtI): Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand went down to Hikaru Nakamura of United States in the Armageddon game and had to be content with a second place finish in the Zurich Chess Classic that concluded, here on Friday.

A sudden change in rules during the final stages of rapid competition paved the way for a final game even though it was not stipulated in the initial regulations.

Anand, having beaten Nakamura in Classical game, also had the better tiebreak score than the American and would have been crowned the winner but for the sudden inclusion of a final game in case of a tied result at the top.

It was clear that the five times world champion was not mentally ready for another game after a long day of chess and it showed as Anand crumbled with white pieces. For Nakamura, it was the second big win in the year after he had won the just-concluded Gibraltar Masters.

For the records, Anand started the day with a full point lead but two losses against Nakamura and Levon Aronian of Armenia cost him dearly in the five rapid games slated on the final day.

The Indian ace, however, scored a crushing victory against Fabiano Caruana of Italy and drew the remaining two games against Russian duo of Vladimir Kramnik and Sergey Karjakin.

Ending the rapid with two points out of a possible five, Anand gave Nakamura the chance to catch him on points table as the American scored three points to reach nine points for a shared first with Anand.

Anand still had the consolation of winning the Classical section and the Indian ace also wins back majority of points lost at the preceding Grenke Chess Classic just a few days before this event.

It may be recalled that Anand had finished a disappointing seventh out of eight participants in that tournament and this was indeed the great turnaround performance the Indian has

been known to produce for many years now.

Kramnik won the rapid section scoring 3.5 points out of his five games. The second place here was shared by Aronian and Nakamura on three points each while Anand ended tied fourth with Karjakin.

Caruana could not find his form here too and ended last scoring just 1.5 points.

In the combined standings, Kramnik finished third on 8.5 points after Anand and Nakamura, while Aronian was a distant fourth tallying seven points in all.

Karjakin ended another point adrift of the Armenian while Caruana finished at the bottom of the tables securing 5.5 points in all. The Classical games netted two points for a win and one for a draw but in rapid the players got just one for a win and half a point for a draw.

Having regained his form, Anand is likely to take part in the Gashimov memorial in Azerbaijan in April. A tournament which may also see World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway in action.

Nadal not great, but makes quarterfinals on clay in Rio

rIO De JaNeIrO, February 20 (aP): Rafael Nadal kept rolling in his first clay-court of the season with a 7-5, 6-3 victory on Thursday over fellow Spaniard and friend Pablo Carreno Busta to reach the quarterfinals of the Rio Open.

No. 4 Fabio Fognini of Italy advanced, beating Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-3, 6-2.

Women's top seed Sara Errani of Italy also reached the quarterfinals, defeating Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain 6-0, 7-5 in the combined ATP-WTA tournament.

Nadal looks slimmer, says he's free from injury and illness, and it's showed in his first two victories in Brazil. It's all aimed at getting ready in three months for the French Open, which he has won nine of the past 10 times. Nadal wasn't fan-

tastic, just good enough against a little-known opponent who has yet to win an ATP title. Nadal has won 64, including 14 Grand Slams.

He struggled in the first set, unable to shake Carreno Busta. Nadal failed to convert three set points in the 10th game, but finished off the set by breaking Carreno Busta in the final game.

In the second set, Nadal broke in the eighth game to lead 5-3 and then served out the match on a hot, steamy night. "Tough conditions, a difficult, young opponent and I'm just content to be in the quarterfinals," Nadal said. "For me every victory is important, and even more so on clay."

Nadal was asked about his weight. He looks lighter and leaner, but said nothing has changed.

"I am not thinner," he said. "For six years my weight has been practically the same, always between 85 and 86 ½ kilos (188-190 pounds).

Before I used to play with sleeveless shirts. This makes the muscles seem like more." "My physical side is about the same as always.

Everything is the same. There are no changes in my life. There are no changes in my preparation."

Nadal faces No. 6 Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay on Friday, while No. 2 seed David Ferrer of Spain goes against Juan Monaco of Argentina.

Errani faces wild-card Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia. The Italian is already thinking of next year's Olympic tennis in Rio, probably in a partnership with Roberta Vinci.

"We hope to arrive in Rio in top shape," said Errani who, with Vin-

ci, lost in the quarterfinals of the London Olympics to Serena and Venus Williams. "We'll come here looking to get a medal, knowing of course it won't be easy."

In other men's matches, Cuevas defeated Albert Montanes of Spain 6-2, 6-2 and Federico Delbonis of Argentina defeated No. 8 Martin Klizan of Slovakia 6-2, 6-1.

On the women's side, No. 6 Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia made the final eight with a victory Mario Balotelli, left, celebrates with teammate Emre Can after scoring a penalty over Paula Ormaechea of Argen- Liverpool's during the Europa League Round of 32 soccer match between Liverpool and Besiktas at tina 6-0, 6-2.

Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Thursday, February 19. (AP Photo) Two other seeded players went Steve Douglas out in their second-round matches. Veronica Cepede Royg of ParaAP Sports Writer guay defeated No. 3 Roberta Vinci averick of Italy 6-2, 6-3, and Haddad Maia striker Mawon over No. 7 Polona Hercog of rio Balo- LONDON, February 20 (reuters): Liverpool Slovenia 6-1, 6-2. telli man- captain Steven Gerrard accused team mate Mario aged to Balotelli of showing disrespect after the Italian found upset his Liverpool team- himself at the centre of controversy despite scoring a mates despite scoring a winning penalty against Besiktas on Thursday. late penalty in a 1-0 win Balotelli stroked the ball home in the 85th minute over Besiktas in the last 32 to secure a 1-0 win at Anfield but only after wrestling of the Europa League, one the ball off stand-in skipper and designated penaltyof several first-leg victories taker Jordan Henderson. The two exchanged heated for expected title contend- words before Balotelli fired home and Gerrard, injured ers on Thursday. and working as a TV pundit, was not amused.

Liverpool's stand-in "Jordan should have taken the penalty. Rules are captain, Jordan Hender- rules. It should have been Henderson. Mario has been son, was preparing to take a bit mischievous," he told ITV Sport. "Credit to Mario, the 85th-minute spot kick he's scored, but it's not nice to see when footballers are at Anfield when Balotelli — arguing. I think Jordan has handled the situation very a penalty specialist — took well. "He can see that Mario really wanted to score. Jorthe ball off him. Hender- dan walked away at the right moment and handled barCeLONa, Feb - son momentarily appeared his post-match interview very well. "Jordan is the capruary 20 (aP): Lionel unhappy, as did Liverpool tain and Mario showed Jordan a bit of disrespect there, Messi says both he and his striker Daniel Sturridge, but he's scored a very important goal. "I think six or Barcelona teammates have but they were soon con- seven players would have wanted to take that penalty learned from mistakes that gratulating Balotelli after so if they all say they are taking it, what happens then? left them without a major he converted for the win- Rules are in place for a reason." Balotelli, a regular pentitle for the first time in six ning goal. alty-taker at his previous clubs, had only been on the "Jordan should have pitch for 22 minutes. After the goal, Balotelli sought seasons last year. Messi admitted Thursday that he taken that penalty. Rules out Henderson in what appeared to be an effort to had "many problems on are rules. Mario's been a bit make amends, while the England midfielder sought and off the pitch" last sea- mischievous," said injured to play down the incident in his post-match interview. son. He did not elaborate. Liverpool captain Steven "I wanted the penalty, Mario felt confident and he has "Last year wasn't a good Gerrard, speaking in his taken big penalties before," he said. "Everyone wants year for me," Messi said. role as a pundit for British to take them. I felt confident in Mario, he has taken big "And I want to reverse that broadcaster ITV. "Jordan penalties before and he got the nod." situation. I want to keep in is the captain and Mario the same shape I am today showed Jordan a bit of dis- Inter Milan was denied Palace on Saturday when so I can keep being useful respect there." victory at Celtic after con- his free kick led to the winThe commotion over ceding a goal three min- ning goal. It was no surprise to the team and helping them as much as I am able." the penalty took the gloss utes into stoppage time to to see him seek out the ball Messi fought off injuries off another match-winning John Guidetti in a 3-3 draw after young winger Jordon throughout 2013 and has contribution from Balotel- between two former Euro- Ibe was fouled for the penspent the past year being in- li, who is finally showing pean champions. Rodrigo alty that ended Besiktas' FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi, from Argentina, second left, controls the ball against Levante's vestigated for allegedly fail- some form after a slow start Palacio had earlier scored stubborn resistance. At Tono Garcia, left, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Bar- ing to pay all his taxes. He to his Liverpool career. Last twice for Inter. first, Henderson appeared celona, Spain, Sunday, February 15. (AP Photo) also came one victory short week, he scored a late winIt was a frustrating night to be against giving Baloremarkable turnaround for 24 goals in an 11-game defender Jesus Gamez said. of winning the World Cup ner against Tottenham in for two other Italian teams, telli the ball but relented, too, as Roma was held 1-1 even after Sturridge came a team that seemed to be winning streak to put them "The match against Almeria with Argentina losing in last the Premier League.

Napoli secured victory at home by Feyenoord and to confront Balotelli. on the brink in early Janu- back on Madrid's heels is, right now, our most im- summer's final to Germany.

But this season Messi has re- much sooner against Tra- Torino was pegged back in "Credit to Mario, he's ary following a loss at Real in the league and into the portant game."

Sociedad that was quickly Copa de Rey semifinals.

Atletico also returns to covered the same outstand- bzonspor, scoring three a 2-2 home draw with Ath- scored, but it's not nice to see when footballers are followed by the firing of its Barcelona will aim to keep the Champions League on ing form that gave him four times in the opening 27 letic Bilbao.

Tottenham drew 1-1 at arguing," an unhappysports director, a call for the streak going before Wednesday when it visits straight world player of the minutes through Henyear awards. He has scored 37 rique, Gonzalo Higuain home to Fiorentina in an- looking Gerrard said. "I early club elections and heading to England to face Bayer Leverkusen. goals in 33 games this cam- and Manolo Gabbiadini, other high-profile matchup think Jordan has handled reports that coach Luis En- the Premier League's reignpaign, including 14 to fuel before Duvan Zapata add- while Everton came from the situation very well." rique's job was at risk. ing champion in Europe's 6 FOR 4 "Since (Real Sociedad) top-tier competition on While the top three vie for an 11-game winning streak ed a fourth in second-half behind to beat Young Boys Henderson congratulatthe team has changed its Tuesday. Andres Iniesta the title, another three teams since Barcelona lost at Real stoppage time in a 4-0 win. 4-1, with Belgium strik- ed Balotelli after the Italy In-form Dutch striker er Romelu Lukaku scor- striker sent the goalkeeper attitude," Messi said. "We was cleared to play Thurs- - Valencia, Sevilla and Vil- Sociedad early January. "The give more effort and go out day after missing one game larreal - continue their cam- change in the team's attitude Das Bost scored twice in ing a hat trick for a team the wrong way from the onto the pitch in a differ- with flu-like symptoms. paigns to finish in the top is very noticeable. We are in Wolfsburg's 2-0 win over struggling in the Premier spot, for his 27th successful ent manner. Now we presfour and claim the prize of a a very good dynamic nowa- Sporting Lisbon, taking League. The second legs penalty conversion from 29 attempts. "I wanted the sure to recover the ball like STAYING IN TOUCH Champions League berth. days, displaying a very good his tally to 10 goals in six take place next week.

Balotelli is never far penalty," Henderson said. we didn't do before. "We Third-place Atletico Ma- Atletico could even be in dan- level," Messi said. "But we games in all competitions, are playing very, very well. drid needs to beat Almeria ger of ceding third position are also aware that so far we and defending champion from controversy — even "Mario felt confident and But we know that we still on Saturday to boost its title with Valencia now just three haven't achieved anything. Sevilla edged past Borussia when he is scoring winning he has taken big penalties haven't won anything yet defense. A loss last round at points behind in fourth. Va- That these months are key Moenchengladbach 1-0 goals. Again he impressed before. Everyone wants to and that these are the im- Celta Vigo left it trailing Ma- lencia visits Cordoba on Sat- in order to win any title. We through Vicente Iborra's when coming on as a sub- take them. I felt confident portant months." drid by seven points. "We urday. The next day Sevilla is hope we can maintain this goal. On an action-packed stitute, as he did against in Mario, he has taken big Messi and Neymar will keep fighting to stay in at Real Sociedad and Villar- level so we can achieve the night as Europe's second- Tottenham last week and penalties before and he got tier competition resumed, in an FA Cup win at Crystal the nod." goals we have set upon us." have since combined for the top positions," Atletico real hosts Eibar.

M Messi challenges Ronaldo in race for La Liga’s top scorer

barCeLONa, February 20 (aP): After finding his scoring touch in Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to renew his scintillating duel with Lionel Messi in the Spanish league.

Ronaldo ended a rare three-game slump without a goal to help Real Madrid win 2-0 at Schalke on Wednesday in the Champions League.

"It is clear that Cristiano Ronaldo lives to score goals," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "It's never a problem for us when he doesn't score for a couple of games. But he, of course, minds. I believe we are back on the right track."

Madrid leads Barcelona by one point in the league before visiting a modest Elche side on Sunday. Barcelona hosts Malaga on Saturday, three days before it travels to play Manchester City in the Champions League.

Here are some things to know about this weekend's matches in the Spanish league: FROM BLOWOUT TO SHOOTOUT Not so long ago Ronaldo was running away with the Spanish league's individual scoring title for the season.

Through 15 matches, Ronaldo had already tallied the impressive haul of 25 goals, while Messi - his closest chaser - was far behind with 13. Since then, Messi has exploded and Ronaldo has struggled to keep up. Ronaldo still leads with 28 goals, but Messi has closed the gap and has 26. Counting all competitions, the two are fittingly locked on 37 goals in 34 appearances each.

FOR NO. 12 Barcelona has made a

Messi says had 'problems on and off the pitch' last season

Gerrard accuses Balotelli of disrespect after penalty swipe

21 February 2015

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ctor Sean Penn starrer action-thriller ‘The Gunman’ will release in India March 20. Based on the bestselling novel ‘The Prone Gunman’ by Jean-Patrick Manchette, the film revolves around Penn's character a former Special Forces soldier and military contractor suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He tries to reconnect with his longtime love, but first must go on the run from London to Barcelona and across Europe in order to clear his name. Penn is making his debut in the action genre with "The Gunman" at the age of 54, said a statement. Directed by Pierre Morel, the film also stars Javier Bardem and Jasmine Trinca in pivotal roles. ‘The Gunman’ will be distributed in India

by PVR Pictures.

to reLease in March

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s Tom Cruise looking to rehabilitate his image by emulating George Clooney and marrying a top London barrister? The Scientologist, who divorced his third wife, actress Katie Holmes, in 2012, has been spotted lurking around the Inns of Court during filming of the latest Mission: Impossible film. Cruise, 52, was photographed there with glamorous international family law barrister Mehvish Chaudhry, after he obliged to stop for a picture. Like Amal Clooney, bilingual Chaudhry boasts glossy brunette locks, a stylish wardrobe and an impressive CV. No word on whether the Top Gun star asked Ms Chaudhry to examine his legal briefs but she did offer him some free counsel. ‘I said, “are you making a film about barristers? You should”,’ she explains.

Perhaps Mrs Clooney could co-star.

Showing them how it's done: When the word supermodel is used, more often than not, the image of Naomi Campbell will spring to mind. And the iconic beauty showed everyone that she is still one of the best as she walked the runway at her Fashion For Relief charity show at London's Somerset House on Thursday evening. The 44-year-old Brit donned a glittery gold coat with nothing underneath as she sashayed her way down the catwalk, proving she's an utterly gorgeous tour de force.

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t seems that the “Rock On 2” film will not only be backed by powerful music but also by the scenic beauty of northeast India.

Producer Ritesh Sidhwani is scouting locations for the sequel of the 2008 movie in Meghalaya capital Shillong.

“Shillong it is,” Sidhwani tweeted Friday.

"Rock On!!", a rock musical, launched the acting careers of Prachi Desai and Farhan Akhtar. Farhan even produced the

film, which also stars Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab Kohli. And Shillong may act as an apt location as it is often referred as India's rock capital.

The film, which had blockbuster music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, was about the fate of a Mumbaibased rock band Magik, members of which reunite after a decade-long split.

Before revealing the location, Sidhwani started a mini-game with his fol-

lowers on Twitter by asking them to guess the location, which got lot of responses.

“Tom morning location scout for #RockOn2 begins... Can u guess which state & city?” he tweeted late Thursday night.

“I've got Banglore Delhi Goa Shimla till now as the possible location for #Rockon2. Sab Galat hai. Come on try harder,” he added.

"Ek Villain" star Shraddha Kapoor has also joined the cast as the female lead.

Will Smith scolded as 'irresponsible' by teenage daughter

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ill Smith recently felt the wrath of his teenage daughter Willow, who chastised the Hollywood actor as "irresponsible" after one of her pet cats went missing.

The Men In Black star reveals he and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith have been dealing with the raging hormones of their youngest child, singer/actress Willow, and he recently fell victim to the moody teen when she couldn't find one of her furry friends.

He explains, "We have teenagers in the house so it's very difficult and 90 per cent of the focus is on Willow. A 14-yearold girl takes all of the attention... It's like, the world ends three times a week...

"The last time (the world ended for her), she has these cats and she loves these cats, and we live out in the boonies

fans start to support

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Tom's found a rival for Mrs Clooney

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(middle of nowhere), so I accidentally left one of the doors open and she couldn't find a cat.

"It's a bad look for cats in my neighbourhood because it's coyotes and stuff out there, they not gon' make it (sic). So she was very upset. She looked at me and tears welled up in her eyes and she said, 'I cannot believe you would be that irresponsible.' And there is nothing that destroys the heart of a middle-aged man than the disdainful sneer of a 14-yearold girl.

"She was right, so I called Jada... and I was on the phone when Willow walked up and said, 'The least you could do is look!'"

Luckily, Willow Smith's pet was found alive and well. Her dad says, "We found the cat; the cat was in the house!"

Julia roberts' mother dies after battle with lung cancer

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ne Direction fans have been bombarding Australian beauty Melissa Whitelaw with abuse after it was rumoured she's begun dating Niall Horan. But as photos continue to surface allegedly showing the pair together, many are beginning to come to terms with the reported relationship.

Messages of support are now littering the death threats and accusations she 'doesn't deserve' him

a third who also noted: 'I think it's great you are dating Niall it will be great for people in Australia MORE VISITS FROM NIALL !!’

Others have been directing their good will towards fellow fans, encouraging them to stop hating on the young brunette. 'If you really do care about Naill then don't hate on someone who makes him happy,' said one fan. A second reasoned: 'We cant kill u, it'll make Niall hate us.'

with some heartbroken Directioners conceding they will learn to live with the news 'as long as you make Niall happy'. 'like 1/8 of me wants to slap u, but really most of me wants to give u hug since u make niall happy,' one user commented alongside a recent photo of Melissa, 20. 'As long as she keeps Niall happy, then I'll be happy,' another user declared.

'Melissa stay strong beautiful you have many like me who are on your side we love you!!!!' said

The comments come after more photos apparently showing the blonde singer, also 21, with Melissa have surfaced. One posted to Twitter appears to show the pair seated at an outdoor cafe while a burly bodyguard keeps watch. Meanwhile, a video posted to Sarah Ignatavicius' Twitter appears to show Niall walking out of The Star casino in Sydney after the ARIA awards holding the hand of a slender brunette.

Clearly in good humour, he swings her arm into the

air and snakes it around her neck as if intending to help her twirl on the spot. Social media snaps also appeared at the weekend showing a girl looking very much like Melissa leaving a flight in Sydney right behind Niall.

'OMG Niall Horan and Melissa,' one fan wrote on Twitter. 'They were seen in a casino, they kissed. And he held her by the waist and playing with her hair.'

An Instagram account @ edgeofmydesire, claiming to be Melissa, appeared to confirm the reports writing: 'For all you asking yeah Niall and I dating. 'Niall has not posted about because we have decided we will wait until it's the right time. I haven't done anything to any of you so please stop sending me mean comments'. The last statement makes reference to some passionate and harsh tweets that Niall's fans have been directing towards Melissa. One fan wrote: 'Someone said to me Melissa and niall look cute together.. Let's just say I will not be showing at her funeral and I did not kill her'. 'I swear if you something bad to niall we will kill you. I am not even kidding. Thank You,' said another. Melissa's Instagram page has now amounted over 140,000 followers as fans clamour to find out more about Niall's wouldbe love. She is thought to be a student but if her social media is anything to go by, the stunner's passion is in singing and music as well as modeling.

ulia Roberts' mother Betty Lou Motes has died at the age of 80 after struggling with lung cancer.

The 'Notting Hill' actress' mother, who was living with her daughter, son-in-law and their children was reportedly battling with her disease at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, the Mirror reported. According to reports, doctors found a tumour on Motes' lung during an MRI scan in 2013, and revealed it months after. The 47-year-old actress' half sister Nancy Motes was found drowned last year by her fiance John Dilbeck after a drug overdose in Los Angeles.

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University oval, Dunedin melbourne cricket Ground

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India's focus enhances prospect of keen battle with Proteas

T Wellington

February 20 | Associated Press

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New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum watches as he hits the ball for six runs during their Cricket World Cup match against England in Wellington, New Zealand on February 20. (AP Photo)

im Southee took 7-33 in the most destructive spell in New Zealand's one-day international history and Brendon McCullum made the fastest 50 in a Cricket World Cup as the tournament co-hosts crushed England by eight wickets on Friday. Southee hurried England out for 123 in 33.2 overs, then McCullum made the embarrassment deeper when he smashed 77 from 25 balls, reaching a half century from 18 deliveries — the third fastest in the history of one-day internationals after A.B. de Villiers (16 balls) and Shahid Afridi (17). Southee's devastating second spell, when he took 5-10 in four overs, and McCullum's ruthless onslaught saw New Zealand complete its third straight win in Pool A within seven days. It won with 37.4 overs to spare, before the floodlights had been turned on in the day-night match. No victory against a top team in New Zealand's ODI history has been more comprehensive or executed with more callous efficiency.

It was hard to recall, amid the drama of falling wickets and the excitement of McCullum's batting, that England's captain Eoin Morgan had actually chosen to bat on winning the toss, the single moment of success in England's humbling afternoon.

Morgan bore the appearance of a haunted man by the end of a match which made England's opening 111-run defeat to Australia seem gentle by comparison. "I feel disappointment more than anything," he said. "With the benefit of hindsight I wouldn't have ... batted (first) if I knew it was going to swing for that long." He gave New Zealand credit, though, for "one of the best bowling displays we've come across since we've been down this side of the world." Southee began a record-breaking day with the ball: he beat his own best ODI return of 5-33, then went on the surpass Shane Bond's 6-23 (against India) to produce the best bowling return by a New Zealander in the 50-over format.

He described New Zealand's game as "an almost perfect performance" and his own as "one of those days when I couldn't do anything wrong."

"We haven't swung the ball like that in a one-day game for a while and for the old ball to swing like that was the difference," Southee said. "It's a blur at the moment but in time this will be something we all look back on and realize how amazing this occasion was." To prove it wasn't the pitch playing tricks on the batsmen, McCullum went out and beat his own record for the fastest 50 in a World Cup innings - which stood at 20 balls and was achieved against Canada eight years ago. He beat his own record for the fastest international 50 by a New Zealander.

McCullum didn't just dominate but devoured the England bowling, hitting eight fours and seven sixes, taking 18 runs from Stuart Broad's first over and 49 runs from two overs bowled by Steve Finn. When the scheduled innings break was finally due, New Zealand was already 112-1 after 47 minutes and needed only 12 to win. The crowd of 33,000 — also an ODI record for Wellington — booed loudly when the umpires decided lunch should be taken. By means of comparison, New Zealand raced to its collective half century from 22 balls in 20 minutes: England had taken almost three times as long. The New Zealanders went on to 100 from 40 balls; England crept to the same mark in the 24th over and from 147 deliveries, just before its innings went into a chaotic downturn. Morgan was out for 17 when England was 104-4 in the 27th over, having batted for 51 minutes and faced 41 balls which did little to alleviate his batting slump or the personal ordeal this tournament has become.

He'd barely left the field when James Taylor - England's best batsman with 98 in its loss to Australia - was bowled by Southee for 0. That sparked the last unraveling of the innings. Jos Buttler (3) followed Taylor, Chris Woakes (1) was bowled three balls later, Stuart Broad went for 4 and Steve Finn for 0 as England's last seven wickets fell for 19 runs.

Windies aim to revive WC PUBLIC INFORMATION campaign against Pakistan Coming soon to Kohima Advance life support ambulance 24x7 services with trained paramedics, equipped for transport of critically patients and trauma cases.

oKing hosPitaL, Kohima

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christchurch, February 20 (ians): Two cricket teams considered highly unpredictable and dangerous - West Indies and Pakistan - clash in a potential cliffhanger in the 10th match of the World Cup at the Hagley Oval here Saturday.

West Indies and Pakistan are both seeking their first win after suffering moral bashing opening round defeats against Ireland and India respectively, reports CMC. Jason Holders' men had a full training session Thursday afternoon and all players participated in the session.

"We are ready to turn the corner and go ahead as far as we can in this world cup," announced left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

"We have a very important and difficult game against Pakistan and we are looking forward to that. We got to take things into perspective. We got to see how good the pitches are and how small the outfields are". Meantime legendary left-arm spinner Iqbal Qasim said leg-spinners duo of Shahid Afridi and Yasir Shah can play crucial role for Pakistan against the West Indies. "Cricketers from the Caribbean Islands had always shown their traditional vulnerability against quality legspinners," Qasim said.

"Afridi and Yasir Shah can capitalize that weakness if they bowled smartly. Remember Afridi bulldozed the West Indies batting in 2011 World Cup quarterfinals in Dhaka with four wickets haul". West Indies aim to rebound after failing to defend 304 against Ireland although

the structure of the World Cup draw means that the Caribbean side is far from out of quarterfinal contention.

But a win over Pakistan Saturday would put their campaign back on track in Group B from which four teams will make the last eight.

"We are not hoping at the moment. We are just putting in some hard work.

We are trying to build from strength to strength and go as far as we can," said Benn.

"Spinners have a part to play in any cricket game regardless of how the pitch is. You just have to be smart about what you are doing and use your variations and you should be ok."

Benn missed the Ireland match with an injury but is fit again and available to face the Pakistanis. The 33-year-old Bajan is playing in his second World Cup. "Once my team plays well and I do the basic well, we are going to be fine. It’s a team effort. We are going out there to executive our plan as bests we can,” said Benn. “We still have a day and a half to decide what the team plan would be but in the eventually I am playing I am good to go.” The last time the two sides met was in the 1999 World Cup at Bristol, which remains the only occasion when Pakistan won against the West Indies in World Cup history.

• India sought to practice in the afternoon at the Junction Oval where they could simulate match conditions better • It also looks like Bhuvneshwar Kumar is not yet in the mix of things for the game against South Africa

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India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays a shot during a practice session at Junction Oval Cricket Ground in Melbourne on February 20, 2015 ahead of their 2015 Cricket World Cup match against South Africa. (AFP PHOTO)

Melbourne, February 20 (agencies): The Indian cricket team's desire to simulate match conditions during training and their ability to sustain intensity during preparation in the run-up to their second Group B game against South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup came through tellingly at the Junction Oval on Friday.

On a day when New Zealand paceman Tim Southee came up a dream spell and their skipper Brendon McCullum cracked the fastest halfcentury in World Cup history, against a hapless England 2500km away in Wellington, the Indians focussed hard on training ahead of the important clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

To begin with, while the South Africans were happy to train in the morning at the net facility outside the magnificent cauldron called the MCG, India sought to practice in the afternoon at the Junction Oval where they could simulate match conditions better and have the seamers bowl off their full run-up rather than have to shorten them at the nets.

It is not to say that the Proteas did not have similar intensity. There was no better evidence of that than the return of South African paceman Dale Steyn from rest since Sunday's win against Zimbabwe owing to a bout of sinusitis. He bowled full tilt at the MCG net facility, even hitting Quinton de Kock on his abdomen with a quick delivery.

Back at the Junction Oval, each pair of Indian batsman was up against quicker bowlers, first as if against the new ball and then freeing their arms as if against the older ball.

Later they played a set of

spinners, attempting big hits and innovative strokes as well. Similarly, the fast bowlers had a plan which let them bring in their variations - bouncers, slow bouncers, yorkers et al.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni kept an eagle eye on the bowlers, either from his position behind the wicketkeeper or from near the top of the bowler's runup. Umesh Yadav, in particular, was the beneficiary of the captain's advice when he was bowling to the Virat Kohli-Ajinkya Rahane pair.

Even the net bowlers were given specific roles to play.

A sore note was that offspinner Ashwin did not bowl at all. However, since he batted, there seemed to be no doubt that he would be available for selection on Sunday. He had suffered a blow on his left arm when batting on Tuesday but his absence from the bowling crease was more by way of precaution than anything else.

It also looks like Bhuvneshwar Kumar is not yet in the mix of things for the game against South Africa, though he batted and bowled. Perhaps the team management has reconciled to the possibility of him pushing the faster bowlers in the XI only in the later stages of the tournament.

The coaching staff has done well to ensure that batsman Ambati Rayudu and allrounders Axar Patel and Stuart Binny are given as much attention.

If India can bring such intensity and their A game to the MCG on Sunday against one of the teams that have been installed as hot favourites, the sellout crowd expected to pack the magnificent stadium could be in for rare treat in what will be only the first meeting between the two teams in Australia since the 1992 World Cup.

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