January 30th, 2017

C M Y K

www.morungexpress.com

MonDAY • JAnuArY 30 • 2017

DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 27 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

o F

T R u T H

If a problem has no solution, it may not be a problem, but a fact - not to be solved, but to be coped with over time — Shimon Peres

Akhilesh predicts 300-plus seats for Congress-SP alliance PAGE 08

IPPI: Children administered polio drops in Nagaland

Federer outlasts Nadal in Melbourne for 18th grand slam

PAGE 05

PAGE 12

CM firm on ULBs election in Nagaland Indefinite bandh

in Dmp from today

• Informs that ULB election will go ahead despite bandhs • Says government is on right side of law & Constitution

JCC says bandh cPo imposes total bandh will continue till from January 30 onwards target is achieved DIMAPUR, JANUARY 29 (MExN): The Chakhroma Pub-

our Correspondent Kohima | January 29

Morung Express news

Despite stiff opposition from Naga tribe organizations, Nagaland State Chief Minister, TR Zeliang continues to stand firm that the government will go ahead with ULB elections in the state.

He said today that the State Government, without taking a confrontational attitude, will carry out its constitutional obligations, and ensure that free and fair polls are conducted to the municipal and town councils with women reservation.

“It is my sincere appeal to all sections of people of the State not to take law in their hand, and allow people to exercise their democratic rights as provided by the law of the land,” the CM urged, while addressing a press conference here this evening at the State Banquet Hall.

He said no political party can force any candidate to obtain their party ticket to contest in any election, adding that it is the decision of the candidate to apply for tickets, and accordingly, respective parties issue the tickets. However, civil organizations (non-political party), obtaining withdrawal letter/retirement letter from contesting candidates under threat/intimidation /vandalism are not acceptable in any democratic society, or in any democratic set up, he added.

The CM stated that no organization or individual should take undue advantage of the government’s policy of non-confrontation, and requested all to refrain from creating lawlessness. “If anyone is aggrieved by any act of the government, he/she can approach the Court of law to redress the grievances, but not

The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) has retracted its earlier announcement of daily 12-hour bandh till February 1 and stated that it will be indefinite from January 30.

At a media briefing on Sunday evening, JCC convenor Supu Jamir informed that the bandh, relaxed on Sunday, will resume and come into effect from 7:00 am, Monday. It was though unclear whether the term “indefinite” implied till February 1 or beyond.

“The bandh will start at 7:00 am and will continue till we achieve our target,” said Jamir.

It will be followed by a rally at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on January 31. Stating that the bandh will remain in effect, Jamir termed the proposed rally as “a final call (to the state government) not to conduct the elections” scheduled on February 1. In this regard, “respective hohos” were asked to inform members to reach the venue by 9:00 am.

With the January 28 bandh marred by alcohol-fuelled bandh enforcers resorting to unruly and unsavoury conduct in certain pockets, the JCC appealed “volunteers to be disciplined” and behave “while discharging their duties.”

While it appealed the state government to review the decision to conduct the ULB elections, the JCC warned that the state government and the candidates in the fray will be held equally responsible if any unwanted situation occur. It further appealed election officials

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang addressing the media in Kohima on January 29. (Morung Photo)

through violent attitude or actions,” he said.

“In a Christian state, let us try to live as good Christians, so as to make our land peaceful, and leave behind a good example to our posterity,” the CM appealed.

The Nagaland CM also stated that there is no question of withdrawal of candidature after the expiry of withdrawal date on January 17. He lamented that some organizations have forced the candidates to sign bonds not to contest the poll even after the expiry of withdrawal.

“Election will go on whether there is bandh or no bandh or agitation there or not,” he said, adding that on polling day everybody should be allowed to vote. He further stated that if there are any problems like zero vote or people unable to cast their vote, re-polls would be conducted. “If anybody tries to disrupt the process of the election, the security force will take action on spot,” he said.

Zeliang further stated that the government does not wish to have a confrontation with the agitating groups. He however pointed out that the government would protect the democratic rights of the people.

He also claimed that by and large people were supportive towards conduct of polls to Urban

Local Bodies, while lamenting that a section of people are misleading the masses.

The Chief Minister further questioned “why can we not look forward for the betterment of our society?” “Let us not only look back, but look at the present situation of modern society,” he stated.

The CM said that “before British entered in our land woman/ children are not allowed to be present in any customary court, but today, Naga women are the judges of our district courts, and settle many cases of ours.”

He then reminded that during the debate on women reservations in municipal and town councils, the tribal organizations, particularly the APO and the Ao Senden, requested the government to remove provisions relating to taxation on land and buildings, and also the provisions relating to SC reservation. Heeding their requests, the Nagaland Municipal Third Amendment Act, 2016 was passed in December, 2016 session of the Nagaland’s Legislative Assembly removing the taxation and Scheduled Caste reservation provisions from the original Act. The CM also stated that the government is on the right side of law and Constitution. “The tribal organizations may have a rethink

on their aggressive path so that rule of law and the Constitution prevail in the state,” he said.

The decision to conduct polls was opposed by many Naga tribe organizations, he stated, while pointing out that some of these organizations are of the opinion that article 243T relating to women reservation compromises the customary law position of Nagaland under Article 371(1) (a) of the Constitution of India.

He reminded that in order to dispel misapprehensions, a consultative meeting with the Naga Hoho, ENPO and other tribe organizations was held in Kohima on November 16, 2016.

The misgivings on the women reservation issue however continued. “The government cannot interfere with the process of elections already set in motion, which is under the direction, supervision and superintendence of the State Election Commission,” the CM stated.

He said the cabinet decided not to interfere with the poll schedule as originally slated by the State Election Commissioner and to give full support to the State Election Commissioner in completing the poll process. The cabinet, he added, has also decided to keep the doors open for dialogue with the tribal organizations.

UlB elections should be through consensus: nsf DIMAPUR, JANUARY 29 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) today asked the Nagaland State Government to “consider and relate to the suggestions of all the stakeholders through meticulously consultation” and stated that the decision to conduct the ULB elections should be taken through “consensus.”

A press note from the NSF while welcoming any form of developmental initiatives, however expressed concern at the “unfortunate situations surfacing since the last few days and which could rather have been averted or addressed.”

Considering the mass opposition on the conduct of the ULB election in the state by the Naga Hoho and various tribe organisations in its present form, the NSF appealed to the state government to address to the strong objections raised. It also urged upon the various mass based organizations to register their resentment in a peaceful manner and refrain from resorting to violent protest. to refrain from the poll process.

Ward/colony chairpersons and headmen were also asked to not allow poll related activity in their respective jurisdictions.

JCC says one Ind candidate ‘retires’ Reiterating the call to contesting candidates to withdraw, the JCC stated that 24 have so far withdrawn. As per the JCC, the latest to “retire” was an Independent candidate from Ward 20, who tendered letter of forfeiture to the Returning Officer on January 29.

Exemptions from the

Chaos, anger as Trump order halts some Muslim immigrants

NEW YoRK, JANUARY 29 (REUTES): President Donald Trump’s order to restrict people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States sparked confusion and anger on Saturday after immigrants and refugees were kept off flights and left stranded in airports.

In his most sweeping de“Eueff...It is decaying due to over ripening? Oh hooo, cision since taking office a week ago, Trump, a Repubbetter not to open it now. lican, put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the Press statements, memo- United States and temporarrandums, articles, reports ily barred travelers from Syrand news related docu- ia and six other countries.

Civil rights and faith ments should be sent to groups, activists and Demomorung@gmail.com cratic politicians were furious Editor, and vowed to fight the order.

Capping a day of confuThe Morung Express sion and chaos and protests in several airports across the The Morung Express country, a federal judge in Poll QuEsTion Brooklyn, New York, grantVote on www.morungexpress.com ed a temporary reprieve. sMs your answer to 9862574165 The American Civil Liberties Union successfully argued Is the lack of independent, for a temporary stay that alinformed and objective lowed detained travelers to information creating more confusion and division? stay in the United States.

Supporters outside the Brooklyn courtroom and at Yes no others protests at airports in Dallas, From the following Chicago, New York and elseoptions, which institution where cheered the decision, holds the most power in the present Nagaland but a bigger fight lay ahead. state context? Why? The court action does not 26% • State Government reverse Trump’s order, which • Tribe Organisation 13% was criticized by some of 10% America’s closest allies.

• Church Trump, a businessman 51% • Others who successfully tapped Details on page 7 into American fears about

Public Information

C M Y K

Dimapur | January 29

lic Organisation (CPO) has decided to impose a total bandh under its jurisdiction from January 30 onwards. A press note from the CPO advised all travellers to bear with the bandh and “understand the stand of the people as it fights against the alien laws in our land.” The bandh will be ineffect from Piphema till the Assam-Nagaland border on National Highways and all adjoining routes from 7:00am to 5:00pm.

terror attacks during his campaign, had promised what he called “extreme vetting” of immigrants and refugees from areas the White House said the U.S. Congress deemed to be high risk.

He told reporters in the White House’s Oval Office on Saturday that his order was “not a Muslim ban” and said the measures were long overdue.

“It’s working out very nicely. You see it at the airports, you see it all over,” Trump said.

Along with Syria, the ban affects travelers with passports from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The Department of Homeland Security said about 375 travelers had been affected by the order, 109 of whom were in transit and were denied entry to the United States. Another 173 were stopped by airlines before boarding.

The order “affects a minor portion of international travelers,” the department said in a statement, saying the measures “inconvenienced” less than 1 percent of travelers.

The new rules blindsided people in transit and families waiting for them, and caused havoc for businesses with employees holding passports from the targeted nations and colleges with international students.

Related news on Page 9

bandh include, pharmacies, medical establishments, para-military, police, district administration, press, newspaper vendors, funerals, weddings, students on exams and patients seeking medical assistance, including attendants.

Newspaper vendors have been asked to finish dispatch by 7:00 am and in the event there are delays, the JCC appealed bandh volunteers to consider.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, residences of as many as four contesting candidates were locked down by people opposing the elections in Dimapur.

CYF informs DIMAPUR, JANUARY 29 (MExN): The Chakhesang Youth Front has ‘barred’ 8 persons from the Chakhesang region of Phek district as per CPO Order dated 17/01/ 2017 for defying the CPO resolution on ULB election. A press note from the CYF informed the eight concerned that “failing to comply to this the CYF shall take any sort of action against you.”

It further cautioned that “any individual/ group dealing with these persons within the Chakhesang region of Phek District shall be doing so at their own risks.” It meanwhile informed that the CYF would relax bandh in the Chakhesang region of Phek district till further notice.

Dimapur Police prohibits carrying of arms Vehicles out in Dimapur on Sunday as fears of a prolonged shutdown compelled many to stock up on supplies. The Joint Co-ordination Committee today informed it would impose an indefinite bandh starting 7:00am of January 30, opposing the upcoming ULB elections. (Morung Photo)

NEC sanctions 615 km roads across 7 NE states ShIlloNg, JANUARY 29 (PTI): The North Eastern Council has sanctioned construction of 615 km long roads across seven states in the North East under the NorthEast Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS), officials said here today.

This was the first major project undertaken by the NEC under the new scheme which covers 14 roads connecting the neighbouring states and would be taken up during 2017-18, they said.

The NERSDS was aimed at maintenance, construc-

tion and upgradation of roads which remained neglected because of being low in the priority, according to NEC secretary Ram Muivah.

The 67 km long MeboDholla road connecting Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, 51 km long Tening (Nagaland) and Lekie (Assam), upgradation of NH 202 and NH 150 and upgradation of NH 2 to Dikhu bridge via Longmisa in Nagaland, would be taken up under the scheme.

In Meghalaya, the NH 217 in Damra connecting NH 127

via Mendipathar has also been identified in the first list.

The Kawnpui-Bairabi road in Mizoram, the Belonia-Amlighat-Sabroom road in Tripura, the upgradation of Longleng to Tuensang, the RCC bridge over Dhansiri in Udalguri district have been taken up among others, an official notification said.

The NHIDCL has been asked to prepare DPR and execute these projects this year, while the remaining eight projects, including the one in Sikkim would be taken up in the next fiscal, it said.

DIMAPUR, JANUARY 29 (MExN): The Commissioner of Police and District Magistrate, Dimapur, under section 144A CrPC has prohibited any person from carrying arms in their possession within the district of Dimapur till further notice.

This was informed in a press note today issued by the PRO, Dimapur Police.

Sumi Hoho notifies DIMAPUR, JANUARY 29 (MExN): The Sumi Hoho has informed all the Sumi areas under Zünheboto district to depute minimum fifty volunteers to reinforce the ZTYO with regard to the upcoming ULB polls in Zunheboto. A press note from the Sumi Hoho informed all the Chairmen of Area Kukami (GBs) Association along with area representatives to Sumi Hoho to mobilize the volunteers in their respective areas and accompany them, to show their solidarity with Sumi Hoho’s and Naga civil bodies stand on the forthcoming ULB elections in the state. “Furthermore, every area is informed to be prepared to send more volunteers as per required in the coming days,” it added

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MonDAY 30•01•2017

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

IPPI: Children administered polio drops in Nagaland

Children after getting polio drops pose for camera outside an immunization booth in Tuensang on January 29.

Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome administers polio drops to a child in ADC Peren administering polio drops during the first phase Dimapur on January 29. of IPPI at District Hospital Peren.

Dimapur, January 29 (mExn): The first round of Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) was conducted across Nagaland on January 29. Children aged between 0 and 5 years were administered polio drops at designated immunization booths.

The programme was launched in Dimapur district with Deputy Commissioner Kesonyu Yhome administering the first two drops of polio at District Hospital Dimapur (DHD) along with his wife in the presence of Dr. Kinimi, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. CW Tungoe, Medical Superintendent, DHD. During the brief launching function, Dr. Lanuakum, DPO (UIP/ RCH) informed that 512 polio booths and number of mobile teams were set up across the district today to cover 53,167 children aged 0-5 years. Pointing out that India has been declared Polio Free since 2014 by WHO, he however stated that Dimapur being a major transit point, the influx of immigrant popu-

lation still poses a risk for the district and the country as a whole. Therefore, he stressed on the importance of maintaining the resistance of polio in the district.

Kesonyu Yhome, Deputy Commissioner also reiterated the importance of polio vaccination and acknowledged that the large scale polio immunization programme could be carried out due to the efforts and team work of all medical staff and allied departments along with volunteers in the district, informed a press release.

Rev. Yhunlo Thong, Chaplain, DHD dedicated the programme with a prayer.

The function was attended by Dr. Antoly, Deputy Chief Medical Office, Programme Officers, Nursing Superintendent, Projector Officer (UNDP) and doctors and staff under District Hospital and CMO Dimapur.

Mokokchung district conducted the first round of IPPI under the theme ‘Fulfil our promise’. The inaugural programme

was held at Imlong Place, where Dr. SS Akaba Longchar, Chief Medical Officer, Mokokchung administered the first drops of polio. He said polio is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system.

Children younger than 5 years old are more likely to contract the virus than any other group, therefore it is very important to give the two drops of polio to each and every child, he stated.

The CMO also pointed out that the Government of India is trying its best in eradicating polio from all over the nation. He encouraged the different departments, NGOs etc to work together for a free polio country. The programme was chaired by Dr. Temsuyanger, DPO (RCH&UIP), who informed that house to house visit will be conducted on January 30 and 31 for those who missed the polio drops today. The programme was attended by Dr. Kibangkumba, Deputy CMO, UNDP, Red Cross Society, Rotary Club, NGOs and staffs from DIO.

Meanwhile, in Tuensang district, the programme was carried out by the Tuensang District Health Society. It was launched by Alemjongshi (NCS), Deputy Commissioner and Dr. Temsu Longchar, DPO (UIP&RCH), Tuensang.

A press release from Dr. T Pangjung Sangtam, Chief Medical Officer, Tuensang informed that 1,250 vaccinators and 46 supervisors have been mobilised for all the eight blocks of the district to cover over 27,552 estimated children below 5 years. Meanwhile, 267 polio booths were set up in the district. The Chief Medical Officer acknowledged all the allied departments and public for their co-operation.

The launching of IPPI was held in Peren at District Hospital with Additional Deputy Commissioner, Tianu administering the first polio drops. She maintained that for a healthy society and family and to make a better future for the children, it is important that everyone extends

their full contribution and support in administering the polio drops. She also called upon everyone to maintain healthy lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Dr. Khrielasanuo, DPO RCH/UIP mentioned that though the population in the district is less, the area to be covered is more thus making it difficult for health workers for coverage. She thanked everyone for their dedication and support in Chief Medical Officer of Mokokchung administering polio drops to a child. carrying out the task and also reflected on last year’s achievements.

A press release from District Media Officer, CMO office, Peren informed that the target population (0-5 years) for Peren district is 13,294 and the booth coverage on January 29 was 6,782. There were 105 polio booths set up across the district, including 4 Medical Mobile Units. With a motive to reach out to every household, teams were sent out to every part of the district ensuring that no child is left out, she added. The house Phek district observed Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization campaign on January 29 with to house visits will continue the slogan ‘Let’s gift a polio-free world to our children.’ Seen in the picture is Deputy Comtill January 31. missioner of Phek, Murohu Chotso administering the first drops of polio.

Poultry vaccinated against Ranikhet at Thipuzumi

phEk, January 29 (mExn): nature.

Veterinary counseling and An animal health cum vaccination camp was held at Thipuzumi village treatment to the ailing animals in Kikruma block under the project were provided to the livestock National Initiative on Climate Re- farmers of the village during the silient Agriculture (NICRA), CRI- camp. Anthelmentic medicines and mineral mixture for chicken, DA, Hyderabad on January 25.

Organized by Krishi Vigyan turkey, pig, thotho, dog and cat Kendra Phek, the camp was con- were also made available. Meanducted by Dr. Debojyoti Borkoto- while, animal health promoting ky, Subject Matter Specialist (Ani- supplements and medicines were mal Science) assisted by Potsulu provided to boost the immunity of Theluo, Senior Research Fellow, their animals against various livestock diseases which may arise in Chakhesang cultural troupe presenting traditional dance and song at the silver jubilee cel- NICRA project and staff Arovi.

More than 700 poultry birds case of climate stress. ebration of Diphupar ‘B’ Village held at the village ground on January 28. (Morung Photo) The members of Village Cliwere vaccinated against Ranikhet disease, a press release informed. mate Risk Management CommitRanikhet is a highly contagious tee (VCRMC) of the project assisted disease in fowls causing great eco- in motivating and mobilizing the nomic loss to farmers every year farmers and youth of the village to A doctor vaccinates poultry during the animal health cum vaccination camp I, Mr. Yilobemo Odyuo S/o Lithungbemo Odyuo due to its endemic and epidemic participate in the camp. held at Thipuzumi village on January 25. of Morakjo Village tender my most sincere apology Dimapur, January to Miss. Nsungbeni R Kithan of Wokha Village for 29 (mExn): Young Dimadefaming her name, sa Kachari boys and girls in distorting her moral traditional attires danced in unison to celebrate the character by means of post harvest festival ‘Bishu’ creating a fake Facebook bers comprised of Dr. Apilo ZunhEboto/Wokha, in Bamunpukhuri village account with the user Kikon, Deputy Director, Dr. January 29 (mExn): on January 27, which has name Nsung Kithan and Mhonlumi K. Tsopoe, Farm As part of the Animal Welbeen recognized as the day uploaded her images Manager, Chick Rearing fare Fortnight, a livestock of Bishu festival of Dimasa and status spreading Centre, fifteen field staffs show was organised by the Kachari community by both false information in a and animal attendants.

Department of Veterinary Assam and Nagaland govdirty way.

Also commemorating Sciences and Animal Husernments. Bamunpukhuri the occasion, the departbandry in Zunheboto and I admit that I’ve done all villagers celebrated the fesment visited Mount Tiyi these out of jealousy in tival with pomp and gaiety, Pughoboto in their respecCollege on January 27 and order to ruin her future informed a press release. tive local grounds during held a talk with the stuand her good image The programme included the Republic Day celebradents and teaching faculty. knowing that she bears a traditional blessings for the tion on January 26. It was Dr. Abeni, Principal, in her youth by village chiefs and sponsored by Government good moral character. My deeds have impacted her welcome address highinvoking ‘Bishu’ blessings, of India, National Livestock image in a very negative way which will take a long time lighted the importance of Bikho khruba by Khramya, Mission (NLM) 2015-16. to recover. I therefore, sincerely plea for forgiveness Chief Veterinary Offi- Participants during the livestock show organised by the Department of Veterinary Sciences creating awareness about Muuriya and Dimasa stufrom her, her family members, loving friends, and from animal care and welfare. dents, Reemin Nelaiba and cer Zunheboto, Dr. Toshi and Animal Husbandry in Pughoboto on January 26. everyone else for my unbecoming character.

Introductory speech on Dining Siklaiba and a mass Aier in a press release inAnimal Welfare Fortnight Dimasa traditional dance by formed that cash prizes was delivered by the CVO, the villagers. were awarded to the first, TH Dr. Ben Meren. Dr. Mhonsecond and consolations OF lumi K. Tsopoe delivered a winners in each category lecture on issues relating to of the animals. During the LATE NEIPIELIE CHUCHA Humane treatment of anioccasion, anthelmentics, 30.1.1992. mals, Prevention of cruelty panacur, vitamins, tontowards animals, Proteckohima, January 29 ics and mixtures were also tion of Wildlife and their distributed free of cost to (mExn): A community habitat, etc. She further capacity building under In- 380 individuals in Zunheencouraged the students boto and 160 individuals in tegrated Catchment Area on formation of Animal Pughoboto.

Treatment (ICAT) for upLovers, Kindness Group Under NLM sub misper Sidzü was held on JanuDepartment of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Wokha officials with students and Clubs. Meanwhile, she sion, Fodder Production ary 25 at Community Hall, and faculty of Mount Tiyi College on January 27. mentioned about the welSakhabama. About 50 del- 2015-16, two selected egates, including the 16 vil- progressive dairy farmers nary Sciences and Animal leghorn, Kuroilers, Local/ livestock, leaflets on infor- fare of animals enshrined lage representatives under were each given electri- Husbandry celebrated the Desi birds brought by local mation on cattle, piggery, in the Indian Constitution: the project, attended the cally operated chaff cutter Animal Welfare Fortnight poultry farmers were put cattle rearing, care of pet “It shall be the fundamenprogramme. Keynote ad- machines and cash for con- by conducting various ac- up for exhibition. Attrac- dogs were also given away tal duty of every citizen of 25 years has passed, since you left us selflessly on this dress was delivered by Vilie- struction of silo pits and tivities. Poultry exhibition tive prizes were given away to the local farmers, in- India to protect and imday. Yet, the legacy you left behind and warm memories formed a press release. The prove the Natural Envihu Nguzhu, Joint Director maize seeds for fodder pro- cum competition was held to the winners. of you still remains fresh and cherished in our hearts. on January 26 coinciding Animal health aware- team was led by Dr. Ben ronment including forests, and Sectoral Incharge ICAT duction. and PowerPoint presentaIn Wokha, a team of with Republic Day celebra- ness camp was also held Meren, Chief Veterinary lakes, rivers and wildlife We miss you deeply. tion was given by Ruokuosi- doctors and staffs from tion, where various poultry where de-wormers, vita- and Animal Husbandry and to have compassion for Loving wife, children, near and dear ones. etuo, SDO (SC). the Department of Veteri- birds like Turkey, White mins, mineral mixtures for Officer, Wokha. The mem- all living creatures.”

APOLOGY

Bishu festival celebrated

Animal Welfare Fortnight celebrated in Zunheboto, Wokha

25 DEATH ANNIVERSARY

ICAT community capacity building held

Monday 30•01•2017

NORTH-EAST 3

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

2 kidnapped workers of Manipur dam project found dead Teachers gherao Tripura University VC for 'nepotism'

Imphal, January 29 (IanS): Two of the three workers of the Maphou dam project in Manipur's Senapati district who were kidnapped by unidentified armed Kuki cadres were found shot dead on Sunday while the third was rescued unharmed, the state police said.

A Kuki tribal alleged to be one of the kidnappers has been arrested. The police said that the workers -- Kangujam Thoi, a helper, JCB driver Kangujam Tompok,

and truck driver Khumukcham Bije from Itham -- were kidnapped from the project site on January 26 by armed Kukis. The police added they are trying to establish identity of the outfit.

The three were held captive in the Monroi village in neighbouring Ukhrul district. On Sunday, some cadre of the Kuki Liberation Army had an exchange of fire with the kidnappers, during which the two captives were fatally hit in cross-

Mizoram officer receives Presidential Award aIzawl, January 29 (nnn): Lalthankunga Hmar, Superintendent of Customs, Central Excise & Service Tax has been awarded Presidential Award of Appreciation Certificate for Specially Distinguished Record of Service.

Hmar received the award from Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on January 27 in commemoration of his good performance and distinguished service.

He was the only custom officer from North Eastern states to receive such prestigious ward. In view of International Custom Day, Hmar had also in 2016 received World Customs Organisation Certificate of Merit on behalf of India.

‘Brus not to return to Mizoram unless demands met’ aIzawl, January 29 (ptI): An apex body of displaced Bru people staying in six refugee camps in Tripura today said that they are not likely to return to Mizoram unless their demands are met, even as their repatriation was scheduled to begin from second week of February. Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) president A Sawibunga said that the Bru people of the relief camps were not interested in returning to Mizoram unless the Centre and the state government concede to their demands. “The state government did not agree to our demand for providing five hectares of land for repatriated Brus and did not even offer smaller size lands,” Sawibunga told PTI over phone from Naisingpara relief camp.

He also lamented that the state government refused to rehabilitate them in a village of about 500 families while the Ministry of Home Affairs, which has agreed to enhance the rehabilitation package, was yet to decide on the amount. In November, Mizoram officials identified 32,857 people belonging to 5,413 families staying in relief camps in Tripura for physical repatriation. The physical repatriation was initially scheduled to commence from November 30 but it could not take off due to various reasons including increase in the number of bona fide residents of Mizoram from 21,000 to 32,857, necessitating revision of the expenditure estimate. The Brus are lodged in the six relief camps since the later part of 1997 following exodus from Mizoram due to communal tension.

fire. The police say that one of the kidnappers identified as Thangminlien Khongsai was caught and handed over for interrogation.

Most of the Kuki outfits had signed the suspension of operations with the central government.

Major ground rules of the agreements are that the militants cannot carry arms and indulge in terrorist acts including kidnappings for ransom.

Initial reports say that the three

workers were kidnapped to extract hefty ransom from the project officials. Since the two killed workers are non-tribals, there is a fear that there may be a communal fallout.

Leaders of the Kuki Impi Manipur and other civil society organisations held a meeting in Manipur to deal with the issue. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has asked the state administration to take up all necessary steps to check followup violence.

Nigerian detained while crossing India-Bangladesh border in Tripura

agartala, January 29 (IanS): The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday detained a Nigerian national while trying to cross the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura with two others who managed to escape, an official said.

"Three Nigerian youths tried to cross over to Bangladesh early Sunday morning at Belonia (in southern Tripura). BSF patrol party detained one 23-year-old Nigerian. Two of his companions managed to escape," BSF official Rabin Taijon told reporters. The BSF handed over

the detainee to the Tripura Police which launched a search operation to nab the other two. The youth said that they are the members of a Manipur football club team. They have no passports and they came to Tripura from Kolkata en-route to Bangladesh, Taijon said.

Senior police officials are now interrogating the youth. According to the police, during the last three months ten Nigerian youths were detained by the BSF while trying to cross over to Bangladesh illegally in bordering Belonia sub-division.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION ANTI CORRUPTION BRANCH IMPHAL: MANIPUR Tel. 0385-2414673, FAX: 0385-2414145 (E-mail: hobacimpl@cbi.gov.in) *****

LOOK OUT NOTICE

Based on concrete and credible evidences which is in the possession of CBI, ACB, Imphal the individuals featured in the following photographs have been identified as being directly involved in the March 5, 2015 incident at Dimapur.

recruitment committee headed by the VC had turned down applications of genuine candidates without citing any reason," they said, adding that earlier the VC had recruited a librarian, deputy librarian and finance officer through unfair means. "We demand the resignation of the VC and an enquiry into each and every recruitment, the screening process, purchase and tenders of the university during the tenure of Ghosh," the faculty members said.

CLARIFICATION

I, Mrs. Akokla Pongen Lucy wife of Lt. Duolhuo Angami and daughter of Mr. Mar Ao, Chuchuyimlang Village hereby affirm and clarify, that my husband passed away in the year 2008 and out of our out spring we have only one daughter, whereas she will always belong to Angami Community, but after my husband passed away I retrieve back to my own Village. So from that day itself I once again become the member in the Chuchuyimlang Village and I started to give my membership and also working as Village Watsu (Women) President and also working as Executive Member in Dimapur Watsu Telongjem. I would like to clarify that I belong to Ao Naga from Chuchuyimlang Village.

AKOKLA PONGEN LUCY CHUCHUYIMLANG VILLAGE

NIELIT KOHIMA KOHIMA NIELIT

Ministry of Electronics & IT, Govt. of India Meriema, New High Court Road, Kohima

Email:dir-kohima@nielit.gov.in Website:www.nielit.gov.in/kohima

Ref.NIELIT/KMA/01/22/04-ADMN

Dated: 30thJan. 2017

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Nitin Gadkari inaugurates new Brahmaputra bridge guwahatI, January 29 (the IndIan expreSS): Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday inaugurated the second bridge on the Brahmaputra at Saraighat here and announced a number of new road projects for Assam that included several bridges on the river, worth Rs 65,000 crore in the next five years. “There will be no dearth of funds. You will be tired asking for funds, but I will not get tired giving you funds,” Gadkari told Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while he declared 1,243 km of roads in the state as National Highway and sanctioned Rs 15,000 crore for those. Costing Rs 475 crore, the 1.49-km second bridge on the Brahmaputra took eight years for completion.

The new projects included a 47-km highway from Guwahati to Mangaldoi via Kuruwa with a bridge across the Brahmaputra, as also a 27-km stretch highway at Lowarpara in Karimganj district where the supply line to Tripura has remained perennially affected due to bad road condition especially during the rainy months. Gadkari also released Rs 800 crore from the Central Roads Fund for Assam, a 100 per cent grant, apart from saying the work on DPR for two more bridges on the Brahmaputra were in progress. While one bridge would link Numaligarh on the south to Gohpur on the north, the other would connect Majuli to Jorhat, he said. The prime minister would formally inaugurate the 9.14-km bridge DholaSadiya bridge on the Brahmaputra in eastern Assam later this year, he said. The union minister also said that work on a DPR to construct two highways along both banks of the Brahmaputra was in progress. The two roads, which would also serve as flood protection wall, would be constructed using silt dredged to improve the navigability of the river.

The two roads would be axis-control express highways like the Mumbai-Pune highway, he said.

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8TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF REV. DR. NEILIEZHü üSOU (30TH JAN. 2009 TO 30TH JAN. 2017)

Rijiju rules out probe into Meghalaya Raj Bhavan scandal ShIllong, January 29 (IanS): Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Sunday ruled out a probe into the alleged "inappropriate behaviour" of V. Shanmuganathan, who was forced to resign as the Governor of Meghalaya. "As of now, there is nothing in the form of documentary evidence against the former Governor to investigate the allegations. Nothing is in our hands (central government)," he told IANS on the sidelines of the first North East Investment Summit here. However, he described the resignation of Shanmuganathan, who was also the Governor in-charge of Arunachal Pradesh, was done on "moral grounds".

"I cannot comment on whether the government will institute an inquiry into the allegations. It is too premature for me to do so," the minister said. Earlier, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that he was communicating with the central government on the controversy.

Shanmuganathan resigned on January 26 after nearly 100 employees of Raj Bhavan in Shillong sent a five-page letter to the Prime Minister's Office and Rashtrapati Bhavan, demanding that the Governor be recalled for what they alleged was "turning Raj Bhavan into a Young Ladies Club". From the time Shanmuganathan took office, the employees alleged, they were going through "severe humiliation, mental stress and torture". The protest letter by the Raj Bhavan staff came after an English daily report quoted a woman accusing Shanmuganathan of making advances by "hugging and kissing me". The woman was one of the seven candidates selected for an interview for the post of a Public Relations Officer at Raj Bhavan.

agartala, January 29 (tnn): Tripura University on Saturday cancelled the interviews for the posts of associate professors and professors in four departments after more than 50 teaching faculties gheraoed the vice-chancellor A K Ghosh, registrar O S Adhikari, deans and other top officials of the university on Friday. The teachers alleged that there was nepotism in the screening process and the VC had called under-qualified candidates. "The

The following course of action is advised to the concerned stakeholders mentioned below.

The individuals featured in these photographs are advised to report themselves to CBI, ACB, Imphal, Manipur or at their respective police stations under whose jurisdiction their localities fall.

If the individuals do not voluntarily turn themselves in, the parents or wards of these individuals are to produce them in the respective police stations or CBI,ACB, Imphal.

If the above two courses of action are not fulfilled, the student unions/ GBs/ Colony Chairmen under whose jurisdiction these persons live, or under which student body these students are affiliated to, are to produce them in the police stations or CBI, ACB, Imphal. In case the above course of action is not acted upon, CBI, ACB, Imphal will continue to look out for the featured individuals and detain them as per the law as and when they are tracked down.

In case of such an eventuality, the stakeholders mentioned above should not intervene and make any representations/petitions to the Police on behalf of the featured individuals. Failure to surrender may lead to the attachment of the dependent parents' property and may also call for the declaration of reward against the featured persons and subsequently placing them under the "WANTED" list under the relevant provisions of law.

Sd/Head of Branch CBI, ACB, Imphal

Apuo, we adore your name.

We sing melodies of your life Not to become entrenched in the valley of grief But triumphantly reach the shore of celebration.

We look at you and our hearts surge with pride and gratefulness To the one who created you with deliberation, His stroke of genius.

Today we have your hallowed life to fall back upon Your sublime peace to rest our turmoils Your wisdom to light our dark paths Your love to still and heal our hurts Your cheerfulness to lift us out of our glooms And your joyous faithfulness to the master Our strength and hope.

You remain our greatest force, Breaking down walls of despair.

Our most powerful catalyst of change Leading us out of confusion and chaos We remember you with awe and inexplicable pleasure For living life to the fullest In perfect harmony with the Lord So that, we, who are left behind Can continue to live richly lessoned by you.

Thank you Apuo! God bless your soul!

Loving wife, children, in laws & grandchildren

4

MonDAY 30•01•2017

Business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

India Post gets payments ‘Budget to be tough exercise post-note ban’ bank licence to start services

NEW DELHI, JaNuary 29 (IaNS): Notwithstanding the high expectations of cuts in corporate and income tax rates in Wednesday’s first Union Budget post-demonetisation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will have his task cut out owing to the stress the small scale and rural sectors have felt, as well as the possible impact of implementing GST, industry chamber Assocham said on Sunday.

“Meeting the excessive expectations riding on the forthcoming Union Budget, being seen as a ‘Solve-All’ big mover in the aftermath of demonetisation, could be a challenging task for Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who has to reckon in the fallout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), stress in the small industry and trade as also the rural landscape,” Assocham said in a pre-budget release here.

Finance minister may hike service tax to 16-18% in Budget

NEW DELHI, JaNuary 29 (PTI): Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may hike service tax rate to 1618% from the current 15% in the Budget, due on Wednesday, as a precursor to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollout.

The move, that will make flying, eating out, phone bills and a host of other services expensive, would be an attempt to take the rates closer to the proposed tax slabs for GST. GST, which will subsume central and state levies like excise duty, service tax and VAT, is scheduled to be rolled out from July 1.

The tax slabs decided for the GST are 5, 12, 18 and 28 and taking service tax closer to one of the slabs is a logical move in the Budget, tax experts said.

“The biggest challenge before the government is to revive the urban consumer demand and provide a huge stimulus to the rural economy which had to bear the maximum impact

Tax experts say, Jaitley, who had in his previous budget hiked service tax rate by 0.% to %, may raise the levy by at least one percentage point to 16%.

Some others feel there could be different service tax rates with a lower 12% for basic services and a higher 18 for the rest.

Also, a higher service tax for April-June will help the government garner more revenue to meet expenses on schemes and programmes it may be planning to contain the impact of demonetisation.

A service tax rate closer to the GST rate will also help consumers avoid a greater price shock when the new national sales tax is rolled out.

While service tax until now is a central levy, it will be equally split

of the note-ban. Inflation may be down, but it has to be seen in the context of glut in many crops, especially vegetables, resulting from excess output and cash withdrawal in Novem-

between the Centre and states under the new GST regime. Most services, except essential ones like primary healthcare and basic education, will be covered by GST. Service tax was budgeted to provide Rs 2.31 lakh crore in 2016-17, more than 14 of the Centre’s total tax revenues of Rs 16.30 lakh crore.

This will be the third time that Jaitley will raise service tax rate.

Service tax from June 1, 2015 was hiked from 12.36 to 14. A 0.5 Swachh Bharat Cess was levied on all services, taking the total incidence of service tax to 14.5 from November 15, 2015.

In the last Budget, he imposed a Krishi Kalyan Cess at the rate of 0.5 on all taxable services to take the levy to 15.

ber,” it said.

Noting that with near consensus reached on rolling out GST from July, the industry chambers said “the outcome in terms of tax collection may be un-

certain even as the Centre remains committed to fill the shortfall of the states.”

“There are bound to be teething troubles, though in the long run, lot more benefits would accrue to

the economy.”

According to Assocham, “the corporates are seeking reduction in the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent.”

“The individual tax payers are expecting a big rise in the exemption limit and not a token amount of Rs 10,000-20,000,” it said.

“The way expectations are soaring high, especially in the stock market, the Finance Minister may find it tough to come up to them, under conflicting demands,” it added.

Noting that “industrial production and services remain subdued”, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India said that “the banks reeling under their nonperforming assets and the scanner of the investigative agencies, would remain cautious in lending, however much they are flush with liquidity” post-demonetisation.

NEW DELHI, JaNuary 29 (PTI): India Post has received payments bank licence from the Reserve Bank of India to start rollout of banking operations commercially under the permit. “India Post has received payments bank licence. The service will be launched as per schedule,” a Department of Posts official said. India Post Payments Bank is the third entity to receive payments bank permit after Bharti Airtel and Paytm. Payments banks can accept deposits up to Rs 1 lakh per account from individuals and small businesses. The new model of banking allows mobile firms, supermarket chains and others to cater to banking requirements of individuals and small businesses. It will be set up as a differentiated bank and will confine its activities to acceptance of demand deposits, remittance services, Internet banking and other specified services.

In 2015, RBI had granted ‘in-principle’ approval to 11 entities, including Department of Posts, to set up payments banks and proposed to give such licences ‘on tap’ basis in future. However, 3 dropped their plan to roll out payments bank. Out of eight companies in fray - Airtel has launched its commercial operation across India with an investment of Rs 3,000 crore offering interest rate of 7.25% on deposits, free money transfer from Airtel to Airtel numbers within Airtel Bank, money transfer to any bank account in the country. Paytm plans to roll out payments bank within initial investment of about Rs 400 crore. Others are — Aditya Birla Nuvo, Fino PayTech, National Securities Depository, Reliance Industries Ltd nd Vodafone m-pesa.

AP Singh has been appointed as interim MD and CEO of the India Post Payment Bank.

For LIC, Jeevan Akshay a cash cow Maruti discontinues sale Power Ministry misses target despite rise in output of lower variants of S-Cross NEW DELHI, JaNuary 29 (PTI): Demonetisation may have negligible impact on power sector as output grew by 8.53% in November and 6.13% in December year-on-year but Power Ministry could not achieve the targeted electricity generation during the respective months.

There was a fear that junking high value currency notes of Rs 1,000/500 will lead to slowdown in all segments in the economy including power sector.

According to the Central Electricity Authority monthly report, total power generation in the country was 95.123 billion units (BUs) in December 2016, which was 6.13% higher than 89.625 BUs electricity generation in the corresponding month previous year.

However, as per the report, the electricity generation target of 96.999 BUs could not be achieved in December.

Similarly, the CEA report said power generation grew 8.53% in November, 2016 to 93.235 BUs compared to 85.904 BUs in same month year ago. However, the target of 93.236 could not be achieved.

“The generation in the month of November was almost on track as there is not much difference in the actual output and target. But power generation is 1.8 BUs short of the targetted out-

put in December,” said an expert.

According to the CEA data, the per capita consumption of electricity was 1,075 units in 2015-16 as per provisional estimates. Therefore, output of 1.8 billion units could have lit thousands of houses in the country where a large number of people either live without electricity or face outages due to shortages in supply.

However, Power Ministry data indicates that distribution companies collections increased by more than Rs 3,000 crore from November 10 to December 15, 2016 compared to last year i.e. after the demonetisation move.

According to the Power Ministry, this will help achieve affordable tariffs.

North Bihar Power Distribution Company saw a 204 per cent increase, NESCO in Odisha 251 per cent, APDCL in Assam 97 per cent and TANGEDCO in Tamil Nadu witnessed 97 per cent rise in collections.

However, the experts think that this has happened because people have parked their black money with discoms to pay their electricity due in advance for many months.

They think that such practice will not continue as utilities have already stopped honouring junked high value currency notes of Rs 1,000/500.

leisure

CROSSWORD # 3842

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MuMbaI, JaNuary 29 (PTI): Driven by robust sales of the single-premium immediate annuity plan Jeevan Akshay, the national life insurer LIC has so far seen a healthy 81.6% jump in first premium income for the current fiscal over the same period a year ago and is also set to breach the full-year target. Till January 15, the Corporation notched up a first premium income of Rs 27,350.67 crore for FY201 6-17, an LIC spokesperson told PTI. The official also said the insurance behemoth has set an annual revenue target from first year premium income at Rs 31,000 crore for this financial year. As far as the zones are concerned, three of the eight zones of the Corporation -- South, East and West -- have already achieved their first premium target for the current fiscal by mid-January.

It can be noted that for the past few years, single premium products were a runaway success for LIC. In 2015-16, LIc had netted a first premium income of Rs 25,737.90 crore, the official added. This massive sales come in spite of the fact that LIC’s sales in terms of volume in the reporting period remained tepid at 1.24 crore policies, which is only around 60% of 2.05 crore polices it had sold in the entire fiscal of 2016, the official said.

The Corporation had in November announced that the annual average returns from Jeevan Akshay would be come down by 50 bps to 7% from December 1 due to the falling interest rates following the note ban. This worked as a trigger as there was a rush among the investors to buy the retirement plan.

According to the LIC official, growth in first premium income during the reporting period has gone up mainly due to good sale of the single premium plan.

“It’s basically the single premium policies which have helped us achieve higher growth rates in first premium income.

Up to January 15, we have seen a whopping 167.75% growth in the single premium segment,” he said.

The Corporation has netted Rs 13,739.73 crore in first premium from Jeevan Akshay plan alone during the period. LIC had procured Rs 4,365.15 crore under Jeevan Akshay-VI in fiscal 2016, over three-fold growth.

NEW DELHI, JaNuary 29 (PTI): Maruti Suzuki India has quietly discontinued sales of lower variants of its premier crossover S-Cross featuring 1.6 litre diesel engine, due to low demand.

The company is now selling only the top-end Alpha variant of the vehicle featuring 1.6 litre diesel engine, priced at Rs 12.03 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), from its premium retail channel Nexa.

MSI, however, continues to sell all the three variants of the crossover powered by a smaller 1.3 litre diesel engine. These are priced between Rs 8.78 lakh and Rs 10.63 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

When contacted a MSI spokesperson told PTI: “In this segment (1.6 litre engine), customers go for highest trim that has all the features. Therefore, it is business prudence to keep the number of variants at an optimum level in line with customers requirements.”

The model’s performance is in line with the company’s expectation, the spokesperson added. “We started a new segment called premium crossover with S Cross. Volume-wise, S-Cross continues to do an average of 2,000-2,100 units monthly,” the spokesperson said.

S-Cross, the first model from the stable of MSI to be sold through its premium retail chain NEXA, has had a chequered history.

MSI had introduced the S-Cross in two options of 1.6 litre and 1.3 litre engines in

DiMaPUR 8. Other side of the city ACROSS 9. Female chicken 1. Eatery 10. Hit 5. Apprehend 10. Cease 11. Exceed 14. Border 12. Pig sound 15. Fall color 13. Seedcases 16. Threesome 18. Type of eel 17. Absolution 22. A style of design 19. South African monetary unit 24. With competence 20. Children’s game 26. Kettles 21. Unlocks 28. Footwear 22. Certain basketball shots 29. All excited 23. Besmirched 30. Gown 25. Eyeglasses 31. Mists 27. Tavern 32. Double-reed woodwind 28. Race car 33. Used borrowed capital 31. Foolishness 34. Cause to suffer 34. Picture 37. Bearing 35. Conceit 38. Anagram of “Sing” 36. Comply with 40. Narrow opening 37. Cat sounds 41. Usually 30 or 31 days 38. Prig 43. Lower the capability 39. Governor (abbrev.)

44. Assorted 40. Femme fatale 46. A proofreader’s symbol 41. Gnatlike insect 47. Accustom 42. Stoneless 48. Snouts 44. Soak 49. Extraordinary 45. French for “Queen” 50. Greenish blue 46. Crafty 51. Vagabond 50. Navigational aid 53. Derbies or berets 52. Cantillate 54. Neither ___ 56. Snagged 55. Eastern discipline 57. Buffoon 56. Sentry post Answer to Crossword 3841 58. Incite 59. Aquatic mammal 60. Region 61. Connecting point 62. Cantankerous 63. Gala DOWN 1.Wagons 2. Perpendicular to the keel 3. Soft creamy candy 4. French for “Summer” 5. Metallic element, symbol Cu 6. Performed 7. Not fat

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SUDOKU

std code: 03862

TaHaMZaM

std code: 03871

(formerly senapati)

Police station Fire Brigade

222246 222491

Civil Hospital emer

232224

MH Hospital

227930 231081

Fire Brigade

2222952

Faith Hospital

228846

naga Hospital

2222916

shamrock Hospital

228254

oking Hospital

2243339

Zion Hospital

231864 224117 227337

Bethel nursing Home

2224202

northeast shuttles

08974997923

Police Control room

228400

KoHIMA Ps/oCs Contact numbers

Police Traffic Control

232106

north Ps

229529 229474

KOHiMa

east Police station

227607

west Police station

232181

south Ps

CIHsr (referral Hospital)

242555 242533

Zubza Ps

dimapur Hospital

224041 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre 230695/ 9402435652 railway

131/228404

Airport Indian Airlines

229366 242441 225212

Chumukedima Fire Brigade 282777 nikos Hospital and research Centre

232032, 231031

nagaland Multispecialty Health & research Centre

248302, 09856006026

eden Medical Centre

248288

std code: 0370

8575045501

Officer-in-Charge 8575045510 8575045502

Officer-in-Charge 8575045520 8575045508

Officer-in-Charge 8575045518 Chiephobozou Ps 8575045506 Officer-in-Charge 8575045516 tseminyu Ps

8575045507

Officer-in-Charge 8575045517 Khuzama Ps

8575045505

Officer-in-Charge 8575045515 Kezocha Ps

8575045549

Officer-in-Charge 8575045538 women Cell

8575045509

Officer-in-Charge 8575045519 Control room

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

Game Number # 3837

2015 coinciding with the launch of its premium retail outlet chain Nexa. However, pricing issues hindered sales of the vehicle forcing the company to go for price correction.

Last year, the company had cut price of the vehicle by over Rs 2 lakh. The reduction in the price of 1.6 litre variant was Rs 2,05,000 for all the three trims, while that of 1.3 litre variant ranged from Rs 40,000 to Rs 66,000.

S-Cross along with Vitara Brezza have helped the company enhance its market share in the utility vehicle (UV) segment. While Vitara Brezza has been a runaway hit, S-Cross has been a slow starter for the company.

Acknowledging the fact, the spokesperson said: “Every brand has a specific role in the overall portfolio. While some are mass models that sell in big numbers, others may not sell as much as a mass model but contribute to the overall brand objectives of the company for the medium and long term”.

S-Cross helps Maruti Suzuki in expanding its range and presence with an eye on the future, the spokesperson added. Growth in the UV segment for MSI is over 120 per cent for the April-December period this fiscal. Volume wise the company has sold 1,43,254 units during the AprilDecember period as compared to 63,924 units in the previous fiscal.

The company now commands over 65% market share in the total UV segment.

Answer Number # 3836

8575045500 (Emergency No. – 100)

FiRE STaTiONS

KoHIMA soUtH: 0370-2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) KoHIMA nortH: 7085924114 (O) dIMAPUr: 03862-232201/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC) CHUMUKedIMA: 7085982102 (O) 8732810051 (OC) woKHA: 03860-242215/101 (O) 8974322879 (OC) MoKoKCHUnG: 0369-2226225/ 101 (O) 8415830232 (OC) PHeK: 8414853765 (O) 8413822476(OC) ZUnHeBoto: 03867-280304/ 101 (O) 9436422730 (OC) tUensAnG: 8414853766 (O) 9856163601 (OC) Mon: 03869-251222/ 101 (O) 9862130954 (OC) Kiphire: 8414853767 (O) 9436261577 (OC) Peren: 7085189932 (O) 9856311205 (OC) LonGLenG: 7085924113 (O) 9862414264 (OC) we4 woMen HeLPLIne 08822911011 WOMEN HeLPLIne 181 CHiLD weLFAre CoMMIttee Toll free No. 1098 childline

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std code: 0369

Police station 1 Police station 2 Police station Kobulong Police station tuli Police station Changtongya Police station Mangkolemba Civil Hospital

9485232688 9485232689 9485232690 9485232693 9485232694 9485232695 2226216

woodland nursing Home

2226263

Hotel Metsüpen (tourist Lodge) 2226373/ 2229343

CURRENCY NOTES BUY (rs) seLL (rs)

Us dollars sterling Pound Hong Kong dollar Australian dollar singapore dollar Canadian dollar Japanese Yen euro thai Baht Korean won UAe dirham (Aed) Chinese Yuan

66.51 82.65 8.3 50.27 46.81 49.99 58.26 71.4 1.82 0.0552 17.52 9.44

69.51 86.63 9.24 52.78 49.09 52.44 61.56 74.86 2.03 0.0615 19.52 10.51

monday 30•01•2017

NAGALAND

Holy Redeemer to get NeiSSR holds orientation for MSW students new Emergency wing soon

Chumukedima, January 29 (mexn): Holy Redeemer Health Centre (HRHC), Chumukedima will soon have a new emergency wing.

The foundation for the new building was laid by Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, the bishop of Kohima in a simple ceremony on Sunday, January 29 at the premises of the Health Centre in the presence of fathers, sisters, and invited guests.

The health centre is

looked after by the Sisters of Charity of Saints Bartholomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa (SCCG) congregation.

According to a press release, Bishop Thoppil, speaking on the occasion, urged people to pray for doctors and nurses and all those whom God calls to share in the healing ministry of Jesus.

Bishop Thoppil also thanked the SCCG sisters for their committed and dedi-

cated services for the past many years at the centre.

Fr. Charles S., the Director of DAN, the social wing of the Church, will be in-charge of overseeing the completion of the building at the earliest.

Once the new wing is completed, the centre will have the facility to treat emergency cases, particularly cases relating to the rising number of accident cases often occurring along the National Highway.

dimapur, January 29 (mexn): Marking the beginning of a new semesters, the North East Institute of Social Science & Research (NEISSR) organized an orientation programme for its Master of Social Work (MSW) students on January 27. Dr. A.J. Sebastian, former Professor & HoD, Department of English, Nagaland University and Johny Ruangmei, OSD, NSDMA, Government of Nagaland were the resource persons.

Dr. Sebastian spoke on the need of developing Intelligence Quotient, Emotional Quotient and Social Quotient in order to be effective in one’s own chosen field. He said that an individual who has not developed all the three quotients will fail to cope up with the pressure and the demands of the ever changing job market, a press release informed.

He spoke in detail the importance of developing

Students with the resource persons during the NEISSR orientation programme for its Master of Social Work (MSW) students on January 27.

effective communication skills and also expounded the importance of considering one’s body language and that of the person to whom the communication is made. The students were also trained in preparing CV. Meanwhile, Johny Ru-

angmei spoke on ‘how to become thriving leaders in an exponential world’.

He highlighted the exponential growth that science and technology have made in the past decades and questioned the students on how they are incorporating the benefits of

Sisters of St. Ann of Luzern welcomed to Nagaland AR interacts with ex-servicemen dimapur, January 29 (mexn): 41 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) conducted an interaction with Ex-Servicemen (ESMs) at Kukidolong Company Operating Base (COB) on January 27. According to a defence release, the interaction was attended by ESMs of Army and Assam Rifles and was presided over by Commandant, 41 Assam Rifles. The interaction was aimed at addressing the problems of Ex-Servicemen and to spread awareness about Government schemes, pension benefits and recruitment schemes. It was attended by 41 Ex-Servicemen and village elders of Kukidolong & Medziphema village, the release stated.

9th AGBCN Annual Conference held kohima, January 29 (mexn): The 9th Annual Conference of the Association of Gorkha Baptist Churches Nagaland (AGBCN) was held from January 20 to 22 at Sechü-Zubza in Kohima district under the theme “Holding on to Jesus”.

Hosted by Nepali Baptist Church, Sechü (Zubza), the conference was attended by around 400 delegates from 38 affiliated Nepali and Gorkha Baptist Churches spread all over the State.

According to a press release, the main speakers during the conference were Founder & Director of Youth Harvest Ministry, Dimapur, Rev. Kilang Jamir, and Director of Eleutheros Christian Society, Tuensang, Phutoli Shikhu Chingmak while resource persons for Bible study were Pastor Robert Aley of NBC Chumukedima and Pastor Joshua Gurung of Mon Town GBC. The main speakers delivered the messages on the topics “Christ our foundation: Planted and build in Christ” (I Peter 2:4-8); “The Church in a changing culture” (I Thessalonians 4:411); “The Church with a mission” (Luke 4:18-19) and “Anticipating the future” (2

Peter 3:11-13). The resource persons for Bible study dwelled on the topics “The Lord’s Prayer” (Mat 6:9-13) and the Book of 2 John.

Greetings were extended by Pastor of Sechü (Zubza) BC Khriengulie Kuotsu, Director of Operation North East Christian University Huzo Meru, Managing Director Mezhür HSS Kohima Atuo Mezhür, Pastor of Konyak BC Kohima H. Moba Konyak, Proprietor Christian Mission School Sechü (Zubza) Rüüngutuo Sechü and Pastor of Chang Baptist Lashong Kohima S. Anungla Chang.

On the first day, Rev. Krishna Sundas, Pastor GBC Niuland unfurled the AGBCN flag which was followed by hoisting of the flags by respective churches while opening spotlight was presented by the host church and AGBCN Chairman Gopal Basnet delivered the keynote address.

The closing day on January 22 evening was marked by a skit by Women Fellowship of NBC Kohima. Honouring of the special guests was led by AGBCN Executive Secretary Rudra Ramauli.

Besides, the services, the annual general meeting of the AGBCN was held on

January 21, wherein reports of the Executive Secretary, different departmental secretaries and treasurer were also presented. The House approved the names of the new AGBCN staffs including Executive Secretary Santabir Rai, Church & Mission Secretary Hari Magar, and Youth Secretary Shishir Lama. The names of the new staff were proposed by the Nomination Committee headed by Pastor Robert Aley.

The farewell service for outgoing AGBCN staffs Executive Secretary Rudra Ramauli and Youth Secretary Mimla Rai as well as the installation service of new AGBCN staff was also held during the three-day conference. However, the official handing and taking over will be held on February 25.

Meanwhile, the AGBCN has expressed appreciation to the host Church, well-wishers, speakers, resource persons, exhorters and all the delegates from different Churches for making the conference a grand success.

The decadal celebration, i.e., the 10th annual conference of AGBCN will be hosted by NBC Tuensang in January 2018.

that growth in their professional social work.

Social workers, he said, should be equipped with “a blend of knowledge from different areas and streams of studies.” However, he opined that equipping oneself with knowledge and the know-how is

not enough.

Cautioning against the unethical use of the exponential growth of technology in curbing or ameliorating social problems, Ruangmei asserted that “public beneficence, responsible stewardship, intellectual freedom and responsibility, democratic deliberation, and justice and fairness” should be the touchstone on which the use of technologies is based. Drawing examples from the current scenario, he highlighted areas where technology which are accessible can be used to create employment and sustainable development for the Naga society.

Ruangmei further challenged the future social workers to be exponential leaders who are innovators, futurist, technologist and humanitarian.

The orientation programme is slated to conclude on January 30.

dimapur, January 29 (mexn): Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima today warmly welcomed the Congregation of the Sisters of Ann of Luzern to Nagaland.

According to a press release, three sisters namely, Sr. Suma, Sr. Jeena and Sr. Caroline along with their provincial Sr. Daisy arrived at Niuland a week ago, and on January 29 during a Holy Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Thoppil welcomed them and thanked them for coming to Nagaland to share the mission of the Church.

During the short felicitation programme, the community also welcomed the Sisters in the traditional way.

Their charism is “Live to reveal the merciful love of God” and their motto is, “For the love of God, for the love of Jesus” which is the driving force in all that they undertake. Today, the Sisters of St Ann serve in various ways in different countries, giving attention to the medical, educational, social and evangelical needs of the people, the release stated.

The Bishop also blessed and inaugurated the renovated Church at Nuiland.

Speaking on the occasion, Bishop Thoppil urged community to live in faith, grow in love and experience God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Meeting of regular GT appointees 2010-13 kohima, January 29 (mexn): There will be a general meeting of Regular Gradurate Teacher appointees 2010-2013 on February 9, 11:00 am at URA Academy Hall, Kohima. A press release informing this has requested all to attend the meeting positively in order to avoid future inconvenience.

Lüruri Students’ Union elects new executives kohima, January 29 (mexn): The Lüruri Students’ Union in its 39th general conference-cum-15th Freshers’ Meet held on December 26-28, 2016 elected its executives for the tenure 2017-2018: Xepe Thüvüri - President, Nyisangthvü - Vice President, Leykam Thüvüri - General Secretary, Obed Leyri - Assembly Speaker, and 9 Secretaries, 2 Women Co-ordinators, 3 Audit Board, 3 Advisors.

ZCAN General Conference held Jalukie, January 29 (mexn): The General Conference of the Zeliangrong Catholic Association of Nagaland was held on January 15 at Jalukie Parish Centre. During the conference, the House selected new office bearers of the association for a period of 3 years. The selected officials are: Ambrose Makuthai – President; Ningpi Jerome – Vice Lions and Leo Clubs of Dimapur celebrated the 68th Republic Day on January 26 at President; Asiake Earnest Sephe – General Secretary; PatLions center. Following the celebrations, members of the two clubs visited Central Jail rick Gangmei – Joint Secretary; Heukieloing Jonah – Social at 4th Mile. Leo Club later distributed lunch to all the prisoners and staff of Central Jail. and Cultural Secretary; Denise Gangmei – Secretary.

Public SPace

“T

he world is changing”, remarked one of the resource persons in a collegiate camp in 2007. It took nine years for this writer to arrive at a concordance with the statement. While equally agreeing that change, by law of nature, is inevitable and moderately beyond the control of human limited intelligence, the degree of change exerted against a particular time and the value it has occasioned either positively or negatively to a society is worth contemplated.

Of all the conspiracy theories offered by various esteem authors and speakers in relation to the current tussle, one is but without substance of one’s own framework as the truth is implicitly concealed or our shadowed visions deter us so. The public are unjustifiably deprived of their rights to have an insight on the issues that shall bear ramifications in case of their uninformed decision. Nobody knows for sure that any changes effecting against the present status quo, which bids fair to accrue its instant turnover to the present generation, would have detrimental upshot to be handed down to the coming generation (as was the case with the Shillong Accord). Such dearth of established visions and supported solutions left a room for public to doubt the credentials of those who are at the helm of affairs.

The question, therefore, is to un-

Visions beyond Thirty-Three dertake a case study of our current state of affairs which itself reluctantly entangled in socio-political dilemma. With the incumbent political dispensation and the forceful women organisation lassoed together to ensure an environment presumably viable for the conduct of a “development-oriented” elections to the Urban Local Bodies, the tribal bodies, on the other extreme, tied up with the civil societies in an attempt to fend our walls from an “imposed” invasion into our sacred identity. Consequently, the politics of development and the movement for identity have assumed a diametrically antithetical stance with the parties involved had, out of the blue, brought our state to a near standstill.

The deeper analysis of the imbroglio drive us to a clearer image of our view where modernity gets clashed with our identity, and where we fails to reconcile tradition with modernity in our progressive journey towards a shared but uncertain future. Today, our representative administration demands us of our liberal perspectives which, if we were to shape ourselves to fit into it, requires certain amount of sacrifices on our part: be it political identity, social structures or cultural limitations. But, when we momentarily or permanently overlooked our rich traditions in our accelerated effort to develop our state

into a superficial superstructure, on what premise would we set our foundation when we exhausted the monetary proceeds we received at the cost of our identity?

Here, we may remind ourselves of the past episodes where the terms of agreement of the historic 9 Points were unilaterally consigned as nonexistent; the introduction of the principle of election in Naga society which significantly is elite based by successfully parting with our system of selection which is purely based on merit; the deconstruction of the substantial 16 Points by transferring Nagaland from External Affairs to Home and effecting amendment in, and interpretation of, constitutional provisions including 23rd Amendment and conflict of interest between the GON and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. All these are incidentally connected to the very core ideal of our identity where the basic right to self-determination and the principle of ownership over our own self is questioned and threatened.

Without analysing our own actions about the possible nemesis of our downfall, we have reserved a reactive approach deep inside by blaming the outsiders for our own creations.

The current situation where we are presented with very less options to reach an understanding is our own creation. It is conspicuously clear

that we now have the techniques to destroy the hard earned peace on which we rest, but have not yet developed the ability to escape from the mess we have hedged. Would it not be much wiser on our part to explore avenues that would rather guarantee a stable future than by seeking to realign a fragile social fabric, if at all we wanted to be really modern in taste and scientific in experiment?

Britain had in June 2016 voted to exit from the economic and political bloc much to the chagrin of the elite nations within the grouping arguing that a nation’s independence and identity is far more admired than progress under a chained situational arrangement. So also, the rise of Donald Trump in the United States has shocked the established system not only in America but throughout the world. Trump generally represented the voice of the often neglected community and a miniscule call for exclusivist but well-guarded approach. Both Brexit and Trump symbolised an exigency to protect a nation from invasive globalisation/ liberalism and in both the cases, the voters did reject the appeals of the elites for development.

This underlines the supremacy of the people and the power of a united stance that can bring about the impossible within the realms of possibility. If the world’s most indus-

trialised nations realised that they need to go back to where they had laid their foundations, must we not also re-examine the decisions that we have made which we categorically believed is the solution to our poorly developed cities and towns.

In spite of being fully developed and industrialised, the above cited two countries still hung in suspense without sure of what awaits their future which is manifested in the turns of events we witnessed.

Recalibrating elections to the ULBs with arrangement on mutual understanding does not mean misogynistic. Both the parties would rather feel satisfied to first concur then take the first step where both the genders can participate not with a “weakened” reservation but with full participation. The Nagas, perhaps, had never imagined then that by roping in the election system to our society would have played such havocs induced by might and riches for which we all are now indulged in blame game. Then, should we continue to justify our past historical conundrums as our steppingstone to commit further political blunder?

The status of being “special” in an Indian Union has been gradually phasing out post Planning Commission era. Time is ripe for us to weigh the pros and cons of our policies and programs lest we succumb to the carrot

and stick tactics that may embed itself in 73rd and 74th Amendments, clandestinely designed so as to deconstruct the last of our strongholds. We can choose from available options but we cannot choose the consequence that necessarily comes along.

The movement by the civil societies to reach an understanding with the authority represents the desires of the people. Without unity, even if we have money, development might take place only at a personal level thereby quickening the ever widening richpoor gap while proving contrary and antagonistic to an expected result. Circumstantially, the situation might take a wrong turn as cruel competition between the elites and the neglected lots would render our aged-old values to a mere code of the past. This will further catapult our identity crisis. Article 371 A is exclusively for us to override such malwares that may infect and affect our system. “The world keeps changing” and it is a license for us to devise a novel municipal administration with its functionaries proportionately represented by both the genders sans elections where our right of ownership, our hunt for recognition and our security of identity are well protected. We want liberty, we want belongingness, and most of all, we cry for identity.

The Morung Express “Public Space” is to provide space for diverse opinions to be expressed and heard. The opinions in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper nor the editor.

6

Monday 30•01•2017

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express voluME XII IssuE 27

By Moa Jamir

Federer reigns supreme

"N

o way would I be a journalist. You guys have tried to kill Roger - often. But he's always come back and proved you wrong. So one thing I would not do is make the mistake of saying Roger is dead," Rafael Nadal once said of Federer to Spanish press when asked if he would write the latter off due to apparent decline in forms.

The statement proves prophetic for Nadal on Sunday at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, when one of the greatest rivalries in Tennis was reignited when the two met at the final of the 2017 Australian Open.

A common sight during the heydays of their rivalries, injuries and loss of form in recent years, have made it a rare occasion to savor for fans around the world they have enthralled over the years.

This was their 35th meeting and it includes 21 finals, which Nadal led 14-7 till Sunday including three wins at Australian Open final and other majors like Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

But history deserted Nadal on Sunday. Like a proverbial phoenix, Federer came out on top after a rollercoaster ride 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 lasting three hours and 37 minutes, to etch his name firmly in History. This was his fifth Australian Open title.

At 35, Federer becomes the second-oldest man behind Ken Rosewall to win a major singles trophy, and in the process clinched a record 18th grand slam title capping a triumphant return from knee surgery, and an agonizing wait for a major grand slam title in over four and half years since winning the 2012 Wimbledon Championships. He also holds the record of being World No.1 for 302 weeks.

But his greatness is not the prodigious trailblazing records, but how effortlessly and elegantly he steered each game in his favor making winning a habit in his prime.

"In an era of specialists, you’re either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist... or you’re Roger Federer," is how Jimmy Connors, another tennis great, described him.

A class act both on and off the court, he is often accused of his emotive reaction in victory. But even his rivals doesn’t seem to mind. "I can cry like Roger, it's just a shame I can't play like him," said Andy Murray after losing to Federer in the Australian Open 2010's final.

On Sunday, Federer did celebrate with tears in his eyes but remained gracious in victory. "I would have been happy to lose to be honest, the comeback was as good as it was. I hope to see you next year but if not, then it was a wonderful year here and I couldn't be happier tonight," he said.

The class act of a true gentleman markedly destined for glory.

For any comment, drop a line to moajamir@live.com

lEfT WING |

Lisa Rapaport Reuters Health

Sitting less linked to lower risk of diabetes

P

eople who spend time walking or even just standing instead of sitting down may be at lower risk of diabetes, a UK study suggests.

Previous research has linked sedentary time to type 2 diabetes, which is tied to aging and obesity and happens when the body can't properly use insulin to convert blood sugar into energy.

For the current study, researchers asked 435 adults at risk for developing diabetes to wear activity monitors around the clock for one week to see how much time they spent sitting, standing and walking. Then they examined lab tests to see how well their bodies processed sugar and insulin.

Findings from this study "provide further encouraging evidence" that simply substituting standing for sitting throughout the day may improve markers of type 2 diabetes, said study co-author Dr. Joseph Henson, a diabetes researcher at the University of Leicester.

"However, stronger associations were observed for stepping, thus highlighting the continued importance of more intense physical activity," Henson said by email.

Study participants were 67 years old on average. Most of them had excess fat around the midsection and were either overweight or obese, and about one third had a family history of diabetes.

Each day, participants spent an average of 9.4 hours sitting or lying down during their waking hours. This included a total of about 4.2 hours of brief periods of sitting for no more than a half hour, as well as 5.4 hours of prolonged bouts of sitting that lasted at least 30 minutes.

In addition, participants typically spent an average of 4.5 hours a day standing and 1.7 hours a day walking.

People who replaced 30 minutes of prolonged sitting time with shorter bouts of sitting had a 4 percent reduction in fasting insulin levels, researchers calculated.

If participants replaced prolonged sitting with standing, however, they had 5 percent drop in fasting insulin levels, and walking instead was associated with an 11 percent difference, researchers report in BMJ Open.

The study didn't find an association between blood sugar or insulin levels when people swapped short periods of sitting for standing, however. Stepping instead of sitting for short periods was linked to a 7 percent drop in fasting insulin.

The study wasn't a controlled experiment and can't prove how different activity levels directly influence the risk of diabetes, the authors note. Researchers also used statistical models to estimate how much changes in activity might impact blood sugar and insulin.

Still, the results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that even small reductions in sedentary time may help lower the risk of diabetes, said Bethany Barone Gibbs, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh who wasn't involved in the study.

"Breaking up prolonged sitting with walking or standing can improve how our body takes up blood glucose," Barone Gibbs said by email.

When the body moves, it signals muscles and cells that will need fuel and they start absorbing sugar from the blood.

When people are sedentary, these signals don't go out.

"This is why blood sugar seems to go higher if we engage in prolonged sitting versus more active behaviors after eating," Barone Gibbs added. "If we are constantly exposed to high blood sugar over time, this can cause diabetes and cardiovascular diseases to develop."

Even though the results mirror other studies linking reduced sedentary time to a lower diabetes risk, the use of statistical models rather than a controlled experiment makes it hard to see what would happen if people cut back on sitting in real life, said Peter Katzmarzyk of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"The people didn’t actually replace their sitting with physical activity, which is what would happen in an intervention," Katzmarzyk, who wasn't involved in the study, added by email. "We need more actual interventions for us to better understand what is going on."

C O M M E N T A R Y

Garga Chatterjee

Jallikattu- a cultural and political demand

Tamils gave up their autonomous rights over their land, resources and people, when they signed up for the Indian Union

A

ll over Tamil Nadu, tens of thousands of people, largely not under any political party banner, have assembled in protest. The most widely broadcasted protests are from Marina beach. That massive protest at Marina beach is actually very small compared to ones happening in other parts of Tamil Nadu including Madurai, Erode, Salem and Coimbatore. And it’s not only big cities but small towns and villages, where such protests are taking place – thus uniting the length and breadth of Tamil Nadu in its demand “We want Jallikattu”, which is both a cultural demand and a political demand. Thousands of people had assembled from last night in protests, but “national media” didn’t live-telecast this since this was not Delhi and hence didn’t matter to the “nation”.

As the day progressed on 18th January, young people from all walks of life spilled on to the streets, from students to IT professionals to farmers, including many, many women. As we speak, this has become too big for “national media” to ignore, and since this is not Kashmir from where independent media and telecom connectivity can be blacked out at will, “national media” wants to explain to the ‘rest of India’, why are Tamils angry and why are they protesting? While they ask that, they are quick to add that the protests are apolitical. Nothing could be farther from truth. The protests are not partisan but are intensely political – uniting the Tamil national polity in a united voice. More things unite Kashmir and Kanyakumari than the Delhi establishment would like to admit.

In its limited imagination, the nonTamil media is likening this to Tahrir Square of Cairo. If they had more local grounding and less of an imaginary that is inspired by Anglo-American talking points, they would have reached back into the not so distant Tamil past. They could have looked closely at the site the protesters chose. The Marina beach is not an ordinary spot. It houses the memorial to C.N. Annadurai, the giant of Tamil politics, the biggest votary of Tamil pride, a staunch oppose of Hindi imposition and one of the fathers of federalism in the Indian Union. If they had tried to understand Tamil Nadu from the Tamil stand point and not from the Delhi stand point, they would have found that the present protests, in their spontaneity, intensity and popularity come close to the anti Hindi imposition protests of 1965 when Union government tried to forcibly shove Hindi down the throats of non Hindi citizens of the Indian Union. While protests happened in various states, Tamils took the lead. The response from New Delhi was swift and central forces killed nearly 400 Tamil protesters that year. In 1967, the Congress was voted out and never again has any Delhi headquartered party ever held power in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu branches of Delhi –headquartered parties failed miserably in 1965 and are failing miserably now in representing the Tamil sentiment for their priorities are ideologies

A child holds a sign during a protest demanding a reverse of the supreme Court ban on the traditional bull-taming contest, known as Jallikattu, in Mumbai, India, January 21, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

decided elsewhere, without an eye to Tamil interest.

Since 1967, Tamils have politically opted for their own representatives and not Tamil agents of Delhi interests. It is because Tamil Nadu stood up against Hindi imposition that all non Hindi states have been able to protect their cultural and linguistic turf against homogenization ordered from Delhi that is designed to benefit a certain ethno-linguistic group that holds huge sway on power in Delhi. Even today, with the Jallikattu protests, Tamils have opened the space for the rest of us to assert our cultural rights against whims and fancies of Union government agencies about animals and humans that imagine the Indian Union as a bloated form of the NCR. The way the Union government has been criticized by the Tamil protesters on the ground show that they understand this political dynamic very well.

The huge presence of women for a “male sport” shows that this issue goes beyond the particulars of Jallikattu and stems from something bigger and wider. This has been joined by Non Resident Tamils around the world (in USA, Ireland, Mexico, Thailand, South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, Malaysia and elsewhere) as well as the Tamil social media space where, unlike in Noida, Whatsapp messages about bovine animals are being used to unite people and not dividing them. The Jallikattu protests show that against the cosmo-liberal stereotype of “Indian young people”, there are young people, millions of them, to whom roots matter, identity matters, culture matters and they do not aspire to lose their Tamil-ness to make the cut in the Delhi-Mumbai idea of Indianness. These are the people who know English very well but have chosen to respond in Tamil to Delhi media questions posed to them in English.

If this appears odd, remember the number of times Delhi-based English media carries responses in Hindi without any translation. Try to think why that is not considered odd, when

a majority of the citizens of the Indian Union do not understand Hindi.

In the protests, a recurring theme is that the Tamil interests have been marginalized in the Indian Union.

Tamil culture is older than the Indian Union and all its institutions and selfrespect is a very important part of that culture. The situation that Tamil Nadu now doesn’t have control over its own maritime trade, foreign relations or for that matter most aspects of Tamil internal affairs is hardly two centuries old.

The Tamil political memory and historical consciousness goes far beyond that and is a living thing that influences politics of here and now. Thus, whenever the Union government has destroyed state rights, the Tamils have been at the forefront of protesting it – a strain of politics that has recently widened to include Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, who has been regularly voicing concerns about the destruction of the federal structure.

Tamils gave up their autonomous rights over their land, resources and people, when they signed up for the Indian Union. Any giving up of rights have to come with concomitant compensatory benefits. That has not happened.

While Tamil Nadu produces a huge amount of revenue, much of that is siphoned off by the Union government through its constitutional powers and through the discriminatory schemes of Delhi, it gets much less money (socalled “central funds” which originate from resources based in states) than the amount that Delhi makes from resources in Tamil Nadu. In short, Tamil Nadu’s resources are used to subsidize Union government schemes outside Tamil Nadu. During the Eelam Tamil genocide, the Union government explicitly sided with the Sri Lankan government, thus making clear that Tamil Nadu’s sentiments matter little to Delhi even when it comes to genocide of Tamils elsewhere. Thus it is only natural that many Tamils have a feeling that they are getting cheated in this deal called the Indian Union.

At this juncture, it doesn’t help when the so-called “national opinion”

brands make fun of Tamils as irrational or barbarous people who love to be cruel to their animals. If at all, it is quite duplicitous, since Delhi doesn’t mind the revenue that is extracted from Tamil Nadu while using its institutions like the Animal Welfare Board of India to undercut Tamil cultural practices. That is the tragedy of a centralized administration where bureaucrats from high female foeticide states get to decide the women’s rights policies of socially progressive states like Tamil Nadu.

Whether Jallikattu is right or wrong, should it be discontinued or continued or continued with modifications, is an out and out Tamil affair. That the Animal Welfare Board of India, which doesn’t exactly reflect Tamil opinion, gets to decide on this shows how Tamils are infantilized as being incapable of deciding their own affairs, including their own cultural practices or for that matter, animal welfare issues. This stems from the two long lists called the Union and Concurrent lists of the Constitution of India that gives almost unfettered right to distant people from Union government agencies over the lives and issues of people of various states. It is this false federalism, in which state rights have been completely disrespected, are the source of most of the problems and solutions to this are achievable within the ambit of the Indian constitution by large scale move of subjects from Union and Concurrent lists to the State list in keeping with the federal democratic spirit of the Cabinet Mission plan of 1946, to which most elected lawmakers of the time agreed, only to turn their back on it after 1947. Yes, reforms are needed and they can take many shapes. The ambit of the Supreme Court can be limited to Union and concurrent list subjects with state based apex courts becoming the highest authority on state subjects. This along with a move of most subjects to the State list can realize the full federal democratic potential of the Union of India. Otherwise, such deep-rooted political grievances promote alienation and make their presence felt in some way or the other, in not so palatable ways.

The defence of Jallikattu on the basis of practice and culture has been likened to the defence of Sati. That so many have learnt to instinctively make this Sati argument, in fact, has a long past in British imperial pedagogy’s imprint of brown colonized lands. As my friend Ritinkar Das Bhaumik said, “We should stop drawing parallels to Sati.

We already have one group that sees an analogy between cattle and women.

We don't need others.” While deciding to hang Afzal Guru, in spite of many grounds of reasonable doubt about the case, the Supreme Court of India said, “The collective conscience of the society will be satisfied only if the death penalty is awarded to Afzal Guru.” If “collective conscience” of the society has already been admitted by the Supreme Court to be a decider in handing out judgements, what prevents it from listening to the “collective conscience” of Tamils regarding Jallikattu that is on display in the protests all over their land today?

“serious Retreats” In Indigenous Rights Protection: UN Rapporteur Tharanga Yakupitiyage

A

Inter Press Service

s the 10-year anniversary for the Declaration on Indigenous Rights approaches, UN indigenous rights activists came together to assess the many challenges that still remain on the ground.

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted in 2007, is the first of its kind to recognise and highlight the importance of indigenous rights.

“The UN Declaration is a declaration that contains the collective nature of the rights of indigenous peoples. (It) is meant to bring about remedies to kinds of historical and current injustices that indigenous people suffer,” said UN Special Rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz during a press briefing on 26 January.

Though it is not legally binding, the declaration guarantees indigenous groups rights to self-determination, land, and to live free from any kind of discrimination.

However, Tauli-Corpuz noted that there are “serious retreats” in the implementation of indigenous rights, including the threat of tribal land being taken away by extractive industries.

U.S. President Donald Trump has recently announced plans to green

light the controversial Dakota Access (DAPL) and Keystone XL (KXL) pipelines, projects previously halted

by President Barack Obama due to concerns for the environment and lack of consultations with Native American groups.

Issues around DAPL even reached the halls of the United Nations, prompting Tauli-Corpuz to call on the U.S. government, in accordance with its commitment to implement the Declaration, to consult with indigenous groups who were denied access to information and excluded from the planning processes.

She reiterated this call, stating: “It’s regrettable that now in spite of those demands that have not yet been met…that kind of decision has to be again consulted with the indigenous peoples themselves because at the end of the day, they are the ones who will be directly affected.”

Special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council – they are not UN staff.

Though the Department of the Army announced that it has begun an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the $3.8 billion project, critics say that plans for DAPL were initially

fast tracked as the U.S. Corps of Engineers did not adequately assess the potential for oil spills or its impact on the environment.

According to federal data, pipeline spills are fairly common, increasing the risk of water contamination. Between 2010 and 2013, there were almost 2000 incidents of leaks, amounting to an average of 1.6 incidents per day. Oil extraction, transport and combustion also accelerate emissions of methane and carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.

In response to President Trump’s executive orders to continue the construction of DAPL, Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe David Archambault II said: “We are not opposed to energy independence. We are opposed to reckless and politically motivated development projects, like DAPL, that ignore our treaty rights and risk our water.

“Creating a second Flint does not make America great again,” he added referring to the town in Michigan where drinking water is still contaminated with lead.

Friends of the Earth’s President Erich Pica said that the decisions reflect President Trump’s disregard

WRITE-WING

for the “millions of Americans who fought to protect our land, water, sacred cultural sites and climate from dangerous pipelines.”

Tauli-Corpuz also criticised a proposed North Dakota bill that would legalise accidentally running over protestors standing on the road, introduced in response to DAPL protestors blocking roadways.

“This law…is really not consistent at all with international human rights law…how can you justify running over or violently treating a protestor when every person has the right to protest?” she said, adding that indigenous people are simply protecting the rights to their lands.

Tauli-Corpuz stressed the need for countries to incorporate the UN Declaration into national plans and legislation in order to ensure indigenous rights.

“My message is for indigenous peoples to continue to assert and claim their rights as enshrined in the UN Declaration, but also to call in the States to really fulfill their obligation to comply and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” Tauli-Corpuz stated.

“What we need to do now is to really use this 10th year of the celebration of the UN Declaration to further strengthen dialogue,” she said.

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

Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

MonDAY 30•01•2017

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

S G Vombatkere

T

Countercurrents.org

he World Economic Forum (WEF), a Swiss nonprofit foundation for public-private cooperation “committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”, met in Davos from 17-20 January, as it does every year, in an ambience of high-level meetings interspersed by opulent partying. It is essentially an annual jamboree to bring together many hundreds of extremely rich and powerful top business magnates, international political leaders, selected intellectuals, and journalists from around 100 countries, “to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world”. WEF focuses on business profit and national economic benefit.

Post the unrealistic Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) of 2000, the 2016 WEF was about 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) with a 15-years time target ending 2030. SDGs were to “transform our world” by ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity for all. The means of achieving these goals was through economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

In a world of over seven billion people, a majority of whom live in abject poverty, it is difficult to imagine more reality-disconnected persons meeting in a more inappropriate forum to discuss how to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.

Development by economic growth Economic growth is understood as increasing economic activity of business, commercial, industrial and services sectors measured by growth of the gross national product (GNP).

All countries, independent of political ideology, single-mindedly pursue economic development based on GDP growth, targets for which are set in percentage points for each year. GDP growth is in turn based upon increasing consumption of all kinds and trade of all kinds, including armaments. It pre-supposes end-

Blindness At Davos

less material growth based upon extraction-manufacture-transportconsumption within the ecological resource base, the finiteness of which most economists are unable to take into account. Every stage of the extraction-manufacture-transport-consumption mantra is entirely based upon the continuing extraction-refinement-transport-consumption of oil as a fuel.

The finiteness of the resourcebase is both in terms of being the source of materials and a sink for the polluting outputs of the extractionmanufacture-transport-consumption processes.

This model of development is vigorously pursued worldwide notwithstanding that in the 1974 Cocoyoc United Nations Conference, the combined wisdom of all nations held that “Our first concern is to redefine the purpose of development. This should not be to develop things but develop man. Human beings have basic needs: food, shelter, clothing, health, education. Any process of growth that does not lead to their fulfilment – or even worse, disrupts them – is a travesty of the idea of development”.

worldwide, do not appear to have even been considered by the decision makers in Davos over the years.

In the context of sustainable economic growth, one of the Davos goals of SDG is to eradicate poverty in all its forms by 2030. Indeed, SDG Target 17.19 seeks to: “… by 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement GDP”. Reliance on the GDP-based model of economic development that is responsible for current and growing inequality is paradoxical, and it is apt to consider Einstein’s words: “Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them. Without changing our pattern of thought, we will not be able to solve the problems we created with our current patterns of thought”.

It does not call for any great learning to appreciate that economic inequality increasing within a finite and shrinking resource base, leads to increase in poverty both in numbers and degree. Thus, pursuing the present economic growth model which is the cause of the huge and growing economic inequality both within and between countries, Ending poverty makes the SDG of poverty eradicaIn the last 42 years, the United tion in 15 years unachievable.

Nations has not withdrawn or modified its 1974 people-based defini- Protecting the planet This SDG aim, going beyond setion of the purpose of development.

But all participant countries have mantics, betrays a mindset that huquietly jettisoned the jointly agreed mans, with their technology, can purpose of development and ad- control the elemental forces of naopted a model in which the social, ture to “protect the planet”. The reaeconomic, political and cultural son for articulating this aim is that development of people is at best the human activity of industrialsecondary. This has caused enor- ization by enormous consumption mous socio-economic inequality of energy (fossil fuels) has caused within and between nations, and threats to humanity itself. The unthis inequality is growing. For ex- derstanding that humans are a part ample, in India, one of the econom- of the planet and of the eco-systems ically more unequal countries, the that are at the very root of life itself, richest 1% own 58% of the wealth, is absent from the anthropocentric with social status proportional to mindset which seeks to protect the wealth. According to one assess- planet. The planet per se does not ment, the richest 1% of all human- need protection.

The human species is urbanizity will soon own over half of the ing rapidly precisely because of the world’s private wealth.

The sustainability of such growth availability of fossil fuels. Urbanizain socio-ecological terms is being tion is nothing but a concentration increasingly questioned. The anti- of human populations, connected Wall Street protests of 2011 in USA intimately with availability of energy are fundamentally against inequal- in more concentrated form, which ity between the top 1% and the rest fossil fuels provide. Today, more than 99%. But somehow, the reasons be- half of all humans are urban creahind these protests and many others tures, who are parasitic on the en-

ergy base. China and India, together comprising around half of humanity, both encourage urbanization as policy, both inexplicably blind to the resource-base imperative.

The energy-consumption inequality within urban agglomerations is demonstrated by the fact that the small percentage of the wealthy generate far more garbage (this includes indirectly generated industrial effluents) than the vast majority of the poor. This garbage, mostly and increasingly non-biodegradable, pollutes surface and sub-surface water bodies, air and soil, and oceans, with visible and invisible pollution. The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster continues to pollute the ocean with radionuclides with no real end in sight, while containing the disaster (preventing meltdown) consumes huge fossil fuel energy. All this is about degrading the environment and polluting the planet which SDGs aim to protect.

At the rural levels, agriculture is heavily energy-based, with industrial inputs like fertilisers and varying degrees of mechanization. (The growing focus on organic farming is precisely because of realisation of the ill-effects of chemical farming on pollution of soil and water, and human health). Agricultural produce from farm-to-(urban)table is entirely dependent on fossil fuel for transportation, storage, treatment and processing. Consumption of fuel and all industrial products in agriculture produces pollution.

Every industrial output – extracted raw material, semi-finished and finished goods and the manufacturing processes – needs huge inputs of (fossil fuel) energy, and at every stage of its manufacture and transportation from under the earth to its point of consumption, needs more energy. Products like the aircraft and automobile are of no use unless fuel is available for consumption, and in use, they generate more pollution. Every industrial product has a “useful life” and after it is consumed, it is junk, garbage, trash; and every industrial production process produces effluents during manufacture.

It is axiomatic that more consumption means more pollution, and less consumption means less pollution,

Trump to Pull Out of the UN, Expel It from the US? Baher Kamal

S

Inter Press Service

o far, Donald Trump’s first decisions as president of the United States have left no doubt that he intends to implement his electoral threats, while most likely not fulfilling the promises he made as a candidate.

Barely 48 hours after his inauguration as the 45th president of the United States, a shocking report was circulated saying that “A bill was introduced early January that calls for the removal of the United States from the United Nations.

According to the Congress website, H.R. 193 — known as the American Sovereignty Restoration Act — was introduced to the House on January 3 and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

While its official title says it seeks to end membership in the U.N., there are several other key components of the bill which include: ending the 1947 agreement that the U.N. headquarters will be housed in the U.S., ending peacekeeping operations, removing diplomatic immunity, and ending participation in the World Health Organization.

Should the bill pass, the Act and its amendments will go into effect two years after it has been signed.”

It Is Real During a UN briefing on Jan. 23, a correspondent noted, “There is a call from the US Congress by five… resolution drafted by five or six congressmen calling on the United States to withdraw its membership from the United Nations.”

The UN Spokesman answered: “We’re not going to comment on draft legislation that is floating around a legislative body.”

So such draft legislation is there.

More explicitly, a US academic, a professor of politics who closely monitors US-UN relations, told IPS the proposed legislation is “real.”

“But it only has six sponsors at this point (a handful of far right and libertarian Republicans), so I doubt it will get very far.”

Regardless of the number of sponsors and if and when it would pass or not, the fact is that the Trump administration’s intention to withdraw from the world’s multilateral body could easily be implemented.

In fact, it would be enough that Washington refrains from paying its share in the UN budget – or even just delaying it — to make the whole structure collapse.

The UN, Bankrupted

worst moments for the United Nations’ finances. The world body is, in fact, now bankrupted. Day after day, its agencies – from the children’s fund to the refugees agency — launch desperate appeals for funds to meet the ongoing unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

Moreover, an eventual US withdrawal would leave the UN in the hands of big private corporations. Actually, several transnational private businesses have over the last few years been among the major UN humanitarian operations’ funders.

Such a scenario would lead this unique multilateral system to be run by big business pundits. This risk should not be discarded, as the UN would in this case provide a needed “legal” coverage to their actions, whatever these would be.

In other words, the UN de facto is already being transformed into a private corporation, funded and guided by big private business that needs to keep its formal, legal umbrella wide open to handle everything… legally.

The UN? Just a Club!

President Trump’s thoughts regarding the UN were summarised in one of his tweets, in which he wrote: “The UN has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk, and have a good time.”

But that “… get together, talk and have a good time” is certainly not the case for the millions of women and girls who make up 71 per cent of all victims of human trafficking, as reported just a month ago by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Let alone the fact that children make up almost a third of all human trafficking victims worldwide.

Neither is it the case for the one third of women aged 20 to 24 who were child brides, nor that every 10 minutes, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl dies as a result of violence, as stated in UNICEF’s Statistics and Monitoring report released in July last year.

Not to mention the 2.4 billion people who lack access to improved sanitation, including 946 million who are forced to resort to open defecation for lack of other options, and that 16,000 children die every day, mostly from preventable or treatable causes.

All these victims of human rights violations, which have been often perpetrated by US-led military coalitions and/or other members of the UN Security Council, and have been suffering the direct of indirectly consequences of massive war interventions, have so far depended on the UN assistance.

Maybe it would be right to remind here that many key United Nations bod-

mostly to provide humanitarian assistance to millions of victims of the European conflict that became World War II. UNICEF, for instance, aided up to five million European children.

Who Would Host the World Body?

Then comes a second point: which country would eventually host the United Nations, should the proposed bill end the 1947 agreement that the U.N. headquarters be housed in the US? And who would afford replacing the US contribution to its budget?

The US shoulders 22 per cent of the world body’s budget in exchange for a non-written pact that an equivalent percentage of key, decision-making staff would be appointed by the US administration.

The total regular UN budget for the year 2016-17 amounts to 5.6 billion dollars, of which the US contributes 610.836.578 dollars, according to the UN report “Contributions by Member States to the United Nations regular budget for the year 2017.”

Japan contributes the second highest share with 9.68 per cent, followed by China (7.921 per cent), Germany (6.389 per cent), France (4.859 per cent) and UK (4.463 per cent) in the top five. Brazil contributes about 3.823 per cent and is 6th in this list.

None of the current major contributors to the UN budget would clearly be able to replace the US share, plus its own.

Moreover, European powers are still facing the consequences of the financial crisis that was created in 2007 by giant private financial corporations based in the US and Europe.

Add to this the fact that they are all now witnessing a growing scenario of the rise of right-wing, ultra-conservative, xenophic, nationalist, and populist parties who clamorously cheer Donald Trump’s ascension to power.

In short, Trump seems to be seriously determined to carry out his electoral threats, while failing his populist promises.

To start with, his decision to trash the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), or the so-called Obamacare, a health care system which was enacted by President Barack Obama on March 2010.

Under this Act, hospitals and primary physicians would transform their practices financially, technologically, and clinically to drive better health outcomes, lower costs, and improve their methods of distribution and accessibility.

That Act was abolished on Trump’s first business day, threatening the health benefits of millions of US citizens, who he prom-

“consumption” and “pollution” being of all sorts. As the human species as a whole consumes more, it pollutes more. And this has resulted in global warming which is causing sea level rise and manifesting as climate change, challenging life forms on the planet to adapt or perish. There is the joke of the meteorologist getting himself transferred because the weather did not agree with him. Now Earth’s climate is changing, and humanity as a whole only has this planet and nowhere else to go, leave alone “protecting” Earth.

Prosperity for all When the WEF included “ensuring prosperity for all” in world transformation, perhaps they meant that all seven billion human inhabitants of our planet would be sufficiently well-off to enjoy adequate nutritious food, clean water and clean air, and have enough in terms of housing, clothing, health care, education and a satisfying occupation or job which brings in enough earnings to support a family. All this in 15 years, by 2030. This is not different from the development that the 1974 Cocoyoc Conference defined.

But somewhat in keeping with the Human Development Index, prosperity should also include some intangibles like access to social, economic and political justice; liberty of thought, belief, expression, faith and worship; and equality of status and opportunity.

It has been cogently argued elsewhere that without a modicum of justice, liberty and equality within a society, socio-economic inequality cannot be reduced, and without reducing inequality, poverty cannot be meaningfully alleviated, far less ended. The WEF aims of world transformation by ending poverty and ensuring prosperity for all, may be well-intentioned. However, what is highly questionable is whether at all they are practicable under the present GDP-based model of economic development adopted the world over, and which, within the finite resource base, is causing economic polarization and social unrest within societies.

Inconvenient truth This paper brings uncomfortable facts to the foreground, and risks being branded as pessimistic for presenting the “dark side”. But

7

rather than being pessimistic, it is about reality and the dangers of complacency that SDGs unintentionally propagate.

An analogy which was presented in Al Gore’s documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth”, concerns the reaction of the frog either dumped into a vessel of hot water, or placed in a vessel of water that is heated gradually. If dumped into hot water, the frog promptly jumps out, but if in the latter circumstance, it keeps adjusting until it is too late and becomes unable to jump out.

The analogy can be extended to say that humanity is like the frog in water that is being heated (global warming) by its own actions. Humanity is now sitting in the comforting warm water of SDGs. It has to act now to jump out – to a future of lower energy consumption in societies which truly embrace the values of justice, liberty and equality.

GDP-driven economic growth drives consumption, which is the primary cause for global warming. In today’s world, unsustainable GDP-based economics drives politics – and the tail wags the dog.

In a sustainably transformed world, ending poverty and ensuring prosperity for all would only be possible when politics is guided by principles of justice, liberty and equality, and development is re-defined, starting perhaps with its definition in the UN Cocoyoc Conference of 1974.

World leaders have to understand that the current model of economic growth, especially in the context of finite resources and global warming, is not only unsustainable, but that it is the cause of the existential problem facing humanity. They need to understand the symbiosis of human and natural systems, realise the import of the gathering clouds of climate change, and take prompt action.

SDGs are nowhere near realistic enough. But even now it is not too late. However, if it is left until it is too late, humanity may not be able to “jump out” and even if it somehow does, there will be nowhere to go.

Major General S.G. Vombatkere, VSM, retired as Additional DG Discipline & Vigilance in Army HQ AG’s Branch. He is a member of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).

The Morung Express POLL RESULTS

From the following options, which institution holds the most power in the present Nagaland state context? Why? Some of those who voted State Government had this to say: • I will say State Government because they control the finance and the security. Dont be fooled into thinking its the tribe organisation or the church.

Its the state government and they have used their power with great affect on the people.

• The State Government is the most in power since they are the elected representatives of the people and voted to power by the people including the Tribal organisations, Churches and others. As representatives they are to uphold the law of the land according to the constitution and no organisation or group should be allowed to write their own law as long as there is a state government.

• You know how they are mightier and conceal their corruption right under the nose of our people and we stand there helpless knowing that we'd been fooling then, now and forever!!!

• It is the state government. Both tribe organisation leaders and church leaders go to politicians and bureaucrats for favors and for financial assistance.

Come on lets call a spade a spade. How many of the tribal organizations are using boleros and scorpios and dusters that have been financed by politicians?

STATE GOVT. TRIBE ORG. • Because NPF party is the Government instead of a government being formed by the party. The party is running along the lines of JUNTA. Democracy has lost its meaning in the context of Nagaland.

The rest of the institutions are just puppets in the hands of the ruling party with no real say in the governance of the state whatsoever.

Some of those who voted Tribe Organisation had this to say: • Because this is the only weapon we have. We are becoming more conscious and proud of our tribal traditions, more so when we face discriminations in all level in mainland India.

It is time to recognise by Indianised politicians and americanised theologians that tribal culture is deep rooted and make policies as per sensitivity of tribal culture. all over the world more people are going back to their roots . This is the only protection we have • Tribal organisation can be the most powerful only if they respect the villages instead of trying to impose their power over them.

Some of those who voted Church had this to say: • If the church considers themselves to be the shepherd, than would that not make them the most powerful?

• Majority of the people are congregation members of the churches. The church is in the best position to influence and educate the people.

26%

Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:

13%

• In this time of confusion and confrontation, this question is very apt. People are confused whether it is the State government that is in control or whether the tribe organizations are more powerful. No one seems to know and this is the crust of the issue in our state. Every tom, dick and harry claims to be the one in power.

The rule of law is completely in disarray.

• I don’t think the State government or the tribe organizations or the churches are in control. Of course, being Nagas, they would like to think they are all powerful. I think the faceless and nameless businessman from outside Nagaland are the real people in control. These crorepattis are holding the remote control and they make our politicians and ngos dance to their tune.

• The Constitution of India. The terrible cocktail of Art 243T and Art 371A is giving us a new headache. But the utter inability to listen to one another remains the source of all the problems.

• Come on, who are we kidding. The Government of India is the most powerful. They are the ones that is fueling the problems and they are also feeding the state government to take care of the problem.

We Nagas are foolishly fighting among ourselves.

• Money Power CHURCH OTHERS • Naga National Political Groups • Others...I can't name because there are so many..

• OTHERS : a group of one or more person with die heart Attitude plays most powerful role.

• NSCN • Why is the obviously known OTHER not mentioned in the poll category. You have hidden the answer to the question.

• Others because the GoN is a failure, The hohos are losing credibility due to too many diktats and the Church for toeing to the powerful. So nature abhors a vacuum and others come in. And not only NPG's but rich business non Nagas interests and of course the huge population of ibi's.

• The Naga political groups are the most powerful. Even though they are divided by factionalism, they are the only ones that can actually unite the people.

• Other. State government has financial power but instead of development, legislators immorally think that they have power to loot the public fund. Tribal organizations consider they have the power to threaten their members for any reason and office bearers never think they are social workers, they only assume their works as public leader. Church organization unfortunately think they have the power to dictate the society they hardly think of winning more souls than multiplying members and exchequers. I strongly believe a movement like ACAUT can evoke the society and heal Nagaland from corruption, highhandedness and fanaticism.

51%

10%

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MonDAY 30•01•2017

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Akhilesh predicts 300-plus seats for Cong-SP alliance The alliance would ‘fight fascist forces’, says Rahul LUcKNOW, JANUARY 29 (iANs): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday predicted more than 300 seats in the assembly election to the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance which Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi likened to the "GangaYamuna milan".

Addressing a joint press conference with Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav said the people of Uttar Pradesh had made up their mind and were backing the newlyforged alliance to the hilt.

Asked why he had tied up with the Congress if his claims of work done in his 5-year tenure were true, the 43-year-old Chief Minister said the new alliance was needed to "take ahead the good work".

"We were and are sure of crossing the majority mark on our own. But now with the 'hand' joining the 'cycle', we are confident of crossing the 300 seats mark," he added.

Gandhi said the Congress and Samajwadi Party were akin to the two wheels of a cycle which was moving ahead in complete harmony.

The Congress leader endorsed Akhilesh Yadav's prediction of winning over 300 of the 403 seats and said the two parties would now on work together to defeat communal forces and the "politics of anger".

Later, Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav took out a joint road show here.

Amidst cheering by party workers, the two leaders stood atop a specially improvised 'rath'.

Congress activists were clearly outnumbered by Samajwadi Party sup-

101 candidates face criminal cases in Punjab: ADR

porters as they raised slogans like "Jai Akhilesh, Phir se Akhilesh."

The 12-km road show began from Hazratganj and took the two leaders to various parts of Lucknow.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi said his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was an asset to the Congress.

Asked if Priyanka Gandhi will campaign in the staggered Uttar Pradesh election, Gandhi said: "Priyanka has been of tremendous help to me and I have been to her. Whether she campaigns or not is her choice. She is an asset to Congress."

Asked if Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav will campaign, he said: "Campaign strategy will not be divulged now."

Talking about Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati, the Congress leader said: "I personally respect Mayawatiji.

BSP ruled the state and made a few mistakes but my respect is intact for her.

"There are a lot of differences between Mayawatiji and BJP," he added.

"The BJP spreads anger and makes people fight. There is a threat to the nation from their (BJP) ideology. There is no threat to the nation from Mayawati's ideology. There is no comparison between the two."

Rahul Gandhi also said the Samajwadi-Congress alliance was like the "Ganga-Yamuna milan".

"Ek tarah se yahan Ganga-Yamuna ka milan ho raha hai, progress ki Saraswati isme se niklegi. (This alliance is the coming together of Ganga-Yamuna.

The Saraswati of progress will emerge from this).

"This is an alliance of three Ps -Progress, Prosperity and Peace -- to fight the politics of anger, creating divide and making false promises."

Gandhi said the alliance would "fight fascist forces" such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological parent, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Adding one more "P" to the Ps mentioned by Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav said: "Let me add the fourth P. This will be People's alliance."

Both leaders said their personal and political relations had got better after the alliance was forged to fight the sevenphase election beginning on February 11.

"Our alliance will make Uttar Pradesh stronger," Gandhi said.

chANdigARh, JANUARY 29 (PTi): As many as 101 candidates in Punjab are facing various criminal cases, including that of murder and attempt to murder, poll watchdog Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has said. Besides, out of total 1,145 candidates in the fray, 428 are having assets of more than Rs 1 crore, with average assets per candidate being worked out at Rs 3.49 crore.

According to the analysis of candidates' affidavits by ADR, 101 out of 1,145 candidates have declared criminal cases against them. Of them, 78 candidates are facing serious criminal charges including that of murder, attempt to murder and crime against women, said Jagdeep Chhokar, founding member of ADR. Prominent among those who are facing criminal charges are Navjot Singh Sidhu, Captain Amarinder Singh, Simarjeet Singh Bains, he said. 53-year-old Sidhu, Congress candidate from Amritsar East, declared in his affidavit that on December 27, 1988 a case under section 302, 323, 34 of IPC was registered against him. He was acquitted in the case by the Session Court Patiala on September 22, 1999.

But the Punjab and Haryana High Court convicted him on December 6, 2006 sentencing him to three years' rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 1 lakh. But the Supreme Court suspended the sentence on January 23, 2007. Congress' chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh, who is contesting from Lambi and Patiala, is facing four cases, as per the report prepared by ADR. Lok Insaf Party candidate Simarjeet Bains is facing case under relevant sections of IPC including 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (charges related to voluntary causing hurt to deter servant from his duty). As per report prepared by ADR, 14 candidates of Congress, 12 of AAP, 10 of SAD and 2 of BJP and 20 out of 304 Independents were facing criminal charges, said Chhokar.

The report also said that a whopping 688 out of total 1,145 contestants, have declared their educational qualification between 5th standard and 12th standard while 41 candidates are illiterate. Despite political parties stressing upon giving more nominations to women in polls, 81 (7 per cent) women out of 1,145 candidates are contesting Punjab Assembly polls, as per the report.

UIDAI warns against printing of plastic Aadhaar cards Miffed Krishna quits Congress, not politics NeW deLhi JANUARY 29 (PTi): A printout of the downloaded Aadhaar card, even in black and white form, is as valid as the original card and there is no concept such as smart or plastic card, the UIDAI said.

The Unique Identification Authority of India on Sunday cautioned against unscrupulous entities charging anywhere between Rs. 50-200 for a plastic Aadhaar card and emphasised that paper-printed Aadhaar is “perfectly valid” and there is no concept such as smart or plastic card.

Warning the public not to fall for such ploys, the UIDAI said the Aadhaar letter or its cutaway portion or downloaded version of Aadhaar on ordinary paper is valid for all uses.

The Aadhaar card or the downloaded Aadhaar card printed on ordinary paper is perfectly valid for all uses. If a person has a paper Aadhaar card, there is absolutely no need to get his/her Aadhaar card laminated or obtain a plastic Aadhaar card or so called smart Aadhaar card by paying money. There is no concept such as smart or plastic Aadhaar card, Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO of UIDAI, said in a statement.

Advising users to protect their privacy, Mr. Pandey asked public not to share their Aadhaar number or personal details with unauthorised agencies for getting it laminated, or printed on plastic card.

“UIDAI has cautioned unauthorised agencies not to collect Aadhaar information from general public for printing of Aadhaar card as collecting such information or unauthor-

Budget 2017: Aadhaar maybe made mandatory for rail concession NeW deLhi, JANUARY 29 (PTi): The government is contemplating to make Aadhaar or Unique Identification (UID) card mandatory to avail rail concession, and an announcement is likely to be made by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while presenting the first combined General and Railway Budget on February 1.

The move will help the government in better targeting of benefits and check misuse of the facility, sources said. The Railways provides concession on tickets to more than 50 categories of passengers which include senior citizens, students, research scholars, teacher, doctor, nurse, patients, sports people, unemployed youth, Arjun awardees among others.

At present, Railways is running a pilot project for senior citizens who are entitled for rail concessions. The concessional tickets cost the Railways about Rs 1,600 crore in 2015-16, with the bulk being accounted for senior citizens. The government has decided to end the 92-year-old practice of presenting a separate Railway budget and merged it with the General Budget. Jaitley, according to sources, will contribute few pages of his Budget to programmes and schemes related to Indian Railways. Although there will be a single budget, the Railways will continue to have autonomy as the commercial undertaking and the existing financial arrangement will remain.

The Railways is expected to get an exemption from payment of dividend to the Union government, a move which will help the strengthening its finances. The organisation will also get budget support to meet part of its capital expenditure and will be allowed to raise extra budgetary resources. According to sources, Railways would continue to bear the expenditure on social and public service obligations. It is also expected that Jaitley will present a separate statement of budget estimates and demand for grants for Railways in the General Budget. There will also be a single Appropriation bill, including the estimates of Railways, to the Parliament. ised printing of Aadhaar card or aiding such persons in any manner amounts to a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment under Indian Penal Code and, also, Chapter VI of The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016,” the

statement added.

A printout of the downloaded Aadhaar card, even in black and white form, is as valid as the original Aadhaar card sent by UIDAI, it said adding that there is absolutely no need to print it on plastic card or get it laminated.

BeNgALURU, JANUARY 29 (iANs): India's former External Affairs Minister and former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna on Sunday quit the Congress, saying he was being sidelined by its leadership.

"I have resigned from the Congress to protect my self-respect and dignity after serving it for 46 years as the high command has sidelined me because of my age," an emotional 84-year-

old Krishna told reporters here.

Clarifying that he was not retiring from politics, Krishna said he had resigned from the party's primary membership through a letter to its President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday.

"I am herewith tendering my resignation (from) the Congress Party," said the letter.

Asserting that age was a state of mind, Krishna regretted that the high com-

mand had removed him as the External Affairs Minister in 2012 without any valid reason.

"I did not consult anyone on leaving the party.

And except my wife, I did not tell anyone that I was resigning from the party though it is a painful moment in my life," he said.

He said efforts were made by the party's leadership in Delhi to change his mind.

"I am indebted to the

leadership which became aware of my existence after I sent the resignation letter.

No change in the decision to quit," Krishna said.

Krishna was the External Affairs Minister in the second UPA government from 2009 to 2012 after his stint as the Maharashtra Governor from 2005 to 2008 and Karnataka's Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004.

Krishna was also a Rajya Sabha member.

RBI rejects raising cash-withdrawal limit for candidates NeW deLhi, JANUARY 29 (PTi): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has rejected the request of the Election Commission to enhance the weekly cash-withdrawal limit, imposed after demonetisation, for those contesting Assembly elections in five states, prompting an angry reaction from the poll panel.

The Commission had on Wednesday requested RBI to enhance the withdrawal limit of candidates to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 24,000 per week imposed post demonetisation as the nominees would find it difficult to meet their campaign expenditure.

But RBI said that it was not possible for it to hike the limit at this stage.

An apparently peeved Commission has now written back to RBI Governor Urjit Patel expressing "serious concern about the cursory manner in

which the issue has been dealt with". "...(It) appears that the RBI has not realised the gravity of the situation...

It is reiterated that it is the constitutional mandate of the Commission to conduct free and fair elections and to provide level-playing field to all candidates...in order to facilitate proper conduct of elections, it is imperative that directions issued by the Commission are complied with," the poll panel said. It urged the central bank to reconsider the proposal.

On Wednesday, the Commission had told RBI that it has been apprised of the problems candidates were facing due to withdrawal limits imposed after the note ban. It said the returning officer of the constituency would issue certificate that the person was a candidate in the fray and the contestant be allowed to withdraw Rs 2 lakh cash per

week from the bank account opened especially to meet poll expenses.

The EC said the facility be extended till March 11, the day of counting. Candidates are bound to open an election account for meeting poll-related expenditure which is monitored by the EC. The Commission said that with a weekly withdrawal limit of Rs 24,000, a candidate would be able to withdraw Rs 96,000 in cash during the election process which lasts three to four weeks.

It reminded the central bank that as per law, candidates contesting Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab can spend Rs 28 lakh each for electioneering.

The limit in Goa and Manipur is Rs 20 lakh each. The poll panel said despite paying amounts through cheques, candidates still need hard cash for petty expenses.

X-rays and brothel patrols check sex trafficking in Kolkata's red light district KOLKATA, JANUARY 29 (ThOmsON ReUTeRs FOUNdATiON): A sex workers' committee meeting is underway on the first floor of a shabby building at the entrance of Sonagachi, South Asia's largest red light district in the Indian city of Kolkata.

The proceedings are brisk. A detailed form, complete with family history, address, educational qualifications and previous employment, is completed and the "new girl in town" is escorted to a nearby clinic for an x-ray to analyse her bones and establish her age.

"She has to be over 18 to even think of working here," said Gita Ghosh, a member of the sex workers' self regulatory board, reading from the rule book.

"And we have to be certain there was no coercion or force. If any of these are suspected, we will send her right back home."

Ghosh is a new member of this self-help board, the first to be set up a decade ago in Sonagachi to stop the trafficking of girls

from Nepal, Bangladesh and rural pockets of the east Indian state of West Bengal.

Started in 2007 by nonprofit group Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, there are now 33 such boards across the state today. Their efforts to screen girls new to sex work has led to the detection of thousands of trafficked girls and women.

Between 1992 and 2011 the proportion of minors in sex work in Sonagachi declined from 25 to two percent, campaigners say.

"It will be very difficult to find a minor or an unwilling sex worker in Sonagachi or any other red light area in the state today," said police officer Sarbari Bhattacharya, head of the antitrafficking unit in Kolkata.

"Girls are being trafficked but not to the brothels under the watch of sex workers. Our operations have now moved to residential areas and hotels."

and nine million victims of sex trafficking in India, adding that many do not come forward for fear of being ostracised by society, abused by their traffickers or not taken seriously by the police.

Many victims, often from poor backgrounds, are duped with the promise of a job before being sold into the sex trade.

"I was brought here as a teenager with the promise of a housemaid's job," board member Mamta Nandi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"I can spot a reluctant entrant in these bylanes.

I know what it feels like to be trapped here. No one talked to me when I was brought here against my will but I talk to people to make sure a 14-year-old is not exploited here."

Ghosh and Nandi are also part of vigilante groups that live and work in the brothels.

Their patrols take place around the clock, with each member responsible for BROTHEL PATROL Campaigners estimate visits to a dozen or so broththere are between three els operating from multi-

storeyed buildings every day to identify new girls.

LIFE IN SONAGACHI On a bright winter morning in January, some women of Sonagachi sit on the steps of their brothels, sunning themselves. Inside the damp corridors, utensils are being cleaned, heaps of clothes are washed and food cooked.

This is when Ghosh and Nandi have friendly chats with the brothel madams.

There are quick exchange of jokes, gossip shared and as they leave, the vigilante group members remind them to send new girls to be checked by the board.

As the sun sets, the streets come to life. There is no time to talk now, as women darken their lipsticks and dress up for their first clients - groups of college boys, migrant workers, the odd businessman or an out- of-place gentleman in a tie.

The women on patrol change tack now, and walk along the narrow alleys quietly, keeping an eye out for newcomers, stop-

A woman uses an umbrella to take cover from rain as she walks past a model of elephant which will be used to decorate a pandal, or a temporary platform, during the Hindu festival of Saraswati Puja, the goddess of education, in Kolkata on January 27. (REUTERS Photo)

ping only for a quick word with pimps to ensure they are following the rules of Sonagachi.

Up to 35 new girls come into Sonagachi every month, according to the regulatory board's data.

Each girl is kept in a short-stay home for three days until her credentials and reasons for being in the

brothel are verified.

X-rays of her wrist, elbow and pelvis are taken to estimate her age, Ghosh said, adding that many carried forged documents to show they were 18 or older.

"This model of antitrafficking has shown results which we can measure now, a decade after it was started," said Smarajit

Jana, advisor to the All India Network of Sex Workers told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"Board interventions have assisted almost three times as many women and girls than other anti-trafficking efforts combined."

BUILDING TRUST The success of the

boards, made up of 10 members including a doctor, counsellor and elected representative, resonates in India's southern city of Mysuru as well.

Ashodaya Samithi, a collective of over 8,000 women, men and trangender sex workers, started self regulatory boards here despite "mistrust and ridicule".

"Many questioned the intention of the sex workers, accusing them of being traffickers themselves," said Sushena Reza-Paul, an assistant professor and advisor to Ashodaya Samithi.

"And in Mysuru, there is no defined red light district. So the boards use their extensive social network to identify trafficking victims."

But board members say they still face challenges when they send young trafficked girls back home, with many parents refusing to accept them back.

"We keep following up through our members," said Ghosh. "We keep trying and we know we are making a small difference."

MondAY 30•01•2017

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

Trump immigration ban loses first legal battle New York, JaNuarY 29 (aFP): US airports braced for fresh protests Sunday against Donald Trump’s temporary immigration ban, which a federal judge partially blocked by ordering authorities not to deport refugees and other travelers detained at US borders.

The ruling coincided with a wave of anger and concern abroad, including among US allies, and rallies at major airports across the United States.

“Victory!!!!!!” the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which had sued the government, tweeted after US District Judge Ann Donnelly in New York issued an emergency stay.

“Our courts today worked as they should as bulwarks against government abuse or unconstitutional policies and orders,” the ACLU said.

But the ruling, which did not touch on the constitutionality of Trump’s order, did not quiet protestors at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, where thousands had gathered.

“People are prepared to stand against this” said David Gaddis.

“It’s not surprising that people are mobilizing,” the 43-year-old said. “Every day he’s in office, it’s a national emergency.”

Mass protests also

Trump’s order follows through on one of his most controversial campaign promises, to subject travelers from Muslim-majority countries to “extreme vetting” -- which he declared would make America safe from “radical Islamic terrorists.”

The targeted countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

“We knew that was coming -- we were prepared,” said Camille Mackler, a lawyer who heads legal initiatives at the New York Immigration Coalition, one of the groups that quickly mounted the demonstration there.

“But we didn’t know when, and we couldn’t believe it would be immediate, that there’d be people in an airplane the moment the order was taking effect.” broke out at major airports, including Washington, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas.

Trump’s executive order, signed Friday, suspends the arrival of refugees for at least 120 days and bars visas for travelers from seven Muslim majority countries for the next three months.

The exact number of those affected is unclear, but Donnelly ordered the

government to provide lists of all those detained at US airports since the measure went into effect.

Sending those travelers back to their home countries following Trump’s order exposes them to “substantial and irreparable injury,” she wrote in her decision.

A second federal judge in Virginia also issued a temporary order restricting immigration authorities for seven days from deporting

legal permanent residents The List Project, which detained at Dulles Airport helps Iraqis whose perjust outside Washington. sonal safety is threatened because they have worked ‘We were prepared’ for the US, was outraged The ACLU’s legal chal- over Darweesh’s detention, lenge sought the release of warning it put American two Iraqi men on grounds lives at risk too. of unlawful detention.

“I can’t say this in bluntOne of them -- Hameed enough terms: you can’t Khalid Darweesh, who has screw over the people that worked as interpreter and risked their lives and bled in other roles for the US in for this country without Iraq -- was released on Sat- consequences,” wrote the urday after being detained project’s founder and dithe day before. rector Kirk Johnson.

‘Muslim ban’ According to Trump aide Rudy Giuliani, the president originally dubbed his executive order a “Muslim ban,” and asked the former New York mayor to show him “the right way to do it legally.”

“When he first announced it, he said, ‘Muslim ban,” Giuliani told Fox News Saturday, adding that the seven countries were targeted because they are “the areas of the world that

create danger for us.”

The State Department has said that people from the seven countries under the 90-day travel ban will be prohibited entry no matter their visa status.

Only those holding a dual citizenship with the US will be allowed to enter.

The plan triggered a fierce political backlash at home and abroad, including from Trump’s fellow Republicans.

Orrin Hatch, the most senior Republican in the US Senate, spoke of America’s “legal and moral obligations to help the innocent victims of these terrible conflicts.”

Trump’s Democratic campaign rival Hillary Clinton chimed in on Twitter: “this is not who we are.”

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, wrote, “to my colleagues: don’t ever again lecture me on American moral leadership if you chose to be silent today.”

His tweet was accompanied by the now iconic photograph of Aylan Kurdi, a three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed up on a beach in Turkey in 2015 after a failed attempt to flee Syria’s brutal war to join relatives in Canada.

The rapid mobilization against the order suggests a protracted battle is shaping up between migrant advo-

cates and Trump and his administration.

The battle could end up in the US Supreme Court, which has not ruled on this type of immigration issue since the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. Anger abroad In Europe, French President Francois Hollande lashed the refusal of refugees, and called out to fellow EU members: “We have to respond.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel likewise condemned the restrictions, saying that however hard the fight against terrorism was, “it is not justified to place people from a certain origin or belief under general suspicion,” her spokesman said.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May, who is seeking to strike up a friendship with Trump, said US immigration policy was “a matter for the government of the United States... but we do not agree with this kind of approach.”

On Sunday Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called Trump’s ban “a great gift to extremists.” “#MuslimBan will be recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters,” Zarif said as part of a string of tweets.

Philippine troops kill 15 IS Legal advisor of Myanmar’s ruling party shot dead People with Type 1 diabetes According to a poYaNgoN, JaNuarY 29 the advisor who was also a from Indonesia where he was supporters; rebel leader wounded (IaNS): need to exercise safely Legal advisor of prominent lawyer and pa- part of a delegation attending lice report, the suspected MaNILa, JaNuarY 29 (reuTerS): Philippine soldiers killed 15 militants and seriously wounded their leader, believed to be the Islamic State’s representative in the country, following air and artillery strikes in a southern province, a senior military official said on Sunday.

Isnilon Hapilon, also known as Abu Abdullah and a leader of the Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf, might die as he needed immediate medical treatment, military chief General Eduardo Ano told reporters, citing intelligence and communications intercepts. “He needs blood transfusion. Without proper medical treatment, he may die,” Ano said.

Philippine forces on Thursday dropped bombs and fired shells at rebel positions in the mountains of Lanao del Sur in a bid to flush out Hapilon. The province is a stronghold of the Maute rebel group, which has also pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

Hapilon is on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list for his role in the kidnapping of 17 Filipinos and three Americans in 2001 and carries a bounty of $5 million.

One of those killed is an Indonesian but Ano said they were still “digging and doing more investigation” about the foreigner’s background. Hapilon was with two other foreigners whose nationality was uncertain, he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte appealed on Friday to the country’s Muslim separatist groups to deny sanctuary to militants with links to Islamic State, warning a war would ensue that would put civilians in danger.

A day before he made the appeal, the defence minister said foreign intelligence reports showed Hapilon was getting instructions from Islamic State to expand in the Philippines, in the strongest sign yet of links to the Middle Eastern militants.

Duterte has said he could no longer contain the extremist “contamination” and urged two Muslim separatist rebels groups - the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front - to rebuff Islamic State’s advances.

Ano said a firefight could be expected between soldiers and Hapilon’s group following the strikes.

Myanmar’s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party U Ko Ni was shot dead on Sunday, the media reported. According to U Zaw Htay, spokesperson of the President’s Office,

Only 13% evacuees are back at Japan’s Fukushima

ParIS, JaNuarY 29 (reuTerS): A new chapter opened in France’s closely contested presidential election campaign on Sunday as Socialists voted to choose their champion and conservatives fought to keep their scandal-hit campaign on track.

Polling opened at 0800 GMT in a Socialist primary runoff that pits pro-business ex-premier Manuel Valls against hard-left lawmaker Benoit Hamon for the Socialist ticket.

Francois Fillon - chosen as conservative candidate last year by his party The Republicans but hurt last week by a newspaper claim that his wife was paid for fake work - was meanwhile due to hold a rally on the outskirts of Paris.

Hamon is favourite to beat Valls in the Socialist primary’s head-to-head vote, but neither man has much chance of winning the presidential race itself after five years of unpopular Socialist rule.

Until Fillon tripped up over his British wife Penelope’s pay, prompting the opening of an official inquiry into the matter, he was favourite to win the

TokYo, JaNuarY 29 (IaNS): Only 13 per cent of the inhabitants of Japan’s Fukushima prefecture who were evacuated following a 2011 nuclear accident have returned to their homes after it was declared inhabitable again, the media reported.

The evacuation orders, placed in five areas after an earthquake and a tsunami in March 2011 triggered one the of worst nuclear accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant since Chernobyl, were gradually lifted, completely or partially, between April 2014 and July 2016.

According to official data collected in January from five municipalities, only around 2,500 of the 19,460 people registered in the five municipalities before the accident are currently residing there, Efe news reported.

Local councils believe a large portion of the inhabitants who have decided not to return are people who do not wish to expose their children to high levels of radiation.

Evacuation orders are expected to be lifted later this year in four other municipal areas.

Eight towns near the nuclear power plant are still under evacuation orders owing to high levels of radiation.

The earthquake and tsunami, which devastated northeastern Japan and left more than 18,000 people dead or missing, struck the Fukushima plant and damaged its cooling systems, causing partial nuclear meltdowns in the three reactors operating at the time.

Radioactive emissions and spills after the nuclear catastrophe forced thousands of people living in areas surrounding the plant to evacuate, as well as seriously affecting agriculture, fishing and cattle-raising in the region.

tron of the recently formed Myanmar Muslim Lawyers Association, was shot in the head outside the Yangon International Airport, the Myanmar Times reported.

U Ko Ni was returning

a senior leadership meeting in Jakarta. “It is a very sorrowful thing for Myanmar, and a very big loss for the country, I have to say,” U Win Htein, an NLD member, told the Myanmar Times.

shooter is a 53-year-old man from Mandalay. The suspect has been arrested and is being questioned by the police. The motive for the killing has not been established yet.

Mexico rebukes Israel over Netanyahu wall tweet MeXICo CITY, JaNuarY 29 (reuTerS): Mexico’s government rebuked Israel on Saturday for a tweet

by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that appeared to applaud US President Donald Trump’s plan to build a border wall with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants.

Netanyahu said on Twitter earlier on Saturday.

The comment was swiftly rejected by leaders of the Jewish community in Mexico, and prompted an unusually blunt statement from Mexico’s foreign ministry.

“The Foreign Ministry expressed to the government of Israel, via its ambassador in Mexico, its profound astonishment, rejection and disappointment over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s message on Twitter about the construction of a border wall,” the ministry’s statement.

“Mexico is a friend of Israel and

should be treated as such by its Prime Minister,” it said, noting that Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray expressed his deep affection for Israel in an event marking Holocaust memorial day on Friday.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said on Twitter Netanyahu had been referring to his country’s “specific security experience” and that Israel was not voicing an opinion on U.S.Mexican relations.

Mexico’s government and Trump have been locked in a bitter dispute over his election campaign promise to build a wall on the U.S. southern border that he says Mexico will pay for. Mexico has repeatedly said it will not pay for the wall.

The Central Committee of the Jewish Community in Mexico issued a statement saying it “forcefully rejected” Netanyahu’s comment, while

several prominent Mexicans of Jewish origin sharply criticized the Israeli leader on Twitter.

“So you like walls @netanyahu?

Here you have a couple of nice designs,” said Mony de Swaan, a former head of the Mexican telecommunications regulator, posting images of walls commemorating BergenBelsen, the Nazi concentration camp where diarist Anne Frank died, and the Warsaw Ghetto.

On Thursday, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a visit to meet Trump next week after the American advised him to forgo the trip if he was not willing to pay for the wall.

The leaders pledged to work out their differences in a call on Friday morning, and the Mexican government said the two had agreed not to discuss the issue of payment for now.

ToroNTo, JaNuarY 29 (IaNS): Maintaining good exercise regimen may be difficult and risky, especially for people with Type 1 diabetes, because exercise tends to cause fluctuations in blood sugar, which may even become dangerous, researchers warned. Patients with Type 1 diabetes have to monitor their blood glucose levels before, during and after exercise, said Michael Riddell, Professor at York University in Ontario, Canada.

Regular exercise can help individuals with diabetes to achieve their blood lipid, body composition, fitness and blood sugar goals. However, for people living with Type 1 diabetes, the fear of hypoglycemia, loss of glycemic control, and inadequate knowledge around exercise management are major barriers, Riddell said.

Diabetic patients should maintain a healthy body weight nor do they achieve the minimum required moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity of 150 minutes per week.

In paediatric patients, exercise reduces the cardiovascular disease risk profile, improves the sense of wellbeing and brings down average blood glucose levels, whereas in adults, being physically active may decrease the risk of both diabetic eye disease and kidney disease.

They also have a better chance of achieving target levels of glycated hemoglobin levels, blood pressure levels and a healthier body mass index (BMI) when compared to inactive patients, Riddell said.

The results showed that aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging or light cycling are associated with reductions in glycemia while anaerobic exercise like sprinting, heavy weight-lifting, and interval sports like hockey are known to temporarily increase glucose levels.

Hence, a clear understanding of the physiology of different forms of exercise and the changes that can influence glycemia during exercise may ensure safe and diabetes control, the researchers noted.

French presidentials on knife-edge as left votes, right fights scandal

A combination picture shows French Socialist party politicians, former prime minister Manuel Valls (L) and former education minister Benoit Hamon, candidates in the second round for the French left’s presidential primary election, as they attend the first prime-time televised debate in La Plaine Saint-Denis, near Paris on January 12.

(REUTERS File Photo)

election proper.

Opinion polls showed him beating far-right National Front (FN) leader Marine Le Pen in a run-off vote on May 7 with a comfortable two-thirds of the vote.

Popularity polls since have shown his rating slip slightly, although there have been no polls on vot-

ing intentions since the scandal broke.

Whichever Socialist wins on Sunday, opinion polls show him destined for a humiliating fifth place in the April 23 first round of the election itself, behind Fillon, Le Pen, centrist Emmanuel Macron, and rebel left-winger Jean-Luc Melenchon who shunned the

primaries.

Nevertheless, Sunday’s outcome is important to the result, and for the future of the Socialist party, unpopular after five years of high unemployment under President Francois Hollande and split by a probusiness policy u-turn that angered its left-wingers.

A victory by leftist

Hamon, who wants to give a “universal income” to all citizens at a cost of 350 billion euros and impose a tax on robots, would boost Macron’s chances by pushing Valls’ centre-left pro-business supporters into the former investment banker’s arms.

Hamon, a former education minister, was kicked out of Valls’ government in 2014 for differences on economic policy.

Macron was Valls’ economy minister until he quit last year to launch his presidential campaign.

But he was not a party member, and spurned the Socialist primaries to stand at the head of his own centrist political movement.

The latest polls show him breathing down the necks of Fillon and Le Pen. A Hamon win could tempt moderate Socialist lawmakers and voters towards Macron. It could also hasten a break-up of the Socialist party, analysts say.

FILLON ON OFFENSIVE Fillon sought to get his campaign back on track on Sunday with an interview in the Journal du Dimanche newspaper.

Muck-racking against mainstream candidates could end up propelling Le Pen into power, he said.

“If we continue to try to destroy credible candidates in the presidential election, this is how it’ll end,” Fillon told the paper.

It was the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine that threw his campaign off track last week. Its report said his wife had received a total of around 600,000 euros ($640,000) for employment by him and his successor in parliament, and later as a literary reviewer for a cultural journal.

Fillon has not denied the figures, but he has denied the jobs were fake, saying his wife for years proof-read his speeches and prepared press reviews.

He has said he would not give up his presidential bid unless he was himself put under formal investigation.

Last week, investigators searched the headquarters of the cultural journal that employed Penelope Fillon. They also seized files on Francois Fillon held by France’s official anti-corruption watchdog.

mondAY 30•01•2017

SPORTS

10

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

chelsea, Arsenal breeze through; spurs survive scare

London, January 29 (aFP): Premier League giants Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City all made it comfortably through to the last 16 of the FA Cup. Elsewhere, Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship club Wolves while Tottenham survived a potential giant-killing of their own by twice coming from behind in a 4-3 win over fourth-tier Wycombe Wanderers.

Seven-times FA Cup winners Liverpool lost 2-1 at home to second-tier Wolves as the Merseysiders' season went from bad to worse.

Defeat meant Liverpool, 10 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea -- their next opponents at Anfield on Tuesday -had been knocked out of two cup competitions in four days following their 2-0 aggregate loss to Southampton in Wednesday's League Cup semi-final.

Wolves were ahead in under a minute, Richard Stearman heading in a free-kick and, four minutes before half-time, Andreas Weimann finished an excellent counter-attack by the Midlands club.

But, having rarely

threatened, a muchchanged Liverpool pulled a goal back when Divock Origi scored from close range in the 86th minute following a corner.

That, however, was good as it got for Liverpool, who have now won just one of their last eight matches in all competitions.

"We were very bad," Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp told BT Sport. "We started badly and it didn't really get better."

For Wolves, victory gave them a second Premier League scalp in this season's FA Cup after they beat Stoke City in the third round and manager Paul Lambert said: "We'll enjoy the ride. We might get dismantled in the next game but the last two (FA Cup) games have been unbelievable."

Wycombe threatened an even bigger upset as they surged into a 2-0 lead away to eight-times FA Cup winners Spurs thanks to two first-half goals from captain Paul Hayes only for Son Heung-Min, who scored twice, to grab the winning goal seven minutes into stoppage-time.

Hayes fired Wycombe into a 23rd-minute lead,

Chelsea's Willian scores the opening goal from a free kick during their English FA Cup match against Brentford on January 28, 2016 (AFP Photo)

against a Spurs side showing nine changes, with a fine volley.

And in the 36th minute, Hayes made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Cameron Carter-Vickers's foul on Sam Wood.

public discourse

The Right Church?

A

Chandemo N Murry

few days ago, I met one of my friends and we were sharing about our life stories and part of our conversation was about the ministry we were involved in. I was struck with one of his concerns which was about the teachings of Christ that differs from one church to another. Apparently, he was confused about the teachings that he listen to from different churches or preachers. So, what’s the question here?

Let’s say, what would be the right church or what kind of teachings or sermons do I have to listen for my spiritual growth?

The truth is, there is no perfect church. I would also refrain myself from using the term “the right church”. But undoubtedly, I would term it as “God – Centered Church”.

Firstly, the foundational duty of any church ministry is the proclamation of God’s Word. And proper biblical preaching should be systematic, expositional, theological, and God-centered. (John MacArthur, Fool’s Gold). Many of the sermons are focussed on sheer vapid subjects such as relationships, successful living, and emotional issues which are nothing much but worldly ideas rather than biblical. Have we ever thought about what kind of messages are being preached in our churches today? Are we being taught about the reality of the Word of God? In a lot of churches everything (from worship to sermon) are sort of an entertainment. The point is, we want good turn outs in the church and to keep the people intact, we exert our time in planning different church activities and events which is great but very often we miss out the centrality of its ministry. Scripture is clear in 2 Tim 4 : 3 – 4 which says, For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but have itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. 4. And will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into Myths. The gospel cannot always put us in a comfortable place. As Alistair Begg points out in one of his sermons, “those who stand in pulpits must preach the whole body of truth in the scriptures, which includes both sovereign wrath and supreme love. They cannot pick and chooses what they want to preach. Addressing the wrath of God is never optional for a faithful preacher – it is a divine mandate.” Truly, the Word of God has been sidelined. Subsequently, there is spiritual decaying in the churches. Many people have been broken and turned himself into a very defiant, bitter, and vengeful person just because they have got the Gospel wrong.

Secondly, in our culture, citing a grocery situation - our choice or selection is based on our personal desires. Sadly, Christians carry this attitude from the marketplace into the church. The writer Kurt Gebhards in the book Fools Gold terms it as “Christian Consumerism”.

They view themselves as “customers” in search of a religious product that can

meet their felt needs and fulfil their desires. Instead of seeing themselves as servants, they regard the church as a place to be accommodated and served.

Rather than being God-focused, they are self-focused. Rather than acknowledging the church as a place where God is the “customer,” they see themselves as the center of attention, expecting their wants to be fulfilled. It’s all about my expectations being met which is flimsy. But the right way of approaching to any church ministry is meeting God’s standards. Simply asking ourselves, Are God’s expectations met?

To those people looking for the right church or confused about joining a church or the church teachings, one of the pivotal things to do is to seek for a ministry that meets God’s expectation or that centres on God Himself for your own spiritual edification. For those people if you are already a member of a church, ask yourself, how has the Gospel impacted your life? Any church should be biblical and God centered. A couple of days ago, a good friend and a pastor of mine shared about some church youth groups after the event posted several photos on facebook with a caption, “ Feeling blessed, the music was great and awesome. Had a great time”. So, this awesome experience was based on the other activities than the Word of God. There was nothing about God or His Word. How true it is even for many of us that we miss the only one purpose of the church which is the Word of God. We cannot have this perspective or belief that the purpose of any church ministry is meeting our needs or expectations. Our prayers and desires should be spiritual edification through Christ.

Thirdly, this is our current situation where the Church practices or the activities reveal that we are focused on ourselves more than God. The Churches today is a platform to exhibit one’s own skills and abilities. We testify our own greatness such as missional, ministry and church achievements and accomplishments, good works – philanthropic contributions and a lot more which are centred on man’s efforts and activities. And such aspects of the church are not wrong or evil but the church loses its purpose when we put ourselves in the centre than God. The church in its entirety from invocation prayer to worship, testimony, special song, sermon until benediction should be emphasized on God. A God centred church/ministry glorifies God in every little thing.

The proclamation of the Word of God is the unshakable truth and duty of any church ministry. And this is specifically meeting God’s expectations than ours.

If it is not a God centred Church it hinders the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. It weakens the people from fully developing the mind of Christ which puts us in a complacent Christian lifestyle and therefore, remains indifferent to the Gospel. It also affects our faith and growth in Christ.

In everything, God be glorified.

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.

But Son scored on the hour and four minutes later the north London side were level through a Vincent Janssen penalty after he was brought down in the box.

Wycombe, however,

regained the lead though Gary Thompson's 83rdminute header only, with two minutes of normal time left, for England midfielder Alli, on as a substitute, to make it 3-3.

Wycombe were then

cruelly denied even a replay when South Korea forward Son scored with a deflected shot seconds before the final whistle.

"Full credit to Wycombe they played very well," relieved Spurs man-

ager Mauricio Pochettino told the BBC. "They were heroes."

Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth added: "It was an outstanding effort from the boys."

Chelsea kept their double hopes alive with a comfortable 4-0 fourth-round win at home to fellow west London club Brentford.

Wilian gave Chelsea a 14th-minute lead with when he lifted a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.

Minutes later, Antonio Conte's men were 2-0 up when Pedro scored at the far post following Michy Batshuayi's defence-splitting pass.

Branislav Ivanovic made it 3-0 before Batshuayi's penalty nine minutes from time completed the scoring.

"It was important to go to the next round and to think about the next game at Liverpool -- a tough game," Conte told Bein Sports.

Manchester City won an all-Premier League tie against Crystal Palace, last season's losing finalists, 3-0 courtesy of goals from Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Yaya Toure.

England forward Theo Walcott scored a hat-trick against his former club as Arsenal won 5-0 away to Southampton in Saturday's late kick-off, the Gunners untroubled as manager Arsene Wenger served the first of a four-game touchline ban for misconduct.

First-half goals from Danny Welbeck, who scored twice, and Walcott put Arsenal 3-0 up before Walcott completed his treble after the break against a Saints side already heading to Wembley for next month's League Cup final against Manchester United.

In other FA Cup ties, Premier League Burnley and Middlesbrough triumphed following 2-0 and 1-0 wins over lower league Bristol City and Accrington respectively.

Meanwhile non-league Lincoln stunned Championship leaders Brighton 3-1 and third-tier Oxford upset second-tier Newcastle 3-0 as Blackburn defeated Blackpool 2-0 and Huddersfield thrashed Rochdale 4-0.

FA Cup holders United are at home to Wigan on Sunday while non-league Sutton face Championship club Leeds.

West Ham to sell Payet Australia's Big Bash cricket

London, January 29 (aFP): France international Dimitri Payet's long drawn out transfer saga ended on Sunday as Premier League side West Ham agreed to sell him to Ligue 1 outfit Marseille for a reported £25million (29.3m euros, $31.3m).

The 29-year-old -- who starred for the Hammers last season scoring 12 goals -- had effectively gone on strike at the begin-

ning of the month.

He said he would not play for the club again and his and his wife's priority was a return to France and his former club.

However, having turned down two earlier bids -- rumoured to be £19m and £20m -- West Ham changed their tune with the higher offer and also having signed Scotland international Robert Snodgrass from Hull.

Assam win Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tie KoLKata, January 29 (IanS): Assam got the better of Jharkhand by four wickets in a Syed Mushtaq Ali East Zone Twenty20 cricket match at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.

Amit Verma stole the show with an all-round performance. Verma (3/17) chipped in with three wickets to restrict Jharkhand to 133 for nine in their allotted 20 overs before scoring an unbeaten half-century to help Assam reach 137 for six in 18.3 overs.

Put in to bat, Jharkhand got off to a good start before Abu

Nechim (3/24) bagged two wickets in two overs to leave them tottering at 73 for four.

Verma then accounted for the next four scalps -- three with his legspin, besides effecting a run out.

For Jharkhand, Virat Singh top scored with 26 runs.

Chasing a modest target of 134, Assam struggled as Jharkhand's fast bowling combination of Varun Aaron and Rahul Shukla shared four wickets between them, while Shahbaz Nadeem and Kaushal Singh took wicket apiece.

league smashes records

Sydney, January 29 (aFP): Records have tumbled for the Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Cricket Australia saying Sunday the enormous crowds and viewership for the fast-paced format this season has surpassed expectations.

The Big Bash is in its sixth season and has used a blend of sport and entertainment to draw families and younger spectators to games.

The high-octane format has proved popular, with more than one million people attending this season's games at an average of 30,114 per match, CA said.

"Once again, fans have well and truly spoken and we couldn't be happier with how this year's competition has progressed on all levels," Big Bash chief Anthony Everard said in a statement.

"The season has well and truly exceeded our expectations".

The league concluded on Saturday, with a sold-out crowd at the WACA Ground in Perth watching as the Perth Scorchers thrashed the Sydney Sixers by nine wickets to win the final.

Twenty matches of the 35 BBL

games this season sold out.

The highest turnout was the derby between Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades at the MCG on January 1, that attracted 71,162 spectators.

The host broadcaster, Network Ten, had an average viewership of 1,021,750 per match for the season.

The women's BBL, in its second season, also drew an "unprecedented level" of crowds and television viewers and encouraged more women and girls to play cricket, CA said.

More than 100,000 people watched the women's games this season, with the highest attendance of 24,000 recorded for the Melbourne derby on New Year's Day. Cricket Australia has sought to capitalise on the league's popularity by adding eight matches to the men's competition next season.

The venues have yet to be announced, although Cricket NSW chief has said holding the opening round in Hong Kong could be one option.

There were no plans at this stage to increase the number of teams in the league, CA said on Friday.

Curry's 43 lead Warriors over Clippers, streaking Heat win

LoS angeLeS, January 29 (aFP): Stephen Curry scored 43 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to their most dominant victory of the NBA season, a 114-98 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers in Oakland.

"It feels great," said Curry, who electrified the crowd with a 51-foot shot to close the first half. "I felt like I was always in a rhythm and the guys were setting great screens."

After the break he drained five three-pointers in the third quarter en route to 25 points in the period.

"It was one of those quarters where everything seems to go right," Curry said.

The 46-point margin of victory was the Warriors' biggest of the season while the Clippers hadn't lost by more than 26 this year.

Curry notched his third 40-point game of the season and came tantalizingly close to his season high of 46 points despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter.

Even Warriors coach Steve Kerr couldn't help but be in awe of Curry's performance. Kerr, who played over 900 games in the NBA, told his star player during one timeout on the bench that he could only dream of having a game like that.

"How does it feel what-

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball against the LA Clippers during the game on January 28, 2017 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. (Getty Images)

ever the hell you are feeling right now?" Kerr asked in the middle of the game.

"Just once in my life ... for me if I went like five for six and made four threes that was about the best I ever did."

Kevin Durant added 23 points and a team-high seven assists, and Klay Thompson had 16 points for the Warriors, who notched their fifth straight home win.

Curry also found time for a team-high nine rebounds and six assists.

The Clippers dropped to 1-4 since losing star guard Chris Paul to injury despite

having Blake Griffin back in the lineup. Griffin, who finished with 20 points, was playing in his second game since returning from knee injury.

J.J. Redick added 13 points for the Clippers, who haven't beaten the Warriors in the regular season since Christmas Day in 2014.

- Heat extend win streak Elsewhere, Goran Dragic tallied eight of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat extended their NBA win streak to seven games with a 116-103 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Wayne Ellington scored

19 points and James Johnson finished with 18 for the Heat, who have the longest active winning streak in the league.

"Our toughest, most physical, most committed minutes were in the fourth quarter. That was good to see," said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra.

Miami improved to 1830 on the season, giving them their longest winning streak since February 2014.

Dion Waiters scored 13 of his 17 points in the first quarter in front of a crowd of 19,600.

Detroit dropped to 2126 on the season despite getting a team-high 24

points from Reggie Jackson.

In Milwaukee, Isaiah Thomas scored 37 points and Jae Crowder added 20 as the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks a 112-108 in overtime at the Bradley Center.

Thomas knocked down six three-pointers and went 11 for 21 from the floor.

He has scored 20 or more points in 31 straight games.

"He was good," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of Thomas. "He was really good. He got to the rim. They really collapse so you have to kick it out. His ability to get to the rim started others' ability to get to the rim and we were able to get enough kick outs and finishes to win."

In Charlotte, DeMarcus Cousins scored 35 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to lead the visiting Sacramento Kings to a 109-106 victory over the Hornets.

Cousins put the Kings ahead for good with a driving basket that took the score to 108-106 with 14.3 seconds remaining.

After Charlotte's Frank Kaminsky missed a threepoint attempt, Cousins added a free throw with less than a second remaining as the Kings -- nearing the end of an eight-game road trip -- bounced back from an overtime defeat at Indiana on Friday.

monday 30•01•2017

EntErtainmEnt

idris Elba wants to become an astronaut David and Victoria Beckham renew wedding vows

T

T

he couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Ireland in 1999 and David admitted that their renewal ceremony was a much more tasteful affair. Speaking to Kirsty Young for a special 75th anniversary edition of Radio 4's 'Desert Island Discs', he said: We did throw a lot at it. We have renewed our vows since then and it was a lot more private, there was about six people there in our house.''

Referring to the thrones they sat on at the wedding and their eyecatching outfits, he added: ''That was pretty bold. Victoria's was pretty nice. ''Mine, I'm like what was I thinking?

I even had a top hat in purple. What was I thinking?''

David, 41 and Victoria, 42 who have four children together have had a number of ups and downs during their marriage but he insisted that they are still deeply in love. He said: ''Of course you make mistakes over the years, we all know marriage is difficult at times and it's about working through it. ''Whenever we've come up against

he 'Luther' actor fulfilled a long-held ambition when he trained to be a professional kickboxer for documentary series 'Idris Elba: Fighter' and now hopes the Discovery Channel will also fund another of his boyhood dreams.

Asked what he wants to try next, he told Closer magazine: ''To be a spaceman. If Discovery will pay for it then I'll go into space.''

The 44-year-old star is currently filming 'The Mountain Between Us' with Kate Winslet and thinks his fight training has inspired the Oscar-winning actress to push herself more. He said: ''I think my current co-star is quite impressed actually and has decided to take up Pilates pretty heavily.''

However, his 'Thor: Ragnarok' co-stars Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth and 'The Dark Tower' co-star Matthew Mcconaughey were not so impressed and felt he was putting himself at risk unnecessarily. He said: ''I think they thought I was a bit stupid for doing it, because they were like, 'What if you hurt your face or break your arm?' They didn't think it was a smart move.''

Despite his movie success, the British actor - who has 15-year-old daughter Isan and two-year-old son Winston from past relationships - insists he has no plans to relocate to Hollywood. He vowed: ''I won't be moving out there. I love the UK. I grew up in east London and I love it. That's where my roots will always be.''

Source: Contactmusic

tough times, we know each other better than anybody knows us so we talk. ''Do we stay together because it's a brand?

Of course not.

We stay together because we love each other. ''We stay together because we have four amazing children. Of course we go through tough times. When we go through tough times we work through it as a unit, as a family.''

David also praised his parents Ted and Sandra for providing him with a strong work ethic. He said: ''The only time my dad said you know what son you've done really well was when I got my 100th cap. ''From time to time he'd say great game. It makes me emotional. Probably, everybody wants to make their parents proud.''

Black Sabbath's Geoff Nicholls dead at 68 Hollywood producers name

'La La Land' the year's best film

H

T

he Black Sabbath keyboardist passed away on Saturday after battling lung cancer, his bandmate Tony Iommi has revealed. In an emotional Facebook post, Tony wrote: ''I'm so saddened to hear the loss of one of my dearest and closest friends Geoff Nicholls. He's been suffering for a while now with lung cancer and he lost his battle this morning. ''Geoff and I have always been very close and he has been a real true friend to me and supported me all the way for nearly 40 years. I will miss him dearly and he will live in my heart until we meet again.

C M Y K

Rest In Peace my dear friend. Tony.''

Frontman Ozzy Osbourne tweeted: ''Geoff Nicholls was a great friend of mine for a long time. He will be greatly missed.

I'm very saddened at the news.'' And bassist Geezer Butler wrote on Facebook. ''Very sad to hear of old friend and Sabbath keyboard player Geoff Nicholls passing. RIP Geoff (sic).''

Geoff, 68, joined Black Sabbath in 1979 and the 1980 album, 'Heaven and Hell' was the group's first record that he appeared on. He left the band in 1996.

Source: Contactmusic

ollywood producers named the musical "La La Land" the best film of 2016 on Saturday at a ceremony marked by criticism of President Donald Trump's immigration policies. The big win by "La La Land" at the 28th annual awards set up the film, which stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, as an odds-on Oscar favorite, after it scored a record-tying 14 Oscar nominations earlier this month.

The Producers Guild of America (PGA), which is among the leading industry organizations representing makers of movies and TV shows, also named its best animated film which went to "Zootopia," favorite documentary, won by “O.J.: Made in America" and honored Netflix's "Stranger Things" as the top television drama.

Musician John Legend, a star of "La La Land", criticized the new president's

executive order placing curbs on people arriving in the United States from certain Muslim-majority countries, which spawned protests and confusion at several U.S. airports on Saturday. "We encourage everybody out there to speak out against it," Legend said.

Later, introducing the splashy, colorful musical film, Legend said "Our vision of America is directly antithetical to that of President Trump. I want to specifically tonight reject his vision and affirm that America has to be better than that."

Accepting the award, "La La Land" producer Marc Platt continued in a similar vein, saying "It is the power of cinema fueled by free artistic expression that cannot be denied, that has no borders, and will never be banned from our hearts, our minds and our souls."

In past years, PGA best film winners have often gone on to win the best picture Oscar, Hollywood's big prize. The Academy Awards will be bestowed on Feb. 26 to producers, directors, actors and actresses by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Source: Reuters

Source: Contactmusic

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monDAY 30•01•2017

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Federer outlasts nadal in Melbourne for 18th grand slam

C M Y K

MELBOURNE, JaNUaRy 29 (REUtERs): Roger Federer came out on top after a rollercoaster ride in the 35th chapter of his rivalry with Rafa Nadal to win his fifth Australian Open 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 and clinch a first grand slam title in four and a half years on Sunday.

The 35-year-old capped his triumphant return from knee surgery with a recordextending 18th major title after a vintage battle with his Spanish rival, who had won all three of their previous meetings at Melbourne Park.

Lefthander Nadal, also returning from injury this year, showed sustained periods of his brutal best from the baseline but was just unable to stay with his rival in the gut-wrenching drama of the deciding set.

Federer was forced to endure a nervous wait for his victory after Nadal unsuccessfully challenged the line call on the second championship point before becoming the first man to win five or more titles at three different grand slams.

The Swiss, for many the greatest player of all time, celebrated with tears in his eyes but his first words were for his old friend and rival.

"Tennis is a tough sport, there are no draws in tennis but I would have been happy to accept one tonight and share it with Rafa," he said.

"I would have been happy to lose to be honest, the comeback was as good as it was. I hope to see you

Switzerland's Roger Federer kisses the trophy after winning his Men's singles final match against Spain's Rafael Nadal. (REUTERS Photo)

next year but if not, then it was a wonderful year here and I couldn't be happier tonight."

Nadal, the 2009 champion, was also typically gracious after losing his third Melbourne final and coming up short in his bid for a 15th grand slam title.

"It was a great match and I think Roger probably deserved it a little more than me," the 30-year-old said.

"I played a great quality of tennis. That's great news for me. I believe that if I have my body in the

Sania-Dodig beaten in final

MELBOURNE, JaNUaRy 29 (IaNs): Sania Mirza's aim for her seventh major tennis title ended in despair as she and Croatian partner Ivan Dodig were beaten 2-6, 4-6 by unseeded American Abigail Spears and Colombian Juan Sebastian Cabal in the Australian Open mixed doubles final here on Sunday.

The Indo-Croatian pair accepted defeat in one hour and three minutes.

Sania was bidding for her seventh major tennis title, and first with Croatian partner Ivan Dodig, in the Australian Open mixed doubles final where the second seeds took on the unseeded American-Colombian pair.

Sania and Dodig were pushed on the backfoot at the onset of the match, getting broken twice to trail 0-4.

Dodig lost his serve in the opening game of the match after a forehand unforced error.

Sania too lost her first service game, third of the first set, unable to return a backhand shot.

The Indo-Croatian pair took a while to get going and began to combine well in the later stages of the first set, winning their next two service games. But it wasn't enough to save the set, surrendering it 2-6.

But they stepped up their energy in the second set. Beginning to play more as a team, they attacked Spears' serve in the second game after Dodig won the first service game.

The pressure they applied paid dividends as Abigail-Cabal was hit a backhand volley wide to trail 0-2.

Sania then held on to her serve to go 3-0 up.

But Sania-Dodig couldn't maintain the momentum. Sania was broken in the seventh game with a backhand volley winner.

Dodig, yet to win a major title in mixed doubles, seemed nervous at the begging of the match owing to his relative inexperience in summit clashes.

And he failed to control his nerves at crucial stages of the match, losing his serve in the ninth game with a double fault to trail 4-5.

Spears served for the match in the 10th game and weren't subjected to much pressure, winning the championship with a forehand smash, which underlined their supremacy.

The Indo-Croatian pair played their second Grand Slam final, having lost the French Open final to the experienced pair of Leander Paes and Martina Hingis last year.

right condition, I can have grabbed a 2-0 lead. a great year."

Federer had two break points in the next game but FIRST BREAKTHROUGH Nadal fought them off and Federer made the slow- then broke again as his rier start to the contest but it val struggled for accuracy was the Swiss who made under the Spaniard's onthe first breakthrough, con- slaught. verting the first break point Four big forehands gave of the match with a fore- the Swiss a break back but hand winner to go 5-4 up. Nadal held firm to serve out That was enough to take the set and Federer needed the opening set but this was three aces to save three never going to be a straight- break points at the start of forward win for either play- the third. er and Nadal was all over The momentum had his opponent's serve at swung, though, and Fethe start of the second and derer stepped up a gear

and rattled off the next two games with Nadal left scrambling to fend off a second break in a marathon fourth game.

He was unable to repeat the feat in the sixth game and Federer, his crosscourt backhand causing Nadal all sorts of problems, secured a two sets to one lead with a drop volley.

The pendulum had not finished swinging yet, however, and Nadal broke for 3-1 in the fourth and held under huge pressure in the next game with a brilliant

“

Suarez grabs leveller for Barca after goalline controversy at Betis

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crosscourt forehand winner at full stretch.

Nadal again closed out the set and Federer took a medical timeout before the start of the decider, returning to court only to give up his first service game.

Federer was not prepared to give up easily on a first grand slam title since Wimbledon in 2012, though, and upped his aggression to put the set back on serve at 3-3 when Nadal sent a rasping forehand wide.

He needed another five break points on Nadal's next service game before the Spaniard finally cracked as Federer sealed the title with a forehand winner that Hawk-Eye confirmed hit the line.

"In the fifth set, I didn't win one serve easily. Even if I played great in the break points, I was suffering a lot," said Nadal.

"He probably remained a little bit more free on points on my serve. That's what I needed in that moment, and I didn't have."

With Federer's contemporary Serena Williams having won the women's title for the seventh time on Saturday, the 2017 Australian Open is destined be remembered as the retro slam.

Federer gave a reminder that no one is immune to the ravages of time, however.

"Now it's time to celebrate in a massive way," he said. "(But) at 35 years old, I don't like to say it, but I'm so old and so the body hurts, it aches."

”

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BaRcELONa, JaNUaRy 29 (REUtERs): Barcelona's title hopes were dented as they drew 1-1 at Real Betis on Sunday in a game shrouded in controversy after the champions were denied a goal despite the ball clearly crossing the line.

Alex Alegria gave Betis a deserved lead in the 75th minute after the home side had hit the woodwork twice in quick succession although Luis Suarez salvaged a point by arrowing home Lionel Messi's through ball in the 90th.

Before the equaliser Barca were incensed when a cross from Aleix Vidal was deflected towards goal and appeared to cross the line by around a metre before Aissa Mandi scrambled the ball away. Unlike in the Premier League, there is no goalline technology in La Liga.

Vidal also had a shot

cleared away in the goalmouth moments later.

Betis striker Ruben Castro missed a gilt-edged chance to seal an unlikely win but failed to beat MarcAndre ter Stegen after racing through on goal unchallenged.

There was no time after Suarez's leveller for the champions to find a winner, with the draw halting their five-game winning streak in all competitions.

"We did not play well, we made lots of errors in the first half and in the second half they were completely superior to us, we were nowhere near our usual level.

The final minutes change our sensations but this feels like a point gained," Luis Enrique told reporters.

"I have nothing to say about the ghost goal, I've seen the pictures. Technology could help, and it's obvious that referees need help."

Barca are second in the standings, one point behind Real Madrid who have two games in hand, and level on points with Sevilla, who can go three clear of Luis Enrique's side when they visit Espanyol later on Sunday.

Real Madrid host Real Sociedad later on Sunday and are looking for a response having been knocked out of the King's Cup by Celta Vigo on Wednesday.

With a testing King's Cup semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid coming up on Wednesday, Luis Enrique rotated his squad and left regular starters Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba and Javier Mascherano out, while Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta were still injured.

The home side had the better of the first half, with talisman Castro shooting straight at Ter Stegen inside the area, and midfielder

Dani Ceballos forcing the German to tip away a shot from distance.

Barca's Neymar was thwarted at the other end by the quick reactions of Betis goalkeeper Antonio Adan.

Betis had Barca on the ropes in an intense spell when Ceballos hit the bar from outside the area and Castro clipped the post with a skidding shot.

The hosts finally found a way through from a corner as Ter Stegen, who had received two knocks to the head in the second half, failed to claim a cross and Alegria turned in the loose ball.

Barcelona were compelled into action and, after the contentious decision not to award them a goal, Suarez pounced with his 16th league effort of the season, although it could not mask their lacklustre performance.

Mayweather: Fight against Mcgregor "can happen" Las VEGas, JaNUaRy 29 (aP): Floyd Mayweather Jr. says facing UFC star Conor McGregor in a boxing ring “can happen” and is something that would “give the fans what they want to see.”

In a question-and-answer session Saturday in England, McGregor said he plans to put his UFC career on hold to pursue boxing and a bout with Mayweather, who hasn't fought since 2015.

Asked to respond before the Carl Frampton-Leo Santa Cruz fight Saturday night in Las Vegas, Mayweather expressed enthusiasm for the matchup. He says he'd want the fight to be at either 147 or 150 pounds and be part of a Showtime pay-per-view package.

Many details would have to be worked out, but when asked if a deal could be struck, Mayweather said, “absolutely.”

Sindhu triumphs at Syed Modi GP LUckNOw, JaNUaRy 29 (PtI): Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu and National champion Sameer Verma began the new season on a resounding note by winning the women's and men's singles crowns respectively at the USD 120,000 Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament here today.

In fact, India scooped up three titles out of the five events in the tournament.

Top seed Sindhu, who has been in rampaging form last season, brushed aside Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska in the summit clash, while Sameer, who had reached the finals of Hong Kong Super Series, defeated compatriot B Sai Praneeth 21-19 21-16 in a 44-minute final.

Second seeds Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy, who had won Grand Prix titles at Brazil and Russia, also lay claim to their maiden GPG title in mixed doubles after beating compatriots Ashwini Ponnappa and B Sumeeth Reddy, seventh seeds, 22-20 2110 in the finals.

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