January 8th, 2015

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www.morungexpress.com

The Morung Express

Dimapur VOL. X ISSUE 6

“

www.morungexpress.com

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

I am open to working with Rekha: Big B

[ PAGE 8]

[ PAGE 11]

Demand for removal of State BJP president reinforced

From T-R to PR-Sounds good.

How depression hampers memory New York, JaNuarY 7 (IaNS): The ability to remember information declines when people are in depressive mood, new research shows. “When depressive thoughts are present, people with depressed mood are unable to remove their attention from this information, leading to deficits in their memory,” explained the study’s lead author Nicholas Hubbard from University of Texas, Dallas. The study included 157 undergraduate students. Of them, 60 participants were classified as having depressed mood and 97 as having nondepressed mood. Participants with and without depressed mood were asked to respond ‘True’ or ‘False’ to a sentence featuring either depressive thoughts (e.g., “I am sad,” “People don’t like me”) or neutral information (e.g. “Most people agree that Monday is the worst day of the week”), and then remember a string of numbers at the end. People with depressed mood forgot more numbers than people without depressed mood when they responded to the sentence featuring negative information, but remembered just as many numbers when they responded to neutral information.

[ PAGE 9]

DImapur, JaNuarY 7 (mexN): In a show down of sorts, both camps of the NPF met the Governor of Nagaland on Wednesday, January 7, in an attempt to lay claim, or hold on to, the government in Nagaland respectively.

Chief Minister TR Zeliang along with NPF party president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu met Nagaland Governor PB Acharya in Kohima today. Sources said the duo informed the Governor that the government is stable.

Kaito Aye, leader of the “majority” group, the ‘NPF Legislature Party,’ along with his colleagues met the Governor of Nagaland and “staked claim to form a new popular government in Nagaland.” Kaito was accompanied by Kuzholuzo Neinu, CM Chang, Deo Nukhu, Dr. TM Lotha and Imkong Imchen.

“We have demanded the immediate dismissal of the minority government headed by TR Zeliang, who has lost the support and confidence of the majority. We demand that he immediately step down and pave the way for installation of a popular government in the greater interest of the people of Nagaland,” stated a press note from the spokesperson of the team, Imkong L Imchen.

According to it, they assured the Governor that a stable government will be formed and “we will build up a strong relationship with the NDA Government to strengthen the peace process and bring about accelerated all round development of the State.”

The leaders further appealed to all sections of the

parIS, JaNuarY 7 (IaNS): Two masked gunmen suspected to be Islamists Wednesday massacred 12 people after storming a French satirical magazine’s office here, killing among others a cartoonist who drew a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed. World leaders denounced the cold-blooded mayhem at the office of “Charlie Hebdo” that left over 20 people injured, four in critical condition. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined world leaders to denounce the carnage.

Detailed report on page 9

Jan 5 assault case: taxi driver arrested Dimapur | January 7

The taxi driver involved in the alleged assault of the advisor of the Angami Students’ Union (ASU), Chakhroma range on January 5 was taken into custody today by the police. He was apprehended in Dimapur town by a joint team consisting Diphupar Police and personnel from Chumukedima Check Gate.

Police identified the driver as Vicky Singh (29) from Karimganj, Assam, and a resident of Khermahal, Dimapur. The ‘tourist taxi’, bearing Regd. No. NL07T-0472, has also been taken into custody.

The ASU has filed an FIR in this regard, said the police. The case, though, is under enquiry and is yet to be registered, Diphupar Police informed.

[ PAGE 12]

nPf ‘internal crisis’ thickens: Hazardous road dividers replaced in Dimapur

terrorists massacre 12 in Paris to avenge cartoon

Morung Express News

”

– Bruce Lee

Rafael Nadal suffers shock defeat in [ PAGE 2] first match UN chief says Palestine of season will join int’l court on April 1

Road safety in Dimapur still requires attention

Both camps lay claim to a government

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Thursday, January 8, 2015 12 pages Rs. 4

A wise [hu]man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer Sashi Tharoor alleges bid to implicate him in Sunanda death

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It may be recalled that Abei Tepa, Advisor, Angami Students’ Union, Chakhroma range was travelling from Dimapur to Medziphema in a taxi along with other passengers on the evening of January 5 when he was allegedly assaulted by the taxi driver. Suspecting that the passengers may be illegal immigrants, Tepa had requested the driver to stop at the Chumukedima Check Gate for police verification, to which the driver reportedly refused. After awhile he told the driver to stop the car over which they had an argument and the driver allegedly assaulted him.

Following this development, Sedevikho Angami, General Secretary, ASU, stated that the Chakhroma Students’ Union in collaboration with the ASU “may intensify ILP checking.”

people and the party organization to “be calm, be firm and united as we have to uphold and respect the mandate of the people.” They also appealed to the NPF President to “release” the MLAs who have allegedly been “forcefully confined under house arrest conditions” in a hotel in Kohima.

Morung Express News

Mhonthung Patton, and general secretary, Ekonthung Kikon, supported and upheld the leadership of Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu and chief minister TR Zeliang, and appealed the NPF Legislators and Party functionaries to be “loyal to the party.”

The NPF Pughoboto Division also endorsed the suspension of the seven NPF legislators for their “anti-party activities.” At an emergency executive meeting, members of the Division reaffirmed their support to the NPF under president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu and general secretary KG Kenye, and the NPF led DAN III government under the leadership of TR Zeliang and Y. Vikheho Swu. This was stated in a press statement from the Division’s president, Kughakhu Sheqi, and general secretary, Hotoshe Sheqi.

NPF Divisions express support The NPF divisions of Kohima, Wokha and Pughoboto have reiterated their support for decisions made by NPF president, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu.

“The news item appears NPF Kohima Division extend its support to Kaito Leadership was baseless and it was without the knowledge of the NPF Kohima Division. Some vested individual published the false propaganda to tarnish the image of the party and misguiding the general public,” stated a rejoiner from NPF Kohima division president, Guonei-u Angami, and its general secretary, Avi-o Tetso. The NPF Kohima maintained that it will stand by “whatever decision or action” is taken by the party authority, further extending its support to the decisions of party president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu. It appealed to party men and women to “stay calm and unite to make a stronger party in future.”

The NPF Wokha Division endorsed the decision of the NPF president in suspending the seven (7) elected members of NPF from both Primary and Active membership of the Party.

A press note from the Division’s president, P.

ing, then their dim light is blocked by trees.

Even as new concrete blocks of road dividers have been put in place, hazards remain on the roads. Either most of the roads in Dimapur are without streetlights or poorly lit and so dividers prove even more dangerous at night.

Compounding the problem with poor streetlights, the road dividers both old and new, are not immediately visible from a distance at night, owing to lack of reflective paint or reflectors in it. There have been several instances of drivers ramming their vehicles onto it due to poor visibility.

Roads in Dimapur are narrow by itself and the recently constructed huge concrete road dividers continue to further narrow the roads as the old dividers did. These improperly designed road dividers have occupied much needed road space thus reducing vehicle space.

With the growing number of vehicles, more road safety measures and steps to reduce traffic congestion need to be put in place by the appropriate authorities.

Dimapur | January 7

The dangerous, spiky, rusty iron barricades and grills that acted as road dividers along Nyamo Lotha Road from Plaza Point (Foot Over Bridge) till SP Office in Dimapur have been replaced with concrete blocks some months back.

With vehicles crashing on to road dividers as one of the most common sights of accidents along the streets in town, the old road divider structures with protruding iron tips often proved to be a danger in itself. However, these hazardous road dividers have now been replaced with fund drawn from the Dimapur District Common Pool fund 2014-15.

On earlier occasions as well, new road dividers were constructed from Plaza Point till Clock Tower junction under the District Common Pool 2013-14. In the same year and same Common Pool, fallen fencing walls around District Hospital complex were also rebuilt.

However, the old and hazardous road dividers remain neglected along the

BJP Nagaland cautions The BJP Nagaland has cautioned that the NPF’s “internal crisis” should not be allowed to escalate into “constitutional breakdown.” It urged all concerned parties to “strive to save the democratic process in the State.”

In a press statement from its media cell, the BJP Nagaland expressed concern about the NPF ‘internal crisis’ that has entered the fourth day. “As a responsible alliance member of DAN,” the BJP Nagaland felt that “the stability of the DAN Government is equally every party’s moral responsibility.” It appealed to both the groups to “amicably resolve their differences at the earliest.”

Photographs taken recently show recently constructed road dividers (Top) at Nyamo Lotha Road near Clock Tower junction, Dimapur and existing old road dividers (Bottom) from Clock Tower junction towards Metro Hospital. (Morung photos)

stretch from Clock Tower road along this stretch are junction to Metro Hospi- dark at night and if there is tal. Many portions of the one or two lights function-

Three swine flu deaths in Delhi, 8 new cases reported

New DelhI, JaNuarY 7 (IaNS): Delhi Wednesday reported the third death caused by swine flu, and eight new cases, which prompted the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the city health department to hold a meeting to review the situation.

According to the health department, a 42-year-old woman from Uttam Nagar in west Delhi, and a 39-year-old man from Faridabad in the National Capital Region succumbed to swine flu Tuesday night.

Earlier, a 51-year-old woman died of swine flu Dec 26 at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. “The woman from Uttam Nagar died Tuesday night at a private hospital, while the Faridabad patient died at the east Delhi-based Deepak Memorial Hospital,” said Charan Singh, an official of the Delhi health department. Eight fresh cases were reported in the capital Wednesday. Among the inflicted were three women and five men.

With the fresh cases, the capital has this year witnessed 22 cases of

swine flu. “The three women were a 66-year-old from Madangir, a 33year old from Sangam Vihar and a 23-year-old from Greater Kailash,” Charan Singh said.

The five men include a 48-year-old from the JNU campus, a 71-year old from Laxmi Nagar, a 57-year-old from Rajouri Garden, a 62-year-old from Masjid Moth and a 24-year-old from Chattarpur. Following the deaths and the fresh cases, the NCDC and the city health department Wednesday held a meeting to review the situation.

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Dimapur

Thursday

LocaL

8 January 2015

Demand for removal of State BJP president reinforced Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): The BJP ST Morcha, Dimapur district has strengthened the demand for removal of Nagaland state BJP adhoc president, Dr. M Chuba on ground of his alleged ‘anti Narendra Modi’ activity. Around 50 officials of ST Morcha Dimapur district today staged a protest rally at the State BJP office reiterating demand for immediate removal of Dr. M Chuba. Earlier, on December 12, the Phek BJP had also organised a protest rally for removal of the State adhoc president.

The ST Morcha officials also forwarded a memorandum to the national BJP president Amit Shah. The memorandum appended by its president Ghotoi Awomi and general secretary, Y Pukhaho Yeptho alleged that Dr. M Chuba never expressed appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in any party statement in print media or party meetings in the State.

It also stated that in 2014, five upcoming party

BJP ST Morcha Dimapur unit demanding removal of State BJP president on January 7.

workers, namely Bill Lotha, Noklen Konyak, Trongba Konyak, Johny Rengma and Er. Vekho Swuro were suspended, while one of them was expelled for promotional work of Modi during membership drive.

The memorandum also alleged that Dr. M Chuba declined to write message in the coffee table book prepared by Er. Vekho Swuro ti-

tled ‘The man with a mission our Prime Minister Narendra Modi,’ which the author claimed was an essential book to let people have better understanding and get involved in the party.

Maintaining that it has enough evidence “which are beyond doubt on anti Narendra Modi activities by Dr. M Chuba,” the ST Morcha Dimapur unit has urged

TSUD and NCD condemn recent blast in Dimapur C M Y K

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Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): Condemning the recent IED blast, which occurred near Blue Hill Station, Eros Lane here, the Tenyimi Students’ Union Dimapur (TSUD) has appealed to the law enforcing agency to take necessary action immediately and catch the other person who fled after the incident at the earliest.

“Such incident not only creates fear psychosis among the public but also gives a bigger threat to our society, therefore, we request the responsible authorities to leave no stone unturned to reveal the persons involved in this act of terrorism,” stated a condemnation note issued by TSUD president, Kedinlung Newmai and general secretary, Azo Wetsah. Highlighting that it is time for the students to get back to school/ college, but such incidents will create fear psychosis among the public in general and student’s community in particular, the union appealed to the security personnel to tighten the security more in order to avoid such incidents in the days to come.

It also urged those who are usually involved in such incidents to “Stop Killing Innocent People” and “Stop Disturbing our Peaceful Environment.”

Further, it appealed to all the citizens of Dimapur to come

the national president to remove him from the post of State BJP president for the betterment of the party in Nagaland. Further, to avoid other district units from staging protest against Dr. M Chuba and in order to maintain the party image, ST Morcha has demanded the national president to remove the State president with immediate effect.

The Morung Express C M

MEx File ADC & ERO Mkg informs on electoral roll

mokokchung, January 7 (Dipr): Addl. Deputy Commissioner & Electoral Registration Officer, (ADC & ERO) Mokokchung, Bendanglila has informed that the last amendments to the draft Electoral Roll for the 21- Tuli, 22- Arkakong, 23- Impur, 24- Angetyongpang, 25- Mongoya, 26- Aonglenden, 27Mokokchung Town, 28- Koridang, 29- Jangpetkong and 30- Alongtaki assembly constituencies have been prepared with reference to January 1, 2015 as qualifying date and in accordance with registration of Electors Rule, 1960. Further, it was informed that a copy of the said roll together with the said list of amendments is available for inspection at the office of the ADC & ERO.

BLOs in Wokha informed

Wokha, January 7 (mExn): All the BLOs (Booth Level Officers) under Wokha district for 37 Tyui, 38 Wokha, 39 Sanis and 40 Bhandari assembly constituencies have been informed to collect Final Electoral Roll with January 1, 2015 as the qualifying date and also their remuneration amounting to Rs. 3000/- per head in connection with Summary Revision of E/Roll from the Office of the DC & DEO Wokha from January 9, 2015 onwards. This was informed

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in a press release issued by Deputy lic Day was done. The Vice ChairCommissioner and District Election man also urged all the Head of Offices to give their best effort for the Officer of Wokha, A Robin Lotha. success of the national day.

BLOs asked to collect 'Insikiur' to be refinal electoral roll named 'Yingshukur' kohima, January 7 (Dipr): Assistant Election Officer & Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, Mhathung Ngullie has informed all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) of Kohima district to collect Final Electoral Roll-2015 as published on January 5, 2015 and yearly remuneration from District Election Office, Kohima with effect from January 12, 2015 during office hours.

Mokokchung DPDB meeting held

mokokchung, January 7 (Dipr): Deputy Commissioner and Vice Chairman District Planning and Development Board (DPDB) Mokokchung Sushil Kumar Patel presided over the monthly DPDB meeting of Mokokchung on January 7 at the conference hall of the ADC Planning, Mokokchung.

The Deputy Commissioner while welcoming and greeting Happy New Year to all the members sought more support and co-operation of all the officials concerned so Mokokchung DPDB would grow from strength to strength. Reviewing the last meeting minutes, distribution of work for the forthcoming Repub-

kiphirE, January 7 (mExn): A notice has been issued to all concerned inviting claims and objection for change of village nomenclature from 'Insikiur' to 'Yingshukur' under Amahator circle, Kiphire district.

Deputy Commissioner of Kiphire, A Chumremo Odyuo in a notice informed that such claims and objection, if any, should be submitted to his office within 30 (thirty) days from the date of issue of this notice.

No claims shall be entertained after the expiry of the deadline, he stated.

Meeting regarding R-Day in Dimapur

Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): All administrative officers, heads of departments, and NGOs in Dimapur district have been informed that a meeting has been fixed for January 9 at 11:00 am in the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur to chalk out the programmes of the upcoming Republic Day celebration on January 26. In this regard, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur has requested all concerned to attend the meeting positively.

Maos celebrate Chuthuni festival in Dimapur

forward and fight against the “Anti-Social Activity.”

NCD calls it ‘an act of terrorism’

The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD), while condemning the IED blast has called it an “act of terrorism” by outsiders intending to disturb the atmosphere of Dimapur. Stating that by “sheer good luck” the IED exploded on face of the accused, the NCD in a press note through its president, T Bangerloba and general secretary, Ntsemo Ngullie stated it would have “defamed” the Nagas as a whole if it had exploded on Republic Day- as revealed by police. “Dimapur is not an open playground for terrorist activities for different organisations from different states to defame Nagas or at the cost of Naga lives,” the NCD added.

Meanwhile, it requested all the likeminded citizens/ organisations to come forward and join hands to prevent recurrence of such happenings in future and appealed to the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) “not to remain silent spectators when outsiders are doing such activity within their turf.”

The NCD further called upon the authorities concerned to leave no stone unturned to reveal the persons/ organisations behind the “act of terrorism”.

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(Left) Women dance during the Mao Chuthuni festival in Dimapur on January 7, 2015. (Right) A woman drinks local brew from a bamboo mug during the festival. Photos by Caisii Mao Morung Express News Dimapur | January 7

Post-harvest festival of the Maos which is also known as the New Year Festival was celebrated on Wednesday at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Dimapur.

Chuthuni is known as the New Year Festival of the Mao community as they observe it as a celebration of human life cre-

ated by the God of gods on the first day of the first month of the year. “The true spirit, uniqueness and upper most values of Chuthuni festival is thanksgiving to the God of gods for the gift of life, health and wealth, a sense of unity, equality, brotherhood and spiritual closeness to God that make up happy and fulfilled life,” stated a handout provided by the organizers.

Minister for Industries & Commerce, G. Kaito Aye who was supposed to be the chief guest but could not attend owing to the current political scenario in the State was represented by his personal secretary, Aheto Yepthomi.

The personal secretary conveyed apologies from Kaito for his inability to attend the programme and wished the celebration a success.

Guest of honour, Parlia-

mentary Secretary for CAWD, Economics & Statistics, R. Tohanba could not attend the programme owing to unavoidable circumstances but sent his wishes and acknowledgement.

CMO Police Hospital Chumukedima, Dr. Adharu, who was also the guest of the honour spoke briefly at the programme.

During the function, the gathering was enthralled with

various folk songs and other entertainment items presented by various parties. In the second session, the Mao community from different places presented traditional performances.

The festival was organized

by Mao Hoho Nagaland and attended by representatives of prominent civil society organisations such as Naga Council Dimapur, Pochury Hoho etc.

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Peren holds District Review Meeting

pErEn, January 7 (mExn): The Chief Medical Office, Peren district held its District Review Meeting on January 7 at IDSP Conference Hall, Chief Medical Office, Peren. The meeting was attended by District Programme Officers, Senior Medical Officers, Medical Officers and Health workers from the Health Centers, District and Block Program Management Unit Staff, NHM. Dr. Tiala, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Peren informed about the upcoming Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) - 1st Round to be held from January 18 till 20 and the 2nd Round from February 20 till 22. She Dr. Tiala, Dy. CMO, Peren speaking during the Review also gave instructions on how and what to do during the IPPI. She also requested the MediMeeting of Peren District.

cal Officers to monitor and supervise during the IPPI in their respective health units sincerely.

Further, she informed about the latest Reproductive Child Health Register and that training will be given to all the Health workers.

Voiceing out that the VHND should be strictly conducted on a monthly basis, Dr. Tiala said as per HMIS report for the month of November 2014, there is improvement where 87 villages were covered, informed a press release issued

by Pezanguno Celine Secii, District Media Officer, CMO Office, Peren. The meeting also informed that Health Mela will be conducted by the end of the month. The next review meeting has been scheduled for February 5, 2015.

Nagas clad in their traditional dress and ornaments pose for photograph during the Disang Brahmaputra Festival 2015 at Disangmukh in Sivasagar, Assam on January 4.

(Photo by Manash Jyoti Dutta)

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The Morung Express

Thursday

8 January 2015

Dimapur

Tripura voters' gender ratio Bandh paralyses normal life in Central Assam pips national average AgArtAlA, JAnuAry 7 (IAnS): With 964 females to 1,000 males in the voters list, Tripura's gender ratio is much higher than the national average of 640 per 1,000.

According to political analysts, in the country's lone left-ruled state, representation of women in local government bodies and other elected institutions was also better than in many states of India. The gender ratio among voters is consistently narrowing in Tripura, where tribals constitute a third of the 3.7 million population. "The gender ratio in Tripura was 933 females to 1,000 males during the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. It increased to 954 in 2009 and has gone up further to 963 before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections," Chief Electoral Officer Ashutosh Jindal told IANS. The gender ratio has further risen to 964 in the final electoral rolls that were published Monday, he said.

The national gender ratio in the electoral rolls is 640 females to 1,000 males. According to the final electoral rolls, published after a three-

month special summary revision of photo electoral rolls with Jan 1, 2015 as the qualifying date, 2,422,764 voters, including 1,189,138 females, have been enrolled in Tripura. This shows an increase of 1.62 percent from last year's rolls. In the last assembly election in February 2013, women cast more votes than men. "In the 2013 assembly polls, 90.89 percent of the total of 1,198,970 males voted while 93.02 percent of the 1,156,476 females exercised their franchise," Jindal said.

Renowned political analyst Tapas Dey said: "Political consciousness among both tribals and non-tribals in Tripura is very high. Unlike other states, male leaders in Tripura always try to empower women, both politically and economically."

In the panchayat elections held in July last year, for the first time, more than 50 percent seats in gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads were won by women. "Tripura is the only state where 50 percent seats were re-

served for women - both in the three-tier gram panchayats and in village councils under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council," Panchayat Minister Manik Dey said.

Tapas Dey, however, said that though in the electoral rolls, women outnumbered men in four northeastern states - Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh - the number of women in the legislative assemblies of these states "is depressing". "Of the total 466 seats in the assemblies of seven northeastern states, only 24 members (5.15 percent) are women," he said.

Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland have no women in the assemblies.

Of the 60-member assemblies each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, there are only three and two female legislators, respectively. Assam has 14 women lawmakers among 126 elected representatives while Tripura has five women lawmakers in the 60-member house.

assaM rifles MiDDle scHool Jalukie, (Peren) naGalanD VacancY for acaDeMic & aDMinistratiVe staff 1. Handwritten/typed in plain paper application is invited with passport size photograph for the post of academic and administrative staff for Assam Rifles Middle School, Jalukie at 18 Assam Rifles:Ser VaTitle Remarks No cancy (a) Headmaster/ 01 PGT/ TGT with B.Ed with past experience Headmistress (b) Class I & II 02 Class Teacher PRT/TGT with past experience. B.Ed preferred. (c) English 01 Post Graduate/Graduate (d) Hindi 01 -do(e) Math 01 -do(f) Social Science 01 -do(g) Computer Science 01 -do(h) Music 01 Qualified music instructor/performer (j) Sports 01 Qualified sports instructor/ performer (k) Art & Craft 01 Qualified art & craft teacher (l) Peon 02 Male candidate standard V passed (m) AYA 02 Female candidate standard V passed (n) UDC 01 Minimum 10+2 with previous clerical experience (o) LDC 01 Minimum matric with previous clerical experience

2. Candidates for teaching staff are expected to be fluent in English/Hindi. In campus accommodation on availability basis and other facilities available at Assam Rifles Garrison at Jalukie will be made available for selected teachers during their period of employment. Competitive pay scales based on qualification and experience will be paid. Transport/Transportation allowance will be provided. Application may be personally submitted/sent by registered post to the Chairman Assam Rifles Middle School, P.O- Jalukie, Peren District (Nagaland) Pin- 797110 or be forward by email to pawistars@rediffmail.com.

3. The last date for submission of application is 20 Jan 2015 and date for walk in interview will be on 05 Feb 2015. Contact details, landline/ mobile numbers to be included in the application by the applicants. Applicants to carry original copy of qualification/ experience certificates for the interview.

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

GoVERnMEnT oF naGaLanD

oFFIcE oF THE PRIncIPaL cHIEF conSERVaToR oF FoRESTS anD HEaD oF FoREST FoRcE naGaLanD : : KoHIMa

No. FE-2/4/92 (PT) O.O. No- 215

Dated Kohima, the 7th January, 2015

This is for information that as per the Advertisement published earlier Vide No- FOR/ESTT-17, dated 19.11.2014, the written test for the post of Forester in the Department of Forest, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife will be held on the 16th of January, 2015. Candidates who have applied for the post are asked to collect the Admit Card from the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Kohima from 12th, January 2015 to 14th January 2015; 11:00 AM. Date of Exam - 16th January, 2015 Venue of Exam - Kohima Government College The following Candidates are asked to submit photocopies of document(s) as given during the time of collecting the admit card.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

H. Kato Shikhu Vizhariano Chusi Kimkhohoi Chongloi Nuzo Kito Y Aomi Nokching Loumo

HSLC Marksheet /Certificate ST Certificate HSLC Marksheet /Certificate ST Certificate ST Certificate HSSLC Marksheet /Certificate

List of disqualified Candidate: 1.

2.

3.

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5.

6.

7.

8.

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Imorenba Masabenba Peter Konyak Jenithung Tungoe Jokenyelo Assumi Arba Jamir Melhitso-U Wetsah Binthu Dailiam Heikosing Rapeibe Yitachu Thur Marchiten Longchar Easter N Tepa

Overage -doMatriculate Overage -do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do(ALBERT SOLO IFS) Addl. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Environment & Climate Change) Nagaland : Kohima

guwAhAtI, JAnuAry 7 (PtI): Normal life was paralysed in three Central Assam districts on Wednesday following a 12-hour bandh called by two organisations.

All schools, educational and financial institutions remained closed while vehicles remained off the roads, including the National Highway 37, in

the three districts of Morigaon, parts of Kamrup (Metro) and Nagaon districts since the shutdown began at 5 am, official sources said.

The bandh has been called by All Tiwa Students' Union (ATSU) and Tiwa Yuba Chatra Parishad demanding the creation of separate Tiwa Autonomous Council, under the pro-

3

vision of the sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Tiwa is an ethnic group inhabiting in the region.

Work at Hindustan Paper Mill in Jagiroad, however, was not affected with CISF providing security. Security in the districts have been tightened with additional forces deployed in sensitive areas.

Assam attacks: over 7,000 refugees return home guwAhAtI, JAnuAry 7 (PtI): More than 7,000 people hit by NDFB (S) violence in Assam have returned to their homes since yesterday with gradual improvement of the situation though over 1.2 lakh people are still lodged in camps in three districts.

According to an official release by Assam State Di-

saster Management Authority (ASDMA), 1,22,725 people are living in 68 relief camps in Kokrajhar, Chirang, and Udalguri districts at this moment. The authority has closed down the only relief camp left in Sonitpur with the departure of the inmates to their homes. In total, 7,103 inmates have left the relief

camps for their villages during this period, ASDMA Chief Executive Officer Pramod Kumar Tiwari said.

At present, over 1.02 lakh people are staying at 53 relief camps in Kokrajhar.

It is followed by Chirang, where almost 20,000 people are staying at 11 camps.

District officials of Kokrajhar went to Alipurduar in

West Bengal and brought back 450 Adivasi refugees from two camps. Efforts are being taken to bring back inmates from two other camps in the district.

Job Vacancy

North East Network (NEN), an NGO working on women’s issues in north east India invite applications from eligible candidates for the following posts at NEN Nagaland office.

Post 1

Qualification & DesireD skills

Programme Associate A Master’s degree in social sciences/humanities or (2 Post) related field. Preferably an MSW. Good conceptualization, documentation and communication skills in Nagamese and English. Prior working experience on women’s and development issues will be an added advantage Programme Assistant A graduate in social sciences/humanities or related (1 Post) field.

Good communication skills in Nagamese and English. Prior working experience on women’s and development issues will be an added advantage Interested candidates may send in your resume (with 2 references) to the Programme Manager at nagaland@northeastnetwork.org before 15th January 2015.

naGaLanD PUbLIc SERVIcE coMMISSIon KOHIMA

VISIon HoME HIGHER SEconDaRy ScHooL DIPHUPAR: DIMAPUR

WANTED 1. English (M.A.) ----------------------------- 1 post 2. Science (M.Sc. / B.Sc.)---------------------- 1 post 3. Boys Hostel Warden (B.A./ B.Th) ---------- 1 post 4. Girls Hostel Warden (BA./ B.Th) ---------- 1 post  Submit own handwritten application with biodata alongwith copies of necessary documents.  Preference will be given to candidates with experience.

Date of interview: 12th January 2015

Dated Kohima, the 7th January, 2015

NOTIFICATION NO. NPSC/CON-35/2009:: This is to notify that the State Medical Board and State Police Fitness Test Board have been constituted to conduct Medical Fitness and Physical Fitness Test in respect of successful Candidates who have been short listed for NCS, NPS, NSS and Allied Services 2014, vide Notification NO. NPSC/CON35/2009 dated 5th January, 2015 as per the schedule given below: 1. Candidates bearing Roll Nos. 7003–7347 whose interview dates have been scheduled from 6th January, 2015 to 15th January, 2015 shall face the Tests on 16th January, 2015.

2. Candidates bearing Roll Nos. 7348–7501 whose interview dates have been scheduled from 17th January, 2015 to 27th January, 2015 shall face the Tests on 21st January, 2015.

All concerned are therefore requested to appear with their Call Letter before the Board at Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima at 10:00 a.m.

Those candidates who have not given options for Item No. 2 (DySp) are not required to appear before Police Fitness Test Board.

Sd/- SARAH R.RITSE Secretary, Nagaland Public Service Commission, Kohima

Time: 9:00 A.M.

Contact No. : (1) 9856581824, (2) 9612542539 PRINCIPAL

GoVERnMEnT oF naGaLanD

oFFIcE oF THE DISTRIcT VETERInaRy & a.H oFFIcER DIaMPUR, naGaLanD.

No. DV/PR/2014-15/463

Dated Dmr, the 6th Jan, 2015

PRESS RELEASE This is to inform to all the candidates who have appeared the interview under the scheme "Livestock & Poultry Development for meat production 2013-14(SPA) on 29th and 30th May 2014", that the following candidates were selected and approved by the Government for the above mentioned scheme 2013-14.

Application No:- 23, 27, 87, 94, 137, 184, 221, 232, 234, 241, 309, 483 and 484.

The date, time and venue of the training for the selected beneficiaries shall be intimated after receiving the detail information from the higher authority.

Sd/(Dr. Temsu Ozukum) Jt. Director & DVO, Dimapur, Nagaland.

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Dimapur

public discoursE

Thursday 8 January 2015

Sufficient time & space should be given to TR Zeliang to prove himself

The Nagas want TR Zeliang or President Rule?

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t a time when the Naga people are calling all faction to unite in order to effect solution to the long drawn Naga issue, it has come as a great surprise to learn that the duly elected state representatives have decided to split themselves into ‘camp’.

This can be nothing but fighting over crumbs that fell from the master’s table. Some call it politics but to the discerning public this is nothing but power mongering.

Only few months ago, the Naga public breathed a sigh of great relief for the smooth changeover of Leadership and the people were happy to note that the Naga leadership have come of age. But no sooner had the applauds died down, the ugly head of dissention have reared up its ugly head again. It is sad to note that the same leadership who has guided the smooth changeover is also behind the split within the same party.

If the state leadership themselves are not able to unite how can they be expected to call the Naga faction to unite.

Therefore if TR Zeliang is to go, it will be in the interest of Nagas that P.R be imposed in order to clean the Naga politics and also to effect early solution to the Naga issue. Why the Hon’ble Nagaland MLAs are becoming in the like of children? Nagas are fed up of sharing crumps any longer. God bless Nagaland.

P

olitical maneuverings have come to the fore once again in Nagaland regarding the leadership of the DAN Government. Since the formation of Nagaland State the Aos, Sumis, Angamis etc. have had enough of Chief Ministers for long-long stints and one can question why can’t they now give at least one full term to the incumbent Chief Minister, TR Zeliang. I know politics is a game of numbers but just some few months back the same NPF legislatures unanimously elected TR Zeliang as their leader to head the DAN Government but why should the NPF legislatures withdraw the support so suddenly now. Has TR Zeliang committed any grave mistake in the last 6-7 months to warrant him to be thrown out like bananas after using him to suit their scheme of things?

It is equally surprising and sad to note that the former CM, T L Angami Neiphiu Rio as a statesman

of his stature instead of dousing the dissidents’ fire was also found to be adding salt to the wound if the headlines appearing in the newspapers are correct. The Naga public still vividly remember that he vacated the CM’s Chair and TR Zeliang was elected CM with his full blessing.

Sufficient time and space should be given to TR Zeliang to prove himself as an efficient Chief Minister of Nagaland. After giving him fair time and opportunities if he is found to be a liability to the State and the Nagas, the NPF leaders are well within their right to choose a new leader but without giving him enough time if TR Zeliang is removed unceremoniously, the Zeliangrong people will take it seriously and will not remain as mute spectators. Such humiliation will eventually compel the Zeliangrong people to rise up unitedly and chalk out a grand strategy where they can forever have only Zeliangrong

Chief Ministers in future. The Zeliangrong people have had enough of these kinds of injustices in many respects. Now this basic question propped up in one’s mind. Is it another game of political discrimination against the Zeliangrong people in Nagaland as is the case in other states or is there still a larger/hidden agenda to change the CM of Nagaland for reasons best known to them? This question needs to be pondered seriously by the Zeliangrong people for further course of actions.

In the meantime, I expect that good sense will prevail among the NPF leaders and other Naga friends in general to see that the present CM of Nagaland is given sufficient time to prove his credentials and ensure that the State of Nagaland does not disintegrate because of the sins of some power hungry politicians. Let us not forget that the State of Nagaland was formed out of the sweats, tears

and blood of all Naga people irrespective of where they reside (i.e. Nagas living in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar). Even though the NNC of that time opposed the formation of Nagaland State tooth and nail, nobody can deny the truth that this State was thrown to the Naga people by the Government of India because there was a Naga Movement. I am very confident that TR Zeliang would prove to be one of the best CMs of Nagaland if given a fair chance and support by his cabinet colleagues and legislatures. Therefore, it is earnestly appealed to all the NPF legislatures to give TR Zeliang sufficient time and space to prove his leadership.

Thanking you.

Yours Sincerely, Mathiupuang Gonmei President, Makaam Foundation

Can Kaito’s group overthrow TR Zeliang’s Government?

businEss Toyota launches new Innova & Fortuner

Bangalore, January 7 (Mexn): Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has launched All New Innova and Fortuner 4X4 Automatic.

The launch on January 5 coincided with the commemoration of the successful journey of the company’s flagship brand ‘Innova’, celebrating 10 years in India. The Innova boasts of a unique distinction of being the only MPV in India to have won the J. D. Power Asia Pacific Initial Quality Study Award (IQS) & J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Award (APEAL) consecutively since 2007.

Meanwhile, the Fortuner has been a market leader in its segment since its launch in 2009 and is better known to be the Real Urban SUV, taking premium and style to a new level. The Fortuner with its bold de-

The Morung Express

sign and imposing presence gives a distinctively new experience.

Sought after for both off-road and city driving, the new Fortuner with its audacious image has made it a popular choice as a family vehicle and off roader alike.

Both the Innova and the Fortuner are built on Toyota’s IMV Platform (Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle). The Innova and Fortuner like all IMV series vehicles are designed to provide unprecedented satisfaction in terms of comfort, styling, handling, safety, fuel economy, and environmental sensitivity.

Speaking during the launch, N Raja, Director & Senior Vice President (Sales & Marketing), Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. Said, “The Innova and the Fortuner are two very successful products and both these vehicles are trend setters in the Indian automobile industry… We thank our loyal customers for their support and trust in our brands that has helped us reach this milestone.”

He also announced that Toyota Kirloskar Motor is the first manufacturer in the mass segment to have standardized front SRS airbags across all models and in all grades.

1. The latest Political development in the ruling NPF party appears to have vertically split the party MLAs into two groups. As per newspaper reports, the dissident group supporting Kaito’s leadership appears to be enjoying a slight numerical advantage. However, the claims made by the dissident group as reported in some local newspapers appears to be somewhat exaggerated, although in the political shifting sand of today, there are no permanent membership in either of the two groups, like Shri T.R.Zeliang said the other day: “In politics, there are no permanent friends and permanent foes”. Let us analyse how this situation can play out in the near future, and who can be the winners and the losers in this game of one-upmanship.

2. As per the well accepted democratic norms and conventions being followed in India, and as per various Court rulings on the matter, the process of electing a leader by the Legislators of the largest party/ group in the House can be initiated only when there is a vacancy in the post of the Chief Minister, like immediately after the General Election, when the Chief Minister of the Old House resigns. It can also happen when the incumbent Chief Minister resigns mid-way, or is re-

moved from the office through a no confidence motion to be moved and passed by the House.

3. Otherwise than in the above circumstances, the legislators of the party/ group having the majority in the House cannot initiate a fresh process of electing a new leader of their Legislature Party, without first getting the incumbent Chief Minister to vacate his chair. Therefore, all these activities of the present dissident group are to be treated as inner-party activities only. If the party leadership feels that there is a need for change of leader of the Legislature Party, they can advise the Chief Minister to resign voluntarily. Unless and until that happens, the Legislators claiming themselves to be a majority group within their Legislature Party cannot directly approach the Governor, either to dismiss the incumbent Chief Minister or to invite their new leader to form a new Government. At the best, they can present such demands to their party leadership, as part of inner-party democratic activities. But in the present situation, the Party leadership appears to be not in a mood to change the Chief Minister.

4. If the party leadership do not want to change the Chief Minister, the dissident groups may have the

ultimate option to split the party and merge with another party, provided they can muster the required strength of two-third majority of the Party’s MLAs. However, this seems to be a tall order in view of the assessed respective strengths of the two groups. So long as T.R.Zeliang’s group has the support of 13 NPF MLA’s a successful split cannot be achieved by the dissident group.

Without first successfully splitting the party by mustering two-third majority, if they move a “Motion of No Confidence” in the House, and try to vote out the incumbent Chief Minister by a simple majority, the party is likely to apply the ‘Whip’, to all the party MLAs, and defiance of such a whip will invite disqualification from membership of the House under the Anti-Defection Act and the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

5. Therefore, the real issue is whether the dissident group can muster the required strength of 26 NPF MLAs to cause a legally acceptable split in the party. If they can do this, then they can vote out the incumbent Chief Minister by moving a no-confidence motion.

Rakochobe Legal Member Hausum Khel,Poilwa Village

poetry

Romance of Holiness Not a love exist like yours In your faithfulness You laid down your life To pull us out of the pit Lifting us up to where you are: In your holiness you revive us to it.

No one loves us like you do: In your righteousness you sent Your Spirit to dwell in us To teach, to comfort and To empower us in the truth No one has ever taught us like you do In righteous you teach In righteousness you live.

So great is your love and faithfulness.

Bestowing on us great things we deserved not; In holiness you triumph.

In holiness you make us triumph The greatness of your ways Reflects the greatness of your powers One God, one truth, one Spirit The powers of the trinity are sacred It makes me tremble At the uniqueness of your waysPowerful yet loving Great, yet humble No one can comprehend The greatness of your powers Or measure the depths of your love Your powers are as great as your love is Your love is as great as your powers are The Church of Christ marvels As she worships you in truth and Spirit Your Bride loves you For who you are She loves you because you first loved her.

She is yours O Lord Jesus The Church of Christ, the bride Your wife waits on you She loves you so much, Let your love be made complete in her She is your lover The bride destined to be with you forever; She is yours, the glorious Church of Christ.

She is for your glory O Lord Thank you for loving her; She is the Holy Church of Christ, Made holy by you.

She lives for you and will live with you for eternity; She is ready, O Lord, When will you come?

She reveres, waits and thinks of you: You are her holiness, her desire And her passion: She is your Church and your Wife; We think of you even as we write this: We are in the dimension of the romance of holiness: This is the affair we love The affair with you It is You we are in love with: The romance of holiness is this, To love you in truth and Spirit.

We represent what you are.

Ambrose J Chakre

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.

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LEISURE

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

SUDOKU Game Number # 3102

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 3111

Answer Number # 3101

DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474

Metro Hospital:

227930, 231081

Faith Hospital:

228846

Shamrock Hospital

228254

Zion Hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

Police Control Room

228400

Police Traffic Control

232106

East Police Station West Police Station

227607 232181

CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

242555/ 242533

Dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

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The Industrial Revolution FACTORY INDUSTRIAL WORKER LABOR EDUCATION POLLUTION ECONOMY INVENTIONS MACHINES POPULATION COALMINES POLITICS RAILROAD ENGLAND

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G R G K D D L B U V Y G P Z K L R I Y S

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K V Y V H L H Q Y W A I N B W Q Y U F T

K M R G C M G L D N P P O L L U T I O N

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L E E D U C A T I O N W H J A P J T Y A

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U I T N G N T L K B S X J J I K X O O A

ACROSS 1. Medication 5. Stop 10. Doing nothing 14. Lasso 15. Wheel shafts 16. Close 17. Fixations 19. Early 20th-century art movement 20. Compete 21. Contemplates 22. Conceals 23. Implore 25. Something to shoot for 27. Sick 28. Forever 31. Fast 34. Impale 35. Born as 36. Canis lupus 37. Shave 38. Low-fat 39. Website address 40. Seasoning 41. Davenports 42. Brings up 44. Tear 45. Our planet 46. Shreds 50. Urgency 52. Decree

54. Drunkard 55. At one time (archaic) 56. Carefully 58. Bobbin 59. Graven images 60. Peddle 61. Headquarters 62. Something of value 63. Being

DOWN 1. Beat back 2. Batman’s sidekick 3. Disturb 4. G 5. Nonchalant 6. Be 7. Found in some lotions 8. Irritable 9. S 10. A citizen of Calcutta, for example 11. Mandatory completion dates 12. Stow, as cargo 13. Historical periods 18. Refine metal 22. Not there 24. Jazz phrase 26. Apollo astronaut Slayton 28. Long stories 29. Heavy, durable furniture

wood 30. Cravings 31. Travelled through water 32. Be dressed in 33. Sicknesses 34. Youths with shaved heads 37. Smudge 38. Past tense of Leap 40. “Your majesty” 41. Repeat 43. Be a snitch 44. Bigot 46. Name of a book 47. S S S S 48. Buns 49. Pizazz 50. Parsley or sage 51. District 53. Twosomes 56. Spy agency 57. Utilize Ans to CrossWord 3110

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local/Public SPace 5 Monument of five pioneers unveiled at Changki AKK reiterates its demand for wages under MGNREGA Scheme Thursday

The Morung Express

CHanGKi (mOKOKCHunG), January 7 (mExn): A Monument in memory of five outstanding pioneers from Changki Süngdakba was inaugurated on Wednesday at Changki Village under Mangkolemba Sub-division with K Tiayanger Tzüdir, Director, Treasuries and Accounts, as the Chief Guest.

The Five Personalities are namely, Lt. Tzüdiong - the first convert to Christianity among Changki villagers; Lt. Rev Longri Ao - God’s humble servant and “Man of Peace” with a vision, who coined the word “Nagaland” as the nomenclature of the present state; Lt. Süngtikemba Tzudiri- a calligraphist, a teacher and a music composer; Lt. Emtionen Amri, a pioneer agriculturist, who is credited for massive bamboo plantation in Changki area making it the most bamboorich area in Nagaland today; and Lt. Chubawati, the first Martriculate and Graduate from the village as well as an educationist.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest remarked that Changki today

8 January 2015

is reaping the fruit of all the sacrifices made by the pioneers but, what were more important were the lessons to be learned from the constructed monument.

“Humanity doesn’t know the reasons behind the construction of the pyramids, but we know today why this humble monument is constructed and therefore, the younger gen-

eration need to draw inspiration from the lives of these great persons”, he said.

Further, Tzüdir opined that unity and love is more important than fame and glory and encouraged the youngsters to make selfless sacrifices and to be bold enough to take bigger steps and leaps.

A minute of silent for the department soul of

the leaders was also observed during the programmed. The monument of the five leaders was dedicated by Allen Amri, Associate Pastor and short speech were delivered by Teka longchari, President, Changki Süngdakba Senso Mungdang (C.S.S.M.), Alemyanger, Imlimeren and also by the Chairman, Village Council Changki.

BAN censures KT Gas agency 'bombing' Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): Business Association of Nagas (BAN) has condemned “in strongest possible terms,” the bombing of business establishment of KT Gas agency, maintaining that such “act of terror” on civilians cannot explained or justified in any way.

In a press note issued

Calls NSCN (K) threat to ACAUT ‘unfortunate’ through its Media cell, BAN stated that it is extremely unfortunate that NSCN (K) is threatening ACAUT, a mass based movement representing the voice of

Nagas and argued that instead of threat and intimidation, it would have been more appropriate had NSCN (K) constructively and positively “took

the wrongs” that has been pointed out by ACAUT. “NPGs should understands that in this information age the scenario is totally different form 80s and 90 as nothing can be hidden from the public domain and urge NPGs to be sensitive to public opinion, voice and desire of the people”, the press note added.

CSU 3rd General Conference and Sports Meet Underway Our Correspondent Changki (Mokokchung) | January 7

The Changki Students’ Union 3rd General Conference and Sports Meet 2015 commenced on January 8 evening at Orija Salang, Changki Village marked by much pomp and gaiety.

The occasion was graced by Bendang Longchari, IAS, Secretary to the Government of Nagaland as the Inaugural Guest.

Around 1000 enthusiastic student delegates from all over the State are currently camping in

Thanksgivings day for the creator

T

o create awareness that there is only one God, who He is and what He is and that how human beings have to behave towards Him. A day is to be set aside to worship Him, praise Him, pray to Him, rededicate self to Him and do good things in His name.

In the name of God and as thanksgiving towards Him, valuable materials are given as offerings for helping the poor and needy. The offerings can be treasured as EMERGENCY FUND to meet the need of the poor and needy people in time of sicknesses and death.

Out of 365 days in a year, so many days are set aside to be observed to give honour to important personalities in national and international levels.

Then why not setting aside a day to give honour to the Creator? The more this is given weightage by the people at grass root, national and international levels, the more the whole world will be awakened and brought to light, understanding and unity.

The universe is existing and we are living in the universe because the Creator is living. If He is not living, there will be no universe and we will not be living.

Rev. L. Suohie Mhasi Human ethics of relationship.

Changki for the same conference which will be concluded on of January 9.

Inaugural Guest, Bendang [ Longchari while addressing the house urged the students to know their origin and roots because, “only in knowing and loving one’s own roots, will one find his/her own true identity and come to embrace it as is the theme for the Meet”.

He expressed much pain by the damage done to the society by the culture of one-upmanship and urged the delegates to dedicate their lives instead in trying to rebuild the past glories

and unity that once existed in the society.

He also acknowledged that single village which already has produced two Chief Secretaries of the State as well as numerous luminaries still had the potentials to produce many more, but to achieve such heights; the need for talent nourishment, introspection and to discover the power of oneness was the need of the hour.

He concluded saying that, “Destiny don’t come to us, destiny is what we make of our lives”, and challenged the young aspirants

to cement “our relationship among ourselves and to walk and talk as one”.

Among a host of important personalities, Dr. Akum Longchari, Proprietor and Editor of the Morung Express, Susan Waten, Founder of HAWA, K. Tiayanger Tzudir, Director of Treasuries and Accounts, Samuel Changkija, IFS, Dr. Jamedi Longkumer and many other dignitaries were also present at the opening event. The First Session of the Meet concluded with a Panel Discussion on the Conference Theme, “Embracing Changki”.

Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): The Aghunaqa Kukami Kuqhakulu (GBs Association) today reiterated its demand for payment of unskilled worker wages under the national flagship programme, MGNREGA for the year 2013-15 under Aghunaqa block, Niuland Dimapur, as per the Rural Employment Guarantee Act and its operational guidelines.

In a press note, the AKK president, Mughavi Awomi and general secretary, Hetoi Katty stated that, “We firmly stand in our demand till the justice is delivered to the poor rural populace, whose morsel had been snatched away by the VIPs under the pretext of Convergent adjustment.

Reiterating its position basing on the guidelines mentioned in MNREGA Act, the AKK informed that the main objective was to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days guaranteed wage employment to every household in a financial year to unskilled manual workers, provided that it is demanded by wage-seekers.

“Convergence of the NREGA funds with funds from other sources for the creation of durable assets is permissible… However NREGA funds should not be used as substitute for departmental Plan funds of different departments and agencies”, the press note maintained quoting

MNREGA Act. “Funds from other programmes for the work permissible under NREGA can be dovetailed with NREGA fund but not vice versa.”

Again, “Social sector programmes such as illiteracy and health missions must be converged with the NREGAS to extend the benefits of these programmes to REGA workers so as to serve the double purpose of making them literate” the AKK added referring to “Convergence para.13.2.1” of the MNREGA Act. “According to the Act, the word convergence does not means to be pocketed

by VIPs but to converge the funds from other programmes with NREGA funds for the development

Dimapur

of rural villages/areas,” the AKK further added.

In the light of the above statements, the AKK demanded the concerned authority to implement the objectives of the scheme in “true spirit of the Act” rather than confusing the public through cheap publicity and rejoinder under the pretext of many excuses.

“We also like to humbly seek the DRDA Dimapur to give us manday average of Nagaland state since the implementation of the scheme, not the national figure”, the AKK appealed.

The Association further warned that it will be forced to seek legal intervention if the justice is not delivered on time in the interest of the poor wage earners.

DDCF condemns Dimapur IED blast CHILD FOUND Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): The Dimapur District Citizens Forum (DDCF) has strongly condemned the bomb blast at Eros Lane and Blue Hill lane junction on Monday at Dimapur.

In a press note, Joseph Lemtur, the President of

DDCF has urged the police and the administration to be more vigilant so that no outsiders can dare to disturb the peaceful life of the citizens of Dimapur.

The DDCF also requested the Dimapur police to investigate the matter at

One held for extortion Dimapur, January 7 (mEXn): One person was arrested by Dimapur Police on January 6 for illegally collecting tax of `Rs. 20 from each vegetable vendors on daily basis at Rail Bazaar area in the name of FGN and also seized Rs. 80 from his possession.

According to a press

note from, Addl. Superintendent of Police/PRO, Dimapur the accused was identified as Pavito Sema (18) from Khekiye under Aqhanato PO/PS and presently residing at Super Market, Dimapur. A case has been registered at Sub- Urban Police Station for further investigation.

the earliest from the person in custody and arrest all the persons involved in the heinous crime and ensure the citizens of Dimapur a “peace of mind” and no persons/ organization may commit such crime in future.

CORRIGENDUM Apropos to the news item titled, “GBUD (S) questions NSCN (K) threat to ACAUT”, it is hereby clarified that, Y Zhimomi is the General Secretary of GBUD (S) and not as rendered. The inadvertent error is regretted.

Name : Marina Age : 5 years (Approx.)

Sex : Female Father's name : Deepak Mother's name : Kanduri If anyone has any information or Parents and family members can contact CHILDLINE 1098 or 03862248744/ 03862-280884.

Registration for IGT AR apprehends three underway in Dimapur cadres at Longleng

Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): Based on specific input regarding movement of NPGs cadres in Leinak Ward, Longleng Town, a search party was launched by 31 Assam Rifles on January 3 along with police representative.

According to an AR press note, the suspected house was cordoned off and upon thorough exploration, two NSCN (K)

members identified as T Anayang Phom, Chairman of NSCN (K) and Private, Anke Phom; and one FGN members, identified as Leacy Akham Chingham Phom were apprehended with arms and ammunitions and large number of incriminating documents.

The accused were later handed over to Longleng Police Station.

Dimapur, January 7 (mExn): The registration for India’s Got Talent (IGT) Season 6 is currently in progress and interested individuals can register for the show on or before January 9 at Apna Hotel, Church Road, Dimapur between 10am 4pm. A press note from the Talent Coordinator (IGT) for Nagaland, Ritika Mehta state that the selection of the candidates are going to take place in two phases.

In the first phase, 10 best

performers out of the total registrations made on or before January 9, will be selected. In the second phase the selected candidates will taken to the National level auditions will commence on January 13 in Kolkata.

Registration is free and will not be concentrated on any particular talents. Interested persons are requested to contact, Ritika Mehta and Bishnu Kachari at: 9774261745 and 8413054343 for further detail.

Press rejoinder from BJP Phek District 'dissidents'

T

his article is from the dissident BJP Phek District who holds the grass root level people’s mandate, reiterated for the Public acknowledgement, that the inherent obligation of selflessness which is the quintessential Leadership quality expecting to evolve, nurtured and ameliorate the unbalanced propositions of tatter into stature form according to Party Constitution And Rules and high command of the BJP trust, the Leadership rudder endowed to Dr. M. Chuba Ao \ad completely failed to guide the Party status in the state so far being in the office for over two consecu-

O

n 15th February every year it’s time when the Tangkhuls celebrate one of their most important and major festivals popularly known as LUIRA (pronounced as ‘Luiruh’).Luira is a festival of seed sowing. However, it is not limited to this activity alone. Various other cultural as well as sporting activities are also held during the course of Luira festival.

In earlier times, Luira is celebrated over a period of twelve days. Nowadays it is usually spread over a period of five to six days.

The various cultural and sporting events are held in accordance with a certain chronological sequence and this practice is main-

tive term as President- BJP State Unit. His diabolical injunctions within the Party Cadre promulgate divisions resulting in to underpinning sterility which is likely regress to dissolutions. He does not exhibits a broadminded attitude to widened its circle but rather inflict suspension of its comrades one after the other over a brief moment. Stunted growth of BJP in the state, no proper offices in the districts, lack of coordination etc are evident enough that under his leadership the Party growth and development in the state is bleak.

We are here stating that, M Chuba is anti Modi be-

cause he relegate or even refuse to promote the BJP Party even in a small manner. One good example was his belittle to either contribute or even denounce to forward a pictographic Coffee Table Book entitled; “THE MAN WITH A MISSION OUR PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI”,authored by the writer Er. Vekho Swuro. The book was finally approved from the PMO office itself. It said that the author’s intention of publishing this book was to let the grass root mass recognized our Honorable, Prime Minister, who was not popularly rise from the attribute to Indian freedom fighter but through a humble be-

ginning from a background of a rustic boy that through hard toil, dedication, discipline, determination and the like, had emerged out from his colossal contribution in the development of the industrial sector of our country and won the hearts and souls of the country people to become the Prime Minister who throng the winning seats from all elections and the first PM in our country whose mother is still alive.

It is thereby He became the BJP Role Model, the Mascot and the Captain of the Ship in the vast sea of diversity.

Who is famously known for his equal treatment from individual, religion, commu-

nity to countryman as one for constructive growth and development.

It is noteworthy to mention here that, the insomnia nemesis that is hunting the Phek BJP People so far is due to the, illicit tactics M. Chuba devised in the Party folk by directing some of the vested self-aggrandized personality who are, inducted undemocratically in his office of profit, not worth enough to even be a Political Ground Player by instigating plethora of propagandas and publishing frolicking cautionary notes to the BJP Phek Stalwarts and maintains, what they conjure to be in the mainstream, while they had joined the BJP

much later than the dissident BJP Phek Party even though they through an illicit, undemocratic means. It is said that one of whom is an NPCC Spokesperson and the other is an NPCC Executive Member, who proximally attached to the BJP without even officially resign from NPCC. The word “shame” be on these persons who should be plaque with regrets for their obvious lethal squalor mated out to its own community.

Mean while, we the Phek BJP would like to challenge all sensible people even from different district, who sincerely believe that the Party should follow a transition through reori-

SIGNIFICANCE OF LUIRA Festival

tained consistently year after year.

On the first day of the festival (which falls on 13thof February) a comprehensive security review (security clearing operation) is carried out in and around the village. During that time no one is permitted to enter the perimeter of the village. Even those villagers who had ventured out earlier would have to wait at the gate of the village till the next morning.

On the second day (14th February) the villagers get ready with meat and other provisions meant for the feast. Thus, slaughtering of pigs and other animals becomes the main event of that day.

The third day (15th February) is set aside for offering prayers and performing rituals as the village Chief and his family invoke the Creator’s blessings upon his subjects. They also pray for an abundant harvest and for a harmonious year.

The fourth day of Luira (16thFebruary) is almost akin to the third day in terms of its ritualistic practices. On that day, instead of the chief of the village, it is the villagers who offer prayers to the Creator for the well-being of the Chief and for a year of plenty. On these two days (3rd and 4th day) people withhold from undertaking any sporting and cultural activities.

The fifth day (17th Febru-

ary) of Luira is predominantly marked by social interactions. Friends and relatives from other villages throng the festive event, bringing along with them varieties of livestock, agricultural produce, clothing materials and precious ornaments for marketing activities which are carried out at the main venue.

One of the main highlights of the 5th day is the special invitation made by the brothers to their married sisters for a special feast. During this feast the sisters will be joined by their parents and brothers for a day-long interaction in which they will immerse themselves in free-wheeling conversations, recounting their childhood days

and memories and reminiscing what it feels like to be living together under the loving care of their parents. At the end of the feast, brothers would offer a special gift, a pig’s leg (traditionally considered a special gift) to their married sisters. This is one occasion where the bond of love between brothers and sisters are renewed and uphold. This also reflects a deeper story about how we treat our sisters (respect for women), especially those who are already married.

They still remain special and are always remembered fondly. We honour and foster that belief with our sense of generosity and celebration of togetherness

which is proudly showcased in such a grand festival – LUIRA. The sixth day (18th February) marks the initiation of various indigenous sporting activities, such as wrestling, tug-of-war, war-game, high jump, Javelin throw and so on. These sports have been part of our socio-cultural activities even long before we came into contact with the western world (the British).

Virgin dance(Laa Khanganui) Another unique item which is performed during LUIRA is the ‘virgin dance’ wherein a group comprising of young virgin girls adorned with traditional ornaments and wearing

entation of a despotic maverick leader like M. Chuba, be joint hands for a good fight and participate for an anticipated brighter future.

K. H. Keyho BJP, General Secretary Phek: District BILHUNYI NYEKHA BJP President, Kissan Morcha Phek: District YIEPHUZU SWURO BJP President 19AC Phek MUZIPRA LOHE BJP President, 18 AC Chozuba PUDUSAYI BJP President, 16 AC Pfutsero WESETE RHAKHO BJP, Media Phek: District

minimal clothing would perform a group dance.

They will dance to the delight of the young men who will gather around them feasting their eyes on the tantalizing figures of the dancing girls. It is compulsory for all young girls of the village to participate in the dance. If any girl abstains or fails to participate, her chastity or purity is put into serious question.

What I have presented here is just a synoptic overview of Luira festival. Come and be a part of this unique indigenous event. Let us preserve our rich cultural heritage so that the world would know who you are.

Lungmi Kasar President Tangkhul Union Dimapur

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

6

IN-FOCUS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express THursDAy 8 JAnuAry 2015 volumE X IssuE 6

By Aheli moitra

We are ‘not afraid’

A

significant event took place towards the end of 2014. The Palestinians were rejected their dream to secure statehood and end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. The UN Security Council voted against the plan which called for a peace deal with Israel within a year and an end of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by the end of 2017.

Since 1975, the Palestinians have been denied their bid for self-determination about 40 times (the US practiced its veto against the bid on behalf of Israel). In 2015, despite the odds against them, Palestine applied to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) in an attempt to try Israel at The Hague, Netherlands, for alleged atrocities carried out during the last conflict as war crimes. If the ICC makes this possible, Palestine will become the 123rd ‘nation’ to join the ICC which considers itself “the court of last resort” in investigations of alleged crimes against humanity (you have to be a nation state to join the Court). If the Palestinians are recognized by the Court, they will also come under similar scrutiny for alleged crimes against humanity committed by them, of which, the Palestinians have said, they are “not afraid.” All this has transpired after a reconciliation agreement between the West Bank and Gaza leaderships.

Israel, and its best friend, the United States, are naturally annoyed. The Palestinians never learn! They have been bombarded, made refugees in their own homes, forced to live in broken homes with minimal food and water, stripped of their dignity, their children maimed, murdered or forced into violence—human rights violations of the worst nature has trampled them as a people. And now, the organisation this lobby termed “terrorist,” the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is, of its own volition, ready to abide by international law, seek justice the non violent way. It is a step no non-nation has tried yet.

The Israel and the US have for long refused to become part of this conglomeration for justice called the ICC. Washington is worried that its soldiers and government officials will be prosecuted for war crimes like the now evidenced waterboarding, Abu Ghraib, CIA torture, the list is long. Israel, on the other hand, killed more than 2,000 Palestinians last summer, hundreds of them children, in what has been termed “mass slaughter.” The fatalities in the 2008-9 Gaza war: 1417 Palestinians dead, 313 of them children, more than 5,500 wounded.

But forget all this.

Anyone remember the crimes (of war or against humanity) committed on the Naga people? Nothing much to suggest here, except that the Palestinians also have old leaders, but are ready to stand up with new ideas for the self determination of their people. Interestingly, India has also abstained from signing the Rome Statute of the ICC, thereby keeping itself away from the shadow of international law and justice. Negotiated settlements have their place in history, but the Palestinians are now rising above history and oppression, convinced of Israel’s ‘lack of intent’ to end the occupation through negotiations. Will the Naga people too?

Comments may be sent to moitramail@yahoo.com

lEfT WING |

Mazie Nakhro, Ph.D

Day 3: The First rule of the law

Thought-Provoking Question: Nations like men, emerge from a state of wild nature. That's why social contracts are made to regulate the society by customs, rules, and laws. Hence the origin and development of civil society. Based on this nature of social progression, where would you put the Nagas in terms of civilization?

What does God say? Genesis 9:5-6 After the Great Flood receded, Noah and his family came out of the ark and started the human society all over again. At that point God gave this law: "And for your lifeblood, I will require a reckoning.... From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image."

This law says that if a person takes the life of another, that person must be put to death. The murderer will forfeit his own life as a punishment. That is, the punishment will fit the crime.

Why would God encourage death penalty for murder?

The first reason is to instill a respect for the image of God in all people. Since human beings are made in God's image, we are also God's representatives on earth. Therefore, to murder a human being is in a sense an attack on God Himself Without such a standard, human life would be cheapened and human rights would suffer.

Second, death penalty for murder ensures justice to the victim and his/her family. This is carrying out God's own requirement of justice, for He says, "from his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man."

Third, this law would deter evil in the society. As this law was given at the very beginning of the nations, it was meant to be read by all the societies that would follow (Gen. 10-- 11).

God has given human government the authority to execute punishment. Right at the start, God established the principle—the ultimate price for the most horrible crime. What follows is the imposition of 'lesser penalty for lesser crime'. That is, for the smaller crimes, it is up to the government to determine who is guilty and punish them according to their crime.

This is called the rule of the law.

Okay, so now what?

In Nagaland, people can get away with murder in the name of the Naga national movement. State politicians have nothing to fear because they can bend the law or buy the law-enforcers. If a common person is caught in a crime, his community rushes to his rescue. Is this our definition of social progress or civilization?

Prayer: Almighty God, You gave us laws to protect us from lawlessness: Give me an obedient heart to obey them in Your name. Amen.

Taken from the book “Breakfast with the King: The 100-Day Devotional” by Mazie Nakhro

S O U N D BITE

"I

'd just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. I didn't want my club games to be tailored. "My injury record had been fantastic for the past two and a half years and I had a great season from a personal point of view last season. "It's all ifs, buts and hindsight now. That period between the summer and the end of November gave me thinking time. "There's no blame and I'm not angry about it. There are other people in the squad and the club had other things to worry about. "There is no finger pointing from me towards the manager or anyone else at the club."

Steven Gerrard

THE EDIT PAGE

C O M M E N T A R Y

Nathaniel Eisen Foreign Policy In Focus

Great Gamble on the Mekong A proposed dam on the Mekong River would provide energy for the region, but at a significant environmental cost

F

ishers and farmers have for some time tried to block a proposed dam on the Mekong River in southern Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Most recently, they made their views known at a public consultation on the Don Sahong dam. In all likelihood, however, they will lose and the dam will be built. Great Gamble on the Mekong, a new documentary from filmmaker and journalist Tom Fawthrop, insightfully details the probable dire consequences of this dam, and the failure this represents for a once-promising extra-legal cooperative structure, the Mekong River Commission.

The Mekong runs from the Himalayas in Tibet through China, Burma, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam—the latter five forming the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB)—where it empties into the South China Sea. According to Fawthrop, it provides protein and food security for 65 million people in the form of fish for food and trade, and water and nutrients for home gardens and commercial farms. At the same time, the Mekong has long represented a potential source of renewable energy. China has already built six dams on the Upper Mekong, and plans to build at least 14 more.

Dams have been discussed and rejected on the Lower Mekong mainstream since the 1950s, though they have gone up on its tributaries in that time. In 1995 Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam signed the Mekong Agreement and formed the Mekong River Commission (MRC). The goal of the MRC is to facilitate cooperation in managing the resources of the Lower Mekong, but it has no final decision-making power.

The proposed Don Sahong dam at the center of this film would sit squarely across the main channel that migratory fish use to bypass the massive Khone Falls near the Lao border with Cambodia. It would be the second dam begun on the mainstream of the Lower Mekong—construction began on Xayaburi, another controversial dam, in 2012—with as many as 10 more to follow.

Cost-Benefit Analysis The Lao government and the Finnish company Poyry it hired to oversee construction of Xayaburi claim that dam will provide clean energy to three million people in Thailand and one million in Lao PDR. The MRC claims dams on the Lower Mekong mainstream have the potential to reduce the severity of floods and droughts, and thatbuilding all 12 would generate $15 billion in economic activity, create 400,000 jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emmissions by 50 Mtons CO2/yr by 2030. A study commissioned by the MRC, and completed by the International Centre for Environmental Management (ICEM) in 2010, concluded that the 12 dams could meet 8 percent of the region’s energy needs by 2025.

The ICEM study is clear however that benefits will not be disbursed equally: “Mainstream hydropower generation projects would contribute to a growing inequality in the LMB countries. Benefits of hydropower would accrue to electricity consumers using national grids, developers, financiers and host governments, whereas most costs would be borne by poor and vulnerable riparian communities and some economic sectors…In the short to medium term poverty would be made worse….” Lao PDR does plan to use the revenues from selling the energy produced by its dams for rural roads, health care, and education, though during the “concession period” (estimated by ICEM at 25 years) after dam completion, the bulk of revenues would go to the dams’ financiers and developers.

According to the academics and nonprofit workers that Fawthrop interviews in Great Gamble on the Mekong, the exact impacts of the dams are impossible to predict, but they will likely be severe. “The Don Sahong dam will only push Cambodia and Vietnam closer to a food crisis,” says Chhith Sam Ath, an employee of the World Wildlife Fund in Cambodia. In addition to flooding gardens along the river, and di-

H

ere is Amos Oz on writing a novel: “It is like reconstructing the whole of Paris from Lego bricks. It’s about three-quarters-of-amillion small decisions. It’s not about who will live and who will die and who will go to bed with whom. Those are the easy ones. It’s about choosing adjectives and adverbs and punctuation.

These are molecular decisions that you have to take and nobody will appreciate, for the same reason that nobody ever pays attention to a single note in a symphony in a concert hall, except when the note is false. So you have to work very hard in order for your readers not to note a single false note. That is the business of three-quarters-of-amillion decisions.”

I found Oz at the end of his working day, around 8:30 in the morning. He’d been up since 4, as usual, taken a brisk walk, as usual, drunk a coffee, as usual, and settled down at his desk around 5:30. His good working hours for all those decisions are between 5:30 and 8:30. With a novel called “Judas” published in Hebrew last year (but not yet out in English), he is at work on something new, but, he says, “in this business there are many more miscarriages and abortions than live births.”

Treason and loyalty are themes of “Judas.” They have been on Oz’s mind.

“The protagonist points out that almost every significant political leader in history was called a traitor by many of his own people — Abraham Lincoln, de Gaulle, Gorbachev, Begin, Sadat,

minishing the fish stock, they predict that the entrapment of nutrients by the dams will hurt rice production in Vietnam, leading to higher global food prices.

The 2010 ICEM study concluded that building the 11 mainstream dams on the Lower Mekong would reduced “capture” (non-farmed) fisheries by 16 percent. Combined with the built and proposed dams on the Upper Mekong, and on tributaries in the Lower Mekong Basin, this number rises to 26-42 percent.

New aquaculture associated with dams would only replace at most 10 percent of this loss. Lao PDR and its developers claim they can mitigate the losses of fish–Poyry claims fish gates will allow 80 percent of migratory fish to pass up and down streams, while MegaFirst, the Malaysian company planning to dam Hou Sahong, claims making adjacent channels wider and deeper will provide fish with a detour route.

Yet the fish gates Poyry plans to use have never been tested on the varieties of fish found in the Mekong, and fish passes need to be designed to take into account individual species’ behavior and sensitivity to factors such as oxygen and nutrient levels. AsPoyry’s senior project manager conceded, “whether the fish get across [the dam], you’ll only see when it is built.” Faulting Lao PDR for not testing the fish gates in the Mekong before building a dam, when you need a dam to test the gates seems unfair. But they could test the technology on a smaller, less impactful dam on a tributary.

The Political Process In the face of this uncertainty, the ICEM report recommended putting off any mainstream dam construction until 2020, using the intervening years to more fully study the impacts of the dams on the Upper Mekong and on the tributaries of the Lower Mekong. In a five-year strategic plan issued in March 2011, the MRC Council also recommended more study, as well as a thorough Procedure of Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA), the internal procedure of the MRC for member countries to consider and offer feedback on the proposals of other countries. Yet eight months later, Poyry announced that Lao PDR had met its obligations under the 1995 agreement and could proceed with construction of Xayaburi. A year after that, in November 2012, Poyry received an eight-year contract to supervise Xayaburi’’s construction and engineering, and construction began. Poyry claimed at the time that it had updated designs to take into account the concerns of downstream nations. Yet in January 2013, Cambodia and Vietnam vigorously protested that their concerns had not been addressed, and demanded a halt to construction. They were unsuccessful.

A similar drama unfolded around the Don Sahong Dam. Last September, Lao PDR announced the start of the Don Sahong Dam, this time avoiding the PNPCA by claiming the project was not on the mainstream. After diplomatic outrage, the Lao government consented to a PNCPA, which began last July and is only required to run six months. Despite opposition from the governments and civil society in Vietnam and Cambodia, the Lao government has

signaled its intention to proceed with the dam.

These dams are the first major test of the MRC’s ability to handle conflict among its members. The MRC tasks members with “aiming at arriving at agreement” on projects that significantly impact water quality or flow but has no voting mechanism or penalties for not reaching agreement. The CEO of the MRC Secretariat, Hans Guttman, states in Great Gamble that if the parties don’t arrive at an agreement, the country proposing such a project can still go ahead with it.

Resistance Citizens of Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam have lobbied their respective governments to halt the dam. Hundreds of NGOs, both local and international (including World Wildlife Fund and International Rivers) have been trying to mobilize the opposition. Thai villagers filed a lawsuit against EGAT, the National Energy Policy Council, and three other government agencies in 2012, challenging the power-purchasing agreement they entered into with the Lao PDR government for electricity from Xayaburi.

In June 2014, the Thai Supreme Administrative Court agreed to hear the case.

The international response, outside of the press, has been muted. MRC’s international donors issued a joint statement in January 2013 urging further study before beginning dam construction, but have said little else.

The UN and heads of state have been notably silent.

Fawthrop’s film does not address how concerned Westerners can respond. The answer certainly feels fraught, given Laos’ historical experience of French colonialism and U.S. military aggression, including the unexploded ordinance that still affects the country. Then there’s the region’s very real need for clean energy as well as the standard argument about the hypocrisy of industrialized nations telling any country to sacrifice growth for environmental protection.

This is the progressive’s dilemma when it comes to foreign policy. Certainly any intervention should come in the form of carrots and not sticks: money and/or technology to develop less destructive sources of renewable energy; promotion of tourism to the region; UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition for Kohne falls, and so on, conditioned on implementing the ICEM report’s recommendations. What Great Gamble on the Mekong makes clear, and what studies of other massive dam projects have proved is that this is a humanitarian issue, and that the poorest will likely suffer the most.

Great Gamble on the Mekong has some distracting elements. The claim that the Thai banks funding Xayaburi are “getting nervous” as a result of letters sent to them by anti-dam activists seems like wishful thinking. For the sake of their own credibility, the filmmakers shouldn’t have included a cartoon set to Pink Panther music. Finally, the filmmakers should have addressed how some species got to be endangered before any dams were built. For example a WWF report says that overfishing was partly responsible for the decline of the great catfish. These critiques aside, this is an important and stirring film.

A Time for Traitors roger Cohen IHT Rabin,” the novelist told me. “The day people in this country start calling Netanyahu a traitor I will know that something may change.”

Oz, the conscience of a certain liberal and secular Israel still committed to a two-state outcome, called Benjamin Netanyahu “a coward, a man who prefers inaction to action.” “He has been in power for some nine years,” Oz said. “In those nine years he has not made one, even one, really controversial decision either way.”

The result is drift, a status quo that is violent, or brewing with violence. It is an illusion to think of the status quo in anything but violent terms so long as the Palestinian quest for nationhood remains unresolved. This struggle may recede from view for a while, and on a sunny day in a quiet Tel Aviv it may seem infinitely remote, but it is there, the storm at the horizon.

“Up until last summer there was a seemingly pragmatic school in the Israeli political middle of the road, former generals and politicians, who claimed it’s impossible to resolve the conflict at this

time so let’s think about conflict management,” Oz said. “I think last summer, the third Gaza war in six years, taught Israelis what conflict management looks like. This may be a useful lesson.”

But, I asked, after almost a half-century of occupation of the West Bank, is a two-state peace not on life support?

“Well, I have sad moments, and I have encouraging moments. But I don’t see an alternative. Or rather, the alternative is a disaster for Israelis. The alternative is the end of Israel.”

Oz refuses to be pessimistic.

He sees the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative as a “very reasonable starting point.” Perhaps, he suggested, “the present day is the best chance we had in 110 years to conclude the conflict altogether because Egypt, Jordan, the Saudis, the gulf states, even Assad in Syria, all have a more immediate enemy than Israel, and they are more willing to make a historical compromise with Israel.”

But more traitors are needed. An Israeli leader who will give up land for peace, as Menachem Begin, of all people, did with Sinai; an Arab leader, like

WRITE-WING

Anwar el-Sadat, bold enough to be pragmatic rather than peddle empty dreams.

Oz laughs at the notion of one state for two peoples. “If anyone would have proposed that in 1945 Germany and Poland immediately become a binational state they would put him in a madhouse.

How can anyone in Israel or elsewhere think that Israelis and the Palestinians can simply jump into a honeymoon bed together? After generations of hatred, we need a divorce, a fair divorce.”

He is right. Israelis and Palestinians need traitors as leaders who will deliver an equitable divorce, ugly as most divorces are, setting the terms for the peaceful coexistence of two states. The thing about traitor-leaders is that they break the rules that seemed immutable.

There are none on the horizon, but you never know. “I’m old enough to know that when somebody says words like ‘never,’ or ‘forever,’ or ‘the rest of eternity’ in the Middle East, it usually means something like six months to 30 years. If anyone had said to me as a young man that one day I would travel to Egypt or Jordan with Egyptian and Jordanian visas stamped in my passport, I would have said, ‘Let’s not get carried away.' ” He continued: “I have seen people change. They are not born again but they change, somewhat. In fact that is how I make a living, by observing and describing the way people change.”

Change and three-quarters-of-amillion decisions and before you know it, something new and original, even something unimaginable, is born.

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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.

7

Thursday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

8 January 2015

PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

The Optimist’s Year

Iraqi Shiite militia fighters raise up their weapons as they celebrate pushing back Islamic State (IS) militants on September 3, 2014, on the road between Amerli and Tikrit . Amerli was besieged when IS-led militants launched a major offensive in June, overrunning chunks of five Iraqi provinces and sweeping security forces aside, though security forces have now begun to claw back some ground. (AFP Photo)

Five reasons why 2015 is going to bring positive changes to the Middle East aaron david Miller

T

Foreign Policy

ired of hearing about the Broken, Angry, Dysfunctional (BAD) Middle East? Exhausted by annoyingly negative analyses and news coverage generating the same old, same old, or worse? Persuaded that things can’t and won’t change for the better?

I can see why. The Carnegie Endowment recently asked its experts what region of the world would be home to the most “headline-making crises” in 2015?

The answer? Seventy-five percent of those polled said the Middle East.

But read on. Optimists, believers, and the interminably upbeat: prepare yourselves. This coming year may actually be better than the past one. Indeed, 2015 could well be potentially — I said potentially — pivotal on several key fronts. A U.S.-Iranian nuclear deal could begin to rearrange the power balance in the region; a new government in Israel might open up possibilities for progress toward a two-state solution; and stabilizing the situation in Iraq might turn those temporary gains made by the Islamic State (IS) of late into more permanent setbacks. Are these just dreams of the perennially hopeful? Perhaps. But they’re all worth contemplating as the Middle East enters 2015.

An Iranian Nuclear Deal?

So far talks between the United States and Iran have surprised (the November 2013 Joint Plan of Action) and disappointed (the November 2014 extension). But 2015 will bring a critical credibility test. In short, this negotiating process is running out of time, political space, justifications and explanations for further delay and extensions. A political agreement by the March deadline on the big issues would buy time beyond July to conclude the many technical details that will still require resolution for a comprehensive accord. But make no mistake, 2015 will be the put up or shut down year for this diplomatic enterprise. Either the talks will produce an accord or the time for talking will end and other, less pleasant interactions will begin.

So, why the happy face? For starters, let’s assess the current situation. Clearly, the gaps on enrichment capacity and sanctions relief are large and the mistrust between Iran and the United States runs deep. Otherwise there would have been an accord already. And the Americans, now hemmed in by a Republican-controlled Congress, have likely reached the limits of their own flexibility.

But this could actually be a very good thing for the negotiating process because nothing concentrates the mind better than running out of time, and the prospect of facing cruel alternatives (the downside of which are quite grim). Coming out of 2015 with no deal on the table would almost certainly mean a drift toward tension, confrontation, and possible military action by Israel or the United States, depending on whether Iran accelerates its nuclear program. To avoid these consequences, a resolution is needed and soon.

This situation is nothing like the never-ending Israeli-Palestinian peace process that, in the immortal words of the late Robert Strauss, is “like trying to wipe your ass with a wagon wheel. It goes round and round and nothing happens.” In other words, unlike in Israel/ Palestine where, when there’s no agreement, tensions rise periodically and violence ensues but without regional costs or consequences, in the case of Iran, no nuke agreement, would mean more sanctions, more economic pain — especially now that oil prices have collapsed and crushed the expectations of the business community — and, at the end of the day, maybe war. For the United States, it could mean a proxy war in the region with Iranian mischief making in Iraq, Afghanistan, or even another Israeli-Hezbollah war should Israel strike out against Tehran.

The fact is 2015 is likely the now or never year.

Add to that the fact the Obama administration has all but conceded Iran’s right to enrich and the opportunity for Iran to produce in time an industrial scale enrichment capacity, and bingo — you have powerful arguments building for an Iranian “yes.” But will there be one? That the decision on any deal rests ultimately in the hands of a single individual — the Supreme Leader — means it’s impossible to say. But it also means that because the Supreme Poobah has the power and authority, he can actually authorize an agreement and deliver one, too.

Just for the record, should there be an agreement, it’s unlikely that some grand transformation in the U.S.-Iranian relationship will follow. Cuba will be a cakewalk by comparison. (And just wait to see how tortuously complex U.S.-Cuba normalization will be.)

No, the U.S.-Iranian deal is more a business proposition, an unsentimental transactional arrangement designed to avoid a problem rather than one that

creates an opportunity. But the funny thing is once you start such a process, there’s no telling where it might lead eventually over time. As Ian Malcolm, the chaos theoretician in the film Jurassic Park (played by the wonderful Jeff Goldblum) warned, “Life will not be contained. Life breaks free. It expands to new territories.”

In the case of the United States and Iran, how far and fast this expansion might go is highly arguable.

My colleague at the Wilson Center, the inestimable Haleh Esfandiari, argues convincingly that there are serious limits to normalization. But resolving the nuclear standoff will remove a big issue and at least open the theoretical possibility of beginning to unwind the long, dysfunctional and complex history of U.S.-Iranian relations. Any putative normalization will depend on the amelioration of U.S.-Iranian differences on a variety of regional issues such as Syria.

And the Supreme Leader will be so wary of creating openings with America and the west that might lead to a loss of control that there should be few expectations on the normalization front.

Israeli Elections: Time for a Change?

It’s way too early to make electoral predictions that are worth very much. Two of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s last three victories were facilitated by late-breaking events — in 1996, Hamas terror and Shimon Peres’s badly managed campaign; in 2008/2009, Ehud Olmert’s failure to defeat Hamas decisively in Operation Cast Lead and his prior conduct of the 2006 Lebanon war.

But there’s a growing sense in Israel that time is running out for the country’s second-longest-serving prime minister.

It’s only a sense right now — not yet a rising current, let alone a tide. The Israeli public isn’t really invested in the campaign yet; and unlike many Israeli pundits who see this election as a clear choice between Israel becoming a pariah state or remaining true to its Jewish and democratic values, most Israelis probably don’t see the future that starkly. What polls do suggest, however, is that a majority of Israelis (54 percent) feel that after six years of Netanyahu, the country is headed in the wrong direction and that Bibi shouldn’t continue as prime minister after the election (53 percent). And while Israel has moved to the right, these last six years, the political establishment has also moved away from Netanyahu. One of the beneficiaries is the former Likud Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon whose new party Kulanu is positioned to benefit big time. Whether the center left, now comprised of the Labor Party headed

by Isaac “Bugie” Herzog and former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, heading Hatunah, can present a credible alternative and actually create a functional coalition government is another matter. Polls show this center left bloc holding its own with Likud right now. But there are many unknowns, including how potential king makers on the right, such as Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, will fare. But that’s precisely the point. Israeli politics right now are at sea, more open, fluid and uncertain. The strength of the right in Israel makes Netanyahu’s continuation as prime minister certainly possible but by no means probable, let alone foreordained. Indeed, right now, reelection to an historic fourth term would defy all the odds.

Israel/Palestine: A Serious Peace Process?

A new, more centrist, Israeli government would almost certainly open up a dead-end peace process.

The key question is whether such a government would be able to make decisions on the big peace process issues, borders, security, and even Jerusalem. Right now even the left is talking tough against these kinds of compromises. Remember Nixon and China; Begin and Sinai; Rabin and Oslo, even Sharon dismantling settlements in Gaza? The history of peacemaking in Israel is really a story of transformed hawks — tough men with security credentials who had the trust and confidence of the public. A centrist coalition with a gentler face would be welcome. But it may not have the necessary coherence and discipline to deliver big moves in the negotiations. And will a new and largely untested prime minister have the steel cojones to deliver? Only twice in the past 22 years (in 1992 and 1999) have centrists with balls (Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Barak) trumped the right. And these were pragmatic hawks with deep security credentials. Labor Party head Herzog, the putative prime minister of the center left, doesn’t seem to have them.

And the peace process story of course isn’t just up to Israel. Can a divided Palestinian national movement produce leaders who can make decisions that can accommodate Israeli needs on borders and security too?

And will the Palestinians be committed to negotiations with an Israeli government that is without a prime minister who is willing and able to meet the needs of a Palestinian narrative that comes very close to demanding get 100 percent of their needs on most of the core issues and that leaves little margin for flexibility?

One former Palestinian negotiator confided to me that Palestinians would actually prefer a hard right wing Israeli government rather than a soft one that can’t make big decisions. The former would fa-

cilitate the PA campaign to isolate Israel in the international arena, which would over time put pressure on Israelis. The latter might put the Palestinians on the defensive on the PR front without being able to deliver what Palestinians need on issues such as Jerusalem and borders. Indeed, an Israeli government with a friendly and moderate face might derail any serious plans Palestinians have for marshaling international pressure against Israel; and might actually succeed in turning pressure back on them Whatever the complexities on the Israeli and Palestinian fronts, one thing is clear: A new Israeli government will mean the return of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and the peace team. Now, down to his (and the president’s final 18 months) Kerry will become a whirlwind of activity, pushing, prodding to see if he can achieve some deal whether the parties are ready or not. Kerry is a missionary on this one — a believer who has concluded the two-state solution is dead unless he can redeem it. It will be fascinating to see how Obama reacts to all of this. Never as enthusiastic as his chief diplomat on the peace issue, the question will be whether legacy will push him to be more risk-ready and hands on in the final phase of his presidency. Would he be open to another high stakes Camp David 3 summit or simply be content to leave behind a more detailed set of parameters to guide the negotiation, perhaps enshrined in a U.N. Security Council Resolution? And how will the 2016 presidential campaign with two candidates competing to see who will get the chance to man/woman the helm of Israel’s key ally will play into these efforts. In 2014, the so-called peace process seemed closed for the season. In 2015, at least the process part might be open for business.

Iraq: Holding Its/Our Own? This past year was a pretty frightening one in Iraq.

Earlier this summer it looked as if IS was on its way to taking over the world — or at least a large part of Iraq.

There was concern that Baghdad was threatened, and with a frozen political situation resulting from former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Shiite agenda, it appeared as if the Kurds and Sunnis were going their own way.

Has Iraq turned the corner? Unless you really do believe in the tooth fairy, the answer is most assuredly no. Iraq may never function as a truly coherent state with control over its borders and a political and economic power sharing agreement, let alone with a defined and shared sense of Iraqi national identity.

But let’s not make the perfect the enemy of the good either. For Iraq, 2014 ended much better than it began. Maliki’s gone. The new prime minister seems actually committed to at least a measure of inclusion.

The central government’s recent agreement with the Kurds; newfound interest in and support of key Sunni states; a semi-functioning government in Baghdad; the fact that IS’s march seems to have been temporarily blunted; and the fact that Iraq is once again back on America’s radar screen are all hopeful signs. And despite the challenges, including empowering Sunni tribes against IS, fostering a real power sharing among Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds, and training and standing up Iraq’s military, there is a U.S. strategy that will hopefully succeed in consolidating the gains and perhaps beginning to turn back IS in the new year.

Tunisia and the Arab World: More Functional Than We Think?

The news of 2014 might also lead you to believe that the entire Arab world was one giant crisis. Actually, only about 20 percent of the Arab states are now in some form of active melt down — Libya, Syria, and Yemen. Even if you tossed in a fraught Iraq, the putative state of Palestine that looks like Noah’s Ark (between Fatah and Hamas you have two of everything: constitutions, security services, patrons, etc.), and the non-state of Lebanon, you’re still left with a majority of the Arab world that’s still functioning.

Tunisia, of course, is the bright spot and has now passed through two post-transition elections. It has adopted a constitution that gives women full rights, protects the right to believe or not believe, and commits to a peaceful rotation of power — all without precedent in the Arab world. The success of this experiment will be in the doing. But Tunisia is unique and settled enough that it just might be on its way to building something in the Arab world that we’d be able to actually describe — with a straight face — as a stable and functioning emerging democratic polity.

The Kings and Emirs (Saudi, Qatar, UAE, Morocco, Jordan, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait) all have significant challenges, including, for the petro powers, lower oil prices in 2015. But a combination of factors that variously apply — such as oil money, Islamic legitimacy, modest reforms, effective security services, leaders who are still respected, and the fear of being visited by the Arab Spring — have kept them all stable and functional in a turbulent region. That Egypt isn’t being run by the Muslim Brotherhood or hasn’t descended into some anarchic state is good news for 2015. But the military’s inability to resolve Egypt’s political and economic problems will almost guarantee a highly problematic future.

The fact is given how disastrous and threatening the so-called Arab Spring has been, we should be ringing in the new year thankful that the Arab world isn’t in worse shape and that America still has partners (authoritarians all) with which it can cooperate and do business.

Happy New Year?

Is this list just a tad too annoyingly positive for you? Not to worry. I’m certainly not prepared to go over to the dark side of the perennially upbeat. The Middle East is likely to remain BAD for some time to come. I’ve spared you a list of ongoing catastrophes, including the rise and durability of IS, Syria’s bloody wars, Egypt’s dysfunction, Libya’s descent into chaos, Yemen’s failing future, and the thousand other forms of dysfunction, bad governance, lack of gender equality, and absence of respect for human rights and freedom of conscience that have made these unhappy lands the region of the world least likely to succeed in 2015 and the years beyond.

But enough gloom and doom — at least for now.

Raise your glasses and be merry. Things could always be worse. And let’s make a heartfelt wish in honor of the New Year that they won’t be.

We Can Solve Our Budget Deficit

W

hen a government’s expenditures exceed its own receipts of revenue, it creates what we called a budget deficit (also known as fiscal deficit). And when this happens, it borrows and gets into debts. But this is not a new phenomenon. Almost all nations or governments fall into debt at one time or another.

Even the U.S. total national debt currently stands at almost 17 trillion dollars as of December 2014. Out of this amount, about 75 percent is owed to various U.S. agencies and American citizens; only the rest is owed to outsiders. The main causes of this large U.S. debt are financing of wars, revenue declines during recessions, and tax-rate reductions. But considering the U.S. high rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the nation will somehow find a way to fully pay off its debts sooner or later. My guess, though, is that it would do so through tax increase, debt refinancing, and revenue generation.

Similar stories of budget deficit or public debt can be said about advanced countries such as Australia, United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Belgium, and Japan. In fact, several of these countries have larger public debts as a percentage of their GDPs than that of United States. But invariably, the main cause of public debts in all these countries is not government corruption.

In the case of India, corruption is a major reason behind almost all the economic problems and financial woes. Since independence, the trend of India’s balance of payments has largely been reflecting a deficit, except for a few brief periods here and there. However, this negative trend is also caused by import of machinery, import of war equipment, huge military expenditure, increase in the price of petroleum products, payments of interest on foreign debts, and poor quality of its export goods. Therefore, India’s budget deficit is not all together due to unjustifiable reasons. In fact, India’s fiscal deficit, according to a senior government official, could fall below 4 percent of GDP growth in 2014-15 if tax receipts and disinvestment earnings, along with lower spending on food and fuel subsidies, improve the balance sheet.

Now closer to home, what could have caused a small State like Nagaland to incur a massive deficit of 1234 crore rupees? Obviously, it is not as a result of wars, recessions, or tax cuts. Instead, we brought this deficit upon ourselves by allowing political corruption, financial mismanagement, and uncontrolled taxations.

Since our government doesn’t know how to generate revenue, it depends entirely on Central funds and grants to survive. When these monies from outside sources are used up or wasted, it then borrows and lives on loans. This is called irresponsible behavior---living beyond our means. That’s why we have fiscal deficit and ballooning public debts with compounding interest burdens. These outstanding liabilities currently stifle our economy and could potentially put unnecessary burdens on our future generations.

No doubt, our politicians are very aware that we are in a deep financial crisis. And yet unwilling to take responsibility for the problems they have created, they sought for a quick-fix solution in the form of a financial bail-out or debt cancellation from Delhi. Controlling the forces that have caused our fiscal deficit is going to be quite difficult because it requires a more complex and long-term process. In other words, reducing---if not completely eliminating---our deficit won’t be an easy task, but it has to be done.

With these underlying issues in mind, I’d like submit the following ideas for solving our fiscal deficit: Enforce Lokayukta Act. Without fear or favor, we must take all legally appropriate measures to recover all stolen public money. This would require taking prior action to freeze all suspicious accounts of public leaders and issuing advanced warning to all that anyone who buys any asset from these leaders could be doing so only at his own risk.

Require prudent financial management from our public leaders. We must take strong deficit reduction measures by setting caps for government spending and holding all discretionary spending to minimal levels. We must also limit further borrowing for consumption. Until we are able to bring our debt under control, our borrowing should be for productive revenue and capital projects only.

Refinance our current debts. Even without cutting expenditure or raising taxes to provide the funds required, our government can refinance its debts by selling new bonds (government securities against its assets) to our own people and using the proceeds to pay off old lenders or holders of the maturing bonds.

And buyers of these new bonds can also obtain a relatively good interest return with no risk of default by the government. Most importantly, the debts we owe to outsiders can be transferred to our own people---that is, we can shift the interest earnings from outsiders to our own, thereby making our public debt play a positive role in the building up of our economy. Another way to refinance an outstanding debt is by applying for a new loan that offers a better term and a better rate of interest. As it is, the current rate of interest we pay on our loans from NABARD, NCDC, RVC and open market seems to be between 7.50 percent and 12.75 percent. This means that the total interest charge accruing on the loans is huge and only increasing. Therefore, it is urgent that we renegotiate on the terms of our existing loans or pay off our accumulated debts by applying for a new loan somewhere else if we can secure a lower rate of interests and extend the duration of payments over a longer period of time.

Raise taxes. Unlike private entities, a government has the option to impose new taxes or increase existing tax rates if necessary to finance its debt. For example, the U.S. government, under Bill Clinton, passed the Deficit Reduction Act in 1993 aimed at increasing tax revenues by 250 billion dollars over the following 5 years and reducing the Government spending by the same amount. Specifically, this legislation increased the top marginal tax rate on personal income from 31 to 39.6 percent and also raised the corporate income tax from 34 to 35 percent. The result was that the U.S. annual budget deficit between 1990 and 1997 gave way to budget surplus in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Similarly, certain business corporations and wealthy Nagas who make lots of money or fall within high-income brackets can pay more taxes and thus lessen the financial burden on the public.

Turn ourselves from consumers to producers. First, this requires that we turn every government employee from a salarytaker to a salary-maker by giving emphasis on appropriate on-thejob training, efficient performance, and enhanced accountability.

Second, we should promote exports of fruits, vegetables, flowers, farm-products, meat products, leather goods, sports goods, handloom items, handicrafts, herbal products, and much more.

Third, we should set up special economic zones or hubs of international trade equipped with infrastructural facilities of global standards. In these zones, we should be able to conduct transactions free of export-import duty. This will encourage foreign trades and facilitate fast economic growth so we can pay off all our debts, balance the budget, and build up revenue surplus.

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

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NATIONAL

Thursday 8 January 2015

The Morung Express

Sashi Tharoor alleges bid to 16 killed, 50 injured in Andhra bus accident implicate him in Sunanda death New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): A day after police said Sunanda Pushkar was poisoned, her husband and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged in a letter made public Wednesday that a police officer tried to implicate him and a domestic help in her mysterious death.

In a letter to Delhi Commissioner of Police B.S. Bassi dated Nov 13, Tharoor, a former central minister, urged the police chief to take action against the officer. Tharoor said four police officers interrogated his domestic help Narayan Singh for 16 hours Nov 7 and for 14 hours Nov 8. On both days, he alleged that Narayan Singh was repeatedly physically assaulted by an officer.

“Worse, that officer used the traumatic physical assault to try and intimidate Narayan into ‘confessing’ that he and I murdered my wife,” said Tharoor.

He quoted Bassi as telling him that the officer’s conduct was “completely unacceptable and illegal”.

The Congress leader, later nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an ambassador for the Clean India campaign, said the police action amounted “to the use of physical coercion in the attempt to frame an innocent man. “I request you to take immediate and appropriate action against such unlawful misconduct of the officer.”

He said he and his staff had always made themselves available for any investigation “but the behaviour of the officers towards my staff is a matter of serious concern to any law abiding citizen”. The letter became public knowledge a day after Delhi Police announced that Pushkar, who was found

Homicide not mentioned in AIIMS medical report

New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (PTi): The head of the AIIMS medical board based on whose report a murder case was registered into Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar’s death, on Wednesday said the panel did not mention “homicide” in its findings and it found “poisoning” as the cause of her death.

“Our report doesn’t mention the death is homicidal in nature. It is due to poisoning. Police had sought an opinion in the matter and we have already given it. Now it is for the police to probe further,” head of the medical board Sudhir Gupta here said. He was responding to a question from reporters on whether the report mentioned the nature of death as homicidal.

Gupta, who is the AIIMS forensic chief further said that it was not his individual opinion and that the report was based on the “opinion given by the medical board comprising three doctors.” “We have also taken an individual opinion of the head of department of pathology of a leading hospital in Delhi,” said Gupta, adding, he had professionally conducted the autopsy.

Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by Delhi Police to probe the mysterious death of Pushkar. Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi has not ruled out questioning Tharoor, saying “whatever necessary will be done” in investigating the case. dead in a luxury hotel here a year ago, was actually poisoned to death.

Bassi said Tuesday that this was the conclusion of the final medical report of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) which conducted her autopsy. Pushkar, 52, died Jan 17 last year. Tharoor was a minister in the government of then prime minister Manmohan Singh.

He was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in May last year.

A day before her death, Pushkar and Tharoor issued a joint statement denying reports that they had a row over the Congress MP’s alleged affair with a Pakistani journalist. Meanwhile, a police team formed to investigate afresh Pushkar’s murder has begun work.

“The special team is looking into each and every possibility of the case.

Whatever is needed will be done,” Bassi told the media. Asked if Tharoor, now in Kerala, would be questioned, he said: “We will do, if needed.”

On Tuesday, police said a case of murder was registered against “unknown persons”. Informed sources told IANS that a Delhi Police team visited the Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences in Thiruvananthapuram last month to speak to doctors who had treated Pushkar.

After the police announcement Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of IndiaMarxist in Kerala asked Tharoor to quit his Lok Sabha seat.

Indians stand near the wreckage of a bus that fell into a gorge in Penukonda, about 145 kilometers north of Bangalore on Wednesday, January 7. The passenger bus veered off a road in southeastern India and fell into the gorge on Wednesday, killing more than a dozen people, most of them college and middle school students, police said. More than 50 other people were injured in the accident. (AP Photo)

hyDerabaD, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): At least 16 passengers, almost all of them college students, were killed and 50 were injured when a crowded bus slid down the road in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district Wednesday, police said. The accident occurred between Penukonda and Madakasira, about 450 km from here.

The toll may go up as the condition of 13 of the injured was said to be critical. While

11 died on the spot, five succumbed at hospitals. The bus belonging to the stateowned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) was proceeding from Madakasira to Penukonda when the driver reportedly lost control while trying to avoid hitting an auto-rickshaw.

According to witnesses, the bus slid and fell off the road, about 15 km from Penukonda town. Work was going on there to widen

the road. Thirteen students including a girl were killed in the accident. Almost all students were of Class 11 and 12. Two students of Class 6 and 10 were also killed. The victims include a forest officer.

According to officials, 46 injured were undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hindupur and four in Anantapur. The bus was carrying more than 60 passengers. Some of the injured said the negligence of

the driver caused the accident. They said he was driving fast and did not heed to their warning.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and grief over the accident. Naidu announced a compensation of Rs.5 lakh each for the families of the dead and Rs.2 lakh each for the grievously injured.

Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister N. Chinna Rajappa announced a probe into the accident.

Toll-free helpline launched Parliamentary panel seeks public PM asks secretaries to for alcohol & drug addicts views on changing Lokpal Act visit first district of posting New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): The central government Wednesday launched a national toll-free helpline to provide assistance to people dependent on alcohol and drugs. The move to launch the helpline number 1800-11-0031 comes close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the youth of the country to give up drugs in his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio programme in December. The helpline was launched by the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot at a special function here, an official release said. He called up the toll free helpline and inquired about the rehabilitation of drug addicts in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The helpline will operate from 9.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. It will be upgraded to 24x7, based on the number of calls it receives.

CBSE announces 2015 exam schedule

New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): The Central Board of Secondary Education examinations would begin March 2, an official statement said Wednesday.

The statement issued by the CBSE further said that the class 10 exams would end by March 26 while the class 12 examinations would conclude by April 17.

The results are expected in May. A total of 23.89 lakh students have registered for the 2015 CBSE board examinations as compared to 22.65 lakh students in 2014 and 21.76 lakh students in 2013. The class 10 examinations would start with the dynamics retail, information technology, security, automobile technology and tourism papers while the class 12 examinations would begin with the English paper. The exams will commence at 10.30 a.m. The CBSE has put up the detailed date sheet on its website.

Coal strike enters 2nd day, industry says end it

New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): A five-day strike by lakhs of coal workers against privatisation entered the second day Wednesday, with the industry seeking its end as power plants battled severe shortages. Even as unions claimed that more workers had joined the protest action in mines operated by Coal India Ltd and its subsidiaries, industry associations called for talks between the government and the workers.

The unions said they were in talks with the central government but there was seemingly no progress. “We are trying to talk to the central government... Let us see what happens,” Basant Kumar Rai, a leader of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), told IANS. The BMS, affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is one of the major unions taking part in the strike that has hit hard production, particularly in mines of Coal India. Another union leader, Jibon Roy, said more workers struck work Wednesday. “The participation rate has increased. Yesterday (Tuesday) evening we had a word with the coal secretary but there was no breakthrough,” Roy from the CITU-affiliated All India Coal Workers Federation told IANS. The industry urged the government and the unions to urgently settle the contentious issues. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said the strike would only further dwindle fuel supply at a time several plants faced severe shortages.

Similarly, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Alok B. Shriram asked the unions to call off the strike against the government’s move to restructure Coal India. The restructuring was unlikely to lead to the industry’s privatisation, he said.

According to Assocham, the strike would cause a loss of production of over 1 mn tons of coal worth about Rs.200 cr a day. BMS leader Badal Maharana, however, told IANS: “The move to restructure Coal India is against the interest of the workers. It will pave the way for more corruption. “Our strike will continue until the government meets our demands. The government must also stop auctioning 204 coal blocks,” he said.

New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (PTi): A Parliamentary Committee on Wednesday sought people’s view on changing the Lokpal Act, which seeks to include leader of single largest opposition party in Lok Sabha in a panel to select the chairperson and members of the anti-corruption body.

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas and other related law (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 8. It has been referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice headed by Rajya Sabha member E M Sudarsana Natchiappan.

“The Committee has decided to invite memoranda containing views or sugges-

tions from the individuals or organisations interested in the subject matter of the Bill and also to hear select oral evidence on the subject matter of the Bill,” said an advertisement appeared in today’s newspapers in this regard.

The Bill seeks to make enabling provision for inclusion of the leader of the single largest opposition party in Lok Sabha as a member of the selection panel to make recommendations to the President of India for appointment of chairperson and members of the Lokpal. It seeks to lay down the tenure of the eminent jurist nominated as members of the Lokpal.

The Bill aims to provide for appropriate eligibility conditions for appointment

to the post of the Director of Prosecution for the sake of functional independence of that institution.

It also seeks to provide for a scheme wherein the filing of information by the public servant is brought in harmony with the provisions of the respective Acts, rules or regulations as applicable to different categories of public servants.

People can send in their views or suggestions to the Committee within a month’s time, it said. Under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, the selection committee led by the prime minister consists of the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lower House, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court

nominated by him and an eminent jurist who could be nominated by the President or any other member.

The Act, as has been proposed to be amended, seeks to remove the deficiencies and provide for the alternative of leader of single largest opposition party in Lok Sabha, in the event there is no LoP in the House, for being represented on the selection panel.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had rejected Congress demands for LoP status to its leader.

Congress with 44 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha has emerged as the second-largest party after BJP’s 282, but fell short by 11 to stake claim to the LoP post for which it requires a strength of 55.

New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (PTi): In an unusual move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked all secretaries to visit district of their first posting and present a report card on progress with a view to improving implementation of government programmes.

The secretaries, according to a letter by the Department of Personnel and Training, have been advised to take their families along for such visits. The report card would have to be submitted by the end of this month.

They have also been asked to stay in their respective districts for at least three days and meet all the stakeholders involved in developmental activities including district level officers, sources said.

In a communication to all the secretaries, the Department of Personnel and Training has asked them to “feel the difference” and suggest changes in policy if required for effective implementation of ongoing programmes.

Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, according to sources, has already visited his first place of posting.

The letter also said that officers should visit the district of the state where they have served for about one year. This initiative forms part of the exercise of the Modi-government to improve implementation of various schemes as well as enhance government-people interactions. There are 93 secretaries in the government of India, as of January 1.

CBI files case against Dera chief over forced castration

New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): The CBI Wednesday registered a case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in connection with the alleged forced castration of 400 devotees inside his ashram in Sirsa, Haryana.

The agency booked the Dera chief on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code, following an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

A former Dera follower, Hansraj Chauhan, had filed a petition in the high court in 2012 alleging that he along with around 400 male devotees of the Dera were castrated inside the ashram on the orders of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Indian construction workers sit by a fire to keep themselves warm on the banks of the YaDisposing off the petition, the high muna River on a foggy morning in New Delhi on Wednesday, January 7. Severe cold wave conditions coupled with fog continues in several areas of north India, throwing normal court had ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the case in life out of gear. (AP Photo)

December 2014. The court asked the CBI to file the first status report by March 2.

Chauhan had demanded a CBI inquiry and compensation for the castration inside the ashram in 2000.

Seeking a CBI probe, Chauhan claimed before the high court that the castration of Dera followers was done by the chief through doctors employed in his hospital. Chauhan said in his petition that he along with other devotees were castrated under false claims that they would be able to realise god through the Dera chief after their castration.

Haryana Police handed over the documents related to the incident to the CBI Jan 2. Haryana Police had also provided documents related to seven other devotees of the Dera chief who also claimed to be castrated. The Dera has dismissed the castration allegation.

He’s the devil who raped me, shouted Uber rape victim

New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): The woman who was allegedly raped by Uber taxi driver Shiv Kumar Yadav identified the man at the Tis Hazari court where she had gone to record her state- New Delhi, JaNuary 7 (iaNS): A special fast-track court dealment, and shouted “he is the devil ing with sexual offence cases Wednesday fixed Jan 9 for commencwho raped me”, Delhi Police said ing arguments on framing of charges against a driver of the Uber taxi company accused of raping a working woman in the capital Dec 5. in its chargesheet.

The court presided by Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri BawePolice said in the chargesheet ja listed the matter for Jan 9 for beginning arguments on framing of that the woman, after recording her statement before a magis- charges. Advocate Atul Srivastava informed the court that he has trate, was coming out of the court been appointed special public prosecutor in the case.

A magistrate court Jan 5 took cognizance of the chargesheet and saw the accused driver who and transferred the case to the sessions court. Accused taxi driver was being taken by police for his Shiv Kumar Yadav is in judicial custody till Friday. custodial interrogation.

The 32-year-old Yadav allegedly raped the woman on the night “The prosecutrix (woman)...

Shiv Kumar Yadav ko dekhte huye of Dec 5, when she was heading back home in north Delhi’s Inderpehchan liya aur shinakht karte lok area in the cab he was driving. The 27-year-old woman works hue chillai ki ‘yahi woh darinda for a finance company in Gurgaon. The chargesheet was filed Dec hai jisne mera rape kiya hai’ (the 24 -- 19 days after the alleged rape. woman identified Shiv Kumar The incident took place at the ment before Metropolitan MagYadav after spotting him and shouted ‘he is the devil who raped Tis Hazari court Dec 8, when the istrate Riya Guha in court room woman went to record her state- No.247, while Yadav was coming me’),” the chargesheet said.

Uber rape case: Court to hear arguments on charges Jan 9

out from court room No.264 presided by Metropolitan Magistrate Ambika Singh, who allowed Delhi Police to quiz the 32-year-old driver for three days.

Yadav was arrested Dec 7 and was brought before the court in a muffled face Dec 8. He refused to undergo a test identification parade. When he was coming out of the court room, he removed the muffler, saying he was feeling suffocated.

The woman, who was at the same time coming out from another court room, spotted him and identified him. Citing the woman’s statement before the magistrate in its chargesheet, police said the woman said she was raped during recording of her statement under section 164, of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Yadav allegedly raped the

woman on the night of Dec 5 when she was heading back home in north Delhi’s Inderlok area in the cab he was driving. The woman works for a finance company in Gurgaon. The chargesheet was filed Dec 24 -- 19 days after the rape and the cognizance of the chargesheet was taken by a magistrate court Jan 5.

Police chargesheeted Yadav under sections 376 (rape), 366 (kidnapping or abducting woman with an intent to compel her for marriage), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code. In the over 100-page chargesheet, police cited 44 prosecution witnesses in support of its case.

Police also relied on forensic evidence and placed on record the route map of the car in which the offence was committed.

InternatIonal

the Morung express

Thursday 8 January 2015

Dimapur

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12 dead in terror attack on Paris paper

PARIS, JAnuARy 7 (AP): Masked gunmen shouting “Allahu akbar!” stormed the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper Wednesday, killing 12 people, including the paper’s editor, before escaping in a getaway car. It was France’s deadliest terror attack in living memory.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said security forces were hunting for three gunmen after the noon-time attack on the weekly, whose caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed have frequently drawn condemnation from Muslims. Twelve people died and eight were wounded, including four critically, officials said.

French President Francois Hollande called the slayings “a terrorist attack without a doubt” and said several other attacks have been thwarted in France “in recent weeks.” There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Clad all in black with hoods and machine guns and speaking flawless French, the attackers forced one of the cartoonists at the weekly Charlie Hebdo — at the office with her young daughter — to open the door.

The staff was in an editorial meeting and the gunmen headed straight for the paper’s editor, Stephane Charbonnier — widely known by his pen name Charb — killing him and his police bodyguard, said Christophe Crepin, a police union spokesman on the scene. Minutes later, two men strolled out to a black car waiting below, calmly firing on a police officer, with one gunman shooting him in the head as he writhed on the ground.

Ten journalists were killed and two police, Cre-

French weekly has history of angering Muslims with cartoons

PIC 1: In this September19, 2012 file photo, publishing director of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, Stephane Charbonnier, also known as Charb, talks to the media in Paris.

PIC 2: A bullet impact is seen in a window of a building next to the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo’s office, in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015.

Masked gunmen shouting “Allahu akbar!” stormed the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper Wednesday, killing at least 12 people, including the paper’s editor, before escaping in a getaway car. (AP Photo)

pin said, one of them assigned as Charb’s bodyguard and another who had arrived on the scene on a mountain bike.

“Hey! We avenged the Prophet Muhammed! We killed Charlie Hebdo,” one of the men shouted, according to a video filmed from a nearby building and broadcast on French television. Other video images showed two gunmen in black at a crossroads who appeared to fire down one of the streets. A cry of “Allahu akbar!” — Arabic for “God is great”— could be heard among the gunshots.

The gunmen abandoned their car at the northern Porte de Patin and escaped, Paris police said.

Corinne Rey, the cartoonist who said she was forced to let the gunmen in, said the men spoke fluent French and claimed to be from al-Qaida. In an interview with the newspaper l’Humanite, she said the entire shooting lasted

perhaps five minutes.

France raised its security alert to the highest level and reinforced protective measures at houses of worship, stores, media offices and transportation. Top government officials held an emergency meeting and Hollande planned a nationally televised address in the evening.

Schools across the French capital closed their doors. World leaders — including President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister David Cameron — condemned the attack, but supporters of the militant Islamic State group celebrated the slayings as well-deserved revenge against France.

Both al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have repeatedly threatened to attack France. Just minutes before the attack, Charlie Hebdo had tweeted a satirical cartoon of the Islamic State’s leader giving

New Year’s wishes. Another cartoon, released in this week’s issue and entitled “Still No Attacks in France,” had a caricature of a jihadi fighter saying “Just wait — we have until the end of January to present our New Year’s wishes.”

“This is the darkest day of the history of the French press,” said Christophe DeLoire of Reporters Without Borders. Luc Poignant of the SBP police union said the attackers left in a waiting car and later switched to another vehicle that had been stolen.

Obama’s top spokesman said U.S. officials have been in close contact with the French since the attack. “We know they are not going to be cowed by this terrible act,” spokesman Josh Earnest said.

On social media, supporters of militant Islamic groups praised the move. One Twitter user who identified themselves as a Tunisian loyalist of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group called the attack well-

deserved revenge against France.

Elsewhere on the Internet, the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie was trending as people expressed support for weekly and for journalistic freedom.

Charlie Hebdo has been repeatedly threatened for its caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad and other controversial sketches.

Its offices were firebombed in 2011 after a spoof issue featuring a caricature of the prophet on its cover.

Nearly a year later, the publication again published crude Muhammad caricatures, drawing denunciations from around the Muslim world, since Islam prohibits the publication of drawings of its founder.

Wednesday’s attack comes the same day of the release of a book by a celebrated French novelist depicting France’s election of its first Muslim president. Hollande had been due to meet with the country’s top religious officials later in the day.

PARIS, JAnuARy 7 (AP): The French newspaper Charlie Hebdo’s staple is to be provocative — poking fun at popes, presidents as well as the Prophet Muhammad.

The satirical weekly attacked Wednesday by gunmen, killing 12 people, has a history of drawing outrage across the Muslim world with crude cartoons of Islam’s holiest figure. The magazine’s offices were firebombed in November 2011 after it published a spoof issue that “invited” Muhammad to be its guest editor and put his caricature on the cover.

A year later, the magazine published more Muhammad drawings amid an uproar over an anti-Muslim film. The cartoons depicted Muhammad naked and in demeaning or pornographic poses. As passions raged, the French government defended free speech even as it rebuked Charlie Hebdo for fanning tensions.

The small-circulation weekly leans toward the left and takes pride in making acerbic commentary on world affairs through cartoons and spoof reports.

“We treat the news like journalists. Some use cameras, some use computers. For us, it’s a paper and pencil,” the Muhammad cartoonist, who goes by the name Luz, told The Associated Press in 2012. “A pencil is not a weapon. It’s just a means of expression.” Editor Stephane Charbonnier, among the 10 journalists killed Wednesday, also defended the Muhammad cartoons speaking to The AP in 2012.

“Muhammad isn’t sacred to me,” said Charbonnier, who used the pen name Charb. “I don’t blame Muslims for not laughing at our drawings. I live under French law. I don’t live under Quranic law.”

Islam is not alone in being singled out by Charlie Hebdo’s satire. Past covers include retired Pope Benedict XVI in amorous embrace with a Vatican guard; former French President Nicolas Sarkozy looking like a sick vampire; and an Orthodox Jew kissing a Nazi soldier.

The magazine occasionally publishes investigative journalism, taking aim at France’s high and mighty.

Charlie Hebdo has come under pressure ever since its 2011 Muhammad issue. Its website has been hacked. It faced a lawsuit over the prophet cartoons.

Riot police once guarded its offices. Charb lived under police protection — and his body guard was killed Wednesday along with another officer.

Charb told Le Monde newspaper two years ago: “I’d rather die standing than live on my knees.”

One of his last cartoons, published in this week’s issue, seemed an eerie premonition.

“Still no attacks in France,” an extremist fighter says. “Wait — we have until the end of January to present our New Year’s wishes.”

UN chief says Palestine will join int’l court on April 1 Hong Kong launches second debate on how unIted nAtIonS, JAnuARy 7 (AP): U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said late Tuesday that the state of Palestine will join the International Criminal Court on April 1, a high-stakes move that will enable the Palestinians to pursue war-crimes charges against Israel.

The Palestinians submitted the documents ratifying the Rome Statute that established the court last Friday, the last formal step to accepting the jurisdiction of the world’s permanent war crimes tribunal. The U.N. said the secretary-general would review the paperwork.

In a statement posted on the U.N.’s treaty website, the secretary-general announced his acceptance of the documents saying “the statute will enter into force for the State of Palestine on April 1, 2015” in accordance with the court’s procedures. He said he was “acting in his capacity as depositary” for the documents of ratification.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed

documents to join the ICC a day after the U.N. Security Council rejected a resolution on Dec. 30 that would have set a three-year deadline for the establishment of a Palestinian state on lands occupied

by Israel.

Joining the ICC is part of a broader Palestinian strategy to pressure Israel into withdrawing from the territories and agreeing to Palestinian statehood. Abbas has been under heavy domestic pressure to take stronger action against Israel after a 50-day war between the Jewish state and militants in Gaza over the summer, tensions over holy sites in Jerusalem, and the failure of the last round of U.S.-led peace talks.

The Palestinian decision to join the ICC has already sparked retaliation from Israel which froze the transfer of more than $100 million in tax funds collected for the Palestinians on Saturday. It promised tougher action on Sunday.

The United States also opposed the move, calling it an

obstacle to reaching a permanent peace agreementl that would give the Palestinians an independent state. The Obama administration said Monday it was reviewing its annual $440 million aid package to the Palestinians because of the decision to join the ICC. While Palestinian membership in the ICC doesn’t automatically incur U.S. punishment, any Palestinian case against Israel at the court would trigger an immediate cutoff of U.S. financial support under American law.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week that the Palestinians are seeking to raise alleged crimes committed by Israel, including during last summer’s war in Gaza. He said the Palestinians will also seek justice for Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory, which he said constitute “a war crime” under the Rome statute.

An ICC investigation could also lead to possible war crimes charges against Palestinians, but Mansour said the Palestinians don’t

Leftist group says it carried out Istanbul suicide bombing

IStAnBul, JAnuARy 7 (AP): A Turkish leftist group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at an Istanbul police station on Tuesday that killed an officer and wounded another.

Authorities say the female bomber entered the building in the tourist district of Sultan Ahmet and blew herself up.

In a statement posted on a website, the leftist Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C, said it carried out the attack. It called the bombing “an act of sacrifice” and identified the suicide bomber as Elif Sultan Kalsen.

It was the second attack on police in a week in Istanbul claimed by the group. Last week, police subdued a man after he threw grenades and fired a weapon at officers near the prime minister’s offices.

The group said the attack Tuesday was aimed at retribution for the death of a 15-year-old boy who died after being hit in the

head by a police tear-gas canister in protests in 2013.

“Our sacrifice fighter was martyred, a policeman who is the guardian of the thieving, murdering fascist state was punished by death,” the statement said.

Ahmet Balta, a tradesman who witnessed the incident, said there was panic after the explosion because people immediately concluded it was a suicide bombing.

“This is a tourism district, it will affect all of us,” he said.

The DHKP-C, which seeks a socialist state, is considered as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.

Suicide attacks have been rare in Turkey since the government opened peace talks in 2012 with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, to end a 30-year insurgency.

The DHKP-C has carried out sporadic attacks, including a suicide bombing on the U.S. embassy in 2013 that killed a security guard.

The group was more active in the 1970s.

fear any possible action by the court.

The ICC said the Palestinians submitted a document to the court’s registrar, Herman von Hebel, in The Hague, Netherlands on Jan. 1 stating that Palestine accepts the jurisdiction of the ICC starting June 13 — about a month before the Gaza war started.

The International Criminal Court was created to prosecute individual perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Palestine will become the 123rd member.

But in Monday’s press release, the court stressed that accepting the jurisdiction of the ICC “does not automatically trigger an investigation.” ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda must determine whether the criteria under the statute for opening an investigation have been met, it said.

The secretary-general also approved Palestinian documents joining 16 other international treaties, conventions and agreements on Tuesday night.

to choose leader

Honk kong, JAnuARy 7 (AP): Hong Kong leaders launched a second consultation Wednesday on how to choose the city’s top leader in 2017, after signaling their firm intention to stick with a proposal to screen candidates, an issue that sparked massive street protests throughout the fall.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam opened the weekslong consultation by addressing the territory’s Legislative Council. Her speech was immediately greeted with a protest by so-called pan-democrat legislators, who raised yellow umbrellas that have become symbols of the city’s pro-democracy movement and walked out of the chamber.

Many of the legislators accuse Hong Kong’s government of breaking promises to let the city choose its chief executive through universal suffrage.

The government said in a report Tuesday that it remained committed to a plan requiring that candidates be picked by a committee believed to be biased toward Beijing. That plan was

Pro-democracy legislators holding yellow umbrellas walk out of the Legislative chamber to show their protest in Hong Kong on January 7. (AP Photo)

reached in August and prompted thousands of pro-democracy protesters to block streets in Hong Kong for more than two months demanding open nominations for chief executive.

Tuesday’s report noted that “constitutional development is an extremely controversial issue,” but said it was the “common aspiration” of Hong Kong’s residents, its government and Beijing authorities to implement the vote according to the city’s own Basic Law and the decision by the Chi-

nese National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

“The (Hong Kong) Government wishes to discuss with different sectors of the community specific electoral issues in a rational and pragmatic manner, and work out together a fair, just, transparent and competitive proposal” for choosing the chief executive, the report said.The council must approve any election plan by a two-thirds majority, and then submit it to authorities with China’s central government.

Venezuelan textbooks teach math, science, socialism

CARACAS, VenezuelA, JAnuARy 7 (AP): Students here study math by calculating the benefits of government land takeovers. They practice English by reciting where late President Hugo Chavez was born and learn civics by explaining why the elderly should give him thanks. Pro-administration messages scattered through the pages of Venezuela's textbooks have become yet another point of conflict in this hyper-polarized country, where Chavez's socialist party won a bare majority in the presidential elections of 2013.

Parents recently tossed books into the streets in front of some schools and burned them, acts the loyalist media compared to censorship by the Nazis in 1930s Germany. As children head back to school after winter break, many Venezuelans remain outraged over texts that treat the founder of a deeply divisive socialist revolution

with the sort of reverence U.S. textbooks reserve for George Washington.

Math lessons include calculations of how much production has increased as a result of the government's agrarian reform initiative, and how much land the government still has to reclaim from private owners. Students are asked to figure out how much shoppers save at governmentsubsidized appliance stores created by Chavez.

Learning English? Answer the question, "Where was Hugo Chavez born?"

"They are brainwashing our kids, erasing our nation's history, and replacing it with their own version," said information technology worker Hector Cuevas, who was appalled when his son brought home the books as a sixthgrader.

For defenders, the "Bolivarian" textbooks introduced in 2011 include history traditionally left out of grade school education, and tie les-

sons to real-life examples in socialist Venezuela.

Minister of Education Hector Rodriguez defended the books this fall, and also urged critics to work with the government to improve the collection.

"Certainly they can be improved, like any human endeavor," he said, according to Venezuelan news website Noticias24. "Those who want to criticize should read the books, and when they find an error they should let us know to correct it."

But for opponents, the problem is not errors so much as what they see as attacks on government foes and propaganda for controversial programs.

An early edition of the government's social studies book shows a photo of an elderly person writing, "Thanks, Chavez" and instructs students to explain why.

One book interrupts an explanation of fractions to praise a food program "developed by

the Bolivarian government to ensure that the poor can eat."

While all students receive the books, they are in widest use in poor areas, where they are often the only option for teachers. At Consuelo Navas Tovar high school at the fringes of one of Caracas' sprawling slums, students in navy blue uniforms study their English textbooks at grimy desks crammed into a barewalled classroom.

The book has students discuss a study hall sponsored by a government agency known by an arcane acronym.

"It's a project of FUNDABIT!" one student is told to say.

"That is excellent!" the partner replies.

Geometry professor Tomas Guardia of Central University of Venezuela has spent months documenting what he and his colleagues call basic errors in math books. One defines a square as a shape with four sides, when that could be a rectangle or a rhombus.

"I'm not a historian, but if the math textbook is so problematic, there's a good chance this book is also full or errors and propaganda" he said, gesturing to a photo of Chavez embracing a child in social studies book captioned, "The future of the land of Bolivar is her children."

Cuevas, meanwhile, often pulls out his father's old math textbook to use as a reference for his son. He fantasizes about a collection of textbooks that would reflect his less-sunny vision of modern Venezuela.

"They always use examples like, 'If your mother goes to a government-subsidized supermarket and buys two pounds of sugar and three pounds of meat, how many pounds does she have?'" he said. "Why don't they use an example like, 'If your mother spends two hours in lines waiting to buy sugar, and later waits three hours to buy meat, how many hours has she waited?'"

The Morung Express 10 SPORTS Meltdown at Barcelona? FIFA's NBA: Pistons rally in final transfer ban opens crisis at club seconds to win over Spurs Dimapur

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8 January 2015

Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez vie for the ball during a training session.

BARCELONA, JANuARy 7 (AP): There are some very real problems at Barcelona, and the firing of the club's sports director this week is the latest signal that the once almighty team has entered into meltdown.

While many neutral soccer fans have enjoyed watching Lionel Messi and his teammates win again and again, there are plenty in Barcelona still longing for the days when Pep Guardiola led the team to 14 of a possible 19 titles in a four-year span.

Not to mention a good deal of envy for Real Madrid's 10th European Cup victory last year and its Spanish record 22-match winning streak to end 2014.

The sense of impending doom that has settled over Camp Nou since the firing of Andoni Zubizarreta on Monday had been festering for more than a year, and it finally came to a head last week when the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected Barcelona's appeal against FIFA's one-year transfer

ban for violating rules regarding the registration of youth players.

Until then, the club had insisted — and many of its fans had believed — that they would win their case and the harsh penalty would never be applied.

Now the reality of a season with no new players for an aging squad is settling in. Barcelona's faithful will have their chance to express themselves at home matches against Elche in the Copa del Rey on Thursday before Sunday's meeting with defending league champion Atletico Madrid.

Many disgruntled supporters will have their handkerchiefs handy in case the team loses. They could demand president Josep Bartomeu calls for early elections instead of seeing out his mandate until 2016.

Barcelona greats Johan Cruyff and Hristo Stoichkov have already lamented the state of their former club. "I believe Barcelona is heading toward chaos," Stoichkov said Tuesday. "There

are too many controversies.

I don't understand it."

On the field, the team has continued to churn out wins against minor opponents and can still challenge for titles.

That steady stream of lopsided scorelines and Messi goal records — this season he has broken both the Spanish and Champions League scoring marks — covers up the club's biggest failure: its incapacity to keep top talent both on and off the field.

First, Guardiola left the club in 2012. President Sandro Rosell resigned last year, and top players Carles Puyol, Eric Abidal and Cesc Fabregas have not been replaced. The most perplexing part of Barcelona's decline is that most of the blows have been self-inflicted by the myriad of legal cases plaguing the club. Besides the FIFA ban that has damaged the reputation of its once lauded football academy, Rosell left amid a lawsuit into the transfer of Neymar, while Messi is

mired in a tax fraud case.

Messi, so far, is holding Barcelona together, but there has been a breakout of Messi-mania recently because of reports the club's all-time leading scorer is not happy with coach Luis Enrique.

The arrival of Luis Enrique — the club's fourth coach in as many seasons — was labeled as a return to the Guardiola model of a player coming home. But his erratic lineup choices, which included resting Messi and Neymar for the first half in Sunday's 1-0 loss at Real Sociedad that cost Barcelona the provisional league lead, have erased any comparisons other than unfavorable ones with Guardiola.

Now, the transfer ban until 2016 means that the club's institutional crisis has finally spilled over to become a sporting disaster as well. Zubizarreta's latest batch of reinforcements from last year have not panned out. Even if Luis Suarez recovers his scoring prowess after one goal in nine league games, Barcelona has slipped in midfield and defense. Ivan Rakitic and Rafina are no Fabregas; Jeremy Mathieu and Thomas Vermaelen (still to debut because of injuries) are far from the second comings of Puyol and Abidal.

Mainstays Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta are showing their age at 34 and 30, respectively. Gerard Pique is not the dominant defender he was, and Dani Alves' contract is up at the end of the season, pointing to his exit.

As Sergio Busquets has said, "football evolves."

"It's impossible for things to stay the same," the Spain midfielder said in November. "We won't see the best Barca again."

KYO sports meet enters 2nd day DDCA Inter Club Cricket

dImAPuR, JANuARy 7 (mExN): In the semi-final matches of the ongoing DDCA Inter-Club cricket tournament, being organized by Dimapur District Cricket Association at DDSC Stadium, Super Caps CC defeated Titan Challengers CC while Blue Star CC defeated Dimapur Knights in the other semi-final.

The final match will be an affair of 25 overs per inning and will begin at 9 a.m. on January 8.

The first of the semifinal saw Titan Challengers post 125/7 in 20 overs.

Birju, with 40 runs and Imamenba, with 33, led the scoring. Nayan was the pick of the bowlers and he returned with figures of 4/10. Super Caps chased down the target winning by 4 wickets and with two balls to spare. Shamphri, with 41 runs, and Upender, with 35, led the runchase. Peter picked up 3 wickets while Inakato picked 2.

In the second semifinal match, Blue Star scored 158/5 in the stipulated 20 Noune Kro-u football team pose for lens on the second day. (Morung Photo) overs. Imliwati top scored with 45 runs.

KOhImA, JANuARy 7 (mExN): In football, a total of 14 matches The run chase for Dimapur Knights The 41st Kiruphema Youth Organi- have been played with a total of 23 ended in a disaster even as Aosashi, with 56 runs, and Pankaj, with 36, put zation (KYO) sports meet entered the goals scored @ 1.64 goals per match up a brave fight. They were, however, let second day today with a total of 470 till today. down by their fellow batsmen as wickets players participating in the tournacollapsed following their dismissals. At Day 3 fixture (Jan 8) ment this year at Kiruphema Local the end of 20 overs, Knights could only Men Football & Women Ground. manage 125/9 as the Blue Star won by Volleyball @7.30am The events of the sports meet in33 runs. For Blue Stars, Imliwati picked cluded with football, volleyball and Athletics (Men & Women): 400 Me- up 3 wickets, while Vishal and Wapang ters & 1200 Meters @10.30am picked 2 wickets each. athletics for both men and women.

44th WADSA Sports Meet KOhImA, JANuARy 7 (mExN): The 44th sports meet of the Western Angami ‘D’ Group Sports Association (WADSA) will be held from January 12 to 14 at WAPO Ground, Sechü Zubza.

The inaugural ceremony will be graced by Dr. Neiphrezo Keditsu, MLA, 11th Northern Angami Assembly Constituency as the chief guest, while Goneiu Sirie, president, NPF Kohima Division will be the guest of honour for the closing function. The inaugural function will commence at 9:30 am. The three-day event will also be graced by Satuo Sechü, former president WADSA as the patron of day-two on January 13.

During the three-day meet, the five villages under WADSA will compete in football, volleyball (both men & women) and athletics.

Meanwhile, WADSA officials have informed all the units to bring two flags along with entry fee of Rs 3000.

SAN ANTONIO, JANuARy 7 (AP): The Detroit Pistons scored four points in the final 11 seconds against the San Antonio Spurs to rally for an exciting 105-104 victory in the NBA on Tuesday.

In the only other game, the Phoenix Suns scored 100 or more points for a ninth straight game in defeating hosts, the Milwaukee Bucks, 102-96.

In the final seven seconds in San Antonio, Pistons guard Brandon Jennings took a bad inbounds pass by Tim Duncan and drove the length of the court, weaving through San Antonio's backpedaling defenders, to bank in an 11-foot jumper. The shot lifted Detroit to its sixth straight victory.

His bucket backed up double-doubles from Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, as the Pistons rallied from 18 points down in the first half.

"We are getting better," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said. "If you stay in there, sometimes you get a break. We had a very good break at the end. We got lucky at the end. Our resolve to stay in the game right down to the last few seconds was huge."

Drummond had 20 points and 17 rebounds and Monroe added 17 points and 11 boards, as the Pistons snapped a fourgame losing run in San Antonio. D.J. Augustin added 19 points for Detroit, which

Detroit Pistons' Brandon Jennings (7) celebrates after he scored the game-winning score against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, in San Antonio. Detroit won 105-104. (AP Photo)

has not lost since waiving Josh Smith on Dec. 22.

San Antonio point guard Tony Parker played just 13 minutes in his return from a five-game absence due to a strained left hamstring. He was 0-for-3 shooting and had just two

assists, but he did not appear to aggravate the injury. In Milwaukee, the Suns opened a four-game road trip with their third consecutive victory. They also upped their record to 8-1 over Eastern Conference opponents. They were led

by Markieff Morris with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Isaiah Thomas added 19 and Goran Dragic 16.

Brandon Knight scored 26 and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 16 for the Bucks, who lost their fourth straight at home.

CKM Sports Meet from January 9 mOKOKChuNg, JANuARy 7 (dIPR): The 51st Changkikong Students’ Conference (CKM) sports meet will be held on January 9 and10 at Alongkima Town under the theme “Advancement in Unity, Through Sports.” Parliamentary Secretary for Geology & Mining, Dr. Longrineken, and the president of Ao Kaketshir Mungdang (AKM), L. Jemdi Longchar, will grace the occasion as The Nagaland Sepaktakraw Boys Regu Team posing for lens. The team will participate in Chief Guest and Guest of the 17th Sub-Junior National Sepaktakraw Championship from January 11 to 14 at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

Honour respectively.

Liverpool, Chelsea step closer to getting bigger stadiums

LONdON, JANuARy 7 (IANS): Liverpool's famous Anfield Stadium has formally started a massive expansion project while architects of Beijing's Bird's Nest have been reported to be remodelling the Chelsea ground in London.

The face of English topflight football is changing, with work starting on the expansion of the Anfield Stadium. Meanwhile Chelsea is reported to have hired the architects behind Beijing's famous Bird's Nest stadium to remodel their London home at Stamford Bridge, reports Xinhua.

The two grounds are 320kms apart, but share one thing, they are landlocked by surrounding urbanisation.

Despite the constrictions of expanding or reshaping stadiums on an existing footprint, fans of both Premiership clubs are more than happy to stay in their current homes rather than move elsewhere.

The respected British publication Architects Journal this week report that the Swiss-based architectural practice behind Beijing' s stunning Olympic stadium is said to be working on designs to revamp Chelsea's stadium.

Herzog & de Meuron is working on the Chelsea project with another architectural practice, Londonbased Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands.

The story is in keeping Braving chilly weather, elderly people witnesses ongoing golden jubilee sports with reports a few months ago that Chelsea's Russian meet of Kidima Youth Organization at Kidima. (Morung Photo)

A view of the Paisley Gateway of Liverpool FC's Anfield Stadium.

owner Roman Abramovich wants to see the Stamford Bridge ground expanded from its current capacity of just under 42,000 to almost 60,000. He ruled out switching to an entirely new location in the capital for Chelsea, such as Battersea Power Station.

The problem is that Stamford Bridge is surrounded by railway lines, the busy Fulham Road and highly expensive real estate making expansion an architectural and logistical challenge.

Later this month the Chelsea Pitch Owners, who own the freehold of the stadium, hold their annual meeting when more details may emerge of the future plans. The pitch is owned by a legal compa-

ny, Chelsea Pitch Owners, specially set up to prevent the stadium from ever being purchased by property developers.

In Liverpool a solemn ceremony took place Tuesday to enable work to start in expanding Anfield from around 45,000 spectators to around 54,000.

An eternal flame at the stadium commemorating the loss of 96 fans in the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy has been moved to a chapel in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. It will continue to burn there until it is returned to Anfield in 2017 when work on the multi-million dollar project is finished.

Family members of some of those who died in what was England's worst football tragedy were at the

ceremony when the flame was moved to its temporary home. When construction is complete at Anfield, the Hillsborough Memorial will move to a new location in a specially designed colonnade, accessible from the Main Stand.

Liverpool had won planning permission to build a brand new stadium in nearby Stanley Park, but the club's American owners, like Abramovich, have opted for an expanded home. Liverpool will continue to play matches at Anfield while expansion work continues. The big question in London is whether Chelsea will have to move to a temporary home while the place it has called home since the club was founded in 1905 is converted.

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Linings Playbook co-star Jennifer Lawrence to introduce her first arose in RadarOnline in 2013 and rumours have continued to boil away.

Howard - clearly not realising the star's current girlfriend Suki Waterhouse is 23 - asked if there was an issue with Taylor being younger. Bradley replied: 'I don't even know how old she is.' The radio show host told the American

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Liam Hemsworth recalls tossing a blade at his brothers as he opens up about 'rural' upbringing and poses for stylish Esquire shoot

slams

tion for one of the 25-yearold's songs as she never approached him.

Howard said on the show the rumour was, 'Taylor Swift wanted to meet you, she was interested in you as a potential boyfriend, you said she was too young for you'. Bradley made it clear this was not the case: 'Complete horses**t. I never got a call - nothing.'

Reports that Taylor had asked Bradley's Silver

8 January 2015

'We had a throwing knife!'

Bradley Cooper

radley Cooper will not be ending up on any of Taylor Swift's breakup songs anytime soon. The 40-year-old actor did not mince his words when addressing a persistent rumour that he had caught the eye of the younger singer.

Speaking on the Howard Stern Show on Tuesday, the American Sniper star revealed he never got a chance to even be inspira-

Thursday

Entertainment

The Morung Express

Hustle star: 'You could date a 23-year-old [thinking that was Taylor's age].

Howard declared that Taylor and Bradley could be a Hollywood 'power couple'. The actor was not so convinced: 'You would like to see that, you think me and Taylor Swift?' At least from a genetic point of view Howard replied: 'I can tell physically you would make beautiful children together.'

The Notebook author Nicholas Sparks splits from his wife of 25 years - who inspired many of his hit romance novels

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e's grown accustomed to practicing fight scenes on the set of The Hunger Games.

But it appears Liam Hemsworth's penchant for danger began well before he ever heard the name Gale Hawthorne.

In an interview with Esquire Middle East, the 24-year-old Australian confesses that he and older brother, Thor star Chris Hemsworth, used to keep a 'throwing knife' at their home on Victoria's Phillip Island, which they used to entertain themselves.

'We used to fight all the time,' Liam says of his relationship with his hunky sibling plus their older brother Luke, 33. 'In the summer holidays we'd live in board shorts and we had a throwing knife'.

'We'd play this game where you'd have to stand about two metres away from each other and take it in turns to throw it as close to the person's foot and stick it into the ground,' he says.

While the first to admit their pastime was definitely on the dangerous side, he concedes that the blade of the knife was quite blunt, making being hit by the weapon painful...but not deadly. 'We used to play

that a lot, he remembers.

'There were a few cuts and bruises, a few shaves here and there.'

Born in Melbourne, Liam and the Hemsworth family soon relocated to their much more secluded island home south east of the metropolis which he describes as just 'paddocks and the ocean'.

The former fiance of Miley Cyrus playfully compares their residence on Phillip Island to the life of Chris Lilley's character Daniel Sim and his hearing impaired brother Nathan in his comedy We Can Be Heroes, saying he was always getting himself into a scuffle with his elder siblings.

Now a Hollywood

heavyweight riding the success of sci-fi series The Hunger Games, Liam showcases a significantly more composed demeanor in a photo shoot accompanying the interview.

Looking broody and pensive, the actor models a number of tailored menswear suits in the feature styled by Kate Hazell and shot by Bleacher And Everard. He sports a wellgroomed beard and ruffles his sandy coloured locks into a rough and undone style, only adding to his rugged charm.

Liam, who recently wrapped up filming on the Australian set of his new movie The Dressmaker, has been known to get himself

into a spot of trouble while out on the town. In 2012, the Paranoia actor was reported to have gotten into a nasty street brawl after a late night out at a Philadelphia bar.

According to TMZ, he lost his cool and became embroiled in a punch up after accusing another patron of throwing a rock at him. The incident wasn't the first of its kind as three years earlier a security guard was forced to break-up a fight the actor and his brother Chris had with a partygoer. The two stars were seen tussling with the individual and some bouncers outside a Hollywood club in December 2009.

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icholas Sparks, known for penning powerful novels about enduring love, is splitting from his wife of 25 years - the woman who inspired many of his books.

The author, who has written 17 romantic novels including Hollywood hit 'The Notebook', revealed the decision to People magazine, but insisted that he remains close friends with his wife Cathy.

'This is, of course, not a decision we've made lightly,' he told the magazine.

'We remain close friends

with deep respect for each other and love for our children. For our children's sake, we regard this as a private matter.' The couple has three sons and twin daughters, ranging in age from 12 to 23. Sparks has long credited his wife, a former lending-company account executive, as being key to his success, telling eHarmony in 2012: 'All of the female characters I create have many elements of my wife.'

In the interview, he explained that he was on spring break in Florida while at Notre Dame busi-

ness school when he met Cathy on a Monday night.

'On Tuesday night, I told her that we would get married,' he said. The couple married in 1989 - seven years before The Notebook made him a star.

He has written 17 romantic novels, including nine that have been made into movies, such as Dear John, A Walk to Remember and Message in a Bottle. While he has mastered romantic tales, he previously told People magazine that he is reluctant to give out marriage tips. 'There are people who

are probably much better at marriage than I am – they've lasted a lot longer,' he said in 2003. 'I could probably learn from them.'

Two years ago, the couple said in another interview with the magazine that they focused on putting their relationship first and made sure they would take walks alone. 'We try to go on vacations alone,' Cathy added. 'You need to leave alone. You have to make the effort to leave, take the time. Just go and have fun alone. We do it a few times a year.'

Courteney Cox feels she has the 'worst memory' JuSTin BieBer named new Face Of Calvin Klein

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ustin Bieber has officially been named the new face of Calvin Klein, debuting his underwear-clad advertisements on Tuesday (06Jan15). Rumours of the Baby hitmaker's latest endorsement deal first surfaced last July (14), but it wasn't until Tuesday that the pop star showed off his body in new print ads for the iconic brand's underwear and jeans.

The black and white photographs debuted online, featuring Bieber only sporting Calvin Klein briefs. In other shots, he also poses alongside model Lara Stone. Bieber also posted the ads on his Instagram.com page and added

the caption, "Officially a part of the legacy. This is just the start of the year."

Chief marketing officer for Calvin Klein Inc. Melisa Goldie praises Bieber's star status in a statement announcing the collaboration, that reads: "Justin joins a long list of musicians, models, celebrities and fashion icons that have been featured in our global advertising campaigns.

Justin's global recognition, expressed affinity for the brand and powerful persona bring a compelling energy to our jeans and underwear brands."

Bieber's campaign will be featured in 20 countries online and in print.

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ctress Courteney Cox feels she has the "worst memory in the world", and says that sometimes she even forgets whom she dislikes. The former ‘Friends; star considers that it is fine to be disliked by her because she can never remember it, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I have the worst memory in the world... I even forget when I don't like somebody.

Once I walked into a restaurant and I saw this guy from across the way and I was like, 'Oh God that's a familiar face.' So I went up and said, 'Hey,' and he was like, 'Hi'... and then I go, 'Oh that's right, we hate each other.' And I couldn't even remember why I hated him."

"It's good to be hated by me because I forget," she said on the talk show ‘Conan’.

t the trailer launch of his much anticipated film ‘Shamitabh’, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan said he will not rule out the possibility of working with the veteran actress Rekha in future films.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha are considered to be an all time popular onscreen pair in Bollywood and the two have starred together in films like ‘Silsila’, ‘Mr Natwarlal’, ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’.

The 72-year-old actor, who will be seen in a different avatar in R Balki’s ‘Shamitabh’, said the director wants to make a movie with him and Rekha. “Balki keeps threatening me that he wants to design a film together...

Let me see if someone has a

story which is appropriate... then why not,” Bachchan said during the trailer launch of the film here.

‘Shamitabh’ also stars Rekha and there were speculations about the pair coming together on the screen but Bachchan has cleared the air saying the actress does not share any scene with him in the film. “We actually don’t come together; it is a part of a sequence. When people will watch the film they will understand. It is always nice to have such great luminaries in the film,” he said.

‘Shamitabh’ is Balki and Bachchan’s third collaboration after ‘Cheeni Kum’ and ‘Paa’. The film also has Tamil movie star Dhanush and will mark the debut of Akshara Haasan, who is the

younger daughter of actor Kamal Haasan and Sarika.

When asked about the unique title of the film, Balki said, “A title like Dhamitabh or Hamitabh would have sound very weird so that’s why this unique title.”

Dhanush, who made his Bollywood debut in 2013 with ‘Raanjhanaa’, said he feels blessed to work with Bachchan. “It

was a great experience just watching him,” he said.

Akshara thanked Balki for showing confidence in her and casting her in the film alongside Dhanush and Bachchan. “I was very scared to work with Mr. Bachchan and Dhanush but they both made me comfortable.”

‘Shamitabh’ will hit theatres on February 6.

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ccording to a report on Miss Malini.com, Sushant Singh Rajput is all set to tie the knot with long time girlfriend, Ankita Lokhande. The couple has decided to settle down in 2015 and the report states that Sushant is looking for a 15-day window in his date calender to get married.

According to reports, it is going to be a traditional Rajput wedding which will take place either in Udaipur or Jaipur. However, reports also suggest that the couple might have two ceremonies - one in Indore and one in Delhi for their respective families. While the dates haven't been zeroed in on, Sushant and Ankita seem to be keen on marriage this time.

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Smith completes fourth century in series, equals Bradman, Kallis SyDney, JAnuAry 7 (AFP): Steve Smith joined the greats on Wednesday with his fourth century of the series as India hung in after the shock loss of an early wicket on the second day of the final Test in Sydney.

The Aussie skipper became only the third batsman along with Don Bradman and Jacques Kallis to score tons in four consecutive Tests in the same series as his team posted a total beyond 500 for the fourth Test running. Smith contributed 117 in Australia's first innings of 572 for seven declared before the tourists were rocked by the third-ball dismissal of opener Murali Vijay for a duck.

At the close, India had stabilised at 71 for one to trail Australia by 501 with Lokesh Rahul on 31 and Rohit Sharma hitting two sixes on his way to 40 not out. "I thought our whole top six played really well," Smith said.

"We've relied a lot on the tail in the last couple of Test matches and I said the batters had to step up in this match.

"The whole top six got above fifty which I don't think has happened before. That's outstanding for us.

"It's not the kind of wicket I think where you can blast sides out. It's about staying patient and hopefully the patience pays off." Left-armer Mitchell Starc, bowling with fire and rhythm, slanted one across Vijay and coaxed a snick to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. Starc may be in disciplinary trouble for giving Vijay a big send-off, roaring in his face and waving his fists in a fiery opening over as Mitchell Johnson's injury replacement.

But the day belonged to Smith, who added another century to his unbeaten 162 in Adelaide, 133 in Brisbane and 192 in Melbourne in this Australia's Steve Smith celebrates making 100 runs against India on the series. "It's been a pretty special sumsecond day of their cricket test match in Sydney on January 7. (AP Photo) mer for me personally, obviously with

some of the results that I've got," Smith said. "But look, I always put the team first, I think the success the team has had over the last little bit has been outstanding and we’re in another good position in this Test match."

Australia passed 500 for the fourth Test of the series, a feat last registered against the Garry Sobers-led West Indies at home in 1968-69. Smith was out just before lunch when he was caught behind off Umesh Yadav, ending his 208-ball knock spiced with 15 fours.

He has 698 runs in the series at an average of 139.6, placing him third behind Bradman (715) and Ricky Ponting (706) for most runs in a series against India. Smith is having an extraordinary purple patch and has now scored six centuries in the first innings of his past seven Tests at home.

Watson again missed out on what would have been only his fifth Test century when, on a flat SCG wicket, he had a rush of blood and hoisted Mohammed Shami straight to Ravichandran Ashwin at deep midwicket for 81.

Watson has now scored 24 half-centuries but just four tons in 56 Tests, with his last Test hundred coming against England in Perth in December 2013.

He toiled for 250 minutes and faced 183 balls in putting on 196 runs for the third wicket with Smith. Shaun Marsh added 73 to his 99 in Melbourne before he was caught behind off Shami nearing tea. Marsh batted for 116 balls with nine fours and a six.

Joe Burns, playing in his second Maria Sharapova of Russia gets up close with Sinnamon, a koala from Lone Pine Koala SancTest, was well caught by Rahul in the tuary, in Brisbane, Australia, Wednesday, January 7. Sharapova is playing at the Brisbane deep for 58 off 114 balls and Ryan Har- International tennis tournament. (AP Photo) ris roused the crowd with a lusty 25 off nine balls before the declaration.

It was hard going on the unresponsive SCG pitch for India's bowlers with Shami finishing with five for 112 off 28.3 overs.

DOHA, JAnuAry 7 Open, which begins in less opportunity and in patches responded by raising his (AFP): Rafael Nadal's abil- than two weeks.

"Little things didn't quite standards to new heights. ity to make a quick recovery from multiple ailments was work out for me today," he He was also admirably frank thrown into doubt Tuesday said. "This is the third come- in his assessment. "It's one of as he lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Mi- back of my career after in- the matches which will stay jury, so we will see how it in my memory forever, but chael Berrer in Qatar.

This first round match goes in a couple of months. let's be honest it was the first was Nadal's first of the 2015 I wanted to start well, but match for Rafa after injury," ATP World Tour and he ap- it was not the case today. "I he said.

"In the first set it felt like peared to have had insuffi- also want to play in the Auscient time to recover from tralian Open which is a tour- the other matches against an appendectomy, and far nament I like a lot. I don't him," he added. "Then too little match practice know if that will be the case it became easy to attack either, but I am going to work because it was the only over the last two months.

Nevertheless, it was a for it. If not I will be playing at chance I had. "It's also my last season and I had nothhumiliating outcome for Rio and Buenos Aires.

"The season is long. After ing to lose, and I'm enjoyone of the most successful players of all time, who had coming back from injury you ing it here -- so why not?"

Berrer broke early in the won the first set at a canter can't see the immediate mobefore his game crumbled. ment, you have to look fur- final set and led 3-1, someBerrer is a 34-year-old ther ahead a little bit. "Now times finding angles which qualifier ranked outside in my mind I have to practise perhaps only a fellow lefty the top 100 who is playing well and try to be ready for could manage against the last season of his career. Australia, but I know it can Nadal. The French Open Nadal has also been suf- happen that I will go there champion almost broke fering from back and wrist and lose. Perhaps I will win back immediately, but a injuries, which reduced his a couple of matches there, Hawkeye decision showed I don't know." Berrer had his ground stroke to have service speed greatly.

And he appeared to cast only taken four games in landed a millimetre bedoubt on his ability to take four sets off Nadal in their yond the baseline, and his part, let alone be a con- previous two meetings, but only real chance after that (L-R) Vetolu Nienu, Thupuvoyi Swuro, Keziengunuo Theunuo tender at the Australian recognised a career-greatest came in the final game.

DImAPur, JAnuAry Silver medal in the over-all 7 (mexn): The Nagaland ranking.

On the first day of the Police team added to their medal tally in the ongoing competition, Thupuvoyi 3rd All India Police Archery Swuro had bagged One Gold Championship being held and one Siver medal in the 50-meters and 70-meters in Guwahati.

In the women’s indi- distance respectively and vidual category Kezien- won another Silver medal in gunuo Theunuo won the the individual highest scorGold medal on January 6, ers’ competition second to while Vetolu Nienu, who the ITBP archer.

The competition will won a Bronze Medal on the first day, won another conclude on January 9.

Yuvraj is not someone who will All India Police melt like snow, says Yograj Archery C'ship

CHAnDIgArH, JAnuAry 7 (PtI): His son and hero of the 2011 cricket World Cup may have been ignored for the next month's mega event, but cricketerturned-actor Yograj Singh on Wednesday said the development has not affected Yuvraj Singh's spirits as he is a tough guy who does not melt like snow and exuded confidence that he will bounce back soon.

"Yuvraj is not somebody who melts like snow, I have not raised him that way. He is a tough guy, who is known to weather every storm that comes his way. What if his caravan has left him behind, he too will race ahead and bounce back soon," the former Test cricketer said on Wednesday.

Yograj Singh said that his son always remains in high spirits no matter how difficult the situation he may be facing.

"Oh no worries, dad, I will come to Chandigarh and we will practice soon, this was Yuvraj's message to me today," Yograj said.

Yuvraj Singh was not included in India's 15-member squad for the World Cup to be held in Austra-

lia and New Zealand from next month.

Yograj recalled that how his cricketing career had been cut short "because of someone who did not wish to see me progress".

When asked if he feels that history was repeating itself now that Yuvraj too had been ignored and his recent and past contributions overlooked, Yograj said, "After all, there is justice in God's court. Even mighty rulers who had great false pride one day had to bite the dust".

When asked what would be his advice to Yuvraj at this stage will be, Yograj said, "I have taught my children to accept everything with grace and be prepared to face all kinds of situations."

"Since I was a 5-yearold, my father taught me to be fearless and take on all adversities one faces in life. And these are the traits I passed on to Yuvraj Singh as well and he too is brave and fearless," he said.

He exuded confidence that one day Yuvraj Singh will become the captain of the Indian cricket team.

"He will play for seven more

years. He is very determined.

I know what is happening (why he is being ignored and not selected in team) and for a long time, but this is not the platform (through media) where I will discuss these things," he said.

"I promise you that when my son retires, I will reveal it all (the injustices meted out to him)," he said.

To a question, he said that players like Yuvraj, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag are of that calibre who do not need the selection certificate.

"For 15 years, he (Yuvraj) has given his blood and sweat to the Indian team, he was battling cancer, yet he fought hard and brought the (2011) World Cup back to India after a long gap. He fought with the ailment successfully...

Our job is to play cricket, do our best and leave rest to God," he further said.

Yograj said that it was his dream to see Yuvraj as a cricketer. "He wanted to become a tennis player, but I was keen to make him a cricketer and I must say this with pride that he has not let me down," he added.

Rafael Nadal suffers shock defeat in first match of season

I would have signed new deal in the summer, says Gerrard

C M Y K

LOnDOn, JAnuAry 7 (reuterS): Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has said he would have agreed to stay at the club if he had been offered a new contract in the close season.

The 34-year-old announced last week he would leave at the end of this season and move to Major League Soccer in the United States after spending his entire career at the Merseyside club.

Gerrard said at the weekend the turning point in his decision to depart came when manager Brendan Rodgers told him he could no longer play every game.

He did not blame the club for effectively making up his mind to leave but said he was ready to commit his future to Liverpool in the summer after they finished as Premier League

Gerrard to join club in July: LA Galaxy coach

LOS AngeLeS, JAnuAry 7 (IAnS): American football club Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena has confirmed Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join the club in July. "Steven Gerrard arrives in July and by then we will certainly have a plan available," Arena was quoted as saying by the LA Times Wednesday. "He’s a player of quality. I’m not concerned about how he’s going to fit in with our team. We have a club now with a proven history of success. All those things go hand in hand in making LA Galaxy a very attractive team for players such as Steven Gerrard." Former England midfielder Gerrard revealed last week that he would leave English side Liverpool at the end of the season. runners-up. "If a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season I would have signed it," Gerrard was quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo on Tuesday.

"I'd just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. I didn't want my club games

to be tailored.

"My injury record had been fantastic for the past two and a half years and I had a great season from a personal point of view last season.

"It's all ifs, buts and hindsight now. That period between the summer and

the end of November gave me thinking time.

"There's no blame and I'm not angry about it. There are other people in the squad and the club had other things to worry about. "There is no finger pointing from me towards the manager or anyone else

C M Y K

at the club."

Gerrard, who scored twice on Monday to help Liverpool beat AFC Wimbledon 2-1 and reach the FA Cup fourth round, is close to signing an 18-month deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy, according to media reports.

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