March 6th, 2017

C M Y K

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MonDAY • MArch 06 • 2017

DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 62 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

o F

T R u T H

A family is like a forest, when you are outside it is dense, when you are inside you see that each tree has its place — African Proverb Policeman, 2 militants killed in 12-hr long Tral encounter

NLSF launches ‘fair election’ campaign

PAGE 08

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

UFC 209: Woodley edges Thompson in dull title fight

PAGE 02

PAGE 12

breach, UIDAI says nagaland: nearly 1000cr loss in Following Aadhar data is fully secure energy revenue over past decade Going digital touted to be a means to recovery imkong Walling

Government must release Dimapur | March 5 our salaries. i’m so sick and tired of playing hide and Crumbling infrastructure, seek with my creditors. short supply and pilferage

Power Purchase Vs Revenue Collection Year

Power Purchase (In Cr)

2003-04 Rs. 52.10 2004-05 Rs. 69.71 2005-06 Rs. 70.85 2006-07 Rs. 83.07 2007-08 Rs. 91.10 2008-09 Rs. 120. 13 2009-10 Rs. 126.55 2010-11 Rs. 159.07 2011-12 Rs. 223.22 2012-13 Rs. 225.17 2013-14 Rs. 199.78 2014-15 Rs. 237.49 2015-16 Rs. 249.08 Total Rs. 1907.32 loss in revenue: rs. 964.36 cr

Revenue Collection (In Cr) Rs. 26.27 Rs. 39.48 Rs. 39.95 Rs. 41.27 Rs. 68.28 Rs. 110.99 Rs. 74.59 Rs. 78.96 Rs. 82.65 Rs. 78.39 Rs. 90.32 Rs. 99.35 Rs. 112.73 Rs. 942.96

ment implements a project funded under the Union Government’s Restructured Accelerated Power Development Reform Programme (R-APDRP). The project comes with a package to digitise the existing energy accounting and billing system with reducing loss as the primary objective.

“The basic idea is to streamline billing and stricter energy accounting,” said a department official of the ongoing project.

The gamut of the project, being implemented phase-wise, includes digitising the entire revenue collection apparatus and GIS mapping of assets (poles, transformers, lines), while doing away with the existing Legacy Computer Billing System It includes fitting data sensors for monitoring energy flow from an assigned central station.

This aspect of the project is already functional in select revenue/distribution sub-divisions. The official explained, “The quantum of energy supplied or consumed can now be assessed transformer-wise and the revenue realised from one transformer has to match with that of the energy consumed via the given transformer.”

The department would then be able pinpoint im-

balance in the consumption-revenue ratio at any given location or transformer.

The process of moving to the new system was started in March 2016 in two distribution/revenue sub-divisions in Dimapur. During the early phase of “data migration from the old system to the new,” the official said that there were technical snags, which resulted in an unprecedented incidence of wrong billing.

The project seeks to bring a slew of changes to the consumers, including online bill payment, which was launched in October 2016, spot billing, toll free number for registering connection problems and automated payment kiosks. As per the department, when the toll free number goes functional, a consumer has to provide the consumer number using which field personnel will locate the place without the consumer having to give directions over phone.

For billing complaints consumers will have no choice but to use the traditional method of visiting a given area’s sub-divisional office.

“Hopefully, once the new billing system stabilises revenue generation will improve and energy consumption can be monitored more strictly.”

NEw DElHI, MARCH 5 (IANS): Admitting to an instance of attempt to misuse biometrics data, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Sunday said that the information on individuals enrolled by it is safe and secure.

This clarification by the UIDAI, which administers the Aadhaar project, comes in the wake of recent reports of breach in the security of Aadhaar data, which were misused for creating parallel databases.

“It is an isolated case of an employee working with a bank’s Business Correspondent’s company making an attempt to misuse his own biometrics which was detected by UIDAI internal security system and subsequently actions under the Aadhaar Act have been initiated,” the Electronics and IT Ministry (MeitY) said in a statement here.

“With regard to misinformation appearing in various print and social media during the last few days, alleging breach of Aadhaar data, misuse of biometrics, breach of privacy, and creation of parallel databases, etcetera, UIDAI said it has carefully gone into these reports and would like to emphasise that there has been no breach to UIDAI database of Aadhaar and personal data of individuals held by

UIDAI is fully safe and secure,” it said.

“Any unauthorised capture of iris or fingerprints or storage or replay of biometrics or their misuse is a criminal offence under the Aadhaar Act,” it added.

According to the ministry, the UIDAI uses one of world’s most advanced encryption technologies in transmission and storage of data. “As a result, during the last seven years, there has been no report of breach or leak of residents’ data out of UIDAI,” it said.

“UIDAI is continuously updating its security parameters and looking at the new threats in cyber space.

It has decided to have registered devices for capturing biometrics data and further that such biometrics will be encrypted at the point of capture itself,” it added.

Meanwhile, in a move to promote digital transactions post-demonetisation, the government on Friday said it has asked banks to provide mobile banking facility to all customers by the end of the current fiscal on March 31.

“Ministry issues advisory to banks to enable mobile seeding, Aadhaar seeding of bank accounts along with enablement of Mobile Banking for all its savings bank customers on a campaign mode by 31st March 2017,” the MeitY said.

defines the energy sector in Nagaland state. Lurking underneath though Vote on www.morungexpress.com is a revenue segment that could fairly be termed as sMs your answer to 9862574165 more problematic than the the other hand is growing accuses the department of Do you support the comprehensible physical at the rate of 10 percent per under-performing while decision of the hohos who mess. the latter’s alibi is one of annum. have resolved in principle While it has escaped the During the year 2015- under-funding. to forming a Nagas of public eye, the investment- 16, the state spent a record Further, a disgruntled Nagaland platform? Why? earning gap in the state’s Rs. 249cr on power pur- government is reported to energy sector is showing chase while the revenue have tightened the purse Yes no others no sign of narrowing caus- collected in return stood strings on the state’s energy ing the exchequer tens of at only Rs. 112cr. The year sector virtually suspendDo you think the crores annually.

2007-08 was the only in- ing it to a perpetual state of ideological divide is overshadowing the Power pilferage, metre stance when returns dormancy. commonalities within tampering, under billing crossed the 70 percent Straightening the reveNaga society? Why? and unrealised bills from mark. That particular year nue segment is held to hold 63% Yes consumers, regarded as ended with a total reve- the key to breaking the stathe major problems, have nue collection of Rs. 68cr tus quo between the two 10% no hit revenue collection against a total purchase entities, while affecting a 27% others hard. Data maintained by cost of Rs. 91cr. revival in the energy sector.

Details on page 7 the Department of Power, The burgeoning exNagaland indicate that penses on energy purchase Going digital and the state has lost around a year after year without righting billing woes 1000cr over the past 10-15 corresponding return has Meanwhile, going digiyears as a result. given way to a bureaucrat- tal is touted as one of the As per the data, annual ic stalemate between the means to streamlining an revenue collection rarely state government and the erratic revenue segment. hit the 50 percent mark Department of Power, Na- The proposed reform iniDIMAPUR, MARCH 5 against the cost of pur- galand. As per department tiative banks on how ef(MExN): The Tenyimi stu- chase. Energy demand on insiders, the government fectively the Power departdents’ Union Dimapur today came out in support of the Nagaland RMSA, SSA and CSS Hindi Teachers’ demands for early release of their pending salary. DIMAPUR, MARCH 5 the work at the earliest pos- stoppage of work, the TAPWO ToRoNTo, MARCH 5 tional wisdom that says eating too group of the World Heart Fed“We are appalled to learn (MExN): The Tizu Area Pub- sible time so as to enable the informed, has “adversely af- (IANS): Health guidelines on much salt is a serious health risk. eration, the European Society of that the aggrieved RMSA, lic Welfare Organisation (TAP- people to ply on the good road fected the day to day life activi- salt intake recommend con“It is futile to target such low Hypertension and the European SSA and Hindi teachers WO) today expressed concern like those of other people in ties and many more issues of sumption levels that are too low intakes and moreover, it may well Public Health Association which have been denied their sal- at the stoppage of work on the state with good road,” it ap- the general public.” and this may increase the risk of be harmful. Studies show below also emphasised the potential ary for more than 9 months. the Sathiri to Chepoketa road pealed.

It meanwhile informed a fatal heart attack, researchers, three grammes of sodium per dangers of lowering intake too The teachers’ phase wise under Central Road Fund. A The TAPWO further urged that despite several appeals to led by one of Indian-origin, have day increase mortality, heart at- much. “Reaching sodium intake agitated is justified and dethe Executive Engineer, PWD, the concerned contractor, the warned. According to current tack and heart failure,” Salim Yu- levels below 2.3 gm per day over press note from the TAPWO inserve utmost importance,” said a press note by TSUD formed that the road construc- Phek, who is executing the work has not resumed. The guidelines issued by the World suf, Professor at McMaster Uni- a sustainable period of time is president Azo Wetsah and tion has completely stopped road construction to restart the TAPWO while expecting works Health Organisation, adults versity in Canada, was quoted as not feasible. There is no evidence work in order to avoid adverse- to restart soon, meanwhile should consume less than five saying to express.co.uk. that this is beneficial and there General Secretary A. Shy- without any laborers.

Reducing salt intake to overly are concerns it could be harm“Now is the peak season to ly affecting the lives of people cautioned that “failing to do grams of salt a day. erhunlo Lorin. It urged the so, any untoward incident that However, researchers in Cana- low levels undermines the body’s ful,” the report said. Instead an concerned department start the work before monsoon in the area.

The said road, it pointed may occur in the near future da emphasised in the study that it natural balance, Yusuf said. The adult should take between 7.5 and concerned Minister to starts. Therefore the TAPWO take the issue with utmost along with the entire public out, “is the only road connect- shall be the sole responsibil- was not enough and there is a need findings are detailed in a report and 12.5 gm of salt a day, equivaseriousness and ensure earnestly request the con- ing district headquarters Phek ity of the concerned contractor to increase the maximum salt in- published in the European Heart lent to three and five grammes of the future of the students’, cerned contractor to restart and Zunheboto district.” The and the work agency.” take guide, overturning conven- Journal by the joint working sodium, Yusuf elaborated. which lies in the hands of teachers. “It may be noted that students community are worst effected when the teachers couldn’t attend the classes regularly DIMAPUR, MARCH Css TablE for 2016-17 due to non release of their Total No. Total Amount Released 5 (MExN): The Against Sanctioning Ministry Important CSS/projects. The figures within salary. We hope that the of CSS/ to state Finance DepartCorruption and Unabated (Central Government) brackets are amount in Lakhs. concerned authority acts project ment in Lakhs Taxation (ACAUT) today for interest of both the stuRMSA (1425.41), Mid-Day Meal (535.28), 9 9,499.363 stated that the Finance De- M/o HRD SSA (2600) dents and the teachers’ partment needs to answer M/o Legal Affairs Infrastructure for Judiciary (2,000) 1 2,000.00 community,” it added.

MGNREGA (50152.6) 10 61,981.927 questions regarding the M/o RD Rajiv Gandhi scheme for Empowerment of utilization of central funds M/o Women & Child Adolescent Girls (112.18), National Mission for 8 11,200.514 Development in the state.

Empowerment of Women (158.4) A press note from the M/o Health & Family National Health Mission (3803.51), Family DIMAPUR, MARCH 5 Welfare (1146.75), Upgradation of Nursing 3 6,335.51 ACAUT Nagaland in- Welfare (MExN): The Phom PeoServices (502.350) formed that a total of Rs. ples’ Council (PPC) today Modernisation of Police (862), Border Area 6 3,217.45 issued a statement in re1,182 Crore for 76 Centrally M/o Home Development Prog (2238.750) sponse to the Joint CoordiSponsored Schemes (CSS) M/o Tribal Affairs Grants under Article 275 (1)- 1700 1,989.86 nation Committee’s (JCC) Conversion of NST workshop to Bus Stationfor the period 2016-17 was Urban Developcum-Market Complex at Dimapur (573.830), demand for suspension of released to the State Fi- M/o 8,761.788 ment Shopping Complex for Poor Women at Tobu 13 the Longleng Deputy Comnance Department by the (60.070) missioner for the January Centre. It added that the M/o Agriculture 15 6,725.75 31 violence in Longleng.

Miscellaneous: 11 6,570.6 state government “gave alA press note from the PPC Rs. 1,18,282.399 or most Rs. 120 Crores as its 76 President, Chingan Phom 1,182 Cr. 10% state share.” stated that “the matter in Source: ACAUT Nagaland In 2015-16, ACAUT inthis connection has already formed that the state share government didn’t have the last 9 months because Finance Commissioner is been clarified, comprowas roughly Rs. 135 Crore, enough funds to give its the Hindi teachers’ salary “yet to pointedly refute the mised and settled between component comes under very serious charge that or 10% of Rs. 1,353.52 RMSA and SSA shares?”

PPC and the public on FebIt further pointed out 100% CSS.” the Finance Department is Crore. Consequently, the ruary 6, 2017 at Longleng ative Station organized the 3rd The Hub, Star Mart, Flex Appeal Gym, It meanwhile alleged in the unhealthy business and the same has been combined state share fig- that 14th FC had released edition of the Nagaland Street Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Skechers, Decibel published in all local dailies ures for the last two years, 5229.56 Crores (2015-17) to that the “lion’s share of the of deducting 10% comFitness on March 4 at the Heri- Sound System. Beatboxing stars, Zonion February 7, 2017.” The that is, 2015-17, comes to the state, “parked with the 218 CSS are ghost projects mission on all the develtage, Raj Bhavan, Kohima sup- mong and Athozo enthralled the audiPPC stated that it was “also Finance Department,” and which will never be imple- opmental funds released roughly Rs. 250 Crores. ported by NSACS(Nagaland State Aids ence with their beatboxing skills. intimated to the convener Taking this into consid- questioned as to “what pre- mented on the ground, to the concerned departControl Society) multimedia campaign, Winners were presented with merJCC through telephone by eration, the ACAUT ques- vented the utilization of this meaning, the CSS is only ments.”

Tribal Group and Active Station. chandise and gift vouchers worth more the President of PPC, and If the allegation is untioned that “when the state amount to pay for the 10% a means to enrich politiFitness enthusiasts from Kohima than Rs.35,000 along with certification through ENPO’s represenstate share towards release cians and bureaucrats.” The true, the Finance Comgovernment could conand other districts participated in the and medals.

Metevinuo Sakhrie, NSACS tative that any matter relatACAUT asked the Finance missioner has a bounden tribute a massive Rs. 250 of SSA and RMSA funds?” event which witnessed people compet- Joint Director(IEC) gave away the prizes ing Longleng issue be conACAUT also said that Commissioner “how this duty to refute it but hiding Crores for 218 CSS for the ing in various events including running and also challenged the youths to live sulted with PPC.” “Hence, the Nagaland State Fianomaly is being repeated behind ‘wild allegation’ periods 2015-17, why were race, speed race (Naga Flash), arm wreslife responsibly and become ambassathe JCC’s demand for susthe teachers treated differ- nance Commissioner “is year after year at the cost of counter-argument has tling and push ups to win the Nagaland dors in the fight against HIV and AIDS pension of Longleng DC be ently and made to undergo yet to answer why the Hin- the teachers and the stu- only given rise to suspicion put at rest since the matter Street Fitness Title which was sponsored in the state. that perhaps the allegation untold suffering with the di teachers are still being dent community?” has already been settled as

by Tribal Group, Gravity, Active Station, Winner’s list on Page 12 It also observed that the is true, the ACAUT added. stated above,” it urged. lame excuse that the state denied salary payment for

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

TSUD demands release of CSS teacher’s salaries

tAPWo calls for resumption of road works low salt intake may up heart failure risk: study

Nagaland Street Fitness 3rd Edition

PPC clarifies

N

C M Y K

ACAUT questions Finance Dept on CSS funds

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MonDAY 06•03•2017

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

NLSF launches ‘fair election’ campaign Kohima College Parting Social: Students Kohima, march 5 (mExN): Nagaland Law Students’ Federation (NLSF) launched a campaign for “fair election” recently in state capital Kohima. It was officially launched by Kezhokhoto Savi, President, Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) & Convenor, ACAUT Nagaland (legal cell).

President of NLSF, Imliben Lemtur informed that NLSF will conduct an awareness campaign for the conduct of “fair election” starting from villages in collaboration with village councils as fair election has to start from the grassroots. For a better society and brighter future for the coming generation, the illegal means and corrupt practices in the process of elections have to be stopped at the village level or state level, she opined, according to a press release from the Federation.

“For Nagaland scenario, it is to be admitted that the root cause of corruption is election, especially

the State general assembly election where the contesting candidates are made to spend huge money and the illegal/unfair means of practices such as buying or selling votes, threatening, rich people sponsoring candidate financially so as to make money in future if voted to power, huge supply of liquor, church leaders involving in campaign, booth capturing, proxy voting, government employees involving in campaign with government vehicles, community not allowing the citizens/voters to vote freely/fairly, etc,” it was pointed out.

Meanwhile, Kezhokhoto Savi lauded the “timely mission” of NLSF to be conducted with the theme – “One man one vote”. Savi maintained that conducting fair election will promote the society, adding every eligible citizen has the right to vote and it is one’s birth right.

“The time has come for every citizen to realise that one’s vote decides the fate of five years and

beyond. It is important to vote for a candidate who has genuine concern for public and who is honest, qualified, competent, bearing strong moral responsibility ready to sacrifice on moral ground and a candidate of integrity, etc,” he asserted. “We need a legislator who is people friendly and ready to sacrifice for corrupt-free, works against corruption not only in words but in deeds such as setting up of Lokayukta in the state.”

The present government, he claimed, does not want to establish Lokayukta in Nagaland, “which simply means they encourage more corrupt practices and they did not want to allow Lokayukta to check them.”

Savi further stated that as voters one has to realise that “we are also responsible for the kind of present government as we have contributed by taking part in the conduct of election through illegal means.”

He lamented, “We are the ones who had elected

them to ruin us through backdoor appointment, several scams including kerosene, food (PDS under National Food Security Act), huge appointment against no sanction of post which seriously affects the state exchequer, illegally retaining the illegal appointment, nepotism, delay payment of salary for several months, favouritism, corruption, wrong diversion of public funds meant for development, etc.”

He also stated that deductions from all public and project funds which are meant for public infrastructural development will grow as the legislators prepare for the State general assembly election to be held in 2018.

“We can bring a corrupt-free government in this democratic system of government but this is possible only when the conduct of election is ‘clean’ and the best opportunity would be the forth coming State General Assembly Election,” Savi challenged the citizens.

urged to excel in whichever field they choose

Kohima, march 5 (mExN): Kohima College celebrated its 50th Parting Social on March 4 at the college auditorium with Rajesh Soundararajan, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Kohima as the chief guest.

Soundararajan called upon the students to excel in whichever field they choose to pursue, informed a press release received here. He said that there is no field nobler than the other, and that one should give their best in their respective fields. Maintaining that college is the foundation of one’s career and personality, the DC said he owes everything he is today to his teachers from college who helped him gain knowledge and experience. College is where we forge lifelong friends, and for the lucky ones – life partners too, he added.

At the programme, Tangmong Konyak was awarded “Student of the Year”, while Metsive Kezo bagged “Best Class Representative”, and

Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, Rajesh Soundararajan speaks at the Parting Social of Kohima College on March 4.

the Swatch Bharat Mission “Cleanest Classroom” was awarded to 2nd Semester, Section B. Special award “Students’ Choice of the Year” was presented to Dr. Konei Nakhro, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Political Science.

The college also honoured Hütulü Chüzo for winning 2nd consolation prize in All Nagaland Inter Collegiate Debate Competition and Keviwelhou Zumu for bag-

ging gold medal senior category in the 29th State level annual tournament of the All Nagaland Shaolin Kungfu Association.

Earlier, welcome address was delivered by Kohima College principal Dr. Watijungshi Jamir. Tutu Terhüja presented a special number, while annual report was given by Kohima College Students’ Council General Secretary Nukedu

Dawhuo. Sangerchila and Leavine Resüh also delivered speech on the occasion. Zuchamo Kikon, Associate Pastor, Peniel CRC, Kohima prayed for the outgoing students.

The function was chaired

by Asst. General Secretary, KCSC Vimeyiekho Vitso, while vote of thanks was delivered by Avezo Kevin Kapu, Asst. Games & Sports Secretary, KCSC.

Phek DPDB meeting postponed

PhEK, march 5 (mExN): The monthly meeting of Phek District Planning and Development Board (DPDB) for the month of March has been postponed to March 14 “due to unavoidable circumstances.” The time and venue will remain the same, informed a press release from Kezungupe Tsuhah, DPO & Member Secretary, Phek DPDB. All the members have been requested to take note and attend the meeting without fail.

A replica of the Garden Tomb Jerusalem, considered by many as the side for burial and resurrection of Jesus, being built in Impur, Mokokchung. Impur was established as a mission centre in 1894 by the American missionaries and now serve as the headquarters of the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (Ao Baptist Church Association). (Right) The replica of the stone, crafted from a single stone, which was used to cover the Tomb. The present construction is expected to be finished before Passion Week this year and give the worshippers a glimpse of Jesus' tomb, particularly for those who cannot visit the original site in Jerusalem, and act as a place of prayer and worship. A replica of three Crosses, signifying Christ's crucifixion, also lies The new school building of Noklangsangba Government High School was inaugurated at above the tomb. (Morung Photo) Lirmen Village on March 3. It was inaugurated by Rowainla, Deputy District Education Officer, Mokokchung. The school, established in 1978, was renamed after the first government servant Noklangsangba in 2016 through the approval of the government.

Assam Rifles recover stolen vehicle

The recovered vehicle and apprehended person with AR troops and police personnel.

LAUNCHING OF SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJI RURBAN MISSION (SPMRM) NATIONAL RURBAN MISSION PEDI (NGWALWA) PEREN Date: 7th March 2017

Time:11:00AM

Venue: Ngwalwa Hq.

Chief Guest

: Shri T.R. Zeliang, Chairman, Democratic Alliance, Nagaland (DAN)

Guest of Honour

: Shri C.L. John, Hon'ble Minister for RD& REPA, Nagaland

Chairman

: Shri Zarenthung Ezung Deputy Commissioner, Peren

ORDER OF PROGRAMME Invocation

: Mr. Heileulung Pastor, Ngwalwa Town Church Welcome Address : Deputy Commissioner Special Song : HeningkunglwaVillage Significance of Rurban : Shri Kelei Zeliang, IAS, Secretary to the Govt. of Nagaland, Department of Rural Development Speech : Guest of Honour Folk Song : Punglwa Village Launching of National Rurban Mission & Speech : Chief Guest Vote of Thanks : Smti. Imtimenla, PD, DRDA Peren Folk Dance : Gaili & NgwalwaVillages

LUNCH

Kohima, march 5 (mExN): 9 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) recovered a stolen vehicle from Chakabama on March 3. A press release from Assam Rifles recounted that troops of 9 Assam Rifles chased a suspicious TATA Sumo vehicle bearing registration number NL03T0456 when it tried to evade a check post established by AR on Chakabama-Kidima road. On being chased, the driver of the Tata Sumo ran away into the jungle. However, a motorcyclist guiding the vehicle was apprehended. The motorcyclist identified as Sahrünü Ngao (26) of Senapati (Manipur), according to the press release, revealed that the Tata Sumo was stolen and they wanted to sell it off in Manipur. The apprehended person along with the recovered vehicle was handed over to the Police Station Kezocha for further investigation.

The second IGNOU induction programme of Mount Tiyi College Study Centre was held on March 3. Dr. T. Iralu, Director, IGNOU Regional Centre gave a detailed explanation about IGNOU and its courses/programmes and encouraged the students to be sincere in their studies. The programme was chaired by Khyopenthung Tsopoe, Coordinator.

Sazolie College organises career guidance for students

Kohima, march 5 (mExN): Sazolie College, Jotsoma organized a one day career guidance programme at the college auditorium on March 3 with 92 students from the VI semester attending it.

The resource persons were Lezo Putsure, Director of YouthNet and Tomtsa Chishi, Senior Operation Manager, Amazon, Los Angeles.

Lezo, speaking on Time Management and Etiquette, emphasized the need for students to identify “what’s important in life” and “what’s urgent in

Students (VI semester) of Sazolie College, Jotsoma with resource persons at the career guidance programme held on March 3.

life.” This, according to him, is crucial in making the most of time at hand and in choosing a career path. He encouraged the students to

strive for change, which is difficult, but not without its benefits, informed a press release from the college.

Tomtsa spoke from his

experience of working in Sales and Advertising for Lenovo, India, in charge of Eastern Region and as Sr. Operation Manager, Am-

azon. A graduate of IIM, Lucknow, he is currently based in the States. He is an engineer by profession, the release said. He provoked the students to dream big and to pursue one’s dream.

He took a session on Career Guidance and Entrepreneurship.

The programme was chaired by Vetsuzolu Tetso, Assistant Professor, Department of Education and the vote of thanks was given

by Aotemsu from the VI semester. Earlier, Nzanthung Kikon, the Chaplain offered the invocation prayer.

Associate Professor RV Lotha of DGC retires

DimaPur, march 5 (mExN): The Dimapur Government College (DGC) bade farewell to the HoD of Commerce department, RV Lotha at the college premises on March 4. The programme was attended by the family of RV Lotha, Principal, Vice Principal, faculty, staff and students of the college.

Akok walling, Principal, spoke on behalf of the college and highlighted RV Lotha’s contribution to the college. He said his simplicity and straight forward nature endeared himself to his colleagues and the students. The Dimapur Govt.

College Teachers Association, the Commerce department, staff and the students' representative spoke highly of the contribution made by RV Lotha to the college and thanked

him for leaving an indelible imprint in the college, said a press release issued by Media and Publicity Cell, DGC. Associate Professor RV Lotha in his speech captivated the audience with his typical wit and humor, the release added. With the culmination of his career in teaching, he declared that he was embarking on his missionary journey. Keeping this in mind, he had obtained Master of Divinity (M Div) from Faith Theological College, Dimapur, when he was still serving in DGC. “He was one teacher, who is committed to the service of the Lord and focus on church planting after his retirement. Despite offers in managerial position in various government managed corporations,

he chose teaching profession, as he was convinced that teaching is a noble and clean profession. He will explore the foreign soil to preach the gospel and plant churches in the remote areas, for which he solicited prayer support from the believers,” the DGC Media and Publicity Cell stated.

T. Zhanthungo Ngullie, Asst.

Professor, enthralled the audience with a special song during the farewell programme, which was chaired

by Kezhalie Hesso, HoD of Economics department.

Meanwhile, the DGC authority and Dimapur Govt. College Teachers’ Association (DGCTA) organized a sumptuous lunch in honour Associate Professor RV Loof the retired Associate Professor RV tha speaks at his farewell proLotha and his family. gramme on March 4.

MONDAY 06•03•2017

NORTH-EAST 3

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Guwahati High Court ruling on citizenship document will hurt women the hardest Scroll.in

Assam’s gargantuan – and much deferred – project to count its population and update its National Register of Citizens for the first time since 1951 is likely to get further delayed, thanks to a recent court judgment.

The strongly worded order passed by the Guwahati High Court on Tuesday states that a Panchayat secretary-issued residency certificate – used as a “link document” – had “no statutory sanctity” and could “at best be a private document”. It added that the use of these documents were unconstitutional, and that using them was “against national interest”.

The primary motive behind preparing an updated list of legal citizens is to detect illegal immigrants, who according to the Assam Accord of 1985

agreement are anyone who came to the state after the midnight of March 24, 1971. A link document is any piece of documentary evidence that establishes the connections of people born after this date with their parents and grandparents who have proof of being in the state before the cut-off date.

A link document, thus, is an important record for anyone born after March 24, 1971. Panchayat secretary-issued residency certificates are used as link documents primarily by married women to establish their connection to their parents, in absence of school leaving certificates. However, these certificates are not good enough by themselves to prove a woman’s citizenship and have to be usually backed by at least another document. In spite of this, more than 50 lakh married

women have submitted appear before the court as these certificates as their it deliberated on the issue before finally delivering a link document. judgment on Monday.

Court petition The judgment is signifThe subject of resi- icant since the Registrar dency certificates came General of India and the to the court’s notice last Supreme Court (which year while hearing a peti- has kept a close tab on tion by a woman named all National Register of Monowara Bera from the Citizens-related develborder district of Dhubri, opments) never objected who had been declared a to the use of Panchayat foreign national by a tri- issued-residency certifibunal, a bench of retired cates since they were recjudges that adjudicates ommended as a valid link on matters related to con- document by a cabinet tested nationality. The sub-committee in 2010 woman had contested the and approved by the govdecision of the tribunal on ernment soon after. the basis of a Panchayat Though the court secretary-issued residency stopped short of declaring certificate. Not only did the the document completely court uphold the tribunal’s invalid, the judgement’s decision, it questioned the terse tone, many believe, authority of a village Pan- is likely to deter Panchayat chayat to even issue such secretaries and the councertificates. It then di- ter-signing authority (usurected the state’s National ally a Block Development Register of Citizens coor- Officer) from issuing them. dinator Prateek Hajela to The order warns:

Meghalaya women's group opposes CM's new security advisor SHILLONG, MARCH 5 (IANS): The Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO) on Sunday strongly opposed the appointment of former state police chief Rajiv Mehta as the Security Advisor to Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.

"We strongly object this illegal move, where public funds will be wasted just to accommodate a few corrupt officials," CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing said.

On March 3, the Meghalaya cabinet approved the appointment of Mehta, a former Meghalaya police chief, as the Security Advisor to the Chief Minister.

"What security advice

can the former DGP (Director General of Police) provide to the state, when he could not even determine the murder of his own official (L) P.J. Marbaniang and accepted the findings as suicide," Agnes Kharshiing said.

According to CSWO, there are a few senior officials in the police department who are capable of giving sound security advice and "not like some who advise to benefit a few and create tension and fear to all".

It asked the government not to "dilly dally" in appointing a full-fledged Director General of Police in the state.

The CSWO said that it

NESCH appeals to tighten security for NE people during Holi NEW DELHI, MARCH 5 (MExN): The North East Support Centre & Helpline (NESCH) has requested for tightening up security during Holi festival in localities of Delhi and NCR where population of the North East people is high.

In a letter to the Nodal Officer for North East, Robin Hibu, Bruce K. Thangkhal, Media In-charge, NESCH mentioned that many complaints of feeling “unsafe” and “insecure” have been received by the Helpline from Northeast community living in the National Capital Region (NCR), especially women who are working in private companies, as they had been targeted in different ways during Holi last year.

“In the current year such bad treatments can be experienced so therefore

there should be ‘security vigils’ in the places where the populace of the North East people is high. This security measures must be taken up at the earliest in order to avoid unnecessary outcomes,” the letter stated.

According to the latest complaints received from women of North-East States living in Delhi and NCR, they were allegedly mistreated by the locals during Holi festivals, the Helpline added. It pointed out instances of the mistreatments, including sexual harassment. "...We are also concerned for the male-folks who can also be under such attacks. Therefore there is an urgent need of police presence and intervention to prevent such offence in day or night,” the letter added

vehemently opposed the state government move to appoint retired officials in any department, as this creates a gap to stop others who are due for promotions and the many youths who are in need of a job, and this directly also violates their constitutional rights.

"Rules are clearly laid down and anything contrary which could have been accommodated to fit the corrupt should be scrapped as nothing unjustified can be accepted in any state of governance, where public too have their opinions which those in governance have to observe and take," Kharshiing added.

Newmai News Network Aizawl | March 5

Unity and the need for integration of the Zo communities were echoed during the observation of Zoram Ni in Aizawl on Saturday.

The function was organized at MZP conference hall by Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the apex student body in Mizoram, with a theme ‘Mizo Nationalism/Zofate inpumkhatna (Unification of Zo descendants)’ to mark the 51st anniversary of the bombing of Aizawl by Indian Air Force back in 1966.

Although Zoram Ni is actually observed on March 5, MZP organized

Criticizing the ad severely, people have come out vociferously saying that the ad projects the state in bad light. Some Assamese have also said that at a time when many people are carrying wrong impressions about the state being all about forests and

the function on March 4 as March 5 was a Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, MZP president Lalsangzuala Ngente said the student body observed Zoram Ni or Zoram Day neither to infuriate a political party nor to hurt the feeling of individuals or groups but the main motive was to revive and bring unity among all the Zo descendants, and to instill solidarity and brotherhood among them through their hardship.

Nengte said that the feeling of Mizo nationalism should be inculcated in new generations. “It is greatly important to inculcate in us originality and

Manipur CEO’s office informs IMPHAL, MARCH 5 (MExN): State Nodal Officer (Media/Communication), Chief Electoral Officer’s office, Manipur has informed that Election Commission of India has directed that “no Po-

litical Party or Candidate or any other Organization or Person shall publish any Advertisement in the Print Media on 7th & 8th March, 2017 unless the contents of the Advertisement proposed to be

published got pre-certified by the political parties, candidates, etc from the Media Certification & Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the State/ District Level, as the case may be.”

Most wanted criminal escapes TURA, MARCH 5 (IANS): Police on Sunday came close to nabbing William Sangma, a hardcore criminal wanted in Assam and Meghalaya for kidnappings and extortions but he managed to escape, an official said.

"We had a tip about his movement in Garo Hills...

On seeing a police team checking vehicles at Thapa Darenchi, Sangma suddenly turned sideways to a field and along with three

jungles, this ad rolling out of the state tourism department just proves their impressions true.

While some Netizens have looked at the sorry state of affairs through the prism of humour, most of them are clearly upset over the tagline and also

vouched for.

“The section on panchayat secretaries and BDOs facing punitive action is the most problematic part of the judgment,” said Syed Burhanur Rahman, the lawyer who had moved the petition on behalf of Bera.

“Who is going to issue certificates when there’s a provision like that. We will challenge the order.”

While the All Assam Students’ Union welcomed the judgment saying that it would make the process more robust – and help detect illegal migrants who had crept into the National Register of Citizens, other expressed their reservation about the timing of the judgment.

Indigenous groups in Assam have, of late, come to be suspicious of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government’s intent on updating the register as per the Assam Accord

after the party moved to amend the Citizenship Act of India in the Parliament.

The proposed amendment seeks to grant citizenship to people without valid documents from minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India. The amendment would grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from these countries, but not to Muslims.

Akhil Gogoi, leader of the farmer organisation Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, said the judgement would serve as another excuse for the government to drag its feet on updating the register. “The government doesn’t want the exercise to complete before the Citizenship Amendment Bill is passed so that they can accommodate Hindus from Bangladesh

in it,” said Gogoi.

Debabrata Saikia of the Congress, who is the leader of opposition in the Assam Assembly, said the court’s order would significantly delay the National Register of Citizens project. Saikia said that this would inconvenience people from all religions and ethnicities. “The constituency I represent, there are no doubtful voters whose nationality is contested,” he said. “But there are many married women who had submitted village Panchayat-issued residency certificates and they would to go through a lot of trouble now.”

On Wednesday, March 1, the National Register of Citizens overshot its Supreme Court-set deadline to publish the final list of legal citizens by exactly a year – and going by the latest turn of events, the wait could get much longer.

Unity of Zo communities echoed on Zoram Ni

aides escaped," Dalton P. Marak, the district police chief of North Garo Hills, told IANS. He said the police team fired warning shots at them but they did not pay any heed and escaped through the bushes, leaving their car behind. "A manhunt is on," the official said.

A China-made carbine, a M16 magazine rifle, a 7.65 magazine pistol, cache of ammunition and camouflage uniforms

Assam tourism’s new ad ‘Naturally Wild.

Kyunki Yeh Assam hai’ does not impress at all NEW DELHI, MARCH 5 (THE INDIAN EXPRESS): Assam tourism has always been between the devil and the deep blue sea ever since its plans of promoting the state in a grand manner went under way. First, the idea to rope in Priyanka Chopra as the brand ambassador of the state for a hefty sum wasn’t taken to very kindly, which was followed by hordes of Assamese slamming the official logo on the grounds of poor creativity.

And now with the supposed in-flight release of an advertisement featuring Priyanka Chopra with the tagline “Naturally Wild.

Kyunki Yeh Assam hai”, things have clearly gone out of the frying pan and into the fire.

The ad quickly went viral on social media, triggering a string of negative responses from people.

If a residency certificate issued by a Gaon Panchayat is disbelieved by the Foreigners Tribunal or High Court and the certificate holder is eventually declared as a foreigner, the issuing authority would run the risk of issuing the certificate to a person who has been declared a foreigner. Such an act may be construed to be an act of harbouring an illegal migrant, which may amount to a gross misconduct exposing himself to departmental action besides attracting penal consequences.

Such consequences may also visit the countersigning authority.

What that means is simple: a panchayat secretary or a government official endorsing someone who is later detected to be a foreigner would be prosecuted too along with the person they had

the creativity that went into the ad.

Meanwhile, indianexpress.com is awaiting a response from the Directorate of Tourism, Government of Assam, on their views regarding the reaction to the latest ad campaign.

were recovered from the abandoned car.

Sangma, wanted in several kidnapping and extortion cases in Assam and Meghalaya, had floated a new militant outfit United A'chik National Front with Norok Momin.

"He is also wanted for the abduction of Tapas Bhowmik, a businessman from Siliguri. The businessman was released after his family paid ransom," Marak said.

stability than finding political benefits by making only verbal remarks,” he said.

Ngente also expressed concern over the increasing inter-marriage between Mizos and non-tribals.

“This has to be checked and taken into account.”

Ngente further expressed concern over the increasing number of “outsiders” in Mizoram.

He said that as far as business is concerned many native Mizos blindly work with non-tribals who run business by borrowing the names of the natives.

“Therefore, it is important to know that lending a name to non-tribals for running business is a big

threat to social and economic condition and an act of betraying one’s own nation,” he added Ngente then said that the Zo communities are gradually becoming conscious of Zo integration.

He said that there is no geographical barrier or boundaries when it comes to a nation or blood relation and all Zo descendants should have a vision that they would be under one administrative unit one day.

Since 2008, MZP has been observing March 5 as Zoram Ni or Zoram Day to mark the anniversary of the bombing of Aizawl by Indian Air

Force. Mizo writers and former MNF insurgents recollect in their accounts that on March 5, 1966, the first and only air raid by Indian Government to its own people was launched and Aizawl and some other areas were bombed.

The air raid was an attempt to quell the Mizo National Front (MNF) uprising, the group that initially adopted a nonviolent approach to secure its political objective of self determination and later took up arms. The bombing caused colossal destruction with some reports saying Aizawl Town had "caught fire". 13 civilians were killed.

M.G.M. COLLEGE

Near Sewak Main Gate, Midland, Dimapur Under the aegis of St. Thomas Mission Society Regd. No.SRC/HOME-6028 Phone No.248419/9856001335

Inviting applications for the posts of Assistant Professors for the following Subjects.

1.Economics 2.Education 3.History 4.English 5.Political Science 6.Sociology

MA with Net / Ph.D (as per U.G.C norms)

Government of India Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Regional Office Guwahati (An ISO 9001.2008 Certified Ministry)

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

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MORT&H) Govt. of India invites Bids for the National Highways works to be implemented through PWD (NH works),Nagaland in EPC mode as mentioned below: Approx value CompleMainteSI No Name of works/Job No Package No. of work (Rs in tion period nance period Crores) (Month) (Month) 1 Construction of New 2 Lane / 2 Lane with Paved shoulders configuration of Capital Bypass (Dimapur To Kohima) Package-I (Km (Length = 34.171 Kms) in the State 0+000 to Km 85.96 24 months 48 months of Nagaland through Engineering, 11+000) Procurement & Construction (EPC) mode,.Package-I (Km 0+000 to Km 11+000).

2 Construction of New 2 Lane / 2 Lane with Paved shoulders configuration of Capital Bypass (Dimapur To Kohima) Package-II (Km (Length = 34.171 Kms) in the State 11+000 to Km 85.42 24 months 48 months of Nagaland through Engineering, 23+000) Procurement & Construction (EPC) mode, Package-II (Km 11+000 to Km 23+000).

3 Construction of New 2 Lane / 2 Lane with Paved shoulders configuration of Capital Bypass (Dimapur To Kohima) Package-III (Km (Length = 34.171 Kms) in the State 23+000 to Km 87.34 24 months 48 months of Nagaland through Engineering, 34+171) Procurement & Construction (EPC) mode, Package-III (Km 23+000 to Km 34+171).

Note:1. The Bidders must be registered in the e-tendering portal of MoRT&H "https://morth.eproc.in" for participating in the bidding process. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their ETS registration is valid (i.e. not expired) through the life cycle of the tender.

2. Value of work is approximate and may differ in the Detail Bid Document for which no claim will be entertained.

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

4. The complete bid document can be viewed/downloaded from e-procurement portal of MoRT&H https://morth.eproc.in from 21.02.2017 to 05.04.2017 (upto 1100 hrs IST). Bid must be submitted through online only at http://morth.eproc.inon or before 05.04.2017 (upto 1700 hours IST). Bids received through online shall be opened on 06.04.2017 (at 1300 hours IST).

5. Bid received through any other mode shall not be entertained. However, Bid Security, documents fee, Power of Attorney, joint bidding agreement, if any etc., shall be submitted physically by the Bidder(s) on or before 06.04.2017 (at 1200 hours IST). It may be noted that the Authority reserves the right to accept or reject all or any of the bids without assigning any reason whatsoever.

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

Chief Engineer PWD (NATIONAL HIGHWAYS) NPWD Complex, Kohima: Nagaland Email: cenhnagaland@gmail.com

Assistant Executive Engineer For regional Officer, MoRT&H Chandamari, Guwahati – 3

Davp: 37109/11/0106/1617

Arunabh Saikia

4

MonDAY 06•03•2017

business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

at Rs 6.8 lakh crore: PAC Quasi-judicial body likely to forNPAsnaming & shaming defaulters curb profiteering post GST

ISRO Recruitment 2017 Scientist/Engineer Job Vacancies • Organization Name: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) • Employment Category: Central Govt Jobs • Total No. of Vacancies: 87 • Job Location: All Over India

New Delhi, March 5 (PTi): The all-powerful GST Council may set up a quasi-judicial authority or rope in an existing body to protect consumers from profiteering by business entities under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

The model draft GST law, unveiled in November last year, had proposed an anti-profiteering mechanism to ensure benefit of lower taxes is shared with consumers.

A senior finance ministry official said GST being one- nation-one-tax will lead to doing away with current system of tax-ontax and any reduction in tax rate will have to be passed down to consumer.

As of now, central excise is levied on a produce

Name of the Post & No of Vacancies: 1. Scientist/Engineer 'SC’ [Electronics] - 42 2. Scientist/Engineer 'SC’ [Mechanical] - 36 3. Scientist/Engineer 'SC' [Computer Science] - 09 Educational Qualification: BE/B.Tech or equivalent qualification in first class with an aggregate minimum of 65% marks or CGPA 6.84/10 (average of all semesters for which results are available). Candidates applying with qualification of AMIE/Grad IETE should have 65% marks or CGPA 6.84 in Section ‘B’ alone. Candidates who are going to complete the above course in the academic year 2016-17 are also eligible to apply, provided final degree is available by 31/8/2017. The qualification prescribed and the benchmark are only the MINIMUM requirement and fulfilling the same does not automatically make candidates eligible for Written Test.

Age Limit: (As on 07.03.2017) Candidate’s Age Limit Should not exceed 28 Years. The Upper age limit is relaxed by 5 years for SC/ST; 3 years for OBC, 10 Years for Persons with Disabilities (15 years for SC/ST PWD’s & 13 years for OBC PWD’s) and for Ex-S as per Govt. of India rules. Candidates Relaxation in Upper Age limit will be provided as per Govt. Rules. Go through ISRO official Notification 2017 for more reference

New Delhi, March 5 (PTi): Dearness allowance and dearness relief are provided to employees and pensioners to neutralise the impact of inflation on their earnings.

The Centre is likely to

Selection Procedure: Written Exam, Personal Interview Exam Center: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram

proved by the Council.

Tax rules, he said, will come to the GST Council meeting sometime later this month or early next month.

Under the new GST regime, which is likely to kick in from July 1, all traders and industries will have to get register with the GST network to pay taxes, file return and claim refunds.

The official said 75 per cent of the registration is finished in states.

E-Permit will be issued

by GST-Network at the time of departure if someone is sending goods overseas, he said, adding the commodities, goods and services which are to be exempt from GST will be taken up at the meeting of the Council later.

announce a hike of 2-4 per cent in dearness allowance for its about 50 lakh employees and 58 lakh pensioners later this month.

Dearness allowance and dearness relief are provided to employees and pension-

ers to neutralise the impact of inflation on their earnings.

The labour unions, however, are not happy with the proposed hike saying it would not be able to offset the real impact of price rise.

"The dearness allow-

ance as per the agreed formula by the Centre works out to be 2 per cent which would be effected from January 1, 2017," Confederation of Central Government Employees' President K K N Kutty told.

Facebook launches ‘disputed’ tag to crack down on fake news

New York, March 5 (iaNS): Social media giant Facebook has launched its much hyped "fake news" crackdown initiative in the US, tagging as "disputed" the stories that are deemed false by fact checking organisations, the media reported on Sunday.

The new feature uses non-partisan third-party organisations like Snopes and Politifact to assess the factual accuracy of stories reported as fake by users.

On its help centre page, Facebook has added a question "How is news marked as disputed on Facebook?" However, the section noted that this feature is not yet available to everyone.

It is unclear how many people currently have access to the "fake news" de-

Application Fee: For General/OBC Candidates Application Fee is - Rs.100/ For All Other Candidates (Women/ST/SC/Ex-s/ PWD) Application Fee is - Nil How to apply Candidates satisfying the above eligibility conditions Use Following Procedure Given Below to Apply Online: 1. Go to ISRO careers page at www.isro.gov.in 2. Read the Advertisement carefully to be sure about your eligibility 3. Click on the link New Registration 4. Fill up all the required fields 5. Ensure the information provided is correct 6. Submit the application & Make Payments 7. Take a print out of ISRO Recruitment 2017 online application form Important Dates 1. Starting Date for Submission of Online Application: 15.02.2017 2. Last date for Submission of Online Application: 07.03.2017 3. Date of Written Examination: 07.05.2017

leisure

CROSSWORD # 3877

Answer Number # 3872

bunking feature, rt.com reported.

The new tool was first revealed by users on Twitter, who shared screenshots which identified links to sites known to produce misinformation.

Facebook had introduced a solution to false stories last December amid outcries that so-called fake news influenced the out-

come of the US presidential election.

Thus, the technology giant partnered with fact checkers that are signatories of the journalism nonprofit Poynter's International Fact Checking Code of Principles and included ABC News, FactCheck. org,Snopes and Politifact, the report said.

Stories flagged by Face-

book users as 'fake news' are passed on to these fact checkers for verification.

If the fact-checkers agree that the story is misleading, it will appear in News Feeds with a "disputed" tag, along with a link to a corresponding article explaining why it might be false.

These posts then appear lower in the news feed and users will receive a warning before sharing the story.

Similar efforts are planned in Europe amid threats from the European Union to reduce on the spread of misinformation. The social networking site recently revealed fact checking partnerships in Germany and France ahead of respective elections in each country. std code: 03862

DiMaPUR ACROSS 1. Spheres 5. More peculiar 10. Singer Ives 14. Prefix meaning 1000 15. Light wispy precipitation 16. Type of sword 17. Chemist 19. Haul 20. Church bench 21. Mountain crest 22. Radar signals 23. Viscera 25. Celebrations 27. To and ___ 28. An Italian dessert 31. Dental filling 34. Doggy 35. Neither ___ 36. Rude person 37. Nasal passage 38. Monster 39. Actress Lupino 40. Whips 41. Noodles 42. Taking delight in beauty 44. A parcel of land 45. Uteri 46. Early spring flower 50. Ere 52. Unsophisticated 54. Lyric poem 55. Anagram of “Crab” 56. A certain cut of meat 58. Conceal 59. Daisylike bloom 60. Nameless 61. At one time (archaic) 62. Utilizers 63. 8 bits of data DOWN 1. Relative of a giraffe 2. Mature 3. Moved by the wind 4. Drunkard 5. Exaggerate 6. Cuts into cubes

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

Game Number # 3873

the official said. “The anti- profiteering clause is an enabling provision and an authority can be set up if the Council feels there is a need.” A full-fledged authority can be created if profiteering is rampant and there are complaints from public, he said.

As per the draft, an authority can be constituted or an existing one entrusted with the task to examine that the input tax credits or reduction in tax rates are passed by registered tax payers to consumers.

The official, however, said there is not going to be a drastic reduction in tax rates as the effort would be put fit a good or service in the nearest tax slab of the four-tier structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent ap-

Centre to hike dearness allowance by 2% from Jan 1

Pay Scale: Rs.56100/- p.m

SUDOKU

manufactured at a factory.

When it is sold, a VAT is levied on not the ex-factory price but on the rate arrived at after including the cost of manufacture and excise duty. With GST, this practice will go away.

The GST bill, the official said, provides for giving the power to protect consumer interest to either an existing authority or creating a new one.

The GST Council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising all state representatives, may decide to refer complaints of profiteering to the consumer forum, or set up a new body or a quasi-judicial authority, he said.

“We won’t be sending inspector to trading or manufacturing establishments,”

they don't reveal the names.

"We intend to give names of such big defaulters who owe money to banks in our reports to be submitted in Lok Sabha before the end of budget session," he said.

As of September 30, 2016, the NPAs declared by various scheduled commercial banks stood at a stupendous Rs 6,65,864 crore, according to the government's reply in the Rajya Sabha last month.

According to the Finance Ministry data, the NPAs of the country's largest lender State Bank of India is Rs 97,356 crore, followed by Rs 54,640 crore of Punjab National Bank and Rs 44,040 crore of Bank of India.Bank of Baroda has NPAs of Rs 35,467 crore, Canara Bank Rs 31,466 crore, Indian Overseas Bank Rs 31,073 crore, Union Bank of India Rs 27,891 crore, IDBI Bank Limited Rs 25,973 crore, Central Bank of India Rs 25,718 crore, Allahabad Bank Rs 18,852 crore and Oriental Bank of Commerce Rs 18,383 crore.

IRDA for hikes in motor insurance

New Delhi, March 5 (PTi): Regulator IRDAI has proposed up to 50 per cent increase in insurance premium for cars, motor cycles as well commercial vehicles from April 1.

However, there is no proposal to increase the third party motor insurance premium for small cars (up to 1,000 cc) from Rs 2,055 currently The hike proposed in mid-segment cars (1,000 - 1,500 cc) as well as bigger cars and SUVs is 50 per cent.

The proposal is to increase premium to Rs 3,355 for cars up to 1,000 cc and Rs 9,246 for bigger ones.

Also, no change has been proposed for two-wheelers having engines up to 75 cc.

However, for sports bikes and super bikes (more than 350 cc), Irdai proposes to increase the premium to Rs 1,194 from the present Rs 796, up 50 per cent.

Increase has also been proposed for entry level bikes (77-150 cc) and performance category (150350 cc).

Insurance Regulatory TaHaMZaM

and Development Authority (IRDAI) has released exposure draft on premium rates for motor third party insurance covers for the financial year 2017-18 and invited stakeholders comments till March 18.

Motor third party insurance is mandatory for vehicles. The rates are revised each financial year.

Similarly, an up to 50 per cent hike in premium rates have been proposed for different categories of goods carrying vehicles.

The regulator proposes to increase the premium for tractors up to 6 HP from Rs 510 to Rs 765.

In case of vintage cars, it has proposed a discount of 25 per cent. A car is certified as vintage car by Vintage and Classic Car Club of India.

IRDAI also proposes to increase premium rates for e-rickshaw.

It said the proposed premiums for the next fiscal have been calculated on the accident related data from 2011-12 to 2015-16 provided by the Insurance Information Bureau of India (IIBI).

std code: 03871

(formerly senapati)

Police station Fire Brigade

222246 222491

7. “Darn!”

8. Flagrant 9. Beam 10. Mass confusion 11. Revolts 12. Harvest 13. Lower limbs 18. Beset 22. Ho-hum 24. At a distance 26. Circle fragments 28. Forceps 29. Classify 30. Urine component 31. Nile bird 32. Connecting point 33. Words from other languages 34. Piety 37. Untidy one 38. Horse feed 40. Be furious 41. Might 43. Cold dessert 44. Admirers 46. Made from apple juice 47. Bonkers 48. Dimwit 49. Tubular pasta 50. Dull pain 51. Reasonable 53. Blind (poker) 56. Letter after sigma 57. Chemist’s workplace

Civil Hospital emer

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MH Hospital

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Fire Brigade

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Faith Hospital

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shamrock Hospital

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oking Hospital

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Bethel nursing Home

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northeast shuttles

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Police Control room

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KoHIMA Ps/oCs Contact numbers

Police Traffic Control

232106

north Ps

railway

131/228404

Answer to Crossword 3876

Airport Indian Airlines

229366 242441 225212

229529 229474

KOHiMa

W

O

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Loess LIAr MontH oPtIons PLACe PLedGe PossIBLe reCIPe reGret rest roAst seAs seeP sMILe stYLe tHeAter treAsUres wHoLe

D

east Police station

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west Police station

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south Ps

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Zubza Ps

dimapur Hospital

224041 248011

Officer-in-Charge 8575045516 tseminyu Ps

8575045507

Officer-in-Charge 8575045517 8575045505

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248302, 09856006026

eden Medical Centre

248288

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Chiephobozou Ps 8575045506

Officer-in-Charge 8575045515

nagaland Multispecialty Health & research Centre

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Khuzama Ps

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nikos Hospital and research Centre

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Apollo Hospital Info Centre 230695/ 9402435652

S

std code: 0370

Officer-in-Charge 8575045510

Chumukedima Fire Brigade 282777

AssIst BAKerY BArGe BIKe BrAIn CAreer CHeese CHoICe CUPBoArd deCent deCreAse dInosAUr eLeCt FInest FoUnd GoVernMent Intend LAws Lest

New Delhi, March 5 (PTi): As Non-performing Assets (NPAs) of public sector banks soared to a staggering Rs 6.8 lakh crore, the chairman of a key Parliamentary panel on Sunday favoured naming and shaming corporate houses which default on repayment of bank loans.

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief K V Thomas hopes "naming and shaming" such corporate houses may help financial institutions get back their money.

Out of the Rs 6.8 lakh crore of Non-Performing Assets of public sector banks, a whopping 70% are those of big corporate houses, Thomas said, adding hardly one per cent of it constitutes loans to farmers.

"In case, of farmers or small traders, banks act strong and they go to their houses to recover money.

They even get published their name and photograph in newspapers. But when it comes to corporate houses,

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MONDAY 06•03•2017

NAGALAND

Resolving women reservation issue imperative: Monalisa Changkija

M

onalisa Changkija, Editor, Nagaland Page has been a strong voice demanding implementation of 33% reservation for women in urbal local bodies (ULB) in Nagaland. ICF interviewed Miss Changkija to get a picture of the situation in Nagaland a month since the eruption of violence over protests against reservation for women in ULB leading to the death of two youngsters. It has also been ten days since Shürhozelie Liezietsu was made the new Chief Minister since T. R. Zeliang was forced to resign office.

Upon appeal by the Naga Mothers' Association (NMA), on April 2016, the Supreme Court had directed the state government to conduct municipal bodies elections with 33% reservation for women. Zeliang’s government upheld the ruling. This infuriated the tribal bodies in Nagaland. Under the Joint Action Committee (JCC), bandhs were called opposing the February 1 elections and resulted in the death of two protestors on the night of 31 January.

How do you see the argument that “Naga people are not averse towards the reservation for women in the ULB, but they cannot accept the Nagaland Munici-

Both, those against reservation for women and those for it, are claiming to be the “voice of the people”, what is the scenario on ground?

Photo Courtesy: Facebook

pal act because it would violate Article 371A”?

Answer: There is no argument that some Naga people are unambiguously averse to women’s reservation in ULBs ~ they have said so and our local newspapers are witness to that, as much as some of their quotes cited in articles/ features/reports written by non-Naga Journalists in several newspapers and news portals, as also television interviews. And let us not forget that the bandh called from January 28 to February 1, 2017, was initially and originally called against women’s reservation. Let us also not forget

that to stop the women’s reservation, candidates were prevented from filing nominations, and/or forced to withdraw their nominations, and those who did, were actually excommunicated by their tribal bodies.

That the issue of women’s reservation was hijacked and sidelined after January 31, when two young men were killed, is history that needs probing, dissecting and analyses.

The first question I would ask here is whether the bandh called from January 28 to February 1 by tribal bodies, included in their agenda the destruction

Answer: No, at no point of time have those for women’s reservation claimed to be “voice of the people” ~ at least I haven’t come across anyone claiming that, not even the Naga Mothers’ Association, who are going by the letter and spirit of the law and of the Constitution.

You will find that generally and normally, it is always and inevitably the male-dominated or allmale bodies that claim to be the “voice of the people”, which goes without saying of the private property of is very questionable. any individual? If that was not in the agenda, would Why do you think Angathe two young men have mimiaphu Mechu Krotho died? These are questions (AMK), Sumi Totimi our tribal bodies must an- Hoho and Chakesang swer ~ and Naga society, as Mothers Association much as the country, must (CMA) have dis-associdemand their answer. ated themselves from the Further, it would pro- Nagaland Mothers Assovide us more insight into ciation? What has been Article 371 (A) if those who the impact of their discannot accept the Naga- tancing from NMA? land Municipal Act on the Answer: Because they ground that it would violate Article 371 (A) elucidate were forced to by the malewhy and how this Article dominated and all-male would be violated ~ so far, tribal bodies of their reI have not seen any logical spective tribes.

You must understand and legally “up-holdable” argument towards this un- that in Naga society, women are always expected to acceptance of the Act.

play the subservient role and inevitably women do so simply because the patriarchal ethos are so dominant and embedded in women’s psyche ~ and often appears to be insurmountable. It is sad that “keeping the peace” within the home and the tribe becomes more important and imperative than gender justice.

But all is not lost because it is not as if these women’s organizations have stopped associating or cannot and will not associate themselves with the NMA in future. We must not forget that there are several Naga tribal women’s organizations that are not card-carrying members of the NMA but are very much associated with the NMA in numerous ways ~ a prime example is the total support they extended while filing the Special leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court.

Besides, take the instance of the all-male or male-dominated Naga Hoho, which emerged during the 1980s and is not actually a traditional Naga “apex” body, as the media daubs it. At the moment, there are only four or five Naga tribes out of the sixteen tribes of the state of Nagaland, which remain with it, the rest have dis-associated themselves from it in the past couple of years.

Yorubami Welfare condemns assault WRSUN Social Gathering held KOHIMA, MARCH 5 (MExN): The Yorubami Welfare Organization, Kohima (YWOK) has expressed deep anguish and resentment against what it alleged as “assault and humiliation” meted out to its bona fide member Pothita Phesao, S/o late Vamuzo, at Fellowship Colony, Dimapur.

The YWOK in a press release informed that the

person concerned was in his own plot of land to carry out necessary developmental works located behind Vikiye Centre Building when the alleged assault took place.

“The devious behavior which is highly condemnable and unbecoming of a civilized society will only create suspicion and hatred against one another,” the YWOK stated

and demanded that the law enforcement agencies take “immediate action” against the miscreants involved in the incident.

The YWOK further demanded that Patta (land deed) which was snatched from the owner be recovered. An FIR in this regard has also been filed at the West Police Station, Dimapur on March 3, the YWOK informed.

AR organizes lecture to promote wildlife conservation

In fact, about six tribes of Nagaland were never a part of it right from the beginning ~ although they may have been associated with it on certain issues.

So, you see, there are several interplaying factors that determine association or dis-association of respective tribal organizations, whether of men or women’s, or even youth’s, from so-called “apex” organizations that are seen or misconstrued to represent all Naga tribes. To understand this, one has to know and understand the dynamics of Naga tribes’ relations ~ here I consciously avoid using the word “politics” because Naga tribes relations encompass so much more than “politics”, as is generally understood.

How has the scenario been since the new Chief Minister has taken office?

Have there been any signs of implementing 33% reservations for women in urban local bodies?

Answer: So far, from what I have seen, heard and read, there appears to be silence from the new Chief Minister vis-à-vis the women’s reservation.

I would say there is a lull ~ a calm before the storm ~ sort of thing, at the moment in Nagaland.

But this cannot and will not last for long because al-

though a new Chief Minister has taken over from February 22, he belongs to the same political party as the previous Chef Minister. And it was the same party’s Government that enacted the Nagaland Municipal (Third Amendment) Act, 2016, with the 33% reservation for women, which has not been revoked or repealed as yet.

Meanwhile, those who oppose the women’s reservation on grounds of it violating Article 371 (A) haven’t had a change of heart as yet. And Article 371 (A) continues to be in force.

I think, after all that has happened ~ particularly since the end of January ~ we need to give time to all involved and concerned.

Especially the new Chief Minister, to take a deep breath before taking a fresh look at the issue, because resolving it once and for all is important and imperative. After all, Article 243T of the India Constitution cannot be wished away or circumvented in any way on any grounds ~ not if gender justice, which I would like to believe is what the Indian Constitution hopes to achieve. It is also the objective of state Governments across the country ~ never mind the historical, political and cultural backgrounds of the states.

(Courtesy: Indian Cultural Forum)

MEETINGS

Nagaland Press Association A General Meeting of the Nagaland Press Association (NPA) is scheduled to be held on Saturday, March 11.

The meeting will begin from 1:00 pm at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur. A press release informing this has asked all registered members of the NPA to attend the meeting without fail.

Important issues related to the functioning of the NPA including election of new office bearers, general welfare, financial report and taking up concerns of the media fraternity in Nagaland will be the main agenda.

Members are also free to come with their valuable suggestions on any issues concerning the media fraternity, the release added.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 5 (MExN): The Western Rengma Students Union, Nagaland (WRSUN) held a "Picnic cum Social gathering" of its executives and members on March 4 at a riverside in New Chumukedima.

A press release from the union also congratulated Dr. Shurhozolie for being

elected the Chief Minister.

“We wish him success in his endeavor to bring change in Nagaland and pray that God bless him and his cabinet,” the union stated. The union also paid tribute to the “fallen brothers” of the ULB issue and extended prayers to the families.

Meanwhile, the union has informed all con-

cerned that there will be a social work for clearing, cleaning and construction of temporary fence for the Rengma Martyr Cemetery at Khatkhati on March 10.

Members of WRSUN are to compulsorily attend the Social work while other Rengma youths are welcome to volunteer for the cause, the release stated.

Dimapur District Congress Committee A consultative meeting of the Dimapur District Congress Committee will be convened at 11:00 am on March 8 at Congress Bhavan, Dimapur. A press release informing this requested all the DCC Office bearers, ACC Presidents, Frontal Chiefs and PCC members of Dimapur District to attend the meeting without fail.

AR holds interaction with Ungma village council

An official of the 9 Assam Rifles speaks to students during the lecture at Government Middle School, Chizami on March 3.

PHEK , MARCH 5 (MExN): On the occasion of World Wildlife Day, 9 Assam Rifles organized a lecture on protection of wildlife at Government Middle School, Chizami on March 3. During the lecture, the students were educated on the importance of wildlife

in maintaining the ecological nature, stabilizing the natural process in the environment and various measures for protection of wildlife, according to a press release from Assam Rifles. The lecture was attended by 160 students and 12 teachers who

pledged to work together for protection of wildlife in the Chizami region, the AR said. They also appreciated the efforts of 9 Assam Rifles in conducting educational lecture in the school and requested to conduct such lectures in future also, the release added.

MOKOKCHUNG, MARCH 5 (MExN): 44 Assam Rifles organised a meeting with Chairman, Gaon Buras and Council members of Ungma Village on March 4 at Battalion Headquarters of the 44 AR. During the interaction, Commandant of 44 Assam Rifles highlighted the importance of maintaining a peaceful environment by increased bonhomie, a defence release stated. The representatives of Ungma village, on the other hand, discussed issues pertaining to health, education, development and local problems, the release added.

Free medical camp held at Khezhakeno village 4 NSCN (IM) cadres apprehended

KOHIMA, MARCH 5 (MExN): 9 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (N) organised a free medical check-up and treat-

ment camp on March 5 at Khezakheno village under Pfutsero Sub division.

According to a defence release, a total of 250 pa-

tients comprising 135 men, 65 women and 50 children were examined at the camp.

A special screening for

diabetes was done for 80 patients out of which, 30 were suspected for diabetes and given treatment accordingly. In addition,

an awareness program on HIV/AIDS was also organized along with free counseling and testing.

During the camp, Dr Satyaranjan Changthong, Chief Medical Officer, 9 AR highlighted the emergence of Non Communicable Diseases and importance of lifestyle modifications particularly diet and physical activity.

Pamphlets of signs & symptoms of hypertension, risk factors associated with Non Communicable diseases, diet during diabetes etc. were distributed to educate the pub- KOHIMA, MARCH 5 NSCN (IM) were arrested lic and generate further (MExN): In a delayed by the 9 Assam Rifles on awareness. report, four cadres of the March 2 from Khuzama

Junction along the National Highway 29.

According to a defence release, the cadres were “involved in subversive activities of tax collection”.

The four were identified as Asakha Kayni (29 yrs), Makavo (42), Ohehe (40), and Lokho (35).

30 cash receipts, 4 mobiles phones, Rs. 8730/in cash and 68 copies of receipt of Dimapur Bus Owners Association were recovered from the individuals, the release informed. The cadres along with the recovered items were handed over to the police for further investigation.

6

Monday 06•03•2017

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express volume XII Issue 62 By moa Jamir

A ‘new era of governance’ in Nagaland?

L

ethargic functioning in many government offices will soon be a passé, if one goes by the recent assertion made by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) that Nagaland will soon usher in a “new era of Governance” under Chief Minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu.

By 7 AM, the Chief Minister, “being a stickler to punctuality,” is raring to attend office and is leading by example by “reaching office at 9:30AM every morning since he took over office on February 23 last,” the CMO claimed recently in a press release adding that Departmental heads were also told - to be punctual in office; to set their office in order; and give the best services to the public. Other initiative includes non appointment in his private residential office and no overtaking in traffic jams. “When the head of the State is in such a mode, perhaps, others will take a cue for him,” the CMO philosophized.

A round of inspection of all the departments at the Secretariat was done and the officers and staff alike were found wanting in attendance and the CM was “disappointed,” the citizens were informed. Perhaps, the formal launching of Biometric Attendance System at Secretariat in February 2016 is still in adjustment process though the State Chief Secretary had then called upon all the officers and employees to ‘live by example’ by following the system ‘scrupulously.’ A total of 1385 employees from 58 different departments were registered by June 2016, according to National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Good governance is essential for tools of progress and development and needs three essential ingredients to make it workable - transparency, accountability and responsiveness of the administration. Unfortunately, in many Government offices, prompt and efficient service has become rarest of commodity in the state. It often leads to cynicism as well as the infamous ‘chai khabole culture’ in Nagaland, often implied, though not necessarily stated.

In many parts of the world as well as India, after its first implementation in United Kingdom in 1991 as a national programme, “Citizens’ Charters” initiative were started as a response to “the quest for solving the problems which a citizen encounters, day in and day out, while dealing with the organisations providing public services.”

As a tool for facilitating the delivery of services to citizens, it represented commitment “towards standard, quality and time frame of service delivery, grievance redress mechanism, transparency and accountability.” In India, a comprehensive website of Citizens’ Charters (www.goicharters.nic.in) has been developed and was launched by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances in May 2002 and a list of 729 Citizen’s Charters formulated by 24 State Governments/Union Territories (as on January 24, 2011) are listed on the website. It includes 7 departments from Nagaland - Nagaland Police; Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms; Department of Food & Civil Supplies; Department of Health and Family Welfare; Department of Rural Development; Public Health Engineering Department; Transport and Communication Department.

Whether information and sensitization about such charters were disseminated to the public is beside the point. If attendance is ensured, another growing concern is whether a systematic lethargy is the byword on which the state exists. If we look at the recent impasse, while the state machinery was in limbo for nearly a fortnight, the absence of any ‘big crisis’ in service delivery in many departments, besides concern for salaries, depicts a worrying state of affairs. Either it is non-existent or negligible.

If he wants to set examples, it is pertinent that the new Chief Minister’s initiative should not only be limited to punctuality, but tilted towards guaranteeing good governance and its related ingredients. The Government of Nagaland gravely needs a new “public service charter” with heightened awareness and participation from its citizens.

Can the new CM cure the acute cynicism with the government?

Will he create an unbiased and impartial service delivery mechanism? Will he ensure efficiency along with transparency and accountability? Will we be cured of nepotism, mal-administration and cronyism? Can he solve absenteeism, proxy appointment?

Most importantly, will he be able to control his restive flocks?

Perhaps, others will take a cue from him.

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

lEfT WING |

Nivedita Giri IANS

Of the nether world & dark secrets

Book Review: Don't Look Down; Author: Karishma Attari; Publisher: Penguin India; Pages: 282; Price: Rs. 299

W

hat would you do if you had a secret to hide? A past you don't want to delve into? What if there are problems in life which you want to resolve but are unable to share even with the person with whom you are the closest?

How many more lies are you going to utter to save the "lie" you are living every day? How far would you go to keep the secret from getting revealed and hurting your dear ones?

Karishma Attari, in her chilling cohesive sequel "Don't Look Down" has generously retained the horror, spunk and anticipation alive through the narrative as her main theme.

Alia Khanna, the daughter of a famous superstar, battles her mysterious life and its consequences with a new fervor and responsibilities no matter how hard it gradually becomes to keep her away from succumbing to temptation. "Don't Look Down", the second half of "I See You" begins with Alia celebrating her 18th birthday, which is just "a number" for her, with her college friends but clearly understands that something in her past would haunt her in the long run.

While Alia is about to cut the birthday cake, she says to her boyfriend: "I've never believed in omens before but the birthday cake felt like a prophecy of the End I was doing everything to try and forget about."

The protagonist once again tries her best to lead a normal life, resolving boyfriend problems of teenhood and romance, getting along with her girl pals, thereby keeping aside the dilemma of her dual life. She no longer has the urge to sleep, drink or even define human limitations. At the same time, the eerie atmosphere of her house reminds her of things from the past that she would rather not think about. Alia is able to find and use a loophole to keep the supernatural elements or 'the devil' from easily satisfying all her wants and desires at the cost of taking her soul to the underworld. Throughout the novel, Attari portrays her heroine to be a fighter, as Alia struggles with a supernatural dose of despair and manages to keep her humanity intact. Despite youth, beauty, wit, money and a tough spirit, the larger than life portrayal of Alia's character longs to lead a normal life.

"I have never had a brush with the supernatural. It is safe to say that the plot lines are entirely fictionalised. However, much else is part of lived experience. I already know how my characters sound and the funny quirks they have, for example, the way someone blinks, or leans in and winks or uses absurd lingo -- these are all inspired by people I've come across", Attari told IANS in an email interview. Attari emphasises that you make your own destiny. Your choices define you far more than your circumstances. Every choice, even inaction makes you, so be aware that going with the flow or doing what is inevitable is not a virtue. In the end, one can empathise by being scared and wish Alia good luck for her encounters with the evil and dark forces of the netherworld.

C O M M E N T A R Y

Sudha Ramachandran The Diplomat

Antarctic Ice Lowest Ever – Asia at High Risk – Africa Drying Up Baher Kamal

F

Inter Press Service

or those who still deny the tangible impact of climate change, please note that the extended spell of high global temperatures is continuing; the Arctic is witnessing exceptional warmth with record low ice volumes–the lowest on record; global heat is putting Asia on higher risk than ever, and Africa is drying up.

Also please note that almost one half of all forests is now gone’ that groundwater sources are being rapidly depleted, and that biodiversity has been deeply eroded.

In fact, reports from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies said that global average surface temperatures for the month of January were the third highest on record, after January 2016 and January 2007, says the UN World Meteorological Organization.

According to NOAA, the average temperature was 0.88°C above the 20th century average of 12°C. The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, Copernicus Climate Change Service, said it was the second warmest, WMO on February 17 informed.

Natural climate variability – such as El Niño and La Niña – means that the globe will not break new temperature records every month or every year.

“More significant than the individual monthly rankings is the longterm trend of rising temperatures and climate change indicators such as CO2 concentrations (406.13 parts per million at the benchmark Mauna Loa Observatory in January compared to 402.52 ppm in January 2016, according to NOAA’s Earth Systems Research Laboratory).”

Meantime, the largest positive temperature departures from average in January were seen across the eastern half of the contiguous U.S.A, Canada, and in particular the Arctic. The high Arctic temperatures also persisted in the early part of February.

“At least three times so far this winter, the Arctic has witnessed the Polar equivalent of a heat-wave, with powerful Atlantic storms driving an influx of warm, moist air and increasing temperatures to near freezing point.”

This way, the temperature in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, north of Norway, topped 4.1°C on 7 February.

The world’s northernmost land station, Kap Jessup on the tip of Greenland, swung from -22°C to +2°C in 12 hours between 9 and 10 February, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute.

“Temperatures in the Arctic are quite remarkable and very alarming,” said World Climate Research Programme‘s Director David Carlson. “The rate of change in the Arctic and resulting shifts in wider atmospheric circulation patterns, which affect weather in other parts of the world, are pushing climate science to its limits.”

As a result of waves in the jet stream –

the fast moving band of air which helps regulate temperatures – much of Europe, the Arabian peninsular and North Africa were unusually cold, as were parts of Siberia and the western USA. Sea Ice Extent, Lowest in Four Decades “Sea ice extent was the lowest on the 38-year-old satellite record for the month of January, both at the Arctic and Antarctic, according to both the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and Germany’s Sea ice Portal operated by the Alfred-Wegener-Institut.”

Arctic sea ice extent averaged 13.38 million square kilometres in January, according to NSIDC. This is 260,000 square kilometres below January 2016, the previous lowest January extent – an area bigger than the size of the United Kingdom.

It was 1.26 million square kilometres (the size of South Africa) below the January 1981 to 2010 long-term average.

“The recovery period for Arctic sea ice is normally in the winter, when it gains both in volume and extent. The recovery this winter has been fragile, at best, and there were some days in January when temperatures were actually above melting point,” said Carlson.

“This will have serious implications for Arctic sea ice extent in summer as well as for the global climate system.

What happens at the Poles does not stay at the Poles.”

WMO, thus, confirms that the Antarctic sea ice extent was the lowest on record. A change in wind patterns, which normally spread out the ice, contracted it instead.

New Climate Change Alarm in Asia Meanwhile, Asia is set to witness a new, extreme weather alert. On this the UN specialised body also warns that climate change, environmental degradation, population growth and urbanisation are putting pressure on water supplies in many parts of the Asian region, and exposure to extreme weather

and other hazards is increasing.

The most populated region on Earth is impacted by a wide range of natural hazards: tropical cyclones and storm surges; heat and cold waves; drought and wildfires; intense precipitation, flooding and landslides, and sand and dust storms. Air pollution is an additional major concern.

“2016 was the hottest year on record, beating even the exceptionally high temperatures of 2015 because of a combination of long-term climate change and the strong El Niño,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

“There is increasing evidence that warming Arctic air masses and declining sea ice are affecting ocean circulation and the jet stream, disrupting weather patterns in lower latitudes in Asia. Glacier melt is linked, in the short term, to hazards like flooding and landslides and, in the long term, to water stress for millions of people.”

According to Taalas, in the last decades, the countries in the Asian region have been exposed to weather and climate events of increased intensity and frequency… The year 2016 was no exception.” India, Iraq, Iran and Kuwait all saw peak temperatures of more than 50°C last summer. Many other parts of Asia also saw heat-waves.

In view of this situation, the WMO’s Regional Association for Asia’s fouryearly conference, held on 12-16 February in Au Dhabi, discussed how best to support implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and associated moves towards a low-carbon economy, including through targeted climate services for the energy, water, transport, industry, agriculture and land use sectors.

Drought Set to Worsen in Greater Horn of Africa In parallel, many parts of the Greater Horn of Africa are expected to receive below average rainfall in the important March to May rainy season, worsening food security and water availabil-

ity in countries already seriously hit by drought, according to a new seasonal outlook issued by the Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum.

“What makes the current drought alarming in the Equatorial Greater Horn of Africa region is that it follows two consecutive poor rainfall seasons in 2016, and the likelihood of depressed rainfall persisting into the March-May 2017 rainfall season remains high,” said the Intergovernmental Authority onDevelopment’s Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC), which convened the regional forum.

“The situation will be worse in countries already experiencing drought, including Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, parts of Uganda, South Sudan and parts of Tanzania. Many parts of the region will experience serious water stress.”

With the exception of Sudan and Rwanda, the October – December 2016 rains failed in most countries in region.

Contributing factors include the weak La Niña, which has just ended, and reduced moisture influx due to the cooling of the ocean water in the east African coast.

The forum, attended by meteorological and climate experts and users from agriculture and food security, livestock, water resources, disaster risk management, Non-Governmental Organisations and development partner, took place in Addis Ababa from 6 to 7 February 2017.

The Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum said there is an increased likelihood of below normal to near normal rainfall over northern and eastern Tanzania; north, eastern and coastal Kenya; southern and northwestern Somalia; north and western Djibouti; western and south-eastern Eritrea; north-eastern, eastern and southern Ethiopia; southern parts of South Sudan; north-eastern Uganda and southern parts of Sudan.

Still having doubts about the impact of climate change?

Bangladesh’s Women Journalists Rise Against the Odds mahfuzur Rahman

J

Inter Press Service

ournalism is a profession that attracts both sexes, but social taboos and hostile office climates have kept the numbers of women working in Bangladesh’s media sector dismally low. Still, a new generation of women is stepping up, with the support of their path-breaking colleagues.

According to an October 2016 report by senior female journalist Shahnaz Munni of News 24, a private TV channel in Bangladesh, women journalists in Bangladesh’s media industry account for only 5 percent in print and 25 percent in electronic media.

Braving these odds and obstacles, young female graduates are increasingly joining the profession. Wahida Zaman, for example, recently joined United News of Bangladesh (UNB), an independent wire service, as an apprentice sub-editor.

“Unlike many other classmates of mine, both male and female, I chose to study journalism by choice. Before being a journalist, I was actually a photographer. Nothing thrills me more than the thought that journalism can give me all these opportunities in one package,” Zaman told IPS. “I can go to places, meet new people, get to know new stories — stories of both successful and unsuccessful people, and of course take lots of photographs. That’s how my dream of being a journalist started blooming.”

But, she said, being a woman and a journalist at the same time is not so easy in real life. “You have to face

some obstacles, some real challenges.

And they start straight from your own home,” Zaman added.

There is often resistance among family members, who want their women to be ‘safe’, she said.

“First of all you’ll have to convince your family that journalism is not a ‘risky’ profession at all for you. In our society, you’ll often get undermined for being a woman. You cannot go far because you’re a woman, you cannot move alone because you’re a woman, you cannot work at late night because you’re a woman, you cannot be brave enough to do investigative reporting because you’re a woman — and excuses keep coming.”

Nadia Sharmeen, a reporter at Ekattor TV, a private television channel in Bangladesh, came under attack in 2013 while covering a rally organised

by Hefazat-e-Islam, for Ekushey Television, her previous workplace, in the capital Dhaka.

Sharmeen, who won the US State Department’s International Women of Courage Award in 2015, told the IPS that women in Bangladesh face challenges in all sectors. “Threats and intimidation have been part of this profession for women,” she said.

Hailing from Bagerhat, a remote southwestern district of Bangladesh, she said she enjoys the full support of her family in pursuing her career.

Sanchita Sharma, a news editor with Boishakhi Television, said the atmosphere for female journalists in Bangladesh is better now than at any

time before and their numbers are growing — but are still not satisfactory.

Sharma said one problem is that women still focus on being news presenters rather than reporters or copy editors, which can help them get elevated to top positions.

Apart from social problems, a common challenge for women journalists is they have to manage both their homes and their offices. “It’s a double trouble for them,” she said.

Regarding the Bangladesh National Press Club, Sharma said the men who dominate its Executive Committee are reluctant to grant membership to women. “It’s very painful that women account for only 54 among the Club’s 1,218 members,” she said.

Echoing Sharma, Rashada Akhter Shimul, a Joint News Editor at Somoy TV, said male journalists misinterpret the successes and promotions of their female counterparts with concocted juicy stories.

She said their male bosses can be unnecessarily tough in putting their female colleagues on night shifts. “They (male bosses) can easily spare us from nightshift duty if there is no emergency, but they don’t. That’s why many promising girls are quitting the profession.”

Every profession has hazards, but in journalism this is disheartening, particularly for women. “Things are improving, but slowly,” she said.

Shimul said male bosses also undermine female journalists and ignore them when it comes to covering important and challenging news beats

WRITE-WING

like that of crime and PMO (the Prime Minister’s Office).

Shahiduzzaman, Editor of News Network, a leading non-profit media support organisation of Bangladesh, said the atmosphere in Bangladesh for female journalists is still far from ideal.

Shahiduzzaman, also a Representative and Senior Adviser for South Asia with Inter Press Service (IPS), said it was the News Network that first came forward in the mid-1990s to provide journalism training to female university graduates by offering them fellowships.

He said News Network has so far provided training to nearly 300 young and upcoming women journalists with support from donors like Diakonia, Free Press, USAID, Ford Foundation, Norad, Canadian International Development Agency, The World Bank and Janata Bank, a public sector local bank.

And 60 percent of them are now working in the country’s mainstream media. “Sanchita and Shimul are among them,” he mentioned.

Stressing the importance of gender equity in Bangladesh’s media industry, Shahiduzzaman said a very few of the 5 percent female journalists hold policymaking positions, which is necessary for to make far-reaching changes.

Regretting that there are hardly any female journalists at the country’s district level, the News Network editor said widespread training programmes are needed to encourage female young graduates to take up journalism as their profession.

“We can do even better if we can get support from donors as in the past,” he said.

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

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

MONDAY 06•03•2017

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

7

Tackling inequality: the potential of the Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goal 10 on reducing inequality will require profound changes to “business-as-usual” and close attention to human rights Kate Donald

G

SDG agenda. Given the centrality of inequality and non-discrimination to all international human rights treaties, their role in bolstering accountability for Goal 10 could be particularly valuable. This would not only add an extra procedural layer of accountability, but also a different type of accountability. It would provide a more rigorous alternative to relying on “official” SDG indicators to judge progress, given that human rights standards are in many cases more exacting, far-reaching and legally binding.

Although there are many legitimate critiques of Agenda 2030, we should not lose sight of its areas of radical potential. A global goal applying to all countries that directly addresses inequalities, including economic disparities, would have been unthinkable 15 years ago. If prioritized and pursued with determination, Goal 10 could be part of a much-needed paradigm shift in how “development” is conceptualized and undertaken—towards societies in which wealth, resources and power are more evenly shared.

But we should not underestimate the scale of this challenge. Frankly, a human rights approach is diametrically opposed to ideologies and policies gaining the upper hand in the US and many other countries: austerity drives that weaken state support for public services (for example, Brazil), labour and corporate deregulation, and tax policies favouring the wealthiest individuals and richest countries. This makes it all the more necessary to use this recently agreed framework of development commitments— which all countries have pledged to meet—as a foothold for advancing a human rights response to rising inequality and the political forces fuelling it.

openDemocracy

rowing economic inequality is a crucial factor in the rise of nationalist and populist politics in the US and elsewhere—with alarming implications for inclusive democracy and the broader human rights project.

However, despite growing concern, expressed even by governments and elites, wealth inequality continued to rise in 2016, with the world’s top 1% now owning half of all global assets. According to Oxfam, eight men own as much as the poorest half of the world’s population—some 3.6 billion people.

In this context, do the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015 offer an opportunity to advance the fight against extreme inequality?

The SDGs include a goal (SDG10) focused on “reducing inequalities within and between countries”, including economic disparities. The inclusion of this goal represents a groundbreaking acknowledgement from the community of states that inequality—and not just poverty and absolute deprivation—is a core development issue. Moreover, given that the SDGs are an explicitly universal agenda, SDG10 brings economic inequality in countries rich and poor under the microscope.

However, there are considerable obstacles, in particular regarding the goal’s promise to tackle economic inequality and inequalities between countries. SDG10 is uniquely vulnerable to “strategic neglect”, given that it inspired so much resistance from governments throughout the negotiations and was barely mentioned in the nascent implementation plans presented in 2016. Financial commitments remain scarce, and SDG10 has no obvious thematic body or set of institutions at the international level to drive actions and funding to this goal—unlike other goals which have dedicated UN agencies, mechanisms or committees. This disconnect between

commitments on the one hand, and political and financial muscle on the other is even more troubling considering that, of all the SDGs, Goal 10 will arguably require the most profound and lasting changes to the “business-as-usual” economic and development model.

As such, deploying human rights standards and tools could prove essential. First, human rights can help in defining the problem and providing a bulwark against conservative capture or co-option. There is a very real danger that SDG10 will be undermined or reinterpreted by those who are wary of the redistribution required. For example, the World Bank has staked its claim as an authoritative arbiter over SDG 10, but the Bank still shies away from attacking extreme economic inequality on its own terms. Instead, it chooses to promote the ambiguous (and less threatening) notion of “shared prosperity”. It was at the Bank’s urging that SDG target 10.1 does not focus explicitly on reducing economic disparity per se (as measured by the widely used Gini coefficient or Pal-

ma ratio), but instead concentrates on boosting the incomes of the bottom 40%. Turning a blind eye to the grotesque accumulation of wealth, income and power at the top end of the income spectrum may be more politically palatable, but it is disingenuous: top incomes drive inequality. Moreover, redistribution is an essential part of mobilizing resources to fight inequality, and any meaningful approach to economic inequality needs to take into account other inequalities and forms of discrimination (on such grounds as gender and race) that those at the bottom of the wealth and income pile consistently experience.

Second, the human rights framework can provide valuable guidance on the types of policies needed to tackle economic inequality and the social inequalities it creates and reinforces. As CESR illustrates, several policy areas play an essential role in tackling economic inequality—both “pre-distributive” (setting the rules of the marketplace) and “redistributive” (distributing market outcomes in particular ways). For example,

labour market policies are a crucial “pre-distributive” intervention. But, as Sergio Chaparro explains earlier in this debate, those that do not protect the rights to organize and join a trade union are strongly correlated with increasing economic inequality. Meanwhile, on the redistributive side, public services are a crucial equalizer. Oxfam has found that the poorest group in OECD countries would spend on average over three quarters of their available money just on health and education if the government did not provide them. Furthermore, the human rights to health and education have specific duties related to them designed to ensure more widespread and equal enjoyment. So, for example, services must be economically accessible to all at the point of delivery—which should, for example, put user fees and privatization under serious scrutiny.

Meanwhile, in order to achieve the SDGs, most countries will need to mobilize additional revenues through taxation. Yet, tax policy has its own distributive impacts which, if regressive, can cancel out the equal-

A Dire Vacuum in a World in Crisis Baher Kamal

Inter Press Service

“T

he world is in a crisis, not least because governing élites have estranged themselves from the needs and aspirations of ordinary people.

This sense of being left behind has lead the latter to rebel against their country’s stratified governance,” warns a Geneva-based human rights and dialogue centre.

“At the same time, complaints about the unfairness of globalisation were hushed up or ignored when they hit the poor in the Global South but now that people in the Global North are feeling the pinch as well, the issue’s priority is moving up in media reports”, says the Geneva Centre for the Advancement of Human Rights and Global Dialogue (GCHRAGD).

All these trends have exacerbated populist movements rejecting citizenship in favour of narrower concepts of identity related to dominant races or religions, the Centre continues, adding that on the other hand foreign military invasions in the Middle East, with the resultant casualties and exclusions, have created bitterness and have destroyed social mechanisms for conflict resolution.

“These developments have brought about a vacuum, which has been occupied by terrorist groups seeking legitimacy in a perverted interpretation of Islam…

Thus for different reasons, the two main world religions have become embroiled in the rise of extremist ideologies and are increasingly being perceived as part of the problems underlying this world crisis.”

Now the GCHRAGD is in the process of launching a new initiative during the current session of the UN Human Rights Council (Feb. 27 to Mar. 24, 2017)—a sideevent on March 15th a panel discussion around the theme “Islam and Christianity, The Great Convergence: Working jointly towards equal citizenship.”

According to the Centre, this initiative is aimed at creating a grand coalition to let these major world religions become part of the solution to the current crisis by unleashing their joint potential

for peace at the service of equality in citizenship which implies a definition of identity based on citizenship rather than on religious, ethnic or other affiliations.

Thus could be addressed the issue of minorities, both Muslim ones in the West and Christian ones in the Middle East, let alone the parlous situation of Muslim minorities in parts of Asia or religious tension between Muslims and Christians in some parts of Africa as well as contemporary phobic language which tends to create more social tension, explains GCHRAGD. “A side-event is only a first awareness raising opportunity which should be followed by other initiatives, hopefully in the Human Rights Council itself and beyond.”

The panel discussion will build on a series of events organised by the Geneva Centre in collaboration with various partners working on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Arab region and in Europe, as well as on extremist violence and Islamophobia.

In this context, the Geneva Centre organised in 2016 a number of conferences on four related themes: The Advancement of the Status of Women in the Arab World; Islamophobia and the Implementation of UN Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18: Reaching out; De-radicalisation or the Roll-Back of Extremist Violence; and Muslims in Europe:

The Road to Social Harmony.

According to its organisers, the side event seeks to ascertain religious diversity and consolidate the view of the Christian and Muslim religions as vectors of peace, by focusing on the great convergences between Islam and Christianity based on the commonalities of their basic values.

The Rationale Behind The Geneva Centre for the Advancement of Human Rights and Global Dialogue explains the rationale behind the March 15th side event: “Over the past few years, ongoing armed conflict and indiscriminate terrorist attacks bringing bereavement principally to the Arab region and to parts of Africa, and spilling over to the Western world, have contributed to an exacerbation of human rights violations with a worldwide worsening human rights impact of unprecedented proportions not witnessed since the end of World War II. “This can take form through the violation of human rights encompassing the freedom of worship, the freedom of expression, the freedom of movement, the restriction of education, the repression of women, and the violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

“Against this dire background, the world is witnessing a rise of

right wing populism and extremist ideologies, resulting from increasing remoteness of the State from the electorate.

“Feeding on violence and dormant biases, Islamophobia has been increasing steadily and worryingly over the past years. For instance, only in the United States alone, hate crimes against Muslims rose by a staggering 67 per cent since 2015.

“The Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar has also witnessed ethnic cleansing and religious persecution by Buddhist extremists in the state of Rakhine that has largely been neglected and ignored by the world community.

“Other relevant examples of religious persecution can be extended to include the genocide committed by the Bosnian Serbs on the Bosniaks of Bosnia-Herzegovina in which the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, largest massacre in Europe after the end of the Second World War, was carried out in the town of Srebrenica resulting in the killing of more than 8,000 Muslims.

“During the late 1980s, the Bulgarian Turks experienced widespread human rights violations by the Bulgarian government that launched a campaign to erase the ethnic and religious identities of the Bulgarian Turks.

“Moreover, the demolition of the Baburi mosque by Hindu extremists in 1992 gave rise to heightened Muslim-Hindu tensions in India. Likewise, the distorted representation of Muslim communities as well as of Islam itself in the media has been playing a malevolent role in strengthening xenophobic trends around the world, by perpetuating stereotypes and negative portrayals of Muslims.

“We can explore ways in which the media can mitigate their role in presenting a distorted picture of religious minorities, and more fully contribute to increased tolerance and inter-religious understanding by promoting peaceful messages to the public.”

The primary outcome of the side event could be the adoption of a draft agenda for an international conference to be held on the same subject for which a first draft is attached as an annex to the concept note.

izing potential of public spending. A human rights lens on taxation—in particular around non-discrimination and the obligation to mobilize maximum available resources to realize economic, social and cultural rights—can inform these policies to prioritize redistribution.

Third, human rights mechanisms can offer avenues for accountability for the Goal 10 commitments. This is particularly important given the very clear weaknesses of the architecture put in place to monitor progress towards the goals, in particular the UN “High Level Political Forum”, which is designed to review national and global progress on the goals every year, but is beset by a weak mandate.

Here, international human rights monitoring mechanisms could play a key role, if given the tools, mandate and financial support to do so.

Kate Donald is Director of the The 2030 Agenda Declaration conHuman Rights in Development firms that the SDG commitments are rooted in human rights obligations, program at the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) and and the international human rights former Adviser to the UN Special mechanisms already examine and Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty report on countries’ performance and Human Rights on many of the issues covered in the

The Morung Express POLL RESULTS

Do you think the ideological divide is overshadowing the commonalities within Naga society? Why? • Yes in the present situation there is Some of those who voted YES had this to say: going to be more and more confu• Yes, we are all so fond of picking up sion, and people will blame each only the differences. Sometimes we other more and more. There is going even start creating differences out of to be more chaos. People will point nothing when there are no differencout the differences more and more. es in the first place. Even when someVery sad situation. Government of thing starts for a good thing, we try to India must be having a good laugh. make differences out of it. The tribal mentality is very strong along with Some of those who voted NO had this to say: the India policy of divide and rule.

• Yes. There is a strong ideological • No. Its because we have bad and selfish leaders. divide. Even on the women reser• Not really because against all odds vation issue, the Nagas are dividwe Nagas have kept the Naga flag ed. Also Nagas of Nagaland think that they are the only Nagas. This flying high. There are so many diviobviously is false. The majority of sive forces that are trying to destroy the Naga population lives outside us, but we have prevailed against a might force.

Nagaland. These differences over• No. Rather, it is selfishness and -ism shadow our commonalities. at its height.

• Yes, Lack Nagas have of posito wait and tive ideas, f i g h t f o r n e g a a n o t h e r tive ideas fifty years bring dea m o n g struction themselves • Some soand negotic a l l e d ate another Naga el2 0 y e a r s ders, usYES NO OTHER m o r e t o i n g t h e p o l i t i c a l come to a or ignorant ideology, are manipucommon goal. lating some of our younger people to go to the street, for their self- Some of those who voted ish ends, including those usual OTHERS had this to say: old fanatic writers who provoke • There was a time when all Naga even more turmoil in the name of organisations came together and worked on building upon the comChristianity, nationalism or democracy in our state. The story monalities. This was particularly is more like LET THE RAT FIGHT the case before the 1997 ceasefire WITH THE ELEPHANT AND DIE between GOI and NSCN-IM. DurHONORABLY. Dear brothers and ing those days the people were sisters lets not be fooled by these must more alert and aware. The idiots and fight for our rights in ceasefire seems to have had an adthe proper legal way to keep our verse effect upon the population.

Naga identity and follow the perToday the youngsters dont even ception of the global world. know their history. They dont even • Yes. It is a fair observation. Naga know that the peaceful situation is people have many commonalities, because of the ceasefire. They have but we keep focusing only on our failed to appreciate how fortunate differences. Let us not forget that they are that this is ceasefire period.

Nagas consist of many villages and Alas, their ignorance is only creatmany tribes. It is unity in diversity. ing more divisions.

We cannot and should not expect • This question has been very bluntNagas to be the same. We have bely put, but it has hit the nail on the come too Indian. head. Many Nagas may say that • Yes, when we do not even know our there is no ideological divide. There is a lot of denial in our society. own history what do you expect.

63%

27%

10%

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

8

MonDAY 06•03•2017

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Policeman, 2 militants killed Sikh shot in 3rd attack on in 12-hr long Tral encounter Indians in US in 10 days

SrINagar, March 5 (PTI): Two militants and a policeman were killed in a fierce gun battle at Tral in south Kashmir which lasted for nearly 12 hours.

One of the militants was a Hizbul Mujahideen operative identified as Aaquib Bhat, popularly known as Aaquib Maulvi, who was active in the area for the last three years. The other militant, Saif-ul-lah alias Osama, was a Pakistani terrorist working with Jaish-e-Mohammed, official sources said.

A police constable, Manzoor Ahmed Niak of Uri, was also killed after he took on the militants head on during the operation which began at 7 PM last night and continued till 6.30 AM, officials said.

A holed-up Bhat had called his father in the wee hours of the morning and bid his final goodbye to him, they said. He was a local resident and his ancestral house was at Hyena in Tral area itself. Security

AI flies into record books with flight by all-women crew New DeLhI, March 5 (PTI): In a quest to set a new world record, Air India has operated a flight around the world with an all-women crew ahead of International Women's Day. The flight which departed from Delhi on February 27 for San Francisco, returned to the Indira Gandhi International airport on Friday after flying across the globe. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200LR, flew over the Pacific last week on its journey to San Francisco, while the return flight flew over the Atlantic, encircling the globe. An Air India spokesperson said the airline has already applied for a Guinness World Record and Limca Book of Records for this feat. Air India is the first Indian carrier to operate on the Pacific route which has reduced the flying time by up to three hours. Apart from the cockpit and cabin crew, check-in and ground handling staff, and engineers who certified the aircraft were all women, Air India said.

Pak apprehends 94 Indian fishermen off Gujarat coast ahMeDabaD, March 5 (PTI): Pakistani forces have apprehended 94 Indian fishermen and seized 17 boats off the Gujarat coast since yesterday, an official of the National Fishworkers' Forum said.

"Around 70 fishermen on board 13 boats were captured yesterday by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA). "24 others on board four boats were held today in the high seas from near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off Jakhau coast," the forum's secretary Manish Lodhari said. A total of 94 Indian fishermen have been arrested and 17 boats seized near Jakhau port in the Arabian sea, Lodhari told PTI, noting that all of them have been taken to Karachi by the agency. He said that fishermen in the area feared more arrests as "the Pakistani agency's vessels are active". The incident comes close on the heels of the PMSA apprehending 11 fishermen with two boats last week, he said.

"Last week, two boats with eleven fishermen were captured by the PMSA, we have been officially informed," Lodhari said. In a related incident on February 2, the Border Security Force (BSF) had seized four abandoned Pakistani fishing boats near the Sir Creek in Kutch district on the Indo-Pak border during an extensive search operation.

The official said the gun battle was continuing and there was no confirmation as to the number of militants trapped inside. (AFP FIle Photo)

forces had received an input about the presence of two militants in the residence of a carpenter after which police, army and CRPF threw a cordon around it.

The first contact was established with the militants at around 7 PM and after that there was an intermittent exchange of fire.

Tral town, which had shot into prominence

because of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, was tense and people had started pouring on to the streets to try and provide an escape for the holed-up militants.

Stones were hurled at the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations but the situation was brought under control by police and CRPF who chased

the mob away, officials said.

Strict restrictions were imposed in the area over the movement of people. During these clashes, some of the miscreants snatched an INSAS rifle of a CRPF official.

An Army Major identified as R Reshi suffered a bullet injury and was rushed to the base hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger now.

Kejriwal promises to clean up Delhi in one year

New DeLhI, March 5 (IaNS): Delhi will be spruced up to look like London in just one year if the AAP wins the coming municipal polls, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declared on Sunday.

Addressing a public rally at Uttam Nagar here, Kejriwal said the BJP-run municipal bodies had thoroughly failed to keep the national capital clean.

He said both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party had controlled the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for 15 long years but had nothing to show in terms of a clean Delhi.

"If we get control of these (three) municipal bodies, I promise to clean up Delhi like never before," the Aam Aadmi Party leader said to applause.

He said it was the duty of the municipal body, not the Delhi government, to keep the city clean.

Elections to the three wings of the municipal corporation are due later next month.

Kejriwal said the reason why the AAP-run Delhi government had been able to achieve a lot in the health, education and other sectors was because it refused to compromise with corruption.

He admitted that he "fought a lot" with the central government but made it clear that he fought for the people of Delhi, "not for the sake of my children and wife".

Kejriwal claimed that his government's achievements on many fronts in the past two years far surpassed the achievements of the BJP-run governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the last 10-15 years.

The AAP leader was speaking at an event to mark the inauguration of sewer and drains in Uttam Nagar, a thickly populated area in west Delhi.

New York, March 5 (IaNS): A Sikh man was injured when a masked gunman opened fire at him in front of his house in Washington after telling him "Go back to your own country."

The victim, who was hit in the arm, survived the Friday night attack, the third shooting of an Indian national in the last 10 days in the US. The attacks have claimed two lives and shocked the nation.

The 39-year-old Sikh, who has not been identified by name, was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city of Washington state when the gunman described as white, who had his face partially covered, opened fire at him, police said.

"We're early on in our investigation," the Seattle Times quoted Kent Police chief Ken Thomas as saying on Saturday morning. "We are treating this as a very serious incident."

According to KING5 TV, the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime and police had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for help. In the recent spate of attacks, Harnish Patel of Lancaster in South Carolina, was killed on Thursday, and Srinivas Kuchibhotla was murdered on February 22 in Olathe, Kansas.

Another Indian, Alok Madasani, who was injured in the Olathe attack, survived. Satwinder Kaur, a candidate for Kent City Council, said on Facebook that the latest victim "wishes to remain anonymous at this time. So as a community we should respect that". She said Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke has reached out to him. "This incident

US condemns attack on Sikh man

T

he US embassy here on Sunday condemned the attack on a Sikh man who was injured in firing by a gunman in Washington. "Saddened by the shooting in Washington. Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS (President of the US) said, we condemn 'hate and evil in all its forms'," MaryKay Loss Carlson, Chargé d'Affaires at US Embassy, tweeted. The 39-year-old Sikh, who was hit in the arm, survived the Friday night attack, the third shooting of an Indianorigin man in the last 10 days. The victim, who has not been named, was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city of Washington state when the gunman described as white, opened fire at him, the police said. On Thursday night, Indianorigin businessman Harnish Patel was shot dead outside his home at Lancaster in South Carolina. The incident happened after Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead at a bar in Kansas city on February 22.

(IaNS)

is such a big deal because hate crimes to this extent do not happen in our community," Kaur said.

Sikh community leader Jasmit Singh told the Times that the 39-year-old was released from the hospital.

"He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh said. "We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now.

This is just bringing it home.

The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone."

According to Singh, Sikh men in area around Seattle have experienced "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past".

Before the Kent attack, the Sikh Coalition had released an advisory asking the community members to report instances of people "saying hateful things about your Sikh identity".

In the aftermath of the Kansas attack, the coalition said: "We should not wait until someone gets hurt or killed to report hate incidents." Kent is about 30 kms from Seattle and is near the Congressional constituency of Pramila Jayapal, the Indian-origin member of the House of Representatives. Jayapal

tweeted: "Thoughts and prayers to family and entire Sikh community in the wake of horrific shooting.

This must be investigated as #HateCrime."

On Thursday night, Patel was shot outside his house in Lancaster.

Officials do not believe it was a hate crime. "I don't have any reason to believe that this was racially motivated," county Sheriff Barry Faile said on Friday.

In the February 22 Kansas incident, an American, Ian Grillot, who tried to stop the shooting, was also shot and injured.

A white Navy veteran Adam Purinton, 51, was arrested and charged with murder in the killing of Kuchibhotla. Purinton reportedly said that he had shot two Iranians.

The hate crime has been condemned by leaders in both the US and India. In his address to the joint session of the Congress, Trump last Tuesday said: "Last week's shooting in Kansas city reminds us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms."

At a news conference in Washington on Friday, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar

said he had discussed the Kent incident with administration and Congressional leaders during his visit.

Jaishankar earlier met Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

"What we heard from very high-level, cabinet level that we should regard this as an act of an individual," he said. "The American justice system was at work, it could bring the perpetrators of this act to justice. It is being prosecuted as a hate crime."

Hate crimes have been a part of the American fabric, including in the liberal state of Washington.

In Auburn in 2012, a Sikh taxi driver was attacked by a man who thought he was Muslim.

The attacker was sentenced to three years in prison for the crime.

In 2015, Hindu place of worship in Kent, the Sanatan Dharma Temple, was attacked and had its windows smashed and the word "Fear," painted on it.

Another Hindu temple in nearby Bothell was also attacked.

Neither of these hate crimes were condemned by former President Barack Obama or the media.

Modi resumes road show in Varanasi, hits out at opposition

VaraNaSI, March 5 (IaNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday resumed his mega-show in Varanasi culminating in a rally where he hit out against the opposition while singing paeans to the historic city of Banaras and promising to turn it around into a modern world class metropolis.

His resumed five-km road show began at Pandeypur Square and wound its way through Chaukaghat, Teliabagh, Maldahiya and Patel Chowk to culminate at the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, where Modi addressed a huge gathering.

"Earlier governments did only tidbits (of development work) for Banaras (the older name for Varanasi) with an eye on shortterm electoral gains. But

these tidbits won't help Banaras. The city needs a complete, modern makeover and it is my dream to turn this city into a modern world-class city," he said.

He said that if earlier governments had given proper attention, Kashi (another older name for Varanasi) could have become an attraction for the world. "People would have yearned to visit Banaras at least once," he said.

Singing paeans to the city, Modi said Banaras is older than history and traditions, proverbs and maxims. "Banaras is not a city, it is a living heritage. Every Indian considers Banaras as his own," he said.

Targeting political rivals Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday termed the two "galua",

which he said in the local dialect meant those born with a silver spoon.

"The (Uttar Pradesh) Chief Minister (Akhilesh Yadav) and his new-found friend (Rahul Gandhi) are galua. They have got everything in inheritance, they are born with a silver spoon," Modi said.

"These people born in affluence are weak... they can't take tough decisions because they can't take pains. Only the one who has come from the grass root can take tough decisions," he said.

Modi, who began his speech by chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Har Har

Mahadev", cited the surgical strikes and demonetisation to underscore that the government should be capable of taking tough decisions.

He also took a jibe at the opposition, saying their motto is "kuchh ka sath, kuchh ka vikas" (selective association, selective de-

velopment).

"There is fertile land and hard working people but there is no good government," he said.

The Prime Minister said the central government is ready to provide required funds for development of the region but the state government must be able to properly account for the expenses. Modi said Uttar Pradesh would become the "number one" state in the country only after Poorvanchal is developed.

He said that electricity is something required by every household in this modern age but the Samajwadi Party government refused to take electricity from the Centre.

Earlier, the Prime Minister first flew from the airport to the Police Lines in a special Indian Air Force

chopper. He then made his way in a bullet-proof car in a convoy to the Pandeypur area, from where the road show commenced.

Thousands of supporters thronged the route along which Modi went.

Carrying BJP flags and shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi', they waved at Modi, who acknowledged their greetings and waved back at them.

On Monday, Modi will address a public rally in Rohaniya before returning to New Delhi late in the evening.

Polling in Varanasi, which is also Modi's parliamentary constituency, and some surrounding districts will be held in the seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on March 8.

India may face weak monsoon Why rape-accused minister still in under El Nino effect: Nomura cabinet? UP Governor asks Akhilesh

New DeLhI: March 5 (PTI): Probability of an El Nino formation in 2017 has led to some worries about India’s monsoon season, but exact impact on rains and crop production will not be solely dependent on this event, says a Nomura report.

According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABM), the likelihood of an El Nino forming in 2017 has risen. Six (out of eight) models surveyed by ABM suggest that El Nino thresholds may be reached by July 2017. It places the probability of El Nino forming in 2017 at around 50 per cent.

“Overall, it does appear that the probability of a below-normal monsoon year in 2017 is higher than the probability of an above-normal year. However, the exact impact (on rains and food production) will depend on several other factors as well,” Nomura India Chief Economist Sonal Varma said in a research note.

El Nino is a weather condition, which has a ma-

jor impact on the Indian monsoon season. A normal monsoon is vital for the country’s farming sector as a significant portion of the country’s agricultural land is rainfed.

Worries about monsoon “This has led to some worries about India’s monsoon season, which runs from June to September, as El Nino conditions are typically associated with below-normal rains. How-

ever, we note that the relationship is not a slamdunk,” the note said.

According to an analysis

by Nomura, in the last thirty years when El Nino thresholds were breached during the monsoon season (on average), India witnessed below-normal monsoon only on five occasions (1987, 1991, 2002, 2004, 2015), while on three occasions there was normal monsoon, and in 1994 there was above normal monsoon as well.

Call it timing Moreover, the timing of El Nino also matters for agriculture. If El Nino happens around July just after the sowing is completed, then the impact on food production would be adverse. However, if the El Nino conditions happen towards the end of August, then the impact may not be as negative.

India’s monsoon season starts from June and extends up till September.

New DeLhI, March 5 (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik has written to Akhilesh Yadav asking why has the chief minister retained rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati in his cabinet, according to Raj Bhavan sources.

"A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in rape case. Serious question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet", the Governor said in a letter to the CM seeking his "justification on retaining the minister".

The Governor said, it has also come to his notice that the CM himself has asked the minister to surrender but he has not done so till now and is absconding. There are apprehensions that he might have fled to some foreign country, he said.

On Saturday, passport of the rapeaccused UP minister was impounded, a look-out notice issued and airports alerted. The UP Police had claimed that it was conducting raids across the state to trace the absconding minister.

The UP Police has registered an FIR against Prajapati for allegedly gang-raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter with his aides. The FIR was filed recently following a directive of the Supreme Court.

Taking a dig at the Samjawadi Party

government for shielding Prajapati, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election meeting in Jaunpur on Saturday said, "In this country, when we do something good, we chant the Gayatri Mantra. But, the SPCongress alliance is chanting the 'Gayatri Prajapati Mantra'.

"A case has been lodged against him (but) the chief minister went to campaign for him while he (Gayatri) was present there...Now, the police cannot trace him," Modi said.

"A daughter is seeking justice and the chief minister is shielding the gunehgaar (guilty)... What bigger blot can there be than this that in Uttar Pradesh when a buffalo goes missing, the government runs to find it. Meanwhile, BJP UP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya attacked Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying that if he cannot get his "favourite" minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati arrested in the rape case, he should at least sack him.

"If Chief Minister Akhilesh ji cannot ensure the arrest of his favourite minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, then he can sack him (Prajapati)," Maurya said in a tweet.

Referring to March 11, the date when the UP assembly election results would be declared, Maurya said the BJP would put Prajapati behind bars after that. "We would arrest him (Prajapati) after March 11," Maurya said.

MONDAY 06•03•2017

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

9

China to strengthen defences, no word on budget

BEIJING, MARCH 5 (REUTERS): China pledged more support for its military on Sunday including strengthening maritime and air defences as it takes steps to safeguard its sovereignty, but in a highly unusual move did not give spending figures for 2017 despite promises of transparency.

Parliament's spokeswoman, Fu Ying, said on Saturday defence spending for this year would rise about 7 percent, accounting for about 1.3 percent of gross domestic product - the same level as the last few years.

However, the actual defence spending target for this year was not included in the country's budget released at the opening of parliament's annual session on Sunday, as it has been in previous years.

"We will support efforts to deepen the reform of national defence and the armed forces, with the aim of building a solid defence and strong armed forces that are commensurate with China's international standing and are suited to our national security and development interests,"

in line with last year when they were instructed to keep complaints about the low rate of the increase to themselves.

"Fu Ying answered this on CCTV yesterday," one of the officers, Major General Li Fengshan, told reporters, dismissing questions about where the defence budget figures were.

A government official involved in the crafting of Premier Li Keqiang's work report, also delivered to parliament on Sunday, was unable to shed any light on the matter.

"There is nothing secret about it," director of the State Council Research Office Huang Shouhong told reporters at a briefing, repeating Fu's 7 percent approximation from Saturday and saying that it should be in the budget report.

Military delegates arrive ahead of the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. (Reuters Photo)

the government said in a budget report.

It did not elaborate.

State news agency Xinhua also did not report the figure. The Defence Ministry and parliament's

spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

China has repeatedly said its defence spending is transparent and it was not clear why defence num-

IS badly damaged major Palmyra monument: Official PALMYRA, MARCH 5 (REUTERS): Islamic State militants have severely damaged a major Roman monument in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, an antiquities official said after visiting the site on Saturday.

Under heavy Russian air cover, the Syrian army and allied militias drove the jihadist group out of the UNESCO world heritage site on Thursday, two months after it had seized it in a surprise advance.

It was the second time the city had been recaptured from the militants in the course of Syria's six-year war.

Antiquities official Wael Hafyan said he had seen serious damage to the Tetrapylon, a square stone

platform with matching structures of four columns positioned at each corner.

Only four of the 16 columns were still standing.

"The terrorists detonated it... the damage is extensive," he told Reuters.

However, he said some of the fallen columns were not destroyed and could be restored using modern conservation techniques.

There was also harm, but less serious, to the facade of a Roman theatre, where the damage was to a part that was restored, not original, he said.

Hafyan said the militants had caused less destruction during their second occupation of the city than in their first, when they ruined an 1,800-year-

old monumental arch and the nearly 2,000-year-old Temple of Baalshamin.

"These two places are not in that same danger and the extent of destruction of the first occupation, when the damage was much more savage," Hafyan added. He said it would take some time to make a full technical assessment of the historic sites.

Known as the Pearl of the Desert, Palmyra, about 215 km (135 miles) northeast of Damascus, was a prosperous city on the ancient Silk Road trading route.

The militants have smashed ancient structures in Iraq and Syria they say do not conform to their strict interpretation of Islam.

bers were not released.

Last year, with the economy slowing, the defence budget recorded its lowest increase in six years, at 7.6 percent, the first single-digit rise since 2010, following

a nearly unbroken twodecade run of double-digit increases.

Military officers attending parliament largely declined to talk to reporters about the budget, much

knowledge of the matter said she was driven by a conviction she was right - that Britain needed to adopt the warrant and other EU justice measures and, while acknowledging their shortcomings, would not let anything stand in her way.

Supporters say her ultimate success offer evidence of her political steel, know-how and negotiating skills. Critics say the self-belief that drove her to open a rift in her party and face down a rebellion could be a weakness if it becomes inflexibility that hinders Britain striking winning the best deal.

"If you believe in what you're doing, that's key. If you do believe you're doing the right thing, that gives you resilience," May told the BBC's Desert Island Discs programme less than two weeks after the fight.

She steadfastly refused to allow lawmakers a vote on the arrest warrant which she said was in "our national interest", reneging on a pledge to the outrage of the eurosceptics, instead offering only a vote on a broader package of justice measures.

In a rare admission that her strategy may have been misjudged, she added in the BBC interview: "If I was starting it again now, would I do it in a different way?

Given the understanding of how parliament felt then, perhaps I would."

'NOT SHOWY' May spent six years as home secretary, or interior minister, before taking over from David Cameron as prime minister last year

following the June 23 referendum when Britons backed leaving the EU by 52 percent to 48 percent.

The premier, who describes herself as "not a showy politician", is something of an anomaly in a porous political scene rife with secret press briefings.

Her closest aides, loyal since she became home secretary in 2010, ensure very little leaks. One government aide called her team "one of the most effective in Westminster".

She has said she will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, launching two years of divorce talks, by the end of this month.

Parliament is expected to approve legislation to start the negotiations by mid-March.

She will enter the EU negotiations with a long and broad wish list - wanting the closest possible trading conditions, maintaining security cooperation, regaining control over immigration and restoring sovereignty over British laws.

It is an opening negotiating stance - one British government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, asked why would anyone start talks with anything less. Another British official said any strategy would evolve, depending on what the EU came up with and how the other 27 member states approached the talks.

But with EU officials balking at granting her a good deal, fearing other European countries might follow suit, May will have to find a path to compromise.

The defence budget figure for last year, 954.35 billion yuan ($138.40 billion), likely understates its investment, according to diplomats, though the number is closely watched around the region and in Washington for clues to China's intentions.

A 7 percent rise for this year based on last year's budget would bring the figure to 1.02 trillion yuan, still only a quarter or so of the U.S. defence budget.

The White House has proposed a 10 percent increase in military spending to $603 billion, even though the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is already the world's pre-eminent military power.

There were calls last week for China to announce a commensurate rise in defence spending for this year.

"As far as our development is concerned, defence spending is not enough," Wang Ning, commander of the paramilitary People's Armed Police, told Reuters on the sidelines of parliament. "Such a large country is facing so many security issues."

Syrian pilot whose plane Somalia: 110 dead in last 48 hours due to drought the dying Somalis," he said MARCH nutrition this year. crashed in Turkey rescued MOGADISHI, "It is a difficult situa- in the statement released 5 (REUTERS): Some 110 ISTANBUL, MARCH 5 (REUTERS): A Syrian air force pilot who bailed out as his warplane crashed on Turkish territory has been found by a Turkish rescue team and is being treated at a hospital in the Hatay region, a hospital spokeswoman said on Sunday.

Dogan news agency said the pilot, who crashed his plane on Saturday, had been found around 40 km (25 miles) from the wreckage. He was first taken to a gendarmerie base and then to hospital. The 56-yearold pilot was identified as Mehmet Sufhan by medical staff at the hospital, and they said he was not in critical condition despite some fractures in his spine.

Syrian state television quoted an army source

on Saturday saying the air force had lost contact with a fighter jet on a mission near the Turkish border.

Turkey has been one of the foremost critics of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and supports rebels fighting him in the country's sixyear-old war. It currently has armed forces involved in operations along the Syrian side of the frontier.

Syrian state media said on Saturday its forces had been expanding control over former Islamic Stateheld villages in northwest Syria, an area close to Turkey's Hatay region where the aircraft crashed. The army's gains follow a push to the south and east of the city of al-Bab, which was captured by Turkish-backed rebels late last month.

army finds body Battle-hardened in Britain, Philippine of beheaded German hostage May prepares for Brexit talks LONDON, MARCH 5 (REUTERS): British Prime Minister Theresa May is unlikely to bow to political expedience in Brexit negotiations but will make up her own mind about what she believes is best and refuse to give ground - that's if past form is anything to go by.

May, who backed the campaign to stay in the European Union in last June's referendum, will have to carry or quell the eurosceptics in her ruling Conservative Party as she formulates her negotiating priorities and strategy.

The 60-year-old - often described as "sphinx-like" in the British press - has revealed little in her first eight months as leader about how she will approach divorce talks with Brussels, perhaps wary of weakening her hand.

But her previous experience of trying to win the support of the eurosceptics who drove Brexit could offer some clues about her modus operandi: two years ago when as interior minister she sought to opt back into the European Arrest Warrant against the wishes of many in her party.

May got her way in the end after a bruising encounter over the warrant, which speeds extradition between member states.

She did not backtrack an inch and forced it through parliament.

Her conduct and strategy present a picture of a stubborn negotiator who sticks as firmly as possible to what she believes is in Britain's best interests.

Several government aides and a lawyer with

STRENGTHENING DEFENCES China's military buildup has rattled nerves around the region, particularly because it has taken an increasingly assertive stance in territorial disputes in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and

over Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

In his address to parliament, Premier Li said China would deepen military reforms.

"We will strengthen maritime and air defence as well as border controls and ensure the important operations related to countering terrorism, safeguarding stability, international peacekeeping and providing escorts on the high seas are well organised," he said.

"We will boost military training and preparedness, so as to ensure that the sovereignty, security, and development interests are resolutely and effectively safeguarded."

In a government-arranged interview on Saturday afternoon, Chen Zhou, a researcher at the Academy of Military Science, said transparency regarding the defence budget was a "historical process".

"It's not that the government says it must not be made transparent. The man on the street believes that if it is said out loud it could influence national security," he said.

MANILA, MARCH 5 (IANS): The body of a German hostage beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines this week has been recovered, according to military officials.

Jurgen Kantner was abducted from his yacht in November and his body was retrieved on the island of Sulu and will be returned to Germany, the BBC reported on Sunday citing the officials as saying. Kantner's companion,

Sabine Merz, was found shot dead aboard their abandoned yacht.

The couple were cruising off Malaysia's Sabah state when the militants intercepted them, the Filipino military said. Last month, a video was posted showing the beheading of Kantner by a knife-wielding man. The German Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was "deeply shocked by the inhuman and gruesome act".

people have died in southern Somalia in the last two days from famine and diarrhoea resulting from a drought, the prime minister said on Saturday, as the area braces itself for widespread shortages of food.

In February, United Nations children's agency UNICEF said the drought in Somalia could lead to up to 270,000 children suffering from severe acute mal-

tion for the pastoralists and their livestock. Some people have been hit by famine and diarrhoea at the same time. In the last 48 hours 110 people died due to famine and diarrhoea in Bay region," Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire's office said in a statement.

"The Somali government will do its best, and we urge all Somalis wherever they are to help and save

after a meeting of a famine response committee.

In 2011, some 260,000 people starved to death due to famine in Somalia.

The country also continues to be rocked by security problems, with the capital Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government coming under regular attack from al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab.

Trump to propose reductions in foreign aid WASHINGTON, MARCH 5 (REUTERS): The White House budget director confirmed Saturday that the Trump administration will propose "fairly dramatic reductions" in the U.S. foreign aid budget later this month.

Reuters and other news outlets reported earlier this week that the administration plans to propose to Congress cuts in the budgets for the U.S. State Department and Agency for International Development by about one third.

"We are going to propose to reduce foreign aid and we are going to propose to spend that money here," White House Office of Management Budget director Mick Mulvaney told Fox News on Saturday, adding the proposed cuts would include "fairly dramatic reductions in foreign aid."

Mulvaney said the cuts in foreign aid would help the administration fund a proposed $54 billion expansion of the U.S. military budget.

"The overriding message is fairly straightforward: less money spent overseas means more money spent here," said Mulvaney, a former South Carolina Representative.

The United States spends just over $50 billion annually on the State Department and USAID, compared with $600 billion or more each year on the Pentagon.

Several Republicans this week on Capitol Hill raised concerns about the planned cuts to the State Department.

"I am very concerned by reports of deep cuts that could damage efforts to combat terrorism, save lives and create opportuni-

ties for American workers," said U.S. Representative Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

A U.S. government website said 20 government agencies plan to award $36.5 billion in foreign assistance programs in more than 100 countries around the world during the current budget year.

Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, tweeted earlier this week: "Foreign Aid is not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security."

Mulvaney said the Trump administration will release its budget proposal on March 16. Reuters has reported the administration plans significant proposed cuts in many other domestic programs.

France's Fillon under fire ahead of crisis meeting PARIS, MARCH 5 (REUTERS): Embattled French presidential candidate Francois Fillon was under growing pressure to quit the race on Saturday as his party leaders brought forward a meeting to discuss the situation and former allies shied away from a planned rally to support him.

Once the frontrunner, Fillon is mired in a scandal over his wife's pay, and his campaign has been in serious trouble since he learned this week that he could be placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds.

After a string of resignations among advisers and backers, the 63-year old former conservative prime minister is banking on a rally of supporters in Paris on Sunday to show his detractors that he remains their best hope to win the presidency.

But as soon as he ended a campaign rally on Saturday at which he defended his political plans as the only credible future for the

country, The Republicans party announced it was moving up a meeting of senior officials to discuss the latest developments by 24 hours to Monday.

"Given the evolution of the political situation just seven weeks from the presidential election ... the political committee, has been brought forward," it said in a statement.

Former prime minister Alain Juppe, who lost to Fillon in the November primary and has been widely touted to replace him should he step aside, is not attending.

Opinion polls continue to show Fillon would fail to make the second round of the April/May election. Instead, centrist Emmanuel Macron is consolidating his position as favourite to win a second-round headto-head against far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen. Fillon's backers have been on the offensive since the candidate revealed that he could be placed

under formal investigation. They are hoping to get some 45,000 people at a rally in central Paris on Sunday to show he still carries favour among grassroots supporters.

But an Ifop poll of 1,002 people published on Saturday showed 71 percent of French voters want him to quit the race, up six points from an identical survey on Feb. 19.

It also showed support from within Republican voters falling to 53 percent from 70 percent two weeks ago.

WIFE SAYS WORK WAS REAL At Saturday's campaign meeting he remained defiant.

"Brick by brick, I have prepared an ambitious programme, the only one in my eyes that can restore France's vitality," he told a smaller-than-expected crowd of supporters north of Paris.

"I am being attacked, but through me what they are trying to attack is the

national recovery and a will to change that you all want.

Don't abdicate! Don't give up!" he said.

In her first public remarks since the allegations surfaced, Penelope Fillon told the Journal du Dimanche that her work activities had been real and insisted that her husband should battle on until the end.

"He needed someone to carry out his tasks. If it hadn't been me, he would have paid someone else to do it, so we decided that it would be me," she said.

However, Fillon is struggling to keep unity. Five Republican party members of the European Parliament on Saturday called for a new candidate, a day after his campaign chief and top spokesman both quit, while the centre-right UDI party withdrew its backing.

A poll published on Friday may also have rattled his camp. It showed that if he were to step down and be replaced by Juppe, then Juppe would make it to the run-off and eliminate Le

Pen in the process.

"The pilot is in the cockpit, the door is locked so it's difficult to talk with him, but we don't want the plane to crash," JeanBaptiste Lemoyne, a senator from Fillon's party told LCI television.

Fillon has denied any wrongdoing and complained of judicial and media bias that amounted to a "political assassination".

His attack on the judiciary in particular has caused unease within his party.

Sunday's planned demonstration has also worried some within right-wing ranks over fears that it will be hijacked by hardline conservative movements.

Several heavyweight party officials said on Twitter they would not attend.

"It's making me uncomfortable," said Christian Estrosi, the rightwing president of France's southeastern region. "This rally also seems to want to defy the institutions of our country, and that's not possible."

10

MonDAY 06•03•2017

sports

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

beats hobbling Haye Messi makes Barcelona Bellew with 11th round stoppage believe, Benzema leads Real

Lionel Messi dribbles past Celta Vigo players. (AFP Photo)

Madrid, March 5 (aFP): Lionel Messi dazzled with two goals and two assists as Barcelona thrashed Celta Vigo 5-0 in their first game since coach Luis Enrique announced he will leave at the end of the season.

Real Madrid remain just one point behind Barca at the top of La Liga and with a game in hand as Karim Benzema scored twice in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in a 4-1 win at Eibar.

An inspired performance by Messi on Saturday raised Barca hopes of a miraculous Champions League fightback from 4-0 down against Paris SaintGermain next Wednesday.

"Beforehand the tie is lost, but with some marvellous circumstances...we can get ourselves back into the tie if we play very well," Enrique told Spanish TV station Movistar.

And the champions showed no ill effects from Enrique's pending departure in arguably their best performance of the season.

"I am very confident we are going to have a great end to the season," Enrique added.

Messi opened the scoring in sensational style on 24 minutes as he turned just inside the Celta half before skipping past a host of helpless defenders and stroking the ball home from the edge of the area.

However, the finish for Barca's second was equally as majestic as Messi's pass was dinked over Sergio Alvarez from close range by Neymar.

The hosts' dominance was rewarded with a third just before the hour mark, although there was more than a touch of fortune about it as Ivan Rakitic was clearly offside when he pounced on Rafinha's layoff.

Messi was the provider once more for the fourth as his low cross was turned home by Samuel Umtiti for his first Barca goal.

And the five-time world player of the year produced another individual effort to end the scoring as it started

Spurs clinch NBA playoff spot in OT

as he cut in from the right before firing the ball inside Alvarez's near post.

- Real reaction Earlier, Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane praised his side's response to a recent slump in form after defeat to Valencia and a thrilling 3-3 draw with Las Palmas in two of their previous three outings.

"I am happy with our reaction," said Zidane. "In the course of a season there are moments when you have to suffer and it is normal that you can't always play well.

"We started very strongly and at a high tempo, which is very important away from home."

Indeed, Madrid were 3-0 up inside half an hour

Los angeLes, March 5 (aFP): Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and the San Antonio Spurs shrugged off a listless start to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 97-90 in overtime and clinch a NBA playoff spot.

Leonard led his team to their second straight overtime victory in as many days as the Spurs booked their 20th consecutive post-season berth.

Leonard scored six of his 34 points in overtime as San Antonio stretched their winning streak to seven games. Leonard finished with a team-high 31 points in a 101-98 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

"We were locked in and just wanted to get this win tonight. That is where I got my energy from," Leonard said.

"We got in pretty late last night. We just had to stay in it. Everybody plays back-to-backs."

It is still early March but the Spurs are the second NBA team this season to get into the playoffs behind Golden State, who did it last Saturday with a 112-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The Spurs overcame three and half lethargic quarters of play Saturday before staging a furious comeback in front of a crowd of 18,400 at Minnesota's AT&T Center arena.

"We didn't give in. We realize more and more that you don't have to panic you just have to keep playing," said coach Gregg Popovich.

"We were very fortunate to win the game."

Leonard's two baskets and a pair of free throws gave the Spurs a 94-90 lead with 2:21 left in overtime and a Danny Green putback with 18 seconds left iced the win for San Antonio.

The game was tied 8383 but San Antonio had the final possession and 18.9 seconds to find a gamewinning shot in regulation.

Leonard dribbled out all but the final three seconds from above the top of the key, drove to his left against Andrew Wiggins but did not get a shot off before the quarter expired.

"Tonight was a character builder type game," said Spurs Green. "We had to stick to it for 53 minutes and let our defence win the game for us."

In Houston, James Harden caught fire in the third quarter en route to his league-leading 49th double-double as the Houston Rockets toppled the Memphis Grizzlies 123-108 to split the season series.

- 49th double-double Harden scored 20 of his game-high 33 points in the third, including 15 consecutive points for the Rockets.

Harden added 11 as-

sists while Rockets centre Clint Capela tallied a career-high 24 points with 11 rebounds for his 10th double-double this season.

Eric Gordon finished with 18 points and Nene came off the bench to score 11 points. The Rockets got 45 points from their bench and finished 18-for-42 on three-pointers.

"We had a couple coverages where we broke down and we didn't stay disciplined in what we were doing. And that guy James Harden is pretty good too," said Grizzlies coach Dave Fizdale.

In Miami, the Heat took advantage of Cleveland's decision to rest LeBron James and Kyrie Irving by beating the Cavaliers 12092.

Goran Dragic led the Heat with 23 points. Hassan Whiteside added 20 points and 13 rebounds for Miami who have won 18 of their last 22 games.

The Heat made 18 three-pointers, the most by Miami this season and the second most in franchise history.

Miami kept pace with the Detroit Pistons in the battle for the eighth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

The Heat and Cavaliers meet again on Monday when James and Irving are expected to play.

Tony Bellew, right, lands a punch on David Haye. (Getty Images)

London, March 5 (aFP): Tony Bellew humbled his bitter British rival David Haye with a shock 11th round win in a non-title heavyweight fight at the O2 in London on Saturday.

Former WBA world heavyweight champion Haye suffered a suspected snapped Achilles tendon in the sixth round, leaving him an easy target as he stumbled and limped around the ring for second half of the fight.

Unable to move away from Bellew's blows, Haye got up from a count in the seventh round and bravely battled on until he was knocked out of the ring in the 11th round.

As he was climbing back into the ring, Haye's trainer Shane McGuigan threw in the towel to the stop the fight.

Haye afterwards called for a rematch after a third career loss in his 31st fight which has shattered his hopes of facing one of the world heavyweight champions in the next 12 months.

Bellew, the reigning

WBC world cruiserweight champion who stepped up a division, enjoyed silencing Haye's pre-fight taunts and claimed: "I'm the most valuable heavyweight in the world outside the world champions."

Among many insults which included the threat to "hospitalise" Bellew, Haye said he would quickly knock out his opponent in the non-title heavyweight bout.

Few predicted "Bomber" Bellew would pull off an upset and bookmakers made him 4-1 to win, with Haye a long odds-on betting favourite at 1/6 on.

Bellew, who stepped up a division to face Haye, a former world champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight, profited from Haye's injury but had shown promise in the early rounds.

Haye, who flew to Germany earlier in the week to see a specialist about his Achilles, bravely fought on through the pain but his hopes of another big pay day are now in serious doubt after a third career loss.

Four times Bellew was able to get to Haye and a left hook knocked the Londoner off balance.

Haye, 36, who was last world heavyweight champion in 2011, missed with a lot of punches in the opener but had more success in the second.

Bellew, 34, who weighed in nearly a stone lighter than 16-stone (101 kg) Haye, caught Haye with right hands in the third when his rival missed with shots.

After failing to stop it early, Haye continued to try to land the one big knockout punch and in the fourth he nearly did it with a right and left to the jaw that shook Bellew.

But the fight turned in the sixth round when Haye slipped, perhaps on some water, and appeared to damage his right Achilles.

Haye stumbled back to his corner at the end of the seventh like a drunk at times as Bellew landed clean shots at will. In the 11th, Haye was sent through the ropes by a combination and McGuigan had seen enough.

Murray wins first title of year in Dubai

dubai, March 5 (reuters): World number one Andy Murray won his first title of 2017 with a 6-3 6-2 victory over unseeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Saturday.

Murray lost his first two service games of the match but overcame that poor start to win in Dubai for the first time.

"Obviously I'm very happy to do it here for the first time. It's been a good start to the year," Murray told the BBC. "Often when you get through matches like that (quarter-final against Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots. (Getty Images)

as Benzema finished twice from close range before teeing up James Rodriguez for the third.

"Benzema had a part in all four goals. I am happy for him, he had a great game," added Zidane.

Despite the absence of Ronaldo and Bale through injury and suspension respectively, Zidane rested a host of other first-team regulars ahead of Tuesday's Champions League last 16 return leg away to Napoli.

Those coming in rewarded Zidane's faith in the depth of his squad with the often sidelined Rodriguez a constant threat.

The opener arrived on 14 minutes when Benzema followed up after Yoel had saved his initial effort to register just his second league goal since October.

Madrid soon doubled their advantage when Rodriguez's wicked in-swinging free-kick left Benzema with the simplest of tasks to knock the ball home from point-blank range.

Four minutes later the roles were reversed as this time Benzema's low cross was swept into the far corner on the stretch by Rodriguez for his fifth goal of the season.

Marco Asensio had unselfishly squared to Rodriguez in the move for the fourth goal, but after the Colombian's effort came back off the post, Asensio expertly dispatched the rebound from a narrow angle.

Ruben Pena beat Danilo to Pedro Leon's cross to the far post to fire in a consolation 18 minutes from time.

Philipp Kohlschreiber when I saved seven match points) it settles you down for the rest of the tournament.

"It's been quite a few late finishes this week.

Maybe the last couple of matches, I didn't start as well as I would like. It's been the same for all the players, a bit tricky with the rain. Once I got going today, I was moving well and I finished strong.

"This year has given me great momentum."

Murray, who had won 12 of his past 13 matches against the Spaniard, started slowly and was broken in the first game before

Andy Murray poses with his trophy. (REUTERS)

breaking back in what was a nervous start by both players.

The heavy-hitting Verdasco cracked a series of

powerful winners to break an uncomfortable-looking Murray again in the third game and consolidated to hold for a 3-1 lead.

Despite a shaky serving performance, Murray, helped by a string of Verdasco errors, reeled off five successive games to take the first set 6-3.

Murray continued in the same vein in the second set and slowly began to dictate from the baseline on the back of an improved serve to open up a 3-1 lead which he did not relinquish.

The three-times grand slam winner, who cut a frustrated figure throughout an uncharacteristically sloppy performance, sealed victory with a powerful serve to claim his 45th career title.

Dominant Liverpool crush Arsenal LiverPooL, March 5 (reuters): Liverpool put their recent troubles behind them, showing touches of their best early-season vibrancy to overcome Arsenal 3-1 at a jubilant Anfield and leapfrog the Gunners into third place in the Premier League on Saturday.

After Manchester United and an out-of-sorts Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed their chance to gain ground in the battle for Champions League places with a wasteful 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, Juergen Klopp's men at last rediscovered some of their old swagger.

Liverpool won only their third game in 13 matches in 2017 with goals from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum to move onto 52 points, ahead of Manchester City on goal difference and two clear of Arsenal, who are now fifth.

Chelsea, still the runaway leaders on 63 points, play at West Ham United on Monday while, on Sunday, second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, on 53, host Everton, and Manchester City, 52, visit Sunderland.

Liverpool produced a dominant first-half performance to take command with goals from Firmino and Mane but Arsene Wenger got his team selec-

Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum scores their third goal. (Reuters)

tion wrong by leaving Alexis Sanchez on the bench.

Forced to bring on his key striker at halftime to chase the game, Wenger saw Sanchez set up a goal for Danny Welbeck before Wijnaldum sealed a deserved Liverpool victory late on.

"Our performance was not at the level we expect in the first half but that is down to a lack of rhythm, we have not played for a while," said Wenger.

Earlier, United's League Cup-winning hero Ibrahimovic missed a penalty and 10-man Bournemouth battled to snatch a point in an incident-packed affair at

Old Trafford.

United manager Jose Mourinho was left with no complaints after his side again failed to take maximum points from a game they dominated.

After a Marcos Rojo goal was answered by a Josh King penalty in a turbulent first half, United were left sixth on 49 points.

Ibrahimovic, fresh from scoring twice in United's Wembley triumph over Southampton, had a wretched afternoon and not just because his second-half penalty with the score at 1-1 was saved at full stretch by Artur Boruc,

who gave an inspired performance.

Just before halftime, the Swede was fortunate not to be dismissed for elbowing Nathan Mings, moments after the Bournemouth defender stood on his head as he lay on the pitch.

In the subsequent fracas, Bournemouth's Andrew Surman pushed Ibrahimovic over and was sent off for this second yellow card offence.

Ibrahimovic denied he had acted out of retaliation.

"My intention was not to injure him but to protect myself," he said.

Elsewhere champions

Leicester City maintained their dramatic revival under caretaker boss Craig Shakespeare, coming from one-down to beat Hull City 3-1 with goals from Christian Fuchs, Riyad Mahrez and a Tom Huddlestone own goal. It was their second straight win since Claudio Ranieri's sacking.

Hull remain on 21 points, one adrift of Middlebrough, who dropped into the relegation zone after losing 2-0 at Stoke City, while Palace jump to 17th on 25 points.

Dazzling goals from Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend provided a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion to seal back-to-back successes for Sam Allardyce's Palace.

Swansea's revival under Paul Clement gained more momentum with a 3-2 win over Burney -- their fourth victory in six games -- as Spanish international Fernando Llorente headed home twice, including a 92nd-minute winner.

Swansea are on 27 points, alongside Leicester and Bournemouth.

In the day's best match, Nathan Redmond struck twice and Manolo Gabbiadini scored a sixth goal in four games as Southampton edged Watford 4-3 at Vicarage Road.

Monday 06•03•2017

Logan

EntErtainmEnt

C REVIEW

The best X Men movie yet

omedy legend Steve Martin will be offering tips, tricks and insights from his 50year showbiz career in his first-ever online class, set to launch this spring.

The class, which will cost USD 90, will be available through internet-education startup MasterClass.

Enrollees will have access to more than 25 video lessons led by Martin, covering topics like finding your comedic voice and nailing an act, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I’m so honoured to be invited into your home, phone or wearable," Martin said in a statement.

The platform offered earlier online video class- don Ramsay and Serena clude Shonda Rhimes for Gehry for design and archies by Christina Aguilera, Williams. The latest Mas- TV writing, Hans Zimmer tecture.

Kevin Spacey, Usher, Gor- terClass instructors in- for film scoring and Frank Source: PTI

to teach comedy class online

I

C M Y K

n some ways, Logan is the Wolverine film that many fans have long awaited, replete with a heavy dose of R-rated violence, adult language and earth-shattering, gutwrenching revelations.

And yet, Hugh Jackman’s final appearance as the X-Man that made him famous also serves as a meditation on the very nature of superhero stories and the comic-book movie genre itself.

Based loosely on the Old Man Logan storyline from the comics, the film takes place in a future that’s not quite post-apocalyptic, but sure seems to be teetering on the edge. Mutants have all but vanished from the population, and the few that remain appear to be in hiding. That includes Logan and a diminished, ancient, and mentally deteriorating Professor Xavier.

The return of Patrick Stewart to the role is one of the hugely satisfying aspects of Logan, as the revered thespian finally gets to bring a true depth to the character -- if in a distinctly new way. His Professor X has always been mostly sidelined in the movies, but not in Logan: Sometimes tragic, sometimes hilarious, this is an Xavier you’ve never seen before.

With Logan, Director James Mangold looks to push the boundaries of the superhero movie genre and even question it. There are no colorful costumes in Logan, no crazy, CGI-fueled threats from up above.

In their place are just the four-color comics that Laura reads, and which Logan scoffs at as mere confections that skew what life was really like for the XMen. In fact, the world of Logan seems eerily like an extension of our own -- if one or two steps worse off.

The film has plenty of action set pieces that impress not just in the bloody, ruthless slicing and dicing that Wolverine finally gets to do, but also because of the more inventive spins

Louisa Johnson wants Eminem collaboration

T

he 19-year-old singer who won UK 'X Factor' in 2015 admitted she is a huge fan of the controversial rapper and would love to work on some new music with him. She told the Sunday Mirror: ''I used to listen to him growing up- he's an amazing writer, he has a lot of emotion so it would be cool to work with him. That's the dream.''

At the moment, Louisa is working on her debut album and is getting plenty of advice from music mogul Simon Cowell. She said: Simon wants everything to be perfect. He's really keen to get it right. It's great he wants to do that. And so do I. I'm always ¬thinking

P

Source: Contactmusic

Psy to release new album in April

S

they sometimes put on the characters’ powers.

One particular standout is an extended and intense sequence where Logan must slowly fight his way through one of Xavier’s paralyzing psionic episodes -- it’s a scene that has to be experienced firsthand for its full, visceral effect in order to be truly appreciated.

Dafne Keen who plays X-23, shares a special bond with Logan, and the young actress is perfectly cast in the make-it-or-break-it role. She’s a vicious berserker, but Mangold and his co-writer Scott Frank also give her a dose of wry humor, particularly in her interactions with Wolverine, and a warmth that makes her much more than just another action figure. As popular as X-23 is in some fan circles, the character isn’t just stunt casting in Logan; the connection between her and Logan comes to inform the latter’s character arc over the past nine X-movies and truly is the bedrock of this film.

Boyd Holbrook and Richard E. Grant play the

main villains in the film as Donald Pierce and Zander Rice respectively, who both were integral in Laura’s life before she joined Wolverine. Holbrook is scary and funny at times as a sort of evil fan boy who looks back at the old days when mutants roamed the earth like a kid flicking through a baseball card collection, though Grant unfortunately doesn’t have a ton to do aside from dropping some exposition which ties a few disparate plot points together in the final act.

That’s fine though, because the film is all about Jackman, Stewart and Keen.

Mangold doesn’t pull any punches when dealing with how this group has reached this point in their

medical science.”

Best known for directing films like “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...”, said it “was an emotional yet well thought out decision which I have taken after considering all the responsibilities and duties that come with being a parent.”

“In order to arrive at this decision, I have prepared myself mentally, physically, emotionally and logistically to ensure that my children get all the unconditional love, care and attention from me and mine.

“I have submitted to the fact that my children are my world and priority.”

In his book “An Unsuit-

lives, what has happened to the rest of the world’s mutants (and the X-Men), and where it’s all leading.

It’s a refreshing take on the modern comic-book movie, where all bets are off and no holds are barred. That, combined with Mangold’s Western influenced styling but also a willingness to still insert sci-fi elements, adds up to a thrilling, one-of-akind experience.

Logan is in many ways an emotional, heavy picture, but it’s also an uplifting one that reminds us that it’s okay to fight for something more, something better.

It’s an amazing swan song for the Wolverine character, and for Jackman, and perhaps the best X-Men movie yet.

Find the Skid Reviewer at: www. youtube.com/theskidreviewer www.facebook.com/theskidreviewer And at Instagram at the_skid_reviewer (The Skid Reviewer is a YouTube channel run by two comic book fans from Nagaland who make videos about anything that catches their fancy)

Karan Johar becomes father to twins via surrogacy

opular Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar on Sunday announced he has become a father to twins via surrogacy. He says they are now his world and priority. The daughter has been named Roohi — a rearrangement of Karan’s mother’s name Hiroo and the son has been christened Yash — on Karan’s late father’s name.

In a statement, Karan said: “I am ecstatic to share with you all the two most wonderful additions to my life, my children and lifelines; Roohi and Yash. “I feel enormously blessed to be a parent to these pieces of my heart who were welcomed into this world with the help of the marvels of

about what I'm doing next.'' ''There is love, hate and sexiness in the album.

There are songs just about having fun and ¬getting drunk.''

However, Louisa admitted she doesn't have time for partying these days as she is too busy working. She said: ''But at the moment, I only go out if I know I haven't got anything on for a week. I just don't want to risk it. ''I take it so seriously, especially at the moment because I can't afford to f**k up.

I need to get to a level where I have respect and then I can enjoy myself. ''You won't see me falling out of clubs - it's not a good look.''

able Boy”, Karan had expressed a desire to adopt a child or opt for surrogacy.

The 44-year-old filmmaker, who keeps travelling around the world, understands that having children would mean that “work, travels and social commitments would have to take a back seat”.

“I am prepared for that”, Karan said, adding: “By the grace of God, I have the most caring and supportive mother who will be an integral part in the up-bringing of her grandchildren and of course, friends who are family.”

Karan also extended gratefulness to the surrogate who “fulfilled my lifelong dream and provided a warm, loving and nurturing environment to my children before bringing them into this world.” “She will always remain in my prayers”.

Karan also extended gratitude to IVF specialist Jatin Shah, who was also instrumental in the successful birth of supersar Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri’s son AbRam who was also born through surrogacy.

outh Korean pop musician Psy plans to showcase a new album in April, marking his first release since December 2015. YG Entertainment said the South Korean rapper has also finished filming the accompanying music video.

The rapper-producer became a global sensation

with his track "Gangnam Style" in 2012. Psy also gathered popularity with other songs including "Gentleman," "Hangover" and "Daddy." The music video for "Gangnam Style" boasts more than 2.7 billion views on the popular video-sharing website YouTube.

Now ShowiNg revIseD TICKeT rATes (silver) : `.120 (Gold) : `. 200 (recliner) : `. 400

Source: The Korea Herald

Kate Moss's naked wedding day photos hacked

S

upermodel Kate Moss's nude photos have been stolen. The images were part of a set of photos Moss posed for on her wedding day in 2011. They show her in the buff, getting ready for her big day. They were among dozens of private images she commissioned to celebrate getting hitched to rocker Jamie Hince, from whom she has since split.

The images are thought to have been hacked from her computer files. It is believed they are now being shared among fans on their phones, reports dailystar.co.uk. It comes just four months after private images from the star's 2016 birthday celebrations were leaked online.

A source said: "Kate

will be fuming about this.

Even though she has now split from Jamie, this set of photos is still really close to her heart and they are very, very private. "Kate is obviously no stranger to getting her clothes off for photoshoots, but these images were different. Some were

meant only to been seen by Jamie, and the rest were for close family and friends and have never been released.

"It's disgusting hackers can get away with this for the second time in four months. She is now looking into ways of increasing her online security."

Photographers Terry Richardson and Mario Testino reportedly captured the photos. Moss allowed Testino to release some of the official images from her wedding. And Richardson posted authorised images of the model in bed during the celebrations. But the set that has been hacked and leaked were commissioned strictly for private use.

Source: IANS

Atomic Kitten done making albums

A

tomic Kitten's Natasha Hamilton says the 90s pop trio are done making records as it's ''too big a job'' with their work and life commitments. The 34-year-old singer who has Josh, 14, Harry, 12, Alfie, six, and two-year-old Ella from previous relationships has admitted the Source: IANS chances of the 'Whole Again' group

putting out new music is slim as they are all focused on their separate projects and looking after their families.

Asked if the trio - also of comprised of Kerry Katona, 36, and Liz McClarnon, 35 - will release any new music, Natasha exclusively told BANG Showbiz: ''Do you know what?

Probably not. To release new music

is so time consuming. Obviously I've got four children and to be on the road promoting that, it just isn't realistic anymore.''

Natasha said they have attempted to put some new tunes together in the studio, but it just didn't work out as it is ''too big a job'' for them with their other commitments.

She said: ''We did contemplate it.

We did try before, we got into the studio and we had a few good songs, but it just became apparent that it was just too big a job for us to do now with the stages we are at in our life. But the gigs we still love gigging.''

Although she has no plans to record new music, Natasha hasn't ruled out the possibility of having her own solo music career and would love to go on the road with a theatre show of some kind.

She said: ''I would love to have a solo music project. I have not written it off, who knows what the future holds? I'd love to do something more stripped back, maybe a theatre tour or something with a piano and a string quartet, a bit of brass. I'd love to do that. I am at my best when I am singing live on stage. ''That is something I'd love to do and hopefully that will happen in the future, but no plans as of yet.''

Atomic Kitten released three studio albums during their peak, 2000's 'Right Now', 2002's 'Feels So Good' and their last 'Ladies Night' in 2003.

Source: Contactmusic

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Hillstar NOW SHOWING Logan

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12

MonDAY 06•03•2017

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

UFC 209: Woodley edges Thompson in dull title fight

C M Y K

LAS VEGAS, MArch 5 (AP): Although the sequel had nowhere near the drama of the original, both fights ended with Tyron Woodley's hands on the UFC welterweight belt.

Woodley retained his 170-pound title with a desultory majority decision over Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson at UFC 209 on Saturday night.

Alistair Overeem also stopped Mark Hunt in the third round of an entertaining heavyweight bout at TMobile Arena, and Rashad Evans debuted at middleweight with a split-decision upset loss to 39-year-old Australian judoka Daniel Kelly.

Until the final 30 seconds of their five-round rematch, Woodley (17-31) and Thompson (13-2-1) failed to recapture the excitement of their memorable majority draw last November. Woodley put on a cautious, tactical fight until he caught Thompson with a right hand late, landing several big shots on the ground.

"It wasn't the most exciting fight, like you guys were used to the last time," Woodley said. "Sometimes chess is move by move. ...

When you fight someone for the second time, it's like

a chess match, you don't want to give up anything.

I knew that his game plan was going to be to keep it on the outside and not let me get in close because that's where I do the most damage, and he did a great job.

He made it very hard to get it in close."

Thompson made it to the bell, but two judges scored the bout 48-47 for Woodley, with a third seeing it 47-47.

"Disappointed, man," Thompson said. "Worked my whole life to get here.

I thought I won the fight, but you can't leave it in the judges' eyes."

Woodley and Thompson both fought with abandon and got themselves into dangerous positions in their first bout in New York but survived for only the third draw in a title fight in UFC history.

"I guess it doesn't matter what the first fight was like," UFC President Dana White said. "The second fight can be not as good."

The rematch opened with two action-free rounds as both fighters sized each other up amid boos from the Vegas crowd. Woodley landed a takedown in the third, and Thompson did damage with kicks in the fourth,

Tyron Woodley, left, hits Stephen Thompson in a welterweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 209, Saturday, March 4, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo)

but neither contender produced anything resembling the urgency expected by the fans, who took to chanting "Fight! Fight!

Fight!" in the fifth.

Woodley eventually obliged, and it might have swung the entire fight in his favor. Woodley landed 66 total strikes to Thompson's

42, and the champ had the fight's only takedown.

"He's a tough kid," Woodley said. "I rocked him, and that's the round that probably got me the win."

The UFC 209 card lost one of the year's most anticipated bouts one day earlier when Khabib Nur-

magomedov was hospitalized while struggling to make weight. The unbeaten Russian was scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title.

The UFC hoped the card could make up for the loss of those two all-action fighters, but the main event

wasn't great.

Earlier on the pay-perview portion of the UFC 209 card, veteran Dutch kickboxer Overeem (42-15) flattened Hunt to bounce back solidly from his knockout loss to Stipe Miocic in his heavyweight title shot last September.

Overeem also fought

through food poisoning that sent him to the hospital on the night before this fight, although he didn't reveal it. White told the media afterward.

After two bloody rounds that looked largely even, Overeem staggered Hunt with a left elbow in a clinch. Overeem then landed two right knees, leaving the 42-year-old Hunt (1211-1) planted face-down on the canvas.

"We might be old, but we're not done yet," the 36-year-old Overeem said.

In an Instagram post after the fight, Hunt said he broke his leg during the bout. He had an alarmingly bloody gash on his right shin from the first round onward.

Hunt made a disclosed purse of $750,000 to return to the UFC cage even though he filed a lawsuit against the promotion in January, accusing it of fraud, racketeering and other crimes.

Hunt acknowledges he is pursuing legal action after failed doping tests by three of his recent opponents — including Brock Lesnar, who failed tests before and after his bruising victory over Hunt at UFC 200 last July. The 42-yearold Hunt claimed he was

"forced" to continue fighting for the UFC by his contract, although he apparently meant the UFC was still the best place for him to earn a living.

Evans (24-6-1), the former UFC light heavyweight champion, moved down in weight after losing four of his last six fights. Although he looked sharp, Evans narrowly lost an entertaining duel with the relentless Kelly (13-1), who has competed in judo for Australia at four Olympics.

Kelly is an improbable 6-1 since joining the UFC as a 37-year-old jiu-jitsu black belt with just seven MMA bouts. He has been the betting underdog six times in his seven-fight UFC career.

Sweden's David Teymur upset Lando Vannata in an entertaining lightweight bout in the co-main event that replaced Nurmagomedov's fight with Ferguson.

The undercard was highlighted by a spectacular comeback victory for Darren Elkins. The veteran featherweight was pulverized and bloodied for 13 consecutive minutes by Mirsad Bektic, but Elkins improbably landed a stunning sequence of punches and kicks to finish the fight.

NAGALAND STREET FITNESS 3rd EDITION Winners of the Nagaland Street Fitness 3rd Edition ARM WRESTLING:

Male Champion : Chelo Kapfo (Star Gym) Vice Champion : Neizosetuo Kire Female Champion : Sokenyu Khing Vice Champion : Kethosenuo Thami

PUSHUPS:

Male Champion : Rongsen Meren (Natso Gym) Vice Champion : Melevo Rose (Flex Appeal Gym)

Abeino Neihu of SASA and Medoneituo Sekhose of NASA pose for camera with former President of the Angami Public Organization (APO) Keneingunyii Sekhose and others after winning individual champions of ASA golden jubilee tournament held from February 28 to March 4 in Kohima. (Morung Photo)

Fifties from Marsh, Renshaw give Australia lead

RUNNING RACE

Male Champion - Alemba Thongliu Tikhir (Team Native Station) Vice Champion - Temjen Yanger Female Champion : Siponglemla Chang Vice Champion : Talisenla Longkumer

FLASH RACE

Fastest man in Nagaland Flash : Vevoto Hesoh Fastest woman in Nagaland : Esther Natso

Australia's Matt Renshaw plays a shot. (REUTERS)

KohiMA, MArch 5 (MExN): Native Station organized the 3rd edition of the Nagaland Street Fitness on March 4 at the Heritage, Raj Bhavan, Kohima supported by NSACS (Nagaland State Aids Control Society) multimedia cam-

paign, Tribal Group and Active Station.

According to a press release, fitness enthusiasts from Kohima and other districts participated in the event which witnessed the strongest, fastest and fittest men and women compete

in Running Race, Speed Race (Naga Flash), Arm Wrestling and Push Ups to win the Nagaland Street Fitness Title which was sponsored by Tribal Group, Gravity, Active Station, The Hub, Star Mart, Flex Appeal Gym, Nike, Reebok,

Adidas, Skechers, Decibel Sound System. Beatboxing stars, Zonimong and Athozo enthralled the audience with their beatboxing skills.

Winners were presented with merchandise and gift vouchers worth more than Rs.35,000 along

with certificates and medals. Metevinuo Sakhrie, NSACS Joint Director (IEC), gave away the prizes and also challenged the youths to live life responsibly and become ambassadors for the cause of HIV/ AIDS in the state.

BENGALUrU, MArch 5 (rEUtErS): Shaun Marsh and Matt Renshaw struck contrasting half-centuries on an engrossing day of cricket to help Australia take a first-innings lead of 48 against India in the second test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

After resuming the second day on 40-0, the touring side reached 237 for six at stumps against India, who were bundled out for 189 in their first innings on Saturday.

Wicketkeeper batsman Matthew Wade was unbeaten on 25 with Mitchell Starc 14 not out at the other end.

It was an inspired bowling performance from India, who gave away only 197 runs in 90 overs but without much luck.

The touring side, who lead the four-match series 1-0 after their 333-run win in the opening test at Pune, lost two wickets in a hardfought morning session against a rejuvenated India but recovered through a 52-run stand between Renshaw and Marsh.

The left-handed Marsh enjoyed some luck, being handed his first reprieve when he edged paceman Umesh Yadav to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on 14 but India made the mistake of opting against a review of the umpire's not-

out verdict.

Marsh was then given out leg before against Umesh on 44 but the 33-year-old successfully overturned the decision on review.

In the next over, paceman Ishant Sharma bowled a no-ball with replays confirming Marsh would have been out lbw if not for the illegal delivery. India's frustrations were heightened with edges from the batsman falling short of their fielders.

Marsh finally departed for 66, caught off Umesh, but not before he had added another 57 with Wade for the sixth wicket.

EXCHANGE OF WORDS Earlier, India depended heavily on off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to weave some magic after his Australian counterpart Nathan Lyon picked up eight wickets for 50 on the first day.

The world's top-ranked spinner did provide the breakthrough, spinning one around David Warner's bat to hit his off-stump. The left-handed opener managed to add 10 runs to his overnight score before being dismissed for 33.

The fall of Warner spurred on the Indian side as they came hard at Renshaw and Australia captain Steve Smith, with an ex-

change of words between opposing players forcing the umpires to intervene to calm the situation.

Cheered on by a big Sunday crowd, Ishant's hostile spell of fast bowling troubled Smith but Australia managed to keep India at bay for more than 20 overs with a second-wicket stand of 30.

After a 10-over spell by Ashwin, during which he conceded just eight runs for the wicket of Warner, India captain Virat Kohli brought on left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

He gave India the second success of the morning when Smith was out for eight, getting an inside edge to his pad to be caught

by Saha.

The 20-year-old Renshaw, who scored 68 in Pune, was dropped by Kohli off Umesh on 29 and went on to complete his third half-century in tests.

Renshaw, who made 60, hit Jadeja for the first six of the match over long-off but was outsmarted two balls later when the bowler got one to spin past the batsman for Saha to complete the stumping.

Jadeja grabbed a third wicket when he dismissed Peter Handscomb for 16 with Ashwin completing a juggling catch at midwicket.

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