October 17th, 2016

C M Y K

www.morungexpress.com

SunDAY • OctOber 16• 2016

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 284 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

There can never be a complete confidence in a power which is excessive Benefits of greenhouse gas pact may fall short of high hopes PAGE 09

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Bandh?no government vehicles allowed?ok.let’s leave the government jalopy and take the Ferrari,BMW or one of those foreign suVs...

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

Vote on www.morungexpress.com sMs your answer to 9862574165 Most orgs, groups, politicians and public leaders keep appealing for ‘unity.’ But has ‘unity’ become an empty slogan? Why? Yes

no

others

In the midst of systemic corruption, will an anti-corruption political party be able to clean up the system in Nagaland State?

Yes

45%

no

38%

others

17%

Details on page 7

ENCSU to resume agitation from Oct 19 DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 16 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland College Students’ Union (ENCSU) will resume its 4th phase agitation from October 19, 2016 onwards. “The ENCSU feeling deprived and frustrated by the lukewarm/ignorant attitude of the State Government on its demand on the NSEEII exam 2016 even after its 3rd phase of agitation, has decided to resume its 4th phase agitation from October 19 onwards till its genuine demands are met by the responsible authority,” a press note from ENCSU informed on Sunday. It said the State Government and the responsible department would be solely held responsible for any untoward incidents arising out of the agitation.

Increasing waist size may cause liver cancer

C M Y K

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 16 (IANS): Individuals with high body mass index (BMI), increased waist circumference, and Type 2 diabetes may be at an increased risk of developing liver cancer, a study has found. The findings showed that for every 5 kg/ m2 increase in BMI, there was a 38 and 25 per cent increase in the risk for liver cancer in men and women, respectively. For every 5 cm increase in waist circumference, the increase in risk for liver cancer was 8 per cent. Participants with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were 2.61 times more likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer, and the risk increases with increase in BMI, the researchers said.

“Liver cancer isn’t simply related to excess alcohol intake and viral hepatitis infection. We found that each of these three factors was associated, robustly, with liver cancer risk. All three relate to metabolic dysfunction,” said Peter Campbell, researcher at the American Cancer Society. The study adds substantial support to liver cancer being on the list of obesity-associated cancers. The study was published in the journal Cancer Research.

SSA teachers to boycott classes from today

o F

T R u T H

— Cornelius Tacitus

Classy Kohli secures easy win over Kiwis

PAGE 02

PAGe 12

‘Bandh nothing to do with sit or charge sheet’

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 16 (MExN): Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA) on Sunday said the indefinite highway bandh called on October 17 has nothing to do with the SIT or the charge sheet to be filed by it, as supposed by the Cabinet.

“The bandh has been called because the government failed to call in a CBI enquiry within the 15 days deadline. The CCoFA is not bothered whether the SIT is filing its charge sheet within 3 days, or 10 days or after 1 month,” media cell, CCoFA stated in a press statement.

It pointed out that the SIT cannot satisfactorily bring the case to its logical conclusion because the fuel adulteration issue is not merely confined to the five kingpins. This racket involves virtually the whole of the Food & Civil Supplies Department, the DCs of the districts, and the politicians, it alleged.

Citing instance, CCoFA said

“Naga public are not fools to believe that the SIT will dare chargesheet the portfolio in charges of F&CS department in the last 1520 years, if indeed they are found culpable. Therefore, to begin with the SIT was formed with its hands tied behind and its integrity already compromised.”

This was the very reason the ACAUT had previously rejected the SIT when it was first announced, it added.

Appealing the Naga public for solidarity and prayer support, the CCoFA viewed that a CBI investigation should also culminate into complete overhauling or cleansing of the most corrupted F&CS department, which automatically will benefit lakhs of Naga families living from hand to mouth.

The CCoFA also condemned the “confrontational attitude of the state government when instead it should be assisting it.”

“This agitation is a moral battle between the vast majority

given by the governCCoFA to go ahead with the bandh assurance ment that the SIT, whose manis to comprehensively cover on NH-29 even as Nagaland Cabinet date all relevant issues connected with subject matter as given in the declares Oct 17 bandh “illegal” the two FIRs lodged with the police in

of helpless citizens on one side and the insensitive government on the other side and indeed the repercussions will be serious. By adopting a confrontational attitude, the government has by default declared that it supports the kingpins and will continue to support corruption,” it went on to add.

CCoFA also announced that apart from NFC Gate, Dillai and Chumoukedima Check Gate, bandh along the entire stretch of NH-29 would be manned by youth volunteers of Zubza, Peducha and Medziphema in their respective jurisdictions.

The law enforcing agencies on their part should have nothing to worry about since the agitation will be peaceful and nonviolent, in tune with Gandhian

philosophy, the press statement also read.

Govt. declared bandh as ‘illegal’

Even as the CCoFA stood ground to go ahead with the proposed bandh call on October 17, Nagaland State Government on Sunday declared the proposed bandh “illegal.”

A press communiqué issued

by Nagaland Home Commissioner, Abhijit Sinha said since the proposed bandh is going to restrict the movement of essential commodities and services, besides causing inconveniences to the public, the Cabinet, in a meeting on Sunday, declared the proposed bandh illegal.

The communiqué stated that the bandh has been called despite

net on Saturday requested the CCoFA to call off the proposed bandh on national highways while asserting that the SIT had made substantial progress in the fuel adulteration cases and that connection with the case, would charge sheets would be filed be submitting the charge sheets in within the next 10 days. the next ten days.

The district administration Govt drivers appeal CCoFA and police have been directed Meanwhile, a press note to take all necessary measures from All Nagaland Government to ensure that “free movement Drivers Association (Central of all vehicles and public is not Committee) has appealed that disrupted in any manner by any during the bandh, the drivers group or individuals.” The com- should not face any difficulties muniqué also requested the if they are compelled to drive general public not to participate during the bandh since they are in` the bandh, and give full co- only performing their duty. operation to the law enforce“So if CCoFA has any probment agencies. lem with the government regisAs first phase of the agitation, tered vehicles for driving during CCoFA had announced that no the bandh, they should consult oil tankers or government vehi- directly to the officers instead cles (NL-10) would be allowed to of blaming the driver for going ply along NH-29. However, it said against the bandh,” the press NST buses would be exempted note issued by Milan Raj Banshi, from the purview of the bandh. advisor to the drivers’ associaThe Nagaland State Cabi- tion informed.

PM Modi calls Pakistan “mother-ship of terrorism” NNC/PRN merges with NSCN (R)

GOA, OCTOBER 16 (REUTERS): India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi branded Pakistan a “mother-ship of terrorism” at a summit of the BRICS nations on Sunday, testing the cohesion of a group whose heavyweight member China is a close ally of its South Asian arch-rival.

Modi’s remarks to a meeting of leaders from the BRICS - which include Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa - escalated his diplomatic drive to isolate Pakistan, which India accuses of sponsoring cross-border terrorism.

Tension between the nucleararmed neighbours has escalated since a Sept. 18 attack on an army base in Kashmir, near the disputed frontier with Pakistan, killed 19 Indian soldiers in the worst such assault in 14 years.

India later said it had carried out retaliatory “surgical strikes”

(l-R) Russian President Vladimir Putin, indian Prime Minister narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping leave after a group picture during BRiCs summit in Benaulim, Goa, on october 16. (REUTERS)

across the de facto border that inflicted significant casualties. Pakistan denied any role in the attack on the Uri army base, and said the Indian operation had not even happened, dismissing it as typical

cross-border firing.

“In our own region, terrorism poses a grave threat to peace, security and development,” Modi said in his remarks to BRICS leaders who met at a resort hotel in Goa.

ANAHTA to boycott classes from October 17 DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 16 (MExN): The All Nagaland Aggrieved Hindi Teachers Association (ANAHTA) on Sunday said that it will boycott classes from October 17 onwards as announced earlier on account of nonpayment of their full salaries since the month of March, 2016.

The Association also said it was not willing to accept the one-month salary offered by the State Gov-

ernment.

“We have been working the whole year without salary, we are not willing to accept one month salary as piecemeal payment to temporarily appease our sufferings,” the Association stated in a press release.

Lamenting that the same practice has been going on ever since their appointment, the aggrieved Hindi teachers said they would start boycotting classes from

October 17 onwards.

The ANAHTA has therefore appealed the headmasters, teachers in charge of both the government and private schools to bear with the inconvenience caused to the school and students at large, asserting that it is “not our desire.”

The Association has also called for an emergency meeting of all district representatives on October 19.

“Tragically, the mother-ship of terrorism is a country in India’s neighbourhood,” the 66-year-old prime minister said, without directly naming Pakistan, in a series of tweets issued by the foreign ministry. No immediate reaction was available from Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

Modi’s hard line against Pakistan marks a departure from India’s tradition of strategic restraint, and New Delhi has won expressions of support from both the West and Russia over the army base attack. Yet China, a longstanding ally of Pakistan that plans to build a $46 billion export corridor, has shown public restraint. Modi and President Xi Jinping also held a bilateral meeting on Saturday and the accounts of their conversation emerging from both sides pointed to key differences of opinion.

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 16 (MExN): The Naga National Council/People’s Republic of Nagaland (NNC/PRN) has merged with NSCN(R), an MIP press statement from NSCN (R) informed on Sunday.

The ceremony programme of the merger of the two groups was held at the ceasefire office of NSCN(R) on October 15 at Mon with NSCN(R) President Y Wangtin Naga welcoming the leaders and workers of NNC/PRN, the press statement read.

The need of the hour for the Nagas is to seek one another and fragmented Naga political groups need to unite to ensure a single and unified force, Wangtin stated at the merger programme.

He recalled the past glori-

ous days of the Naga people under the banner of NNC from 1940s till 1980s when they stood collectively with a unified voice which became “fragmented by the confusion cloud of Shillong Accord of 1975.”

Wangtin also asserted that the “Naga people have not surrendered before India and Burma (Myanmar) till today and that even in the future, Naga people will not surrender before any forces.”

He also expressed appreciation for the “selfless decision” of O. Chingmak Chang, President NNC/PRN and Dr. Amento, General Secretary NNC/ PRN for taking the right step to merge with the NSCN (R) in the interest of the Naga cause.

Women participation will enhance performance of UlBs: r tohanba

7 million jobs can disappear by 2050: Study NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 16 (PTI): As many as 550 jobs have disappeared every day in last four years and if this trend continues, employment would shrink by 7 million by 2050 in the country, a study has claimed.

Farmers, petty retail vendors, contract labourers and construction workers are the most vulnerable sections facing never before livelihood threats in India today, the study by Delhi-based civil society group PRAHAR has said.

As per the data released by Labour Bureau early 2016, India created only 1.35 lakh jobs in 2015 in comparison to 4.19 lakh in 2013 and 9 lakh in 2011, the group said in a statement.

“A deeper analysis of the data reveals a rather scary picture. Instead of growing, livelihoods are being lost in India on a daily basis. As many as 550 jobs are lost in India every day (in last four year as per Labour Bureau data) which means that by 2050, jobs in India would have got reduced by 7 million, while population would have grown by 600 million,” the statement said.

The data clearly points to the fact that job creation in India is successively slowing down, which is very alarming, it pointed out.

“This (rise in unemployment) is because sectors which are the largest contributor of jobs are worst-affected. Agriculture

contributes to 50 per cent of employment in India followed by SME sector which employs 40 per cent of the workforce of the country,” the statement said.

The organised sector actually only contributes a minuscule less than 1 percentage of employment in India. India has only about 30 million jobs in the organised sector and nearly 440 million in the unorganised sector.

According to the World Bank data, percentage of employment in agriculture out of total employment in India has come down to 50 per cent in 2013 from 60 per cent in 1994.

It said that the labour intensity of small and medium enterprises is four times higher than that of large firms.

It further said that the multinationals are particularly capitalistic a fact vindicated during investment commitments of USD 225 million made for the next five years during the Make in India Week in February 2016.

However, what went unnoticed is that these investments would translate into creation of only 6 million jobs, it said.

“India needs to go back to the basics and protect sectors like farming, unorganised retail, micro and small enterprises which contribute to 99 per cent of current livelihoods in the country,” it added.

Womenfolk in traditional attire attending the inauguration programme of Tobu Town Council at Tobu in Mon district on saturday, october 15. (Morung Photo)

Tobu Town Council inaugurated Morung Express news Mon | October 16

Parliamentary Secretary for Municipal Affairs and Economics & Statistics, R Tohanba, has said the recent approval by the Nagaland State cabinet for 33% reservation for women in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) would give women an opportunity to take active part in decision-making and governance.

The Parliamentary Secretary exuded confidence that participation of women in municipal and town councils would enhance the performance of ULBs and serve the citizens better.

“Cabinet has approved and notified to hold municipal and town election as per the Nagaland Mu-

nicipal Act 2001 and women reservation policy. With this, women can now take part in decision making in ULBs. People of Nagaland as a whole should appreciate this as a step-forward in governance of ULBs,” Tohanba said in his address at the inauguration programme of Tobu Town Council on Saturday.

He said inauguration of Tobu Town Council marked a red letter day for Tobu citizens as henceforth they can avail basic amenities and services in line with other town councils.

He, however, noted the inauguration of town council is not an end in itself but a beginning in the art of self-management, development and beautification of one’s town and this onus lies with the citizens.

He therefore called upon the citizens to extend full cooperation to the town council including in areas like sanitation and payment of taxes

for public utilities. The Parliamentary Secretary said like a gardener, it is now up to the citizens to nurture their town (garden) and keep it clean and beautiful.

Tohanba also said the DAN government under Chief Minister TR Zeliang has initiated a slew of developmental activities and schemes in Eastern Nagaland so that the backward areas can gradually catch up with others. He further appealed Eastern Naga brethren to have a positive mindset and outlook to the concerns of the State Government for the backward districts.

Later, Tohanba also inaugurated the office of the SDO (National Highway) at Tobu town. With the latest inauguration, there are altogether three municipal councils, 27 town councils and five urban stations (adhoc town committees) in Nagaland State.

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MonDAY 17•10•2016

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

SSA teachers to boycott Call for strong youth revivalism classes from today Morung Express News Dimapur | October 16

Peren, OctOber 16 (Mexn): The Peren, Zunheboto, and Dimapur units of Nagaland Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers’ Association (NSSATA) have affirmed to support and execute the central NSSATA’s decision to boycott classes from October 17 as part of its first phase of statewide agitation over nonpayment of salary. The SSA teachers have not been paid their salary for five months.

A press release from Huzengluibo, president and Kelidau, general secretary of NSSATA Peren unit stated that the announcement to support the decision comes following the expiry of the association’s seven-day ultimatum served to the State Government and the Government’ failure to respond to the four-point charter demands of NSSATA. The NSSATA Peren unit has called upon all its members to cooperate with the decision.

In the ensuing agitation, more than 15 schools will be totally shut down in Peren district alone, the release added. Meanwhile, the unit urged the State Government to solve the pending salary issue immediately without further delay.

In a separate press

statement, NSSATA Zunheboto unit informed all the SSA teachers appointed during 2010 and 2013 under Zunheboto district to extend support to the agitation in full spirit till their demands are fulfilled. The statement from Vinoka, president, Aboto, secretary, Tovito, secretary of NSSATA Zunheboto unit lamented that teachers are “being blamed and put into untold pain and suffering at the expense of few undedicated one.” It further pointed out that SSA teachers and other teachers appointed under Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) have been “suffering and suffered enough under the shadow of false promises and irresponsible government over the past three and four years who never understand the miseries teachers had endured.”

Meanwhile, the NSSATA Zunheboto unit appealed and asked the department concerned and Government to stop giving excuses but act promptly at the genuine demands of the “future builders”. Reminding its members to remain united and be physically and mentally prepared to “encounter any challenges of short sighted threat,”

DAN legislators meet kOhIMa, OctOber 16 (Mexn): The Chief Minister of Nagaland, TR Zeliang has convened a meeting of Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) legislators on October 18, 3:00 pm at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima. Therefore, all the members have been requested to attend the meeting.

Mangkolemba SDPDB meeting held MangkOleMba, OctOber 16 (DIPr): The monthly Mangkolemba Sub-divisional Planning & Development Board (SDPDB) meeting was held at Dobashi Court on October 14. Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Dr. Benjongliba, who is also the chairperson of the board welcomed the members and read out the agendas.

Vice chairperson of the SDPDB and ADC, Imtiwapang read out the last meeting minutes. The meeting approved posting of SK and providing PDA godown at Merangmen EAC circle. For this matter, Dr. Benjongliba asked Border Magistrate, Nyemp Wallim to find out the land for the construction of the godown.

Opening of bank at Longchem Town and Alongkima Town and nomination for 2041 Document Committee were also discussed.

With regard to the celebration of Mangkolemba ADC HQ silver jubilee, the chairperson of the board encouraged everyone to actively involve for the grand celebration. Dr. Longri, Chairman of DAN & NBRM was also present in the meeting.

the unit also appealed to NGOs, church association, students’ union to continuously extend their support both in faith and action.

NSSATA Dimapur unit also requested School Management Committees (SMCs), Village Education Committees (VECs), students' unions, GB unions, tribal bodies, NGOs and all the right thinking citizens of Dimapur in particular and Nagaland as a whole to co-operate and support “our rightful cause”. In a press statement, the unit pointed out that the SSA teachers were selected after written test and interview as per the norms set by the State government and they were appointed as regular State government employees. “However even after being selected as regular State government employees, the teachers have been suffering since last more than three years due to irregular payment of salary,” it lamented. “The government is very serious to improve the educational standard of government schools in Nagaland. Making new rules and reminding teachers of their duty but when it comes to payment of salary, the same seriousness is missing.”

The three-day silver jubilee celebrations of the Sumi Baptist Convention (SBC) held at Trinity Theological College, Thahekhu culminated on Sunday afternoon with Rev. Dr. Phughoto Aye, Director of Fire Around the World, NEI delivering the sermon.

With ‘youth revivalism’ as his main focus, Rev. Dr. Phughoto pointed out that more youth were losing interest in the Church and called for a strong youth revivalism to carry on the legacy of initial powerful revival that engulfed Sumis during the late 70s and 80s. He asked the congregation to ponder as to how many out of 99.9% Sumi Christians, attend Church.

“Instead of preaching about attending or not attending Church services, we should

deeply study why people are not attending services,” he added.

The preacher rued that mostly the elders populate the Church and young people were seldom seen. To bring about youth revivalism, Rev. Dr. Phughoto opined that at least 10 Sundays out of 52 Sundays in a year should be kept aside exclusively for the youth so that they would inculcate a sense of belongingness and be a stakeholder in the Church. He also felt that at least 6 Sundays in a year be set aside for inter-generational combined services by letting them take various parts so that the younger generation learn from elders to come closer to God. Stating that culture was a way of life for the Nagas, Rev. Dr. Phughoto said that inculcating Christian faith also should be given equal importance.

He also suggested that wealthy Churches build wor-

Miss Mokokchung contest

MOkOkchung, OctOber 16 (Mexn): Communique under the aegis of Mokokchung District Art and Culture Council (MDACC) has invited young women to participate in the upcoming Miss Mokokchung contest scheduled to be held on November 5, 2016 under the theme ‘Elegance, a beauty that never fades.’

A press release from Communique stated that

the contest is being organised to “enhance the women capacity in today's competitive world.”

The pageant is open to all interested candidates within the age of 18 to 27 years as on December 2016. For further details, contact +91 9856966995, +91 8415824088, +91 9856990921 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (Monday to Saturday) or e-mail communiquefashion@gmail.com.

ship centres and youth ministry centres with modern facilities for the youth to come together and praise God. According to the preacher, technology was overshadowing and diverting the minds of many youngsters from God. He pointed out that around 4000 Churches were being closed down annually around the world and that 2.7 million Christian populations in the world were Christians only in name and hardly go to Church.

With such impending danger on Christianity, Rev. Dr. Phughoto called for a strong youth revivalism in the state to be deeply rooted in the faith of the Lord.

During the programme, Thiulixu Baptist Church choir and Jubilee Choir presented a special number. The silver jubilee celebration was attended by thousands of Rev Dr. Phughoto Aye, Director, Fire Around people from the three Sumi Baptist the World, NEI delivering sermon on Sunday Churches associations. at TTC Thahekhu. (Morung Photo)

RTI week observed in Zbto, Mkg, Mon

Seminar on skill development, unemployment in Peren

Peren, OctOber 16 (Mexn): Pinnacle Skills in collaboration with Peren Town Youth Organization organized a daylong seminar on October 15 at Peren Village Council Hall under the theme ‘Skill development and unemployment problem’.

Speaking at the seminar, James Kithan, Operations Coordinator - Pinnacle Skills, stressed on the importance of skill based training and the unemployment problem in Nagaland, informed a press release.

He also spoke on the different trainings that are provided by the Central and State Governments for the youths of Nagaland with job opportunities across India.

Lamenting on the lack of industries and corporate bodies in Nagaland, Kithan encouraged the youths to take the opportunities that are provided by the government. He also highlighted the ratio of job vacancies that are provided by the State government and the number of graduates and post

graduates that pass out every year.

Kithan stressed that youths should take up skill training in different sectors and make themselves independent and not burden the family, society or Government.

The seminar was chaired by the Finance Secretary of Peren Town Youth Organization (PTYO). Office bearers of PTYO also attended the seminar along with members from different youth organizations around Peren.

Resource persons and EAC Mon interact with NGO and CSO leaders during the RTI week celebration at DC’s conference hall in Mon Town on October 14. (DIPR Photo)

ZunhebOtO, OctOber 16 (DIPr): Right to Information (RTI) week was celebrated in Zunheboto, Mokokchung, and Mon under the theme ‘RTI and role of NGOs & CSOs’. The event was observed in Zunheboto and Mokokchung on October 15 and Mon on October 14.

Zunheboto: At the DC's conference hall in Zunheboto, APO, DRDA, RTI-TOT Zunheboto, Obed Achumi spoke on the significance of RTI Act as the resource person.

He said that with the enforcement of RTI, information and documents pertaining to various departments have improved.

On the role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Obed stated the CSOs can take up education and awareness programmes on RTI. CSOs can also promote good governance and social equity by accessing information, he added. Obed also spoke on the role and responsibility of PIOs and APIOs. EAC, HQ, Kemciyile, who chaired the programme, asked the gathering to make use of RTI but cautioned it should not be misused for selfish motives. She exhorted that RTI is a tool to bring transparency and accountability and should be used efficiently. The program was attended by GBs, Village Council Chairmen, VDB Secretaries and public leaders. EAC Probationers Sakuchingmak and Wiridin Zeliang also attended the function.

Mokokchung: In Mokokchung, chairmen from all the 18 wards and representatives Baptist Youth Fellowship organised a three-day youth crusade under the theme 'Youth in spirit, faith and purity’ (1 from Ao Senden, Watsü Mungdang and Tim 4:12) from October 7-9 at JTLBC, Jalukie. More than 500 youths from Jalukie Town and neighbouring villages attended the crusade. Pastor Yabang of Covenant Baptist Church, Pastor Mongzeung of JTLBC, and State Chaplain AKM attended the programme held at the conference hall of ADC (Planning). SDO Rev. Kuzierang Thou were the speakers.

(C) Mokokchung HQ, Sachin Jaiswal IAS, delivering the keynote address said that RTI is a strong weapon for all the people of the nation to question so that the answer can throw light into the matter. He said RTI is a landmark achievement as it has helped advance good governance and strengthen democracy in India. He also encouraged the participants that as torch bearers of the town and the community, they must update themselves and disseminate the knowledge on RTI to the lower section of the people, especially to those in the villages so that their rights are protected.

The programme was chaired by Assistant Commissioner, Mekola Chaitanya Prasad IAS (P), while PowerPoint presentation on RTI Act was given by EAC Mokokchung HQ, R. Daniel Angami and EAC Chuchuyimlang, Meyazungba Jamir.

Mon: The programme at Mon HQ had Rohbi Sangtam, EAC (Probationer) and Tumben P. Tsanglao, EAC (Probationer) as the resource persons. Rohbi Sangtam spoke on Right to Information and also gave an overview of the Act passed by Indian Parliament on June 5, 2005. He explained in detail about RTI and its power to the NGO and CSO leaders. Tumben P. Tsanglao also presented a PowerPoint and spoke on appeal process of RTI and obligation of public authorities and the role of NGO and CSO leaders. There was also an interaction hour among the NGO and CSO leaders and resource persons. The programme was attended by leaders of KU, KNSK, KSU and all ward presidents and GBs. Relise Sangtam, EAC Mon chaired the programme.

Students conduct agri demonstration in Pfutsero Rev. Fr. Jose Lukose celebrates silver jubilee of Priestly Ordination

Students of NU: SASRD demonstrate at Kami village on October 14.

DIMaPur, OctOber 16 (Mexn): Agricultural demonstrations under Rural Agricultural Work Experience Programme (RAWEP) were conducted by the final year agri students of NU: SASRD in six villages of Pfutsero block of Phek district.

The first phase of demonstrations were conducted in the subjects of

Horticulture, Extension, Agriculture Engineering, Plant Pathology & Soil Science in Lasumi, Zapami and Kami villages on October 14 and Lekromi, Pfutseromi and Kikruma villages on October 15.

The programme was attended by the village council members, host farmers, farm women, village elders,

youths, women societies and Self Held Groups.

RAWEP Coordinator Dr. K.K. Jha from NU: SASRD welcomed the villagers and encouraged them to adopt improved agri-technologies for increasing productivity and profitability. He lauded the efforts of RAWEP students and congratulated them

for successfully conducting the need based demonstrations on using scientific techniques of training, pruning and packaging of Kiwi, construction of zero energy cool chamber, post harvest management of horticultural crops, vermi and azolla composting, soil sampling techniques, use of improved farm implements including maize sheller, seed dibbler & wheel hand hoe, green house construction, mushroom production, identification & disease management in cabbage, chilli, paddy, cucurbits, maize etc.

At the end of demonstration, perceived benefits of the programme were shared by the respective VCC chairman, council members & host farmers, informed a press release from Dr. K.K. Jha. The subject experts included Dr. A.K Verma, Dr. Rokolhuo Keditsu, Dr. Jurisandhya Bordoloi, Dr. L.Y Longchar and Dr. Morenbala from NU: SASRD. The second phase of demonstration will be conducted on October 26 and 27.

Phek, OctOber 16 (Mexn): The silver jubilee of Priestly Ordination of Rev. Fr. Jose Lukose was celebrated at St. Xavier Parish Church, Meluri on October 16 under the initiative of the Pochuri Catholic Union.

At the thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration, Rev. Fr. Jose Lukose was the Main Celebrant. He thanked God for his continuous blessings in fulfilling the mission of Christ in Nagaland, informed a press release received here.

“Priests are set apart for the mission of Christ and Christ would never bypass the prayer of a Priest,” he added.

The programme was attended by 22 priests, 12 sisters, ADC Meluri and delegates from all the 9 sub-centres under Meluri Parish. A short felicitation was held after the Mass in which traditional songs, special numbers and speeches of appreciation were delivered.

Rev. Fr. Jose Lukose is

Rev. Fr. Jose Lukose with other priests during the silver jubilee celebration of his Priestly Ordination on October 16 at St. Xavier Parish Church, Meluri.

a native of Kerala who left his parents and home after his matriculation in 1980 in order to become a missionary. After completing his studies in Philosophy, Theology, Graduation and Post Graduation, he was ordained a Priest by Late Bishop Abraham Alangimattathil, Bishop of Nagaland on January 4, 1992 in

his home Parish in Kerala.

He served as Principal of various schools and college in Nagaland. His first appointment was in Tuensang in 1992, then he served as the Principal of Holy Cross School, Dimapur, Queen Mary School, Mokokchung, Newman School, Tobu, St. Xavier College, Jalukie, and St.

Xavier Hr Sec School, Meluri (currently).

Earlier, Rev. Fr. Solomon Kevishi, Assistant Priest of Meluri, welcomed the priests from Tura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, the sisters and all the Parishners especially those who came from far away centres to attend the function.

MonDAY 17•10•2016

NORTH-EAST

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Ex-armyman arrested for 'links' with fake currency racket KolKata, october 16 (PtI): An ex-armyman and his accomplice were arrested by the CID from Siliguri in north Bengal for their alleged links with a fake Indian currency note (FICN) racket, a senior official of the department said today. On a tip-off, Pradip Gogoi, a former armyman and a resident of Assam's Dibrugarh district, and his accomplice Sudhir Sarkar alias Sudhir Mondal were arrested by the CID Special Operations Group late last night from Darjeeling More under Pradhan Nagar police station, the official said. Fake currency notes with a face value of Rs 44,000 were seized from their possession, he added. "We were looking for the two for quite some time. Both of them played important roles in the FICN racket. They were involved in smuggling FICN to the north-eastern states," the CID official said.

IED found in Guwahati, close shave for children GuwahatI, october 16 (PtI): A 2-kg improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered in Guwahati’s Birubari area on Saturday when children were playing with the explosive, a senior police officer said. The children of one M. Bhowmick were playing in front of their house at Sankarpur Hill area on Saturday morning when they found the object wrapped in jute ropes, the officer said. Bhomick told reporters at the site that he first thought it was a football made by children but upon finding it heavy he threw it inside the nearby forests, as his neighbours informed the police. Bomb disposal squad personnel found within the handmade IED, a bottle filled with gelatin-like substance, glass shards and nails fitted with a detonator and safety key, the officer said. The squad safely detonated the bomb in the afternoon hours. The police were investigating who was behind the act.

Mizoram to adopt stringent drug law Total bandh in Newmai News Network Aizawl | October 16

Mizoram is mulling a stringent drug law to combat the worsening cross-border drug trafficking and abuse in the State.

The existing drug laws in the State, including Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act 1985, Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940 and Assam Drug (Control) Act, 1950, are found to be ineffective in tackling the problem and a weak deterrent, the Mizoram Post daily newspaper reported.

Quoting official sources, the daily newspaper said the new drug law titled The Mizoram Drug (Controlled Substances) Bill 2016 has been approved by the State Cabinet and is awaiting to be tabled in the next State Assembly session.

“Even though the Social Welfare department is the nodal agency in drafting the Bill, it will be enforced by the Excise & Narcotics, Police and Health departments,” Social Welfare Minister PC Lalthanliana said.

“The Bill has been drafted in such a way that it does not conflict with any existing drug law in India, but includes some provisions to suit the local drug problems,” he said.

It is felt that the rate of conviction in drug-related cases under the NDPS Act has been low due to the fact that the minimum imprisonment is ten years. Under the proposed Mizoram Drug (Controlled Substances) Bill 2016, the minimum imprisonment will be five years, officials said.

It is also felt that the

NDPS Act is ineffective in dealing with ganja and pseudoephedrine in the context of Mizoram, and inhalant drugs, commonly abused in Mizoram, are not covered in the Act, the Mizoram Post daily newspaper reported.

It is found that some drug license holders have exported huge amount of pseudo-ephedrine into Myanmar, where they are manufactured into methamphetamine, and easily escape conviction.

“Under the new drug law, Mizoram can declare any substance as controlled substance,” an official said. For instance, painkillers spasmo-proxyvon and parvon spas, which have killed more people than heroin did during the last two decades, are not controlled

Student from Arunachal commits suicide in Mathura Mathura, october 16 (PtI): A 22-year-old student of a dental college has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in his hostel room here, police said. Gamang Angu, a resident of Itanagar, was a third-year student of K D Dental College. Angu allegedly committed suicide on Thursday by hanging himself to the ceiling fan of his hostel room, Senior Superintendent of Police Bablu Kumar said. In the suicide note addressed to his parents, Angu said he blames himself for his death and no one else is responsible for it, Kumar said. The police also recovered 25 cigarette packets and 40 narcotic tablets from his room, Kumar said, adding that a forensic team is investigating the matter. Angu’s laptop has been taken in by the police and investigations are going on into the matter.

BSF jawans make indecent gesture towards minor girl, arrested aIzawl, october 16 (PtI): Two BSF personnel allegedly made indecent gestures at a minor girl when she was bathing in a river at Sairang village in Mizoram following which they were arrested, the police said on Sunday. The incident took place yesterday when the girl had gone to bathe in the river near a bridge, where the two BSF personnel, a jawan and a havildar, made objectionable gestures at her. A BSF camp is located near the bridge. After the girl narrated the incident to her parents, the village elders registered a complaint at the nearby Sairang polic station. The two accused were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, Aizawl district SP Lalhuliana Fanai said. Villagers of Sairang near Aizawl took out a procession today in protest against the incident. Fanai said that the procession was peaceful and the police stopped the crowd at the Tlawng bridge near the lone Lengpui airport.

Dibrugarh raid

Representative image

GuwahatI, october 16 (tNN): The introduction of two newly improved cross-bred pig varieties has renewed hope for entrepreneurs and farmers of making the state self-sufficient in meeting the demand for pork.

Rani and Asha, the two varieties, were released on Saturday at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - National Research Centre (NRC) on Pig. Despite having 38% of the total pig population in the country, the northeast has been unable to meet the growing demand for pork in the region, currently being met by imports from Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where pork is not too popular with meat-eaters. The non-availability of improved pig varieties that can meet the commercial demand has been cited as the reason behind this.

Director of the institute DK Sarma hailed the introduction of the two improved crossbred varieties as 'phenomenal' and said it could go a long way in fulfilling the demand-supply gap of pork in the northeast.

As a large tribal population in northeast relies on pig-rearing for livelihood, developing the two faster-growing crossbred pigs is a milestone for the institute,

Over the two days, it will see interactive sessions with the Home Minister, Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (Independent Charge) and Prime Minister's Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space Jitendra Singh.

Besides, interactive sessions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, will also be held in the Conference.

Senior officials of the respective ministries

said the scientists involved in the project.

Deputy director general (animal science) at ICAR, New Delhi, H Rahman said the rural farmers of the state will benefit immensely by rearing the improved pig varieties that can adapt to local climatic conditions.

"The Rani variety has been developed by cross-breeding Hampshire with the indigenous Ghungroo and will have 50% inheritance from both. Rani can weigh nearly 75 kg at the slaughter age of eight months," said P Chakraborty, principal scientist at the ICAR-NRC on Pig. While Hampshire has a better growth rate, Ghungroo can produce more offsprings.

This is why scientists cross-bred the two.

Another germ plasm Duroc was crossed with Rani to develop Asha, which will have 25% inheritance each from Ghungroo and Hampshire and 50% from Duroc.

Asha will be highly useful for entrepreneurs in the meat business as 80 kg lean pork can be obtained from it at the slaughter age of eight months.

Principal investigator of the project Santanu Banik said Rani can be propagated among breeder-farmers while Asha can be marketed among finisher-producers.

dIbruGarh, october 16 (tNN): Police seized 5.2 kg of narcotic drugs during a raid in Dibrugarh on Saturday in one of the biggest drug busts in the state.

The seized drugs include 2 kg of heroin and 3.2 kg of brown sugar.

The raid was conducted at a rented house in the town's Amolapatty area following a tip-off by an informer. The main accused, Sirbek Ahmed, is absconding.

"It is a huge haul probably the biggest drug consignment seized in the state. Unfortunately, we could not catch the main accused as he left the house with an accomplice just moments before the raid. We have come to know that he is carrying a consignment of contraband drugs for delivery.

We are trying to track him down," Dibrugarh SP Gautam Borah said.

Police have detained the landlord, Tajuddin Ahmed, who is also the general secretary of the Dibrugarh unit of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).

Manipur CM releases state's culture policy IMPhal, october 16 (tNN): Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Friday released the longawaited 'Manipur Culture Policy' and three gazetteers - 'Gazetteer of Manipur', 'Gazetteer of Ukhrul' and 'Gazetteer of Churachandpur'.

The 'Gazetteer of Manipur' which gives concise information on the geography, history, habitat, art and culture and administration of the state, was brought out after a gap of more than 100 years since

Media persons from NE states to attend 'Regional Editors Conference' chaNdIGarh, october 16 (PtI): Union Ministers from some key ministries, including Home Affairs, would interact with regional editors from north and northeastern states during a two-day 'Regional Editors Conference' beginning here on Monday.

The Conference is being organized by Press Information Bureau for media persons from the regions to have a direct interaction with ministers and senior officials "for getting a deeper perspective of Union government's recent initiatives and roadmap planned in some of the key sectors," an official release issued here said.

The Conference would be inaugurated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator VP Singh Badnore.

substances in the existing drug laws.

While pseudo-ephedrine tablets are being smuggled into Myanmar where they are manufactured into methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories mostly run by militants, heroin is being shipped from the neighbouring country.

The meth factories in Myanmar are partly fueled by pseudoephedrine smuggled out from India, mainly through the North East.

“Pseudoephedrine is bought from other parts of India and smuggled out to Myanmar through our State, which is then used to make methamphetamine and other derivatives and smuggled across the world,” said an Excise and Narcotics department official.

kg drugs NE gets two new varieties of pig 5.2 seized in

Assam State govt nod awaited for UN university GuwahatI, october 16 (tNN): The Indian Federation of United Nations Associations has written to the state government seeking land to set up a United Nations university. The university, if established, will be the second in the world after a similar institute in Tokyo. Aswini Sarma, the secretary general of UN Association, Assam, said the university will be set up either in Guwahati or Shillong. The Assam government is yet to respond to the proposal, Sarma added. "We wrote to the government in 2014 and again in August this year. We are yet to get a reply. The Meghalaya government has got back to us," Sarma told reporters here on Saturday. The university will offer courses on arts, social science, management, science and UN studies at the graduation, postgraduation and research level.

3

would also be present during these sessions.

An 'exclusive session' on media communication has also been scheduled to have feedback from the participants for better understanding of their communication needs.

Editors and senior media persons from 10 statesHaryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram, and one Union Territory Chandigarh will participate in the Conference.

An exhibition showcasing the government's initiatives in the recent past is also being held on the occasion.

This is the third 'Regional Editors Conference' being organised by PIB during this year. The earlier Conferences were held in Jaipur and Chennai.

EW Dunn first published it in 1905.

The culture policy is the outcome of years of endeavour by the state art and culture department and includes contributions from various scholars, said a statement issued by the CM's secretariat on Friday.

The policy has three parts - an introduction which defines culture, an objective which deals with strategies to preserve, promote and enrich the culture of the state and a plan of action which lays out the

ways in which the objective of the policy can be fulfilled, the statement said.

The policy proposes to form a body called the 'Manipur Cultural Advisory Board' comprising 30 eminent personalities who are experts in various cultural fields. The culture policy will be reviewed every 10 years. The dossiers were released in a function at the cabinet hall of the CM's secretariat in the presence of deputy CM Gaikhangam, his cabinet colleagues and senior state officials.

MISSING

Liangmai and Rongmei areas Newmai News Network Senapati | October 16

The Liangmai Naga Council (Manipur) and Rongmei Naga Council (Manipur), while directing the Liangmai and Rongmei people not to attend the United Naga Council (UNC) sponsored ‘First Conference of the Naga Village Authority of Southern Nagalim,’ have announced today to impose a total bandh from 6:00 am of October 18 to 12:00 noon of October 19 in all Liangmai and Rongmei inhabited areas.

In a joint statement made available to Newmai News Network this evening by Thuankubui Pamei, President, Rongmei Naga Council (M) and R. Machundoubou, President, Liangmai Naga Council (M), both the apex tribe bodies said that “the Liangmai Naga Council (LNC-M) and Rongmei Naga Council, Manipur (RNC-M) had been requesting to grant affiliation to the fold of United Naga Council (UNC) for the last three/ four years but our humble request was turned down,

and as such, we have taken the decision to boycott the activities of the UNC for the past two/three years now.”

As such, both the bodies have directed the people of Liangmai and Rongmei not to attend the conference organized by the UNC on October 19 at Yaikongpao Village Local Ground, Senapati. “All the chairmen of Liangmai and Rongmei villages are directed not to attend the said conference. Anyone violating it shall be seriously viewed by the respective councils,” both the bodies warned.

However, both LNC and RNC said that the people of Liangmai and Rongmei have been participating and supporting the Naga National Movement for self determination since its inception and will continue to involve and support till amicable solution is brought about. “We have happily welcomed and accepted the Framework Agreement signed between the Government of India and GPRN/NSCN (IM) on the 3rd of August, 2015,” they added.

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Amid fried chicken craze, foreign firms ruffle Korean feathers

SEOUL, OctObEr 16 (rEUtErS): Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Global poultry producers hoping to cash in on South Korea's craze for fried chicken and beer face a market crowded with local birds that have clipped prices and profits for Korean growers.

The popularity of the combination, known as "chimaek", has boomed in recent years, fuelled by its appearance in a hit South Korean television drama and an explosion of restaurant chains.

Chimaek stores now dot Korea and their ubiquitous delivery services shuttle freshlyfriedchickenandbeer tohomes,officesandpicnics.

At a Seoul outlet of the popular BBQ chain recently, Kim Chang hoo said he and his colleagues had planned to go to a sushi restaurant for a company dinner, but decided instead on chimaek - a mashup of chicken and maekju, the Korean word for beer. The craze has pitted domestic chicken producers in an increasingly tough battle for market share, prompting an over-supply and a drop in farm prices.

Now imports are set to

rise as South Korea lifts bans on overseas suppliers who are attracted by still low per capita consumption rates.

South Koreans ate 14.2 kg (31 pounds) of poultry meat each in 2015, a near threefold increase since 1990 according to OECD data, but only half the global average of 28.6 kg per person.

South Korea's market for chicken is expected to grow 5 percent to 1.01 million tonnes this year and a further 3 percent in 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), boosted by the chimaek craze.

GAME OF CHICKEN Supply is currently dominated by the country's three biggest producers - Harim Co Ltd, Dongwoo Co Ltd and ManikerCoLtd.Allhaveseen their earnings hit in the first half of this year as they ramp up production to secure market share.

Park Ju-No, the managing director at Harim, acknowledged producers were engaged in a "game of chicken", each holding a potentially dangerous course in the hope their rivals flinch first.

"We think it's more cru-

cial to focus on quality differentiation to survive instead of adjusting production, even though it contributes to a glut," said Park.

Park expects the imbalance to ease in the second half as the number of slaughtered chickens drops in summer,butseesthemarketoversupplied again next year as imports from the United States and Thailand resume.

In July, Asia’s fourthlargest economy lifted ban on chicken imports from the United States, imposed due to a bird flu outbreak in 2015.

It is likely to resume imports in November from Thailand, banned since a 2004 bird flu outbreak, according to Korea's Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency.

withlowerprices.U.S.suppliersmightalsofindconditions challenging.

Still, the competition is good for consumers and restaurants drawn to the chimaek boom. Even global giant KFC recently opened its first “KFC Chimaek” outlets in South Korea, offering set menus such as two pieces of fried chicken, cheese fries and a glass of draft beer for 7,500 won (around $7).

Major Korean franchises are now expanding their overseas stores, particularly in China where the TV show "My Love from the Stars" is wildly popular and its heroine's chimaek cravings strike a chord with viewers.

"We learned the food culture of South Korea from Korean soaps," Gu Chenghu said at a chimaek outlet in Shanghai. "Also many young people are willing to try something fresh. So it's very popular."

Genesis BBQ, Korea’s top fried chicken franchise now has 350 stores abroad in 30 countries including China and the United States. It wants to grow to 50,000 stores by 2020, company director Kwak Sung-kwon said.

FLY ABROAD Overall South Korean chicken imports are expected to rise 9 percent to 130,000 tonnes this year, and a further 8 percent in 2017, due to the resumption of U.S. chicken imports, the USDA report showed.

Analystssaidtheincrease in chicken imports could squeeze domestic producers

Refer all high-value NPA resolution cases to overseeing committee: Finance Ministry to PSBs NEw DELhi, OctObEr 16 (Pti): The Finance Ministry has asked public sector banks to approach the newly constituted overseeing committee (OC) for resolution of all high-value bad loans and not just accounts considered under S4A. This was conveyed to the lenders at last month's meeting between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the heads of PSU banks.

According to ministry sources, some banks were under the impression that only cases under the Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A) are to be reviewed by the OC. There were some infor-

mation gaps which have been addressed in the meeting with the Finance Minister, sources said.

A two-member OC, which includes former State Bank of India chairman Janki Ballabh and former chief vigilance commissioner Pradeep Kumar, has been set up by the Indian Banks' Association in consultation with both RBI and vigilance and investigating agencies.

The OC has been created to ensure that the entire exercise of NPA resolution is carried out in a transparent and prudent manner.

Gross NPA of public sector banks has surged from 5.43 per cent (Rs 2.67 lakh crore) in 2014-15 to

9.32 per cent (Rs 4.76 lakh crore) in 2015-16.

Meanwhile, the RBI has said it will come out with modified guidelines by this month-end to allow a portion of sustainable bad loans to be treated as standard asset in a bid to effectively deal with high NPA problem.

The Reserve Bank has put in place the 'Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets' (S4A) in order to provide an avenue for reworking the financial structure of entities facing genuine difficulties and requiring coordinated financial restructuring.

The scheme provides flexibility in restructuring, which may involve materi-

al write-down of debt and/ or making large provisions, RBI had said in the fourth bi-monthly monetary policy review for 2016-17.

Banks that have taken up cases for resolution under the S4A had represented that the asset classification norms under the S4A may be reviewed to make the scheme more effective.

Accordingly, it is proposed to allow that portion of debt determined to be sustainable to be treated as a standard asset in all cases, subject to certain conditions, it had said.

Detailed guidelines in this regard will be issued by end-October 2016, it had said.

There will be no job losses, l e i s u r e CROSSWORD # 3744 FinMin assures CBEC officers NEw DELhi, OctObEr 16 (Pti): Trying to dispel worries, the finance ministry has assured CBEC officers that there will be no reduction of manpower under the new GST regime and the HR policy will be drafted after taking their views on board.

In a meeting with the ministry last week, central excise officers flagged their concerns about use of technology and transfer of any assessee of excise and service tax to states under the new framework, leading to surplus manpower.

"We flagged our concerns regarding surplus manpower and HR policy in the new regime. The board has assured us that there will be no manpower reduction. Also they have asked us to send our comments on human resource, which will be looked into for framing of the policy," Ravi Malik, Secretary General, All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers, told PTI. The association had earlier planned to hold dharnas on October 14, but following the assurance from the board, it has decided to shelve the plan.

"We have demanded that the 11 lakh service tax CURRENCY NOTES

assessees which are under the Centre should continue to remain with the Centre in the GST regime.

The board has said the final decision will be taken in the next meeting of GST Council and we will decide on our future course of action after that," Malik said.

The government plans to roll out the goods and services tax (GST) from April 1, 2017. GST will subsume excise, service taxes and other local levies.

The first meeting of the GST Council on September 22-23 had decided that the Centre would continue to assess 11 lakh service tax filers in the new dispensation, to begin with.

Gradually, as states gain expertise, the new tax assessees will be shifted.

However, at the second meeting of the Council on September 30, some states disagreed with the arrangement.Thenextmeetingofthe Council on October 18-20 is like to take a call on the issue.

As per the initial plan, the association was also to hold lunch-hour dharnas on November 9, wear black badge in office on December 7, hold a day-long protest on January 5 and take mass casual leaves on the Budget day by all officers.

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SUDOKU

Govt. supporting ‘chronic capitalism’: Congress on petrol, diesel hike NEw DELhi, OctObEr 16 (ANi): Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government over the increase in prices of petrol and diesel for the fifth time in the last two months, the Congress Party on Sunday alleged that the ruling dispensation at the Centre was supporting 'chronic capitalism'.

Congress leader Tom Vadakkan told ANI it is high time for Prime Minister Modi-led government to act because if they do not do the same then the people of India will act against them.

GOA, OctObEr 16 (rEUtErS): The development bank set up by the BRICS group of emerging economies will ramp up lending to $2.5 billion next year after making its first loans to back green projects, its president KV Kamath told Reuters.

The BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - agreed to create the New Development Bank (NDB) in July 2014 with initial authorised capital of $100 billion. The lender was officially launched a year later.

"The second year is scaling up, concentrating on people, getting all the skillsets in," said Kamath, a veteran Indian banker appointed as the first head of the Shanghai-based NDB. He was speaking on the fringes of a weekend BRICS summit hosted in the resort state of Goa by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The gathering seeks to add substance to the group that grew out of an acronym devised by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill back in 2003 that projected a long-term boom and global power shift in their favour.

With Russia, Brazil and South Africa on the economic skids and China slowing, the initial euphoria has faded, yet Kamath said the BRICS had much to gain by deepening their cooperation.

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"The fact is that these countries, collectively, have for the last few years contributed to more than 50 percent of incremental economic wealth that has been generated globally," said Kamath. "I don't see that changing."

TheNDB,headquartered in Shanghai, will expand its staff to 300 over the next three years but run a tight operation that seeks to take quick decisions and transfer experience across all five BRICS member states.

It has already approved loans totalling $900 million to green projects in each member state. It has also started a renminbi-denominated borrowing programme, issuing a 3 billion yuan ($450 million) bond.

Kamath, 68, said there was plenty of room for new lenders like the NDB and the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in addition to established institutions like the World Bank.

"Infrastructure alone has needs globally of $1-1.5 trillion a year – all the multilateral banks put together can do maybe 15 percent of this," said Kamath, who ran India's ICICI Bank Ltd from 1996 until 2009.

"The phrase I would like to use is cooperate and work together, rather than compete. I don't see competition as a key challenge in this context."

Daily Cross WorD

Answer Number # 3729

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"Price rise, escalating price, diesel is going to have a cascading affect on every section of the economy. Agriculture, vegetables, goods moment across the country, everything is going to be effected," he added.

Petrol price was on Saturday hiked

by Rs. 1.34 a litre, the fifth increase in two months, and diesel by Rs. 2.37 a litre on back of spike in global rates.

After including local VAT, petrol will now cost Rs. 66.05 a litre in Delhi as against Rs. 64.72 per litre currently. Diesel will cost Rs. 55.26 per litre as against Rs. 52.61 a litre at present.

BRICS development bank to lend $2.5 billion next year Anniversary greetings

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

Game Number # 3730

"I don't know what the government thinks when they go about increasing the prices of petrol and diesel. While international price was down, the national prices were going up. Whom are they supporting? Is it their chronic capitalism we are talking about? Is it happening to support the cronies of the government? It is sad that this country is in the poverty list and is further sinking," he said.

He further said that this continuous process of increasing petrol and diesel prices is going to hit the country's economy terribly.

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ACROSS 1. Travelled through water 5. Roamed 10. Iridescent gem 14. Carryall 15. 3-banded armadillo 16. Forearm bone 17. Exposition 19. Makes lace 20. Born as 21. Concerning (archaic) 22. Luxurious 23. Angered 25. Small islands 27. What we sleep on 28. Reconnoitering 31. Ruffle 34. Seethes 35. Alcove 36. Breezy 37. Body 38. Slender 39. Neither ___ 40. Horde 41. Experiences 42. Forever 44. Caviar 45. Paces 46. A hospital common room 50. Spew 52. Snivel 54. 7 in Roman numerals 55. Dossier 56. Carnival site 58. Deception 59. overindulge 60. Varieties 61. Arid 62. ___ alia 63. In order to prevent DOWN 1. Display 2. Having the paleness of wax 3. Doorkeeper 4. Japanese apricot 5. Showered 6. Chose

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7. Conceited 8. Sexual arousal 9. one of the tribes of Israel 10. Wall plug 11. Believable 12. Picnic insects 13. Whip 18. Deli item 22. Add 24. With competence 26. Alone 28. Apologetic 29. Found on a finger 30. School athletic centers 31. A temple (archaic) 32. Violent disturbance 33. Insurgent 34. A petty officer 37. Blockhead 38. Clairvoyant 40. Hissy fit 41. Vestibule 43. Flower part 44. Fire warden 46. Sad song 47. Small egg 48. Pig sounds 49. Center 50. F F F F 51. Anger 53. Clue 56. A law enforcement agency 57. Petroleum ANSwER TO CROSSwORd 3743

Dearest Dee & Echi (Anito and kugha) Today tomorrow & always...

May all your dreams come true, With life full of beautiful surprises..

In the company of each other.

May you enjoy every bit of Life.

Here's wishing you a very Happy Anniversary!!

Love forever, limy lolo lixy (L3).

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Monday 17•10•2016

NAGALAND

bJP State executive Meeting concludes Dimapur, OctOber 16 (mexN): The two day 3rd State Executive Meeting of BJP Nagaland concluded on October 15 at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur.

The meeting was attended by 145 members including 102 official delegates from districts, state and national level.

On the first day, state BJP President, Visasolie Lhoungu, in his Presidential speech presented an account of the party’s activities in the last three months and laid out the party’s programmes and policies in the coming months.

Reports from the districts except from Peren were presented by the District Presidents followed by reports from the Presidents of the five State Morchas.

Minister for Transport,

IT and Communications, P. Paiwang Konyak spoke at length on issues related to party’s improvement and party’s prospects in the state.

Dr. T. Lotha, Advisor, Treasuries & Accounts, Relief and Rehabilitation, also encouraged the party delegates to work hard towards the party’s goal to bring all round developments.

Imtilemba Sangtam, Advisor, Cooperatives, detailed the party’s past and present achievements and advised party members to take the party to higher levels of achievements.

On the concluding day October 15, Eduzu Theluo, General Secretary (Adm) presented a report on the party activities undertaken in the last three months, which was followed by

speeches by I.K. Sema, former Dep. Chief Minister, H.K. Khulu, Convenor of Finance and Development Committee, and Dr. T.M. Lotha, Advisor, Treasuries & Accounts, Relief and Rehabilitation. Khulu gave an account of the party and the programmes that has to be initiated to further develop the party.

Saroj Pandey, National General Secretary, who is on a maiden three day visit to the state from Delhi attended the second session.

In her address to the delegates, Pandey stated that she found Nagaland interesting except for the bumpy roads. Pandey added that she looked forward to understanding the state of affairs in Nagaland.

Later, Pandey held a series of meetings with party

officials until Sunday and is scheduled to visit Dimapur 3 mandal committees and Bamun Pukhri Local Area Committee on Monday morning before her departure to Calcutta en route to Agartala.

All the party members stationed at Dimapur are informed to assemble at Hotel Saramati on October 17 before 8:00 am to accompany and attend the meeting with the National General Secretary.

Earlier, five new members were felicitated and welcomed to the party during the meeting. They include: Chusang Chang; Mulai Khiammugan; Dr. Temsuwati, Rtd. Addl. Development Commissioner; Vihuto Yephthomi, Rtd. Secretary; and L.L. Doungel Kuki, Social Worker.

KABA conducts Inter-Church Bible quiz competition

KOHima, OctOber 16 (mexN): The 5th Kohima Ao Baptist Arogo (KABA) Youth Golden Jubilee Memorial Bible Quiz was conducted on October 16 at Ministers’ Hill Ao Baptist Church Kohima. A bi-annual event, the quiz competition was started in 2002 commemorating

KABA youth’s 50th year anniversary.

“This Bible quiz was initiated keeping in mind the importance of reading and knowing the word of God, understanding that we needed to go back to the Word in a rapidly changing world,” stated a press release. KABA Youth Direc-

Franciscan Clarist inducts new member KOHima, OctOber 16 (mexN): Sr. Sonamuni Hasdak was vested and professed as the newest member of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) at St. Leo Church, Kacharigaon, Dimapur, while Rev. Sr. Lins Paramala, FCC celebrated her Silver Jubilee of the First Religious Profession on October 15.

Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, was the main celebrant. 29 Priests con-concelebrated the Holy Mass in the presence of Rev. Sr. Lily Maria, FCC, the Provincial Superior of St. Clare Province, Imphal, Manipur, all her councilors, the parents The monolith committee members of Angami Youth Organization (AYO) silver jubilee over- and relatives of the Sisters seeing the monolith erection work at Shürho view point. The AYO silver jubilee celebra- and many faithful in and tion will be held at Kigwema village on November 4-5 under the theme ‘Kelhou Kevi Ra’. around Dimapur.

The Bishop congratu-

lated the Sisters for their courage and determination to opt to live the religious life in a world that “glamorizes unbridled materialism and excessive materialism; in a world where respect for authority and discipline are dwindling and personal egos and whims are celebrated as the will of God, it a courageous step to be a religious.”

A press release from the Bishop’s Secretary further quoted Rev. Thoppil as saying that Christian spirituality means imitation of Jesus. “In this respect, all are called to the same vocation – vocation to imitate Christ, vocation to holiness.” Bishop concluded the homily saying that the ‘Yes’ in religious life is not a cry in the dark; it is a ‘Yes’ to Christ who lives and walks with

us out of love.

The solemn singing of the Litany of the Saints and singing the hymn to the Holy Spirit while the candidate prostrated herself added solemnity to the function, the release said, adding the choir by the postulants and aspirants added vivacity and meaning to the celebration.

In the short felicitation program, special choreography and congratulations song were presented. Sr. Lins Paramala, FCC, the Jubilerian gave a personal testimony of her vocation, while Rev. Sr. Sonamuni Hasdak thanked everyone for their presence and prayers.

Priests from Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh also took part in the function.

EFG celebrates first Foundation Day

Mhankae Okho, an NGO based in Bhandari Town, in collaboration with Sunday school students held a cleanliness drive at Bhandari Town on October 15.

The District Anti Tobacco Squad Dimapur led by the team leader T. Kikon, Assistant Commissioner, Traffic Zone-2 conducted inspection in town area on October 13. A total of 15 shops were penalised for non-compliance with the provision of COTPA 2003.

Informing that a campaign for a smoke free Dimapur is going on, the team leader appealed to all the stakeholders to cooperate in the effort to make Dimapur healthier city.

KOHima, OctOber 16 (mexN): The Earth Friendly Generation (EFG) observed its first Foundation Day at its conference hall at Chiephobozou Town under Kohima district. The celebration began with lighting of candle by Akato Kiba, Co-Ordinator, Nick Software Solutions, Chennai followed by invoking of God blessing by Peletuonuo Alphonsa.

Rükravolie Rülho, Vice President, Northern Angami Youth Organization (NAYO), who was the special guest, complimented EFG as a first of its kind working only in the field of environmental protection in Nagaland, according to a press release. In this gen-

eration and fast changing world, he emphasized that to bring change, one cannot do the same old thing.

“It is best to come up with something which people have never done before as EFG is doing something at present and for the future generation.”

The special guest further pointed out that the Government and some other organizations have come up with many programs for environmental protection, however, civil societies are less aware and showing less concern for environment. Stating that EFG is doing a good job on an urgent issue, he said the organisation is worth encouraging and

supporting. Hence, he requested all the members who are closely associated and those who are indirectly associated to carry on the EFG mission and help it grow bigger.

He also gave away the certificate to the EFG volunteers who had helped the EFG in different ways for the past one year and encouraged them to play active role in protecting the environment under the initiatives of EFG. Meanwhile, Earth Friendly Generation thanked Dominic Deepan, Founder and CEO, Nick Software Solutions, Chennai for designing the EFG website www.earthfriendlygeneration.org.

tor, Tiatoshi Longkumer reiterated the importance of the word of God, and stressed on how our knowledge of the Word has become stagnant today.

This year, 11 churches participated in the interchurch quiz competition based on four books of the Bible - Micah, Ruth, James

and Philippians. Central Baptist Church Kohima emerged as the winning team and bagged a cash prize of Rs. 10,000. Second placed Poumai Baptist Church Kohima won a cash prize of Rs. 8,000 and third placed Phom Baptist Church Kohima won Rs. 6,000.

Durga Puja Committee awards in Dimapur Dimapur, OctOber 16 (mexN): Hindu Seva Samiti has announced the awards for Dimapur’s Durga Puja Committees in the following categories: Overall first position – Burma Camp Power House Colony Durga Puja Committee; Overall second position – PWD Colony Durga Puja Committee; Overall third position – Hazi Park Durga Puja Committee; Best Idol – Nepali Basti Durga Puja Committee; Best Discipline – D Colony Durga Puja Committee; Best Ambience – Master Colony Durga Puja Committee; Best Music – Metha Colony Durga Puja Committee; Best Decoration – PWD Durga Puja Committee; Best Discipline on Immersion – 108 Nav Durga Puja Committee, 6th Mile. A press release from Dimapur’s Hindu Seva Samiti president further informed that the Samiti will celebrate Vijaya Sammelan on October 23, 5:00 pm onwards at Shri Durga Mandir Hall, Old Daily Market, Dimapur with all the religious songs and dance, etc. Therefore, all the Puja Committees have been invited to attend the same.

Awards will be distributed in the Sammelan.

Disaster management training at Satakha SataKa, OctOber 16 (Dipr): One day training on Disaster Management was held on October 14 at Public Ground, Satakha. The programme was organized by Administration Office, Satakha in collaboration with Civil Defence & Home Guards, Zunheboto.

SDO(C), Satakha, Atsungba Walling in his introductory speech urged the department officials, GBs and students to be aware of do's and don’ts as and when disaster strikes. He also asked the participants to create awareness among their family, friends and neighbours.

The programme was led by District Commandant, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Y. Khenito Chishi. The Civil Defence personnel demonstrated mock drill, various methods for rescue of victims during the programme.

Viswema Village Council gets new team KOHima, OctOber 16(mexN): The Viswema Village Council elected a new team of office bearers for the tenure 2016-20. The new team will be led by Zhotoho Kiso as Chairman, Kekhruhol Mekro as Secretary, Düsü Naleo as Treasurer, and Vitsorel Lcho as VDB Secretary. The new team has taken over charge to run the office, and therefore, it is informed that, henceforth, the new team will be dealing with all the matters relating to Village Council, Viswema, a press release from the Council stated.

DUCCF change of guard Dimapur, OctOber 16 (mexN): The Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF) had a change of guard during its Annual General Meeting held on October 10. The new team of DUCCF office bearers for the term 2016-19 are as follows: Tsenthungo Lotha - President, Z. Kapfo - VP, Mughato Yeptho - VP), L. Temjen Imsong - Gen Secy, Mhashevikho Zao - AGS, Simon Kelio - I&P Secy, Aketo Zhimo - Asst I&P Secy, S. Bendang Ao - Finance Secy, D. Yongnyak Konyak Asst. Finance Secy, and Heling Zeliang - Treasurer.

Public SPace

R

'The Road to all disappointments'

oads are meant for communication and it also communicates the social behavior and attitude of people. We all know that the BRO undertake the national highway road repairing and management, but the BROs do not own our roads. We have every right to develop the road be it in the colonies, town or highways.

As a frequent commuter between Zubza and Kohima, I come across a lot of happenings on the highway. Since 2009 there has been no proper road constructed on this deserted road. It is one of the most widely used, but the most neglected one. The road between Kohima and Zubza is usually termed as sinking zone, garbage zone. Truly it is garbage and nobody wants to clean the mess.

If I have to give a name for this road, it would be “Disappointment Road.”

Prior to the coming of monsoon, there use to be traffic snarls

after every 5 PM. As monsoon arrived the road went from bad to worse, so the traffic congestion does. The usual traffic congestion takes place in these locations: one below the NHK, where the road is eroding away, due to drainage blockade, landslide and building of unhealthy constructions. Second is below Avilie’s Petrol Pump and third near the old KMC dumping pit where there was a major landslide once. As the Lorries wait for 5:30 PM to be released, the light vehicles either coming from Dimapur or Kohima will come in two lines and block the whole road. It is for a motorcyclist to pass through. This vividly depicts the impulsive behavior and illiterate attitude of our people towards road rules. Not even a single, humble and understanding driver would choose to give way to the upcoming vehicles first, the same with the down going drivers, they would push it to the last inch of gap.

The distance between Zubza and Kohima is only 15 kms, but there is not a single day that the road is left with no trucks stranded on the wayside. If the road is good, it takes 20 minutes to reach kohima, but normally now it takes 50 minutes and if there are traffic jams it can stretch to hours. Several times, the potholed road is left untouched for weeks, mostly over loaded trucks fall prey to these evil potholed and sinking road. This directly exemplifies the apathy of our leaders meted towards the need of the public and we in general lack the will and courage to fight for our rights. It has become like the talk for our freedom, everyone is talking about it but nobody dares to fight for it.

The Stone Quarrying at the river Dzüza, there were times when the police comes and seized their tools for illegal quarrying. But it is not illegal anymore after several times of appearance

in the court and jail, the Police and the administration authority seems to have given up. The bridge over the river Dzüza, several times appears with pointed rods, but immediately the BROs filled with mud and mud. Mud is the only solution, what they have is only mud. When it rains it is muddy and greasy, when there’s sunshine it is dusty. Oh’ my gosh when will we have a proper road, build with boulders and tar, with clear demarcations of right and left.

Another harmful habit is the truckers who leave boulders in the place where they use for braking loaded Lorries; it is like a landmine for low clearance cars and motorcycles. I was victimized several times by those mines. It seems like the BROs have no knowledge about low cars, they only build and repair roads for trucks and SUVs. Every now and then one will find, plastic bags lying here and

there, littered bottles and beer cans rolling across the road.

These hazardous habits are committed by careless travelers who have the habit of throwing everything from the window.

Not only the road between Kohima and Zubza is bad, in Nagaland the road is bad everywhere.

The worst of all is people still have courage to wade through those muddy roads with nice shoes and cork heels. For once, I am representing many tired citizens who are all out disappointed against the system. Where do we find motivation to address our grievances and who in the world will listen to our cry of helplessness?

Where is the 5% money of every new registered vehicle, deducted by the Transport office, which is partially meant for road maintenance? Every time I travel on this road, I feel like I am on the road to all disappointments.

Villo Naleo villonaleo@gmail.com

ANTA for ‘Service to Public’ or ‘to harass the passenger’

I

t happened on 15th Oct. 2016 that when I went to drop two of my relatives at Chumukedima Taxi counter to go to Kohima early in the morning for some urgent work.

Unfortunately, there were only two of them to fill the car (Eeco) which is a seven seater. After waiting for nearly half an hour we stopped a Taxi on the highway proceeding towards Kohima without any passenger. The driver told us to first approach the Chumu Counter whether he can give us a lift but some members claiming to be ANTA officials refused and insisted us to hire a car at their counter if we are in a hurry, which we could not afford. At that very moment the Taxi which we stopped left and went

ahead. Since we have no other option we decided to chase the car and managed to reach him at Chumu NAP gate but to our utter dismay the two ANTA officials stationed at Chumu counter chased us and seized that Taxi.

The ANTA/Taxi drivers should not only think of their own benefits but should also adhere to their motto "Service to public".

The drivers always mention that it is their last hope, driving a Taxi to earn their daily bread but there are more numbers of people who have to travel by taxi, to earn their daily bread too.

It is my humble request to ANTA central to look into the matter for the welfare of the passengers.

Yours faithfully Hoshika H Sumi

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

6

Monday 17•10•2016

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express volume Xi issue 285 By moa Jamir

A curious alacrity

T

he alacrity with which the State Government declared the proposed bandh of national highway by CCoFA on October 17 as ‘illegal’ is unprecedented and raises more eyebrows than the ‘illegal’ act it proposed to stop.

The bandh is been called in connection to the demand for transfer of the two-fuel adulteration cases to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA), consisting of various civil society organizations.

The Committee had served a 15-day ultimatum on the State Government to bring in the CBI for a thorough investigation on the fuel adulteration scam.

A press communiqué issued by Nagaland Home Commissioner informed that it was decided at a Cabinet Meeting on October 16 and the proposed bandh was declared ‘illegal’ as it was “going to restrict the movement of essential commodities and services, besides causing inconveniences to the public.”

The district administration and police have been directed to take all necessary measures to ensure that “free movement of all vehicles and public is not disrupted,"it said and "requested" the general public not to participate in the bandh.

This comes a day after the State Cabinet assured that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) whose mandate “comprehensively cover all relevant issues connected with the subject matter” would be submitting the charge sheets in the next 10 days.

On its part CCoFA said that the indefinite highway bandh called “has nothing to do with the SIT or the Chargesheet to be filed by it, as supposed by the Cabinet” and has been called “because the government failed to call in a CBI enquiry within the 15 days deadline.”

Giving aside the debate over ‘what is legal is ethical or otherwise,’ and the legality of declaring a bandh ‘illegal,’ the steps taken so far raises many questions.

First, the rarity of such an imposition and the promptness with which the decision was taken. It was informed that the proposed bandh (1st phase) was targeted only at Government vehicles and oil tankers, exempting general public transport.

Therefore, is the government trying the nib the movement through intimidation?

The time lag between the discovery of the ‘racket’ as well as the constitution of the SIT is another concern. It was constituted on July 15, 2016, nearly a half month after the discovery. Earlier, the ACAUT had also rejected the formation of an SIT insinuating the complicity of the higher ups in the state political echelon.

However, nearly three months of its formation, the SIT is yet to file any charges or Chargesheet.

“As the cases require investigations outside the State and since the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports of the samples collected have not been received so far, the SIT has not been able to complete investigation and submit charge sheets, the State Government had justified.

Is the unprecedented hard line stance of the state government indicative of a move to protect vested interests of government functionaries, legislators included? Only time will tell but it is clear the government is heading into a collision course with the public – the outcome of which would have profound impact on the professed fight against corruption in the State.

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

lEfT wiNg |

Vikas Datta IANS

Does Dylan deserve the Nobel Prize?

C

hoosing Bob Dylan as the recipient of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature was unprecedented in the award's over-a-century-long history. While the Swedish Academy's decision to select a songwriter, instead of a writer or poet, has earned much praise -- and much criticism too -- its real significance lies in what it means for the definition of literature, and the unnecessary distinction between high and popular culture.

On social media itself, there have been many who welcomed the award for an abiding musical legend, whose selfwritten lyrics have been eloquent anthems of iconoclastic protest against stultifying tradition, inequitable status quo and conformity. On the other hand, many disparaged the decision, saying he is "no writer", mentioned "all the great literary works that are lying around, waiting their due credit", and even that he is a "university dropout".

Some of the objections seems dubious and self-centred. Is literature only the product of a writer or a poet or a dramatist, and then who is an author anyway? Is it someone who thinks he/she is an author, or someone who is called an author, or someone whose works are known? And then why an educational qualification -- are authors only those with a degree in literature or a diploma in creative writing?

What about the other "great literary works"? The Nobel, like many other awards, has never been free from controversy.

Many scientists, especially women like Lise Meitner (worked with Otto Hahn on nuclear fission) and Rosalind Watson (made a seminal contribution to Frances Crick and James Watson's double helix model of DNA) were left out, while their male counterparts were honoured. Leo Tolstoy, Henrik Ibsen, Mark Twain, Franz Kafka, Anton Chekhov, Graham Greene, Vladimir Nabokov, Jorge Luis Borges, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and so on never received the Nobel Prize. Criticism greeted the selection of so many European authors not known outside their own countries, and even of John Steinbeck -- The New York Times said his "limited talent is, in his best books, watered down by tenth-rate philosophising".

And then to literature itself. Is the oral tradition not literature, or does it have to be printed in book form to deserve the name?

Many seminal works -- religious epics, creation sagas, fairy tales and fables, poems and so on existed long before they were reduced to a tangible printed form, studied by researchers and prescribed in syllabi. Were they literature then, or are they now?

Take some concrete examples. Compare "If you're traveling the north country fair/Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline/Remember me to one who lives there/For she once was a true love of mine" with "Down by the salley gardens my love and I did meet;/She passed the salley gardens with little snowwhite feet./She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;/But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree".

Even these two vividly surreal scenarios: "Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves/The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach/Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow" with "Let us go then, you and I,/When the evening is spread out against the sky/Like a patient etherized upon a table."

The first verse in both cases is Dylan and the second writers are William Butler Yeats (Nobel Prize for Literature, 1923) and T.S. Eliot (Nobel Prize for Literature, 1948), respectively.

In an article for the Smithsonian Institute's online magazine, American historian David C. Ward notes that while Dylan's lyrics can stand alone as poetry "in terms of the tradition of free verse in the 20th-century", this was "a criterion that will not satisfy many". However, since Dylan "turned words into music, many of his lyrics are more traditional in the way that they rhyme and scan than critics might admit".

Ultimately, it is about personal choice. How many of us have read Mikhail Sholokhov, Selma Lagerlof, Jacinto Benavente, or Yasunari Kawabata because they are Nobel laureates? And then what is the big deal about a Nobel, as many, including the likes of Karel Capek and Jean Paul Sartre, have asked?

C O M M E N T A R Y

Sebastian Strangio Foreign Policy

The King Is Dead. Is Thailand’s Monarchy Next?

Thailand’s revered king held the country together for more than 70 years. But his son’s succession could threaten everything he built

A

fter two days of rumors about the health of Thailand’s king, confirmation finally arrived in the form of a solemn statement issued by the royal palace Thursday evening.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a unifying figure through seven politically tumultuous decades, died peacefully in the capital of Bangkok at the age of 88. According to the palace, the world’s longest-reigning monarch died at 3:52 p.m. after years of declining health. The immediate cause of death was not clear.

Despite reports that the king’s health had worsened in recent days, the news has plunged Thailand into a period of deep mourning and uncertainty. For most Thais, King Bhumibol is the only monarch they have ever known, the one constant in a modern history marked by mass protests, military coups, and widening political fault lines. In some quarters, the king is revered with almost religious fervor; his beatific portrait is ubiquitous, staring down from the walls of homes, businesses, and government buildings across the country.

By the time the king’s death was announced Thursday evening, crowds of mourners had gathered outside Siriraj Hospital, clad in yellow and pink, colors associated with the throne. Some wept openly, clutching portraits of the monarch. Others sang royalist songs in a plaintive key. On social media networks, the #longlivetheking hashtag was trending as Thai web users posted hundreds of messages and photos in memory of King Bhumibol.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a general who took power in a May 2014 coup, declared a year of mourning and a 30day moratorium on entertainment events. He also announced that King Bhumibol will be succeeded as expected by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who has said he “needs time to mourn his father” before taking his place as the 10th king of the Chakri Dynasty. Unlike King Bhumibol, Prince Vajiralongkorn is a controversial figure, a jet-setting womanizer whose eventual ascension to the throne will likely herald a period of rocky transition for one of the world’s most revered monarchies.

During a reign lasting a touch more than 70 years, King Bhumibol presided over Thailand’s transformation from a rural kingdom once known as Siam into a regional economic powerhouse. A quiet, introverted man with horn-rimmed glasses, Bhumibol was born in 1927 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, while his father was a student at Harvard Medical School. The young prince spent much of his early life abroad, until the mysterious shooting death of his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, unexpectedly catapulted Bhumibol to the throne in 1946.

In his early years as ruler, King Bhumibol split his time between his official royal duties and hobbies like photography and jazz and as the years went by came to be seen as a stabilizing force that stood firm amid cycles of political upheaval. (Since 1932, this country of 67 million has experienced 19 coups and coup attempts.) The king’s stature was heightened by the political tumult of October 1973, when the arrest of 13 student activists triggered massive public protests against Thailand’s military dictator du jour, Thanom Kittikachorn. After security forces fired on student protesters, killing around 70, King Bhumibol and other royals intervened and expressed support for the protesters. The junta was eventually forced out of power, and Thanom fled the country.

If these events revealed a new zenith of popularity for the 45-year-old king, it also demonstrated the ambiguity of his position in Thailand’s fractious politics: not directly involved but never wholly aloof. In an article on the October uprising, the New

T

he new UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who takes office on January 1, arrives with strong credentials — both as a former Prime Minister of Portugal and an exUN High Commissioner for Refugees.

As a senior UN official, he spearheaded an ambitious but politically intricate action plan to battle one of the world’s major humanitarian crises that threatened to unravel European unity as millions of refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia landed on the shores of Europe last year.

Guterres was elected mostly on merit – with a rare unanimous decision by the five veto-wielding permanent members at a time when the Security Council is sharply divided over Syria, Yemen, Ukraine and North Korea. The consensus in the 15-member Council, and the approval of his nomination by the 193-member General Assembly, underlined a strong affirmation of his appointment.

When both the Security Council and the General Assembly gave their overwhelming support to Guterres, they side-stepped two alternative options: picking the first woman Secretary-General or the first SecretaryGeneral from Eastern Europe.

The lobbying for a female UN chief was initiated by more than 750 civil society and human rights organizations, while the proposal for an East European as UN chief came mostly from member states.

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej sits on a wheelchair as he leaves the siriraj hospital on November 7, 2007, in Bangkok, Thailand. The 79 year-old King is the world's longest reigning monarch and had been recovering in hospital since October 13 after suffering a blood clot in his brian. (Getty Images)

York Times described King Bhumibol’s role as “less than ruling but certainly more than just reigning.”

Although royalists argue that the king was a father figure who ruled for the good of his people, most of Thailand’s military coups have enjoyed tacit royal approval.

In his twilight years, as Thailand’s political crises compounded, King Bhumibol became a remote, isolated figure, more a presence than a man, dogged by poor health and swaddled by a stringent lèse-majesté regime that effectively prevented any open discussion of the royal family — including the effect his death might have on this politically fragile country.

The ramifications of King Bhumibol’s death are uncertain but likely to be far-reaching. Despite standing as a bastion of unity for the Thai people, the king’s image papered over wide social and political divides. For the last 15 years, a bitter political struggle has pitted the allies of former prime minister and billionaire telecommunications mogul Thaksin Shinawatra, who won massive support from the rural poor for his populist social and economic policies, against the traditional royalist elite — a tight-knit coterie of soldiers, bureaucrats, and rich businessmen surrounding the palace. This conflict reflects a deeper social rift between the conservative middle class in the cities and rural and working-class Thais — the socalled “Red Shirts” — who found their political voice in support of Thaksin.

Some observers have suggested that the succession could have complex effects on the outcome of this struggle. The most immediate question surrounds King Bhumibol’s nominated successor.

Though Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn’s claim to the throne is clear, the 64-year-old lacks his father’s royal aura and is believed to be deeply unpopular among the royalist elite. Over the years, he has shown little interest in the public duties associated with the royal family, instead earning a reputation as a fast-living playboy who spends most of his time outside the country, largely in Germany, where he reportedly owns an $11 million villa on a lake south of Munich.

In 2007, leaked video footage showed Prince Vajiralongkorn holding a lavish private party with his then-wife, Srirasmi Suwadee — clad in nothing but heels and a G-string — and his pampered pet poodle, Foo Foo, which by the time of its death last year held the rank of chief marshal in the Royal Thai Air Force.

(The mutt’s death was marked by four days of Buddhist funeral rites.) In July, the German tabloid Bild published photos of Prince Vajiralongkorn boarding a plane in Munich wearing low-rise jeans and an unflattering tank top that revealed a palette of fresh yakuza-style tattoos. (Thai authorities claimed the photos were doctored.)

Scottish journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, author of the 2014 book A Kingdom in Crisis, which was banned in Thailand for its discussion of the royal succession, says much of the Thai elite is implacably opposed to the prospect of Prince Vajiralongkorn succeeding his father. “From quite a young age, he acted like a medieval monarch,” Marshall said of the crown prince. “For the elites who benefit from the continued perception of a benevolent monarchy, this is a disaster.”

To make matters worse, many fear that Prince Vajiralongkorn might make common cause with Thaksin, who is currently in exile abroad, joining hands with the popular politician to clean house in the palace. This, in turn, could undermine royalist control of the Privy Council, a small but influential royal advisory body, and threaten the sprawling networks of business and patronage that converge on the opaque Crown Property Bureau, which administers the palace’s estimated $53 billion in property and business investments. “What the elite has always been terrified of is that the crown prince and Thaksin will get together and that Thaksin would get his hands on the Crown Property Bureau. That thought absolutely terrifies them,” Marshall said.

For now, with the population in deep mourning, things are likely to be muted. Undoubtedly, this is by design. Kasit Piromya, a former foreign minister, told me last year that one of the army’s main motivations for launching the 2014 coup was to ensure there was political stability during the sensitive period of succession. Pavin Chachavalpongpun, an associate professor at Kyoto University in Japan, said despite the elite’s distaste for the crown prince, most senior officials would probably wait to see how things pan out. “At the end of the day, the well-being of the monarchy is the well-being of the royalists. Even if they don’t like it, they’ll have to swallow it for their own good,” he said.

Where the succession leads in the longer term is harder to predict. One question is whether the popular reverence for the monarchy will fade now that King Bhumibol is gone. Another question is what sort of monarch Prince Vajiralongkorn will turn out to be if and when he is crowned king. Will he choose to settle into a comfortable life of palace-bound ritual? Or will he decide to pursue an activist reign, shaking up an entrenched political establishment in pursuit of his own vision for Thailand? There is also the question of whether elections, which the junta has promised for next year, will go ahead in the current situation. What is certain is that as one historical era opens, and another closes, the future of the monarchy will now hang ever more ominously over the country’s political life — whether or not anyone can acknowledge it publicly.

Antonio Guterres: New UN Secretary General Farhana Haque Rahman Director General, Inter Press Service While there was a strong case for a woman Secretary-General in a 71-yearold male-dominated world body, Eastern Europe had less of a legitimate claim.

As a geographical entity, it existed only within the confines of the UN, not outside of it. After the end of the Cold War, most Eastern European states became an integral partner of the European Union (EU) or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and often both.

So, in effect, Guterres overcame both campaigns, as he was anointed the fourth Western European to hold the position.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, who will step down on December 31 after a 10-year tenure, will leave behind two legacies: the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. But it will be left to Guterres to ensure their implementation.

A member of the Socialist Party in Portugal, Guterres spent over 20 years in

government and public service before he was elected by the UN General Assembly to become the 10th High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), serving for a decade until the end of 2015.

His work with the UNHCR was nothing short of groundbreaking. As High Commissioner, he oversaw the most profound structural reform process in UNHCR’s history and built up the organization’s capacity to respond to some of the largest displacement crises since the end of World War Two. Guterres has already pledged to serve the “victims of conflicts, of terrorism, human rights violations, poverty and injustices of this world”. Ban Ki Moon rightly complimented Guterres as a “superb choice” and said “his experience as Portuguese prime minister, his wide knowledge of world affairs, and his lively intellect will serve him well in leading the United Nations in a crucial period”.

However, he acknowledged that the election was also a disappointment as

wRiTE-wiNg

his vision of a female successor did not become a reality. Ban Ki Moon, is not alone in his sentiments, as many consider the outcome of the election to be “bittersweet”. Christiana Figueres, a Costa Rican diplomat and one of Guterres’ female rivals for the job, tweeted on 5 October, “Bitter: not a woman. Sweet: by far the best man in the race. Congrats Antonio Guterres! We are all with you”.

Guterres takes over the UN at a time when the world body has remained paralyzed over several unresolved political problems, including the fiveyear-old devastating civil war in Syria, hundreds of civilian killings in Yemen, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, and the emergence of North Korea as the world’s newest nuclear power in defiance of Security Council resolutions.

The new Secretary-General will also be entrusted with the task of resolving several lingering problems, including ongoing reports of sexual abuse of women by some UN peacekeepers and compensation for Haitian victims of cholera inadvertently brought in by UN peacekeepers, and address new challenges, such as helping muster the trillions of dollars needed to implement the 17 SDGs and the Climate Change agreement as well as ensuring a 50:50 gender parity in senior and decisionmaking positions in the UN Secretariat.

One of his first appointments should be to name a woman as his Deputy, preferably from the developing world.

We wish him well in his endeavors.

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 17•10•2016

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

7

Simultaneous centre and state elections—a blow The Morung Express results to democracy and separation of sovereign powers In poll the midst of systemic corruption, will

I

Garga Chatterjee

n the Indian Union, elections to Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections do not happen simultaneously at present. The assembly and parliamentary elections started simultaneously in the 1951-52 period, being the first elections with universal adult franchise in the subcontinent. After the republic was inaugurated in 1950, state governments and union government with separation of powers was conceived. That is the core of federalism. Thus, the elections to Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha are essentially elections to representative bodies that would represent the people’s views with respect to the specific and separate powers vested in the state and union governments. In time, Lok Sabhas and Vidhan Sabhas in various states developed a natural time course of their own, responding to the specific realities and contexts. Thus, mid-term elections for Vidhan Sabhas as well as Lok Sabha, various periods of President’s Rule and other political contexts decoupled the Vidhan Sabha elections from the Lok Sabha and the various Vidhan Sabha elections from each other. And that continues.

Recently, Narendra Modi floated the plan of simultaneous Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections. This is not a new idea. Earlier, the erstwhile BJP-stalwart Lal Krishna Advani had also argued for this, during the earlier NDA regime. That call had few takers. This time around, Narendra Modi seems to not want to leave it simply as a random declaration of intent but has followed it up in various ways. He has raised this demand in at least two interviews, which in itself is a testament to the importance of this issue to the ruling party.

His government set up committee in the law ministry to study the feasibility of simultaneous elections. The Law Ministry sought the Election Commission of India’s comments on the ‘Feasibility of Holding Simultaneous Elections to the House of People (Lok Sabha) and State Legislative Assemblies’. The ECI in response stated, “In so far as the Election Commission is concerned, the issues involved in holding simultaneous elections are not insurmountable for it. If there is political consensus and will across the board, needless to say that the Commission supports the idea of considering simultaneous elections”. Narendra Modi has also sought “people’s opinion” on the issue in the mygov.in portal till 15th October. In his recent ‘class’ as a teacher on Teacher’s Day, President Pranab Mukherjee endorsed the idea and has said, “The Election Commission can also put in their idea and efforts on holding the polls together and that will be highly beneficial”. What he left out was for whom would it be beneficial and how. There are strong reasons why few except pan-Indian parties are enthusiastic about this plan. As far as the sanctity of electoral democracy and federalism are concerned, it is a dangerous plan, at many levels.

For this, slowly all state assembly elections have to be brought in sync from their present temporal offsets. To start this plan in the first place, certain state assemblies will have to be elected way before their normal term ends while other state assembly elections would have to be held much after their term. A cursory look at the indicative schedule of such a plan, if it were to be instituted in 2 phases as envisaged by the parliamentary panel, would have had Phase 1 elections of state assemblies around 15th November 2016. This would have meant, at least 6 states would have assembly elections more than 400 days before their term ends, making a farce of the mandate by which they were elected in the first place. Phase 1 is out of question. Phase 2, which was proposed to be held around 3rd June 2019,

would have at least 15 states have their elections more than 120 days before or after assembly term, with some states going to polls a more than one and half years after their constitutional term! And all this for reasons of cost cutting and vaguely expressed sentiments about governance efficiency. What is lost in the process is that elections are first and foremost about democratic representation. Everything else is secondary. If expenses were a paramount consideration, then why even have law courts or any other institution that is supposed to uphold rights of a citizen? Are those rights negotiable due to expenses? While the Congress has called such a plan as impractical, Trinamool has clearly termed it as anti-democratic and unconstitutional.

Even if one were able to sync all assembly and parliamentary elections at some time in the future, how does one stop the decoupling cycle to start once again, as it did earlier after the initial synced start in 1952? Here, the solution proposed in called the Shekhawat plan, as mooted by the deceased BJP leader and former Vice-President Bhairosingh Shekhawat. A government falls when a no-confidence motion wins in the house. If no alternative government can be formed, that necessitates new elections. According to the Shekhawat plan, an alternative government formation plan or a confidence motion in a new government must necessarily accompany a no-confidence motion. This plan is an attack on people’s sovereign right to choose how they want, when they want and whom they want.

Under this preposterous anti-democratic idea, the people’s representatives and hence the people have no right to pull down a government if there is no alternative at hand, even if the incumbent government has lost the confidence of the majority in the house! Thus people’s representatives cannot express lack of confidence in a government in isolation. However, lack of confidence in a government by itself is a phenomenon and this plan wants to ride roughshod over the sovereign right of the people to express lack of confidence in a government.

Putting a rider on no-confidence motion is same as censoring the opinion of people’s representatives in the house meant to represent the opinion of people through representatives.

No yearning for stability can override the representative character of a government and hence, democratic opinion. Prioritizing stability over democracy is not only anti-people but also deeply authoritarian. The Anti-Defection law that puts parties before people’s representatives has hugely compromised the representative character of elected representatives. Simultaneous elections and Shekhawat plan will erode representativeness even further.

The simultaneous election plan is a direct blow to democracy and separation of sovereign powers between state assemblies and union parliament, where people will be deliberately made to vote simultaneously to elect assemblies that are autonomous and different, in the same campaign cycle.

This is a very dangerous idea, against federalism and in support of “pan-Indian” parties whose agendas would typically dominate in an election cycle. The inevitable dominance of “national” issues, due to the greater amount of media focus and money power in play, will seriously hurt the breadth of debates on people’s issues that happen around an election. Syncing all elections to the parliamentary election stems from a serious misunderstanding about the nature of the Indian Union. Even the term centre is a misnomer. India is a union. The Union and the states don’t have a spoke and wheel relationship. There is no centre.

The Union is a round-table with certain powers.

The Lok Sabha (which represents the Union government and manages subjects under Union control) and the Vidhan Sabhas (which represents the state governments of the various constituent states of the Union and manages subjects under state control) do not share any hierarchical relationship – both are equal and sovereign with respect to the subjects under their exclusive jurisdiction.

They represent different concerns and more importantly, different distances from the lived reality of the people. Thus, the relegation of state issues to the background would make elections more about distant issues and less about everyday realities that are typically addressed in state assembly elections. This obviously will selectively hurt state-based pro-federalism parties who fight “pan Indian” parties in their states. Empirical evidence shows that in states where simultaneous assembly and parliamentary elections have been held since 1999, voters opted for the same party in both elections in 77% of constituencies. The hugely divergent results in Bihar for the non-simultaneous elections to assembly and parliamentary elections show why the non-simultaneity is important. Very different issues held sway during the two elections in Bihar. Simultaneous elections would reduce the complex realities of a billion plus people into a referendum on the incumbent Union govt. Which is why very few pro-federalism parties are enthusiastic about the plan. A comparable large, multi-state entity, like USA, which has a strong federal structure, has no concept of simultaneous elections.

More than the cost of holding elections, the greater danger to democracy is the role of money power during elections. Parliamentary elections have increasingly witnessed a strategy of massive corporate funding during the election, thus skewing outcomes. Non-simultaneous elections reduce the amount of available dirty money that can be poured into determining the issues and changing the outcome of a particular election while simultaneous elections hugely multiples the bang that can be obtained for the election cycle dirty buck.

It is no secret that big money influence is more entrenched in “pan Indian” parties that are typical Lok Sabha winners. It is understandable why corporate funded political think tanks who abhor the possibility of a third front or federal front dispensation for reasons of “stability” are also writing long position papers and holding “discussions” in support of simultaneous elections.

Non-simultaneous elections have some real positives. People’s mood changes with time. 5 years is an arbitrary cut-off in judging that. Lack of simultaneity throws up opportunities to people to express opinion changes before that. Thus, when the ruling party of the Union government loses non-synced state elections, it provides a signal to the rulers and a necessary counterweight to the people. It makes the political scene more representative.

Reforms are indeed needed in how elections are conducted. For starters, the fact that central forces that are under the Union government are deployed in all elections is a problem. One can move to a situation where assembly elections would be conducted under external multi-state police forces and not central forces. However, the “reform” agenda in having simultaneous elections comes from an impetus for concentrating and centralizing power. It is not accidental that BJP supports not only simultaneous elections but also has toyed with the idea of a presidential form of government.

Any move towards centralizing the election process in a pluralist multi-national super-state like the Indian Union is unhealthy for democracy.

tAKe A Deep BreAtH? But 9 in 10 people Worldwide live with excessive Air pollution!

T

Baher Kamal Inter press service

he warning is sharp and the facts, alarming: 92 per cent of the world’s population live in places where levels exceed recommended limits. And 6.5 million people die annually from air pollution.

And the warning comes from the leading United Nations agency dealing with health, which rolled out its most detailed profile of the scourge ever in a bid to slash the deadly toll.

“Fast action to tackle air pollution can’t come soon enough,” the Geneva-based UN World Health Organization (WHO) top environmental official Maria Neira on 27 September said of the new air quality model, which includes interactive maps that highlight areas within countries exceeding WHO limits.

The world’s population reached 7.35 billion last year, according to UN figures.

What to Do Then?

“Solutions exist with sustainable transport in cities, solid waste management, access to clean household fuels and cook-stoves, as well as renewable energies and industrial emissions reductions,” Dr. Neira added.

Nearly 90 per cent of the deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with nearly two out of three occurring in the South-east Asia and Western Pacific regions.

“Air pollution continues to take a toll on the health of the most vulnerable populations – women, children and the older adults,” WHO’s Assistant Director General Flavia Bustreo said for her part.

“For people to be healthy, they must breathe clean air from their first breath to their last,” she added.

Major sources of air pollution include inefficient modes of transport, household fuel and waste burning, coal-fired power plants, and industrial activities.

But not all air pollution originates from human activity. For example, air quality can also be influenced by dust storms, particularly in regions close to deserts.

“The new WHO model shows countries where the air pollution danger spots are, and provides a baseline for monitoring progress in combating it,” Dr. Bustreo said.

Developed in collaboration with the University of Bath, United Kingdom, it represents WHO’s

data ever, based on satellite measurements, air tion between people and the environment are transport models and ground station monitors for increasingly affecting human health in the panmore than 3,000 locations, both rural and urban.

European region, according to the latest report by the UN Environment Programme and the UN Indoor Air Pollution as Economic Commission in Europe.

Deadly as Outdoor Exposure The report, which was released on June 8, calls Some three million deaths a year are linked to ex- for greater cooperation and a more integrated apposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution proach to tackle the transboundary challenges in can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million the pan-European region, which comprises the deaths (11.6 per cent of all global deaths) were associ- 53 countries spanning Europe, the Caucuses and ated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together.

Central Asia, and Israel.

Ninety-four per cent of the deaths are due to Of these challenges, air pollution is the greatest non-communicable diseases – notably cardiovas- threat with more than 95 per cent of the European cular diseases, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmo- Union (EU) urban population exposed to levels nary disease and lung cancer. Air pollution also above World Health Organisation guidelines, acincreases the risks for acute respiratory infections. cording to latest Global Environment Outlook (GEO“This new model is a big step forward towards 6) assessment released today by the Nairobi-based even more confident estimates of the huge glob- UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN al burden of more than six million deaths – one Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). in nine of total global deaths – from exposure to Over 500,000 premature deaths in the region were indoor and outdoor air pollution,” said Dr. Neira, attributed to outdoor air quality and 100,000 to indoor WHO Director, Department of Public Health, En- air quality in 2012, according to the assessment. vironmental and Social Determinants of Health.

UNEP and UNECE have alerted that an urgent The Ambient Air quality guidelines of WHO shift from incremental to transformational change limit annual mean exposure to particulate mat- will help to reverse some of these indicators. ter with a diametre of less than 2.5 micrometres “The GEO-6 assessment for the pan-European (PM2.5), such as sulfate, nitrates and black carbon, region highlights how the transition to an inclusive which penetrate deep into the lungs and cardio- green economy in the region must be built on revascular system, posing the greatest health risks. silient ecosystems, sound management of chemiThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cals and clean production systems, and on healthy of the 2030 Agenda, adopted at a UN summit in consumption choices,” Jan Dusik, Head of UNEP’s 2015, call for substantially reducing the number of Regional Office for Europe, said. deaths and illnesses from air pollution.

The report also finds that environmental chalThe issue of sustainable cities, which is one of lenges in the region have become more systemic and the SDGs, will be at the heart of a media and civil complex, while resilience to these will be affected by society organisations training workshop, organ- megatrends largely outside the region’s control. ised by IPS and the UN Foundation http://www.

“This report provides fresh information on the unfoundation.org/, scheduled to take place in region’s emerging environmental issues and it will Quito on October 27-28. help governments shape their future policy,” said The Quito workshop is part of a series of IPS- UNECE Executive Secretary Christian Friis Bach.

UNF training events in two European and one Other challenges discussed in the assessment Asian country, all of them taking place during Oc- include climate change, considered one of the tober and November, under the common title: De- largest threats to human and ecosystem health, coding the Future. and to achieving sustainable development in the pan-European region.

Disconnection Between “It is also an accelerator for most other environPeople and the Environment mental risks, with impacts affecting health through Anyway, no region is safe. For instance, floods, heat waves, droughts, reduced agricultural

an anti-corruption political party be able to clean up the system in Nagaland State?

45% 38%

17%

YES

NO

OTHER

Some of those who voted YES had this to say • Yes. This is the right question at the right time. We need not only new political party but also new leaders.

• Yes. We need some new fresh initiatives. Just complaining and complaining all the time without any action will not change things. The Congress, NPF and others have not lived up to people's expectations. I think it is time to explore a new political party that is against corruption.

• Yes. FED UP OF CORRUPTION IN THE SYSTEM. • Why not? We have all the manpower and resources available to clean up corruption. And, there are more capable leaders out there to get to work.

• Yes. This is a timely question. But who is going to bell the cat.

There is no public leader right now who can take a strong moral stand against corruption.

• I will say YES. In theory this is a good idea. We need new political leaders and representatives. The seasoned politicians and political parties keep taking the public for a ride. In practice this is difficult. It will be old wine in a new bottle. We do not have credible leaders at this juncture. Even those NGOs who are active against corruption and illegal taxation are not clean. They are also corrupt. We need fresh faces.

• We Nagas we keep shouting and shouting and we keep threatening to protest. But this does not go far because we compromise.

This will never defeat corruption. Yes. We need a strong anti-corruption party in Nagaland. It should be like what AAP did in Delhi.

• Yes. This is the option left for Nagaland called Christian State.

• Yes, anti-corruption political party like AAP is the need of the hour in a state like Nagaland to clean up the past and present corruption. In my opinion, this anti-corruption political party member should not include the present 60MLAs, no Ex-MLA, no political party high ranking office bearers past and present. This political party includes the age group not older than 45 years.

• Yes all the major political parties have failed the people. This is the right time for change. Who is going to lead us?

• Yes this is the need of the hour. But will the public – the common voter – defy the politician and vote for a politician who is best suited for the people. The voter must not sell his vote.

Some of those who voted NO had this to say • No as long as we are following the political system of India. Corruption started when Naga Hills was merged with India. Otherwise Nagas were honest. Look at the situation all over the world.

Even in developed countries. Name any scam or corruption and there is an Indian involved. It has become so deep rooted that even if there is a honest Leadership there are lots more among the followers who are not clean. On the top of that Churches and church leaders does not condemn corruption. Rather, they encourage them to rob and donate to church or individual coffers.

A glaring example is Aam Admi party. No matter, how much Kejriwal shout from the rooftop against corruption, still you find corrupted leaders from his party being exposed every day.

• No. Power corrupts. No political party or any entity for that matter can ever clean up corruption as long as tribalism continue to be on the front. But we can minimize it and we must. Quality education is the long term panacea and the base. And of course, to fight it one has to make a sacrifice.

• No. It will not matter because corruption in this state is being deliberately supported because India knows that the only way of destroying Nagas is through corruption.

• No. Political system wouldn't able to clean, but social system need to change since new political party will be all Nagas in Nagaland where there is article 371(A) and factionalism hampers all progress and development.

• No. with time this anti corruption political party too will be corrupted cause the smell of the money is too addictive!!!

• There is no such thing as anti corruption political party. So it’s a big no.

• Everything is possible but may be not in this, so NO • I say No because it is premature. Which alternative political party is there worth its name? Even those fighting against corruption are pseudo-groups who are also as corrupted. Instead of new party, we should elect good clean leaders.

• No. The system must change first. Do you think any candidate or political party can win without corrupt and unfair means? It’s also the voters who are corrupt.

• No, not at all. I don’t trust in any political party, even anti-corruption party to clean up the system in Nagaland State. Only a benevolent dictator backed by visionary God-fearing leaders can clean up Nagaland’s corrupt system.

Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say • In theory it’s a good idea. But we do not have any people that are actually clean of corruption. We live in a corrupt society and everyone is part of that corruption.

• I would prefer President Rule for a period of time under financial emergency (mismanagement) for a period of time to get the system of accountability and governance back on track...then a cleaner election could be possible. During the PR the right thinking people could motivate the public to go clean and elect better leaders. There is no government anyways everything has fallen apart.

• I don’t expect a miracle change overnight but we can certainly bring about changes in our land. The present Naga leaders are definitely corrupted and they don’t have any concern for the people’s problem. They don’t have any vision for the Nagas except for themselves. They are not worthy to be called as our leaders as they are occupying the seat of power only through corrupt practices. So what good things we can expect from such kind of people? Nothing. We can have change by rejecting the present so called leaders and elect a new group of people who are anti corrupt practices and genuinely concerned for the welfare of our people and our land. We are ashamed of our present leaders. Let us throw away the existing system of the messy corrupt practices in our society. Let’s get ourselves prepared for Election 2018 and empower a new generation to lead the Nagas.

• This is not a good time yet. Nagas are already too divided with

8

MonDAY 17•10•2016

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

'Personal laws must be Goa Declaration: BRICS nations constitutionally compliant' condemn terrorism in all forms Women leaders

(L-R) Brazil's President Michel Temer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma pose for a group picture during BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit in Benaulim, in the western state of Goa, October 16. (REUTERS)

Benaulim (Goa), octoBer 16 (ianS): The BRICS countries on Sunday condemned recent terror attacks across the globe, including India, and agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating international terrorism both at the bilateral level and at international fora.

They also urged nations to adopt a comprehensive approach to combat terrorism.

Adopting the Goa Declaration after the conclusion of the Eighth BRICS Summit here, the group of five emerging economies of the world -Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- unanimously hit out at the growing threat of terrorism.

"We strongly condemn the recent several attacks, against some BRICS countries, including that in India. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any acts of terrorism, whether based upon ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic or any other reasons," the declaration said.

To address the threat of chemical and biological terrorism, the BRICS nations also supported the need for launching multilateral negotiations on an international convention to suppress acts of chemical and biological terrorism.

"We call upon all nations to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism," the dec-

laration said, adding that all counter-terrorism measures should uphold international law and respect human rights.

"We acknowledge that international terrorism, especially the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh) and affiliated terrorist groups and individuals, constitute a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security," it stated.

The BRICS countries stressed the UN's central role in coordinating multilateral approaches against terrorism.

"We urge all nations to undertake effective implementation of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and reaffirm our commitment on increasing the effectiveness of the UN counter terrorism framework."

"We call upon all nations to work together to expedite the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN General Assembly without any further delay. We recall the responsibility of all States to prevent terrorist actions from their territories," it added.

The declaration emphasised the importance of further strengthening BRICS solidarity and cooperation based on their common interests and key priorities to further strengthen strategic partnership among themselves in the spirit of openness,

Surgical strikes: Foreign Secretary, DGMO to brief parliamentary panel

new Delhi, octoBer 16 (ianS): Top officials including Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and Director General of Military Operations Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh are likely to brief the parliamentary standing committee on External Affairs on the army's surgical strikes.

"Briefing by the Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Defence Secretary and Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on the subject 'Indo-Pak relations with specific reference to surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC)'," said a notice ahead of the committee's meeting here on October 18.

The parliamentary standing committee on External Affairs is headed

by Congress' Shashi Tharoor and has high-profile members like Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, BJP's Varun Gandhi, Sugata Bose of the Trinamool Congress, Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party and Mohammad Salim of the Communist Party of India-Marxist. The opposition parties including Congress have accused the BJP-led government of trying to derive political mileage from the surigical strikes. The government has dismissed the allegations.

On Friday, Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence was briefed about the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army on terror launching pads across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on September 28-29 night.

solidarity, equality, mutual understanding, inclusiveness and mutually beneficial cooperation.

"We agree that emerging challenges to global peace and security and to sustainable development require further enhancing of our collective efforts," the declaration said.

The BRICS countries expressed satisfaction over operationalisation of the New Development Bank (NDB) and of the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA).

"We note with appreciation the approval of the first set of loans by the New Development Bank, particularly in the renewable energy projects in BRICS countries. We express satisfaction with NDB's issuance of the first set of green bonds in RMB. We are pleased to note that the operationalisation of BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangements has strengthened the global financial safety net," said the declaration.

The countries said that in order to reach out and enrich their "understanding and engagement" with fellow developing and emerging economies, they will hold an Outreach Summit of BRICS leaders with the leaders of Bimstec member countries.

"The meeting will be an opportunity to renew our friendship with Bimstec countries as well as to jointly explore possibilities of expanding trade and commercial ties,and

investment cooperation between BRICS and Bimstec countries,while advancing our common goals of peace, development, democracy and prosperity," it stated.

The member countries also welcomed the measures undertaken by the UN to make the process of selecting and appointing the UN Secretary-General more transparent and inclusive.

"We express our gratitude to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his contributions to the United Nations in the past ten years. We congratulate AntĂłnio Guterres, on his appointment as the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations and express our support and to work closely with him," the BRICS declaraton said.

The BRICS nations called upon other nations to strengthen coordination of efforts to solve problems of the world.

"We reaffirm the need for strengthening coordination of efforts on global issues and practical cooperation in the spirit of solidarity, mutual understanding and trust. We underline the importance of collective efforts in solving international problems, and for peaceful settlement of disputes through political and diplomatic means, and in this regard, we reiterate our commitment to the principles of the charter of the United Nations," the declaration added.

new Delhi, octoBer 16 (Pti): Amid the ongoing debate over 'triple talaq', Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said the government is of the clear view that personal laws should be constitutionally compliant and in conformity with norms of gender equality and the right to live with dignity.

In a Facebook post titled "Triple talaq and the government's affidavit" , he said that governments in the past have shied from taking a categorical stand that personal laws must comply with Fundamental Rights but the present one has taken a clear position on the issue.

"Personal laws have to be constitutionally compliant and the institution of triple talaq, therefore, will have to be judged on the yardstick of equality and the Right to Live with Dignity . Needless to say that the same yardstick would be applicable to all other personal laws," he said.

Observing that the constitutional validity of 'triple talaq' is distinct from the Uniform Civil Code, he said as of today, the issue before the Supreme Court is only with regard to the constitutional validity of triple talaq.

In its affidavit in Supreme Court on October 7, the law ministry argued that polygamy and triple talaq should be done away with, and said that such practices "cannot be regarded as essential or integral part of the religion".

"The academic debate with regard to the Uniform Civil Code can go on before the Law Commission. The question to be answered is that assuming that each community has its separate personal law, should not those personal laws be constitutionally compliant?" Jaitley said.

He said there is a fundamental distinction between religious practices, rituals and civil rights.

oppose triple talaq

new Delhi, octoBer 16 (Pti): A passionate debate has emerged over the government's stand to oppose the practice of "triple talaq" with some leading women politicians seeking its abolition, even as Muslim bodies accused the ruling dispensation of waging a "war" on their personal law.

Though most of the women leaders avoided direct comments on the Centre's affidavit or sought to dissect it, they were strongly critical of the prevalent practice of dissolving marriage through 'triple talaq'.

Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, who was the Minority Affairs Minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet before being appointed to the gubernatorial post, refrained from giving her opinion on the Centre's stand, but, on a personal level, said an "un-Islamic" interpretation was being given to the practice of 'triple talaq'.

Senior CPI(M) leader and former MP Subhashini Ali also opposed the practice of triple talaq and polygamy, seeking abolition.

Their views came in the backdrop of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) taking a stand to oppose the Centre's affidavit, which said the practice of triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy among Muslims needed a relook on grounds like gender equality and secularism.

The AIMPLB and other Muslim bodies said they would boycott the Law Commission's proceedings in the matter and accused the Modi government of waging a "war" against their personal laws. They also said a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will "kill" India's pluralism.

The controversy arose after the Law Commission recently sought feedback from the public on whether the practice of triple talaq should be abolished and whether a uniform civil code be made optional.

"Religious functions associated with birth, adoption, succession, marriage, death, can all be conducted through rituals and customs as per existing religious practices.

"Should rights emanating from birth, adoption, succession, marriage, divorce etc. be guided by religion or by constitutional guarantees? Can there be inequality or compromise with human dignity in any of these matters?" Jaitley said.

Some people may hold a conservative, if not obsolete, view that personal laws need not be constitutionally compliant, he said, adding "the Government's view is clear. Personal laws have to be constitutionally

compliant...".

Jaitley said the constitutional framers had expressed a hope in the Directive Principles of State Policy that the State would endeavour to have a Uniform Civil Law and on more than one occasion, the Supreme Court has enquired from the government its stand on the issue.

"Governments have repeatedly told both the Court and Parliament that personal laws are ordinarily amended after detailed consultations with affected stakeholders," he said.

As regards the Uniform Civil Code , the Law Commission has initiated an academic exercise to elicit views of public on the issue.

Witnesses most neglected lot: Law Ministry Soldier killed in Pak firing on LoC

new Delhi, octoBer 16 (Pti): Terming witnesses as the "most neglected segment" in the criminal justice system, the Law Ministry has said a 13-year-old report held the key to insulating them from harassment and minimising inconvenience caused during trial.

"Witnesses are a critical constituent in the process of administration of criminal justice.

They discharge an important public function by assisting courts in seeking the truth.

Unfortunately, the ground reality is that witnesses are also the most neglected segment in the criminal justice system," the ministry has said. The remarks figuring in 'procedures

relating to witnesses' is part of a Law Ministry note prepared for the meeting of the Advisory Council of National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms to be held on Tuesday.

Referring to the observations of the Justice V S Malimath Committee in its report on Reforms of Criminal Justice System in 2003, the note states that there is a growing tendency of subjecting witnesses and their family members to serious threats to life, abduction or rape, damaging the witnesses' property or harming the person's image and interest in other ways.

Recalling a major recommendation of the Malimath panel, the Law Ministry

document states that to minimise inconvenience to witnesses and save time, the evidence of certain types of witnesses like medical witnesses, government scientific experts and officers should be tendered in the form of affidavits and any challenge to the same by the opposite party should be by means of a counter affidavit.

The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2008 added a new section 195A to the CrPC to allow a witness or any person acting on behalf of the witness to file complaint in case of an offence under section 195A of Indian Penal Code, which relates to threatening a witness to give false evidence.

Will propose Akhilesh's name for Police targeting DMK men over CM if SP voted to power: Shivpal rumour mongering, says Stalin

Ballia (uP), octoBer 16 (Pti): A day after senior party leader Ramgopal Yadav suggested Akhilesh Yadav be made the chief ministerial candidate, Samajwadi Party state president today said he will himself propose Akhilesh's name for the post of chief minister if the party is voted to power again.

"Ramgopal is party's national general secretary. He can write to party national president and give him advice.

There is nothing wrong in it. I will myself propose name of Akhilesh as CM, if party is voted to power in 2017," Shivpal told reporters here.

Ramgopal, in a letter to

Mulayam, yesterday said he would be held responsible if the party's fortunes plunged in the forthcoming assembly elections."Akhilesh is undoubtedly the most popular leader of the state and under him Uttar Pradesh has seen unprecedented development works. If SP has to win the elections, Akhilesh must be made its CM face," the letter said.

"You can take any decision, but if SP's tally fell below 100, you alone would be held responsible. The same people who worship you for raising Samajwadi Party and would hold you responsible for its decline also.

chennai, octoBer 16 (Pti):DMK Treasurer M K Stalin today condemned 'harassment' of his party cadres under the pretext of taking action against those spreading rumours about Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's health on social media and asked police to immediately stop such 'oppressive' measures. In a statement here, he alleged that acting on 'false' complaints by AIADMK IT wing personnel and other party functionaries, the cyber crime police was summoning the DMK members, harassing them and threatening to block their social media accounts.

"We will never tolerate police targeting DMK men under the

guise that they were spreading rumours on social media. I strongly condemn the police action," Stalin, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, said. Police should immediately stop taking action targeting DMK men on social media based on the complaints by AIADMK, he said, noting that seven persons had been arrested and 50 cases filed on complaints of alleged spreading of rumours about Jayalalithaa's health on social media.

24-year-old Antony Jesuraj from Tuticorin district was the latest to be arrested for allegedly spreading rumours on the health condition of Jayalalithaa, who is under treatment at Apollo Hospital here.

Jammu, octoBer 16 (ianS): An Indian soldier was on Sunday killed in Pakistani firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, police said. The soldier identified as Sudesh Kumar of 6 Rajput Regiment was killed in sniper firing on the LoC in Tarkundi area of Rajouri on Sunday evening, police said here. The Pakistani army had earlier on Sunday opened unprovoked firing at Indian positions on the LoC in Rajouri district in the morning. "Pakistan Army violated ceasefi re in Naushera sector of the LoC using small arms," said defence spokesman, Lt. Col. Manish Mehta.

PIL for immediate ban of 19 pesticides: HC seeks govt's reply

new Delhi, octoBer 16 (Pti): A plea seeking an immediate ban on 19 pesticides as recommended by an expert panel on the ground that they are carcinogenic has been moved in Delhi High Court, which has sought the Centre's stand on the issue. A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked the Centre's lawyer to take instructions on the issues raised in the PIL which has claimed that the panel's recommendation to ban the 19 chemicals was accepted by the government but have not yet been implemented. The petition has also alleged "conflict of interest" against the expert committee for having representatives from the pesticide industry who, it claimed, had vested commercial interest. The petitioner, K V Biju, has sought directions to the Centre to reconstitute the panel by excluding members from the industry and include independent representatives from the government.

The matter is listed for hearing on December 7.

Varanasi death toll rises to 25

VaranaSi, octoBer 16 (ianS): The death toll in Saturday's stampede here in Uttar Pradesh has risen to 25, with one of the injured succumbing to his injuries overnight, police said on Sunday. Authorities meanwhile said that 20 of the dead had been identified. And seven of the injured were still in critical condition in hospital. Police officials said they were trying to ascertain the identity of the remaining five dead. More than 50 people were being treated at various medical facilities in the temple town. The stampede occurred at the 130-year-old Raj Ghat bridge on the banks of river Ganga where a religious congregation tion was later reduced to Rs 100 crore in the was to be presided by Acharya Pankaj Baba, disciple of late revised estimates. The panel set up by the Jai Gurudev, a religious and spiritual leader from Mathura.

Information and Broadcasting Ministry on content regulation of government advertisements charged the AAP government with violating Supreme Court guidelines Jammu, octoBer 16 (Pti): In a shocking incident, and had ordered it to "reimburse to the a newborn was nibbled by rats in the maternity ward of a state exchequer" the entire amount that it government hospital in Kishtwar with parents claiming had spent on its advertisements. that the baby died due to rodent bites. Ghulam Hassan, A Comptroller and Auditor General a resident of the remote Chhatru village of the district, (CAG) report had stated that the AAP gov- had taken his wife to the hospital where she delivered a ernment's expenditure on advertisement baby boy on Thursday, a police officer said today. He said and publicity had gone up three times that the baby was shifted to the maternity ward and when from the previous government's Rs 25.25 Hassan visited the ward yesterday, he found the baby crore in 2013-14 to Rs 81.23 crore in 2015- dead with rat bites visible on his body. "There was blood 16. The report also stated that Directorate all over the body of the baby and the rats were still nibof Information and Publicity (DIP) expen- bling him when Hassan saw this," he said.Gurjeet Singh, diture was Rs 11.12 crore in 2014-15 and Rs Director of Health Services in Jammu, said that a probe 25.25 crore in 2013-14. has been launched into the matter.

Modi govt spent Rs 36 crore on publicity to mark two years

new Delhi, octoBer 16 (ianS): The BJP-led union government may have attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi for its spending on advertisements, but it spent more than Rs 36 crore on publicity and advertisements for organising the one-day "Ek Nayi Subah" show in Delhi to mark two years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

This information was revealed in response to an RTI query by IANS. The amount for the six-hour event in Delhi was spent on print and electronic media advertisements. The RTI reply received from the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, revealed that the amount spent by the centre on publicity was Rs 36,64,88,085. Prime Minister Naren-

dra Modi-led NDA government had organised a gala event at India Gate on May 29 to mark its two years in office.

The expenditure incurred on advertisements in print media was Rs 35.59 crore while in the electronic media it was Rs 1.06 crore. Meanwhile, another RTI reply received from Doordarshan Kendra revealed that the total expenditure incurred by it on the "Ek Nayi Subah" show was Rs 92 lakh.

The RTI reply revealed that the advertisements were given to all the leading national dailies apart from other English, Hindi and regional dailies across the country.

During the "Ek Nayi Subah" event, the central government showcased its achievements and Bollywood's leading names, including Amitabh Bachchan, espoused social causes at the show which

lasted over six hours.

A range of initiatives, including the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign, the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao', 'Pradhan Mantrai Ujjwala Yojana', 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana' and 'Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana' were highlighted. Also showcased were moves to boost farmers' income, enhance connectivity, step up investment and enhance jobs and improve rail, road and air infrastructure, and provide electricity to all villages. The central government and ruling party had come down heavily on the AAP government in Delhi for spending what they said was a huge amount of public money on advertisements and publicity.

The Delhi government had allocated Rs 526 crore for publicity and information for the 2015-16 financial year. This alloca-

Newborn dies, nibbled by rats in govt hospital

MonDAY 17•10•2016

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Syrian rebels seize “doomsday” village where Islamic State promised final battle BEIRUT, OcTOBER 16 (REUTERs): Syrian rebels said they captured the village of Dabiq from Islamic State on Sunday, forcing the jihadist group from a stronghold where it had promised to fight a final, apocalyptic battle with the West.

Its defeat at Dabiq, long a mainstay of Islamic State's propaganda, underscores the group's declining fortunes this year as it suffered battlefield defeats in Syria and Iraq and lost a string of senior leaders in targeted air strikes.

The group, whose lightning advance through swathes of the two countries and declaration that it had established a new caliphate stunned world leaders in 2014, is now girding for an offensive against Iraq's Mosul, its most prized possession.

The rebels, backed by Turkish tanks and warplanes, took Dabiq and neighbouring Soran after clashes on Sunday morning, said Ahmed Osman, head of the Sultan Murad group, one of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions involved in the fighting.

"The Daesh myth of their great battle in Dabiq is finished," he told Reuters, using a pejorative name for Islamic State.

The Free Syrian Army is an umbrella group for rebels seeking to overthrow

A rebel fighter takes away a flag that belonged to Islamic State militants in Akhtarin village, after rebel fighters advanced in the area, in northern Aleppo Governorate, Syria on October 7, 2016. (Reuters/Khalil Ashawi)

President Bashar al-Assad in a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions, dragging in regional and global powers and creating space for jihadists.

An Islamic prophecy names Dabiq as the site of a battle between Muslims and infidels that will presage doomsday, a message Islamic State used extensively in its propaganda, going so far as to name its main publication after the village.

It also chose Dabiq as the location for its killing

Your increasing waist size may cause liver cancer NEW YORK, OcTOBER 16 (IANs): Individuals with high body mass index (BMI), increased waist circumference, and Type 2 diabetes may be at an increased risk of developing liver cancer, a study has found.

The findings showed that for every 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI, there was a 38 and 25 per cent increase in the risk for liver cancer in men and women, respectively. For every 5 cm increase in waist circumference, the increase in risk for liver cancer was was 8 per cent.

Participants with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were 2.61 times more likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer, and the risk increases with increase in BMI, the researchers said.

"Liver cancer isn't simply related to excess alcohol intake and viral hepatitis infection. We found that each of these three factors was

associated, robustly, with liver cancer risk. All three relate to metabolic dysfunction," said Peter Campbell, researcher at the American Cancer Society.

The study adds substantial support to liver cancer being on the list of obesity-associated cancers. Thus, "this is yet another reason to maintain a body weight in the 'normal' range for your height", Campbell said.

The results are also consistent with other data indicating that obesity and diabetes might be playing a role in the rapid increase in liver cancer in recent decades, he added.

For the study, the team pooled data from 1.57 million adults enrolled in 14 different US-based prospective studies.

The study was published in the journal Cancer Research.

in 2014 of Peter Kassig, an American aid worker held hostage by the group, by Mohammed al-Emwazi, better known as Jihadi John.

However, it has appeared to back away from Dabiq's symbolism since advances by the FSA groups backed by Turkey had put it at risk of capture, saying in a more recent statement that this battle was not the one described in the prophecy.

The village, at the foot of a small hill in the fertile plains of Syria's northwest about 14 km (9 miles) from

the Turkish border and 33 km north of Aleppo, has little strategic significance in its own right.

But Dabiq and its surroundings, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Islamic State had brought 1,200 fighters in recent weeks, occupied a salient into territory captured by the Turkey-backed rebels. cLAsHEs Ankara launched the Euphrates Shield operation, bringing rebels backed by its own armour

and air force into action against Islamic State, in August, aiming to clear the group from its border and stop Kurdish groups gaining ground in that area.

A Turkish military source said that while Dabiq was largely under control, Islamic State fighters were still firing on the FSA groups from outside the village and that some rebels had been killed in blasts by landmines and other bombs.

The rebels and Turkish military were working to secure Dabiq's surround-

ings to prevent any remaining Islamic State fighters trapped in the area from escaping.

Since early 2016, Islamic State's territorial possessions in Syria have been steadily eroded by the Syrian Democratic Forces, an umbrella group of Kurdish and Arab militias backed by the United States, which in August took the city of Manbij.

Turkey's campaign has since cut the jihadist group off from the Turkish border, long its most reliable entry point for supplies and foreign fighters.

Meanwhile, air strikes have killed a succession of Islamic State leaders in Syria, including its "war minister" Omar al-Shishani and Abu Mohammed alAdnani, one of its leading strategists and an architect of its shift towards plotting attacks in Europe.

In Iraq, the army backed by Shi'ite Muslim militia groups has this year recaptured Falluja and is now poised for an offensive on Mosul, where Islamic State's leader, Abu Bakr alBaghdadi, in 2014 declared himself heir to Islam's caliphs.

However the militants still hold most of Syria's Euphrates basin, from al-Bab, 26 km southeast of Dabiq, through the group's capital of Raqqa and to the Iraqi border.

dent of the legislature inviting him to ascend the throne, can happen at any time before his coronation.

In the meantime, the head of the royal advisory council, a 96-year-old former army chief and prime minister, Prem Tinsulanonda, will stand in as regent.

A semi-official biography of King Bhumibol has a short section on Prem, noting that he was accused of involvement in a 2006 coup that removed populist prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power.

On Saturday, the prince held an audience with Prem and Prayuth and asked them to pass on his reassurance to the people, Prayuth said in a televised address.

"He asked the people not to be confused or worry about the country's administration or even about the succession," Prayuth said. "He said at this time everyone is sad, he is still sad, so every side should wait until we pass this sad time ... When the religious ceremony and funeral have passed for a while, then it will be an appropriate time to proceed."

Government spokes-

Kuwait ruler dissolves parliament - official news agency KUWAIT, OcTOBER 16 (REUTERs): Kuwait's emir ordered the dissolution of parliament on Sunday, saying regional developments and "security challenges" meant the national assembly should choose fresh representatives.

The order was contained in a decree by Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah published by the Gulf Arab state's official KUNA state news agency.

The agency had no further details. Elections now need to be held under constitutional rules.

KUNA reported the decree as saying the move was linked to regional developments and "security challenges and their different impacts and risks, that require returning to the people - the origin of authority - to choose its representatives to express its directions, ambitions and contribute to facing these challenges."

Kuwait, a regional U.S. ally, has a relatively open political system by Gulf standards and has avoided an uprising like those that have ousted leaders in several Arab states since 2011.

Political stability in Kuwait, a leading OPEC oil producer and exporter, has traditionally depended on cooperation between the government and parliament, the oldest and most powerful legislature in the Gulf Arab states. Liberals and candidates from some of Kuwait's more marginalized tribes won seats in the last election in 2013, after opposition Islamists and populists boycotted the election.

Second Scottish independence vote 'highly likely' before 2020 - Sturgeon LONDON, OcTOBER 16 (REUTERs): Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday it was "highly likely" that Scotland would hold a new independence referendum before 2020 after Britain voted to leave the European Union. Asked on ITV's Peston on Sunday programme whether she would anticipate a second Scottish referendum before 2020, Sturgeon said: "I think it is highly likely given the situation we're in ... If anything what has happened since then has probably made me think that even more so than I did the morning after the referendum."

Scotland voted by a large margin to remain in the European Union, while overall Britain voted to leave in a referendum that has reignited talk of a split between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Scots rejected independence two years ago.

Sturgeon told her Scottish National Party's annual conference last week the devolved government was preparing for all possibilities including independence after Britain leaves the EU.

Benefits of greenhouse gas pact may fall short of high hopes OsLO, OcTOBER 16 (REUTERs): A pact by almost 200 nations to slash greenhouse gases used in refrigerators and air conditioners will likely fall short of governments' hopes of averting a full half-degree Celsius (0.9 Fahrenheit) of warming this century, scientists say.

Saturday's agreement in Kigali, Rwanda, is the biggest single step to limit climate change since governments reached a global agreement in Paris last year to shift the world economy from fossil fuels this century.

Amid celebrations of the legally binding Kigali pact to phase down use of factory-made hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), many governments and environmentalists said it could avert 0.5C of warming this century, citing a 2013 scientific study. But some leading researchers expect it will be less.

Eager to declare a victory, governments glossed

over many uncertainties about HFCs. Some more recent research indicates HFCs may be less powerful in trapping heat than once feared, said Michiel Schaeffer of Climate Analytics.

"My guesstimate would be around 0.2 degree Celsius (0.36F) by 2100" of avoided warming, he said.

Climate Analytics is one of four European research groups working together to project temperatures based on government pledges.

Their Climate Action Tracker indicates that government promises for cutting greenhouse gases - if all carried out and before accounting for the HFC agreement - would raise average temperatures by 2.7C (4.9F) over pre-industrial times by 2100.

Half a degree would be a gigantic saving.

Last year's Paris Agreement set an over-riding goal of limiting a rise in average temperatures to

A boy reacts after catching a fish in a dried-up pond near the banks of the Ganges river Allahabad, June 4, 2015. (Reuters Photo/File)

"well below" 2C (3.6F), ideally just 1.5C (2.7F), to avert more droughts, floods, rising sea levels and food and water shortages.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, whose government hopes to leave a strong legacy in fighting global warming, hailed the Kigali

agreement as a "monumental" step forward. "It will give us the opportunity to reduce the warming of the planet by an entire half a degree centigrade," he said.

Guus Velders, an author of the widely quoted 2013 study of HFCs and warming, said his calculations

Thai PM reassures on smooth succession; coronation after king’s funeral BANGKOK, OcTOBER 16 (REUTERs): Thailand has sought to dispel any concern about a royal succession after Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn said he would delay his ascension to the throne while he mourns his father, and the government stressed on Sunday it was working as normal.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej died on Thursday after seven decades on the throne. He was 88.

The prospect of complications in the succession in the politically divided country could alarm financial markets, but the military government has been quick to quash any such speculation.

The crown prince has requested that his succession be delayed for an unspecified period, so he can grieve with the people, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has said.

The government has not set a date for the royal cremation but a deputy prime minister said the prince had asked that it be held after a year of mourning, and the coronation would take place after the cremation.

The formal procedure for him to become king, which involves the presi-

9

Mourners gather in the rain outside the Grand Palace as they wait to pay their respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok, Thailand, October 16, 2016. (Reuters Photo)

man Sansern Kaewkamnerd told reporters on Sunday the prime minister wanted to reassure the public about the government's work and a cabinet meeting would go ahead as normal on Tuesday so administration "can continue seamlessly".

King Bhumibol, who was the world's longestreigning monarch, was revered as a father figure and symbol of unity in a

country riven by political crises over the years, most recently by a power struggle between the militaryled establishment and populist political forces.

LEsE-MAJEsTE LAWs Many Thais worry about a future without him.

Thailand's strict lesemajeste laws, which have been applied rigorously since a military govern-

ment took power in a 2014 coup, have left little room for public discussion about the succession.

Mourners dressed in black from across Thailand have flocked to Bangkok's gilded Grand Palace to pay homage to the only king most of them have ever known.

Buddhist monks have been chanting prayers beside his coffin in an imposing throne hall, and they

will chant for 100 days as part of the funeral rites.

Though the mood is sombre, and almost everyone is dressed in black, shopping malls, markets, cinemas and even some bars have been open.

Thailand's battered stocks recovered ground on Friday on hope for a smooth transition and shares were likely to rise again on Monday, said Kasem Prunratanamala, head of research at CIMB Securities.

"The market should continue to rebound," he said. "Nobody would dare do anything that causes problems for the country."

The government has issued guidelines to media saying programmes and advertising should not show "improper scenes such as entertaining, dancing" or violence.

Information related to the king's death must be approved by authorised bodies, while criticism or analysis would not be allowed, the government has said, the Nation newspaper reported.

Thailand's three main mobile service providers said customers should report "inappropriate content on the royal institution" on social media.

of the impact of the Kigali accord show HFCs are now likely to stoke only 0.06C (0.1F) of warming this century, down from a range of 0.3C to 0.5C with no action.

He said it was better to give ranges because of many uncertainties. Using one number means "it

seems you know more than you do," said Velders, who works at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.

The Rwanda pact sets varying dates for rich and poor nations to freeze and cut HFC use.

The United States and the European Union are among those that already have laws phasing out HFCs, with manufacturers using less damaging chemicals in fridges and air conditioners and aerosols.

Andrew Jones of Climate Interactive, a U.S. based think-tank that builds climate simulations with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the HFC deal was crucial to combat global warming. "But it's in no way a silver bullet," he said, adding that his group would not lop as much as 0.5 degree off its existing projection that the Paris promises will lead to 3.5C of warming this century.

U.S. detects failed North Korean missile test - Pentagon WAsHINGTON, OcTOBER 16 (REUTERs): The U.S. military detected a failed North Korean test launch of an intermediate ballistic missile, the Pentagon said on Saturday.

The test-firing was the latest in a series conducted

by North Korea in violation of United Nations resolutions, drawing a fresh U.S. vow to take its concerns to the world body and seek to hold North Korea "accountable for these actions."

The U.S. Strategic Command's systems detected that the Musudan missile failed in a launch conducted near North Korea's northwestern city of Kusong, the Pentagon said in a statement.

It provided no details on what went wrong but said the launch never posed a threat to North America.

"We strongly condemn this and North Korea's other recent missile tests," said U.S. Navy Commander Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman. "Our commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats,

is ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation.”

South Korea's military said early on Sunday that North Korea fired what it believed was a Musudan missile at 0333 GMT on Saturday but it failed immediately after launch. It did not elaborate on the reason for the failure.

"The North's ballistic missile launch is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and we strongly condemn the North's illegal act of provocation," the South's office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

Ross said the United States called on North Korea to "refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region."

The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia said late last month that Washington would speed up deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea given the pace of North Korea's missile tests, and it would be stationed there "as soon as possible."

10

mONDAY 17•10•2016

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Lionel Messi on target as Murray wins third Shanghai Masters title Atletico, Real stay on top

BARCELONA, OCtOBER 16 (REutERs): Real Madrid bounced back from a four-game winless streak in emphatic fashion by hammering Real Betis 6-1 away from home to go second in La Liga on Saturday.

Lionel Messi scored within three minutes of returning from injury to help fire champions Barcelona to a 4-0 home win over Deportivo La Coruna that kept them fourth, while Atletico Madrid retained top spot by thrashing bottom side Granada 7-1.

Sevilla left it late to win 3-2 at Leganes to stay third, claiming their first away win since May 2015.

Real travelled to Betis without key midfielders Luka Modric and Casemiro and captain Sergio Ramos through injury and without a win in four games in all competitions.

Raphael Varane swiftly eased the pressure on under-fire coach Zinedine Zidane by heading home Toni Kroos's floated free kick in the fourth minute.

Karim Benzema rolled home another pass by Kroos in the 31st to put Real further at ease and they went

Barcelona player Lionel Messi from Argentina scores the fourth goal of the match during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Deportivo at the Camp Nou stadium on October 15, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Getty Images)

into the halftime break four goals up after a strike from returning fullback Marcelo and a brilliant breakaway finished off by Isco.

The Spain international curled in a brilliant strike in the 62nd and talisman Cristiano Ronaldo fittingly rounded off a statement of intent from the European champions by powering home in the 78th. Alvaro

Cejudo had scored Betis's goal in the 55th minute.

In Barcelona, Brazilian midfielder Rafinha put Barca ahead in the 21st minute with the help of lax goalkeeping from Deportivo's German Lux and slid in the second goal in the 36th after the stopper failed to hold Gerard Pique's header.

Luis Suarez combined with Neymar to stretch

Dybala double sends Juve clear

Paulo Dybala (left) celebrates with Juan Cuadrado after scoring for Juventus against Udinese on October 15, 2016 in Turin. (AFP Photo)

Milan, OctOber 16 (aFP): Paulo Dybala hit a brace as champions Juventus underscored their Serie A title credentials only eight games into the campaign with a battling 2-1 win over Udinese on Saturday. Juventus had been given a huge incentive before their late kick-off with the league's other 'bianconeri' side after Roma stunned Napoli 3-1 at the San Paolo.

And the Old Lady took the title race by the scruff of the neck to leave Roma in second at five points adrift and Napoli now in

third at seven points behind.

Earlier, Edin Dzeko was celebrating hitting his first league brace on the road as Roma stunned in the 'Derby del Sole' to relaunch their own title hopes. Bosnia international Dzeko faced huge criticism last season when he struggled to score eight goals in 31 appearances for the Giallorossi. But with seven goals in as many games, the former Manchester City marksman is now provisionally top of the Serie A scoring charts, one ahead of AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca.

Barca's lead two minutes before the break and substitute Messi latched on to a through ball from the Brazilian to stroke the ball high into the net in the 58th.

"Messi did not take long to make his mark on the game," said Luis Enrique, who adopted an unorthodox 3-5-2 formation for the second time this season.

"Our aim was to surprise

them and it worked how we wanted it to. We created lots of chances and they created none. Deportivo have conceded very few goals this season and we got four."

Former Barcelona forward Isaac Cuenca gave winless Granada a shock lead in the 18th minute with an impressive strike but Yannick Carrasco pulled Atletico in front with goals in the 34th and 45th, completing his treble in the 61st.

Nicolas Gaitan scored his first goal for Atletico two minutes after coming off the bench, netting with his first touch, and struck again in the 81st, while late strikes from Angel Correa and midfielder Tiago completed the rout.

Earlier on Saturday, a late wonder strike from Pablo Sarabia ended Sevilla's 17-month wait for an away league win.

Franco Vazquez and Samir Nasri put Sevilla in charge but quick-fire strikes from David Timor and Alexander Szymanowski cancelled out their lead, only for Sarabia to smash in from outside the area with five minutes left.

HOnG KOnG, OctOber 16 (reuters): Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki captured her 25th career Tour title when she beat unseeded Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 6-1 6-7(4) 6-2 in the Hong Kong Open final on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Wozniacki, who will now move back into the world's top 20, has been in fine form, winning 19 of her last 22 matches, but was pushed to her limits by Mladenovic during an intense two-hour40-minute final.

Despite a strong start from the Dane, Mladenovic, who underwent lengthy treatment after the opening set, refused to back down as she produced a spirited performance to win the second set, the only one Wozniacki dropped during the tournament.

Wozniacki, who won the Pan Pacific Open last

Antonio Conte (BPI Photo)

Conte was also rewarded for sticking to his beliefs about playing three central defenders.

Having changed to his preferred formation after Chelsea leaked too many goals, Conte was rewarded with a second consecutive clean-sheet despite leaving fit-again captain John Terry on the bench.

"After we conceded a lot of goals I decided to change for the Hull game. This system suits the talents of all our players."

sHANGHAI, OCtOBER 16 (REutERs): Andy Murray powered his way to a third Shanghai Masters title by beating Spanish 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(1) 6-1 in Sunday's final to close in on Novak Djokovic at the top of the world rankings.

Bautista Agut beat world number one Djokovic in the semi-final on Saturday but was brought back down to earth by threetimes grand slam champion Murray, who converted all his four break points to wrap up the match in one hour 37 minutes.

Murray, who won the China Open in Beijing a week ago, is now 915 points behind Djokovic in the Race to London rankings, with a chance of surpassing the Serb and finishing the year in top spot.

With three tournaments remaining on Murray's 2016 schedule, the season-ending Tour Finals in London could play a pivotal role in deciding who finishes at the top of the standings at the end of the year.

Murray, however, was less than optimistic over his chances of usurping Djokovic and said the 12-times grand slam champion was still "the best player in the world". "My goal wasn't to finish number one at the end of this year but in the early parts of next year there is an opportunity -900 points doesn't seem like loads," Murray added.

"But Novak will win matches. He is the best player in the world. I don't think he has lost an indoor game in a long time."

Wozniacki wins Hong Kong Open

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark poses with her trophy after defeating Kristina Mladenovic of France in their final match at the Hong Kong Open tennis tournament in Hong Kong, Sunday, Octiber 16, 2016. (AP Photo)

month, held her nerve as ond Tour title of the year. tles," Wozniacki told reshe showcased her years "I'm really pleased with porters. of experience to clinch the my week, there was some Wozniacki said it was third set and claim her sec- good tennis and long bat- difficult psychologically as

I'm in charge, says Conte after Costa sub dispute LONdON, OCtOBER 16 (AFP): Antonio Conte revealed he ignored Diego Costa's request to be substituted because the volatile Chelsea striker's passion is too important to lose.

Costa scored his seventh Premier League goal of the season as Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 win over spluttering champions Leicester at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

But the controversial Spain star still managed to cause a fuss with his demonstrative, but unsuccessful, attempt to convince Chelsea manager Conte to substitute him in the 70th minute.

Costa was one booking away from being suspended for next Sunday's home clash with Jose Mourinho's Manchester United and, with the game against Leicester well in control, he gestured that he wanted to come off.

He even clutched at his legs as if struggling with an injury in the closing stages, but Conte was unmoved and insisted he didn't want to lose a player with Costa's tonesetting aggression even for a few minutes.

"If I can, I keep Costa until the end of the game. Costa is an important player for us," Conte said. "Diego is in good shape. He has passion and we need his passion in every moment of the game.

"I know I risked it because if Costa took another yellow card he misses the next game.

"I decide the substitutions.

Always I take the responsiblity in every situation, good or bad."

Murray poses with the trophy after winning tournament. (Reuters Photo)

suggestions he was about to be sacked after some bookmakers suspended betting on his departure on Thursday.

And Chelsea's best performance of the season was a welcome vote of confidence.

"I'm quite 'tranquilo'.

I'm very happy," Conte said.

"When you work so hard during the week, it's logical you want to see a good result.

"I'm very happy, above all for my players."

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri admits Leicester's maiden Champions League voyage is ruining their Premier Vote of confidence League title defence.

Ranieri's side are 11 Conte had laughed off

points behind leaders Manchester City after their fourth loss of the season.

That is more defeats than Leicester suffered in the whole of last season and they are also the first English champions to lose four successive away games since Blackburn in 1995-96.

Ranieri believes he and his players have become too focused on their European adventure.

"When you play in the Champions League for the first time in the club's life, the concentration can be very high in the Champions League and it is not the same in the Premier League," Ranieri said.

"I'm not worried. I know my job. There are good and bad moments. I have to work."

Ranieri conceded he might have unsettled his team by resting three key figures, including last season's player of the year Riyad Mahrez, to keep them fit for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Danish side Copenhagen.

But the Italian was unrepentant because he believes reaching the knockout stages would be a huge achievement for a club of Leicester's stature.

"The Premier League is one year long, the Champions League is two months and you are in or out," he said.

"We want to go in the knockout in the Champions League, to achieve this you have to have all your players fit. I prefer to keep players fit for Tuesday."

she did not know the extent of Mladenovic's injury in what became a grueling match.

"It wasn't easy mentally because sometimes she would look like she couldn't play, and then she would run like Speedy Gonzalez -- clearly it's not that bad if you can run side to side," she added.

"There was definitely a mental game. I just happened to win it."

Mladenovic said she had struggled with exhaustion due to the intense heat and humidity in Hong Kong and sustained a hamstring injury during the final.

"I was not coming out fresh and when you play someone like Caroline, who is running down every point, you have to fight," said Mladenovic, who is yet to win a Tour title following her third loss in a singles' final.

"It was very difficult. I have no idea how I made it to three sets."

Marquez wins 3 MotoGP title after Motegi drama rd

MOtEGI, OCtOBER 16 (REutERs): Honda rider Marc Marquez secured his third MotoGP championship in four years on Sunday by winning the Japanese Grand Prix after his nearest rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo both crashed out.

The 23-year-old Spaniard had only an outside chance to seal the title but his win at Motegi gave him an unassailable 77-point lead over Italian Rossi, who started on pole but slid into the gravel early.

"Every year is really hard and you always give your maximum... but this year, the pressure I felt, especially in the beginning of the season, was really really high," Marquez told reporters.

"I felt more pressure but it gave me extra motivation. This combination kept me really focussed."

Already the youngest rider to win a MotoGP race and the title in his maiden season in 2013, Marquez's triumph in Japan made him the youngest to seal three championships.

Marquez said losing the championship to Lorenzo last year taught him how to handle pressure.

"Sometimes I forget to enjoy because the pressure was too high.

The team was a big help this year with them I forget the pressure.

"A real champion is when you can keep the pressure. Okay, you can do the same mistakes again but last year I paid an expensive price to learn that consistency is very important. But I learned."

He finished nearly three sec-

Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez celebrates on the podium after securing the rider’s champioship at Twin Ring Motegi. (Photo: EPA)

onds ahead of Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso, with Suzuki's Maverick Vinales third.

With Rossi, the seven-times premier class champion, quickly out of contention, Lorenzo needed to finish fourth or better to keep his title defence alive.

The Spaniard, who suffered a terrifying crash in practice on Saturday but returned to the track to

qualify third on the grid, battled to keep within touch of Marquez.

But Lorenzo came under pressure from a hard-charging Dovizioso and his race ended in the gravel with five laps to go after a front end skid.

The championship, now a victory procession for Marquez, heads to Phillip Island, Australia next week.

Monday 17•10•2016

S

inger Adele is reportedly earning around 84,000 pounds a day thanks to the huge success of her last album. The star made an incredible comeback to the music industry

EntErtainmEnt

with her album "25" last year, with it becoming the fastest selling in British history.

According to The Sun, she raked in around 30 million pounds last year through her company Melted Stone Limited, as per

newly-released accounts equaling 84,000 pounds a day, reports mirror.co.uk.

Her company Melted Stone Limited turned over 30.7 million pounds.

The report also claims that the company made

Adele earns 84,000 pounds a day

a 15.9 million pound net profit, as well as holding 13.7 million pounds in funds for the 28-year-old star. Her other company, Melted Stone Publishing Ltd, is claimed to have held 5.2 million pounds, and to-

S

But he soon started smoking, became overweight and was dubbed as 'Blobbie Williams'.

The 42-year-old father of two admitted to using fillers, botox and even undergoing chin reduction surgery, reports daily-

mail.co.uk. "I've had some fillers, and some Botox, and I've had something done to my chin which means I can't even move my f***ing forehead," Williams said.

Williams made his remarks while picking up the

S

C M Y K

added.

Talking about the association with Malik, Versace said: "Zayn is one of the most exciting personalities on the world stage right now. When we first met, he told me how much he loves fashion."

"I thought it would be fantastic to collaborate on a new Versus collection together. And, given Zayn's huge fan base around the world, I expect there will be a lot of excitement about what we create together".

Source: IANS

Jean Bernard Fernandez-Versini will finally come to an end on Thursday, according to reports.

Sources tell MailOnline the former Girls Aloud singer is overjoyed to 'finally move on with her life' following months of legalities over the separation. The 33-year-old, who is said to be pregnant with her boyfriend Liam Payne's child, will not pay her ex-husband any money, according to insiders.

The couple, who were married for just over a year before starting divorce proceedings, will be granted a decree nisi at the High Court in London on Thursday after agreeing on divorce terms two months ago, The Sun reports. However the singer, who is said to be 'pregnant' with 23-year-old Liam's baby, will reportedly not change her name immediately, while she focuses on 'other things'.

Source: IANS

'She is in a great place at the moment and is really happy with Liam so she's delighted that she can officially draw a line under her marriage to JB. This means she can now focus on the future'. Meanwhile claims that they are expecting their first child are reaching fever pitch. Cheryl and Liam put the rumours aside on Sunday, as they reunited for date night, going hand-inhand to dinner at Nobu in London.

Reports of a first pregnancy for the famous couple then gained traction

ANNA

BEIIMAAN lOVE

“H

Music Icon award at the Attitude awards here earlier in the week. While female celebrities nowadays regularly admit to a spot of cosmetic work, it is rare for their male counterparts to follow suit.

C

NOW SHOWING

Source: IANS

Zayn Malik ties up with ‘Pregnant’ Cheryl to finalise divorce this week heryl's bitter diwhen Cheryl's mother Versace for fashion line vorce battle with Joan Callaghan was picinger Zayn Malik is trying his hand at fashion designing.

The former One Direction member has announced a collaboration with fashion designer Donatella Versace for a capsule collection of men's and women's clothing.

It is being done for Versus under the ZAYN X VERSUS label, the new collection of which will debut in May 2017. Malik will also star in two campaigns for the brand next year, reports aceshowbiz.com.

"I think Versus has always been a very cool brand. It's a great brand for me and for people in my generation. I've always wanted to design clothes, and there's no brand I'd rather design for than Versus," Malik said.

"The bonus is that I get to collaborate with Donatella, whom I love and admire. I know we'll create something amazing," he

Hillstar

10:40 am | 08:00 pm

gether they had reported turnover of more than 103 million pounds in the last five years. The accounts reportedly revealed the star paid corporation tax of nearly 4 million pounds.

Robbie Williams underwent cosmetic surgeries inger Robbie Williams says he used fillers and botox to retain his youthful complexion, but now he can no longer move his forehead.

At the height of his "Take that" career, Williams was known for his baby face.

Rowling to conjure five 'Fantastic Beasts' films for Potter fans

tured buying baby goods.

The sighting appeared to confirm the news, though a spokesperson for Cheryl has since refused to comment when contacted by MailOnline. Liam also raised eyebrows when he changed his Official Twitter bio to say he was 'the happiest man in the world'.

Liam and Cheryl went public with their romance in February, shortly after it was announced that her marriage to Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Verisini was over. It later came to light that the couple had struck up a bond during filming for the 2015 series of the X Factor, on the approach to last Christmas. They first met when a 14-yearold Liam auditioned for the singing competition as a solo artist in 2008 and Cheryl - married at the time to first husband Ashley Cole - was serving on the panel as a judge.

Source: MailOnline

arry Potter" fans got fantastic news on Thursday. Author J.K. Rowling said that the Potter spinoff movie franchise "Fantastic Beasts" will consist of five films, up from the previously announced three.

"We set a trilogy as a placeholder because we knew there would be more than one movie, but ... we're pretty sure it's going to be five movies," Rowling told participants in London gathered at a fan event.

The British author of the best-selling "Harry Potter" books was a surprise addition at a question-and-answer event with the "Fantastic Beasts" cast in London and Los Angeles that was broadcast across the world.

The news was welcomed by excited screams from the audience, while the cast, including Oscarwinner Eddie Redmayne, looked surprised as they heard it for the first time.

The films will be released

by Warner Bros, a unit of Time Warner Inc. A 4-minute "Fantastic Beasts" featurette shown at Thursday's event finally hinted at the wider plot of the film that has so far been under wraps.

The planned movies, designed as prequels to the Potter stories, will trace the rise of a powerful wizard named Gellert Grindelwald and his eventual 1945 duel with Albus Dumbledore, the popular wizard

headmaster from the Potter stories.

"We're talking about the first time a wizard rose and threatened the world order.

This was always where I was interested in going. This is what I wanted to do," Rowling said in the featurette.

She added in the 4-minute video that the new films will tie to the Potter stories in "surprising" ways.

Fans at the event were shown the first 10 minutes of "Fantastic Beasts," which opens on Nov. 18. The film depicts Redmayne's "magizoologist" Newt Scamander arriving in New York City in 1926 with a case of magical creatures, amid growing strife in the wizarding world.

When Scamander's creatures escape and wreak havoc, it poses a bigger threat to the magical community as they may be discovered by the nonmagical humans in the city.

"Fantastic Beasts" taps in to the eight-film Potter franchise that officially concluded with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" in 2011. That series took in more than $7 billion at the global box office.

Rowling's seven-book series sold more than 450 million copies worldwide.

Earlier this year, a new soldout London play, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," cast a spell all over again, and the book version of the script become a bestseller.

Source: Reuters

01:00 PM

MOTUPATlU (3d)

03:30pm

INFERNO (ENg)

05:30pm

Now ShowiNg INFERNO (ENglIsh)

Robert De Niro to receive Chaplin award

T

he Film Society of Lincoln Center has named Robert De Niro the recipient of its 44th annual Chaplin Award, which honors major industry talents.

De Niro will take home the 2017 trophy for a fourdecade acting career that stretches from early work including "Mean Streets," "Raging Bull" and "The Godfather Part II" to more recent projects such as "Silver Linings Playbook", reported Variety.

He is also the highprofile co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival, launched in the wake of

9/11 in an effort to boost the economic prospects of lower Manhattan. The 73-year-old actor-producer will be honored by the Film

Society at a springtime gala featuring notable guests and presenters as well as movie and interview footage drawn from De Niros career.

He joins a list of previous Chaplin recipients that includes Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor, Meryl Streep, Billy Wilder and last year’s honoree, Morgan Freeman. The 44th annual Chaplin Award gala is set for May 8. Prior to that, De Niros latest project, the Broadway musical adaptation of "A Bronx Tale," which he co-directs, opens in December.

Angeu Zeliang (L) and Royal Hip Boyz (R) have been declared winners of the Naga Talents Promo Season 4 in the indi-

(11:00 am) (01:20 pm) (05:45 pm)

BEIIMAAN lOVE(hINdI)

Source: PTI vidual and group categories respectively. The grand finale of the contest was held on October 15 at Town Hall, Dimapur.

(08:05 pm)

MOTU PATlU(hINdI) ElIgIBIlITY CRITERIA:

Should be a bonafide Citizen of Nagaland Should be between the age of 18 to 25 years as on December 2016 Should be unmarried Should be minimum 5ft 5 inches tall (without heels)

hOW TO PARTICIPATE: Artists perform at the musical live concert organized by Angami Sports Association (ASA) in commemoration of its golden jubilee celebration in Kohima on October 14. The ASA jubilee is scheduled to be held in 2017.

(Morung Photo)

INTERESTED CANDIDATES CAN E-MAIL THE MENTIONED DETAILS TO basnkma@gmail.com : NAME .AGE .HEIGHT .VITAL STATISTICS .CONTACT DETAILS. RESIDENCE ADDRESS TWO (2) PHOTOGRAPHS - ONE CLOSE UP AND ONE FULL LENGTH

NOMINATION

Any person interested in nominating your friend, relatives etc, are open to do so. However, the candidate nominated will have to go through the audition.

District Beauty Pageant Title holders will get direct entry to the main Pageant However, the Runners up will go through the same audition process to qualify for the Miss Nagaland Pageant.

LAST DATE OF SUBMISSION OF DETAILS - 7TH NOVEMBER 2016 FINAL AUDITION - 10TH NOVEMBER 2016 AUDITION VENUE - HOTEL JAPFU, KOHIMA TIME - 10:30AM TO 5:00PM

(03:40 pm) 03862-237226 Ticket Counter (09:00 AM - 09:00 PM) www.BookMyShow.com Ward 5 (6), Burma Camp, Dimapur.

Landmark: J. K Hospital/ Power House.

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MonDAY 17•10•2016

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

ASU edge NSF in exhibition match Classy Kohli secures

easy win over Kiwis

DharamSala, october 16 (reuterS): India's Virat Kohli continued to torment New Zealand with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 85 to secure a sixwicket victory with nearly 17 overs to spare in the first one-day international at Dharamsala on Sunday.

India's bowlers laid the foundations for a comprehensive win when they dismissed New Zealand for a Officials of Angami Students’ Union and Naga Students’ Federation pose for camera before the exhibition match as part of meagre 190 inside 44 overs the ongoing 17th NSF Martyrs’ Memorial Trophy at the Kohima Local Ground on October16. but the chase, at one stage, looked far from a cakewalk.

Our Correspondent striker Zekuseto (15) scored Ajinkya Rahane (33) the fourth goal for ASU in the Kohima | October 16 and Rohit Sharma (14) put 52nd minute. on 49 runs for the opening As part of the ongoing 17th Trailing 3-0 in the first half, wicket, but New Zealand NSF Martyrs Memorial Tro- NSF came back strongly after did not throw in the towel, phy, an exhibition between the break with ex-NSF President reducing India to 102-3 in Kohima, october 16 (mexN): Another the Naga Students’ Federa- Tongpang Ozukum, who played exhibition match will be played between se- the 20th over. tion (NSF) and the Angami as a striker, scoring a hat-trick.

Kohli, whose double Students’ Union was played The equalizer finally came nior leaders of Angami Students’ Union and century in Indore helped Kohima Bar Association (KBA) at 10:00 am of here today with Neizokhotuo in the 67th minute when anIndia complete a 3-0 Belho, former General Sec- other ex-NSF President Kel- October 20 at the Local Ground, Kohima as whitewash in the test series part of the ongoing 17th NSF Martyr’s Memoretary, NSF & Present Tribu- houneizo Yhome showed against the Kiwis, then addnal Member ASU as the Chief brilliant individual skills, rial Trophy. According to a press release, the ed 60 runs with ODI skipexhibition is also expected to bring in a rapport Guest. dribbling past ASU defenders between the student community and the le- per Mahendra Singh Dhoni The match was a nail bit- and finishing off coolly. gal fraternity and will go a long way in bringing (21) to take the game away ing encounter with end to In the tie-breaker, ASU the two fraternities closer. Some ex players who from the tourists.

The duo went about end action as both teams took scored 9 goals while NSF had donned the state jersey in the past is exaccumulating runs with a turns to attack and coun- could only manage 5. pected to make a comeback and display their mixture of caution and agter attack. And at the end of old trick, skills and styles, it added. gression. regulation time, the match Speaking to media on Sunday both the October 17 Dhoni was run out afhad yielded 8 goals with both teams exuded confidence that they would give ter an almighty mix-up but Quarter finals teams drawn 4-4.

Senapati FC vs Nagaland Po- the best to play and urged people to turn up for Kohli stayed put, before the exhibition match.

ASU’s versatile striker sealing the win with a maslice (Blue) @ 12:00 pm Senior student leader Neikho Shosahie sive six off Ish Sodhi. Kohli's Mego Ratsa (10) grabbed a hat Asufü Christian Institute vs said that he was happy to play with old com- 81-ball knock also included trick within a span of 15 minNagaland Police (Red) rades after many years and hoped the match nine boundaries. utes scoring in the 10th, 15th, at 1:30 pm would be a cracker spinning down to the wires.

Trent Boult had a and 25th minutes. Diminutive

ASU-KBA exhibition match on Oct 20

C M Y K

Indian batsman Virat Kohli plays a shot as New Zealand's Luke Ronchi looks on during their first one day international match in Dharamsala on October 16. (AFP Photo)

chance to catch Kohli, then on 60, off his own bowling but spilled the ball.

Earlier, Tom Latham's unbeaten 79 and Tim Southee's maiden halfcentury helped New Zealand recover from 65-7 and reach 190 before the tourists were all out in the 44th over.

India had flexed their spin muscles in the preceding test series but it was their pacemen who blew away the Kiwi top order on Sunday after Dhoni elected to field.

Hardik Pandya (3-31)

made an eventful start to his one-day career, conceding three boundaries in his first five deliveries before dismissing Martin Guptill (12) with the sixth.

He and Umesh Yadav (2-31) combined to reduce New Zealand to 48-5 in the 13th over before the spinners joined the party.

Off-spinner Kedar Jadhav dismissed Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner off successive deliveries and leg-spinner Amit Mishra (3-49) sent back Doug Bracewell to leave New Zea-

land tottering at 106-8 in the 32nd over.

Yadav dropped Southee (55) when on two, and the batsman made the most of the reprieve, smashing three sixes in his 45-ball cameo as he and Latham added an innings-high 71 runs for the ninth wicket to lend some respectability to the score.

Latham's unbeaten knock included seven boundaries and a six.

The teams travel to Delhi for the second ODI of the five-match series on Thursday.

Trail Hounds cycle to Mopungchuket village Sovima T20 Cricket Gold Cup: Blue Star, TSA, BMS win Morung Express News Dimapur | October 16

Day 2 of Sovima T20 Cricket Gold Cup witnessed a successful run chase as Blue Star overcame Victoria CC in the third match of the day.

It was the first successful chase in four matches of the tournament so far. The other two matches of the day and the inaugural match on October 16 saw the chasing teams faltering and failing to reach 3-figures.

Batting first appeared to be the win mantra but it was not to be for team Victoria. Electing to bat after winning the toss, Victoria posted a seemingly defendable score of 114,

batting out the allotted 20 overs for the loss of 6 wickets. Dipanker Meri made the bulk of the runs in a 46ball knock of 54. He found good support in S. Hamphi, who made a composed 24 in 31 balls.

The target at less than run-aball, Blue Star maintained a good run rate, eventually crossing the target in 16.2 overs with 6 wickets to spare. The winning score read 117. Man of the Match Tejosel Yiethun made a swashbuckling 35 in 32 balls, which was studded with 5 boundaries. Roshan backed up well scoring 33 while Samik Das chipped in with 18 not out ensuring the team cross the target without jitters.

Sujay Tarafdar and Imliwati of Victoria were responsible for the 4 wickets Blue Star lost, taking 2 wickets each. Rakesh Paul was the highest wicket taker for Blue Star, who scalped 2 while giving away an economical 13 runs in the allotted 4 overs.

Earlier in the morning, Frontier Cricket Club of Tuensang was bowled out by Thau Sports Academy (TSA) from Manipur for a paltry 25 in 8.5 overs chasing a target of 150. Frontier elected to field but could not make much of a dent in the TSA batting line up, managing to take only 4 wickets and giving away 149 in the regulation 20 overs. Mintu, Sultan and Gelson

stitched together the innings for TSA, the three scoring 44, 30 and 30, respectively. Sultan was Man of the Match for his score of 30 and taking 2 wickets.

The third match was also another unsuccessful run chase.

King Bird Tiger, chasing a formidable target posted by BMS Darbar, batted the entire 20 overs but could only muster 98 all out. Ravindra made a gritty 37 as wickets fell away at the other end.

BMS electing to bat scored 159 riding on a half century from Man of the Match Nadeem, 36 from Imran and 24 from Avneet. Nadeem also contributed with the ball taking 1 wicket.

ISL: Atletico held to a draw by Goa Trail Hounds Cycling Club members in front of the Morung at Mopungchuket village.

moKoKchuNg, october 16 (mexN): A four-member team of the Trail Hounds Cycling Club, Mokokchung’s first and only MTB cycling club, took up the challenge to ride down to Mopungchuket village today – about 15 kms from Mokokchung town.

THCC undertakes ‘weekend rides’ regularly and they chose Mopungchuket as their destination for this weekend with the aim of promoting cycling and tourism.

Mopungchuket is a popular rural tourist destination in Mokokchung and members of the THCC expressed that introducing cycling would be a feasible option to further boost the village’s tourism sector.

The cyclists spent a few hours of the day exploring the village and its backwoods including Longrangtenem Park,

Süngkotenem Park, Etiben Tower, the village morung and other landmarks of tourist interest in the village. They also took time to interact with random villagers as well as some leaders of MALT, the village’s students union during which they shared ideas with regard to cycling and tourism.

Trail Hounds Cycling Club is leading the promotion of cycling from the front in Mokokchung with more cycling enthusiasts coming forward to join the club or ride solo. Cycling is fast becoming the next fashion statement in Mokokchung, thanks to THCC for their aggressive promotional activities. THCC is all set to organize the first ever cycling competition in Mokokchung, dubbed the Mokokchung XCE or CrossCountry Eliminator on December 10 next.

KolKata, october 16 (Pti): Last season's runners-up FC Goa rallied to hold Atletico de Kolkata 1-1 and open their account after a hat-trick of defeats in an intense Indian Super League football clash here today.

South African Sameehg Doutie put ATK ahead as early in the sixth minute but they failed to make much headway as the Goans bounced back riding on a spot kick from Joffre Mateu in the 76th minute.

Both teams were reduced to 10 players with ATK receiving as many as three yellow cards and one red, while FC Goa had a share of four yellow cards and one red in the hardfought match at the Rabin-

dra Sarobar Stadium.

The result meant Zico's team opened their account but remained at the bottom of the table. They also failed to get past ATK from seven meetings overall. ATK now have one win and three draws to be on the third place with six points. A clinical strike from Sameehg Doutie put ATK ahead in the sixth minute, a goal that resulted from the freekick after Iain Hume was brought down by Raju Gaikwad. Javier Lara put the ball into the far post from the freekick where Hume headed it in the danger area before being cleared by Gaikwad.

But the header went straight to Doutie on the edge of the box as the South

African welcomed it by blasting his volley past a diving Subhasish Roy Chowdhury to his left. ATK could have doubled their 1-0 lead at half-time but they missed a few chances and settled for their narrow lead.

The Goans restored parity after ATK conceded a penalty through Borja Fernandez's handball as the captain was seen hit on his arm trying to chest the ball.

Joffre Gonzalez, who represented ATK in their ISLwinning season 2014, rose to the occasion levelling it with a cool-headed display.

The Spaniard sent the ball to the right corner while Majumder went the other way much to the dismay of ATK's home supporters.

23rd CSA Games & Athletics Meet held

Players of the final football match along with officials and Guest of Honor.

DIMAPuR, OctOBER 16 (MExN): The Chakhroma Sports Association (CSA) conducted its 23rd Games and Athletics Meet 2016 from October 11 to 15 at Medziphema Local Ground. Divided into four units/ groups, the CSA Meet witnessed various track and field events be-

sides volleyball and football.

Group D emerged as the champions of Men's Football while Group C and Group B won the Men’s volleyball and Women's volleyball respectively.

Both men and women competed in the various individual Track & Field events which included 100 m,

200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, shot put, discus, javelin, high jump, long jump and triple jump.

Meanwhile, CSA has informed that the Indoor Games and Wrestling Meet will be held on November 25 and 26 at Chumoukedima and Medziphema respectively.

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