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Unmanned drones to ensure security during Beijing Olympics
04.07.2008 09:26
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China’s security forces would use unmanned drones to patrol the skies over the Olympics venue Qingdao City, to watch for suspicious activities and transmit photos and videos back to command stations. This would be the country's first known use of the spy craft, reported Xinhua. The unmanned scout made its debut at a drill on Wednesday in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. During the drill, two armed police personnel remotely piloted the meter-long reconnaissance aircraft by a third-floor window in a building more than 50 meters away, and watched activities inside the room on a screen at their ground station. Costing around one million yuan (approx. 147,000 US dollars) each, the low-altitude, low-noise aircraft can reconnoiter several square kilometers and stay in the air for an hour, said Dai Sujin, head of the armed police forces of Shandong. But, he did not reveal the source of the technologies or the total number of the weapons dispatched during the Games, citing operational security. Qingdao City will receive 464 athletes from 65 countries for 11 sailing events. It is also the only host city beside Beijing to hold opening and closing ceremonies. Besides the unmanned drones, another 35 kinds of anti-terrorist weapons were on show in mock hijackings and bomb attacks. "They are expected to be used by the security forces during the Beijing Olympics," Dai said. China has put emphasis on security in the run-up to the Games. An anti-terrorist force of nearly 100,000 commandos, police and army troops is on high alert for attempted terrorist attacks. Security forces in host cities Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shenyang, Qinhuangdao and Hong Kong have been patrolling the ground and skies of all venues and the maritime safety of coastal venues. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Advanced Light Helicopter ‘Dhruva’ becomes great asset for security forces
04.07.2008 09:26
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Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) named Dhruva (Pole Star), a light (5.5t class) multi-role and multi-mission helicopter has proved useful for security forces in Kashmir. "Dhruva", an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which developed indigenously by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is a new generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class with twin-engine configuration allowing a continued flight virtually throughout the flight envelope. The helicopter which has been designed to meet the requirements of both the military and the civil operations, has high military capabilities for heli-borne assault, casualty evacuation, inspection, logistic support, and training. Ajay Chauhan, a Colonel of Indian army fighting insurgency in Kashmir valley said that the multi-functionality of 'Dhruva' has certainly made it a force multiplier. "We have the Dhruva helicopter flying overhead and giving us surveillance of the area. It also was useful in transporting material and personnel with its ability to fly at high altitudes and its all weather ability. It definitely is a force multiplier," said Colonel Ajay Chauhan. Defence sources said the "Dhruva" can operate in various geographical conditions. It can fly at higher altitudes, has sea level high lift potential and is a performer at higher speed. They said that it aptly fulfills the requirements of the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard. Its Integrated Dynamic System ensures low vulnerability, increased safety and reliability. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Manmohan Singh to discuss Indo-US nuclear deal with Bush on July 9
04.07.2008 09:25
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Prime Minister Manamohan Singh is expected to meet US President George W. Bush on July 9 on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in Hokkaido in Japan. Singh is expected to discuss the progress of the Indo-US nuclear deal with Bush. Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters here that the Indian government would like to go ahead with the deal, but cannot give timeframe. "We will go ahead with it as soon as we can. Once we take a decision to approach the IAEA, we will let you know. The US was committed to getting India exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for nuclear commerce under July 2005 civil nuclear cooperation agreement,” he said. Menon said India was in touch with the NSG and would proceed on the deal as early as possible. Many world leaders going to attend the Hokkaido summit are also the members of the NSG, he added. The Prime Minister, during his three-day visit, would discuss various topics including climate change, energy and food security with G-8 leaders and those from the outreach countries like China, Brazil and South Africa. India has been attending G-8 outreach meetings since 2003 and an important outcome of the last year's G-8 summit in Heiligendamm in Germany was the initiative to launch a high-level dialogue between the G-8 and the five-outreach countries to be completed at next year's summit in Italy. Menon said India has also come out with a national action plan for climate change and it would like to see an international framework for climate change in place and would work for this. The action plan declares that India's greenhouse emissions will not be more than the emissions of developed countries. (ANI)
India
Social Life
President launches Gateway Portal to connect with rural poor
04.07.2008 09:25
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President Pratibha Patil launched the Government’s multi-lingual portal ‘India Development Gateway (InDG)’ in New Delhi today to connect with the rural people by providing information on strategic needs of the poor and the marginalized in local languages. Rural communities can immediately access information in six important sectors namely, Agriculture, Rural Energy, Education, Health and e-Governance in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and English. President said: “The portal can link panchayats across the country, empower village people and open a window of opportunity to rural development. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) must help bring about a second green revolution in agriculture.” “The Gateway should help achieve universalisation of primary education, energy conservation and energy efficiency and health objectives in the villages. It should be used to inform rural population about benefits from Government Schemes and income generation options,” she added. Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja said: “The Gateway Portal is part of the national e-Governance vision to make all government services accessible to the common man in his locality.” He hoped the portal would bring about change in villages and promote holistic human development. He described the initiative as another attempt to bring the power of IT to the unreached. Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Jyotiraditya Scindia said the portal would bridge the knowledge gap, empower the youth and give full choices to citizens. The Chairman of the India Development Gateway Initiative and eminent scientist Professor M.S. Swaminathan, said the portal marks a new architecture of growth based on social inclusion, knowledge revolution and national development. He said, the portal would provide dynamic information in areas like weather and market to support agriculture and other sectors in villages. The ceremonial launch of the portal was attended by a host of partner organizations and senior officials. (ANI)
India
Social Life
IIT Delhi revokes termination order of 3 students
04.07.2008 09:25
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The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has revoked the expulsion of three students for under performance here today, including two belonging to the Scheduled Caste. The premier institute had expelled 20 students, of these 11 belonged to the SC category, one to the ST and eight were General Category students citing unsatisfactory performance in June first week. The IIT official said the decision on 17 others would remain the same. The decision was taken today after a meeting of the IIT's review committee which looked into a complaint regarding expulsions. A senior IIT official said, "The committee took a lenient view because of the special circumstances." Recently, the National Commission for the Scheduled Castes had summoned IIT Delhi Director Surendra Prasad on a complaint that the administration had “deliberately handpicked” the students from the SC/ST communities. (ANI)
India
Social Life
A noisy brain is a healthy brain: Study
04.07.2008 09:25
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Canadian scientists have shown that random brain activity that is not important to mental function, often considered to be ‘noise’, is actually indicative of a healthy brain. Experts at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest say that their findings overturn the intuitive notion that the brain noise quiets down as children mature into adults, and become more efficient and consistent in their cognitive processing. "What we discovered is that brain maturation not only leads to more stable and accurate behaviour in the performance of a memory task, but correlates with increased brain signal variability," said lead author Dr. Randy McIntosh, a senior scientist with the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest. "This doesn't mean the brain is working less efficiently. It's showing greater functional variability, which is indicative of enhanced neural complexity," Dr. McIntosh added. A research article published in the Public Library of Science - Computational Biology suggests that the study involved 79 participants representing children aged eight to 15, and young adults aged 20 to 33. All the subjects completed a series of face memory tasks to measure their ability to recall faces with accuracy. The researchers collected the participants’ electroencephalography (EEG) recordings to measure their brain signal activity, while they were performing the task. They found the young adults to score better on the face recognition tasks compared to the children, which was an indication of more stable and accurate cognitive behaviour. The researchers also observed that the young adults' brain signal variability actually increased and became noisier. "These findings suggest that the random activity that we think of as noise may actually be a central component of normal brain function," said Dr. McIntosh. (ANI)
India
Health & Beauty
Flooding and animal diseases are very important for diversity of natural areas
04.07.2008 09:25
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Scientists have demonstrated that natural disturbances such as flooding and animal diseases are very important for the diversity of natural areas. For research into the matter, Dutch Rubicon laureate Chris Smit investigated a large number of blackthorn seedlings between five and ten years old in the Junner Koeland, a 100 ha, species-rich natural area along the Overijsselse Vecht river in The Netherlands, which has been grazed extensively for centuries. Young blackthorns have scarcely been spotted there over the past 30 years. These observations coincided with a considerable reduction in the rabbit population since the end of the 1990s, caused by the disease viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS). The establishment of scrub is an important process that leads to greater variation and diversity in a landscape. Prickly shrubs such as blackthorn and hawthorn provide a valuable safe haven for many plant and animal species. The thorns protect these plants and animals from grazing by large mammals. Smit’s experiments show that blackthorn seeds under the scrub are quickly eaten by small mammals such as mice. Thorns provide no protection against this. However, Smit discovered that the young plants in the Junner Koeland frequently grew in recently flooded sections among high vegetation that was inedible for grazers. Blackthorn seeds in the inedible vegetation have better chances of survival. Thus, large and small grazers together limit the spread of blackthorn, with the influence of the small grazers seeming to be the greater. Current nature management policies will need to take more account of the importance of small mammals and natural disturbances when it comes to the diversity of natural grasslands. Large grazers have now been introduced on a wide scale in Dutch natural areas. One of the main aims of this introduction is to promote greater natural diversity in the landscape, as greater diversity leads to more plant and animal species. (ANI)
India
Health & Beauty
Umbilical cord stem cells may offer treatment for hepatic diseases
04.07.2008 09:25
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A new study has revealed that stem cells derived from human umbilical cord may offer a treatment option for hepatic diseases. Researchers from Universities of Granada and Leon have found that human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBCs) can effectively treat hepatic diseases, such as hepatitis and are therefore an effective alternative to bone marrow. The researchers examined the regenerative potential of HUCBCs cells with the help of xenotransplant model from human to rat in which HUCBCs were injected through the hepatic portal vein of rats with hepatitis caused by D-galactosamine. They found that cell transplant in rats caused an improvement both in the histological damage and in the hepatic function. The present treatment for terminal hepatic failure consists of a liver transplant. This method is, however, limited due to the lack of donor organs. In addition, there is not at present a specific treatment for the fibrosis caused by many hepatic diseases, so that receive a treatment for the complications of the disease. The development of such alternatives is therefore an essential objective for present research to improve suffering in many patients. The study is published in the journal Cell Transplantation. (ANI)
India
Health & Beauty
Inflation jumps to 11.63 per cent
04.07.2008 05:57
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Despite government’s measures to control inflation, which has been increasing for the past few months, it inched a new high this week marking above 11.63 per cent. The Reserve Bank had raised short-term rate and cash reserve ratio in the previous week to balance the demand and supply sides. Inflation had already soared to a 13-year high of 11.42 per cent for the week ended June 14. While food articles and textiles during that week were up 0.7 per cent, primary articles rose by 0.2 per cent, and fuel, power and energy were up by 0.1 per cent. A steep rise of 3.6 per cent was recorded in minerals, while tea was up by 3 per cent. Non-food articles, however, were down by 0.5 per cent. Finance ministry officials have warned that inflation could inch up to 13 per cent before making a slow descent. Experts too are of the opinion that double-digit inflation is here to stay for some more time, but could come down in September. With prices of crucial commodities like steel likely to rise further, inflation is expected to stay over 11 per cent before it peaks around September. (ANI)
India
Economics & Finance
China lays down the rules for further talks with the Dalai Lama
04.07.2008 05:57
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The Chinese government is learnt to have conveyed to His Holiness the Dalai Lama that before another round of talks with his representatives could be held, he should publicly declare that the activists of ‘Tibetan Youth Congress’ should not disturb the Beijing Olympic Games and shun plots to fan violence during the Games. Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, recently met with two Dalai Lama representatives, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, and said that “the door of dialogue is always open.” Du is also the vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee. “The Dalai Lama should openly and explicitly promise not to support activities to disturb the Beijing Olympic Games and plots to fan violence, and justify his words with his actions. He should also take steps to show he does not support the violent terrorist activities of the 'Tibetan Youth Congress', and should help curb them," the China Daily quoted him as saying. The Chinese Department in charge of Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs has said a new round of talks can be held at the end of the year if the Dalai Lama shows “positive behavior”. “The central government will continue to support the region's economic and social development and work toward improving the living standards of the people in Tibet,” he said. The central government's policy toward the Dalai Lama is consistent and explicit, said a statement issued by the Department on Thursday. Zhu Weiqun and Sitar, two deputy heads of the department, also met with the Dalai Lama's representatives. According to the department's statement, the Dalai Lama's representatives said they would report the developments to him. During their stay in Beijing, the two visited the Olympic Games' stadiums and talked with some Tibetologists too. It was the highest-level meeting since talks resumed between the central government and the Dalai Lama in 2002 and the second closed-door dialogue after the Lhasa riots in March. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Six killed during Jagannath rath yatra in Puri
04.07.2008 05:57
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At least six people were killed and 12 injured in a stampede during the annual rath yatra of Lord Jagannath here today. "Policemen have been rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. The injured have been taken to the government hospital,'' said Director General of Police Gopal Chandra Nanda. During the procession, the idols of Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, the deities of the Sri Mandira, are taken out. Thousands of devotees pull the chariots with the idols from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. For seven days, the deities stay at the Gundicha Temple and then return. Every year, Puri's Rath yatra is held in June-July and lasts for about ten days. The ten-day yatra will conclude on July 14. (ANI)
India
Social Life
US Congressman Gary Ackerman meets PM
04.07.2008 05:57
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US Congressman Gary Ackerman met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here today in the backdrop of the Bush administration support to the Indo-US civil nuclear deal. Ackerman, who is also the chairman of the House of Representatives panel on west and south Asia, was accompanied by five other delegates at the meeting. Ackerman had earlier expressed his doubts over getting the approval of the USCongress for the 123 Agreement, the final step towards operationalising the nuclear deal before the end of the term of George W Bush's administration. Ackerman's comments that time was running out ahead of U.S. congressional and presidential elections in November and the inauguration of Bush's successor in January were the most explicit of a series of statements by lawmakers and officials. The pact, which gives India access to U.S. nuclear fuel and technology, is potentially worth billions of dollars to U.S. and European nuclear supplier companies and would give India more energy alternatives to drive a booming, trillion-dollar economy. The pact, signed by Bush and Dr. Singh in 2005, would give India access to U.S. nuclear fuel and technology the country had been denied after its 1974 nuclear bomb test. The deal has been in doldrums due to stiff opposition by Left parties combine, which is supporting the India's ruling coalition from outside. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Advani to launch election campaign in Gujarat on Sunday
04.07.2008 05:57
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Bharatiya Janata Party's Prime Ministerial candidate L. K. Advani is all set to launch election campaign for the Lok Sabha due in the normal course for May 2009. Advani would launch the campaign in his constituency in Gujarat on July 6. Advani, a five term Lok Sabha member has been associated with Gandhinagar since 1989. The candidature of the leader of the opposition was announced in the first list of six candidates released by the party last week. A meeting has been fixed up for Sunday evening, which would be attended by the top leaders of the party and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Jagannath rath yatra begins in Puri amidst tight security
04.07.2008 05:57
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The annual rath yatra of Lord Jagannath began here today morning amidst tight security. During the procession, the idols of Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, the deities of the Sri Mandira, are taken out. Thousands of devotees pull the chariots with the idols from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. For seven days, the deities stay at the Gundicha Temple and then return. For smooth conduct of the festival, both State and district administration have taken all necessary steps. Over 4,000 police personnel including 29 IPS officers, 23 OPS (DSP), 61 inspectors, three companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and 1,200 home guards have been deployed to avoid any kind of untoward incident. Various CCTVs have been installed at strategic places to monitor the crowd. Every year, Puri’s Rath yatra is held in June-July and lasts for about ten days. The ten-day yatra will conclude on July 14. (ANI)
India
Social Life
New method that blocks HIV transmission via breastfeeding on the anvil
04.07.2008 05:57
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Researchers from Lavax (Palatine, Ill.) and the University of Illinois at Chicago are developing a new method that may help in inhibiting HIV transmission from breastfeeding. They have revealed that vaccinating the infants with probiotic lactobacilli from the human mouth can block HIV transmission via breastfeeding. It belongs to the same species as those found in dairy foods, such as yogurt and kefir. According to the researchers this strain captures the HIV virus by binding to its outer 'envelope'. As it grows and reproduces itself in milk, once an infant is inoculated with the Lactobacillus, the protection may last until the infant is weaned. This technology offers an easily administered alternative to HIV vaccines, which are currently unavailable. By screening a variety of food ingredients for a better protective agent, the investigators have identified a new alternative. The analysis showed that, after 12 weeks, the Lactobacillus in the infant formula was as good as fresh Lactobacillus in capturing HIV and blocking the HIV infection of cultured mammalian cells. The study was presented during the 86th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR). (ANI)
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