Pregnant Man Who Gave Birth To His Brother After 36 years

The astonishing case of Sanju Bhagat who was said to be 9 months pregnant man was a shocking discovery in medical history.

Sanjay Kumar, also known as Sanju Bhagat, of Nagpur, India carried his parasitic twin for 36 years. He always felt self-conscious about his swollen belly.

One night, in June 1999, the mystery inside his big tummy was solved when his problem grew painful and serious. He was unable to breathe.

The 36 year old farmer was rushed to the hospital. The doctors suspected a big tumor inside and decided to do the required treatment and remove the thing from his stomach.

Gloves were on and the doctors were ready to start when they discovered something ‘jaw dropping’. The doctors were horrified to find a strange half-formed creature. No, I don’t mean Renesme Cullen from the twilight saga. This was real. Dr. Ajay Mehta, the doctor operating Bhagat, was confused as well as shocked to find limbs, hair, jaws and some parts of a genitalia inside a man’s belly.

Dr. Mehta says that it was a case of ‘Fetus in Fetu’, that takes place in case of twin pregnancy, where one fetus gets enveloped by the other. The dominant one grows and feeds the other one like a parasite. I’m scared now. I’m always hungry.. I hope there’s no one inside me eating up my food.

In most cases, both the twins die but this one was an unusual miracle of God. Bhagat had carried his twin for 36 years which is kinda interesting. The story reports that the finger-nails of the enveloped fetus were quite long. This indicates that it had been alive for some time after Bhagat was born.

twin was removed and the operation was successful. Funny how Bhagat never cared to know what had happened to him. He was rather happy that he’s no more ‘the man who got pregnant’ ! However, I feel sad to say that Bhagat was always mocked by the villagers as ‘the  pregnant man’, ironically it was true. But his case was something worth salutation.

28% salary jump for top babu, 17% for entry level

The Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations will result in the basic salaries of Secretaries seeing the steepest jump of over 28% while the rise at the bottom is expected to be around 17% from the current level.

While the entry-level government functionary usually gets the lowest hike, the gap between someone in the lowest pay band with the cabinet secretary , the top band, has widened a little.

Factoring in the 119% dearness allowance that is currently paid, a government employee at the lowest scale earns around Rs 15,300 a month (without factoring in other allowances), which is now projected to rise to Rs 18,000. In contrast, the cabinet secretary , who earns Rs 1.97 lakh would be eligible to get Rs 2.5 lakh if the government accepts the recommendations.

Once the change takes place, the entry-level employee would be getting a little over 7% of the cabinet secretary's basic salary , compared to under 8% now.

Even an entry-level Group A employee, who is an under secretary would get less than a quarter of what the cabinet secretary -the country's top bureaucrat earns.

Overall, the pay commission has recommended a hike of 23.6% in pay and allowances of central government employees, while pension is projected to increase by 24%. 

Source : Times Of India,21-Nov-2015

 

Data that may be helpful:

Important Points:-

• Pay Commission is set up intermittently by government of India, and gives its recommendations regarding changes in salary structure of its employees
• 7th Pay Commission Chairman Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur Retired Judge of the Supreme Court and Retired Chairman, Armed Forces Tribunal
• 6th Pay Commission Chairman  Justice B.N.Srikrishna

Source:- Times Of India, 21-Nov-2015

ISRO working on 4-D, 5-D imaging technology: scientist

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working on 4-D and 5-D imaging technology.

Disclosing this after inaugurating the 6{+t}{+h}International Conference on Health GIS here on Friday, distinguished scientist and professor at ISRO, A. Sivathanu Pillai said work on 4-D and 5-D imaging technology was part of the space agency’s engagement with “hyperspectral imaging,” which is a new and emerging area in Geographic Information System (GIS).

“Using the satellite, we are trying to process and view the five-dimensional images,” said Dr. Pillai, who is also the former Managing Director of BrahMoS Aerospace, Ministry of Defence.

Pointing out that 4-D and 5-D imaging technology would be coming out in a big way, Dr. Pillai said researchers, doctors and students would soon be able to use the most advanced GIS tool for welfare activities.

He appealed to institutions and others to make use of the valuable spatial data available at ISRO facilities for preventing epidemics and improving healthcare.

Dr. Pillai, who recalled how the images of coconut trees in Kerala, obtained from remote sensing satellites, helped tackle the spread of a viral disease a few decades ago, pointed out that spatial data patterns can be used for public health interventions in a cost-effective manner.

Healthcare and prevention of diseases can be better addressed if all relevant data and analyses are provided in GIS maps through an institutionalised arrangement involving the government agencies.

Vice-Chancellor of JSS University B. Suresh referred to the recent rains in Chennai and said GIS could be used to address a possible outbreak of post-flood epidemic. The breeding space for diseases can be identified through GIS and necessary healthcare measures can be taken.

The theme of the international conference on GIS organised by JSS University in association with Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok and Khon Kean University, Bangkok, is “Geo ICT for Epidemic Control and Healthcare.”

It is part of the space agency’s engagement with ‘ hyperspectral imaging’

 Source :- The Hindu, 21-Nov-2015

‘India must be wary of new influenza viruses’

India should be prepared for the invasion of new influenza viruses of avian origin, especially H9N2, according to Robert G. Webster, a world-renowned authority on influenza viruses and emeritus Professor, Division of Virology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, U.S.

He says it is “a rather benign but extremely dangerous virus which can sometimes affect humans” and which is currently very active in poultry markets in Bangladesh and China.

The other potential threat for India was the H7N9 influenza virus, which could be carried across the Himalayas from China by geese, the same way H5N1 came in 2006.

So far, H7N9 outbreaks have been confined to China, where 677 human cases were reported, with about one-third of infected humans dying, he said.

Dr. Webster, who was in the city recently as part of the foundation day celebrations of the Union Department of Biotechnology, was talking about the pandemic potential of influenza viruses. He was hosted by the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology.

H5N1 is now endemic in Bangladesh and shows up occasionally in India, as it did in Kerala last year.

Data that may be helpful:

Important Points:-

• H9N2 is a subtype of the species Influenza A virus (bird flu virus). H9N2 influenza virus is the gene donor for H7N9 and H10N8 viruses that are infecting humans nowadays.
• H7N9 is a bird flu strain of the species Influenza virus A (avian influenza virus or bird flu virus).
• Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). The avian influenza A(H7N9) virus designation of H7N9 identifies it as having HA of the H7 subtype and NA of the N9 subtype.
• Influenza A virus subtype H5N1, also known as A(H5N1) or simply H5N1, is a subtype of the influenza A virus which can cause illness in humans and many other animal species.

Source : The Hindu, 21-Nov-2015

Look who has made it to the Forbes list!

Two Indian-origin businessmen have been ranked by Forbes magazine among the richest entrepreneurs in America under the age of 40, a list that has been topped by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Vivek Ramaswamy, 30, a former hedge fund manager, has been ranked 33rd on the list with a net worth of $500 million. Forbes said his source of wealth is investments.

On the 40th spot is 29-year old Apoorva Mehta, the founder and CEO of Instacart, the web-based grocery delivery service.Mehta’s net worth is $400 million.

Zuckerberg leads the pack with a net worth of $47.1 billion, more than four times as much as the second person in the ranks, his cofounder and college friend Dustin Moskovitz.

At number three is Jan Koum, who started WhatsApp, now the world’s biggest mobile messaging service with 800 million users in 2009 and sold it to Facebook for about $22 billion in cash and stock in 2014.

Forbes said California techies dominate the first ever list of the nation’s 40 most successful young entrepreneurs under the age of 40, “reaffirming the American Dream and proving yet again that there is no better way right now to get rich fast than to go west and convince venture investors to back your most ambitious ideas.” Elizabeth Holmes is the only woman to make the ‘America’s Richest Entrepreneurs Under 40’.Holmes quit Stanford at age 19 to start blood testing company Theranos.All of the young entrepreneurs in the list have net worths of USD 400 million or more and 34 made their money in the tech sector.

The list’s youngest member is Palmer Luckey, who was just 21 years old when he sold his virtual reality equipment company, Oculus, to Facebook for USD 2.3 billion in July 2014.

— PTI

Vivek Ramaswamy and Apoorva Mehta, both Indian-origin American businessmen, among richest entrepreneurs under 40

Source :- The Hindu, 21-Nov-2015

The coming trade storm

On 5 October, the nature of global trade was radically transformed.Twelve countries around the Pacific Rim signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) ­ a free trade agreement covering 870 million people, 40% of global GDP , and accounting for $2 trillion in merchandise trade.

TPP is not just another tariff eliminating mega regional trade pact. It is about developing a `new normal' for conducting international trade ­ encompassing lower benchmarks for non-tariff barriers, more stringent labour and environment regulations, stronger intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, and greater transparency in government procurement limiting advantages to state owned enterprises.

Therefore, TPP when ratified by all 12 countries would, for the first time, take multilateral regulatory oversight over measures by sovereign governments beyond their borders. It may be, however, a year before ratification is completed.TPP is likely to face serious opposition in US Congress.

Another mega deal is currently being negotiated, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the US and European Union. This could become operational in the next couple of years. TTIP has a similarly ambitious agenda as TPP, going much beyond WTO.

Thus, India faces the grim prospect of being frozen out of major global markets and trade flows in case TPP and TTIP become operational. The two mega pacts together will cover more than 70% of global GDP and about 60% of world trade. It is pertinent to ask if India can take steps to mitigate the likely negative impact on its exports, investment inflows and technology imports of this new generation of mega regional pacts.

Delhi could respond in several ways to prevent isolation. It could try and secure an invitation to join TPP. It could also try and accelerate on-going negotiations under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and raise its ambition levels in these negotiations.

RCEP negotiations cover 16 countries including the 10 Asean economies and six partner countries: Australia, China, India, Korea, Japan and New Zealand.These 16 members together cover more than 3 billion people, a GDP of about $17 trillion and more than 50% of world trade.However, unlike TPP and TTIP , RCEP doesn't aim to cover `behind the border' measures because both India and China, Asia's two giants, don't support that.

RCEP , if concluded, would give India more leg room for negotiating its entry into mega regional pacts at some later date. It is worth recalling that of the 16 RCEP countries, seven are also members of the far more ambitious TPP . In addition to concluding RCEP negotiations India could also accelerate its on-going negotiations with EU, which if concluded would give it some comfort when TTIP comes into force.

Unfortunately , none of these responses are likely to materialise. Recent pronouncements from Udyog Bhawan are estimony to this. India-EU negotiations have effectively been put on hold. India s planning a three-tier offer under RCEP, which will surely complicate our already complex import regime, thereby encouraging rent-seeking by customs officials. Moreover, the Department of Commerce reportedly commissioned a study by a JNU professor, which has concluded that free trade agreements FTAs) signed by India have an overall negative impact on India and should therefore be carefully reviewed! This is a defensive response to evolving institutional changes in world trade.However, large swathes of Indian industry remain globally uncompetitive, as revealed by continuous decline in our exports for the last 11 months. Thus, the defensive response is understandable as Indian policy makers, with constant lobbying from industry interests, fear over-exposing our domestic industry to global competition.

But a protectionist policy stance is not an optimal solution, especially when India wants to maximise employment generation for its 12 million new entrants to the workforce every year. India has to expand its exports of both goods and services as these are relatively employment intensive. It would be far more practical for Udyog Bhawan to focus on measures to make Indian industry globally competitive, rather than reviewing FTAs already in place or continuing to rely on temporary interest rate subventions or fiscal handouts that do nothing to improve competitiveness.

Measures to make Indian industry more competitive requires focussed attention on improving physical infrastructure, especially for medium and small industries that contribute nearly 60% of our exports. It would also require further simplification of processes and procedures and a revamping of the export promotion regime that has become dysfunctional.

India should seriously push for finalising new bilateral FTAs with some TPP members to dilute the impact of trade and investment diversion due to TPP.Lastly , there is an overlap of members of RCEP and TPP which raises concerns that standards of RCEP will eventually converge to that of TPP.

This calls for urgent reforms in India's domestic policies to close the gap with the `new normal' global standards.Otherwise India will be cut off from global supply chains and lose precious job generating opportunities. There is an urgent need to improve and revitalise Indian manufacturing and services like tourism to ensure that India can exploit the opportunities offered by global trade.

The writer is Senior Fellow Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi 

Data that may be helpful:
Important Points:-

• TPP :- The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement ("TPP") is a free trade agreement currently being negotiated by nine countries: The United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.
• Intellectual property (IP) :- Is a term referring to creations of the intellect for which a monopoly is assigned to designated owners by law. Some common types of intellectual property rights (IPR) are copyright, patents, and industrial design rights; and the rights that protect trademarks, trade dress, and in some jurisdictions trade secrets: all these cover music, literature, and other artistic works; discoveries and inventions; and words, phrases, symbols, and designs.
• TTIP :- The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, with the aim of promoting multilateral economic growth.
• RCEP :- Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and the six states with which ASEAN has existing FTAs (Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand)

 Source : Times Of India, 20-Nov-2015

Interesting Things About Indian Rupee

Indian currency is as historic as the Indian civilization. Currency in the form of punch-marked coins existed even before Christ. Coinage can be traced back to as early as the 6th century BC, in the earliest of civilizations in India. 
Every nation evocation their currency with a specific name, and we know our currency as Rupee. Do you know that Rupee word originated from Sanskrit “rupyakam” which means silver coin. In India Reserve Bank of India controls the issuance of currency. Lets check out some amazing and interesting facts about our Indian Rupee.

Indian Rupee

Some Interesting Facts 


1. As we all know that Rs.1000/- is largest/ biggest denomination of today, but before independence — 10,000 and 5000 rupees currency notes were existed. RBI was demonetize all such notes in 1938, and reissued it in 1954 and once again demonetized in 1978.

5000 Rupees

2. On Indian Rupees you can’t find these “I, J, O, X, Y, Z” alphabets / letters on the number panel. As in these case RBI only have twenty alphabets are used as insets. For security reasons, Reserve Bank of India doesn’t reveal which inset alphabet/ letters are assigned for which printing press.

3. Did you know that life of a banknote is only 9-10 months average ?

4. Our Indian currency have Braille signs to help the visually challenged, which gives hope to the blind –identify currency note. There were identification mark’s on the left side of banknote, which have different shapes for 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10 as Diamond, Circle, Triangle, Rectangle, Square and None respectively.

5..Currency has existed in the form of coinage in India since the 6th century BC.  The Ancient, the medieval and the Mughal period all used currency in the form of coinage. The most notable was Sher Shah Suri's Rupiya, which became the precursor of the modern rupee

6.  50 paise coins are still in circulation. They are called small coins while the other denominations are known as rupee coins.

7. The Reserve Bank of India was formally inaugurated in 1935 and was empowered to issue Government of India notes. The first note issued by the RBI was a five rupee note bearing King George VI's portrait.

8. Paper money was first issued in the late eighteenth century. Bank of Hindostan, General Bank in Bengal and the Bengal Bank are the first banks to have issued paper currency

9.The one rupee note was the first banknote printed by independent India.

10. Mahatma Gandhi (MG) series notes introduced in 1996 are being replaced by the MG series 2005 notes with some additional security features. Pre-2005 banknotes can be exchanged at any bank branch till June 30, 2015

.

Cochin Shipyard to build secret vessel for DRDO

A top secret vessel, which will bestow(present) the country’s defence research establishment with a rare capability to track the full flight of future long-range naval missile systems, is in the making in Kochi.

The public sector Cochin Shipyard, which is in the final stages of constructing India’s first indigenous(native) aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, is learnt to have been contracted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to build a ‘technology demonstration vessel’ for the purpose in the next three years.

While both the DRDO and the yard remained tight-lipped(with the lips firmly closed, especially as a sign of suppressed emotion) about the project, it is understood that the contract, believed to be worth Rs.365 crore, was signed between the yard and the end-user in early August this year.

Once ready, the 130-metre-long vessel built to commercial standards specifications, will be fitted with ‘user-supplied equipment’.

Sources in the DRDO suggested that the ship would have an array of sensors and radars to track flight of long-range missiles during test-firing.

“The DRDO and the Navy are in the forefront of indigenisation(making something more native) of maritime systems and several new naval missiles of varying range are being developed at the moment. Equipped with sensors, the ship will be deployed at sea to track the full flight path of longer range missiles that are under development,” said a top official.

Just as the DRDO is jointly developing the long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM), also called Barak 8, with the Israel Aerospace Industries, naval weapons development in India is set for a huge leap with the ‘K’ series of submarine-launched missiles such as K-15 and K-4.

To be fitted on board the Arihant-class of submarines, the K-15, a.k.a B-05, missile is said to have a range of over 720 km while the bigger K-4s will have an operational range of 3,500 km. Missiles with longer ranges are also being talked about, pointed out a source.

The original contract for construction of the vessel was signed with Bharati Shipyard, but time overruns forced by the yard’s poor finances led to termination of the contract with the penalty clause.

Subsequently, the Cochin Shipyard won the bid to execute the prestigious project.

The contract, believed to be worth Rs.365 crore, was signed between the yard and the end-user in

August this year.

Data that may be helpful:

Meanings:-

• bestow :- present
• indigenous :- native
• tight-lipped :- with the lips firmly closed, especially as a sign of suppressed emotion
• indigenisation :- making something more native

Important Point :-

• SAM :- A surface-to-air missile (SAM), or ground-to-air missile (GTAM), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of antiaircraft system; in modern armed forces, missiles have replaced most other forms of dedicated antiaircraft weapons, with anti-aircraft guns pushed into specialized roles.
• Barak 8 :-  Barak 8 (the Hebrew word for Lightning) is an India-Israeli surface-to-air missile (SAM), designed to defend against any type of airborne threat including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs as well as cruise missiles and combat jets. Both maritime and land-based versions of the system exist.
•  Arihant-class Submarine :- Arihant class (Sanskrit, for Killer of Enemies) is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines being built for the Indian Navy. The lead vessel of the class, INS Arihant, was first launched in 2009 and began sea trials in December 2014.

 Source : The Hindu, 21-Nov-2015

FCRA notice served on Jaising’s firm

Indira Jaising has received foreign funds while holding a government post, says MHA

Noted lawyer Indira Jaising’s human rights advocacy firm Lawyers’ Collective has been served a notice by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for allegedly receiving foreign funds of over Rs.11 crore when she held the post of Additional Solicitor General (ASG) from 2009 to 2012.

Ms.Jaising was appointed by the then UPA government, and the MHA has said in its notice that she received foreign funds while holding a government post, which is a violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA).

The MHA curiously sent the notice acting on a complaint filed by a Jaipur resident, Raj Kumar Sharma.

Data that may be helpful:

Important Points :- 

• Home Minister :- Rajnath Singh
• FCRA :- The Foreign Contribution (regulation) Act, 2010 is an Indian act of Parliament, the 42nd of 2010. It is a consolidating act whose scope is to regulate the acceptance and utilization of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by certain individuals or associations or companies and to prohibit acceptance and utilization of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality for any activities detrimental to the national interest and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto."

Source : The Hindu, 21-Nov-2015

Nitish sworn in Bihar CM, 28 join his team

Nitish Kumar was sworn in Bihar Chief Minister for a fifth time on Friday at a grand event attended mostly by non-BJP leaders. The two sons of RJD chief Lalu Prasad — Tejaswi and Tej Pratap — and 26 others were also sworn in.

In the late-evening allocation of portfolios, Tejaswi Yadav, the younger son of Mr. Lalu Prasad, became Deputy Chief Minister. The elder son, Tej Pratap, was given charge of three important Ministries.

Apart from Nitish Kumar, 12 members each from the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal and four from the Congress were administered the oath of office.

After Mr. Kumar, Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap took the oath. All the family members of Mr. Lalu Prasad were present at the glittering ceremony on Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan.

The JD(U) members who took the oath are: Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Shrawan Kumar, Jay Kumar Singh, Maheshwar Hazari, Krishnandan Prasad Verma, Santosh Nirala, Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad, Shailesh Kumar, Kumari Manju Varma, Madan Sahni and Kapildeo Kamat.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, Bijendra Yadav, Shrawan Kumar and Jay Kumar Singh were Ministers in the previous Nitish government. Shailesh Kumar, Kumari Manju Verma, Madan Sahni and Kapildeo Kamat are first-timers.

Other RJD leaders who found a place in the new Cabinet are Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Abdul Gafoor, Vijay Prakash, Chandrika Rai, Alok Kumar Mehta, Ram Vichar Rai, Sheo Chander Ram, Muneshwar Chaudhary, Dr. Chandrashekhar and Anita Devi.

Source : The Hindu, 21-Nov-2015

No. of govt employees?





Exactly how many employees does the Central government have? The report of the Seventh Pay Commission seems to suggest that nobody is quite sure.The report validated data on personnel received from the various ministries by comparing it with the data from two sources, the expenditure budget of the finance ministry and a census of government employees prepared by the labour ministry's Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGET). It found glaring(giving out) inconsistencies in the two in some ministries. The most startling difference, the report points out is in the case of the civil employees of the defence ministry.
While the expenditure budget puts their number at just under 34,500, the DGET places it at nearly 3.8 lakh and the data obtained by the commission at almost 4 lakh. There are also huge differences in the figures for the postal department, the foreign ministry and the commerce ministry.
In general, the commission found that the DGET data was closer to the numbers obtained by the commission though dated, while the expenditure budget numbers were substantially different. The report, therefore, calls for standardization of data on an IT platform to ensure its integrity and availability of consistent data.
The same chapter in the report makes an interesting comparison with the strength of the federal government in the United States to point out that while the US has 668 federal employees per lakh of its population, India has only 139 per lakh, thereby bringing into question the notion that we have an outsized government.
It also makes the point that like in the US, federal government employment in India (excluding the Railways and Posts) is concentrated in a few departments, only more so.

In the US, the defence department accounts for about 34% of the federal personnel and the departments of veteran affairs, homeland security and the treasury between them another 29%.In India, the home ministry accounts for 55%, defence civilians 22% and revenue 5%.
The foreign ministry had the highest per capita expenditure on pay and allowances for personnel at Rs 34.95 lakh in 2012-13, while the home ministry's figure was a mere Rs 2.97 lakh.
One obvious reason was that Group A officers form a much higher proportion of MEA personnel than in most other departments barring some like space, civil aviation, IT and renewable energy . The allowances for postings abroad would clearly be another factor. 

Data that may be helpful:
Important Points:-

• DGET :- The Directorate General of Employment & Training (DGE&T) in Ministry of Labour is the apex organisation for development and coordination at National level for the programmes relating to vocational training including Women's Vocational Training and Employment Services.
• Pay Commission is set up intermittently by government of India, and gives its recommendations regarding changes in salary structure of its employees
• 7th Pay Commission Chairman Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur Retired Judge of the Supreme Court and Retired Chairman, Armed Forces Tribunal
• 6th Pay Commission Chairman  Justice B.N.Srikrishna

Source : Times Of India, 20-Nov-2015

`80% Indians for religious freedom'

India is among the countries that have highest support for religious freedom, with eight out of 10 Indians believing that it is very important to have the freedom to practice their faith compared to a global median of 74%, according to a survey by Pew Research Center.

Non-partisan fact tank US-based Pew Research --that surveyed 38 countries and interviewed 40,786 people between April 5 and May 21, 2015 --found there is strong support for gender equality and religious freedom in India.83% Indians say it is very important to have the freedom to practice their religion compared with a global median of 74% across the nations polled.

The report said, 74% of the respondents in India say media organizations should be able to publish informa tion about large political protests in the country . Across the nations polled, a global median of 78% also say this, Pew said.

Surprisingly , given the fact that India is now the world's second largest user of smartphones, support for internet freedom in India at 38% is among the lowest of all countries polled. Even though internet freedom ranks last among the six broad democratic rights included in the survey , the majority of those polled in 32 out of 38 countries say it is important to live in a country where people can use the internet without government censorship. Across the 38 nations, a median of 50% believe it is very important to live in a country with an uncensored internet, it said.

A global median of 65% say it is very important for women to have the same rights as men and in India 71% of those polled agree, the report said. On the issue of equal rights for women, there are sharp differences between men and women in most of the countries in the study . In 24 nations, women are more likely than men to say it is very important for women to have equal rights.

“However, in India, there is no gender difference on this question,“ Pew said.

Source :- Times Of India, 20-Nov-2015

EQUALLY LITERAL

Source :- Times Of India, 20-Nov-2015

Planning for next flood

Cyclonic storms on Tamil Nadu’s 1,076-km coastline are not unusual, and at least once in two years there is some disaster or the other. The common thread running through every such instance is that all claims of preparedness are invariably exposed as either hollow or woefully inadequate. The focus, as well as any claim to administrative efficiency, is solely on rescue and relief operations. What the government is able to demonstrate is only some good mobilizing of human and material resources after the event. Rarely is there a reconsideration of the policy of civic planning, especially the tendency to place real estate and commercial interests above those of nature and ecology. The latest disaster to hit Tamil Nadu was not a cyclone, yet it highlighted the inadequate level of preparedness. The inundation(flooding) in Chennai and its neighboring districts exposed all the flaws in its urban planning, housing and real estate policy and water management. Scenes of large sheets of water spread across hundreds of localities, cutting off tens of thousands of people from the rest of the city, provided grim(unattractive ) testimony to the appalling(shocking) mistakes of the past. As rain battered(injured by repeated blows or punishment) the city, it was clear that the drainage system was either too weak or non-existent. Compounding the problem of urban waste clogging(blocking) drains was widespread encroachments that have whittled(reduced) down the carrying capacity of many water channels.

A big factor behind the flooding is the rampant(spreading unchecked) construction of buildings on water bodies, wetlands and areas that were originally floodplains. Large tracts of land in the suburbs(an outlying district of a city, especially a residential one) have seen a real estate boom. None should have been surprised by water flowing into such areas, creating islands out of apartment complexes and making whole colonies resemble fields under irrigation. There is a good deal of official patronage(support) for the establishment of habitations on lakes and ponds. Even the Housing Board implements such projects, and planning authorities approve them routinely. Such disasters could have been prevented through planning, curbs on occupation of water bodies, and pre-monsoon desilting(to remove suspended silt from) of drains and water channels. A key factor that ought to be taken into account is that the city needs an intricate(very complicated or detailed) drainage system to match its burgeoning(begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish) development. With the city’s municipal limits expanded in recent years to take in dozens of smaller villages and townships, the only remedial step can be significantly enhancing civic infrastructure in the added areas. But it is a daunting(seeming difficult to deal with in prospect; intimidating) task for the government to implement the real solution – keeping water bodies free of construction and habitation. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has sanctioned Rs.500 crore for immediate relief, and sought further Central assistance. The government must also look for sound hydrological solutions to address the shortcomings in the city’s water storage and drainage system, and revisit present policy priorities. There can be no smart city without intelligent planning.

Data that may be helpful:

Meanings:-

• inundation :- flooding
• grim :- unattractive 
• appalling :- shocking
• battered :- injured by repeated blows or punishment
• clogging :- block
• whittled :- reduced
• rampant :- spreading unchecked
• suburbs :- an outlying district of a city, especially a residential one
• patronage :- support
• desilting :- to remove suspended silt from
• intricate :- very complicated or detailed

 Source :- The Hindu, 20- Nov-2015

SC nod for draft paper on judges appointment

Having trashed the NDA government’s National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) law last month, the Supreme Court lobbed(throw or hit (a ball or missile) in a high arc) the ball back into the Centre’s court by accepting an offer made by Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi on Wednesday to prepare a draft memorandum replacing the 1999 one laying down the procedure to be followed while appointing judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts.

A five-judge Constitution Bench, led by Justice J.S. Khehar, gave Mr. Rohatgi a broad outline of what they expected from the draft memorandum, including the establishment of an independent secretariat to help the collegium( A group whose members pursue shared goals while working within a framework of mutual trust and respect).

Evaluation of complaints

Another suggestion was to have the government and the judiciary equally share the burden of evaluation of complaints received against shortlisted judicial candidates.

The Bench suggested that complaints regarding the professional performance of the candidates as judges or lawyers would be evaluated by the judiciary, while the government would probe charges against candidates’ integrity.

Data that may be helpful:

Meanings:-

• lobbed :- throw or hit (a ball or missile) in a high arc
• collegium :- A group whose members pursue shared goals while working within a framework of mutual trust and respect 

Important Points:-

• National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was a proposed body which would have been responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary in India.

Source :- The Hindu, 20- Nov- 2015

7th pay panel

The Seventh Pay Commission, chaired by Justice A.K. Mathur, will submit to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday recommendations for an average 15-16 per cent increase in pay, allowances and pensions for Central government employees, lower than the 20 per cent suggested by the Sixth Pay Commission on the basis of which the then government revised the pay scales by nearly 40 per cent with effect from 2006.

“The less generous recommendation reflects that the economy isn’t booming now as it was then,” a member of the Commission told The Hindu . The Modi government is expected to revise pays, pensions and allowances, on the basis of the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations, with effect from January 1, 2016, for 48 lakh employees and 54 lakh pensioners.

Top sources told The Hindu that the report could not reach an agreement on “controversial” issues such as if and how the edge the IAS and the IFS officers enjoyed over other services should be maintained, and the report included multiple dissent notes from its members.

Data that may be helpful:

Important Points:-

• Pay Commission is set up intermittently by government of India, and gives its recommendations regarding changes in salary structure of its employees
• 7th Pay Commission Chairman Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur Retired Judge of the Supreme Court and Retired Chairman, Armed Forces Tribunal
• 6th Pay Commission Chairman  Justice B.N.Srikrishna

Source :- The Hindu, 20-Nov-2015

Nitish Kumar Swearing- in on Friday

Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several national and regional leaders to his swearing-in scheduled for Friday.

However, Mr. Modi may not attend the function and his Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Rajiv Pratap Rudy are likely to represent him.

Earlier, Babul Supriyo, Union Minister of State and BJP MP from Asansol in West Bengal, told some private news channels in Varanasi that Mr. Modi would attend the ceremony. But the BJP in Bihar denied any knowledge of his visit.

“We’ve no idea about Mr. Modi visiting Patna…He may not be able to attend the function because of his engagements,” BJP vice-president Sanjay Mayunkh said. However, party leaders told The Hindu that Mr. Naidu and Mr. Rudy would instead represent the Prime Minister at the ceremony.

JD(U) Bihar president Basistha Narayan Singh said: “The invitation to the Prime Minister was a matter of political etiquette and it is up to him to decide.”

Political leaders close to Mr. Nitish Kumar said the Chief Minister had also invited BJP leader L.K. Advani, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Union Ministers from Bihar.

Meanwhile, Bihar Congress president Ashok Chaudhury has confirmed that party vice-president Rahul Gandhi will attend the ceremony. He is likely to reach Patna on Friday afternoon and drive straight to the Gandhi Maidan, the venue of the function. He will also meet the newly elected Congress MLAs at the party headquarters before returning to Delhi. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, though invited, is unlikely to turn up, party leaders said. Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Tarun Gogoi (Assam) and Akhilesh Yadav (U.P.) have also been invited.

Meanwhile, the preparations for the swearing-in are apace, and rooms in posh city hotels have been booked for the guests.



Source :- The Hindu, 20- Nov- 2015

Interesting facts about Hippo

Interesting Facts About Hippopotamus

The term, “Hippopotamus” has been derived from two Greek words, Hippo meaning horse and potamos meaning river. That is why it is also known as, “River Horse”. After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl. Hippos are distantly related to whales and probably SHARE a common ancestor, the now extinct line of “hoofed predators” that contained the famous “wolf-sheep” Andrewsarchus.
The female Hippos give birth to a baby calf one at a time within a time span of two to three years. Before and after giving birth, the expecting mother isolates herself for a time period of 10 to 44 days along with the baby. The mother then nurses the baby for 12 months, stays by it in the early years and protects it. Just like other mammals the female Hippos feed their babies with their own milk, but one thing that differentiates the Hippo’s milk with others’ is its color.

Yes, it is true the color of Hippo’s milk is bright pink. The reason why it is pink is that hippo secretes two kind of unique acids called “Hipposudoric acid” and “Norhipposudoric acid“. The two acids got their names from the word Hippopotamus.
The Hipposudoric acid is reddish in color and often known as, “Blood Sweat” (hipposudoric, referring to hippo sweat), although its neither blood nor sweat. While the other, Norhipposudoric acid is bright orange. Both these acids are strong enough to minimize the growth of the bacteria on the Hippo’s skin. These acids also act as a sunscreen for the Hippo’s skin as they absorb the UV rays that destroy the skin cells. In a milking Hippo the two acids get combined with the white milk and thus pink colored milk is ejected. So the formula is simple:

White + Red = Pink

Hippos are the only mammals that produce pink milk; there were many who believed that Yak’s milk is also pink but the fact is that when a Yak gives birth to a calf, the first milk produced contains blood that gives it a pink color and is known by the name of “Beastings”. After some time the milk turns back to the usual white color.
Besides the pink color of the milk there are some other interesting facts regarding Hippos that you may find interesting:

Fun Hippopotamus Facts

- A common hippo’s hide alone can weigh half a ton!

- Male hippos will attack young hippos in the water, but not on land.

- An adult hippopotamus can stay submerged for 5 to 6 minutes.

- A baby hippo can eat grass in 3 weeks, but nurses for a year.

- A hippopotamus can eat 100 to 150 pounds of grass in a night.

- A hippo’s tail is up to 22 inches long.

Defining terror, evolving responses

It should come as no surprise that radical Islamists associated with the Islamic State have engaged in terrorist attacks in Paris. The Islamic State, or ISIS, has always called on Muslims to engage in violent, lone wolf, attacks in the West, if they are unable to “emigrate” to its territory in Syria and Iraq. The priority in ISIS’s ideology is for Muslims to travel to build the caliphate, where they can lead a virtuous life in ISIS-land. Indeed, this is framed as a religious obligation along with the formal recognition of, and swearing allegiance to, Ibrahim bin Awwad al-Badri (aka Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi) as the supreme leader (caliph) of the imperial and global Islamic State or caliphate.

Understanding the Paris attack

What makes the Paris attack different, however, is its complexity and coordination — it is not a lone wolf attack. Rather, it appears to have been organised and directed by the Islamic State, and, as such, resembles an al-Qaeda-style overseas operation that ISIS leaders have explicitly condemned in the past. For ISIS’s ideologues, organised violence has invariably been focussed on the enemy that is near, principally Shias and agents of “apostate” Arab governments (e.g., Iraq or Saudi Arabia). Major and coordinated attacks in distant lands are to be avoided because these can result in a massive retaliation and the loss of the territorial base that was acquired by the caliphate. ISIS leaders have often criticised al-Qaeda for the 9/11 attacks because this led to the crushing of the movement in Afghanistan and the defeat of its host, the Taliban regime. Furthermore, attacking the distant infidel is not a priority given the closer and more dangerous enemies at hand such as the Shias.

So what explains the Paris attacks, which represent a departure from ISIS’s tactics and perhaps even strategy? In a word, defeat. ISIS has been dealt a string of recent defeats with the loss of territory, the death of many of its top commanders and numerous fighters as well as the drying up of its recruitment networks. ISIS has lost territory in both Syria and Iraq, most recently the towns of Sinjar to the Kurds and Baiji in October to the Iraqi government and irregular forces. The road connecting ISIS’s two most important urban centres, Mosul and Raqqa, is no longer under ISIS control. In Syria, ISIS not only lost Kobani, but also Tal Abyad and looks about to lose all its territory along the Turkish-Syrian border. After ISIS’s suicide attack in Ankara in October, Turkey effectively stopped the pipeline that was feeding the movement with recruits through its territory. At the same time, the Russian air force became involved in the Syrian war on the side of the Bashar al-Assad regime and ISIS has been targeted.

The need for ‘success’

Furthermore, the allied air campaign, including the French air force’s from October, has been devastating. But the most decisive military factor has been the coordination of air power with local ground forces, such as the Kurds. ISIS’s response to its defeats has been desperate; namely, to engage in an endless number of suicide attacks as the only means to make up for its losses. ISIS’s predecessor, al-Qaeda in Iraq, followed the same pattern of increasing its suicide attacks as it lost territory, especially from 2007 onward. Farther away from Syria and Iraq, ISIS’s situation has also worsened militarily: its top commander in Libya was recently killed, and Boko Haram, its affiliate in Nigeria, is suffering defeat too. Even in Yemen, ISIS appears to have been eclipsed by other Sunni forces, including al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

This combination of factors helps explain why ISIS feels the need to engage in attacks in places like Paris and to break with its previous policy of focussing on the local. ISIS is looking increasingly like a lost cause and it needs to place itself back at the centre of global events, to prove its relevance, and resilience, as well as to attract new recruits. Its propaganda machine requires it to have “success” stories. It should therefore come as no surprise that the social media sphere exploded with tens of thousands of postings during and after the Paris attacks, jubilating about the “conquest of Paris” and the “killing of infidel pigs”. ISIS’s daily radio news bulletin (Al Bayan Radio) is quite revealing in this regard. It consists of recounting an endless list of victories, on all fronts, with details of enemy losses, but none for ISIS. It is very much like listening to the old Nazi or Soviet radio propaganda — onward and forward but no retreat or defeat. ISIS not only lacks the confidence to inform about the truth, but as a self-proclaimed divinely ordained state it can only enjoy victory and never suffer defeat. Here lies its Achilles heel because with defeat it loses its appeal and its claims ring hollow.

The campaign by the Western allies, including at times an uncomfortable coordination with Russia, to contain and degrade ISIS is working. And the Paris attacks — of which we should now expect more to take place as the Islamic State’s desperation increases — are unfortunately a sign of this success. But this success, and the ultimate military victory against ISIS, is fraught with difficulty because ISIS represents more than an organisation.

As expression and symptom

ISIS is an expression and symptom of the political disenfranchisement and humiliation that many Sunnis, in particular Sunni Arabs, feel in today’s world. Such feelings arise from a complex set of factors. Among these, certainly, is Western intervention, such as the U.S. invasion of Iraq and its devastating effects on Iraqi society. But perhaps more important has been the decades long brutalisation of, and the provision of a poor education for, Arab populations by their own governments, who also have not delivered on promises of economic development. In addition, though more difficult to describe and apprehend, is a civilisational sense by the Arabs (and Muslims) of having been bypassed by history and left behind while other peoples advance and enjoy the fruits of progress. Addressing such grievances and structural problems cannot be done militarily. The answer must involve finding political solutions for the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts, and engaging in cultural and educational efforts to defeat ISIS’s ideology that sanctifies violence as the only means for Sunni empowerment and glory. This is not something Western governments are equipped to do or capable of accomplishing. It is an effort that must emerge from within the Arab and Muslim communities. Thankfully, there are increasingly important voices, even in places like Saudi Arabia, that are courageously speaking up against the ideology of jihadism and its cul-de-sac promises. Until such persons prevail, and this won’t happen anytime soon, we must remain vigilant and expect the persistence in our lives of this violent feature of global politics.

Source :-The Hindu, 19- Nov-2015

APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Manila

Leaders from 21 countries and self-governing territories are in Manila for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Trade, business and economic issues are on the meeting’s official agenda, but terrorism, South China Sea disputes and climate change are also set to be in focus.

Latest developments

7.40 a.m. IST: A barricade of police, vans and fire trucks blocks about 1,000 anti-globalisation protesters marching on the venue of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting in Manila.

Police are using water cannons and canes to try and disperse the increasingly rowdy protest.

Earlier about 100 students clashed with police at a public square, with the two sides pushing and shoving and police beating protesters with their batons after the students crossed over a security barricade.

The protesters carry banners that read “Junk APEC” and “Down with the Puppet U.S.-Aquino Regime.”

Protest leader Renato Reyes of the left-wing alliance Bayan says over the past two decades “APEC and imperialist globalization have only benefited the rich countries while further impoverishing developing countries like the Philippines”.

Protesters also marched toward a separate media centre for the APEC meetings.

3.20 p.m. IST, Wednesday: China’s President Xi Jinping and his APEC summit host Philippine President Benigno Aquino III have briefly met as the two days of leaders’ meetings officially begins.

According to presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma, Mr. Aquino said: “Welcome, President Xi! Thank you for coming to Manila and attending the APEC meeting.” He then gestured for Mr. Xi to join the other leaders.

China is at odds with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations over China’s expansive claims to the South China Sea. The disputes are not part of the APEC agenda.

Meanwhile, Mr. Aquino and President Barack Obama have had a meeting and joint press conference and Mr. Obama has underlined his support for allies in the region such as the Philippines.

12.45 p.m. IST, Wednesday: Police have thwarted activists dressed as animals from bringing climate change and animal rights to the attention of APEC leaders.

A “jeepney” vehicle full of PETA activists in full body animal costumes was making its way around Manila’s financial district Makati where Mr. Obama, Mr. Xi and other leaders were speaking. But it was stopped by police before getting near the venue.

A kangaroo was holding a sign that read “I Am Not Leather” while a pig held a sign in Spanish “Stop Climate Change, Go Vegan.” A seal, a rat, a cow, and an elephant were also inside the jeepney, holding placards in various languages and waving to people on the streets.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals campaigner Ashley Fruno says “We were shocked that our event was stopped, as all we were doing was advocating for kindness and reminding APEC leaders and delegates that animal agriculture is a leading cause of climate change.”

10.40 a.m. IST, Wednesday: About two hundred protesters trying to march on the venues for APEC meetings are blocked by riot police.

Security is very tight in the Philippines capital as world leaders meet for two days as part of the APEC summit.

Protesters jostled with police and burnt a mock U.S. flag.

Vincent Crisostomo of anti-globalisation group Anakbayan says, “APEC is an enemy of the Filipino people.”

9.50 a.m. IST, Wednesday: Mr. Xi is seeking to reassure regional economic and political leaders that his government will keep the world’s No. 2 economy growing.

Mr. Xi told a business conference on the sidelines of the APEC summit that China is committed to reforming its economy and raising the living standards of its people.

Mr. Xi did not comment on South China Sea disputes.

8.45 a.m. IST, Wednesday: Mr. Obama is calling on China to halt further land reclamation and new construction in the South China Sea.

Mr. Obama is meeting with Mr. Aquino on the sidelines of the APEC summit. He’s calling for “bold steps” to lower tensions.

Mr. Obama says he and Mr. Aquino discussed the impact that China’s land reclamation is having on regional stability. He’s adding that maritime disputes need to be resolved peacefully.

Mr. Aquino says freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea must be continuously ensured, consistent with international law.

8.40 a.m. IST, Wednesday: Local news reports say a woman in labour failed to reach hospital and delivered her baby on a Manila sidewalk, assisted by police, after getting caught in horrendous traffic due to road closures for APEC.

ABS-CBN news website posted pictures from eyewitness Angel Ramos-Canoy of the woman being helped off a motorcycle and assisted on the sidewalk, apparently in labour. Reports say the incident happened on Monday.

Cely Gonzales of the San Juan de Dios Hospital says the woman did not want to be interviewed. Ms. Gonzales says, “the mother and baby boy are doing well and are about to be discharged.”

8.10 a.m. IST, Wednesday: Mr. Obama tells a business conference on the sidelines of APEC that nations must achieve an “ambitious framework” to limit global warming.

Mr. Obama and dozens of other leaders will meet in Paris at the end of the month to finalize a carbon-cutting deal.

Mr. Obama urged businesses to view responses to climate change as an opportunity. He says there’s no contradiction between economic development and protecting the environment.

“My message to you today is your businesses can do right by your bottom lines and also the planet.”

7.40 a.m. IST, Wednesday: Manila residents are complaining of difficulties getting to work and a fake image of the Philippines being presented to the world during the APEC meetings.

Roads have been closed to regular traffic in central Manila and other efforts made to spruce up the usually traffic clogged city.

Trixie Logan, 19, says it’s “a bit off because it’s like fake beauty, because they hid the problems around just to say that the Philippines is beautiful”.

Many workers whose offices are near the APEC venues are walking for several kilometers to get to work because of the tight security.

Jaime Rocete, 63, says, “Workers are having a difficult time, especially for those who are sick, with arthritis, it’s hard to walk.” 

Data that may be helpful:


Important Points:-

• APEC: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit
• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
• 27th APEC Summit 2015 :- 16 - 18 Nov 2015, APEC CEO Summit, Manila, Philippines (second time the Philippines is playing host to the APEC, having hosted the event previously in 1996)
• 26 th APEC Summit 2014 :- 10–12 November at International Conference Center, Beijing, China
• 28th APEC Summit 2016 :- Lima, Peru
• China’s President Xi Jinping
• Philippine President Benigno Aquino III 

Source: The Hindu, 19 -Nov- 2015