Robert Downey Jr. confirms Spider-Man will appear in 'Civil War'

Actor Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man in "Captain America: Civil War", has confirmed that Spider-Man will be a part of the upcoming superhero film.
Ever since production banners Sony and Marvel Studios signed a licence-sharing deal, which allowed the latter to put Spider-Man in some of its films, speculations about the character appearing in "Captain America: Civil War" have been mounting.

"(Don) Cheadle (War Machine) and I are just going, 'Wow, dude, look at this'. We're now like the old guard, and our storyline carries real weight just because of our history in the (canon). 

"But we're also looking around like, 'Who thought that Falcon and Black Panther and Ant-Man and now Spider-Man...?' I mean it's like wow, this thing is just crazy," Downey Jr. told ew.com.

Another thing suggesting that Spider-Man will really appear in "Civil War" is that the entertainment website spotted a man wearing familiar red-and-blue suit on the set of the movie. The man in the suit appeared to be a stunt double for new Spider-Man Tom Holland's role.

However, producer Kevin Feig declined to comment on the character. "Listen, if there was a cosplayer running around that set when you were there, I don't know what to tell you," Feige said.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, "Captain America: Civil War" will release in May next year.

Chennai floods: Singapore to contribute to flood relief - wissendaily

Singapore, Dec 5: The Singapore Government will contribute $75,000 towards the Singapore Red Cross' South Asia Floods 2015 public appeal, following devastating floods in Chennai city and other parts of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa on Saturday, Singapore Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said he was saddened by the hundreds of lives lost and disrupted due to the severe flooding in South India, Channel News Asia reported.
"Like many Singaporeans, I hope that the floods will recede soon. I am confident that normalcy will return to your state in the near future under your leadership," he wrote. Balakrishnan added that he hoped the Singapore government's contribution to the fund would be able to help those affected. "We hope that this will be of some assistance to those affected by the floods, and demonstrate Singapore's solidarity with the people of Tamil Nadu during this difficult period," Balakrishnan added.

Chennai and its suburbs were battered by record rains for the past one month, leaving at least 325 people dead. Unlike some areas such as Mylapore, Adyar and Annasalai where the water level has receded and electricity supply has been partially restored, people in many pockets in north Chennai continued to remain cut-off.


Source - One India

ISIS says two of its followers behind California attacks- wissendsily

Washington, Dec 5: Two followers of the Islamic State (IS) group carried out the California attacks that killed at least 14 people and injured 20, the group's radio broadcast said on Saturday. US citizen Syed Farook, 28, and his wife Tashfeen Malik, 27, were involved in the attack in Californian city San Bernardino, the terror outfit said in its daily broadcast al-Bayan, Xinhua news agency reported. 

According to police, "some degree of planning" was involved in the shooting spree. Earlier, US' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) chief James Comey said on Friday that the shooting was being investigated as potential terrorism, but there was "no indication" suggesting a terror angle. "The investigation so far has delivered indications of radicalization by the killers and of potential inspiration by foreign terrorist organisations," Xinhua quoted Comey as saying. However, Comey said so far there was no indication that pointed to the husband-and-wife shooters' affiliation to any group. "We have no indication that these killers are part of an organised larger group or form part of a cell. There is no indication that they are part of a network," said Comey. The couple shot down 14 people Wednesday at a Southern California social services centre and injured several. According to local police, "some degree of planning" was involved in the shooting spree. It was revealed on Friday that the wife had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) on social media. IANS



Source- One India

Indian rupee hits more than 2-year low; RBI intervenes

The Indian rupee hit a more than two-year low against the dollar on Friday as domestic equity markets fell after an underwhelming stimulus package from the European Central Bank, forcing the Reserve Bank of India to sell dollars via state-run banks.

The rupee tumbled to 67.01 to the dollar, the lowest since Sept 4, 2013, from its previous close of 66.6525/66.6625.

Traders said the RBI likely stepped in to support the rupee at around 66.98 per dollar, sparking a rebound. The Indian rupee was at 66.8600/8650 per dollar as of 0641 GMT(around 12.10 pm).

The disappointment over the ECB comes amid growing worries of the impact on India and other emerging markets as the US Federal Reserve gears up to raise interest rates for the first time in around a decade this month.

Foreign investors sold a net $1.7 billion in Indian shares and debt in November, the highest sales since August.

“Unless RBI intervenes in a big way, rupee will remain under pressure,” said Ashtosh Raina, head of FX trading at HDFC Bank in Mumbai.

Some traders anticipate the rupee to fall to 67.50 to the dollar closer to the Fed policy meeting on Dec 15.

The rupee fell 2.1 per cent against the dollar last month, its biggest drop since August, and is down 0.3 per cent so far in December.

The fall in the local currency on Friday tracked a retreat in domestic shares after the ECB disappointed markets with a smaller-than-expected stimulus measure. India’s broader NSE index fell 0.9 per cent.

The limited easing measures come as Fed Chair Janet Yellen, speaking before Congress’ Joint Economic Committee on Thursday, said the United States may be “close to the point at which we should be raising” rates.

Markets will eye the US jobs data due later in the day for further cues on Fed rate move, although a rate hike is broadly being priced into the currency, traders said.

Source- Financial Express 

Chennai rains LIVE: 18 patient die in ICU, Army chief reaches to oversee relief operations

Though water level is slowly receding in many parts of Chennai and there is no rainfall in the city and adjoining areas since morning, the flood situation continues to remain grim in the city and several parts of Tamil Nadu. The city still remains virtually cut off from the rest of the country with air, rail and road transport services.

Army chief General Dalbir Singh has reached Chennai to personally oversee relief and rescue operations. 

According to reports, Chennai faces acute shortage of necessary items while the price of food grains sky rocket due to shortage. Residents have complained about lack of medicines, milk, potable water and vegetables. :

funfactsAt least 269 people have been killed to due to rain and flood related incidents in Tamil Nadu where thousands have become homeless.The floods have also killed 54 in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and two in Puducherry.Indian naval ship INS Airavat has reached Chennai with relief materials.Some 1.64 lakh people have been housed in 460 camps in Chennai, Cuddalore, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts while thousands have also been shifted to others' houses after water entered theirs.40 army teams, 6 navy teams with 12 boats and several relief teams have been deployed in Chennai to intensify rescue and relief operations.The government has deployed 1200 NDRF personnel, 100 boats and 200 divers to rescue stranded people in flood-hit areasNDRF DG O P Singh said 5 teams from Patna and Guwahati will soon leave for Chennai while 5 teams from Punjab have already reached Chennai. Another 5 teams from Pune are all set to leave for Chennai.Low pressure moving towards Tamil Nadu: Met Department.Air India to operate more flights today, private airlines to follow suit.Floods in Chennai are an impact of climate change: Centre for Science and Environmentfunfacts

A green body on Friday said that the floods in Chennai are an impact of climate change and the "unprecedented deluge" that the city has witnessed is a reminder of increasing frequency of such freak weather events across the Indian subcontinent. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that Chennai could have fared better if it had protected and preserved its natural water bodies and drainage channels.

Chennai floods: Operation Madad picks up momentum 

"We have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that our urban sprawls such as Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Srinagar and others have not paid adequate attention to the natural water bodies that exist in them," said?CSE director general Sunita Narain.

The US has expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the people affected by the worst floods in Chennai and has offered assistance to address the humanitarian challenge "especially in the case of strong partners like India".

  

"The US stands ready to assist the people of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, as well as the Government of India as they face the worst flooding in decades," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference on Thursday. 

Due to heavy rains and water over flowing above danger level at Railway Bridges in Chennai - Gudur Section the following trains are cancelled/diverted as detailed below:-

I) :

1. Train No. 12688 Dehradun-Chennai Central Express scheduled to depart Dehradun on 04.12.2015 is cancelled.

2. Train No. 22801 Vishakapatnam- Chennai Central scheduled to depart Visakhapatnam on 04.12.2015 is cancelled.

3. Train No. 13351 Dhanbad-Allepy Express scheduled to depart Dhanbad on 04.12.2015 and 05.12.2015 is cancelled.

4. Train No. 22644 Patna-Ernakukam Express scheduled to depart Patna on 03.12.2015 and 04.12.2015 is cancelled.

5. Train No. 12508 Guwahati-Trivendrum Express scheduled to depart Guwahati on 04.12.2015 is cancelled.

6. Train No. 15906 Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Express scheduled to depart Dibrugarh on 04.12.2015 and 05.12.2015 is cancelled.

II) :

1. Train No.12516 Guwahati-Trivendrum Express which left Guwahati on 02.12.15 which is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.

2. Train No. 12552 Kamahkya (Guwahati) - Yesvantapur Express which left Kamakhya on 02.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.

3. Train No. 12296 Patna-Banglore Express which left Patna on 02.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.

4. Train No. 12652 H.Nizamuddin-Madurai Express which left H.Nizamuddin on 03.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.

5. Train No. 12511 Gorakhpur-Trivendrum Express which left Gorakhpur on 03.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.

Train services from Chennai Beach station to Arakkonam will be at intervals of 45 minutes. The state government is making arrangements to move people from the station to  Rajali Naval Base

The arrival/ departure  timings of seven flights as approved by Navy for 4th and 5th December, 2015 to operate  to/from Arakkonam are as follows. However, Air India is expected to operate more flights on Friday. Private airlines will also to resume services :

1. Truejet (Hyderabad- Arakkonam-Hyderabad) 0830/0855 (only on 04 Dec),

2. Spicejet (Cochin-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 0945/1115

3. Spicejet  (Cochin-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 1500/1630,

4. Indigo (Hyderabad-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 1130/1300

5. Indigo (Bangalore-Arakkonam-Delhi) 1645/1815,

6. Air India (Hyderabad- Arakkonam-Hyderabad) 1315/1445

7. Air India (Hyderabad-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 1830/1945.

Nature's fury claimed 10,000 lives in 3 years

Floods, heavy rainfall and landslides are annual occurrences in several areas of the country, but poor preparedness has made them more lethal. Lives are lost, people get displaced as their houses are severely damaged. In the last four years there have been over 10,000 deaths, and 38 lakh houses and crops in 1.37-lakh hectare damaged as natural disasters wreaked havoc in several parts of the country. No lessons have been learnt and the Tamil Nadu floods are another reminder of the grim situation.

In fact, maximum killings can be attributed to floods in the country as over 11,000 people lost their lives to it in the last decade. The state governments and the Centre have coughed up over Rs 50,000 crore for creating a response mechanism in this period. Data collated by the Union home ministry shows that this amount has been allocated to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Forces. Officials dealing with the subject say while the response system has improved the years, prevention is an area that has failed.

Centre stands by the people of Tamil Nadu in the hour of grief, says PM Modi 

The response system has been excellent in recent years. NDRF, paramilitary forces, Army and the Air Force have risen to the occasion during tough challenges like floods in Uttarakhand in 2013 and Kashmir in 2014.

The report of the working group on disaster management for the twelfth five year plan (2012-17) states that prevention and mitigation are socially and economically more profitable investments than relief and rehabilitation. The group felt that mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in important central sector and centrally sponsored programmes is necessary for effective mitigation. The report stresses the need for enhancing Science and Technology capabilities for effective disaster management.

5 images of before and after the rains 

Department of Space approved a disaster management support programme in 2003, and despite pumping in Rs 112 crore for various components for disaster forecasting, the project is not completely functional. "The problem has been preparing for natural calamities. Red tape and a lack of coordination between the Centre and states on the subject have led to the failures," said a government official.

This was once again visible in handling of the Tamil Nadu floods with state government and Centre failing to communicate effectively before the situation went out of control. A government official at the Centre described the situation as "perverse federalism" as the state government did not see the need to rope in the Central government.

Source- India News

Chennai rains ops! IT companies invoke alternate plans as rain hits

Chennai, Dec 2: Heavy downpour have hit operations of IT companies in Chennai -- one of the leading IT destination in the country, but the firms say that they have invoked alternative measures to ensure there is no impact on critical services. Most of the offices in the city, including that of IT companies, remained closed today due to heavy rains with leading Indian firm Infosys deciding to remain closed tomorrow as well due to flooding at its premise.

www.wissendaily.blogspot.in

"In light of the rains and flooding in Chennai, Infosys campuses in the city were closed on December 2 and we have also declared a holiday on December 3. Our teams in Chennai have been working with local authorities to get employees stranded across the city to return home safely," Infosys spokesperson said. Infosys said that flooding at its both campuses is under control and the water levels have started receding. "Our business continuity plans have been activated and we have taken necessary actions to ensure client commitments are met, which includes managing work from other locations," the spokesperson said. Cognizant which has its largest office in Chennai with 60,000 people across 11 facilities in the city said that some of its employees have stayed back in office to support critical services while some have travelled to other cities to support operations. "In view of the situation resulting from incessant rains in Chennai and the meteorological department's forecast of heavy rains, Cognizant offices in Chennai are closed today, December 2. However, there is no disruption to work on critical projects and 24x7 operations support," Cognizant spokesperson said in response to an email query. The company said that it has invoked business continuity plan and employees have stayed back at its facilities for aiding projects that require round the clock support. It added, all arrangements have been made for the staff including food and accommodation, both in its campuses as well as nearby hotels. "We are providing all possible transportation support to our employees in Chennai and have advised them to take utmost safety precautions. Some of our employees have already travelled to Cognizant centres in other cities to provide support to our clients," it said.IT major Tata Consultancy Services said that its offices in Chennai are also shut today and "the strong business continuity plans ensure that there is no impact on business." The company said that all its employee are safe and there is no water logging in any of its offices. Airtel said that its services have also been partially disrupted due to power failure and the company is working with local authorities to restore them.


Source: One India

People leave homes as Adyar swells

The heavy rain on Sunday night and Monday in the city not only inundated low-level areas but also increased water flow in the Adyar river.

Though no alarm was sounded, people living in Gerugambakkam and Mallima Nagar, Ramachandra Nagar, Shiva Sankar Nagar and Shanmuga Nagar in Gowl Bazaar, vacated their houses, fearing floods if it rained harder for another day. Some families left for their relatives’ homes to celebrate Deepavali and were yet to return to their homes till Wednesday evening.  

They said when the Adyar was in full spate, the causeway got flooded, forcing them to take a detour to reach across to Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam and Porur or Kundrathur. The rain resulted in the river having a full flow of water, attracting the youth and children. Near the bridge on the road connecting Anakaputhur and Kundrathur, some men were spotted trying their hand at fishing.

Source : The Hindu

Captain Kohli’s proud homecoming

From achieving one rare feat to another, Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli seems destined to add new chapters to his glorious ongoing cricketing journey.

After leading the country to its first Test series win over South Africa in over a decade, Kohli is all set to become the third Delhi cricketer to captain the country on his home ground, the Ferozeshah Kotla, during the fourth and final Test of the series between the two teams starting here on Thursday.

When Kohli goes out for the toss at the Kotla, he will become the first Delhi player in 39 years to lead the country in his backyard. Legendary left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi was the last cricketer from the city to have done so, in a Test against England in 1976.

The Tony Greig-led side won that match by an innings and 25 runs, thanks to the efforts of seven for 46 and three for 24 by debutant fast bowler John Lever — who later got embroiled in the Vaseline controversy.

No different

Bedi recalled, “Honestly, I don’t think I was different from the rest. I was just one of them and there was no great excitement of leading India on home ground. Those were different times. There was no hype or glamour. I remember we did not even stay in a five-star hotel. Cricket definitely was much more enjoyable.”

The debonair Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was the other Delhi player to have captained India at the historic ground.

Pataudi, who played domestic cricket for the capital city from 1960 to 1964, led the country in a drawn Test against England in 1964.

Interestingly, Pataudi’s highest Test score (203 not out) had come in that match in 1964. But he did not rate his knock high. He wrote in Tiger’s Tale , “I got 200-odd in the fourth Test at Delhi, which wasn’t a great innings, although the records show it as the highest ever against England by an Indian.

The first 90-odd runs were helpful because they came at a time when India was trying to save the match, whereas the remainder had no bearing on the result, which was another draw.” It must rank as the most self-deprecating appraisal indeed.

Pataudi went on to captain India at the Kotla in two more Tests — against New Zealand (1965) and Australia (1969) — which the host won by an identical margin of seven wickets each. However, by that time Pataudi had switched his allegiance to Hyderabad.

For 27-year-old Kohli, the South Africa series has to be a memorable one.

With India taking a 2-0 lead in the third Test in Nagpur, Kohli had the rare privilege of ending up on the winning side in his first home series as captain.

This was his second consecutive series win since taking over from M.S. Dhoni in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Sydney in January; the earlier deed came in Sri Lanka when India fought back after losing the first Test.

So far, India has ensured victory in four of the nine Tests led by Kohli, drawing three and losing two — a good success rate.

Wearing the India blazer at the Kotla will certainly be a proud moment for captain Kohli. He made his first-class debut at Kotla in 2006-07 against Tamil Nadu.

Incidentally, Kohli’s India teammate M. Vijay’s first-class debut had come in the same match, which Delhi won. They can take a pleasant peep into the past as they prepare for the Test.

Source: The Hindu

Chennai rains: IMD predicts heavy rains in TN, Puducherry for next 4 days

The govt. has started releasing 20,000 cubic feet per second of water from Chembarambakkam reservoir, the highest volume of outflow in several years.

People being rescued using boats in Velachery on Tuesday. Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

Heavy rains today pounded several parts of Tamil Nadu and inundating most areas of Chennai, severely disrupting flights, train and bus services and forcing postponment of half-yearly school exams even as the state braced for more showers in next four days.

As the death toll in rain-related incidents touched 188, Chief Minister Jayalalithaaa reviewed the situation and deputed ministers to inspect the affected regions.

Half-yearly exams in schools, which were to have begun on December 7, were postponed. Schools were closed today and will remain shut tomorrow as well.

All flight operations at Chennai airport have been partially suspended until further review and a number of flights have been disrupted as waters inundated the runway and the tarmac. Airport officials said one flight, which had left Colombo this morning, returned. SpiceJet and Indigo tweeted saying the airfield had been closed due to flooding.

Source : The Hindu

Call for pact on emission cuts

U.S. President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, representing the two top emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, made a firm commitment at the Paris Climate Change conference on Monday to work for change, and called for an agreement that would cut carbon emissions and pave the way for a global transition to a green economy.

Touching on an emerging issue in climate policy, French President Francois Hollande called for a progressive tax on carbon to reflect its true price, and send the message that there is a cost to emitting greenhouse gases damaging the environment. At the Leaders Event being held for the first time in such talks, Mr. Obama wanted the Paris conference to send the right signal that it means business on encouraging new clean technologies.

Hundreds of billions of dollars were waiting to be deployed internationally to foster green innovation, he said, calling for the right rules and incentives to be put in place to unleash the creative potential of scientists and technologists. A large number of new jobs and new opportunities were waiting to be created.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while inaugurating the India Pavilion at the COP21 event, said India intended to make massive changes to its energy profile by increasing the share of renewables, achieving 175 GW by 2022.

In a reference to high expectations and difficulties in drafting consensus, Mr. Obama said: “Cynicism is an enemy we will be fighting at this conference.” He also asserted that the U.S. recognised its role as the second highest emitter, and embraced its responsibility to do something about it. America would make its contributions to the developed countries’ fund, he would make a further pledge on Tuesday, and meet the most affected group, the small island states, he said.

Source :- The Hinud, 01-Dec-2015

Now, a hug for peace in Srinagar

Amid a raging debate on intolerance in the country, a Kashmiri Pandit stood blindfolded in the heart of the city, inviting people to hug him to exhibit brotherhood between various communities in the Valley.

Inspired by a Muslim man who stood blindfolded in Paris asking people to embrace him if they trusted him after the November 13 attacks, Sandeep Mawa, a doctor by profession, stood at Press Colony here asking people to hug him.

He was accompanied by members from Sikh and the majority Muslim community, who embraced people irrespective of their religion to send a message of tolerance.

“We, all humans, are alike. When God has not differentiated between us, why should there be any division? There should not be any intolerance. This is the message we want to send across,” Dr. Mawa, who is the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Reconciliation Front, said.

He said the basic aim of the campaign was to promote universal brotherhood, interfaith dialogue, tolerance and build bridges between people of different communities within the State.

“We do not want politicians and agencies to divide people on the basis of religion. We will not allow anyone to harm Kashmiriyat . We oppose the hate campaign. The politics of religion is not good,” he said. Dr. Mawa said politicians should leave the people of Kashmir alone and desist from “dividing” the people.

“If they do not mend their ways, there will be a civil revolution in Kashmir,” he said. He also asked the Centre to talk to Pakistan for “addressing the Kashmir issue”, saying the neighbouring country was “a party to the dispute”. — PTI

Source:- The Hindu, 01-Dec-2015

HIV on the rise in Assam, Tripura

Assam and Tripura are among the North-eastern States that recorded the highest rate of annual increase in HIV cases, according to the Assam States Aid Control Society (ASACS).

Assam has registered a rate of increase from 0.04 per cent in 2007 to 0.07 per cent in 2011 with the number of cases increasing from 1,219 to 2,408 during the same period, ASACS Project Director Dhiraj Choudhury told reporters here on Monday on the eve of World AIDS Day.

In Tripura, the number of cases have increased from 567 cases in 2007 to 951 in 2011.

Assam, however, is categorised as a low HIV prevalence State with an adult HIV prevalence of 0.07 per cent while Manipur has the highest estimated adult HIV prevalence in the country at 1.22 per cent in 2011. — PTI

Source : The Hindu, 01-Dec-2015

Lack of parental care affects brain development: study

Children who are left without direct parental care for extended periods of time show larger gray matter volumes in the brain and may also show delay in brain development, according to a new study.

The researchers wanted to study children who are left in the care of relatives for a period of more than six months without direct parental care.

“Previous studies support the hypothesis that parental care can directly affect brain development in offspring. We looked at children who were left with relatives when the parents left to seek employment far from home,” said study author Yuan Xiao from the Sichuan University in China.

MRI exams from 38 left-behind children (ages seven to 13) were compared to MRI exams from a control group of 30 children (ages seven to 14) living with their parents.

The researchers then compared the gray matter volume between the two groups and measured the intelligence quotient (IQ) of each participant to assess cognitive function.

Empirical evidence

They found larger gray matter volumes in multiple brain regions, especially in emotional brain circuitry, in the left-behind children compared to children living with their parents.

“Our study provides the first empirical evidence showing that the lack of direct parental care alters the trajectory of brain development in left-behind children,” Xiao stated.

Since larger gray matter volume may reflect insufficient pruning and maturity of the brain, the negative correlation between the gray matter volume and IQ scores suggests that growing without parental care may delay brain development. 

 

 

Source :- The Hindu, 01-Dec-2015

Chikungunya virus may cause brain infection

Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus, can lead to severe brain infection and even death in infants and people over 65, a study says.

The study showed that the rate of brain infection, or encephalitis, from the chikungunya virus is higher than the rate seen in the US due to West Nile virus and similar infections between 1999 and 2007.

Encephalitis was more likely to occur in infants and people over age 65. The incidence rate in infants was 187 per 100,000 people, and 37 per 100,000 people in above-65 population. Many cases have occurred in the U.S. in people who acquired the virus while travelling, but the first locally transmitted case in the US occurred recently in Florida.

The most common symptoms of the infection are fever and joint pain. Most people recover within a week.

Source :- The Hindu, 01-Dec-2015

Creating art from genes and bacteria

Have you seen an artwork made of live bacteria and genes?

Bioart which has become one of several contemporary art forms that apply scientific methods to explore living systems as artistic subjects. Bioart ranges from bacterial manipulation to glowing rabbits, cellular sculptures, and — in the case of Australian-British artist Nina Sellars — documentation of an ear prosthetic that was implanted onto fellow artist Stelarc’s arm.

Conduit for new ideas

“Most people do not know that bioart exists but it can enable scientists to produce new ideas and give us opportunities to look differently at problems,” said study author Ali K. Yetisen from Harvard Medical School.

At the same time, there has been a lot of ethical and safety concerns happening around bioart and artists who wanted to get involved in the past have made mistakes, he added.

Bioart encourages discussions about societal, philosophical and environmental issues.“It can help enhance public understanding of advances in biotechnology and genetic engineering,” added study co-author Ahmet F Coskun from California Institute of Technology.

Joe Davis is an artist who works not only with paints or pastels, but also with genes and bacteria. — IANS

Source :- The Hindu, 01-Dec-2015

AAP Janlokpal Bill brings Union Ministers in its ambit

 

Having stormed to power on the back of a massive anti-graft movement, the Aam Aadmi Party government on Monday tabled the Janlokpal Bill in the Assembly. It will empower the proposed ombudsman to act against any public servant in the national Capital including those of the Centre, a move that may spark a fresh face-off between the two.

The Bill has proposed harsh punishment for proven charges of corruption including rigorous imprisonment ranging between six months and 10 years and, in the rarest of rare cases, life imprisonment and fine. The higher the rank of the errant public servant, the greater will be the punishment.

Under the Bill, the Lokpal will have powers to probe even acts of corruption against Union Ministers and Central government officials, a contentious provision which may trigger another round of confrontation between the Kejriwal government and the Centre.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, tabling the Bill, termed it as the most “effective and independent” in India’s history and said it is similar to the one that came up during the 2011 Anna movement, rejecting allegations of it being “completely different”.

The Lokpal, with its own investigating wing, will make probe time-bound, with time limit of six months to complete the inquiry. In exceptional cases, it can be extended up to 12 months.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the Bill as the “strongest” anti-graft law in Independent India.

“Congratulations Manish for presenting the strongest anti-corruption law of Independent India — Delhi JanLokpal Bill 2015. A historic day,” he tweeted.

The Bill seeks to provide full protection to whistle-blowers from physical harm and administrative harassment. For this, the Janlokpal may issue orders and directions to the Government or any other authority to provide security and protection to whistle-blowers.

Mr Sisodia said the Janlokpal will have power to probe every act of graft occurring within the boundaries of the NCT of Delhi. --PTI

Data that may be helpful:
Important Points:-

• The Jan Lokpal Bill, also referred to as the Citizen's Ombudsman Bill, is an anti-corruption bill drafted and drawn up by civil society activists in India seeking the appointment of a Jan Lokpal, an independent body to investigate corruption cases.

Source :- The Hindu, 01-Dec-2015

Cameron asks Modi to free Britons

British Prime Minister David Cameron has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the immediate release of six British sailors who were arrested in 2013 along with 29 other crew members from a United States-registered vessel found anchored in Indian waters off the Tuticorin port in Tamil Nadu with a large quantity of arms and ammunition(a supply or quantity of bullets and shells).

Passports confiscated(take or seize (someone's property) with authority)

The six Britons identified as John Armstrong Wigton, Nick Dunn Ashington, Ray Tindall Chester, Paul Towers, Nicholas Simpson Catterick and Billy Irving Connel are all ex-military men. They have been detained in Tamil Nadu as their passports have been confiscated by the authorities after the Supreme Court in July this year ordered a retrial in the case. The Hindu has learnt that before Mr. Modi embarked on his three-day tour to the United Kingdom in November, his office received a letter from 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister’s Office

Data that may be helpful:
Meanings:-

• ammunition :- a supply or quantity of bullets and shells
• confiscated :- take or seize (someone's property) with authority 

Important Points:-

• British Prime Minister David Cameron

Source :- The Hindu, 30-Nov-2015 

Mullaperiyar panel inspects reservoir

The Mullaperiyar subcommittee on Sunday visited the Mullaperiyar dam in the wake of increasing water level.

There were also reports of a leak in the baby dam.

The committee took note of the water level. The supervisory committee is scheduled to visit the dam on Monday. The water level in the dam rose to 138.8 ft. The maximum allowed water level is 142 ft.

The district administration has alerted the people living in the downstream of the dam as per the Theni Collector's alert.

Tamil Nadu is drawing water from the dam at a low level. The district administration has identified 129 people living in the downstream to be shifted to shelter homes if the dam shutters were to open after reaching the water level over 142 ft.

Though, there was increased inflow into the dam following heavy rainfall in the catchment area on Saturday, there is no possibility of a sudden rise in the water level.

The water level in the dam rose to 138.8 ft. Maximum allowed water

level is 142 ft.

Data that may be helpful:
Important Points:-

• The Mullaiperiyar Dam or Mullaiperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River in the Indian state of Kerala It is located 881 m (2,890 ft) above mean sea level, on the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki District of Kerala, South India.

Source :- The Hindu, 30-Nov-2015

Fate of GST Bill depends on ‘intolerance’ debate

The Congress has decided not to engage with the ruling BJP on the contentious Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill until the issue of “intolerance” is debated in Parliament from Monday.

The decision to loosen up its demands or resist the Bill will depends upon whether the Congress will come out looking good from the “intolerance” debate, a senior leader told The Hindu .

The Congress’s demands are that the tax cap be fixed at 18 per cent, the 1 per cent inter-State cess be scrapped and independent accountability be ensured. “The debate on intolerance will be crucial, and it has a potential to break whatever little [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi achieved at his meeting with our president [Sonia Gandhi],” he said.

Soon after Mr. Modi and Ms. Gandhi had a meeting on the Bill, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi chaired a meeting at his residence. It was attended by senior leader Anand Sharma, the former Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, and Mallikarjun Kharge, who is leading the party in the Lok Sabha.

Though several newspapers reported that Mr. Gandhi conveyed to Mr. Kharge his displeasure at his being sidelined in the deliberations between Mr. Modi and Ms. Gandhi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told The Hindu that the sole aim of the meeting was “to discuss a series of political issues, including the party’s strategy in Parliament.”

“Somebody is misreading it [the meeting],” Mr. Surjewala said. “Rahulji’s stand on the GST has been clear right from day one — the Bill is conceived by the Congress and it should be passed.”

Before Mr. Modi met Ms. Gandhi, a Congress source said some “experienced leaders” had urged caution arguing that since the ruling parties of the “consumer States” were willing to back the Bill, the Congress might lose their support in Parliament, and its influence as the leading party of the Opposition. It was the fear of isolation, the source said, that pushed the former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to engage with the ruling BJP and “act as a bridge” between Mr. Modi and Ms. Gandhi.

Data that may be helpful:
Important Points:-

• The Goods and Services Tax Bill or GST Bill, officially known as The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Second Amendment) Bill, 2014, proposes a national Value added Tax to be implemented in India from April 2016. "Goods and Services Tax" would be a comprehensive indirect tax on manufacture, sale and consumption of goods and services throughout India, to replace taxes levied by the Central and State governments.

Source :- The Hindu, 30-Nov-2015

Fresh row breaks out as Nepal detains 13 Indian border guards

India-Nepal ties hit another flashpoint on Sunday after 13 personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) were detained by the Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) in Jhapa (Nepal).

They were released after several hours in custody.

While India contended that only two of the personnel, who were unarmed, had inadvertently crossed the border while chasing ‘smugglers’, and 11 had followed to negotiate their release, Nepali officials accused them of carrying weapons without permission into civilian areas. “The police did not arrest them first. They were captured and disarmed by the locals themselves who then called us to come and arrest the Indian SSB guards,” Thakur Gyawali, Superintendent of Police of Jhapa, told The Hindu .

Admitting that the SSB personnel were in the wrong for entering Nepali territory without permission, DG SSB B.D. Sharma said the situation was resolved after he and chief of the APF Kesh Raj Onta spoke to each other. Sources said the government would not react officially, so as not to further harm bilateral relations that have deteriorated since Nepal promulgated a Constitution that India has objected to. However, the government of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has consistently accused India of fuelling Madhesi protests against the Constitution, a charge India denies. The competing narratives have led to an all-out propaganda war between New Delhi and Kathmandu this week, with the Ministry of External Affairs flying in the first of two delegations of journalists to Birgunj and Kathmandu. An official said the visits were part of a “media outreach.” In response, the Nepali embassy has decided to organise visits by Indian journalists to Nepal to “show the impact” of the blockade on citizens.

Data that may be helpful:

Important Points:-

• Sashastra Seema Bal or SSB, is one of the Central Armed Police Forces that serves the Republic of India. Though often loosely referred to as a paramilitary force, it is in fact not one of the three officially defined paramilitary forces of India.

Source :- The Hindu, 30-Nov-2015

Hopes rise for Paris climate deal

Paris prepares to host the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change conference beginning on Monday, raising expectations that the participation of nearly 150 Presidents, Prime Ministers and heads of state in a leadership event will bring about a good agreement.

The high-profile opening event at which U.S. President Barack Obama is to join China’s President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is intended to signal the seriousness with which climate change is being approached at CoP21, the conference of member countries.

France, the host, has been pursuing diplomacy with governments most connected with the issue. Even though the Paris attacks a fortnight ago cast a shadow, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius travelled to India, Brazil and South Africa to bring about a common view.

For India and other developing countries, the momentum that has built around the Paris conference is an opportunity to press their case for funds from the First World.

On Sunday, Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar said here: “We have to move forward from the Kyoto Protocol [which is in effect till 2020], and developed countries must accept their responsibility for the 75 or 80 per cent of emissions already in the atmosphere.”

Data that may be helpful:

Important Points:-

• The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC Parties (Conferences of the Parties) (COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
• From December 1-12, 2014, Lima, Peru hosted the 20th yearly session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP) to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol (the protocol having been developed under the UNFCCC's charter).  
• COP 21 will be held in Paris from November 30 to December 11, 2015.
• COP 22 is expected to be held in Marrakech,Morocco from November 7-18, 2016 
• COP 3 took place in December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. After intensive negotiations, it adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which outlined the greenhouse gas emissions reduction obligation for Annex I countries, along with what came to be known as Kyoto mechanisms such as emissions trading, clean development mechanism and joint implementation.

Source :-The Hindu,30-Nov-2015