Here’s The Economic Cost Of Shutting Down The Government

Breakdown: Here's The Economic Cost Of Shutting Down The Government

ThinkProgressToday,

If Congress doesn't reach a deal by midnight tonight, the government shuts down.

A shutdown isn't just bad politically, it can also be damaging to the United States' economy, taking the paychecks of federal employees out of the mix, and disrupting tourism across the country.

Here's a look at some of the latest numbers on how a shutdown might affect our economy:

A shutdown that lasted between three and four week could cost the economy about $55 billion, by the estimate of Moody's Analytics economist Brian Kessler.
Washington, DC, would lose $200 million a day on lost wages and lost spending by those who get furloughed. That estimate doesn't include tourism, and the huge losses DC will feel from the museums and national mall being closed.
The shutdown would "reduce federal spending" by about $8 billion, which could reduce GDP growth by .8 percent annualized, according to a report released Monday by Goldman Sachs.
Moody's Analytics' Mark Zandi pegs the amount lost in economic growth in the fourth quarter at as much as 1.4 percent.
One billion dollars a week from the pay of the roughly 800,000 federal employees will be lost from the U.S. economy.
These numbers, of course, don't count a lot of things: The loans that the Small Business Administration will stop making, the permits that the Environmental Protection Agency won't issue, the contracts that will be put on hold, and the nutrition assistance for infants and mothers that won't go out. Or, of course, a tanking stock market that could ruin consumer confidence.

As ThinkProgress's Alan Pyke previously noted, "Most of the costs of a shutdown are hard to tabulate because they involve damage to consumer, investor, and business confidence coming out of a shutdown, and lost time spent preparing for the worst in the weeks before a shutdown." But Republicans are already feeling the political costs of forcing a shutdown: Their business allies, who recognize the potential damage a shutdown could do, have broken ranks and urged Republicans to call off the shutdown.

The post Breakdown: Here's The Economic Cost Of Shutting Down The Government appeared first on ThinkProgress.

    

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Benefits of different types of Indian rice

Benefits of different types of Indian rice

by vijigermany
New
Benefits of different types of Indian rice

Rice is a staple food in most Indian homes. However, there are different varieties of Rice available in our country, Basmati Rice, Brown rice and White rice. Let us understand the health benefits of these three varieties.

WHITE RICE:

The milling and polishing processes of white rice removes most of the important vitamins and other nutrients from it.

So WHO suggests and recommends that white rice be fortified with important vitamins and mineral premixes, as polished rice is nothing more than refined starch.

Further research is required to build the evidence-base on the use of fortified rice and to develop global technical guidelines for rice fortification. Health benefits include:

Gastrointestinal: White rice is one of the easiest and quickest foods to digest and requires only an hour to completely digest. Since white rice is low in fibre, it is very soothing to the digestive system and easily digested. So, it is great for relieving digestive disorders like diarrhoea, dysentery, colitis and even morning sickness. It is the best food for infants, young children and old people.
Overall energy: the body needs carbohydrates to function and white rice is an excellent source of energy.
Protein: Every 150g of rice has about 5 grams of protein.

Rice powder is also used externally as a soothing powder in cases of skin inflammation such as small-pox, measles, prickly heat, burns and scalds.

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இன்டர்நெட்! சில டிப்ஸ்கள் internet tips

இன்டர்நெட்! சில டிப்ஸ்கள்

by Marikumar

நாம் என்னதான் கம்பியூட்டருக்கு ஆன்ட்டி வைரஸ் வைத்திருந்தாலும் அடிக்கடி சில வைரஸ்கள் அல்லது மால்வேர்கள் கம்பியூட்டருக்கு உள்ளே சென்று விடும்.

நம் இணைய தள அக்கவுண்ட்களில் எவ்வளவு தான் சிக்கலான பாஸ்வேர்ட்களை நாம் மேற்கொண்டிருந்தாலும், இது போன்ற புரோகிராம்கள் அவற்றைக் கைப்பற்றி, நம் தனிநபர் தகவல்கள் மற்றும் டேட்டா பைல்களைப் பிறர் கைப்பற்றி வருகின்றனர்.

எனவே பெர்சனல் கம்ப்யூட்டரை இயக்குவதிலும், இணைய தள அக்கவுண்ட்களைக் கையாள்வதிலும் நாம் குறைந்த பட்ச அளவிலாவது பாதுகாப்பு வழிகளைக் கையாள வேண்டியுள்ளது. அவற்றில் சிலவற்றை இங்கு காணலாம்.

சில பாஸ்வேர்ட் மேனேஜர் புரோகிராம்கள், மிக வலுவான, தனிப்பட்ட பாஸ்வேர்ட்களை, ஒன்றுக்கு மேற்பட்ட இணைய தள அக்கவுண்ட்களுக்கு உருவாக்கி வழங்குகின்றன. இதனால், நாம் இந்த வகையான பாஸ்வேர்ட்களை, திரும்பப் பயன்படுத்த வழி கிடைக்கிறது.

மேலும் இவை வெப் பிரவுசர்களுடன் இணைந்து இயங்குவதால், இணையதள லாக் இன் படிவங்களில் தேவையானவற்றைத் தாங்களாகவே பூர்த்தி செய்து, அவற்றை சேவ் செய்தும் வைக்கின்றன. இதன் மூலம் நாம் பாதுகாப்பாக இயங்க முடிகிறது. இவற்றில் சிறப்பானவையாக Last Pass, Kee Pass மற்றும் 1Password ஆகியவற்றைக் குறிப்பிடலாம்.

நாம் அனைவருமே ஜிமெயில் அக்கவுண்ட் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம். இன்னொரு இணைய தள அக்கவுண்ட்டில் பயன்படுத்தும் பாஸ்வேர்டினையே இதற்கும் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம். இது முற்றிலும் தவறான ஒன்றாகும்.

ஏனென்றால், நம் மிக முக்கியமான பைல் பரிமாற்றங்கள் ஜிமெயில் வழியே நடைபெறுகின்றன. ஜிமெயில் தளத்தில் அவை உள்ளன என்ற எண்ணத்தில் அவற்றிற்கு பேக் அப் கூட எடுப்பதில்லை. இந்நிலையில் நாம் ஒரே பாஸ்வேர்டையே பல இணைய தள அக்கவுண்ட்களுக்கு, குறிப்பாக ஜிமெயில் தளத்தில் பயன்படுத்தினால், பாஸ்வேர்ட் மற்றும் யூசர் நேமினை எளிதாக ஹேக்கர்கள் அறிந்து கொள்ள வாய்ப்புகள் உண்டு. எனவே ஒவ்வொரு தள அக்கவுண்ட்டிற்கும், குறிப்பாக நம்முடைய முக்கிய டேட்டா பைல்கள் கையாளப்படும் தளத்திற்கு, வலுவான, தனியான பாஸ்வேர்ட் பயன்படுத்துவது முக்கியம்.

மேலும், தனி நபர்களுக்கான டேட்டாவினை, என்கிரிப்ட் செய்து (disk encryption) பயன்படுத்துவது, முழுமையான டிஸ்க் பாதுகாப்பினை அளிக்கும். இந்த தொழில் நுட்பம் டேட்டாவினை சுழற்சி முறையில் மாற்றி அமைக்கிறது. இதனால், இதற்கான சரியான கீ இல்லாமல், வேறு எவரும் டேட்டாவினைப் படித்துப் புரிந்து கொள்ள முடியாது.

விண்டோஸ் பயன்படுத்துபவர்கள் Microsoft BitLocker மூலம் இந்த வசதியினைப் பெறலாம். TrueCrypt பயன்படுத்தினால், எந்த வகை ஆப்பரேட்டிங் சிஸ்டத்தில் அமைந்த டேட்டாவிற்கும் என்கிரிப்ஷன் வழிகளை மேற்கொள்ளலாம்.

கூகுள் குரோம் இணைய பிரவுசர் பலவகையான வலுவான பாதுகாப்பு வழிகளைத் தன்னிடத்தில் கொண்டுள்ளது. அவற்றில் sandbox, safe browsing tools, speedy patching and automatic/silent updating ஆகியவை குறிப்பிடத் தக்கனவாகும். எனவே முழுமையான பாதுகாப்புடன் கூடிய இணைய உலா மேற்கொள்ள விரும்புபவர்கள், குரோம் பிரவுசருக்கு மாறிக் கொள்வது நல்லது.

அல்லது பாதுகாப்பு தேவை எனக் கருதும் டேட்டாவினைக் கையாளுகையிலாவது குரோம் பிரவுசர் வழி கையாளலாம். குரோம் பிரவுசர் தேர்ந்தெடுத்துப் பின்னர் KB SSL Enforcer extension ஐ இன்ஸ்டால் செய்து கொள்ளலாம். இந்த புரோகிராம் மூலம், குரோம் பிரவுசரில் இணைய உலா மற்றும் பரிமாற்றம் மேற்கொள்கையில், எங்கெல்லாம் என்கிரிப்ஷன் இயங்க முடியுமோ, அங்கு டேட்டா என்கிரிப்ட் செய்யப்பட்டு பாதுகாக்கப்படும்.

நம்முடைய டேட்டா எந்த நேரத்தில், எப்படிப்பட்ட ஹேக்கரால், எந்த மால்வேர் மூலம் திருடப்படும் அல்லது அழிக்கப்படும் என நாம் கணிக்க முடியாது. எனவே நாம் முக்கியமாகக் கருதும், எல்லாமே முக்கியம் தான், டேட்டா அடங்கிய பைல்களுக்கு உடனுடக்குடன் பேக் அப் எடுத்து சேவ் செய்து வைத்துக் கொள்வது நல்லது.

Mozy, Carbonite or iDrive ஆகிய நிறுவனங்கள் தரும் வசதிகளைப் பயன்படுத்தி நாம் பேக் அப் பைல்களை உருவாக்கி வைத்துக் கொள்ளலாம். இவை அனைத்து வகை பார்மட் பைல்களையும் ஏற்றுக் கொள்கின்றன. இணைய வெளியில் இன்னும் சில தளங்கள், குறிப்பிட்ட பார்மட் (ஆடியோ, டேட்டா, வீடியோ போன்றவை) பைல்களை சேவ் செய்து பாதுகாக்க என இயங்குகின்றன. இவற்றின் சேவையைப் பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்ளலாம்.

அல்லது கையில் எடுத்துச் செல்லும் போர்ட்டபிள் ஹார்ட் ட்ரைவ் ஒன்றினை வாங்கிப் பயன்படுத்தலாம். ரூ.4,000 முதல் தொடங்கி, கொள்ளளவிற்கு ஏற்ற வகையில் இவை கிடைக்கின்றன. இதனைத் தொடர்ந்து பயன்படுத்தி, நாம் இழக்கக் கூடாத பைல்களை இதில் பதிந்து வைத்துப் பயமின்றி இருக்கலாம்.

கடந்த இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளில், ஜாவா இயங்கும் போது ஹேக்கர்கள் எளிதாக நுழைய முடியும் என்பது தெளிவாகத் தெரிய வந்துள்ளது. எனவே, தேவை இல்லை எனில், ஜாவாவை இயக்குவதனை நிறுத்திவிடலாம். அல்லது ஜாவாவை அன் இன்ஸ்டால் செய்திடலாம். ஹேக்கர்களுக்கு வசதியான தளம் அமைத்துக் கொடுக்கும் ஜாவாவினை கூடுமானவரை தவிர்க்கலாம்.

அண்மைக் காலங்களில், அடோப் ரீடர் தொகுப்பின் பயன்பாட்டின்போது, பல ஹேக்கர்கள் தங்கள் மால்வேர் புரோகிராமினை இயக்கி, பெர்சனல் தகவல்களைத் திருடுவது வழக்கமாகி வருகிறது. இதனை அடோப் நிறுவனமும் ஒத்துக் கொண்டு அதற்கான பேட்ச் பைல்களை அவ்வப்போது வெளியிட்டு வருகிறது. எனவே நீங்கள் அடோப் அக்ரோபட் ரீடர் புரோகிராமினைப் பயன்படுத்துபவராக இருந்தால், உடனே அண்மைக் காலத்திய பதிப்பு மற்றும் பேட்ச் பைல்களை உங்கள் கம்ப்யூட்டரில் பதிந்து உங்கள் பைல்களைப் பாதுகாத்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள்.

சைபர் கிரிமினல்கள் என அழைக்கப்படும், இணைய வெளி திருடர்களுக்கு, பேஸ்புக், ட்விட்டர் மற்றும் லிங்க்டு இன் போன்ற தளங்கள் மிகவும் எளிதான ஆடுகளங்களாக இருக்கின்றன. எனவே எந்த டேட்டாவினை, இந்த சமூகத் தளங்களில் பகிர்ந்தாலும், சற்று முன் யோசனையுடன் மேற்கொள்ளவும்.

உங்கள் தனி நபர் தகவல்களைப் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளும் முன்னர், அவை மற்றவர்களின் கவனத்தை ஈர்க்கக் கூடியதாக இருந்தால், கூடுமானவரை அவற்றைப் பிறர் அறியத் தருவதனைத் தவிர்க்கலாம். இது போன்ற தகவல்களால் ஈர்க்கப்படும் ஹேக்கர்கள், நிச்சயம் உங்கள் கம்ப்யூட்டரை, இந்த தளங்களின் வழியாகவே எளிதாக அணுகுவார்கள். உங்களுக்கான தூண்டில் போட, நீங்கள் அளிக்கும் தகவல்கள் வழி காட்டக் கூடியதாக அமைந்துவிடும்.

கம்ப்யூட்டர்களில் பாதுகாப்பு வளையங்கள் பல அமைத்து செயல்படுகிறோம். இருப்பினும் இவற்றில் உள்ள பலவீனமான இடங்களை அறிந்தே ஹேக்கர்கள் நம் கம்ப்யூட்டர்களை அணுகுகின்றனர். எனவே பாதுகாப்பு வளையங்களைத் தரும் புரோகிராம்கள், அவ்வப்போது அப்டேட் செய்யப்படுகையில், உடனடியாக அவற்றை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

கம்ப்யூட்டரே அவற்றை மேற்கொள்ளும் வகையில், ஆட்டோமேடிக் அப்டேட் முறையை செட் செய்திட வேண்டும். பாதுகாப்பு வளையங்கள் தரும் புரோகிராம்களை இன்ஸ்டால் செய்திடுகையில், ஒவ்வொரு படிநிலையையும் நன்கு படித்து, உணர்ந்து செட் செய்திடவும்.

மேலும், நீங்கள் அடிக்கடி கண்ட்ரோல் பேனல் சென்று, நீங்கள் அதிகம் பயன்படுத்தாத புரோகிராம்களை அன் இன்ஸ்டால் செய்து நீக்கவும். அவையும் மால்வேர்களை ஈர்க்கும் புரோகிராம்களாக இருக்கலாம். வெகு நாட்கள் பயன்படுத்தாமல், என்றேனும் ஒரு நாளில் பயன்படுத்துகையில் பிரச்னையைத் தரலாம்.

இவைகளை நீங்கள் தொடர்ச்சியாத பின்பற்றினால் உங்களது கம்பியூட்டரில் எந்த பிரச்சனையும் எழாது.
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உலகின் மிகவும் அபாயகரமான சுற்றுலாத்தலம்! most dangerous and beautiful site in the world

உலகின் மிகவும் அபாயகரமான சுற்றுலாத்தலம்!
by veni
is Tamil news, Tamil culture, செய்திகள் ...Today,
most dangerous and beautiful site in the world

அந்த இடத்தைப் பார்த்தால் அம்மாடியோவ் என்ன ஒரு ஆழம் என்று ஒருகணம் தலை விறைத்துப் போய் நிற்பீர்கள். அந்த இடம் அவ்வளவு பிரமிப்பாக இருக்கும்.

ஆம், இது தான் உலகின் மிகவும் அபாயகரமான சுற்றுலாத்தலம். சுற்றுலாப் பயணிகளை சுண்டி இழுக்கும் இந்த இடத்தில் அவர்களுக்குத் தேவையான எந்தவித பாதுகாப்பு வசதிகளும் இல்லை.

ஆபத்தை எதிர்நோக்கும் தன்மை உள்ள சுற்றுலாப் பயணிகளே இந்த ஆபத்தான இடத்தை நோக்கி போகலாம்.

தற்செயலாக கால் இடறி விழுந்தால் 1,982 அடி அதலபாதாளத்தில் விழ வேண்டும்.

நோர்வேயில் அமைந்துள்ள Pulpit Rock என்று அழைக்கப்படும் குறித்த பிரதேசம் வருடாந்தம் ஆயிரக்கணக்கான த்ரில்லான சுற்றுலாப் பயணிகளைக் கவருகின்றது.

அபாயகரமான பாறையின் விளிம்பில் இருந்து புகைப்படம் எடுத்துக் கொள்வதை அங்கு வரும் த்ரில்லான சுற்றுலாப் பயணிகள் விரும்புகிறார்கள்.

விளிம்பில் தலை வைத்துப் படுத்து எனக்கு எந்தப் பயமும் இல்லை என்று உதார் விடுபவர்களும் அங்கு வருகிறார்களாம்…

எங்கே நீங்களும் அந்த காட்சியைப் பார்க்கப் போகின்றீர்களா? கவனம், தலையைப் பிடித்துக் கொண்டு பாருங்கள்.

The post உலகின் மிகவும் அபாயகரமான சுற்றுலாத்தலம்! appeared first on ekuruvi is a tamil news Portal offering online tamil news.

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Worldwide spiritual empire from a humble beginning Mata Amṛtanandamayi Devi

Worldwide spiritual empire from a humble beginning Mātā Amṛtānandamayī Devī

by vijigermany
New Tamil
Worldwide spiritual empire from a humble beginning

Mātā Amṛtānandamayī Devī (born as Sudhamani Idamannel on 27 September 1953), primarily known simply as Amma ["Mother"], is a Hindu spiritual leader and guru, who is revered as a saint by her followers. She is widely respected for her humanitarian activities.[1] She has been described as "the hugging saint".
Born to a family of fishermen, she was the third child of Sugunanandan and Damayanti.

Like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sudhamani displayed an intense love for God right from very tender age. Her favourite God was Krishna. She started praying, crying and shedding tears seeking the darshan of Krishna and she composed and sang impromptu several devotional songs on Lord Krishna right from childhood.

Her education ended at the age of nine, when she began to take care of her younger siblings and the family domestic work full-time.

As part of her chores, Amritanandamayi gathered food scraps from neighbours for her family's cows and goats, through which she was confronted with the intense poverty and suffering of others. She would bring these people food and clothing from her own home. Her family, which was not wealthy, scolded and punished her.

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World Records in food - biriyani

world Records in food

by vijigermany

Largest Biryani-world record set by Indian chefs

Sixty Indian chefs cooked a rice dish weighing 13-tonne (28,600 pounds) and set the world record for the largest Biryani.

Three cranes dumped 3,000 kilos of Basmati rice, 85 kilos of chilli peppers, 1,200 litres of oil and 3,650 kilos of vegetables into a giant vat at a New Delhi sports stadium.

"It's a unique event," remarked Sushil Kapoor, one of the cooks. "It's not easy to cook such a large amount of biryani. We started in the morning and took more than six hours to cook. But we enjoyed doing it."

The steel vat was mounted on a three-foot high furnace while the chefs clad in fire-resistant outfits perched on a platform to stir the biryani -- one of South Asia's most popular dishes -- with oar-like ladles.

The cooks threw "a pinch of salt" weighing 86 kilos into the 16-foot (4.87-metre) deep steel vat, organiser Gurnam Arora said.

The sponsors used a hose to pour 6,000 litres of water into the vat and sprinkled 10 kilos of exotic spices and aromatic condiments to prepare the tangy biryani, Arora said.

"This is a great activity to revive the feasting and celebration tradition associated with biryani in India," New Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit said.

The dish would be divided and trucked to city orphanages once Ishikawa certified the weighing of the cooked biryani, garnished with carrots and 750 kilos of creamy yogurt, Arora said. "This event is a one-of-a-kind endeavour unmatched by any other past culinary activity," Arora said to the cheers of hundreds of spectators.

Lalitt Gattani, CEO of Showcraft, one of the organisers, said the aim of cooking such a humongous amount of biryani was to break the last record created by them and maintain India's position in the category.

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70% of the urban Indian population at risk of heart disease!

70% of the urban Indian population at risk of heart disease!

by Agencies

A new study reveals that a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits and stress are responsible for the rising number of cardiac arrests. In a three-year-long study conducted in 12 cities across India, it has been found that 51 per cent of Mumbaikars have low levels of the heart-protecting high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as 'good' cholesterol. The study has also revealed that over 70 per cent of the urban Indian population is at the risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

The Saffola Life study covered more than 1.86 lakh people between the ages of 30 and 100. 'A sedentary lifestyle, in addition to stressful work conditions and a compromised diet are leading factors in precipitating heart disease risk. This has affected the heart health of people between the ages of 30 and 44,' said Dr Akshay Mehta, senior cardiologist, Asian Heart Hospital.

Of the 29,017 Mumbaikars who participated in the study, 44 per cent reported that they consume preserved or processed foods at least twice a week, and 42 per cent said that they eat fried foods at least twice a week. Additionally, 71 per cent of them were guilty of consuming two or less servings of fibre-rich whole grains in their diet.

'Now it is fairly common to see youth suffering from heart strokes. Five years ago, we hardly saw young patients with heart problems. Now, we get many cases where cardiovascular disease affects people in the age group of 25 to 35,' said Dr Ajay Chaurasia, head of cardiology department, BYL Nair Hospital.

The study also revealed that at 12 per cent, Mumbai was one of the cities with the least number of respondents with diabetes, which experts see as a good sign. The study also showed that Mumbaikars are keen on keeping themselves fit, with a substantial 64 per cent of respondents agreeing that they exercise thrice a week or less.

Here are ten tips for a healthier heart:

Kick the butt

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)estimates that smoking increases the chance of suffering from a coronary heart disease by two to four times by reducing blood circulation due to narrowed arteries. Scarily, 92 million out of India's 285 million smokers don't even know that it's bad for their heart. Along with cardiovascular diseases smoking is responsible for other diseases like cancer as well and affects almost every organ in the body. And if that's still not enough impetus to quit smoking, consider the fact that second hand smoke kills 600,000 people every year out of which 100,000 are children and 87% of deaths due to second hand smoke are due to cardiovascular diseases. So kick the butt now, if not for yourself then for your near and dear ones whom you're exposing to second hand smoke. Various techniques to quit smoking

Drink moderately

Alcohol's effect on the heart is hotly debated. Numerous studies have found that people, who drink moderately, actually have better cardiovascular health than people who don't drink or those who do excessively. Moderate means either 330ml of beer, 60ml of hard liquor or 100ml of wine. However, others have debunked these results claiming that there isn't even a way to define moderate and such revelations could lead to misunderstanding and increased drinking. What is not debatable is the fact that excessive drinking is tied to various cardiovascular issues like obesity, high blood pressure and increased risk to coronary artery disease. Binge drinking (drinking excessively in a short amount of time) too is linked to poor cardiovascular health. 

Work up a sweat

Our current sedentary lifestyle has played a major part in the rise of cardiovascular diseases around the world. Lack of exercise leads to build-up of bad cholesterol which prevents the blood from flowing freely and causes hypertension, heart attacks, etc. Exercising plays a very important role in your cardiovascular health. It facilitates weight loss, lowers blood pressure, increases your good 'cholesterol' level, improves blood circulation and allows your heart to pump more efficiently. In fact it helps reduce stress also by releasing feel good hormones called endorphins!

Click here to read about cardio exercises that are good for your heart!

Sleep properly

It's been suggested in jest that Thomas Edison's light bulb is responsible for the current obesity pandemic. While that would be stretching the truth a bit too much, the fact remains that our current work-play around the clock routine does have a hand in the various lifestyle diseases. It has been suggested that initially our body's internal clock was adapted to the natural day-light schedule and exposure to artificial light has thrown it off-track. This has also led to various kinds of sleep disorders which in turn impacts your appetite causing obesity, glucose metabolism and increases blood pressure. It's a vicious cycle really and getting enough sleep is very important to keep heart disease at bay.

Read how to deal with insomnia or sleep disorders

 Reduce intake of saturated and trans-fats

They are basically two kinds of fats – saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are present in food items like butter, red meat, dairy products, chocolates, etc. and are known to raise 'LDL' or bad cholesterol levels and most dieticians recommend limiting their intake. Trans-fats are unsaturated fats which have the same effect. Manufactured food items usually contain a lot of trans-fats and that's why nutritionists suggest avoiding them.

Load up on unsaturated and omega 3 fatty acids

Unsaturated fats are of two types – mono-unsaturated (olive oil, nuts, peanut oil) and poly-unsaturated (sesame, cottonseed and soya bean oils). Both types of unsaturated fats are known to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and boost up good cholesterol levels. Many dieticians suggest switching to olive oil, rice  bran oil or other healthier oils. Omega 3 fatty acids are poly-saturated fats which are considered essential because they can't be manufactured by the human body and are present in marine and plant oils. Good sources include fish oils, milk compounds, flax seeds and nuts.

Take it easy

It's still not clear how stress causes heart disease. Most experts concede that its part of a snowball effect of obesity, blood pressure, heart disease, smoking, lack of exercise, insomnia, etc. All the aforementioned conditions seem to go hand in hand with stress and that's why taking it easy is imperative for your heart. Take up a hobby, play with your children or take up meditation – anything that will keep stress at bay.

Click here to find out how stress, hormones and your health are linked.

Reduce salt and sugar intake

While moderate intake of salt is necessary, too much is linked to various cardiovascular ailments, particularly hypertension. Most people end up consuming a lot of salt without actually realising it, because they aren't actually separately adding table salt to their food. Food items like bread, butter or packaged noodles might not taste salty but play a part in increasing your salt intake.

Sugar on the other hand is an infamous culprit. Experts believe that the easy availability of sugar is fuelling the global obesity pandemic because we are naturally geared to seek it for the glucose – our primary source of energy which was earlier available only through natural sources like fruits. The only solution is to cut down on sugar intake by limiting – cakes, milk shakes, sweets, sweetmeats, fizzy drinks, cookies and ice-cream – pretty much everything your heart desires is bad for it.

Load up on veggies and fruits

There's compelling evidence to suggest that people who eat more greens and fruits significantly lower their bad cholesterol levels and this also improves their digestive system and metabolism allowing the body to function better. Most dieticians would tell you that you should get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables in a day (400 grams) in a day.

Get regular check-ups

There is no alternative to being well informed. Get regular tests to check your cholesterol levels, blood pressure and the ECG test. Doctors suggest that one should start getting checked either after turning 30. People who experience symptoms like chest pain, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath, dizziness or discomfort shouldn't delay meeting a doc. 

Know your heart, love your heart

More and more Indians are falling prey to heart disease. There are various reasons for this including a sedentary lifestyle, genetic predisposition, pollution, smoking, drinking, a fatty diet and a general ignorance about what causes heart ailments. However, we at health.india.com intend to fight that by covering every aspect of cardiovascular health including diet, expert advice, exercise, natural remedies, diagnosis and treatment, specific heart advice for women and more this month.

Check out our Heart Health Page for more.

For more articles on diseases and conditions, check out our diseases & conditions section and for videos, check out our YouTube Channel. 

With inputs from DNA

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Top institutions in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh come together to form Meta university

Top institutions in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh come together to form Meta university

by vijigermany

Top institutions in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh come together to form Meta university

Tried and tested in Delhi — Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia, the concept of Meta University is all set for a pan India replication. Apart from Jawaharlal Nehru University and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, some of the top institutions regarded for academics and research in Chandigarh, Pune, Kolkata and Hyderabad are coming together to form porous clusters where resources will be shared with students as well as staff enjoying free access to the best facilities available. Some of the big names to join the meta-club are Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, IIT, Ropar and Hyderabad, IIM-Calcutta, English and Foreign Languages University and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, among others.

According to sources from the ministry for human resource development, Chandigarh, Pune, Kolkata and Hyderabad have been identified for creating Meta Universities because they are acknowledged as education hubs of the country with a large number of academic and research institutes.

For instance at Chandigarh, 15 institutions have come together under a common arrangement called 'Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster' or CRIKC in line with the Meta Universities concept. The blueprint was finalized after a series of meeting with the participating institutions in May this year. And through this alliance these institutions have, to start with, started extending support and specific expertise for research activities.

"The work for the projects started more than a year ago. Panjab University is anchoring it. And the participating institutions of higher learning includes IIT Ropar, PGIMER, PEC University of Technology, IISER Mohali and NIPER, among others," said Dr Vineet Punia, director, public relations, Panjab University. CRIKC has already pressed two buses into service for easy mobility of students and staff across the city.

In fact CRIKC is an improved version of the DU-Jamia model, which is offering a postgraduate programme - Masters in Mathematics Education. Under CRIKC institutions have come together to "identify and carry out joint and collaborative research projects, attempt to initiate joint teaching/ training programmess including pre-PhD courses, encourage the pooling of research facilities of the participating institutions, promote the spirit and philosophy of 'Meta-University' concept and promote and sustain excellence in research in select areas."

According to a senior MHRD official, while Chandigarh has already rolled out the project, the other three cities have started their deliberations to identify areas of focus for collaboration under a Meta University. The official said: "The UGC has already issued specific guidelines for such tie-up. Meanwhile, the ministry has decided not to put a timeframe for the project to take off as the universities have to decide this among themselves."

The ministry however is of the view that no financial assistance for such initiatives is required as the concept is about optimal use of the existing resources and for mutual benefits. While the Centre is envisaging a plan to start such Meta Universities across the country, as per UGC guidelines, the participating universities will decide the programmes to be offered, duration, fee structure, number of seats as well as the infrastructure required. Like in DU and Jamia's Meta University, learners will get a joint degree or diploma.

Factfile

Meta Universities: "Second generation universities, free from physical boundary conditions and able to operate in virtual space, taking advantage of the innovation and flexibility possible in such domain"

Participating institutions

* Chandigarh: Panjab University, IIT Ropar, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), PEC University of Technology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) - Mohali, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Mohali

* Pune: Pune University, IISER - Pune

* Kolkata: University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University, IIM Calcutta

* Hyderabad: IIT Hyderabad, University of Hyderabad, English and Foreign Languages University, ISB -Hyderabad

Delhi experiment

* HRD minister Kapil Sibal announced the pilot-run of Meta University concept to start with partnership between Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University and IIT, Delhi in 2012

* DU & Jamia launched a postgraduate course in mathematics education from 2012-13 academic session

* JNU & IIT-D decided to take more time for the collaboration

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Amitabh Bachchan to restore Charlie Chaplin's 'The Floorwalker' at MAMI

Amitabh Bachchan to restore Charlie Chaplin's 'The Floorwalker' at MAMI

by vijigermany

Amitabh Bachchan to restore Charlie Chaplin's 'The Floorwalker' at MAMI

Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan will be restoring one of Charlie Chaplin's rare films 'The Floorwalker' for the Mumbai Film Festival.
Bachchan will be restoring the 1916 masterpiece for the 15th edition of Mumbai Film Festival, organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI).

"Restoration is an important aspect of cinema. It is great that people from film industry are restoring films and Bachchan doing this is a big thing. The film is a masterpiece," filmmaker and chairman of MAMI Shyam Benegal said here.

The festival will be held from October 17 to 24.

'The Floorwalker' stars Chaplin, in his traditional Tramp persona, as a customer who creates chaos in a department store and becomes inadvertently entangled in the nefarious scheme of the store manager, played by Eric Campbell, and the store's floorwalker, played by Lloyd Bacon, to embezzle money from the establishment.

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Salman, Shah Rukh, Aamir or Ranveer – Which Bollywood actor looks the best with facial hair?

Poll: Salman, Shah Rukh, Aamir or Ranveer – Which Bollywood actor looks the best with facial hair?

by Pavitra Sampath

The stereotypical good boy clean-shaven look is now a thing of the past. If recent trends are to be believed, men are opting for beards, moustaches and soul patches instead. Celebrity stylist Ashmeen Munjaal, who has unisex salons across the capital, gets an average of five clients per day who want to groom themselves and grow facial hair.

The belief is that not only does facial hair make one look more distinguished and professional, it also is a great help with the ladies. Right from designer moustaches to geometrically-shaped beards and sideburns, the facial hair trend is taking professionals by storm.

Want to ride the trend? Here are some tips on how you can maintain that good looking stubble.

The first thing you need is a decent trimmer. There are a number of them out there that can trim your beard and moustache to the perfect length. For that sexy stubble, just keep the trimmer at the length you prefer, and clip away. To shape your beard, use the trimmer at the shaver setting and start clearing out the parts you want clean-shaven. 

Tip: If you are planning to sport a goatee or French beard, make sure you make it even from either side. The best way to do that is to draw an imaginary line running across the middle of your nose and between your eyebrows. In the case of a soul patch, keep the tip of your nose as the marker for the centre of the patch. Alternatively, you could get it done professionally at a salon.

To keep your facial hair clean and well-maintained, shave or trim regularly. Wash your face on a daily basis and remember to use an aftershave – even if you are not shaving. This will help keep any infections at bay and keep you looking fresh and smelling even better.

So, is this new trend just that – a trend? Or is there some truth behind the theory. We looked at a few Bollywood hunks who have in the past pulled off the facial hair look with élan.

Shah Rukh Khan

He is known as King Khan for a reason. The man has kept his fans hooked for decades now, even post-forty; the king looks as hot as ever. He sported the stubble in movies like Don 2, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and his bad boy look went down really well with the ladies. Clearly unshaven is what his fans prefer.

Aamir Khan

Known to be a perfectionist, this actor has wowed us in every film he has done. Shrugging off the chocolate boy looks he had in earlier movies like Dil, Aamir Khan has matured into a fine man and actor. He sported a handlebar moustache in Talaash, and his police officer avatar made all his fans weak in the knees.

Salman Khan

The Dabangg star has ruled the roost in Bollywood for over two decades. Known for his awesome body and bindaas style, Salman Khan has come a long way from his Biwi Ho To Aisi days. His pencil-thin moustache in Dabangg made him look every bit the part as a wayward yet kind-hearted police officer, who instantly stole the hearts of the masses.

Ranbir Kapoor

The youngster is still green in Bollywood circles, but the young actor has taken the box office by storm, not to mention his fans. His amazing transformation from his Saawariya days has stunned his critics and we are sure they are having a very tongue-in-cheek moment looking at him rising steadily. His fans drooled over his bad boy avatar in Rockstar and his facial hair was an integral part of the role. What do you think ladies?

Ranveer Singh

Right from his first movie Band Baaja Baraat, Ranveer Singh has consistently shown us that he is a force to reckon with. Switching images from a tapori to a sheepish lover boy in Lootera, the bearded star has stolen millions of hearts. His current moustache and beard look in Ramleela has the ladies swooning and we definitely think the new look suits this rising star.

Ajay Devgn

From a not-so-conventionally good looking actor to a stunning man in Singham, Ajay Devgn has made a total turn around in his appearance. From metamorphosing to fit into comedy roles to being absolutely breathtakingly macho in Singham, the actor has kept us glued, wondering what his next move will be. He sported a manly moustache in Satyagraha that fit perfectly with his brooding good looks and intense eyes.

 Saif Ali Khan

The son of royalty did not always look as dashing as he does today. From a boy-next-door look in Yeh Dillagi to a stern man in Quarbaan, the actor has come a long way from when he first started. His rowdy avatar in Omkara surprised his critics and wowed his fans. We think the stubble suits the debonair man and facial hair is the way to go for him.

Akshay Kumar

Known as the stunt king of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar has left us in awe of his stunning physique and manly good looks. The actor entered Bollywood with his first film Saugandh and has taken great strides since then. The suave actor sported a handlebar moustache in his runaway hit Rowdy Rathore and is sticking to his style statement in his upcoming flick Boss. While the actor looks drool-worthy in the clean-shaven look, his face fuzz definitely adds to his all round appeal.

Farhan Akhtar

Son of Javed Akhtar, this multi-talented actor has dabbled in every aspect of film making. His look in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara took his fans by storm, and his absolute transformation in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag left everyone spellbound. Dedicated to his craft, the actor sure knows how to keep his audiences enthralled.

John Abraham

His first stint in the limelight was as a model, a bit shy, the actor turned up the heat in Jism and has continued to engage his audience. With his current bearded, brooding look in Madras Cafe, the actor has once again managed to stun his critics and fans with an amazing performance, raw good looks and mystifying persona.

Abhay Deol

Best known for his role in Dev D, this dimpled actor sure knows how to win the hearts of his fans. His look, meant to make him look like he was in a constant state of intoxication, did the trick at the box office and wowed us all.

Aditya Roy Kapoor

This VJ-turned-actor caught the attention of viewers and critics during his role in Guzaarish. His brooding looks in Aashiqui 2 and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani went down really well with the female audience. Clearly, this is one newcomer whose sparkling eyes combined with his facial hair has found his way into female hearts.  

So, who do you think looks the best in this look? Take this poll and vote for your favourite!

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Meet India's first woman Bishop--Rev E Pushpa Lalitha

Meet India's first woman Bishop--Rev E Pushpa Lalitha
by vijigermany
New Tamil

Meet India's first woman Bishop

In a first for the Indian mainstream church, The Church of South India [CSI] is all set to consecrate Rev E Pushpa Lalitha as Bishop of its Nandyal Diocese in Andhra Pradesh on September 30.

Ordained in the Rayalaseema diocese, Rev Lalitha has served several pastorates in Nandyal besides being the Treasurer of the diocese.

Speaking to media , the 57-year-old single cleric said, "It is the grace of God and a gift from God. I depend on him to show me the way. Nandyal is a rural diocese and I would work for the spiritual development of the Church."

The CSI began ordaining women as priests in the year 1976. Presently there are around 110 women Presbyters in its dioceses. Rev E Lalithaa was chosen among three other men candidates short listed by the Selection Board. "It was a unanimous decision," says MM Philip, the General Secretary of the CSI". He adds, "This would definitely empower women. While many western churches are debating this issue, the CSI has been leading in revolutionary thinking from women's education to empowerment."

Rev Pushpa Lalitha is single. She earned her BA from Andhra University and BD from the Andhra Christian Theological College in Hyderabad. She was also trained in the UK.

Just last week, Anglicans set history by appointing Rev Pat Storey as the first woman Bishop in the UK and Ireland.

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Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes to receive life-time achievement award in Kolkata

Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes to receive life-time achievement award in Kolkata

by vijigermany
New Tamil

Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes to receive life-time achievement award in Kolkata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would felicitate former Team India captain Sourav Ganguly and tennis ace Leander Paes with prestigious 'Khel Ratna' awards for life-time achievement in their respective areas at a function on September 28.

Announcing this here on Thursday, state's Sports Minister Madan Mitra said that several other eminent sports personalities would also be awarded by the Chief Minister on the occasion for their brilliant performances in respective events.

While 26 sports personalities would receive 'Khel Samman' awards, 12 persons would receive 'Krira Guru' awards and 20 persons would receive 'Banglar Gourav' awards.

Award money for the each Khel Ratna, Khel Samman, Krira Guru and Banglar Gourav is Rs 5 lakh, Rs 50,000, Rs 1 Lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively, Mitra said.

A residential football academy, sponsored by West Bengal Sports Council, would also be announced on the occasion, the minister said.

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You could die due to the misconceptions about rabies!

You could die due to the misconceptions about rabies!

by Editorial Team

September 28 is World Rabies Day. 

In the old days, whenever you got bit by an animal, you would need 16 shots of anti-rabies vaccine in your abdomen, shots many believed to be far more painful than the animal's bite. Now you just need to take four to five injections to prevent the dreaded disease from occurring.

Despite the progress made by medical research on rabies, misconceptions are still there. 'Many people continue to follow old remedies that are ineffective. Some apply erukkam paal, coffee powder, mud and cow dung on the dog bite. Some tie a piece of cloth above the wound thinking it will arrest the spread of infection. The only thing to do is wash the wound with soap under running water for 15 minutes. Antiseptic solution can then be applied, but medical help must be sought immediately,' Dr S Raghunathan, professor of medicine, Madras Medical College (MMC) and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (GH) told The Hindu.

Out of the 55,000 deaths that occur every year due to rabies, sixty percent of the victims are aged 15 years or below. In India alone, 20,000 people die every year due to the disease.

Preventing rabies:

Four to five doses of the anti-rabies vaccine administered on 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28  days after being bitten can prevent it.

Some facts regarding rabies that you must know!

1. Rabies is incurable

It is imperative that a person who has suffered a bite from an animal visit a doctor immediately to get the vaccine. This is because rabies is incurable once a person starts showing symptoms of the disease, which may be any time from one to three months.  Although in rare cases a person might notice the symptoms as early as one week or as late as one year.

 2.Rabies could manifest as different types

In furious rabies, the person is hyperactive, aggressive, suffers from hydrophobia (a fear of water) and in some cases aerophobia (a fear of flying). A few days after these symptoms present, the patient usually dies of cardio-respiratory failure.

In paralytic rabies, the progression is far slower than its furious form. Amongst the people who contract the disease, about 30 percent of them suffer from this type of rabies.  Here the patient's muscles gradually get paralyzed starting from the site of the bite. This then slowly progresses leading to a coma and then death.

3. Rabies can be transmitted from all mammals including cats, monkeys and not just dogs.

Transmitted mainly through the saliva, the bite or scratch of an infected animal can lead to infection. Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not the only animals that spread rabies. All mammals like cats, cows, horses, monkeys and bats can carry the virus. Other animals like rats also can be infected by the virus, but usually die quickly and do not have the capability of spreading the disease. In the case of mammals, the virus has a long incubation period that allows them to spread the disease. (Read more: Top 10 facts about rabies you didn't know)

We spoke to our expert Dr A.K Gupta, renowned physician practising in New Delhi, to find the answers to some of the most common questions regarding rabies.

Which animals spread rabies in India?

Dr Gupta: In India, the animals commonly responsible for transmission of rabies are dogs and cats followed by wild animals like mongoose, foxes and jackals. Occasionally animals like  horses, donkeys, monkeys, cows, goats, sheep and pigs can also spread the virus.

How can people control rabies in dogs?

Dr Gupta: Animal vaccination remains the method of choice to control and eradicate rabies. People with pets need to understand that a proper and careful vaccination schedule is necessary for the safety of the dog itself and their family. The cost of a post-bite treatment in humans is about one hundred times more costly than getting your dog vaccinated.  

What precautions should people take when it comes to rabies?

Dr Gupta: While many people think that it is only when they get bitten that they at risk of contracting the disease, but they need to remember that there are some other things that can be done to keep themselves and their family safe.  They should remember that if their dog or cat  is sick, they should seek the advice from their veterinarian immediately. They should protect their pets from stray or wild animals. If a person has any stray animals in their surroundings, they should immidiately report it to their local health authority. People should remember that they should not feed or handle wild animals especially those that appear particularly aggressive or sick. And finally people should not keep wild animals as pets. (Read the rest of the interview here..)

 

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நமீதாவும் அரசியலில் விரைவில் குதிக்க உள்ளாராம்! Nadigai namitha

தாங்குமா நாடு நமீதாவும் அரசியலில் விரைவில் குதிக்க உள்ளாராம்!

by abtamil
ஆண் நண்பருடனான ... - Tamil newsToday,

நடிகை நமீதா அரசியலில் ஈடுபட தயாராகிறார். சமீபகாலமாக சமூக பணிகளில் தீவிரம் காட்டி வருகிறார். ரத்தானம், கண்தானம், ஏழைகளுக்கு நலத்திட்ட உதவிகள், வழங்குதல் போன்ற நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் பங்கேற்கிறார்.

ராயப்பேட்டையில் பெண்களுக்கு கழிப்பிடம் கட்டி கொடுத்தார். தொண்டு நிறுவனங்கள் நடத்தும் நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் இலவசமாகவே பங்கெடுத்து வருகிறார். அரசியலில் ஈடுபடும் திட்டம் உள்ளதா என்று நமீதாவிடம் கேட்டபோது அவர் கூறியதாவது:–

எனக்கு அரசியலில் ஆர்வம் இருக்கிறது. எனவே விரைவில் அரசியலுக்கு வருவேன். எந்த கட்சியில் சேர்வது என்பது குறித்து இன்னும் முடிவு செய்யவில்லை. பாரதீய ஜனதா சார்பில் பிரதமர் வேட்பாளராக அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ள நரேந்திரமோடி எனது குஜராத் மாநிலத்துக்காரர் என்பதால் அக்கட்சியில் நான் சேரப்போவதாக செய்திகள் வந்துள்ளன. அப்படி எந்த முடிவும் எடுக்கவில்லை.

அரசியல் கட்சிகளில் எந்த கட்சியில் சேர்வது என்பது குறித்து தொடர்ந்து ஆலோசித்து வருகிறேன். விரைவில் முடிவு எடுத்து அறிவிப்பேன். சினிமாவில் தொடர்ந்து நடிப்பேன். உடற்பயிற்சிகள் செய்து எடையை குறைத்து வருகிறேன்.

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Make-up tips for dusky women

Make-up tips for dusky women

by Janaya M H

While many Indians rue the fact that they are dusky, many make-up artists believe that it is great to work on such a skintone. The trick is to match the right hues and shades and choose the right base and foundation. We spoke to stylist Swati Gupta of BodyCraft who shared some handy make-up tips for dusky beauties. 

If a dusky person were to wear foundation, how can they choose the right shade that won't force them to look 'fair'?

The best place to try a foundation before buying it is on your forehead and just below the cheek — right above the jaw line. It is important that the foundation is the exact shade of your skintone. With dusky skintones, it is very important to ensure that the foundation does not make you look ashen or grey. Most importantly, the foundation should complement your skin's undertone. (Read: Make-up tips to look picture-perfect)

What kind of eyeshadow would you recommend for a dusky-skinned woman?

Dusky skin is one of the best tones to work a smoky eye on. Hence, shades of grey and brown to create a dramatic smoky look would work excellently. Other tones that would work great are copper, brownish-pink and deep purple. (Read: Step-by-step guide to get smoky eyes look)

Can they use two-toned eye make-up? If yes, a blend of what colours would suit best?

A very sharp contrast of colour is not really recommended as eye shadow for dusky women. However, one can work with shades of the same family. For a dramatic look, starting off on a light shade and working the corners really dark will create a stunning effect. Good examples of shades to blend would be brown to black, burnt pink to burgundy, etc.

What about the lips?

Reds with burgundy, burgundy and browns are excellent tones to work with for dusky skin. Some dusky skintones can carry bright reds well. 

And the blush?

Some good ideas would be burnt pink, peachy coral, bronze and apricot. While she might not want to put on bright colours that may look artificial, it's definitely worthwhile to work with the shades mentioned above to add warmth to the complexion. Avoid very brown tones as they might make one look washed out. (Read: Make-up 101: How to choose the right blush for your cheeks)

If one is interested in colouring their hair, what shades would you recommend and what can they do? Would you suggest global colour or highlights only?

Dusky skintones work great with rich and deep colours. Chocolate browns, rich burgundy, deep violet are all great tones for hair colour. These will work well as global colours. Highlights look great on these skintones as well. It is just important to go for subtle shades which are not stark contrasts to the natural colour of the hair. Working shades just one to two times lighter than the natural colour would be perfect for highlights. (Read: Hair colouring – what you need to know)

Finally, could you recommend about four-five brands that focus on Indian skintones when selling their products here?

MAC and Bobbi Brown are two brands that have great colours for Indian skin. Some other brands are L'Oreal, Maybelline and Chambor.

Source: DNA

For more articles on beauty, check out our Beauty section and for videos, check out our YouTube Channel. 

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Kenyan forces have Nairobi mall ‘under control’

Kenyan forces have Nairobi mall 'under control'
Tamil NewsYesterday, 05:30

Kenyan authorities said on Tuesday that they have full control over the Nairobi shopping mall under siege for a third day, and that all hostages are believed to have been evacuated.
Security forces, close to ending the siege, were still conducting searches for explosives and any remaining gunmen inside the four-storey complex where at least 62 people were killed and 175 injured since Saturday.

"Our forces are combing the mall floor by floor looking for anyone left behind. We believe all hostages have been released," the Interior Ministry said on its Twitter feed, shortly after announcing: "We are in control of Westgate." The Interior Ministry earlier confirmed the deaths of three of the estimated 10 to 15 al-Qaeda-linked militants. Authorities had detained and were questioning 10 people in relation to the attack.

Loud explosions and sustained gunfire were heard several times on Monday in the upmarket Westgate shopping centre, and black smoke continued to billow in the evening from a blaze that authorities said was started by the attackers.

The ministry declined to give specifics on the hostages or when operations might be concluded. The head of the military, General Julius Karange, said the attack was staged by a "multinational" group.

Spokesmen for the Somali Islamist militia al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack - a coordinated operation in central Nairobi using grenades and automatic weapons - and said there would be no negotiations with the government.

Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, an al-Shabaab leader, told a radio station in Somalia that the remaining attackers would fight to the death, calling the massacre part of a global jihad.

"This is a holy war between believers and non-believers," he said, calling for more attacks.

Al-Shabaab said the attack was in response to Kenya's military presence in southern Somalia.

Kenya sent troops to Somalia in 2011 to fight an insurgency and prevent cross-border raids following a spate of kidnappings on Kenyan soil by al-Shabaab. The Kenyan troops are now part of an African Union peacekeeping mission.

Eleven soldiers had been injured in the latest assault. The current death toll of 62 civilians could rise, Kenyan officials said.

More than 200 civilians have been rescued from inside the chaotic shopping mall, which was frequented on the weekend by hundreds of locals and foreigners.

There were still 65 people receiving treatment in hospitals across Nairobi. The Red Cross said 63 people were listed as missing.

Deputy President William Ruto, being tried on charges of crimes against humanity, was allowed to return for a week from The Hague to Kenya by the International Criminal Court to help with the crisis.

He said the government would ensure the security of Kenyans, commenting that the attackers "work for the devil." "We shall sustain the work of keeping Kenya safe to protect ourselves and our prosperity," Mr. Ruto said.

The governments of Canada, France, Britain, South Africa, the Netherlands and the United States said their citizens were among the dead or wounded.

Finnish Interior Minister Paivi Rasanen said Helsinki was investigating reports that a Finnish national might have participated in the attack.

Al-Shabaab made unconfirmed claims that US and British nationals were involved in the deadliest terrorist attack in Kenya since the 1998 bombing of the US embassy.

In Washington, White House national security official Ben Rhodes said the al-Shabaab claims had not yet been confirmed, but that US officials "have for some time been concerned about efforts by to recruit Americans or US persons to come to Somalia." US President Barack Obama called the attack a "terrible outrage" and offered any law enforcement assistance Kenya required. The European Union likewise condemned the attack.

"We want to assure our international visitors and tourists not to panic," she said in remarks broadcast on local KTN television.

British Prime Minister David Cameron cut short his annual visit to Queen Elizabeth II at her home in Balmoral, Scotland, to lead a meeting of his cabinet's emergency committee.

Kenyan security forces were believed to be sharing information with foreign security agencies, as they try to find a way to fully regain control over the shopping centre.

Israel's deputy ambassador to Nairobi, Yaki Lopez, said his country was helping Kenya. "We are on the ground. We are providing help," he told the Israeli news website Ynet, giving no further details.

Tourism is a vital source of revenue for Kenya, and Tourism Minister Phyllis Jepkosgei Kandie urged travellers not to cancel planned visits.

A steady stream of volunteers lined up at blood banks in Nairobi and across Kenya, in response to a call by hospitals for donations to treat the wounded.

Kenyans had raised more than 70,000 dollars to help victims of the attack.

...
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Summons for M. Karunanidhi

Summons for M. Karunanidhi
Tamil NewsYesterday,

The Principal Sessions Court here on Monday ordered the issuance of summons to DMK president M. Karunanidhi for his appearance in connection with a defamation case filed by State government against him last week.
The criminal complaint related to a news item under the caption of Kalaignar Pathilgal' published in the party organ Murasoli authored by Mr. Karunanidhi. The City Public Prosecutor (CPP) contended that the DMK leader had spoken about the government stopping advertisements to a Tamil daily. The contents of the report were untrue and published without verification.

The complaint stated the article allegedly defamed Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and also sought to punish S. Selvam, Editor, Printer and Publisher of the daily for defamation. After perusing the complaint, G.Chockalingam, Principal Sessions Judge, ordered the issuance of summons to Mr. Karunanidhi and Mr. Selvam for their appearance on October 24.

Another case

Meanwhile, another defamation complaint was filed against PMK founder S.Ramadoss by the government for allegedly criticising the Chief Minister in connection with the recent Marakkanam violence that occurred in April last.

...
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Srinivasan’s re election will be doomsday for Indian cricket: Modi

Srinivasan's re election will be doomsday for Indian cricket: Modi
Tamil NewsYesterday, 05:30

Former IPL chairperson Lalit Modi was his usual outspoken self when he said it will be "doomsday" for the Indian cricket if N. Srinivasan gets re-elected as BCCI president at the Board's AGM on September 29.
"Across the globe, the fans, advertisers and administrators will be disappointed at this if Srinivasan gets re-elected. A wrong message would be sent. It will be a doomsday for Indian cricket," said Modi. Srinivasan has declared that he will contest for the top post in the upcoming Board elections in Chennai.

Srinivasan is bidding to get re-elected as BCCI president for the third year running under the Board's two plus one year tenure rule, having completed two years at the helm.

Srinivasan has been under a lot of pressure since the spot-fixing scandal broke out and his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings team official Gurunath Meiyappan's name cropped up in investigations in betting during the Indian Premier League's sixth season held in April-May.

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association's president stepped aside in June as the BCCI chief and let former president Jagmohan Dalmiya take over the day-to-day work. However, he chaired the meeting of the disciplinary committee held in Delhi earlier this month that imposed life bans on cricketers S. Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan following a probe by BCCI's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit chief Ravi Sawani for indulging in spot-fixing in IPL6.

...
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NSA targets Indian politics, space & n programmes

NSA targets Indian politics, space & n programmes
Tamil NewsYesterday,

The public assertions made by Indian and American officials that no content was taken from India's internet and telephone networks by U.S.'s National Security Agency (NSA) and that the American surveillance programs just looked at "patterns of communication" as a counter-terrorism measure are far from the truth, if not outright misleading.
According to a top secret document disclosed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and obtained by The Hindu, the PRISM programme was deployed by the American agency to gather key information from India by tapping directly into the servers of tech giants which provide services such as email, video sharing, voice-over-IPs, online chats, file transfer and social networking services.

And, according to the PRISM document seen by The Hindu, much of the communication targeted by the NSA is unrelated to terrorism, contrary to claims of Indian and American officials.

Instead, much of the surveillance was focused on India's domestic politics and the country's strategic and commercial interests.

This is the first time it's being revealed that PRISM, which facilitates extensive, in-depth surveillance on live communications as well as stored information, was used by the world's largest surveillance organization to intercept and pick content on at least three issues related to India's geopolitical and economic interests. They are: Nuclear, Space and Politics.

The top-secret NSA document, which carries the seal of "Special Source Operations", is called "A Week in the Life of PRISM reporting" and it shows "Sampling of Reporting topics from 2-8 Feb 2013". Marked with a green slug that reads "589 End product Reports'', the document carries the brand logos of companies like Gmail, Facebook, MSN, Hotmail, Yahoo!, Google, Apple, Skype, YouTube, paltalk.com and AOL on the top of the page.

"End products" are official reports that are distillations of the best raw intelligence.

In a section titled "India", the document clearly mentions numerous subjects about which content was picked from various service providers on the worldwide web in just one week early this year.

This document is strong evidence of the fact that NSA surveillance in India was not restricted to tracking of phone calls, text messages and email logs by Boundless Informant, an NSA tool that was deployed quite aggressively against India. "As politics, space and nuclear are mentioned as "end products" in this document, it means that emails, texts and phones of important people related to these fields were constantly monitored and intelligence was taken from them, and then the NSA prepared official reports on the basis of raw intelligence. It means, they are listening in real time to what our political leaders, bureaucrats and scientists are communicating with each other," an official with an India intelligence agency told The Hindu, speaking strictly on condition of anonymity.

But, top ministers and officials have continued to live in denial.

After it was reported by The Guardian on June 7 that the PRISM program allowed the NSA "to obtain targeted communications without having to request them from the service providers and without having to obtain individual court orders", both U.S. and Indian officials claimed that no content was being taken from the country's networks and that the programs were intended to "counter terrorism".

Kerry's dissembling

During his visit to New Delhi on June 24 to take part in the India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry denied that the American agency programmes were accessing online content. "It does not look at individual emails. It does not listen to people's telephone conversation. It is a random survey by computers of anybody's telephone, of just the numbers and not even the names…It takes those random numbers and looks whether those random numbers are connected to other numbers, that they know, by virtue of other intelligence, linked to terrorists in places where those terrorists operate," Mr. Kerry had said, stressing that only when an "adequate linkage" is formed, the authorities go to a special court to get permission to obtain further data.

Even Indian officials have been repeating these lines since the NSA activities in India were disclosed. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha on August 26, Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said the U.S. agencies only "trace origin and destination of the data, but never try to get access to the content, which requires a court approval". "It would be a matter of concern for government if intrusive data capture has been deployed against Indian citizens or government infrastructure. Government has clearly conveyed these concerns to the U.S. government," the minister had said, adding that the violation of any Indian law relating to privacy of information of ordinary Indian citizens by surveillance programs was "unacceptable".

This "unacceptable" line might have been crossed by the NSA millions of times through the PRISM program as, according to the documents disclosed by Mr. Snowden, it is able to reach directly into the servers of the tech companies that are part of the programme and obtain data as well as perform real-time collection on targeted users. "The National Security Agency has obtained direct access to the systems of Google, Facebook, Apple and other U.S. internet giants," The Guardian had said in its June 7 report, quoting from a 41-slide PowerPoint presentation which was apparently used to train intelligence operatives on the capabilities of the program.

Foreigners are fair game

Tech firms have denied that they allow unfettered access to the NSA. In strongly worded denials of participation in any government surveillance program, they have claimed they allow access to any data to the agency only when required by law.

Here lies the catch. Contrary to denials by tech firms and claims by India's communication minister that the U.S. agency "requires a court approval" to look into any online content, the NSA used the changes in U.S. surveillance law that allows for the targeting of any customers of participating firms "who live outside the US, or those Americans whose communications include people outside the US". This law, known as FISA Amendment Act or FAA, was introduced by President George W Bush and renewed under President Barack Obama in December 2012, allows for electronic surveillance on anyone who is "reasonably believed" to be outside the U.S.

No Indian citizen, government department or organisation has any legal protection from NSA surveillance. In a Joint Statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the National Security Agency on August 21, 2013, it was stated that "FISA is designed to allow the U.S. Government to acquire foreign intelligence while protecting the civil liberties and privacy of Americans."

So the NSA had no obstacle — technical or legal — in deploying the PRISM tool against India and Indian citizens. Armed with the FAA and with the active cooperation of the world's biggest internet brands, the NSA was able to tap specific intelligence from India about the issues which have huge implications for its strategic interests in India. While India's "nuclear" and "space" programmes have clearly significant commercial value for American firms, the surveillance of "politics" has huge implications for its foreign policy objectives in the region.

"If Americans are listening to our politicians and tapping the phones or reading mails of individuals who handle nuclear and space programmes, they have huge advantage over us in all business and diplomatic negotiations. Even before we go to the table, they know what we are going to put on it. It's not just violation of our sovereignty, it's a complete intrusion into our decision-making process," said a senior official of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who admitted in private that the reports about the scale of NSA surveillance have "rattled" the government.

The NSA document also has names of several Asian, African and Latin American countries from where the American agency picked data about subjects ranging from oil to WTO to government policies, making it clear that the NSA spying was focused on commercial and business areas, and not on its stated objective of national security. "If the American intelligence agencies and business corporations are hunting in pairs, we are bound to lose," added the Indian official.

More than anything, the targeting of India's politics and space programme by the NSA busts the myth of close strategic partnership between India and US. The document seen by The Hindu is populated with the countries that are generally seen as adversarial by America. When the PRISM program was disclosed first time in June, a U.S. official had said that information "collected under this program is among the most important and valuable intelligence information we collect, and is used to protect our nation from a wide variety of threats."

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Bangladesh garment workers protest low wages, loot firearms

Bangladesh garment workers protest low wages, loot firearms
Tamil NewsToday,

Nearly 150 people were injured on Monday when thousands of angry textile workers in Bangladesh, the world's second-largest garment exporter, clashed with police, looted firearms and vandalised factories, demanding nearly a three-fold hike in their salaries.
The authorities of almost all the readymade garment factories in Gazipur decided to suspend production at their units for the day having suffered from the unrest, Mosharraf Hossain, assistant superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police, said.

Over 140 hurt people, including six police personnel, were injured in Gazipur and Savar, when aggrieved workers clashed with police.

According to police, workers of different factories gathered outside 'Colossuses Apparels' in Gazipur and vandalised the factory, attacking a paramilitary camp in Ansar.

The workers looted 8 rifles and 135 round of ammunition and set fire to them in front of the factory. Four of the looted rifles were recovered later.

"Six of our men were injured as they attacked the camp, set it on fire and looted four rifles along with ammunitions and damaged four other weapons... the fire, however, was doused immediately," area commandant Alamgir Hossain told newsmen.

Several leaders of the agitating workers declined their involvement in the attack saying some miscreants might have taken the advantage as thousands took to the street to stage the protests.

Police said the road communications on Dhaka—Mymensingh and Dhaka—Aricha highways remained suspended for nearly four hours until extra policemen appeared at the scene and restored the order using batons, firing gunshots in the air and hurling tear gas canisters to disperse some 20,000 protestors.

Several vehicles were damaged as the workers came out on the streets demanding a minimum wage of USD 100 per month.

That forced managements of hundreds of factories in Gazipur, Savar and capital Dhaka to close down for the day.

Factory owners said Monday's protests were the worst since 2010 when months of demonstrations forced the Government and factory owners to agree to a minimum monthly wage of 3,000 taka.

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BJP hits out at Chidambaram over Modi remark

BJP hits out at Chidambaram over Modi remark
Tamil NewsToday,

Hitting out at Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram for attacking Narendra Modi, the BJP on Monday accused him of indulging in "statistical jugglery" about the growth figures and making unfair comparisons of the UPA's nine years of rule with the NDA government's achievements.
"Can Chidambaram explain why the growth rate today is 4.8 per cent? When growth rate in this period goes down they have all kinds of explanation on why it has gone down. And then they quote figures from our time to say that they have a better average," BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters in New Delhi.

Mr. Chidambaram has charged the Gujarat Chief Minister with staging a "fake encounter with facts" regarding his claims of economic growth during BJP-led NDA being 8.4 per cent and said nothing can be further from truth.

Mr. Sinha alleged that this "statistical jugglery" is being done by Mr. Chidambaram as the UPA government cannot compete on year-to-year basis with the NDA regime and hence is taking out averages.

"They are comparing nine years average with five years average of NDA," Mr. Sinha said, adding that when the NDA came to power the growth rate was 4.8 per cent and when the BJP-led coalition relinquished office it was 8.6 per cent.

"Chidambaram is doing terrorism with facts... He is only comparing on averages. This is only jugglery of figures," he said.

The former Finance Minister also maintained that while the NDA had created 60 million jobs in five years, the UPA government has only provided 2.7 million jobs in nine years.

Mr. Sinha said, "Congress has reasons to be scared of Modi, so they don't miss any chance of doing it. The more they will target him the more it will help Modi."

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Role of vetiver in checking landslides in Nilgiris stressed

Role of vetiver in checking landslides in Nilgiris stressed

Tamil NewsToday,

Vetiver, the multi-usage plant, can play a significant role in checking landslides and controlling soil erosion in hill areas like the Nilgiris but regrettably not many are aware of this, said S. Jayashree and J. Rathinamala, professors of the Coimbatore-based Nehru Arts and Science College.
The college has been given a project by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology to promote the use of the plant on the slopes here.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Saturday, they said that as part of the project the grass botanically referred to as Chrysopogon Zizanioides was planted along the slopes in Kodappamund on the Ooty-Kotagiri highway, Marapaalam on the Ooty-Mettupalayam national highway and Kalhatty.

Stating that there was a need to enhance awareness about the different purposes that the plant serves, they said that despite its efficacy in binding soil and contribution to disaster mitigation it has not been promoted properly.

Pointing out that the areas planted with the grass would be inspected during the rains, they said that in addition to preventing soil erosion, it helps treat contaminated water and soil. It has several medicinal properties.

Its leaves can be used for cultivating mushrooms and also in handicrafts.

Landscaping

In landscaping, vetiver plant can be of considerable use. Earlier, a workshop on vetiver and cultivation of mushrooms was organised by the college here for the benefit of some self-help groups. College Principal B. Anirudhan presided. Assistant Divisional Engineer, Highways, G. Murugan spoke.

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Key witnesses in bakery blast case coaxed to give statements against Baig

Key witnesses in bakery blast case coaxed to give statements against Baig
Tamil NewsYesterday,

In what could prove to be a major embarrassment to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), a sting operation by journalist Ashish Khetan has revealed that key prosecution witnesses in the 2010 Pune German Bakery blast case were tutored, coaxed and pressured to give statements against convict Himayat Baig.
"There are three counts on which Baig was awarded the death sentence by the Pune Sessions Court – RDX was recovered from his residence, he was of jehadi mindset and was seen in Pune with Yasin Bhatkal on the day of the blast. The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses played a key role in this. Our expose shows how their statements were extracted under duress. Also they were tutored on their testimonies by ATS officers," said Ashish Khetan, editor, Gulail, at a press conference in Mumbai.

Top Indian Mujahideen (IM) leader Yasin Bhatkal, who was arrested at the India-Nepal border last month, had told his interrogators that Baig was not involved in the bakery blast. He claimed that it was he and another IM operative, Qatil Siddhique, who planned and executed the attack. He said explosives were sourced and assembled locally.

The ATS had claimed that Bhatkal procured explosives from Mumbai and that he and Baig prepared the bombs in a cybercafé owned by the latter in Udgir and they travelled in a State transport bus on February 13 morning and carried out the attack.

S Nazir Ateeq, a prosecution witnesses, is seen claiming in the sting operation that when he deposed before the court to testify that Baig was with him in Aurangabad on February 13 and not in Pune as claimed by the ATS, his testimony was not recorded and he was declared a hostile witness by the court.

All the prosecution witnesses filmed by Khetan, using a hidden camera, are seen narrating same stories of torture and brutality that they were subjected to by junior rank ATS officers of the Pune team. They also claimed that the officers tutored them on their depositions.

"We were kept in a lodge where policemen tutored us on how to depose. Two days before my deposition I was produced before the ATS DIG Sanjay Latkar, who posed as a lawyer and asked me questions. They told me to say that Baig was a jehadi and always spoke about taking revenge on what happened to Muslims in Gujarat and Mumbai riots. When I said Baig was not a jehadi, Latkar got angry. He reprimanded his juniors for not 'tutoring' me properly," said Gaur Sheikh, another witness.

Mr. Khetan claims that on Friday morning he got a message from Sheikh, who said that ATS officers had visited his home in Udgir and inquired if he had spoken to a 'stranger.' They had warned him not to speak to anyone on the case.

When The Hindu tried to contact ATS chief Rakesh Maria on his reaction to the sting operation, he was unavailable for comments. But officials in the ATS, on the condition of anonymity, told this paper that they have sufficient evidence against Baig and that he was convicted by the court, which has relied on their evidence.

"Many of the witnesses had recorded their statements under 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr Pc). If we had pressured them, they could have said the same in their confessions. They all have confessed before the court. The allegation of we tutoring them is completely baseless," said an officer.

"We have sufficient evidence against Baig. We were the first to expose the LeT-IM nexus. Baig used to work for LeT operative Faiyaz Kagzi, who was his recruiter and also the link between the IM and the LeT. Kagzi is one of the wanted accused in the case," added the officer.

On September 23, Baig's death confirmation plea will come up for hearing in the Bombay High Court. Khetan claims he will move an application before the court to take cognisance of the sting operation and reopen the case.

Earlier this week, State Home Minister R.R. Patil refused to reopen the case, claiming that he was sentenced by a court and, therefore, there was no fresh need to reinvestigate the case.

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Chennai to host a disability film festival from Monday

Chennai to host a disability film festival from Monday
by vijigermany
New Tamil Jokes - .comYesterday,
Chennai to host a disability film festival from Monday

: A four-day international festival, featuring films showcasing 'disability,' will open in the city on Monday. More than 50 films from different countries, including Iran, Israel, France, Mexico, Finland, UK, US and India, will be screened at the festival organised by Ability Foundation, which works for the empowerment, integration and rights of the differently-abled. The even will open with 'Left Foot Cinderell'a, a 14-minute French movie.

AbilityFest 2013 - India is a bi-annual event presenting a unique and inspiring showcase of extraordinary films from around the world, said a release from the organisers. "Films by, with and about people with disabilities, bringing the ideas and philosophy of an inclusive society, will be the major objectives," it said.

The festival comes at a time when leading international film archives and online portals are featuring disability in films as a separate category. Websites like IMDB.com and Allmovie.com have exclusive pages featuring the best movies on disability.

A Sound Story (Greece),
The Delusion (India),
Third Brigade of Libya (France),
Gold and Copper (Iran),
Sound of Mazin (Netherland),
Pina Palmera: We Live to Grow (Mexico),
Tamil Friendship (India),
Alzheimer (Iran),
Deaf Mugger (UK)

will be among the major films to be screened at the festival at Sathyam Cinemas. A number of film makers who have made movies on disability are expected to participate.

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Samajwadi Party leader Mohan Singh no more

Samajwadi Party leader Mohan Singh no more
Tamil NewsYesterday,

Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Mohan Singh, who was recently removed from the post of party national spokesman over differences with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, passed away at AIIMS on Sunday after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Mr. Singh, 68, was admitted to AIIMS on September 18, SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary. Mr. Singh is survived by his wife Urmila and two daughters.

AIIMS medical superintendent P.K. Sharma said, "Singh was suffering from blood cancer."

"Two days back his condition became serious and he was shifted to ICU. He died at 4:15 p.m. today."

His body will be taken to Lucknow on Monday and put in party office at Vikramaditya Marg, SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said.

Later, the body will be taken to Gorakhpur and then to his ancestral village Jainagar in Deoria for the last rites.

"After the demise of Janeshwar Mishra and Brij Bhushan Tiwari, the demise of Mohan Singh is a setback for the socialist movement. He was a man of principles and his death has left a void in the Samajwadi Party," Mr. Ram Gopal said.

SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, U.P. Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan and several party leaders have condoled his death.

On January 6, 2012 Mr. Singh was removed from the post of SP national spokesman after he disagreed with Mr. Akhilesh Yadav's decision to keep controversial leader D.P. Yadav out of the Samajwadi Party, who accused party leadership of dictatorship.

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NAC to examine effect of developmental interventions and constitutional safeguards on tribal people

NAC to examine effect of developmental interventions and constitutional safeguards on tribal people

Tamil NewsYesterday,

The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) will examine whether developmental interventions and constitutional safeguards — including Fifth Schedule provisions — have come to the aid of tribal people in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts in central India. An NAC Working Group (WG) headed by tribal expert Professor Virginius Xaxa — who also heads the Prime Minister's high level committee that is to produce a report on the socio-economic condition of tribal people — will hold its first meeting on the subject on September 23. It is expected to zero in on "the issue of displacement arising from the various development and mining projects and wild life sanctuaries, and issues such as atrocities, redressal of undertrials, etc." The key question the agenda papers for the NAC's WG meeting poses is whether "industry, mineral exploitation and other infrastructure development projects that displace tribal communities are to be invariably resisted? Or to be worked out, ensuring overall interest of the tribal communities [livelihood security, environment, culture, improved quality of life etc]?"
The NAC's WG meeting coincides with the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee's recent admission that the organisation's strength — whether manpower, arms and ammunition, or support of the middle-class and intellectuals — stands depleted, even though sporadic Maoist attacks continue to be reported from the region. Meanwhile, the high-level committee, set up last month by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to prepare a position paper on the socio-economic, health and educational status of tribal people, has also been asked to look at the controversial issue of mining in Schedule Five areas in central India.

On September 9, when members of the PM's high-level committee met union tribal affairs minister Kishore Chandra Deo, the minister urged the members to pay attention to this issue, as mining by private companies in Schedule Five areas has had an adverse impact on the lives, livelihoods and health of the tribal people, such as in Odhisha's Keonjhar district. Mr. Deo also asked them to pay special attention to the manner in which money from the Tribal Sub-Plan is disbursed by the various ministries — in many cases, government sources said, these monies are used as discretionary funds rather than being used "to fill the critical gaps."

In recent months, the UPA government — and now the NAC — has once again begun to lay special emphasis on the condition of tribal people: the PM's high level committee is expected to produce a report similar to the one the Sachar Committee did on Muslims, ahead of the general elections in 2014. The NAC's WG background note for the September 23 meeting admits that tribal people "have veered in some areas to left radicalism either as cadres or sympathisers and supporters due to their exploitation and oppression by traders, money lenders, land grabbers…and absence of effective and sensitive civil administration." The large scale displacement of tribal people in recent years, it says, "has reinforced the discontent… widespread in these areas for decades." This has happened, it continues, "despite the special Constitutional and legal provisions for the protection of the tribal people in the Fifth Schedule," as well as a slew of other laws. The note then lists three perspectives on LWE: It can be treated "as a national security problem to be addressed militaristically... (that) could result in… widening the trust deficit, (and) end up strengthening the Maoists," something the country can "least afford"; or the focus can be on the development approach that "co-relates the roots of Maoist influence in the areas to governance and development deficit"; or "a judicious combination of both the above perspectives" can be deployed.

The note asks the WG to "assess the impact of special programmes for the LWE areas, being implemented over the past 5-6 years"; "review the implementation of provisions under the Fifth Schedule and PESA, 1996 and Scheduled Tribe and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006, Prevention of Atrocities Act."

The mix of lawyers, activists and sociologists invited to the NAC's WG meeting include Ajay Dandekar, Nandini Sundar, Himanshu Kumar, Professor Hargopal, Prafulla Samantara, Dayamani Barla, Sudha Bhardwaj, Sudhir Pattnaik, Abhay Xaxa, Bela Bhatia, Pradip Prabhu, Chitrangada Chaudhary, Vipul Mudgal and C.R. Bijoy.

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Rangasamy downplays meeting of MLAs

Rangasamy downplays meeting of MLAs

Tamil NewsYesterday

Even as a group of five MLAs of AINRC held a secret meeting here to express their displeasure over the slow pace of development, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Saturday downplayed the development.
A group of five MLAs, including M. Vaidhyanathan, M. Kalyanasundaram, Angalan and Nehru, met at the office of Mr. Vaidhyanathan, who is the Parliamentary Secretary of the Chief Minister.

They reportedly discussed the snail pace of development schemes in their respective constituencies.

When the meeting was on, they received an invitation from Speaker of the Assembly V. Sabapathy for negotiation.

Subsequently, the MLAs also met the Chief Minister at his residence.

Mr. Rangasamy, who gave a patient hearing to them, promised to take care of their grievances, said sources close to him.

Emerging from the meeting, Mr. Nehru said they had discussed various demands of people.

There was nothing special in it.

When asked about the secret meeting of a section of MLAs, Mr. Rangasamy said it was not a problem.

"There is no difference of opinion with the Lt. Governor also. Both of us are taking steps to run the government smoothly," he said.

On law and order, the Chief Minister said several steps were being taken to improve the situation.

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Shareholders approve dissolution of Bangalore stock exchange

Shareholders approve dissolution of Bangalore stock exchange
Tamil NewsYesterday,

As was widely expected, the shareholders of the Bangalore Stock Exchange (BgSE) unanimously approved the "voluntary dissolution" of the 50-year-old regional exchange on Saturday. The Annual General Meeting, which was attended by 100 out of the 925 members, authorised the management to apply to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) seeking its approval for the exit. "The formal letter to SEBI would be sent on Monday," said a senior BgSE official. Saturday's authorisation was a mandatory requirement, which would pave the way for the exchange's eventual exit.
C. Subramaniam, Chief Operating Officer, BgSE, told The Hindu that the AGM also decided unanimously to explore various options for the exchange company to enter into "non-exchange activities." It appointed a four-member steering committee, working under the company's board, to explore these options.

A top source said one option is for the exchange company to enter into the Non Banking Finance Company (NFBC) space, but this will depend on various "contingent approvals," primarily those pertaining to regulations of the Reserve Bank of India.

"The resolution was not unexpected because the exchange had become irrelevant because of the developments in the last two decades," said a participant at the AGM. He said trading on the regional exchanges had become "puny" because the larger exchanges such as the National Stock Exchange and the BSE dominate the scene. Moreover, the proliferation of online trading, especially those linked to the two major bourses, had affected the regional exchanges adversely, he said.

Ramalinga Raju, who was the president of the BgSE between 1993 and 1995, recalled that the exchange was the first in South India to start screen-based trading.

BgSE's subsidiary, BgSE Financials will continue as an "independent corporate broking entity," Mr. Subramaniam said.

Mr. Raju said the future course of action would depend on the decision of the sub-committee. If the company is unable to find a viable business activity to pursue, its assets would be distributed to shareholders, he said. This includes the BgSE's property on JC Road, which functions as its headquarters and a plot on Infantry Road, said a member.

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