Wednesday, September 10, 2014


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Monster Flood in Kashmir

Monster floods render thousands homeless in Kashmir
Incessant rainfall in fifty years brought total loss to Kashmir,this natural catastrophe resulted more than half million homeless and more than 500 deaths in the Kashmir region. Thousands of natives still trapped on rooftops  and tourist from all parts of India stranded. Indian Army making hectic efforts to bring relief to the people of J& K. But residents in both India and Pakistan are criticizing their governments for not doing enough to help them. Indian Army is gradually shifting to from rescue to ‘relief operations’ with 215 columns deployed which have rescued 38,700 people till date, including approx 24,000 from Srinagar City alone.
In Srinagar, Army columns concentrated their efforts to cover areas of Rajbagh, Shivpura, Indira Nagar, Bemina and Tankpura. In Srinagar itself, 4000 persons were evacuated, which included Ambassador of Nepal along with a 17 member delegation and 28 member Pakistani golf team (part of SAARC team) on 08 Sep.
Deployment of Medical Teams has increased from 65 to 80 in J&K. Additional recourses being inducted include Engineer Task Forces, a Field Hospital, ‘Ready to Eat Meals’, packed milk, blankets, potable water, baby food (07 tons) etc. Approx 200 boats have been mobilized and more are underway.
Army has pressed 13 Chetak and 05 Advance Light Helicopters into service. 100 to 120 sorties are being flown daily towards the relief effort.

35 Pakistan militants killed in military airstrikes

Pakistan’s warplanes have struck three militant hideouts in a Taliban stronghold near the Afghan border, killing 35 fighters, the military said. The strikes on Wednesday morning targeted areas in the North Waziristan tribal region, where the military has been conducting a major offensive since mid-June, AP reported. The operation has so far killed over 900 militants, according to the army.

6.2 quake strikes Indonesia

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake has hit central Indonesia, in the Molucca Sea, between Sulawesi and Maluku chain of islands, according to the USGS. It was felt in the major cities of Manado and Gorontalo in northern Sulawesi, with residents reporting shakes and light tremors. A national disaster agency spokesman also told AFP that “people in Manado felt the quake and ran from their homes.” The Indonesian government ruled out the possibility of a tsunami. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties after the quake, but the country is no stranger to natural disasters of the sort. It sits on the Pacific’s ‘Ring of Fire’, where continental plates collide, leading to quakes and volcanic eruptions.

US ‘finalizing’ new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine

Washington is drafting a new package of possible sanctions on Russia’s defense, energy and financial sectors over what it calls “intervention” in Ukraine. “The United States is finalizing measures to both deepen and broaden our sanctions across Russia’s financial, energy and defense sectors,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told a daily briefing, Reuters reported. “We have tools at the ready. We are finalizing these packages, but we are going to make decisions based on what’s happening on the ground in the next few days.”

France to host conference on Iraq security on Sept. 15

Paris will host an international conference on the security situation in Iraq on September 15, President Francois Hollande’s office has said. Iraqi President Fuad Masum and leaders of regional and international powers will attend the gathering. Ahead of the conference, Hollande will visit Iraq to offer France’s support to Iraqi leaders in fighting the insurgents of Islamic State, the statement said, Reuters reported.

Polish PM Tusk resigns to take up EU post

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has resigned after he was appointed President of the European Council so as to avoid a conflict of interest, Tusk told journalists, Itar-Tass news agency reported.According to the Polish constitution, a new candidate for prime minster should be submitted to President Bonislav Komorovski within the next two weeks.A new government is due to be formed by Sept. 25, although many key ministers will likely keep their positions.

Obama TV address to lay out plan for broader offensive against ISIS on Sept. 10

US President Barack Obama will address Americans on TV regarding the US government’s military campaign against the extremist Islamic State group. Scheduled for Sept. 10, the speech is planned to include notions of the threat the militants in the Middle East pose, and will inform people on the US strategy for combating radical jihadists. Ahead of his address, Obama will discuss the broader offensive with Congressional leaders. There has been no suggestion of a ground operation, but the current “limited airstrikes” campaign against the jihadist Islamic State could be expanded.

Ebola death toll reaches 2,296 – WHO

The death toll from the worst Ebola outbreak in history has risen to at least 2,296, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. In total, 4,293 cases were registered in five West African countries, Reuters said. The figures show almost 200 new deaths from the disease, as of September 6. WHO’s previous update related to September 5. The latest data also reflects the situation as of September 5 in Liberia, the worst affected country.

France to make decision on Mistral delivery to Russia ‘in late October’

France will make a decision on the delivery of Mistral-class helicopter carriers to Russia in late October, Itar-Tass quoted French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as saying Tuesday. “The contract has been neither suspended nor terminated,” the minister said. The current situation “may be interpreted as a warning” to Russia and as a prediction of possible developments, Le Drian added. He reiterated President Francois Hollande’s statement that the implementation of the $1.6 billion contract will depend on the situation in eastern Ukraine.

New UN envoy makes first visit to Syria

The new UN special envoy to Syria began his first visit to Damascus on Tuesday to try end the three-year conflict. Staffan de Mistura arrived in Damascus after crossing by land from neighboring Lebanon, AP reported. He and his deputy, Ramzy Ezzedine Ramzy, assumed their functions at the beginning of the month. De Mistura was received by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad. It was not clear if the envoy will meet with President Bashar Assad during his visit.

Leading Egypt Islamists get 20-year sentences over attack on policemen

The Cairo Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced a top Muslim Brotherhood member and a prominent Islamist preacher to 20 years in prison, AP reported. Brotherhood leader Mohammed el-Beltagy, ultraconservative cleric Safwat Hegazy and two Brotherhood physicians were convicted of abducting, unlawfully detaining and torturing the two officers in a makeshift tent in the sit-in in a Cairo suburb against the ouster of then-President Mohamed Morsi, according to Egypt’s state news agency. The trial came as crackdown against top Brotherhood figures and their supporters is continuing.

Mosque roof collapses in Lahore, Pakistan, 9 killed

The roof of a mosque in Daroghawala, in the Pakistani city of Lahore, caved in on Tuesday and at least 30 people were trapped under debris, the Express Tribune reported. Nine people have lost their lives and six have been critically injured so far, it said, citing officials. Over 20 people were still stuck beneath the rubble.

Poland temporarily closes Iraq embassy

Poland on Tuesday suspended the work of its embassy in Baghdad over security concerns in Iraq, AFP reported. “Following the worsening of the security situation in Iraq, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has decided to temporarily suspend the activities of the Polish embassy in Baghdad as of September 9,” the ministry said. The country’s consular agency in Iraq’s Irbil – the seat of the Kurdish regional government – will remain open.

S. Africa expects resumption of Iran oil imports in 3 months

South Africa is looking to resume oil imports from Iran, once its biggest supplier of crude, Reuters said. Deputy South African Foreign Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo’s statement on Tuesday came after talks in Pretoria with her Iranian counterpart. Mfeketo hopes to resolve “sanction issues” that have blocked purchases within the next three months. South Africa, which bought around 68,000 barrels of oil per day from Iran, halted crude purchases in June 2012 because of Western pressure.

Human Rights Watch blasts Israel for treatment of thousands of African migrants

Human Rights Watch has sharply criticized Israel for its treatment of thousands of African migrants, saying it is forcing them to return to their home countries where they may face serious abuse, AP said. In a report issued Tuesday, HRW said Israeli authorities have coerced almost 7,000 Eritrean and Sudanese to return to their home countries. In response to the accusations, Israeli Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabine Haddad said Israel was dealing with the challenge of the migrants “in a legal and appropriate way.”

Lufthansa pilots stage strike in Munich on Wednesday

Lufthansa’s pilots will walk off the job at Munich Airport for eight hours on Wednesday, AP said. The Vereinigung Cockpit union said Tuesday that pilots in Munich will walk out from 08:00 to 16:00 GMT. The strike follows two six-hour stoppages in the past two weeks. The pilots demand that Lufthansa keep paying a transition payment for those wanting to retire early, while the airline wants to cut those payments.

Flood toll in India, Pakistan rises to 400

The death toll from devastating floods in India and Pakistan rose to 400 on Tuesday, AFP reported. A rescue effort is underway in the divided mountainous region of Kashmir after monsoon rains submerged hundreds of villages. Rajesh Kumar, police inspector general for the Jammu region on the Indian side, said the toll had risen to around 200. Another 206 people were confirmed dead on the Pakistan side. Hundreds of thousands more are still stranded, some “neck-deep” in water after the deadliest flooding in over half a century, according to authorities.

3 foreigners arrested in Iran over suspect trip to Iraq

Three foreigners traveling through Iran have been detained under the suspicion of planning to join the extremists Islamic State group in neighboring Iraq, AP said. Iranian border guards stopped several travelers en route to Iraq and had “three cases of arrests,” the Iran daily on Tuesday quoted Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli as saying. Fazli said Afghan and Pakistani nationals were arrested. It was not clear when or where the arrests happened.

Suicide blast kills at least 12 civilians in Somalia

A suicide bomber associated with the Al-Shabab extremist group killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 20 others in Somalia on Monday, Al Jazeera reports. The attack – the most deadly move by the group since American airstrikes killed its leader last week – targeted African Union troops in the region, though it was civilians that were killed in the blast. Among the dead were four Americans.





Quake of M6.5 – MOLUCCA SEA Indonesia

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Preliminary Earthquake Report
Magnitude6.5
Date-Time
  • 10 Sep 2014 02:46:06 UTC
  • 10 Sep 2014 10:46:06 near epicenter
  • 10 Sep 2014 06:46:06 standard time in your timezone
Location0.143S 125.092E
Depth20 km
Distances
  • 122 km (75 mi) SE of Modayag, Indonesia
  • 161 km (99 mi) S of Tondano, Indonesia
  • 165 km (102 mi) S of Tomohon, Indonesia
  • 175 km (108 mi) S of Bitung, Indonesia
  • 932 km (577 mi) N of Dili, East Timor




US-Israeli missile test over Mediterranean 

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An Arrow 2 anti-missile missile is test fired from Israel's shoreline towards a target missile launched from a ship in the Mediterranean off the coast of central Israel August 20. (Reuters)
An Arrow 2 anti-missile missile is test fired from Israel’s shoreline towards a target missile launched from a ship in the Mediterranean off the coast of central Israel .Israel and the United States have conducted a joint missile test of the Arrow 2 interceptor system. It took place over the Mediterranean, according to Israel’s Defense Ministry, and was detected by military radar in southwest Russia.
The missile was monitored by Israel’s Defense Ministry, who also added that the results were being analyzed by a team of engineers. The test was detected by the Russian Missile Attack Warning System, a defense spokesman in Moscow told the Russian media.
Major-General Igor Konashenkov, from the Russian Defense Ministry, stated that the missile was picked up from the Armavir Radar Station and they monitored it for 40 seconds.
“The trajectory of the missile went through the central part of the Mediterranean Sea and was heading towards its east coast. It fell into the sea around 300 kilometers north of Tel Aviv,” Konashenkov said.
To test the missile defense system’s capabilities, a Rafael-produced Sparrow missile was fired from the Mediterranean Sea at Israel, a senior official from the Israeli Ministry of Defense said. “The systems detected and tracked the missile, and at the correct time, fired an Arrow 2 interceptor.”
“All of the stages were carried out. We are now going over visual intelligence, broadcast from the interceptor and the target missile, to determine what occurred in the end stage,”he added.
The Arrow 2 missile defense system is part of a five-tiered air defense structure, which is aimed at providing Israel with comprehensive security coverage. According to a spokesman from the Israeli Defense Ministry, Jonathan Mosery, the Arrow 2 system has been operational for years and is intended to be used for long-range threats.
The Israeli Defense Ministry said that the firing of the missile has no bearing “on the Israeli operational systems’ capability to cope with the existing threats in the region” and is merely “intended to counter future threats,” the Jerusalem Post said.
However, unlike the Iron Dome missile defense system, which managed to intercept around 90 percent of rockets fired by Hamas during the recent Israeli assault on Gaza, the Arrow 2 system has never been used in combat.
The other three systems – Iron Beam, David’s Sling, and Arrow 3 – are expected to become operational within the coming two years, the Jerusalem Post added. Arrow 2 was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries with help from Boeing, Elta and Elbit Elisra. Speaking at the systems launch in 2000, Major-General Eitan Ben Eliyahu said, “This is a great day for the Air Defense Forces, for the Air Force, the defense establishment and, I would say, for the State of Israel.”
In January, Israel successfully tested the Arrow 3 system, which is designed to intercept missiles at a higher altitude, to try and limit the damage from fallout.
A long-range Arrow 3 interceptor was fired from Palmahim air base, south of Tel Aviv. It left the Earth’s atmosphere, carried out maneuvers in space and having fulfilled its mission fell into the Mediterranean. The test lasted 10 minutes. No real missiles were targeted.
“The Arrow 3 interceptor successfully launched and flew an exo-atmospheric trajectory through space,”Israel’s Defense Ministry said in a statement at the time, Reuters reported.
The kamikaze satellites, fired by the Arrow 3 system, have been also known as “kill vehicles.” They are able to identify and trail chemical, biological or nuclear warheads above the Earth’s atmosphere. The interceptors then ram into the missiles and destroy them at an altitude, where the disintegration is safe.
The Arrow 3 can intercept types of missiles that are used by Iran and Syria and are believed to be held by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Tuesday’s launch comes just over a year after Israel launched a similar exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, in cooperation with the US, which was also detected by a Russian Missile Warning System.RT News




Army Update on Mission Sahayata

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(As at 1730 hrs on 09 Sep)
The focus of humanitarian effort by the Army is gradually shifting to from rescue to ‘relief operations’ with 215 columns deployed which have rescued 38,700 people till date, including approx 24,000 from Srinagar City alone.
In Srinagar, Army columns concentrated their efforts to cover areas of Rajbagh, Shivpura, Indira Nagar, Bemina and Tankpura. In Srinagar itself, 4000 persons were evacuated, which included Ambassador of Nepal along with a 17 member delegation and 28 member Pakistani golf team (part of SAARC team) on 08 Sep.
Deployment of Medical Teams has increased from 65 to 80 in J&K. Additional recourses being inducted include Engineer Task Forces, a Field Hospital, ‘Ready to Eat Meals’, packed milk, blankets, potable water, baby food (07 tons) etc. Approx 200 boats have been mobilized and more are underway.
Army has pressed 13 Chetak and 05 Advance Light Helicopters into service. 100 to 120 sorties are being flown daily towards the relief effort.
Col Rohan Anand, SM




India formally signs Trade in Services & Trade in Investments Agreement with ASEAN

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India has formally signed the Trade in Services & Trade in Investments Agreement with ASEAN. The Services Agreement will open up opportunities of movement of both manpower and investments from either side between India and ASEAN. Nine out of ten ASEAN countries have signed the same. Philippines is completing its domestic procedure and it is expected to sign soon. It may be mentioned that India-ASEAN Agreement on Trade in Goods was signed in 2009 and became effective from 2010. The Trade Agreement has boosted the total trade between India and ASEAN substantially in the past four years.
It may be noted that this Agreement on Services & Investment was scheduled to be signed in Nay Pay Taw, Myanmar, during the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) meeting on 26th August, 2014. However, in view of the launch of Prime Minister’s Jandhan Yogana for inclusive banking, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) Commerce and Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman (who was in-charge of the launch of the scheme) could not attend the AEM. She, however, deputed the senior officers from the Ministry of Commerce who attended all the important meetings and consultations on her behalf.
The Minister reiterated the deep historical, cultural and economic ties with ASEAN-India values its economic partnership with ASEAN. The signing of the agreement in Services & Investment is reflective of India’s deep commitment to have a strong institutional architecture for economic ties with ASEAN. As part of this economic vision, India is also part of the RCEP negotiations which presently being discussed between ASEAN and its six partner countries.
Key features of the Trade in Services Agreement:
• The Trade in Services Agreement with the ASEAN contains all features of a modern and comprehensive agreement on Services and is in line with the other bilateral agreements that India has signed so far. Some of the important Articles contained in the Agreement are ones on transparency, domestic regulations, recognition, market access, national treatment, increasing participation of developing countries, joint committee on services, review, dispute settlement and denial of benefits.
• Both India and ASEAN Member States have taken GATS plus commitments in various Services and modes of supply. Each ASEAN Member State has tabled individual schedule of commitments which are equally applicable for India and other ASEAN Member States. India on the other hand has tabled three schedules of commitments one for Philippines, one for Indonesia and one for the remaining eight ASEAN Member States. It was also agreed by India that in order to increase participation of the least developed countries no additional requests would be tabled to the CLMV countries (Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar and Vietnam). All the three schedules tabled by India are well within the existing autonomous regime of India.
• A brief annex on Movement of Natural persons (one of the key areas of interest for India) has been included in the Agreement. This Annex defines Business Visitors, Intra Corporate Transferees (Managers, Executives and Specialists) and Contractual Service Suppliers. This will help provide commercially meaningful market across in ASEAN for our professionals, including those from the IT/ITeS sector. Independent professionals have not been defined in the Annex.




Civil Aviation Minister Launches ‘Know Your Rights’ Portal

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Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati launched here today a’ Know Your Rights’ (KYR) portal of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the presence of Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Shri G M Siddeshwara and other dignitaries to mark 100 days of the new government. While addressing a press conference on the occasion, the Minister listed out the major achievements and initiatives of the ministry since May to August this year. He also mentioned the humanitarian work undertaken by Air India for flood victims in Jammu and Kashmir.
Describing the features of the KTR portal, Dr Prabhat Kumar, DGCA said that it would provide information on the rights of passengers in cases of delays, cancellation and denied boarding, lost, delayed, misplaced and damaged baggage; and on matters related to booking, airfare components and refund of air tickets. The information on availability of the Grievance Redressal Mechanism, names of nodal officers and contact numbers would be shared with the public on the portal.
On the occasion, Shri Asok Kumar, Joint Secretary Civil Aviation made a power-point presentation on the steps taken by the ministry in the first 100 days. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has developed a No Frills Airport model to promote tourism industry and other economic activities in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. It is committed to start work in five selected locations in Tezu (Arunachal Pradesh), Hubli and Belgaum (Karnataka),Kishangarh (Rajasthan) and Jharsuguda (Odisha) in this financial year. AAI has also awarded the contract to construct a new integrated terminal building at Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair with the capacity to handle 600 domestic and 600 international passengers. It has also signed an MoU with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for the establishment of solar power plants of 50 MW capacity to tap alternate sources of energy. Solar Photo Voltaic Power Plants would be set up at AAI airports to meet not only their own requirements but also to feed the surplus power generated to the local grid playing the progressive role of prosumer.
A state of the art automation system at Kolkata has been installed and data from 9 Radars and 8 ADS-B stations have been integrated into the system. The system provides the controllers with decision making tools, safety alerts and conflicted predictions and detection tools leading to enhanced safety and efficiency of aircraft operations. Similarly, an ATM automation system at Mumbai has been upgraded and Radar data from Mumbai, Bhopal, Ahmadabad, Udaipur, Hyderabad, Porbander, Bellary and Nagpur Radars have been integrated into the system leading to an enhanced and seamless Radar coverage.
In order to facilitate disabled passengers, an order in the form of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) has already been issued on extra facilities to be provided to disabled passengers. The said order, besides existing facilities, extends facilities like blocking of two window seats till 24 hours before departure, delivery of check-in baggage either at the ladder point or exit of escalator belt, airline ground handling staff with specialized training and compensation on the damage of assistive equipment. CISF has established Helpdesk at 76 airports for assisting the passengers. QR code-based mobile application for public grievance system has started at 20 airports.
Air India joined Star Alliance on July 11, this year. With this, the national carrier’s passengers are offered more itinerary choices to cover 1,269 destinations in 193 countries around the world. Lauding the role of Air India, the Civil Aviation Minister said, “It successfully evacuated 1361 Indian workers and 9 children from Iraq and Libya in its six special flights from July 4 to August 18 this year.” He also said that an Anti-hijacking Bill, in line with the Beijing Protocol, would be placed in Parliament in the forthcoming session. On the occasion, the Minister released “Standards of Services” Document listing the services and transactions offered by DGCA to the public.




Forests & Climate Change constitutes High Level Committee

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Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change constitutes High Level Committee
Committee to review acts administrated by the Ministry
Suggestions invited from stakeholders through Ministry’s website
A High Level Committee (HLC) has been constituted by Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change to review the following Acts administered by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.
(i) Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
(ii) Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
(iii) Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
(iv) The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,1974
(v) The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
The composition of the Committee is as follows:-
(1) Shri. T.S.R. Subramanian, Chairman
(2) Shri Viswanath Anand, Member
(3) Justice (Retd.) Sh. A.K. Srivastav, Member
(4) Shri K.N. Bhat, Member
The terms of reference are as follows:-
(i) To assess the status of implementation of each of the above Acts vis-a-vis the objectives;
(ii) To examine and take into account various court orders and judicial pronouncements relating to these Acts;
(iii) To recommend specific amendments needed in each of these Acts so as to bring them in line with current requirements to meet objectives; and
(iv) To draft proposed amendments in each of the above Acts to give effect to the proposed recommendations.
In this regard, the Ministry has invited Comments/suggestions/views from interest persons/organistions through MoEF web site http://www.envfor.nic.in




Ensure availability of petroleum products in the flood-affected J&K

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The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has taken several measures to ensure availability of essential petroleum products in the aftermath of floods in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The availability of fuel (petrol, diesel and LPG) has been brought to near normal in the division of Jammu.
The situation in Srinagar division is challenging and efforts are being made to make sure that adequate fuel is made available at the earliest opportunity. There is adequate stock of petrol, diesel, kerosene and ATF in the depots of Oil Marketing Companies in Srinagar which will be immediately moved to the Retail Outlets once the roads become motorable.
The LPG plant of HPCL is inundated with water. Alternative arrangements are being made for bottling LPG cylinders in Srinagar and trucks with LPG cylinder have been despatched from Leh to Srinagar as the Jammu – Srinagar route is blocked. Meanwhile, anticipating clearing of Jammu-Srinagar route shortly, over 375 tank trucks carrying petroleum products have already been positioned for transporting these products from Srinagar to Jammu as soon as the road traffic is restored. Additional bulk supplies are being arranged at Jammu to meet the requirement of Srinagar. 8 heavy duty and 4 smaller pumps have been identified by ONGC for air lifting to Srinagar for draining flood waters.




Lucknow Golf Club. Shivendra Singh Sisodia fires three-under-67 for round one lead

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Shivendra Singh Sisodia fires three-under-67 for round one lead

Lucknow’s Manoj Kumar placed second, Gaurav Verma makes hole-in-one

Lucknow, September 9, 2014: Shivendra Singh Sisodia of Delhi fired a three-under-67 to take the opening round lead at the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Lucknow Golf Club. Lucknow’s Manoj Kumar was a shot off the lead in second place.

Shivendra Singh Sisodia’s 67 featured six birdies and three bogeys. The 25-year-old Shivendra had the ideal start to the tournament as he chipped-in from the bunker for birdie on the first hole. He then found the green on the par-5 third in two shots to add another birdie to his card. The professional from the Aravalli Golf Club in Faridabad dropped a stroke on the fifth but cam back strongly by landing it close for birdies on the sixth and ninth. Two good chip-putts earned Sisodia two more strokes on the back-nine. He also conceded two bogeys on the back stretch.

Sisodia said, “My hitting and approach shots were excellent in round one, however, my putting left a lot to be desired. I missed some short putts. Nonetheless, it’s a brilliant start to the tournament. I just want to keep driving well and continue to make good up and downs like I did today.”

Manoj Kumar kept local hopes alive with his round of 68 that included four birdies and two bogeys.

Lucknow golfers Bhoop Singh and Sanjeev Kumar were a further shot back in tied third place along with Feeder Tour Order of Merit leader Akshay Sharma of Chandigarh and Patna’s Md Islam.

Defending champion Sanjay Kumar of Lucknow was placed tied 16th after a round of two-over-72. Vijay Kumar, another Lucknow golfer, was tied 29th at five-over-75.

Delhi’s Gaurav Verma, who carded a 78 to be tied 44th, made a hole-in-one on the fourth hole.




Every Child Counts – A call to action for Routine Immunization

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Urdu Editors converge to save lives of children –
Lucknow, Sep 9, 2014: Over 50 eminent Urdu editors from Lucknow and Delhi met along with academia and health professionals today at a conference organized by UNICEF and Shikhar, an NGO, to discuss different ways for strengthening immunization program in Uttar Pradesh.
The conference is a part of UNICEF’s efforts to engage with the Urdu media especially to reach out to the marginalized and the minority communities among whom immunization coverage is lower than the national average of 61[1] per cent. Uttar Pradesh has 52.7[2]percent Routine Immunization coverage. The Lucknow Urdu Media Roundtable is second in the series, the first of which was held in Delhi in April 2014.
“The immunization program of UP is the largest in the country in terms of the number of children to be reached, the number of vaccines used and the number of immunization sessions conducted. In UP alone about 500,000 sessions of routine immunization are held to reach 5.5 million children every year,” said Niloufar Pourzand, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF UP, addressing the gathering.
Dwelling on the factors leading to low immunization, Prof. Wahajuddin AlviHead, Department of Urdu, Jamia Milia Islamia University, said superstitions regarding vaccinations, lack of awareness, fear about side effects of vaccines, and social practices are among the major challenges to achieving the goal.
While deliberating on this issue, participants also discussed the challenges regarding the quality of services reaching hard-to-reach and minority communities.
Emphasizing on the need to expand immunization coverage, Dr Satish Gupta, Health Specialist, UNICEF saidthough India has one of the largest immunization programs in the world, in terms of number of children covered and geographical reach, it still reports deaths of about 1.4 million under-five children annually, largely from preventable diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, diarrhoea, and measles.”
Quoting the analysis of media reports on health issues and routine immunization in Urdu media, Prof Akhtrul Wasay, Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities said that “a significant surge in the media reportage on RI issues is observed in Urdu media following the conference in April 2014 with the Urdu editors. The engagement resulted in close to 125 stories on RI during April-September this year.”
“The Government of UP has been working intensively to improve routine immunization coverage in the state, like better micro-plans to ensure that all children can be reached’, said Dr. A. P. Chaturvedi, State EPI Officer.
Participants agreed that Urdu media houses need to regularly come out with news reports and editorials on immunization. Inadequate number of health journalists and their lack of in-depth knowledge on the issue were identified as main deterrents in ensuring coverage of such topics.
By putting a colorful imprint of their hand on a large canvas, all participants pledged their support to the cause of routine immunization.
Besides local eminent media personnel, Mrs. Rama Arun of Doordarshan, Mr. Rahul Dev of Live TV, Prof R K Suri of Jamia Milia Islamia, Dr. Tabassum Shahab of Aligarh Muslim University and famous Radio Jockey Simran Kohli also attended the conference.

For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org and www.unicef.org/india UNICEF India:
Atul Kumar, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Uttar Pradesh
Tel: 91-900 509 0054, E-mail: akumar@unicef.org

Sonia Sarkar, Communication Officer- Media, UNICEF India
Tel: +91-981 017 0289, E-mail: ssarkar@unicef.org
Shikhar
Nadeem Akhtar, Coordinator,
Tel: +91-989 192 7869, E-mail: shikhar.ngo@gmail.com




“Maharaas Leela”

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MAHARAAS LEELA
Bhartiya Sangeet Sadan
To
Uma Sharma
BCC
Me
Today at 10:42 AM
Dear Sir/Madam,
Attached please find the letter to editor and some photographs of the programme “Maharaas Leela” on 6th, 7th& 8th October, 2014 from 6:30pm onwards at Laxmi Narayan Temple (Birla Mandir).
I will be grateful if you can cover this programme in your News Paper/Magazine.
Thanking you,
With Regards,
Uma Sharma




Agenda to Connect, Communicate and Collaborate at RISE 2014

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Idobro Media & Marketing Services Pvt Ltd
To
Me
Today at 11:56 AM
Plan your Agenda Now !!
View this email in your browser
Join the RISE series of roundtables for cross–sectoral dialogue and partnerships between Government, Corporate, Academia and civil society for integrated development and a shared world. Plan your Agenda Now!
RISE 2014  will be held concurrently with the Global Economic Summit (GES) 2014 scheduled from 11-13 September 2014 at the Expo Centre, World Trade Centre Mumbai. The General Assembly of World Trade Point Federation (WTPF) will also be convened with representatives from over 70 countries.www.globalsummit2014.com

AGENDA

Day I | Thursday | 11th September 2014

10:00 am to 11.00 amConference – Expo CentreInauguration of Summit & Expo – Welcoming Message by the Chairman  – WTC, President – WTPF(WTC / AIAI)
11.00 am to 1:00 pm31st Floor, WTC
31st Floor, WTC
1st Floor,  Business Centre, WTC
Roundtable I –  Using Technology effectively for Social Impact (IDOBRO)
Roundtable II – Tertiary Health Care for Urban Poor (Ekam Foundation)
Workshop I – An Awareness program on Capital format and Investor Protection  (BSE Investors’ Protection Fund)
1:00 pm to 2:00 pmBreak
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm31st Floor, WTC
31st Floor, WTC
1st Floor,  Business Centre, WTC
Roundtable III – Joining hands against Malnutrition in Urban Slums (Glenmark Foundation)
Roundtable IV – Project 100,000: Bridging the gap between Skill Development and Livelihood  (Pipal Tree Ventures)
Workshop II – Rural Immersion for Corporate Strategies (Drishtee)
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm31st Floor, WTC
31st Floor, WTC
Workshop III – Trustlaw Legal Advisory (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
Workshop IV – Mobile Apps for Social Change (Popup Technologies)
10.00 am to 6:00 pmCrush Hall, Expo AreaRISE + GES Expo / Chat tables
 Day II |Friday | 12th September 2014
11.00 am to 1:00 pm31st Floor, WTC
31st Floor, WTC
1st Floor,  Business Centre, WTC
Roundtable V –  Project 100,000: Enabling access to Water and Sanitation (Ambuja Cement Foundation)
Roundtable VI – Project 100,000: Empowering the differently abled (IDOBRO)
Workshop V – “Taj Must Smile”  Media Campaign on Sanitation  (USAID IHBP)
1:00 pm to 2:00 pmBreak
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm31st Floor, WTC
31st Floor, WTC
1st Floor,  Business Centre, WTC
Roundtable VII – Waste is Wealth: Do not walk away from it! (Haware Group)
Roundtable VIII – Employee Engagement for Social Change (IDOBRO)
Workshop – Monitoring and Evaluation for effective implementation of CSR Projects  (IDOBRO)
4:00 am to 5:30 pm31st Floor, WTC
31st Floor, WTC
Workshop VI –  Kitchen Gardening for ZERO waste by DIRT
Workshop VII –  CSR Governance, FCRA and Fund Raising (Centre For Advancement of Philanthropy)
10.00 am to 6:00 pmCrush Hall, Expo AreaRISE + GES Expo / Chat table

Day III | Saturday | 13th September 2014

10:00 am to 11.00 amConference – Expo CentrePanel Discussion: The Emergence of Women Entrepreneurship in Asia (WTC / AIAI)
11.15 am to 12:15 pmConference – Expo CentreSpecial Address & Valedictory Session :Asia and Millennium Development Goals (WTC / AIAI)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm31st Floor, WTCRoundtable IX – Right to Education or Right to Quality of Education (IDOBRO)
10.00 am to 6:00 pmCrush Hall, Expo AreaRISE + GES Expo / Chat tables




NMML Public Lecture_Prof. Ravi Sundaram_11 September, 2014

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NMML Public Lecture_Prof. Ravi Sundaram_11 September, 2014
ccs2 nmml
To
BCC
Me
Today at 12:07 PM
The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
cordially invites you to a Public Lecture
(in the ‘Cities in History’ series)
at 3.00 pm on Thursday, 11th September, 2014
in the Seminar Room, First Floor, Library Building
on
‘Delhi’s Twentieth Century:
Reflections on contemporary urbanism’
by
Prof. Ravi Sundaram,
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies,
Delhi.


Abstract:
A recent international study listed Delhi as the second most populous city in the world. Delhi’s endless expansion is comparable to other international city-regions like Sao Paulo and Mexico City. Further the city now has a new urban politics, as well as cultural life. Ironically, despite its thousand-year history, Delhi’s claim to a dynamic urbanism was for years overshadowed by the vibrant cultural and political life of Calcutta and Bombay, both cities established by colonial power. The catastrophes of 1857 and Partition crippled Delhi’s urban form. Colonial urbanism in Lutyens design and post independence planning sought to unsuccessfully provide a new urban form for sovereign power. Has contemporary Delhi finally exorcised the ghost of a crippled urbanism? Does the creative destruction unleashed by brutal intensity of the last decade resolve the critical question of Delhi’s ‘failed’ urbanism? By examining the cycles of the last century, this lecture lays out possible answers to this question.
Speaker:
Prof. Ravi Sundaram is Professor at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi. In 2000 he founded the well-known Sarai programme along with Ravi Vasudevan and the Raqs Media Collective. He is the author of Pirate Modernity: Media Urbanism in Delhi (2009), and No Limits: Media Studies from (2013). Prof. Sundaram has co-edited the Sarai Reader series,The Public Domain (2001), The Cities of Everyday Life (2002), Shaping Technologies (2003), Crisis Media (2004), and Frontiers (2007).  His essays have been translated into various languages in India, Asia, and Europe. Prof. Sundaram has also been a visiting Professor at the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, the John Hopkins University Baltimore, Princeton University, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Oxford University, and Goldsmith College London.




NGWREF awards grant for bioremediation of groundwater research project

10092014
WaterTech e-News Daily
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Me
Today at 12:43 AM
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Top Stories for September 9, 2014
NGWREF awards grant for bioremediation of groundwater research project
WESTERVILLE, Ohio — The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation (NGWREF) will fund Daqian Jiang $8,000 for his project, “Electrochemically Enhanced Bioremediation for Attenuation of Arsenic, Nitrate and Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater.”
Santa Clara Valley Water District wins WateReuse Project of the Year Award
DALLAS — The WateReuse Association’s Project of the Year Award recognizes noteworthy projects that continue to advance the water reuse industry through contributions to the community.
Pure Water Profits blog: 10 biggest remodeling mistakes every new homeowner makes
BIRMINGHAM — The latest post from Dale Filhaber of Dataman Group discusses common mistakes new homeowners make when hastily starting remodeling and home improvement projects.
Inside the Magazine
Unlocking the potential of strong business relationships
Establishing the right connections can help boost profitability.
New report warns of potential water crisis for South Africa
SOUTH AFRICA — The report revealed that provinces of Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape have water with E. coli levels 320 times higher than what is considered suitable for wastewater treatment.
EWA receives fourth consecutive award for excellence and innovation
CARLSBAD, Calif. — The Encina Wastewater Authority (EWA), a public authority owned by six California member agencies through a joint powers agreement, provides wastewater treatment services to communities in Northwestern San Diego County.




Affordable Art Fair New York City & Houston Fine Art Fair

10092014
Artêria
To
Me
Today at 3:54 AM
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Artêria at Houston Fine Art Fair!
Artêria is delighted to invite you to its first exhibition in Houston! Come and visit us at the HFAF!
Booth number: 208
OPENING TIMES
Opening Night Preview
Thursday, September 18                  6 – 7:30pm | Sneak Preview (Black Card holders only)
7:30 – 9:30pm | Opening Preview Party (VIP passes only)
Friday, September 19                   11am – 7pm
Saturday, September 20               11am – 7pm
Sunday, September 21                 11am – 6pm
VENUE
NRG Center (formerly Reliant Center)
One Reliant Park
Houston, TX 77054
Click here for directions
FREE TICKETS
If you haven’t asked for your ticket yet, don’t worry, you can still get your free ticket!
If you would like to have a VIP pass, please click here to get your free online ticket and don’t forget to print it before your visit.
If you would like to visit the fair during the regular hours, simply reply to this e-mail and let us know so that we can leave a ticket to your name at the info desk.
Please note that the tickets are limited, so hurry up!
Below you can see a selection of works that we will be representing.
Hope to see you there!
MM
“Twins II”
30×30″ / 76×76 cm
ADÈLE BLAIS
“Before you go”
30X30″ / 76×76 cm
DEBORAH DAVIS
“Coyotes du nord”
36×36″ / 91×91 cm
AMÉLIE DESJARDINS
“The real gold”
36×36″ / 91×91 cm
MARYLINE LEMAITRE
“Hong Kong I’
60×40″ / 152×102 cm
MELISA TAYLOR
“Diaphaneity”
60×40″ / 152×102 cm
DOMINIQUE DESMEULES
“On the ice”
60×40″ / 152×102 cm
CLAIRE POIRÉ
“Les amis’
13x9x6″ / 33x23x15 cm
Billets gratuits pour Houston Fine Art Fair!
Artêria est ravi de vous inviter à sa première exposition à Houston! Venez nous voir au Centre NRG
Ci-haut vous pouvez voir un aperçu des oeuvres qui seront présentées.
Numéro de kiosque: 208
HORAIRE D’OUVERTURE
Vernissage
Jeudi, 18 septembre           18h – 19h30
19h30 – 21h30
Vendredi, 19 septembre       11h – 19h
Samedi, 20 septembre         11h – 19h
Dimanche, 21 septembre     11h – 18h
LIEU
NRG Center (ancient Reliant Center)
One Reliant Park
Houston, TX 77054
Cliquez ici pour l’itinéraire
BILLETS GRATUITS
Si vous n’avez pas encore demandé votre billet, ne vous inquiétez pas, vous pouvez toujours obtenir vos billets gratuits !
Si vous souhaitez avoir un pass VIP, svp, cliquez ici pour obtenir vos billets gratuits en ligne et n’oubliez pas de l’imprimer avant votre visite.
Si vous souhaitez visiter la foire pendant les heures régulières, répondez simplement cet courriel pour que nous puissions laisser un billet à votre nom à la porte de l’événement.
Prenez note que les billets sont limités, donc dépêchez-vous!
Au plaisir de vous y voir !
Affordable Art Fair New York City Fall Edition
Artêria is delighted to invite you to its upcoming exhibition at this year’s second edition of the AAFNYC! Come and visit us at The Tunnel, Chelsea in September!
Booth number: A-25
OPENING TIMES
Opening Night Preview
Thursday, September 25            7pm – 10pm
Friday, September 26                   11am – 8pm
Saturday, September 27               11am – 8pm
Sunday, September 28                 11am – 8pm
Monday, September 29                 11am – 6pm
VENUE
The Tunnel
269 11th Ave
New York City, NY 10011
Click here for directions
FREE TICKETS
If you haven’t asked for your ticket yet, don’t worry, you can still get your free online ticket! Simply click on the ticket type depending on which date you would like to visit, and print your ticket before your arrival! Please note that the tickets are limited, so hurry up!
If you encounter problems printing your tickets, please do not hesitate to contact us so that we can leave a ticket to your name at the will call desk.
Below you can see a selection of works that we will be representing.
Hope to see you there!
NATHALIE BOISSONNAULT
“Compagnon de route”
30×30″ / 76×76 cm
DOMINIQUE DESMEULES
“Hot summer”
30×30″ / 76×76 cm
AMÉLIE DESJARDINS
“L’âme des fossilles II”
18×18″ / 46×46 cm
MARIE ANNE BARON
“Terra IV”
12×12″ / 30×30 cm
DENITZA
“Corn”
28×28″ / 71×71 cm
PIERRE-LUC DÉZIEL
“Vernis à ongle”
24×24″ / 61×61 cm
CLAIRE POIRÉ
“La leçon”
13x9x6″ / 33x23x15 cm
MM
“Low Frequency”
30×24″ / 76×61 cm
CHRISTIAN DOREY
“12 gas masks”
36×24″ / 91×61 cm
Affordable Art Fair New York City
Artêria est ravi de vous inviter à sa participation à l’édition automnale d’AAFNYC.
Venez nous voir à The Tunnel, Chelsea en septembre!
Ci-haut vous pouvez voir un aperçu des oeuvres qui seront présentées.
Numéro de kiosque: A-25
HORAIRE D’OUVERTURE
Vernissage
Jeudi, 25 septembre      19h – 22h
Vendredi, 26 septembre    11h – 20h
Samedi, 27 septembre      11h – 20h
Dimanche, 28 septembre   11h – 20h
Lundi, 29 septembre          11h – 18h
LIEU
AAFNYC
The Tunnel
269 11th Ave
New York City, NY 10011
Cliquez ici pour l’itinéraire
BILLETS GRATUITS
Si vous n’avez pas encore demandé votre billet, ne vous inquiétez pas, vous pouvez toujours obtenir vos billets gratuits en ligne! Simplement, cliquer sur le type de billet selon la date à laquelle vous souhaitez visiter, et imprimer vos billets avant votre arrivée. Prenez note que les billets sont limités, donc dépêchez-vous!
Si vous avez des problèmes à imprimer vos billets ou si le compte est vide, svp nous contacter afin qu’un membre de l’équipe Artêria vous laisse une enveloppe avec des billets à la porte de l’événement.
Au plaisir de vous y voir !

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