Tuesday, February 17, 2015

 

The world's largest solar power plant is underway in central India. When the 750-megawatt site starts operating in August, 2016, the project is set to overtake America's 550-megawatt ‘Desert Sunlight’ in California.
The world's largest solar power plant that will be generating 750MW of electricity had been recently commissioned in Rewa district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
The 40-billion-rupee ($643 million) project is close to acquisition of 1,500 hectares of land. By April government agencies are believed to start inviting tenders from developers. This joint venture of state-run PSU Urja Vikas Nigam with Solar Energy Corporation of India, and at least 20 percent of the energy generated by the plant will be used within the Madhya Pradesh state

We are planning to inaugurate the plant on August 15, 2016. The plant will be developed in three segments of 250 MW each. Land acquisition will be over by end of month and over 90 percent land for the project is owned by government,” additional chief secretary for new and renewable energy, SR Mohanty said.He added that, “No clearance from pollution control board is required for the project. We have to sign a joint venture agreement between state-run PSU Urja Vikas Nigam and Solar Energy Corporation of India and a detailed project report will be prepared. Preliminary reports are already prepared and we will complete formalities by April and we will be in a position to invite tenders.”
As the country embraces clean energy, India plans 25 solar parks and several major solar power projects in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Jammu and Kashmir. But the production of the Madhya Pradesh project is going to cost less than any other, at an estimated 5 rupees (US8 cents) per unit.
By 2022, India plans to install 100GW capacity of solar power. China aims to achieve the same goal by 2020.
Media agencies 

 

Avantha Group Company, Crompton Greave  wins Rs 119 cr order from state run NTPC to supply generator step up transformers for its 800 MW Daripali plant.
Honoured to get this opportunity to help NTPC fulfil its vision through T&D systems and smart tech", tweeted L.Demortier.,CEO & MD'.
Crompton Greaves Ltd has informed BSE regarding a Press Release dated February 16, 2015, titled "CG wins INR 119 crore order from NTPC, India''s largest generation utility".

Indonesian contract win for manufacture and supply of 37 transformers in month of Jan 2015
Earlier tweet said, Transformers to be installed across 36 substations across Sumatra, Bali and Sulawesi Islands.Indonesian contract win for manufacture and supply of 37 transformers

Manish Sisodia walks out press meeting

17 02 2015

Handling of media is an action of wisdom and not an act of intellectuals.

Disgruntled lots disguised as party managers must be trained to handle the important aspect of handling media who Qs not for themselves but for the ” Good of the people”. In case the leaders are not prepared to answer any Q can go the next Q, there is no obligation on part of leaders to ans all Q.


AAP  has become totally  unfriendly with the media persons and is in the habit of hearing soft and appreciation for their party when they have not shown any concrete actions of appreciation on the ground.

Their pep-up talk to few reputed media in form of adv or other connections has made their mind full of arrogance because of their splash visibility on the channels specially of their convener but lacks in formatting any concrete actions .

With their behaviors, expression always people around all corrupts and they the pure of all purest is their fix jinx. They are  unable to give vision of their path to be tread or road map for their actions. Hence their  continuous harping or chirping to  give corruptions free system seems to be fuel of their take off state. This will soon be in jeopardy because of their lack of basic etiquette are  absent. Party leaders crude behavior  towards MSME media to which they have no soft words,plus do not offer or ask for water to reporters  during their briefing.When party lacks to tackle their media friends, treat them with distrust,disdain. Party workers & leaders having no space in governance do speak  with arrogance urgently need to learn public speaking before public delivery system. Thus the first encounter with media is quite obvious and first media drama happens as such-:

Manish Sisodia walks out of press meeting: Uncomfortable with questions?

Barred from entering the Delhi Secretariat, reporters boycotted a press conference called by Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today and forced him to leave press briefing mid-way, this on the first day of the new government’s work. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his team have made many promises to the people of the city – from better safety for its women to free water and electricity and citizens empowerment on civic issues. The big question is: where the money will come from to fulfill so many of these promises? The knives are already out on the first working day of the government, but isn’t it too soon to judge them?




News from the Tow Center

17 02 2015

February 16, 2015

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Play The News: A Report by Max Foxman
Tuesday, February 17, 2015 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm How can games be used to tell stories?  Are news games the future of journalism? Max Foxman has explored news companies that are experimenting with play. It’s an adventurous time. From ProPublica to BuzzFeed and MTV, designers, journalists and creative technologists are redefining the user experience of journalism, combining delight and play with the traditional product. Foxman’s new report examines all this experimentation and draws out lessons for journalists and news room leaders.
RSVP

RECENT EVENTS

Lies, Damn Lies, and Viral Content: A Report Launch Last Tuesday, we launched a report on rumors and debunking by Craig Silverman with a panel discussion featuring Anna Dubenko of Digg, Margarita Noriega of Fusion, and Max Read of Gawker.
Read the report here
Watch the video

Journalism After Snowden Closing The Tow Center closed its Journalism After Snowden program with an event at the Newseum in Washington DC — National Security Reporting in the Age of Surveillance: A Conversation About Reporting Post-Snowden, and the release of a new report by the Pew Research Center titled Investigative Journalists and Digital Security.  The panelists included Dean Baquet, Executive Editor of the New York Times, Marty Baron, Editor of the Washington Post, and Susan Glasser, Editor of Polito.
Watch the video here
Read our new report Learning Security: Information Security Education for Journalists
Watch new video on Digital Security by the Tow Center

LEDE PROGRAM

Data Certification Bootcamp: Columbia Journalism School is offering an intensive summer or two-semester certification in computational journalism, designed to give storytellers of all kinds the analytic tools to turn data into narrative. Students in the Lede Program take core courses in coding, statistics, data analysis and visualization; and may stay on for fall study in the Department of Computer Science, or elsewhere across the university. No prior experience is needed. For info, see here; contact jrncomputation@columbia.edu; or join our 1/29 Info Session, hosted by the J-School’s Mark Hansen and Jonathan Soma. *Apply by Feb. 15.*




AirAsia Group is pleased to announce its operating 4th Quarter 2014

17 02 2015
Preliminary Operating Statistics
For the 4th Quarter and Full Financial Year Ended 2014

F

AirAsia X Berhad (“AAX” or “the Company”), the long-haul, low cost airline affiliate of the AirAsia Group is pleased to announce its operating statistics for the 4th Quarter 2014 (“4Q14”) and the Full Financial Year ended 31 December 2014 (“FY2014” or “2014”). 

AAX’s passenger size grew another 1.1 million passengers or 34% year-on-year (“y-o-y”) to 4.2 million passengers in FY2014, on the back of stronger branding, enhanced customer experience and larger capacity at KLIA2. Capacity as measured by Available-Seat-KM (“ASK”) grew by 31% y-o-y, with the introduction of new routes- Nagoya, Xian, and Narita in 2014. Load factor for the full year remains healthy at 82.0% despite challenging market conditions.

For 4Q14, AAX’s passenger traffic grew 9% y-o-y, against 8% y-o-y increase in ASK capacity. Consequently, load factor improved by 0.5 percentage points to 81.4%, implying capacity injected during the peak quarter was well absorbed by demand arising from year-end holiday travel.
The Company had during the quarter took delivery of 2 A330-300 on operating lease, bringing its total number of A330-300s to 23, 2 A340-300s (to be returned early second quarter of 2015), and 1 A330-200 (to be returned by first quarter of 2015). Its fleet size has expanded to 26 aircraft from 19, in the same period last year.
On the associates, Thai AirAsia X registered strong load of 84.4% for its 4Q14, with 159,034 passengers carried, showing faster-than-expected pick-up for the well popular routes between Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. Thai AirAsia X launched its inaugural flights to Incheon in July 2014, Osaka, Narita in September 2014, and recently added Sapporo as its 3rd destination in Japan. Indonesia AirAsia X, on the other hand, is set to commence with four times weekly Denpasar – Taipei service in March 2015.
4th Quarter 2014 Operating Statistics

 
Full Year 2014 Operating Statistics

(1)                Number of earned seats flown. Earned seats comprise seats sold to passengers (including no-shows) and seats provided for promotional purposes
(2)                Number of seats flown
(3)                Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) / Available Seat Kilometres (ASK)
(4)                Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) measures an airline’s passenger capacity. Total seats flown multiplied by the number of kilometres flown
(5)                Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) is a measure of the volume of passengers carried by the airline. Number of passengers multiplied by the number of kilometres these passengers have flown
(6)                Number of flights flown
(7)                Number of aircraft including spares




Quake of M6.7 – SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION

17 02 2015
Today at 4:10 AM




Quake of M6.8 – NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

17 02 2015
Today at 5:18 AM




Volatile Cotton Sector Struggles to Balance Cost and Benefits

17 02 2015
  

Volatile Cotton Sector Struggles to Balance Cost and Benefits


New Worldwatch Institute analysis explores trends and impacts of global cotton production
Washington
, D.C.
—-Growing cotton provides livelihoods for an estimated 100 million households in as many as 85 countries. But adverse global market conditions and reliance on large doses of water, fertilizer, and pesticides impose considerable social and environmental costs, writes Michael Renner, senior researcher at the Worldwatch Institute, in the Institute’s latest Vital Signs Online article (www.worldwatch.org).

Although synthetic materials are making inroads, cotton remains by far the most important natural fiber for textiles. In 2013/14, an estimated 26.3 million tons of cotton were produced worldwide.

Cultivating cotton accounts for about 3 percent of all agricultural water use worldwide. Countries that import cotton or finished cotton products also bring in large amounts of embedded “virtual water” with these imports and have considerable water footprints. Producing a pair of jeans takes an estimated 10,850 liters of water, and a t-shirt takes 2,720 liters.
The legions of small cotton farmers around the world face a set of challenges largely beyond their control. In addition to unfair subsidies (totaling $47 billion between 2001 and 2010 for the United States, China, and Europe), they must deal with health risks from pesticide use and, in some cases, insurmountable levels of debt.

Cotton is a very pesticide-intensive crop (accounting for 16 percent of global insecticide use and 6.8 percent of herbicide use), with potential repercussions, such as pest resistance and adverse health impacts on farmers that range from acute poisoning to long-term effects. Pesticides and fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus, potash) can also leach out of the plant’s root zone and contaminate groundwater and surface water.

Sadly, severe indebtedness has caused an estimated 100,000 cotton farmers in India to commit suicide over a 10-year period. Indebtedness results from numerous factors, including the rising cost of pesticides and genetically modified seeds, low yields due to droughts, and the declining price that cotton fetches on world markets.

Several initiatives exist to improve the social and environmental conditions under which cotton is produced. In organic production, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are replaced with organic substances, soil fertility management, and integrated pest management. Fair trade producers, usually small family farms organized in cooperatives or associations, receive a minimum price covering the average costs of sustainable production, as well as a premium.

One effort, the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), seeks to reduce the environmental impact of cotton production, improve the livelihoods of farmers, and promote decent work. In 2013, just 3.7 percent of all cotton was produced in accordance with BCI principles, but the goal for 2020 is to extend this to 30 percent and to involve 5 million farmers. Such initiatives offer important benefits to cotton farmers. But for the moment, at least, they account for only a relatively small share of the industry.
—-END—-
Notes to Editors:    
For more information and to obtain a complimentary copy of “Volatile Cotton Sector Struggles to Balance Cost and Benefits please contact Gaelle Gourmelon. Click to preview the trend.

About the Worldwatch Institute:
Worldwatch is an independent research organization based in Washington, D.C. that works on energy, resource, and environmental issues. The Institute’s State of the World report is published annually in more than a dozen languages. For more information, visit www.worldwatch.org.
About Vital Signs Online:
Vital Signs Online provides business leaders, policymakers, and engaged citizens with the latest data and analysis they need to understand critical global trends. It is an interactive, subscription-based tool that provides hard data and research-based insights on the sustainability trends that are shaping our future. All of the trends include clear analysis and are placed in historical perspective, allowing you to see where the trend has come from and where it might be headed. New trends cover emerging hot topics-from global carbon emissions to green jobs-while trend updates provide the latest data and analysis for the fastest changing and most important trends today. Every trend includes full datasets and complete referencing.




ADR requests Chief Minister of Delhi to take cognizance of the findings of the ADR-Daksh Survey

17 02 2015

ADR requests Chief Minister of Delhi to take cognizance of the findings of the ADR-Daksh Survey that captured the top 10 Governance Issues as perceived by the Delhi voters.

Dear Shri Arvind Kejriwal,
1)      We the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) along with Daksh conducted perhaps the largest ever survey in any one country. The survey was conducted across 525 Lok Sabha constituencies and over 2, 50,000 voters participated in this exercise spread among various demographics. The main objective of this survey was to find outvoter perception on specific governance issues and the rated performance of our Government on those issues.
 2)     The survey was conducted during December 2013 to February 2014, prior to the Lok Sabha elections. While conducting this survey voters were asked to rate the 30 most important issues in their particular region in terms of their capacity, governance and specific roles in improving the living conditions of the voters. These aspects are analyzed in relation to the performance of the Government on those issues as perceived by the respondents.
3)     To identify what are voter priorities in terms of governance issues like water, electricity, roads, food, education and health, a list of 30 items was given to voters and they were asked to rate whether a particular issue was High, Medium, or Low. This list was comprehensive as less than 5% said that there were “other issues” beyond the list.
 4)      The results of the Perception Assessment shows the striking difference between the priorities of the voters and the performance of the Government on those issues. Voter priorities have changed and expectations have gone up. There is a need to re-set some of the priorities to reflect what the voters really need and to improve governance.
 5)     The key objective of this perception assessment is to provide an improved understanding of the importantexpectations of voters from the Government and how they assess its performance. In addition, it seeks to fill a vital gap in contemporary times, namely, evidence based research and action on governance. For far too long we have depended entirely on ideology or the opinions or various experts. Though that is important, we also need to reflect the priorities of citizens. These priorities and assessments will change over time, and hence there is a need to repeat this survey periodically.
 6)     The overall score in Delhi, on a scale of 10, for Importance of Issues was 8.88. This meant that the 30 issues presented to voters were rated as between Medium and High Priority. In other words, expectation from the Government across Delhi state was high. The voters gave an overall Government’s performance rating of 5.86 on a scale of 10, to these 30 issues, which meant Below Average performance.
 The all India score of Importance of all 30 Issues is 7.51 (out of 10), which means that voters of Delhi (with importance score of 8.88/10) expect more from the Delhi Government and the gap between performance score (5.86/10) of the Delhi Government, as perceived by the voters, and the importance score of issues as felt by them underscores their disappointment.

S. No.
Score (on a scale of 10)
Delhi India
1
Expectations of Governance Issues as perceived by voters
8.88 7.51
2
Delhi Government’s Performance on the Issues as perceived by voters
5.86 5.68
 Importance Scores of all 30 Governance Issues as perceived by Delhi and all-India Voters and Governments’ Performance Scores as perceived by the voters
7)     In Delhi, Drinking Water was rated as the highest priority, getting a score of 9.24, followed by Better HospitalsBetter Electricity SupplyBetter Law and OrderBetter RoadsBetter Public Transport,Better SchoolsBetter Employment OpportunitiesSecurity for Women and Subsidized Food Distribution as the Top 10 issues with scores between 9.05 and 9.24 about which people are most concerned.
The table below shows the Delhi’s top 10 Governance Issues with their importance scores as felt by the Delhi voters and the Delhi Government’s performance scores on each issue as perceived by the voters. The table also provides the corresponding figures, for the top-10 Delhi Issues, as reported by all India voters. It can be seen that Delhi voters’ expectations are significantly higher.
Inline image 1
 Perceived Importance Scores of Delhi’s top 10 Governance Issues and Delhi Government’s Performance Scores on the Issues as perceived by the Delhi voters  compared with scores capturing the perceptions of all-India voters on the Delhi’s top 10 Governance Issues
We earnestly request that your Government take a serious note of the findings of the ADR-Daksh Survey and prepare a blueprint at earliest so that the most pressing Governance Issues as reported by the Delhi voters may be catered and resolved sooner rather than later.
We wish you all the best in your Government’s endeavors to put Delhi on the path of development.
Inline image 2
Enclosures:
 
1. Appendix A: Top 10 Governance Issues as reported by Delhi voters 
 
and the Delhi Government’s Performance on these issues.
 
2. Appendix B: Methodology of the Survey
 
3. Appendix C: Sample Questionnaire of the Survey

Association for Democratic Reforms
T-95A, C.L. House, 1st Floor,
(Near Gulmohar Commercial Complex)
Gautam Nagar
New Delhi-110 049
M: +91 8010394248 
T: +91 11 41654200
F: 011 4609 4248
 

Finissage Ceremony - International Artworks Exhibition | Feb 26, Thurs, 5 pm | at the lawns and gallery of HICC
To: "director.hicc" <director.hicc@yahoo.in>, "hicc.delhi New Delhi" <hicc.delhi@gmail.com>, PR HUNGARIAN CULTURAL CENTRE <pr.hicc@gmail.com>, Agnes KIRPALANI <agiram@gmail.com>, Mári Köves <mkoves@gmail.com>, Amit Kumar <amitkr202@gmail.com>, Harleen Ahluwalia <harleen3380@gmail.com>


Dear Friend,
Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre invites you to 
​the Finissage Ceremony of two International Artworks' Exhibitions:

COCOS NUCIFERAS 
by
 MD Deleep (a Franco-Swiss artist)
​ ​
​- the a
rt-show has 
been a collateral events of India Art Fair 2015 - and
SPIRIT AND MATTER - THREE ARTISTS - THREE GENERATIONS
​ ​
by Ilona Lovas, Anna Makovecz and Villő Turcsány (from Hungary)

will be closed by the honorary Ms. Dipali Khanna, Member Secretary, IGNCA, 
in the presence of curatorMs. Katalin Keserü and artistMs. Villő Turcsány from Hungary

followed by Mohiniyattam performance, by Hungarian dancerMs. Brigitta Hegedűs
on Thursday, 26 February at 5 pm.

(The exhibition will stay on view, till Saturday, 28th February, 2015​
​.)

Kindly find the e-Invite
, below. Looking forward to your kind presence
​!
(May I, also ask you to like our Facebook page for regular updatesby clicking here >>
​)

Thanking you in anticipation,
Best regards,

--
Orsi Jármy (Mrs. Tibor Kovács)

Balassi Institute - Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre
1A Janpath (Near Hotel Claridges), New Delhi 11 00 11, India
Tel: +91 11 2301 4497, 4992; Mobile: + 91 99 71 99 41 44
www.delhi.balassiintezet.hu

 INVITATION
Function: Secretary (RT&H), Shri Vijay Chhibber will be holding a press briefing regarding the Workshop / Exhibition being organised on ‘Adoption of Innovative Technologies and Materials for Road Construction in India’ by IAHE
Date: 17th February, 2015(Tuesday)
Time: 05.00PM
Venue:  Ground Floor, Conference Room, Transport Bhawan, New Delhi

You all are cordially invited to cover the event.
INVITATION FOR  VELEDICTORY SESSION OF RE-INVEST 2015

 ON TUESDAY 17th FEBRUARY, 2015   
      
Venue: The Ashok, New Delhi 
Dear Sir/Madam

You are invited to cover the following media event:


                       
 
Media Event
Shri Arun Jaitley , Union Minister of Finance will Chair the Valedictory session of RE-INVEST 2015.   Shri Suresh Prabhu , Railways Minister , Shri Piyush Goyal , Power Minister , Shri Arvind Panagariya VC, NITI Aayog , Shri Arvind Subramanian , Chief Economic Advisor will also address the session.  
4.30 PM to 5.30 PM
 
Main Convention  Hall(Part 1, 2, 3) , The Ashok, New Delhi


Yours sincerely,
(Rajesh Malhotra)

Shiv Ratri_Spritual Significance

17 02 2015
भगवान शिव की उपासना की विशेषताएं
सनातन निर्मित गभवान शिव का सात्त्विक चित्र
शिवभक्त महाशिवरात्र के दिन शिवजी की श्रद्धापूर्वक उपासना करते हैं । इसका अध्यात्मशास्त्रीय आधार समझकर शिवोपासना करने से उपासक में भक्तिभाव बढता है । परिणामस्वरूप, उसे उपासना से अधिक से अधिक लाभ मिलता है । शिवभक्तों को महाशिवरात्र व्रत का पूरा फल मिले, इस हेतु प्रस्तुत है शिवोपासना की विशेषताएं एवं उनका अध्यात्मशास्त्रीय आधार –
महाशिवरात्र व्रत का अध्यात्मशास्त्रीय आधार
राfत्र के एक प्रहर शिवजी शयन करते हैं, जिसे ‘महाशिवरात्र’ कहते है । इस काल में शिवजी का सगुणात्मक कार्य रुक जाता है, अर्थात शिवजी ध्यानावस्था से समाधि-अवस्थामें प्रवेश करते हैं । इस अवस्था में शिवजी विश्व के तमोगुण को अस्वीकार करते हैं, अतः विश्व में तमोगुण बढ जाता है । हमपर इसका कुप्रभाव न हो, इस हेतु महाशिवरात्र व्रत करते हैं ।
शिवजी का आशीर्वाद : शिवजी ने भक्तों को आशीर्वाद दिया है – जो महाशिवरात्र पर मेरा व्रत करेंगे, उनपर मेरी आगे दिए अनुसार कृपादृष्टि होगी – १. पुरुषों की सर्व इच्छाएं पूर्णहोंगी । २. कुमारियों को मनानुरूप वर मिलेगा । ३. विवाहित स्त्रियां सौभाग्यवती रहेंगी ।’
भस्म एवं रुद्राक्ष का भावार्थ
भस्म : शरीर की नश्वरता का सतत स्मरण रहे, इसका सूचक है भस्म ।
रुद्राक्ष : रुद्राक्ष बीज है । यह कभी क्षीण नहीं होता । आत्मा भी ऐसी है । रुद्राक्ष आत्मा का प्रतीक है ।
शृंगदर्शन कैसे करें ? (नंदी के सींगों के मध्यसे शिवलिंग के दर्र्शन)
शृंगदर्शन के समय नंदी के दार्इं ओर उसके पिछले पैरों के निकट बैठकर अथवा खडे रहकर बायां हाथ नंदी के वृषण पर (अंडकोश पर) रखें । दाएं हाथ की तर्जनी एवं अंगूठे को नंदी के दोनों सींगों पर रखें । दोनों सींगों तथा उनपर रखी दो उंगलियों के मध्य से शिवलिंग के दर्शन करें ।
शिवजी को बिल्वपत्र क्यों एवं कैसे चढाएं ?
बिल्वपत्र में शिवतत्त्व अधिकाधिक आकर्षित करने की क्षमता होती है, इसलिए शिवजी को बिल्वपत्र चढाते हैं । शिवपिंडी पर त्रिदलीय बिल्वपत्र औंधे रखें एवं उसका डंठल देवता कीओर तथा अग्रभाग अपनी ओर कर चढाएं । शिवपिंडी पर बिल्वपत्र औंधा चढाने से उससे निर्गुण स्तर के स्पंदनअधिक मात्रा में प्रक्षेपित होते हैं तथा श्रद्धालुओं को इससे अधिक लाभ होता है ।
शिवपूजा में कुछ विधिनिषेध
श्वेत अक्षत (धुले हुए अखंड चावल) एवं पुष्प चढाएं ! : अक्षत की ओर निर्गुण ईश्वरीय तत्त्व से संबंधित उच्च देवताओं की तरंगें आकर्षित होती हैं; इसलिए अधिकाधिक निर्गुणसे संबंधित शिवजी को उनके श्वेत रंग से समानता दर्शानेवाले श्वेत अक्षत चढाएं । साथही, अरघेपर निशिगंध, जाही, जूही, मोगरासमान श्वेत पुष्प, उनका डंठल पिंडी की ओरकर १० अथवा १० के गुणज में चढाएं ।
अगरबत्ती एवं इतर (इत्र) का प्रयोग करें ! : अगरबत्ती एवं इतर से प्रक्षेपित गंधतरंगों की ओर देवताओं की तरंगें शीघ्र आकर्षित होती हैं; इसलिए शिवपूजा में विहित केवडा, चमेली अथवा मेंहदी की सुगंधवाली अगरबत्तियों एवं केवडे के इतर का प्रयोग करें ।
हलदी एवं कुमकुम न चढाएं ! : हलदी एवं कुमकुम उत्पत्ति के प्रतीक हैं; इसलिए लय के देवता शिवजी को ये वस्तुएं न चढाएं ।
महाशिवरात्र के दिन शिवजी का नामजप क्यों करें ?
महाशिवरात्र पर अन्य दिनों की तुलना में १००० गुना कार्यरत शिवतत्त्व का अधिक से अधिक लाभ पाने के लिए ‘ॐ नम: शिवाय ।’ जप अधिकाधिक तथा भावपूर्ण करें ।
(सुनिए : सनातन संस्था की ऑडियो सीडी ‘शिवजी का नामजप एवं उपासनाशास्त्र’)
‘नम: शिवाय ।’ मंत्र का आध्यात्मिक अर्थ
न – समस्त लोकों के आदिदेव
म: – परम ज्ञान देनेवाले तथा महापातकों का नाश करनेवाले
शि – कल्याणकारी, शांत एवं शिवानुग्रह का मूल कारण
वा – वृषभवाहन, वासुकी तथा वामांगी शक्ति का सूचक
य – परमानंदरूप तथा शिवजी का शुभ निवासस्थान
(अधिक जानकारी हेतु पढें : शिवजी की विशेषताएं, कार्य, उपासना इत्यादि के विषय में मार्गदर्शन करनेवाले सनातन संस्था भगवान शिव से संबंधित २ ग्रंथ एवं २ लघुग्रंथ !)
हिन्दुओ, देवताओं का निरादर रोकें; धर्मपालन करें !
१. देवताओं के चित्र अथवा उनके नाम छपे कपडे न पहनें !
२. देवताओं की वेशभूषा धारण कर भिक्षा मांगनेवालों को रोकें !
३. देवताओं का अनादर करने वाले उत्पाद, पत्रिका, नाटक, चलचित्र इ.का बहिष्कार करें !
४. देवताओं के चित्रों को विकृत बनाने एवं बिक्री करने वालों का वैधानिक मार्ग से विरोध करें !
अधिक जानकारी हेतु अवश्य देखें : http://www.sanatan.org
आपका विनम्र,
हिंदू जनजागृति समितिके लिए
सुरेश मुंजाल
संपर्क क्र. :9811414247




ED issues FEMA notice to BCCI, IPL

17 02 2015
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Feb 17
The Enforcement Directorate has slapped a 425 crore rupees show cause notice against BCCI, IPL, their officials and private multimedia firms for alleged contravention of Forex laws in awarding a cricketing media rights contract in 2009. The notices have been issued to close to ten individuals and entities which include former BCCI chairman N Srinivasan, the then IPL Chairman Lalit Modi, Chief Operating Officer Sunder Raman, and the officials of World Sports Group and Multi Screen Media for allegedly and fraudulently manipulating the contract and making illegal payments.
The deal dates back to 2008 when the BCCI awarded the 10-year media rights to World Sports Group on payment of 918 million dollar. In the same year, World Sports Group also entered into a deal with Multi Screen Media to make Sony the official broadcaster. The contract was replaced a year later with a nine-year deal where Multi Screen Media paid 1.63 billion dollar. The ED stepped in this case in 2009 and began a probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, FEMA to investigate allegations that payment of 425 crore rupees facilitation fee by Multi Screen Media to World Sports Group was made in an alleged unauthorised manner.





17 Bharat Rang Mahotsav Plays Synopsis 16 Feb

17 02 2015
Play: PUNAR-JANI
Director: Sudhi Devayani
Group: Nireeksha Women’s Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram
Language: Malyalam
Duration: 1hr 30m
Date: 16th Feb 2015
Time: 3:30pm
Venue: LTG

The Play
Punar-Jani is a travelogue of a different order. Punar-Jani (re-born woman) travels in and out of the stories of three women who were killed at different places and time. The women were killed by burning (fire), drowning (water) and strangulation (air) after sexual violence, share their thoughts with the woman who is Punar-Jani as she travels through their stories taking their place in the narrative and trying to change the course of the narrative.
Punar-Jani of course is defeated in each case but comes out of these narratives with the knowledge of matters hidden by narratives. She is joined in the end by the men in the narratives.

Director’s Note
Punar-Jani came across as a very interesting script with possibilities for innovative visual design. The script written by Rajarajeswari was born out of discussions with a group of women that included artists, writers, social workers as well as gender activists. The woman protagonist is searching among the dead women, their thoughts, desires and hopes hidden within the narrative of a ‘victim’. Is she searching among the dead herself?  Her self- a woman, trapped within the immense structure of power and patriarchy, herself structured for her, the living dead?
Every time she enters the story of the dead woman killed by greed, corruption and lust, searching for the inner thoughts of these women and trying to alter the ending of the story, she is defeated by the massive structure that consumes her will and turns her into the same woman who got killed by it.
I have tried out a central big structure in the set design as well as big sized properties to bring out the oppressive massiveness of the system. After each story the huge structure heaves up making it more difficult for the woman to enter the next story.  Songs that elaborate on the thoughts and emotions of the dead women are used during the set change. This, as well as elements of the set items of the upcoming scene connect one story to the other.

The Director
Sudhi Devayani is an established actress and director who has been involved in theatre for the past 20 years. Presently the Artistic Director of Nireeksha, she has directed several plays for it. Her play, Pravaachaka was a part of the Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi’s,  Amateur Drama Competition in the year 2008, where she won the ‘Best Actress’ award,
Devayani also received the G. Sankara Pillai endowment award in 1993 and Vayala Vasudevan Pillai award in 2011.


The Playwright
Rajarajeshwari Easwaran is the founding member of Nireeksha. She started off as a script writer for several of the street plays by Nireeksha in its initial days. Her interest in theatre combined with her feminist identity motivated her to turn to playwriting and create strong women characters with their own subjectivity. Her major plays include Kudiyozhickal, Pravaachaka, Aanungal illatha Pennungal, Troll and Punar-Jani. She has also translated and adapted ‘A Secure Home’ by Elaina Garo under the name Oru Urappulla Vasadhi in Malayalam.

The Group
NIREEKSHA Women’s Theatre established in 1999 based at Aithikonam, Thiruvananthapuram, is the only women’s theatre active in Kerala.  Nireeksha produces full-length plays that are scripted by women, directed by women and have women in central roles. The group strives for a new aesthetics for women’s theatre through play productions, workshops, seminars and street plays.
Nireeksha has so far produced six major plays scripted by Rajarajeswari Easwaran and directed by Sudhi Devayani. Plays like Pravaachaka and Aanungal Illatha Pennungalhave been a part of several National & International festivals.


2.) THE NUDE

Play: THE NUDE
Director: Baharul Islam
Group: Abastav Gosthi, Guwahati
Language: Assamese
Duration: 1hr 20m
Date: 16th Feb 2015
Time: 5:00 pm
Venue: Sri Ram Centre

The Play
A young and unclothed woman, Patachara, enters the place where The Buddha was temporarily staying with his entourage. The Buddha, at once understands her state of mind. He decides to bring her back to a condition where she can recollect the events which had brought her to this state of being. His most revered nun Gauthami too cooperates in this process – Buddha’s psycho-analytic system of treating an individual afflicted with deep mental trauma and the subsequent loss of memory. In the process the sounds transcend to be words; and the words get into be meaningful sentences.

Director’s Note
The story of Patachara-the Nude, comes to us as one of the most striking examples of Buddha’s way of using the system of psychotherapy to give relief to the people afflicted with mental trauma. Patachara, a young woman developed an acute stress reaction after she witnessed the death of her husband, two children, parents and the only brother. She came to The Buddha weeping in a state of utter delirium. After she became rational, The Buddha explained her true meaning of suffering and the nature of impermanence. The story of Patachara reveals an excellent case study of trauma counseling, using the skills of flashbacks, painful memories and anxiety. The Buddha used practically most of the above mentioned avenues to resolve the grief reaction of Patachara. I’ve tried to narrate the story of Patachara employing lucid dramaturgical idioms so that the audience can understand the complicated antecedents that drove Patachara into such a state of mind and Buddha’s way of giving relief to such individuals.

The Director
Born on 16th August 1964 in Assam, Baharul Islam graduated from National School of Drama, with specialization in Acting, in 1990. He has acted in almost eighty plays in different languages like Assamese, Hindi and English, and designed and directed almost thirty plays. After graduating from NSD, he along with Smt. Bhagirathi formed his own theatre group, Seagull in Guwahati.  Mr. Islam is the recipient of many prestigious awards like: Sanskriti Samman from Eka Ebong Koekjon publication, Guwahati, Monohar Singh Smriti Puraskar from NSD, Natyaprobor Award from Sharadakanta Bordoloi Smriti Committee, Nowgaon and Bishnu Basu Smriti Samman by Bratyajon Theatre, Kolkata. He has produced and directed documentaries like, The Dhulia and Puppet Theatre in Assam (1998), Lokosanankriti (2005) and various fictions namely Nishant (2007), Beyond The Obvious (2009) and Meteka (2011). He has written and published four books namely, Akanto Monere, Simar Sipare, Beyond the Obvious and Khiriki Khuliyei. He is a regular columnist of Saatsori, an Assamese journal.

The Playwright
Mr. Karuna Deka, a renowned playwright, director, poet and novelist was born in a small village, Doukuchi, of Nalbari district, Assam on 27th December, 1947. An author of more than 100 books which include about ninety eight plays , four  poems , three novels,  two songs , three short stories and many more,  Karuna Deka is the recipient if many prestigious awards like, The Literary Award from Government of Assam, The Playwright Award from All India Drama Competition, Cuttack , Allahabad Natya Sangh and  Government of Assam.  Recently, he was felicitated with Basanta Saikai Natya Bota. His plays have acclaimed appreciation in state festivals all over Assam and national festivals outside the state and have fetched numerous prizes. His published books include Suna Suna Sabhasada (2014) Mamore Dhora Tarowal (2012),  Bondhu (2012),  Mouchumi Ahichil etc.

The Group
Established in 1986, ‘Abastav Gosthi’ has emerged as one of the prominent theatre groups. The main objective of Abastav Gosthi is to improve the existing style and form of Assamese theatre with systematic practice and training. The group has been involved in many remarkable theatrical activities in the past years and has participated in various prestigious theatre festivals. Some of the major productions of Abastav Gosthi are: Upor Moholar Bandhjon,Metaka,Sabaho Asaro, Buddhu Ram, Moniram Dewan, Alankar ,Paruar Processionot Urohor Uuh etc.

  1.    GAM SERENG
Play: GAM SERENG
Director: Sourav Poddar
Group: NSD Student Prod
Language: Multilingual
Duration: 1hr
Date: 16th Feb 2015
Time: 9:00 pm
Venue: Open Lawn

The Play & Director’s Note
Indian government has been at war with the people of Kashmir and the North East for decades. In the name of safeguarding ‘national security and integrity’ and ‘national interest’, Government has been trying to crush the democratic aspirations of oppressed nationalities with state terror.  Operation Green Hunt has brought its war against people to the heart of India. The total number of government forces presently engaged in this operation, including  paramilitary forces and  state police, is close to a quarter of a million (2.5 lakh). This is more than double the US forces presently deployed in the occupation of Iraq.
The not-so-hidden objective behind this unprecedented military offensive is to pulverize all forms of people’s struggles and revolutionary movements so that giant multinational companies, with whom hundreds of MoUs have been signed by the Government, may make a clean sweep. Any movement, organisation or individual that fights for people’s demands is being branded a Naxalite or a Maoist. Only an unceasing wave of mass resistance can stop this assault on democratic struggles of the most oppressed and exploited millions.

The Director & Playwright
Sourav Poddar, a graduate of National School of Drama, is currently engaged with a collaborative platform of visual artistes named ‘Spelling Mistake’. As an initiating team member, digital part in live performances has been his area of exploration. He takes special interest in creating spatial elements and scenography through real, virtual, 2D images and video projection devices.

The Group
This play is being presented as part of the National School of Drama’s Graduate Showcase (Class of 2014), which aims to provide a platform for emerging theatre practitioners, while allowing them to share their work with a wide audience.

4.)  GHAZAB TERI ADAA

Play: GHAZAB TERI ADAA
Director: Waman Kendre
Group: NSD Repertory Co., Delhi
Language: Hindi
Duration: 1hr 40m
Date: 16th Feb 2015
Time: 6:30 pm
Venue: Kamani

The Play
Ghazab Teri Adaa is inspired by Aristophanes’ Lysistrata. The action of the play takes place in an imaginary time and place. It revolves around the never ending aspiration for the expansion of kingdom and is a constant battle for the continuous fights in the battle field. The groups of performers make the king aware about the future of the war. The fearful king rejects to see and understand the situation. All the women, with fear and pain get together to stop the war under the leadership of Laya. They think of various alternatives to stop the war and finally decide that they will not allow their husbands to maintain any physical contact with them until the war stops. The violence-appreciating king and his war-loving soldiers break down in front of this unique, peaceful and non-violent protest by the women.

Director’s Note
While I was studying at NSD, I read Aristophanes’ Lysistrata in which the unusual idea of women in opposition of the war left a great impact on me. The thought of doing this play came across my mind many times in the last thirty years but it remained only an aspiration.
The recent change in the global scenario, especially in the last two decades, in the name of war saddened me. So, the thought of doing this play re-occurred. The central idea of the play i.e. the revolt of the women folk against the king’s ambition of ruling the world and emerging as a supreme power, led to the initiative of creating a new play. Gender equality is another important aspect of the play. Even after sixty five years of independence, the women reservation bill has not been passed in the Indian parliament.

The form of dialogue is poetic, as this play is stylized, not realistic. The language is guided by gender. In various rural dialects of the country, women often speak like men. There is no room for women in the language. Specially, in the plural construct the language remains masculine. While speaking the gender dignity shatters. Besides the narrative style, the audience will experience a varied audio-visual design.

Director & Playwright
Prof. Waman Kendre is the Director of National School of Drama.  Earlier he served as Professor and Director, Academy of Theatre Arts, University of Mumbai. His plays have participated in innumerable national and international festivals, and he has written, adapted and directed many plays, has conducted workshops on varying aspects of theatre   Known for doing  theatre that is innovative and meaningful, and for his sensitivity towards social, cultural and political issues.  Prof. Kendre has turned theatre into a potent platform for projecting his concern for the suffering of those sections of society that are often ignored and rarely talked about.
Much awarded Prof. Kendre received the Sangeet Natak Academi award in the year 2012 , the first Manohar Singh Smriti Puraskar in 2004 for outstanding multifaceted contribution to the field of theatre arts The Mumbai Marathi Granth Sangrahalaya  award 1989,  Natya Gaurav puraskar 1989, 1996, 1997, 1999,  Sahyog foundation award 1999. Marathwada Gaurav Award 2002 and Padmshri Daya Pawar Smriti puraskar 2007, to mention just a few.

The Group
Established in 1964 with a membership of only four persons, the Repertory Company is the regular performing wing of the School. It was set up with the dual purposes of establishing professional theatre on one hand and continuing with regular experimental work on the other. Over the years it has produced a variety of plays ranging from stylized musicals to realistic contemporary Indian drama to translations and adaptations of foreign plays. In addition, several eminent persons of national and international repute have worked with the Company, and it has performed over one hundred and fifty-five plays by ninety-eight playwrights and has worked with seventy-five directors. Quite a few of its actors have emerged as celebrities in theatre, cinema and television. The Company has toured extensively in India and abroad. It celebrated forty years of its existence in May 2004, and continues to create new work and travel extensively.

5.) AGAMEMNON
Play: AGAMEMNON
Director: Chrysanthi Avloniti
Group: Monamas Theatre Company, UK
Language: English
Duration: 1hr 15m
Date: 16th Feb 2015
Time: 8:00 pm
Venue: Abhimanch

The Play
Agamemnon is the opening play of Oresteia, by Aeschylus, followed by The Libation Bearers (Choephoroi) and The Eumenides. Although the three tragedies are independent in their plot, the overall storyline is continuous and they all share a common theme.
In Agamemnon the action begins just after the fall of Troy and Agamemnon’s capture of Cassandra, whom he brings to Argos as his mistress. Before the day of his return is over, his wife, Clytemnestra, murders them both and she then establishes herself and Aegisthus, her lover, as rulers of Argos.

Director’s Note
Is it fate or free will primarily responsible for the suffering in the hero’s life? What distinguishes the hero from the crowd? Though fated, the hero makes his own choices that bring about his destruction. On the contrary, an individual, as member of a crowd often loses his sense of responsibility and remains passive. Most of us fall in that category. A hero acts against the shape of things that degrade him, and in the process of action, everything we -the crowd- have taken for granted, because of fear or impassivity or ignorance, is shaken before us and scrutinised.
This production aims to be a challenge and a trap, an endoscope to make us more aware of what takes place within us and a mirror that reflects what surrounds us. I want my audience to realise that by living a more conscious life, we allow ourselves more choices in creating or responding to everyday circumstances.

The Director
Chrysanthi trained at the Greek National Theatre Drama School and graduated with a BA in acting in 2005. She performed for the National Theatre of Greece and the Epidaurus Festival with the productions Medea, Prometheus Bound, The Persians, The Oresteia, Exodus and Hippolytus, and toured China, America, Germany, and Greece. Further credits include leading roles in public regional and commercial theatres, participation in Greek television series and short films. Along with her professional partnerships as an actress, she was the director of the student’s cultural society of the National University of Athens for two years. In 2011 she moved to London where she formed Monamas Theatre Company and studied devising theatre and performance at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA). Monamas signifies a fascinating new development for her as an emerging director and producer.



The Playwright
Aeschylus was born in Eleusis, a Greek town near Athens, in 525 B.C. He was the first of the great Greek tragedians, preceding both Sophocles and Euripides, and is credited by many as having invented tragic drama. Aeschylus wrote nearly 90 plays. However, only seven have survived to the modern era, including such famous works as Prometheus Bound and The Seven Against Thebes.He was bold and innovative, while his work has a strong moral and religious emphasis. No poet has ever presented evil in such stark and tragic terms yet he had an exalted view of Gods, and a faith in progress or the healing power of time.

The Group
‘Monamas’ is a London based theatre company founded by Chrysanthi Avloniti. The company is committed to finding new, experimental and exciting ways to make theatre by presenting innovative performance practices to the audience thus making theatre a unique experience. It is extremely interested in reconstructing the classics as well as exploring new writing. We place a strong emphasis on collective working process and we like to work with movement and music, particularly exploring how these elements derive from the text.






Ahaana Deol Vohra: It takes my breath away!

17 02 2015

Hi Naresh, Delhi! My new home – it takes my breath away, literally! I am Ahaana Deol. An artist and a fellow earthling. But why am I writing to you?
Let me tell you why this is important to ALL of us.
Delhi is known for its food, monuments and politics, but there’s something else it’s been in the news for recently toxic air.The pollution levels in the air are 14 times the safety limits prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 3 times more toxic than Beijing.
Satyender Jain, Health Minister of Delhi: issue a health advisory for schools to
Protect our children on highly polluted days!
Yes, Delhi has one of the worst air quality levels in the world! Children are at the forefront of this problem. According to the WHO, air pollution is one of the major causal factors behind premature deaths worldwide.1 in 8 deaths occur every year due to air pollution alone. Delhi loses 10,000 people annually as a result of breathing TOXIC air! Do we really want our children to live in a capital known for its toxicity?

Satyender Jain, Health Minister of Delhi: issue a health advisory for schools to 
Protect our children on highly polluted days!
Delhi has a new Govt in place now, and it’s a great opportunity for them to act on this serious issue! I am going to become a mother soon and I am concerned about the kind of city my child will be growing up in. You would not want your children to breathe in world’s most toxic air! Would you?
The time is NOW, we cannot afford to wait.
In hope, Ahaana Deol Vohra
A classical dancer, writer and a passionate environmentalist





Both India and Pakistan stop dead in their tracks

16 02 2015
 
Aparna Pande
Both India and Pakistan stop dead in their tracks when their respective teams are playing against each other. The advertisements in between an Indo- Pak matches,  are perhaps costlier than those in between the screening of any World Cup. And if the game being played is cricket, then the excitement knows no bounds. Days before the actual show down, the social media is flooded with posts – some jocular, some mean and some downright unprintable. Sometimes there is even shelling on the borders to celebrate a victory or mourn a loss. I wonder , whether any other sporting rivalry  as intense as  this one, ever existed. Talking about the sentiments on my side of the border, they are always negative. With negativism varying from slight annoyance to extreme dislike , we have spectrum of negativity about us. It doesn’t seem like a sport.A victory becomes an assertion of greater strength , an expression of vindictive hatred – a revenge for the trauma inflicted. It isn’t two teams of great excellence clashing, that causes this rivalry.It becomes, two enemies facing each other in a battlefield. A perusal of the pages on social network , from the other side of the border, also reveals a similar picture. The reaction of the Pakistani hockey team after winning a match against India, corroborates my view.
India and Pakistan- born from the same land mass, more or less the twins, have always been arch rivals. From the time of Independence Pakistan has strived to be an “equal” to its much larger neighbour, in every sense of the word. After independence, both countries have had different trajectories- with India becoming the largest democracy and Pakistan, a state grappling with its problems of extremism. The secession of East Pakistan in 1971 and India’s role in it, increased the bad blood  between the two countries. Currently , Pakistan is nowhere equal to the much larger and richer India. Hence the sentiment on the other side is understandable. They hate India , as they feel it threatens their existence.
But the hatred in India cannot be understood from the same frame of reference. The reactions after yesterday’s cricket match are a disgrace to the nation which boasts of the richest cricket board.While an upstart Pakistan maybe for forgiven , an increasingly ungenerous India, especially in the sporting arena, is a shame. When an Indian audience, of educated and well to do netizens hurls insults on a defeated Pakistani team, it shows that our mindset hasn’t changed as much as our fortunes have. India isn’t equal to Pakistan- it’s much higher than Pakistan , and so is it’s moral responsibility. This is not to suggest that issues like Kashmir ought to be resolved with this mentality. But inconsequential issues, like sports should be dealt  magnanimously by the Indian audience. They must remember that they reflect India, and it’s sporting culture.
Aparna Pande  Email: pandeaparna@ymail.com




Anupam Sarkar heads to European Club FC Adeli on loan

16 02 2015
FC Pune City defender Anupam Sarkar heads to European Club FC Adeli on loan
INDIA February 16, 2015 FC Pune City defender Anupam Sarkar has signed for Georgian football Club FC Adeli on a four month loan. He follows footsteps of his team mates Israil Gurung and Manish Maithani who recently moved to Portugal on a similar loan arrangement.
Anupam caught the attention of Technical Director of FC Adeli, Mr. Philippe De Ridder during his displays for the Pune club in the recently concluded ISL. The deal further emphasizes how Indian football is benefitting from ISL and how clubs like FC Pune City are working to develop their Players and help them gain international experience in Europe.
Gaurav Modwel, CEO of FC Pune City, said that, “I am sure that this loan stint will help Anupam to become a better footballer. I’ve always believed that ISL will help Indian footballers to develop themselves and showcase their talent and now its upto them to grab the opportunities that come their way. I am sure Anupam will remain focused and train hard with his new team. FC Adeli movedreally fast with us on this transfer and I am happy that they have also agreed to include in the Loan Agreement a minimum number of games in which Anupam will feature. This shall ensure Anupam gets opportunities to show his prowess and the experience he gains from it shall prove invaluable for him in his career. ”
Philippe De Ridder, Technical Director and Manager of FC Adeli who scouted Anupam said, “When I got to know from FC Pune City that Anupam was available, I did not hesitate to share it with my President. I am convinced he will do agood job here. Every player, no matter the age, continues to learn every day if he has the right people around him. ISL, and all the clubs participating in it, did bring Indian football on a right track. The better the players are, thebetter the league is. Indian fans deserve that. FC Adeli and myself are pleased to give a hand in that direction and wish Anupam all the very best in Georgia”
Levan Adeishvili, President of FC Adeli said, I was aware that India was developing football through the ISL but it’s only when I started to work with Mr. Philippe De Ridder that I agreed to bring in an Indian football player. He convinced me that Anupam Sarkar could help our team for the next 4 months. I am also very happy to know that FC Adeli is the first Georgian club ever to bring in an Indian player in the championship. I really hope Anupam Sarkar will do well here and I wouldalso like to thank FC Pune City and I hope we build a good relationship with them.”
Anupam Sarkar was ecstatic as well and said, “I cannot wait to begin this new chapter in my career. I am thankful to my Club FC Pune City and FC Adeli for providing me with this chance to go abroad and play in Georgia. I am excited to train and put in my best effort to help my team and my team mates”.
With this, FC Pune City hassuccessfully sent three of its players to Europe on loans. FC Pune City remains the only club out of 8 ISL clubs to achieve this. The future looks bright for Indian football as more and more players can now hope to move abroad and train with the best of facilities and play in tougher European leagues.

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Global news

16 02 2015

Iran denies reports Khamenei wrote to Obama over ISIS

Tehran has denied reports that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote to US President Barack Obama in response to an October letter proposing cooperation against the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). The Foreign Ministry said late on Sunday that there had been no new correspondence, AFP reported. The Wall Street Journal claimed on Friday that Khamenei had sent a secret, but noncommittal letter to Obama in response to his overture.

Denmark arrests 2 men suspected of helping Copenhagen attacker

Danish police said Monday that two men have been arrested suspected of helping the gunman who carried out two fatal shooting attacks over the weekend in Copenhagen. The arrests were made on Sunday and the two men will face a custody hearing on Monday, AP reported. The suspect killed two people in his weekend attacks before being killed in a gun battle with a SWAT team.

Gunman killed, officer injured in Mississippi Walmart shooting

One person was killed and at least one more injured in a shooting at a Walmart store in Luka, Mississippi on Sunday, local media reports. According to Tishomingo County Sheriff Glenn Whitlock, as cited by NBC affiliate WTVA, the deceased person was the gunman involved in the shooting. At least one police officer was injured, while Reuters reported there were “some injuries.” No details were immediately available. Luka is located about 100 miles southwest of Nashville, Tennessee.

UN calls for Houthi withdrawal in Yemen

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has demanded that Houthi rebels in Yemen give up control of government institutions and put down arms, according to a resolution unanimously passed at an emergency Sunday meeting. The British- Jordanian draft resolution “demands that all parties in Yemen, cease all armed hostilities against the people and the legitimate authorities of Yemen and relinquish the arms seized from Yemen’s military and security institutions.” It also calls for an end to foreign interference and warns of “further steps” if violence persists. The UN stressed that the situation in Yemen is deteriorating. Shiite militia took control of Yemen’s capital Sanaa in September, and have been seizing other parts of the country since then. Back in November, the UNSC introduced sanctions against Yemen’s former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and two Houthi leaders.




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