Wanna Be A VJ? Peppers TV invite aspiring youths

CHENNAI: Peppers TV, an youth entertainment Tamil Channel, is out with a VJ Hunt programme providing an opportunity for aspiring youths to become a compere. A TV release here on Friday said the VJ Hunt programme invites fresher and experienced youths, both male and female, in the 16- 25 age group to apply for VJ Hunt 2012 window of the website www.pepperstv. com. Students, working professionals or anyone having a passion for compering could apply. Aspirants should have good fl uency in English and Tamil languages. The release said preference would be given to those having the ability to develop content suitable to the programme presented. Selected applicants would be called for an interview during which they would subjected to a mock compering of about 30 minutes testing across various qualities including voice, looks, camera presence, body language, presentation skills, creativity, interaction, confi dence, energy, and other things. Peppers Entertainment Television is a Tamil entertainment channel targeted at the youth and young at heart and seeks to redefi ne entertainment. It brings wholesome entertainment that blends together fun, interactivity, entertainment, talent and knowledge in the right proportion.

Internet shut down threat by hacking group - Anonymous

NEW DELHI: There is a strong possibility today that you won’t be able to indulge in your favourite internet activities like shopping and surfi ng due to a hacking group - Anonymous - which has threatened to shut down the net. “Operation Global Blackout 2012 looks to shut down the internet for a whole day tomorrow (Saturday) by disabling its core DNS servers, making websites inaccessible,” said Interpol’s Secretary General, Ronald K. Noble. Noble was speaking at the thirteenth D.P. Kohli memorial lecture on “Multi jurisdictional Investigation: Operation Unmask” in the capital According to Noble, “Anonymous” is protesting against several reasons including the crash of Wall Street and irresponsible leaders. “Investigations have already been launched by Colombia, Chile and Spain as their private and public websites have been attacked by the group,” he added. Meanwhile, Interpol has launched Operation Unmask to deal with the group and arrested 31 alleged members in two different phases in February and March, 2012. However, Anonymous vowed vengeance and retaliated through a global wave of cyber-attacks on Interpol Feb 28. “At its peak, the wave reached 400,000 attacks per minute. My parents’ home address and phone number were published on websites,” said Noble. According to Noble, there are around 2.3 billion internet users in the world and more than one million of them are affected by cybercrime every year while $388 billion dollars is the global cost of such crimes.

‘Globalisation can be double edged sword for Indian economy’: Subbarao

BANGALORE: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor D Subbarao on Friday said one of the big challenge India face today is to live with the globalised world as globalisation works like a double edged sword and managing a change is always a great challenge, be it for a nation or for an individual. Speaking 37th Convocation speech at the Indian Institute of Management- Bangalore here, he said while globalisation offers immense opportunities, it also poses ruthless challenges. ‘Nothing illustrates this better than the global fi nancial crisis of 2008-09. In the years before the crisis the global economy witnessed moderation where advanced economies saw steady growth while developing economies saw their countries on an accelerating path. Low and stable infl ation was all around. But the economic crisis put everything in the reverse gear,’ he said. Globalisation helped India and China join the world labour markets under the positive effect of globalisation. However the negative effects were very strong and the countries had to struggle hard to overcome it. ‘ That a bubble in a quintessentially non-tradable sector like housing snowballed into a global fi nancial crisis, taking a devastating toll on global growth and welfare, is a demonstration of the ferociousness of the forces of globalisation,’ he said. Dr Subbarao said “globalisation comes with benefi ts and costs. No matter what career you pursue or where you choose to work,you will have to learn to manage globalisation in ways that will maximise its benefi ts and minimise its costs. The RBI chief said today India’s ratio of external trade to GDP had gone up to 37 per cent but said globalisation also posed ruthless challenges. On India’s global integration, Subbarao said a metric frequently used to measure the degree of a country’s global integration is the ratio of external trade to GDP. ‘That ratio has gone up over four times, from eight per cent of GDP in 1972 to 37 per cent in 2011,’ he said. Over this period, fl ow of money around the world has far outpaced the fl ow of goods. So, a more complete measure of a country’s global integration is the two way fl ow of goods and fi - nance in and out of a country. That ratio has moved up nearly eight times in these four decades, from 14 per cent in 1972 to 109 per cent in 2011. ‘What this means is that India’s trade integration has been deep; but its fi - nancial integration has been deeper,’ he said. He said at the Reserve Bank, the offi cials had to confront the dilemmas of globalisation. People had mixed feeling on globalization and the debate surrounding it has been, in turn, lively, passionate, acrimonious, ill-defi ned, chaotic, noisy, constructive, untidy, and amorphous. “For its supporters, globalisation is the best way forward for collective global prosperity and welfare. For its critics, on the other hand, globalization is an unmitigated evil. Debate cannot be a binary issue. There is some validity to both sides of the argument, and the best way forward, as we just noted, is to maximise the positives and minimise the negatives,’ he added. Dr Subbarao said globalisation has a long history of 500 years, dating back to the voyages of discovery of the 15th and 16th centuries and colonisation by the European powers in the following centuries. ‘Colonies have gone, but the trade and commerce spawned by the colonial empires have largely endured. There is a widely held view that globalization is inevitable in today’s world of rapid technological progress and growing embrace of economic liberalisation by countries. Most people who hold this view think that globalisation is a uniquely twentieth century phenomenon and that it is progressing on a linear upward path. “In the era of knowledgepropelled globalisation, it is possible for countries to overcome handicaps of geography by exploiting their comparative advantage in human resources. Thatblue-collar jobs shift across geographic boundaries in pursuit of cheap hands has long been part of conventional wisdom. But what is new is that increasingly white-collar jobs, once considered safe from foreign competition, are now being off-shored. Hence, the new catch phrases such as ‘death of distance’ and ‘conquest of location,” the RBI chief explained. Subbarao said fi nancial openness, one of the main factors of globalization, helped deepen and broaden the fi nancial markets, enhances competition, raises effi ciency and improves corporate governance standards. On the other hand, it was true that there were certain pre-conditions to be met for fi nancial liberalisation to be a positive force. In particular, the government’s fi scal position should be sound, regulation and supervisory systems should be effective and there should be capacity for instituting internal controls within fi nancial institutions. ‘My broad position on this issue is that fi nancial liberalisation can offer potentially huge benefi ts, including collateral benefi ts, as does trade liberalisation. What is important to remember though, in promoting fi nancial liberalisation, is that the fi nancial sector has no standing of its own; it derives its strength and resilience from the real economy? It is the needs of the real sector that should drive fi nancial sector liberalization, not the other way round.’

TNEB announces hike average 37 per cent in power tariff

CHENNAI: Making cost of living higher for all sections of people, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) tonight hiked the power tariff with an average 37 percent increase effective tomorrow. Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) announced the revised tariff which would fetch the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (TANGEDCO) additional revenue of about Rs.7,874 crore. The hike was to pull it out of red by next fi scal. Following the revision of tariff, rates for high tension (HT) consumers will go up by about 25 percent and for low tension consumers by around 45 percent. For domestic consumers, the tariff has been increased to Rs 2.60 per unit up to 100 units for bi-monthly consumption. The state government would provide a subsidy of Rs.150 per unit. For households consuming 100-200 units bi-monthly the rate would be Rs.2.80 per unit. Of this, the subsidy from the state will be Re.1. For households consuming up to 500 units for two months, the rate per unit up to 200 units would be Rs 3 and above that Rs.4 per unit. The state power regulator has allowed a fi xed charge ranging between Rs 10 and Rs 20 depending on the usage slab. But the monthly minimum charges have been abolished.

Petrol price may hike to Rs 3 per litre

NEW DELHI: The staterun oil marketing companies may decide to hike petrol prices by at least Rs 3 per litre, in their scheduled meeting on Saturday to cover part of the spike in cost of raw material. If the oil companies decide to hike prices, the new rates would be effective from midnight tonight. “We are losing Rs 6.43 per litre on petrol and after adding 20 percent sales tax, the desired increase in rates in Delhi is Rs 7.72 per litre,” a senior oil company offi cial said. “We understand that it will be diffi cult to raise rates by Rs 7.72 per litre in one go but a Rs 3 or even Rs 4 a litre increase is feasible,” he said. Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) use fortnightly average of benchmark oil price and exchange rate to fi x the price to be paid to refi neries on 1st and 16th of every month. If the changes do not refl ect in retail selling price, they become losses in the books of oil fi rms. The international price of gasoline (against which domestic petrol prices are benchmarked) have risen from USD 109 a barrel at the time of last revision in December 2011 to USD 133-134 per barrel. Oil fi rms had last revised dates on December 1 when rates were cut by Rs 0.78 per litre. Petrol at IOC pumps in Delhi is currently priced at Rs 65.64 per litre and the rates vary by a couple of paise at the pumps of BPCL and HPCL. Petrol price was freed from government control in June 2010 but public sector companies continue to informally consult their parent Oil Ministry before taking a decision. “We are holding consultations,” the offi cial said, dropping hints that oil fi rms have so far not received a go ahead from the government for raising prices. Oil fi rms lost about Rs 4,500 crore this fi scal on selling petrol below cost. The government does not compensate them for this loss as petrol is a decontrolled commodity.

Indian engineers of GE invent tech to promote safety

BANGALORE: A unique product conceptualized and designed by Indian scientists at GE Global Research here is earning high praise from industry leaders for its ability to shield industrialworkers from explosive and deadly arcing current. Recently, Plant Engineering magazine named GE’s Arc Vault its ‘Product of the Year’. Conceptualised at the company’s India Technology Center by Asokan T, a Chief Scientist at the Center, the Arc Vault represents a breakthrough in the area of electrical safety. It can stop and contain a lethal arcing fault in less than eight milliseconds-- as much as 10 times faster than conventional methodsresulting in lives saved and equipment being spared signifi cant damage. Statistics show arcing current is not only a dangerous problem, but a costly one for manufacturers. According to engineering services company, ESA, there is as many as 10 incidents daily at plants in the U.S. resulting in losses of $1 billion annually, a company release said here on Thursday. Asokan said arcing fault in electric systems is a major electrical hazard in the world. The critical factors for arc fault protection are speed and reliability. ‘GE’s arc vault technology deviates from conventional methods to achieve even faster responses to stop and contain dangerous arcing current. I am delighted to see GE’s technology recognized so highly by the end users,’ he said.

UTV STARS launches “Walk of stars” in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, along with director Madhur Bhandarkar and actor Randhir Kapoor, unveiled UTV’s ‘Walk of the Stars’ at a function here on Wednesday evening. Walk of stars is a way of honoring the invaluable contribution of the biggest superstars of Indian cinema. to immortalise the legacy, the offi cial channel of Bollywood ‘UTV STARS launched the fi rst isconic landmark at Bandra Bandstand promenade. The launch was a grand affair that witnessed felicitation of the Kapoor Khandan, one of the legendary families of Indian cinema. Kareena Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor and the director of ‘Heroine’ Madhur Bhandarkar inaugurated the property. Commenting on the launch of UTV STARS ‘Walk of the Stars’, Zarina Mehta, CEO, UTV, said “The launch has created a strong brand for itself as a knowledgeable Bollywood Insider. The concept is our tribute to this vibrant and wonderful dream world of movies.” Kareena, who unveiled her grandfather Raj Kapoor’s specially designed brass statue, said “an entire ‘walk’ dedicated solely to Indian cinema is indeed heart-warming. I am extremely happy to be a part of the Inauguration of the Walk of the Stars and what better way to inaugurate than felicitates my own family at the ‘Walk’! It is indeed an honour for me to be a part of the UTV STARS walk of stars.” Commenting on the inaugural event, Madhur said, “I am extremely happy to be part of this momentous occasion that has, in the true sense of the word, honoured Indian Cinema. “The tiles dedicated to Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Karisma and Kareena are installed at Bandstand. A special brass statue on a bench of bollywood great stars Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor are also installed. Similar events will soon be held in Delhi, London and Dubai, the organisers said.

WORLD-HIGHLIGHTS

Kofi Annan’s peace mission BEIRUT - President Bashar al-Assad said yesterday Syria would spare no effort to ensure the success of international envoy Kofi Annan’s peace mission but warned it would not work without securing an end to foreign funding and arming of rebels opposing him. Workers angry at a labour reform BARCELONA/MADRID - Spanish workers angry at a labour reform the government calls an unstoppable’ necessity staged a general strike yesterday, bringing factories and ports to a standstill and igniting fl ashes of violence on the streets. US Senate blocked legislation WASHINGTON - Republicans in the US Senate blocked legislation yesterday to strip billions of dollars in tax breaks for the biggest US oil companies, calling the bill a political stunt that would not help tamp down surging gasoline prices. US Congress averted a weekend shutdown WASHINGTON: The US Congress averted a weekend shutdown of thousands of transportation construction projects yesterday by passing a stopgap funding bill that buys time for House Speaker John Boehner to resolve Republican differences over long-term fi nancing. Mitt Romney gets ready for Republican presidential nomination HOUSTON - Step by step, Mitt Romney is tightening his grip on the Republican presidential nomination race despite a continued penchant for gaffes on the campaign trail. President return home CARACAS:President Hugo Chavez returned home to Venezuela yesterday after a fi rst session of radiation treatment in Cuba that he hopes will cure his cancer and allow him to win a new six-year term in October. Lawmakers introduce bill BOGOTA: Colombian lawmakers have introduced a bill to decriminalize coca cultivation in the world’s top cocaine producer, a move that would radically alter the Andean nation’s fi ght against drugs by using market forces to deprive traffi ckers and leftist rebels of revenue. Rockets exploded around Baghdad BAGHDAD - Three rockets exploded around Baghdad yesterday despite a massive security operation as Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hosted the country’s fi rst Arab League summit in two decades. Fire-fi ghting ships to North Sea LONDON/PARIS: France’s Total sent fi re-fi ghting ships close to the scene of a gas leak from its North Sea Elgin platform yesterday as a large gas cloud led to fears of an explosion. War against enemies LONDON - An angry Rupert Murdoch yesterday declared war against enemies’ who have accused his pay-TV operation of sabotaging its rivals, denouncing them as toffs and right wingers’ stuck in the last century. Hillary Clinton departs to halt Syria’s bloodshed WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton departs yesterday for fresh diplomacy aimed at halting Syria’s bloodshed, but there is little sign the Obama administration is ready to deviate from its hands-off approach.

Christian’s consultation meet on health sector

NEW DEWHI: Against the backdrop of fast-changing scenario of the health sector in the country, a three-day strategic consultation of the Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI) began here on Thursday. This CMAI consultation on community health initiatives for the vulnerable and the role of mission hospitals has brought together over 40 experts - practitioners, academics, policy analysts, and advocacy - to take stock of the present, explore newer areas of service and advocacy, recommend strategies for responding to the changing scenario. “In the fast-changing context of the health sector in the country, the increasing presence of private healthcare, the slow but steady improvement in provision of government health services, and changes in the health and population profi le, there are many health needs that remain unaddressed, some because they were (till now) under-recognised, others because they have increased in prevalence or are newly emerging, said CMAI General Secretary Dr Vijay Kumar Aruldas. The CMAI is a national agency having a network of over 300 mission hospitals, including 5 medical colleges, many tertiary and secondary hospitals and primary healthcare programmes spread across the country, which is committed to the poor and the vulnerable, especially to those who are unreached. It is presently involved in strategic interventions addressing TB, Malaria, HIV and AIDS, substance abuse, sex selection, human resource training and others. It represents over 10,000 health professionals who are members of the Association, and is also the health agency of the National Council of Churches in India. The highlights of the discussion will include palliative care and continued focus on the poor, needy and the most vulnerable in the society is crucial, and this consultation will look at newer ways to do so. In addition, the assembly will look with more depth into the issue of health of the urban poor which it says has long been neglected, and is only now gaining national attention as the problems of rapid urbanisation can no longer be ignored. “There is a need to have strategic interventions that pilot models of health promotion, community upbuilding and mobilisation,” Dr Aruldas added. The discussion will also deliberate on mental health which the CMAI feels that has been neglected and has also has been growing as an area of need. A total of 450 million people around the world are affected by behavioural and mental healthproblems. “Mental and behavioural disorders are common, affecting more than 25 per cent of all people at some time during their lives.They affect people, regardless of gender, economic status, religion, race or environment. Dementia, depression, suicides and schizophrenia - the list is long and daunting. One in four families is likely to have at least one member with a behavioural or mental disorder,” he added. He said: “Palliative care, that is alleviating the suffering of those who are terminally ill and helping them to live with dignity, is a growing need, with the increasing number of elderly, the rising incidence of cancer and others. “ The recommendations of this consultation will be shared with practitioners, policy makers and others who are interested in this area. It will form the basis for concerted action by the network, and will help focus the nation’s attention on areas of need.

Need to create greater awareness METRO about AIDS

People affected with AIDS should not be isolated but treated on par with others to enable them live a normal life. During last 10 to 12 years due to concerted efforts, the proportion of people affected with HIV/AIDS is on the wane. - Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar

US Consular Offi cial denies visa fee hiked on H1B

CHENNAI: Chief of Consular Services at the US Consulate Chennai Nicholas Manring on Thursday denied reports on hike in fee for H1B visas. Talking to reporters here, he said H1B fee charged by the Department of Homeland Security was not increased. “The news reports that the fees for submitting H1B petitions have increased are, in fact, untrue. The fees are the same as they were last year,’ he added. Mr Nicholas also said there were no current plans to change the fee. He said for regular visa fees charged by the Department of State, “we are required by law to recover the cost of processing visas through the collection of visa application processing fees. ‘The Department of State reviews those costs annually, worldwide and adjusts fees for all visa services up and down according to that review.” He said there was no set schedule and this could happen at any time. “The last change in our visa fees was on July 13, 2010”, he added. On Indians applying for visas, he said as of today, the Consulate in Chennai has processed 57,218 visa applications and an overwhelming majority has been issued. He said last week a pilot program was launched with all the other US Consulates and by the US Embassy in India, to waive the actual interview. “This is for people renewing visas, primarily for tourist and short-term business travel visas, renewing within 48 months of expiration for B1/B2 visas. ‘This allows people to present their application and passport at the Consulate, have their photograph and fi ngerprints taken, but many will not have to then go on to be interviewed”, he said Mr Nicholas said US Consulate Offi cers might still call an applicant in for an interview if they had any questions. “But our aim is to have applicants in and out of the Consulate as soon as possible,’ he said. He said the waiting time for visa interviews has been brought down to fi ve days now.

Gen V.K.Singh seeks appointment with Manmohan Singh, A.K.Antony

NEW DELHI:, Army Chief Gen VK Singh has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister AK Antony on Friday. The meeting between Army Chief and Prime Minister assume signifi cance as the defence establishment has been in the eye of a storm after Gen Singh alleged that he was offered a bribe by an equipment lobbyist and the leak of his letter to PM on defence preparedness. Although, Gen Singh has described the leak as “high treason” and the government promising that those responsible would be given “maximum punishment”, the issue is far from over as it involves highly sensitive information that can work to the advantage of India’s enemies. Defence Minister AK Antony vowed to take the “strongest action” under laws against those responsible for the leak, while disclosing that the Intelligence Bureau has been asked to go into the leak of the letter and said the government will get to the root of it and fi nd out the persons behind the “antinational” act. Importantly, Antony – indicative of government’s soft peddling of the confrontation with Army Chief - has asserted, “All the three service chiefs enjoy the confi dence of the government. They are working...otherwise, how they can continue.” However, what raised eyebrows was the absence of Army Chief at a Defence Expo dinner yesterday which was attended by Antony, Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma and senior offi cials from ministry and industry.

Former US offi cial gets prison over Afghanistan bribe

ATLANTA: A federal
judge in Atlanta sentenced a
former US Defense Department
offi cial to a year and
eight months in prison for
taking nearly 100,000 dollar
in bribes from a company
seeking a contract in Afghanistan.
Desi Deandre Wade, 40, of
Climax, Georgia, was arrested
in August after traveling
to Atlanta from Afghanistan
for the Fire Rescue International
Conference, offi cials
said on Wednesday. While at
the convention, Wade, then
the Defense Department’s
chief of fi re and emergency
services in Kabul, accepted
95,000 dollar in cash from
an Afghan-based company
in exchange for the guarantee
of a government contract,
prosecutors said.
The cash was in Wade’s
backpack when he was arrested,
authorities said.
The contractor had contacted
US authorities in Afghanistan
last summer and
reported that Wade was soliciting
bribes, Assistant US
Attorney Robert McBurney
told Reuters.
The contractor agreed to
work with the government
as a confi dential informant
in the investigation, McBurney
said.
Under the scheme, Wade
would provide the company
with other bidders’ quotes
so that it would be the low
bidder and get the contract,
according to prosecutors.
Wade, who earlier had accepted
4,000 dollar from
the same contractor, pleaded
guilty to the charges in December
and was fi red from
his job.
He could have been sentenced
to up to 15 years
in prison for the crime.’
Bribery costs our taxpayers
countless millions every
year,’ said Sally Yates, US
Attorney for the Northern
District of Georgia.
‘When a corrupt contractor
like this defendant demands
a bribe, he builds that
cost into the bid - meaning
that, in the end, the taxpayer
bears the expense of the corrupt
contractor’s greed.’

Rupee down by 28 paise to 51.05 against US Dollar

MUMBAI: The Rupee
slipped further today by
28 paise at 51.05 against
the US Dollar in the opening
trade following persistent
demand for US Dollars
from banks amid weak
opening in equity market,
dealers at the Interbank Foreign
Exchange said.
The domestic unit registered
intra day high and low
at 51.07 and 50.91 per USD
Dollars respectively with
a major fl uctuation. The
Rupee was down due to
Dollar’s gain against other
world currencies, dealers
said.

Japan govt OKs $43 bln stopgap budget for 2012/13

TOKYO: Japan’s government
approved a stopgap
budget worth 43 billion
dollar today to cover the
fi rst week of the fi scal year
from April 1 due to a delay
in passage of the main annual
budget, illustrating its
struggle to legislate in a split
parliament.
The temporary budget, the
fi rst of its kind in 14 years,
was compiled as it became
clear that the full budget
would not be approved before
the start of the new
fi scal year amid opposition
stonewalling in parliament,
boding ill for the passage of
the government’s unpopular
plan to double the 5 percent
sales tax.
The provisional budget totalling
3.6105 trillion yen is
aimed at covering minimum
administrative spending
needed until April 6, when
the main budget comes into
force. The bulk of it will be
covered by issuing fi nancing
bills, but it entails no new
additional bond issuance.
The main budget will be
enacted even if rejected by
the opposition-controlled
upper house, because the
lower house can override the
upper chamber on budget issues.
The upper house has
dragged its feet and is yet
to vote on the main budget,
but it will come into force
regardless on April 6, which
is 30 days after passage by
the lower house.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko
Noda’s cabinet plans to approve
on Friday its plan to
double the sales tax to 10
per cent by late 2015 and
submit it to parliament. But
Noda has yet to fi nd a way
to win backing from the opposition,
which has threatened
to block the tax hike
bills so as to force an early
election, as they need approval
from both chambers.
Underscoring the gravity
of Japan’s huge debt challenge,
nearly half of next
fi scal year’s 90.33 trillion
yen budget will have to be
fi nanced by new borrowing.
Public debt is twice the
size of Japan’s 5 trillion
dollar economy, the worst
among industrial nations.

Arm bone replacement ‘Humerus surgery’

HYDERABAD: Prime
Hospitals in the city has
performed a total Humerus
(arm bone) replacement on
a 25-year-old female patient,
a rarely done procedure for
cancers of the arm bone.
Swapna, hailing from
Dindi Mandal of Nalgonda
District, was suffering from
bone tumour of the arm bone
caused by ‘Ewing’s Sarcoma’
of the humerus, Hospital
Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon,
Dr G Satish Reddy, said at
a press conference here this
evening.
Dr Reddy said the preservation
of the affected limb
was successful and the patient
was recovering well.
He said the surgery, performed
for the fi rst time in
Andhra Pradesh a week ago,
almost took fi ve hours and
cost Rs two Lakh.
Narrating the problem of
the patient, Dr Reddy said
Swapna presented herself
with a complaint of pain and
swelling of the right arm for
the past few months. Investigations
indicated a pathological
fracture of the proximal
humerus.
Further scans showed
highly malignant tumor,
which had not spread to
other parts of the body. A biopsy
done in October 2011
indicated it as ‘Ewing’s Sarcoma’,
a highly malignant
tumour of the bone. She was
then subjected to chemotherapy
during which the
fracture healed and the volume
of the tumor subsided.
The Chief Orthopaedic
Surgeon said subsequent
review of the scans after
chemotherapy showed that
the entire arm bone was affected
by cancer and a decision
was made to replace
entire arm bone.
“Though an extremely
complex surgery, the humerus
was entirely resected
with parts of shoulder muscles
and arm muscles, while
taking care to preserve the
nerves and blood vessels
of the limb,” he said. To
a question, Dr Reddy said
there is no increase in the
rate of complications, recurrence
or decrease in life expectancy
of the patient.

India to emerge world’s largest economy in 2050: Study

HYDERABAD: India is
likely to emerge the world’s
largest economy by 2050,
overtaking China, a study
says. The Wealth Report
2012 by Knight Frank and
Citi Private Banks released
here o Wednesdaysaid China
will overtake the US to
become the world’s largest
economy by 2020, which,
in turn, will be overtaken by
India in 2050. Going only
by GDP growth, nine of the
top 10 cities in the world are
in China.
The top 20 are all in China
or India, the study said, adding
“we believe the cities to
watch in 2050 are the 400
emerging market ‘middleweights’
fast growing cities
with populations between
200,000 and 10 million.
“This dynamic group includes
many cities including
Nagpur and Surat in India,
besides Linyi, Kelamayi and
Guiyang in China and Concepcion
and Belem in Latin
America. It said cities of the
future will include Cairo,
Lagos, Johannesburg and
Mumbai as well as established
global centers such
as New York, London and
Moscow.
London, New York, Hong
Kong and Paris are seen as
the most important world
cities for high-net-worth individuals
(HNWI), Beijing
and Shanghai are the cities
with the most rapid growth
in importance to HNWIs, it
said.
HNWIs from the Middle
East and Africa rate
Dubai as the location with
the most rapid growth in
importance with HNWIs
from Latin America rating
Miami and Sao Paolo as
strong contenders for future
infl uence Monaco remained
the most expensive residential
location in the world,
with one square metre there
now worth 58,300 dollar
(Q4 2011), followed by the
prime locations in Cap Ferrat,
London and Hong Kong.
The Wealth Report 2012
confi rmed the relentless
shift in wealth distribution
towards Asia-Pacifi c: the
region covering China, SE
Asia and Japan now has
more centa-millionaires
(those with over 100 million
dollars in assets) than North
America or Western Europe.

Take steps to mentor the students

Universities should take steps to mentor the students and set up a counselling centre to
help them beyond their courses and projects. Universities should also collaborate with
several groups at the international level.
- Tamilnadu Governor K. Rosaiah

World Bank to increase loan portfolio for India: Zoellick

BHUBANESWAR: World
Bank president Robert B
Zoellick said he would hold
discussion with Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee
to increase the loan portfolio
for India.
Zolleick, who was here to
gain a fi rst hand information
about the state’s economic
and social challenges to
fi nd out how best the bank
could support the state government,
said the proposal
of the BRICS countries to
form a Regional Development
Bank showed a sign
of broader development and
large countries need more
fi nancial support.
It was a challenge for the
World Bank to provide loan
to the larger countries.
If the proposal of the
BRICS countries materialised,
it would complement
their work, he said, adding
the World Bank which has
a lot of experience could
provide technical and other
support to the proposed
bank. The World Bank was
now working with Regional
Development Bank in Asia,
Africa and Latin America
and the formation of the
bank would complement the
work.
‘But setting up such a bank
was a very complicated venture
as we have to organise
capital and international ratings’,
he said. Zolleick said
India has now a loan limitation
of 17.5 billion dollars,
he said.

Fourth BRICS Summit begins in Capital

NEW DELHI: The 4th

BRICS Summit got underway

here today. The Summit

of the fi ve countries Brazil,

Russia, India, China and

South Africa is being held

here for the fi rst time.

The Summit has started

with a Restricted Session

of consultations amongst

the leaders, which will be

followed by a Plenary Session,

after which, the Leaders

would attend the signing

of two agreements among

the BRICS Development

Banks, and then release the

BRICS Report focusing on

synergies and complementarities

of the member countries.

The fi ve emerging economies

are likely to sign an

important agreement for extending

cross-country credit

in local currencies of member

nations. Chinese President

Hu Jintao, President

Dmitri Medvedev of Russia,

President Dilma Rousseff

of Brazil and South African

President Jacob Zuma arrived

in the Capital yesterday.

Ahead of the Summit,

Trade Ministers of the

BRICS countries met yesterday

to discuss and consider

inter-governmental cooperation

to boost intra-BRICS

trade. They reviewed the

global economic situation

and noted with concern the

continuing diffi culty faced

by many countries and underscored

the need for greater

policy coordination in the

interest of global economic

stability.

The Summit is being held

at a time when Brazil, Russia,

India, China, South Africa

were emerging as new

growth poles in a multi-polar

world, having played a vital

role that helped the world

economy emerge from the

shadows of the global economic

crisis. The conclave,

taking place ahead of the

G20 meeting in Mexico, is

expected to result in several

important decisions pertaining

to coordination among

the member countries on

several economic, fi nancial

and political issues facing

the world.

The situation in Iran,

Syria and the Eurozone crisis

are expected to be top

on the agenda of the Summit,

whose presidency goes

to India for this year. This

will be followed by Leaders’

statements to the media.

The Summit will conclude

with a luncheon hosted by

Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh in honour of the other

BRICS Leaders. The Prime

Minister will also hold bilateral

consultations with each

of the visiting BRICS Leaders

after the Summit.

A BRICS Delhi Declaration

summing up BRICS

leaders’ deliberations and articulating

their shared positions

of contemporary issues

of mutual interest will be issued

at the end of the Summit.

The Member countries

institutionalised their grouping

in September 2006, at

the initiative of Russia, with

a foreign ministerial meeting

of the four countries in New

York on the sidelines of the

UNGA.

The BRICS grouping took

shape with the fi rst Summit

held in Yekaterinburg in 2009, followed by Brazilia

in 2010. The third Summit

was held at Sanya(China)

last year when South Africa

joined the group as the fi fth

Member to form BRICS. At

the focus of the fi rst Summit

in Yekaterinburg, and the

second in Brasilia mainly

the international fi nancial

and economic situation and

reform of the international

fi nancial institutions.

The central role of the G-20 and the role that the

BRICS could play in this

apex body were considered

and emphasised, along with

reform of the global political

and economic governance

architecture that meets

the interests and developmental

needs of emerging

market economies and developing

countries. Sanya

continued and elaborated

on these themes, still of

high relevance, but also

introduced paragraphs on

emerging political issues in

North Africa, and a more

elaborate plan of action for

intra-BRICS cooperation.

The Fourth Summit is

taking place at a time the

world is grappling with the

challenges of ensuring a

sustained recovery from the

global slowdown, complicated

by developments in

the Eurozone, and bringing

global growth back on track.

The Summit follows the

Durban Conference on Climate

Change last December,

and precedes another

important UN Conference

on Sustainable Development

(Rio+20) in June this

year and the Conference of

Parties to the Convention on

Biological Diversity in Hyderabad

in October as well,

the three conferences on

interconnected themes, all

hosted by BRICS members.

When you are at top, you should keep serving the country instead of retiring: Sachin

I feel those who say: ‘You should retire at the top’, are selfi sh because when you are at the top, you should keep serving the country instead of retiring.” “My dream was to be regarded as one of the top players of all time,” he said. “I think I have got myself into that league. I don’t play for records and I don’t know if my record will be broken and when. I only hope it is an Indian batsman who does it.”

Corruption cannot eliminated only through a Lokpal

Team Anna’s members are exploiting Anna Hazare. “Initially, all parties expressed agreement with the Centre’s draft Jan Lokpal Bill but later the Bharatiya Janata Party suddenly began protesting. Corruption will not be eliminated only through a Lokpal but through coordinated efforts,” Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh

City to host International conference on pelletization

KOLKATA: Top steelmaking companies, senior government offi cials and the captains of steel industry from both India and abroad will participate in an international conference on pelletization and discuss the future of Indian steel making industry here on March 26. The day-long meet, called ‘Iron Ore Pellets Conference 2012’, has assumed a special signifi cance in the wake of the government providing a slew of incentives to pellet making technology to overcome the shortage of high grade iron ores for the steel industry. The meeting would also deliberate on issues like the National Steel Policy, demand-supply scenario of India’s pellet industry, policy outlook for the iron and steel industry and advantages of pellets for the purpose of meeting the domestic and export demand, industry sources here today said. The event is being jointly organised by a host of organisations, including Union Steel Ministry’s Economic Research Unit, Sponge Iron Manufacturers Association (SIMA), National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and Steel Scenario,a leading journal of the iron and steel industry besides Ore Team, a leading global research house in the sector. Among the leading steel makers attenting the Conference are Tata Steel, Siemens, Metso, SAIL, Essar, Jindal Steel and Power, Outotec India Ltd, Pisces Exim, Synergy Resources HK Ltd, MSPL,Vale, Rio Tinto, Jingsu Hongda and CRISIL India. Large delegations from China,Brazil,Japan, Mexico and Germany are also expected to attend the conference which would be inaugurated by Mr ACR Das, Industrial Advisor, Union Ministry Of Steel. Incidentally, India’s iron ore pellet production capacity is targeted to reach 80 million tonnes by 2015 from the current 35 million tonnes and is mostly being used for captive consumption. The country’s crude steel capacity is projected to reach 110- 150 MTPA by 2020 and it would require 250 million tonnes of iron ore to achieve that target. In the Union Budget for 2012-13,the government had announced reduction in customs duty on iron ore equipment from 7.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent. This is likely to spur Indian participants to go for pelletization of iron ore fi nds in a big way, the sources pointed out.

Comprehensive action plan needed to control AIDs

MYSORE: UN’s Special Envoy to Secretary General for HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacifi c Dr Nafi s Sadik said it was necessary for a comprehensive action plan in the 12th fi ve year plan for India. According to a release here, Dr Sadik was on twoday visit for inspection of activities and programmes undertaken by Ashodaya Samithi and District Administration. She visited the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) Centre and Integrated Counceling and Testing Centre (ICTC) at KR Hospital and inspected the facilities. Speaking on the occasion, he said ‘there are about 5 million AIDS patients in the Asia-Pacifi c region and 50 per cent of them are in India. This is despite a good awareness and health campaign. To arrest further increase, the Indian Government in its 12th fi ve-year plan should take up AIDS control as the prominent project lest the situation becomes too grave to handle.’ She said ‘I have travelled through Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore, and gathered information from offi cials and NGOs. A programme should be envisaged in the Asia-Pacifi c region to impart awareness among AIDS patients and sex workers to evolve a concept of rehabilitation. More responsibilities will be given to NGOs in that context.’

Japan’s Tepco shuts its last reactor, power risks loom

TOKYO: Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the tsunami-crippled Fukushima power plant, shut its last operating nuclear reactor today for regular maintenance, leaving just one running reactor supplying Japan’s creaking power sector. Japan has 54 reactors, but since the tsunami last March triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years at the Fukushima plant, it has been unable to restart any reactors that have undergone maintenance due to public safety concerns. Tepco said it shutdown the No.6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant, the world’s biggest nuclear power plant, raising concerns about a power crunch this summer when electricity demand peaks due to hot weather. ‘We are likely to be able to provide stable electricity supply at the moment, but we would like to ask customers to continue conserving power,’ Tepco President Toshio Nishizawa said in a statement released on Sunday. ‘We are currently closely studying the summer power supply situation. We will do our utmost to operate in a stable way and maintain our facilities,’ he added. Out of the 17 reactors owned by Tepco, which provides electricity to some 45 million people in the Tokyo area, all six at its devastated Fukushima Daiichi plant, 240 km (150 miles) northeast of Tokyo, are off line, as well as four at its neighbouring Fukushima Daini plant. At its Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant, 230 km northwest of Tokyo, three remain offl ine after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the area in July 2007 and small fi res followed. Four others are under maintenance. Japan’s last running reactor, Hokkaido Electric’s Tomari No.3, is set to go off line on May 5 for maintenance. Greenpeace Japan’s Executive Director Junichi Sato said that the country could survive without rushing to restart its nuclear sector. ‘Japan is practically nuclear free, and the impact on daily life is invisible,’ Sato said in a statement ‘With proper demand management, energy effi ciency measures, and more than suffi cient backup generation in place, there is no excuse for shortages in the coming months, and absolutely no need to rush restarts of nuclear plants.’ To avoid blackouts, utilities have restarted old fossil fuel plants and have called for power conservation, but some analysts warn of power shortages in the summer, especially given ageing fossil fuel plants could be less reliable. The process to restart halted reactors is unclear. Japan’s nuclear safety watchdog and another experts’ panel are currently reviewing stress test results submitted by utilities that gauge how reactors can withstand extreme events like a huge tsunami. Once they give approval, ministers including Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda can give the green-light for the restarts, but only after they deem there is enough local and public support, and surveys show this may not be easy.

Cong will not support separate Tamil Eelam: PC

Making it clear the Congress will not support a separate ‘Tamil Eelam’ in Sri Lanka, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said India is inside a ‘Neruppu Valayam’ (Ring of Fire) for voting against Sri Lanka on a resolution on alleged war crimes at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Addressing party’s offi ce bearers meeting held at Devakottai, here, last night, he said India was among 24 countries which voted in support of the resolution while our neighbours China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Bangladesh and Indonesia were among 15 nations that voted against it. India had carefully taken its stand after its ‘signifi - cant’ amendments to protect Lanka’s sovereignty were accepted. ‘We appealed to both Srilankan Government and Tamil rebels to keep restrain during the fi nal stage of civil war. ‘Congress was very fi rm that human rights should not be violated. ‘We should not forget that India is inside a ring of fi re for supporting the resolution,’ he said. He recalled the AIADMK, in its election manifesto during the last Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, promised to solve the power crisis in the State. ‘The power crisis in Tamil Nadu cannot be totally solved. In fact, it would increase and not decrease. ‘You (people) are witnessing power crisis in March and going to see it in the coming April and May months. ‘The AIADMK Government is facing several trials. Of them, the major one is power crisis. ‘I have warned several times then DMK regime headed by Mr Karunanidhi to take suitable steps to sugment power generation as it would reach unmanageable proportion in the future. ‘I also cited to him that many power projects were not implemented, which would have adverse impact on the power requirement of the State,’ he said. Stating Koodankulam nuclear plant is one of the safest nuclear plants in the world, he said though the government and nuclear experts clarifi ed the fears raised by the protesters, they were continuing the struggle.

O.Panneersevam presents revenue surplus budget

CHENNAI: Proposing fresh tax measures to mobilize additional revenue of Rs 1,500 crore while maintaining focus on fi scal prudence, Finance Minister O Panneerselvam today presented a Rs 2,376.07 crore revenue surplus budget promising to keep fi scal defi cit within three per cent of the GSDP as mandated by the 13th fi - nance Commission. Presenting the second Budget of the AIADMK Government headed by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Mr Panneerselvam said the various measures taken by the government had resulted in an improvement to the State’s fi nancial position ‘which was in shambles when this government assumed offi ce in May 2011.’ The revised budget estimates for 2011-12 showed a revenue surplus of Rs 173.87 crore. However, the government had bettered the scenario recording a revenue surplus of Rs 536.54 crore for the period. The budget estimates for 2012-13 have been designed to further improve the fi - nancial position of the State Government, he said. The fi scal defi cit is estimated at Rs 19,832.13 crore constituting 2.87 per cent of the GSDP well below the three per cent norm set by the 13th fi nance Commission. Outlining new tax measures for mobilising additional revenue of Rs 1,500 crore for implementing various welfare programmes, Mr Panneerselvam proposed hiking VAT on liquor to 14.5 per cent, withdrawing VAT exemption on vegetable oils and rationalizing taxes on tourist taxis, maxi cabs, private service vehicles, construction equipment vehicles besides doubling the charges for advance blocking of fancy numbers. Mr Panneereselvam also announced the implementation of revised guideline valuation for properties with effect from April one, 2012. Further, the Minister promised to restrict the borrowings while giving thrust to capital expenditure the allocation for which has been increased from Rs 16,388.34 crore in the revised estimates for 2011-12 to Rs 20,856.08 crore in the Budget Estimates 2012-13 representing a hike of 27 percent. On borrrowings, Mr Panneerselvam said while the borrowing entitlement for the year 2012-13 is Rs 20,716 crore, the government intends to restrict it. The outstanding public debt, including other liabilities like provident fund will be Rs 1, 35,060.47 crore as on March 31, 2013 constituting only 19.56 per cent of the GSDP. However, the various welfare measures and increased subsidy to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board by the government is going to increase the bill on subsidies and grants. Due to this, the Finance Minister had projected a growth rate of 15 per cent for 2013-14 and 2014-15 on subsidies and grants. Adding a note of caution, Mr Panneerselvam said revenue receipts may vary due to downward trends in economic growth.. However, he was confi dent of the State maintaining revenue surplus and fi scal defi cit within three per cent of the GSDP even if there was a three percentage point fall in growth rate of revenue receipts in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15. He said the State will achieve all the targets set by the 13th Finance Commission during 2012-13 and continue its record in the successive fi nancial years also.

International Mask exhibition

DEHRADUN: Various forms of masks have always been a signifi cant mode of cultural expression as one of the many ways through which people have given voice to their powerful cognitions and most subtle emotions. People, here, have a rare opportunity to get acquainted with this rich art of maskmaking. This exhibition will showcase a collection of 300 fi bre-glass masks, hand-painted by artists from across the country and abroad including US, UK and Italy. The six-day exhibition which began on Friday, is organised by Rural Entrepreneurship for Art and Cultural Heritage (REACH)), which has been playing a signifi cant role in bringing unique forms of art and crafts from across the country. REACH has collaborated with the Nav Siddartha Art group, New Delhi, to present the International Mask Exhibition 2012 with the objective to create a hub of artists, including those in the periphery, and give them a common platform to express them, a spokesman said. According to curator, Asurvedh, a plain fi bre-glass mask was provided to each participating artist to come up with their creative insight. “The result -the artists have painted the entire range of different mediums and practices, genres and concerns of contemporary society,” he said adding that each mask at display, indicated the primary concern of the artist and uppermost in the artist’s mind. Many artists have painted the faces of popular Indian deities like Shiva and Krishna. However, the use of various colours, symbols and styles according to the artist’s own interpretation, has created a unique piece. The mask depicting “trinetra” form of Shivji by Suresh Kumar with multiple colours streaking across the face, the half-veiled face prominently displaying the “peacock feather” associated with on Lord Krishna, painted on the red veil by Kishor Gundigara stand out on this account. In contrast, Nand Katyal’s mask in white, black, grey and golden colours with symbolic “Sahastrar padma” (lotus) at the centre of the skull and Onkar Singh’s Golden face of a happy looking priest leaves an impression for their simple contemporary look. This exclusive collection of masks has already regaled the art lovers at Delhi, Noida and Bhopal earlier and now Dehradun. It would travel to SAARC countries and to Europe as well.

Counseling leads to cessation of smoking

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: More than drugs, advice and counseling by a doctor or health worker plays a vital role in cessation of smoking reveals a study conducted in Palakkad district of Kerala. Coming in the wake of renewed awareness that tobacco consumption is a major disease-causing factor, the study seeks to compare the effectiveness of doctor’s advice and doctor’s advice followed by healthworker cessation counseling in Primary Health Centres (PHCs). The study, titled ‘Smoking Cessation Intervention through Primary Health Centres: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial from Kerala, India,’ found that about 20 per cent smokers stopped smoking following advice and counseling, and around 10 per cent abstained even after two years. Conducted for the Project Quit Tobacco International, the study covered 755 male smokers, averaging 44 years, from six PHCs. Dr. A. S. Pradeep Kumar, Addl Director (Public Health),Directorate of Health Services, Kerala, who led the study, said, ‘Smoking cessation using drugs is not feasible in developing countries due to issues of drug availability, affordability and social acceptability. As such, doctor’s advice and counseling by health workers are useful in promoting cessation.’ Dr. Kumar, who is also the Convenor of the High-Level Committee constituted by the state government for dealing with issues related to tobacco use in Kerala, presented the poster form of the study at the ongoing 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health at Singapore on Thursday. The target respondents were divided randomly into two groups - Minimal Intervention (MI) and Augmented Intervention (AI). The respondents in the MI group (49.5 per cent) were given doctor’s advice and a fact sheet on tobacco harm. The remaining50.5 per cent in the AI group received doctor’s advice, fact sheet and counseling by a nondoctor health professional, and a quit tobacco guide. The quit rate and harm reduction were assessed at third, sixth and 12th weeks, and followed up at six months and two years.

Indian kids growing well: study

NEW DELHI: Indians have a reason to celebrate -- the country’s children are growing well. Indian children are now taller and heavier than what they were 20 years ago, says a report, recently published in the National Medical Journal of India. ‘On average an 18-year-old child belonging to an upper income family is about 4.5 centimetres taller and about 4 kilograms heavier than in 1992,’ according to researchers from the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Height and weight of children across the socio-economic spectrum have registered an increase but the hike is sharper in children belonging to upper income groups, the report says. The average height of boys has increased by 2 inches while their average weight has increased by more than 6 kg. This has emerged in the nationwide study covering over 1.06 lakh boys and girls in the 5-18 years age group in 19 cities all over the country. One of the key factors for the changing physical parameters of the children is improvement in their nutritional status. It is also an indicator of overall development and improvement in facilities such as sanitation, transport and hygiene, it said. The absence of infectious diseases also contributes to weight gain because any episode of infectious disease causes loss in weight. It has been observed that children worldwide have become taller and heavier in the past few decades. In the developed world, the trend of an increase in height plateau after the 1960s but it continues in the developing world with varying degrees. The study is the fi rst such conducted at the national level, the researchers said. The last study done in 1992 had a much smaller sample size and it was spread over 12 cities only. The median height of a 12-year-old boy in 1992 was 145.8 cm compared to 150.1 cm now. An 18-year-old boy now has median height of 174.3 cm compared to 169.8 cm in 1992. The median weight of a 12-year-old boy has gone up from 34.8 kg in 1992 to 41 kg now. It is up from 58.6 kg in 1992 to 66.2 kg for an 18 year old. Similarly, the median height of a 12-year-old girl has changed from 146 cm to 149.8 cm, while for an 18-year-old girl the change is from 157 cm to 158.5 cm. The average height of girls has increased by 0.5 inches, while their weight has increased by more than 7 kg The mean weight of a 12-year-old girl rose from 35 to 41.9 kg. The change for an 18 year old girl is 48.4 to 55.6 kg. Out of 1,06,843 children who were evaluated, 42,214 children (19,303 boys, 22,911 girls) were from the lower socioeconomic strata and 64,629 children (34,411 boys, 30,218 girls) were from the upper socioeconomic strata. School fee was taken as a proxy for socio-economic status of the children. ‘India is undergoing a major transition and this study provides a clear evidence of this,’ said Dr Raman Kumar Marwaha, who led the study.

Sports car Audi TT costs Rs 48.36 Lakh launched

NEW DELHI: German luxury car maker Audi on Friday launched its sports car TT in India, priced at Rs 48.36 Lakh (ex showroom). The company will start selling the car from June this year and it will be sold as a completely built unit (CBU). “We are already a major player in the premium sports segment and I am confi dent that the introduction of the Audi TT will further help us consolidate our leadership position in the sports car segment in the country,” Audi India Head Michael Perschke said. The company has announced the price taking into consideration of the 15 per cent hike in customs duty in the Budget for 2012- 13, he added. “As this segment is a very niche one, so we are not expecting a very large volume. The total size of this premium sports car market is 200-250 units per year. As we will start despatching the car in the middle of this year, we are hopeful of selling 25-35 units in 2012,” Perschke said. The company is expecting to sell over 50 units of the TT Coupe in the next year, he added. The company is present in the premium sports car category with models like R8, R8 Spyder and RS5. The new TT is powered by a 2.0 TFSI engine that can touch a speed of 100 km per hour in just 5.6 seconds. Early this week, Audi India has raised prices of its entire range of products in India by up to 14 percent due to hike in excise and customs duties in the Budget. In February this year, the company’s sales in India increased by 33.33 per cent to 600 units from 450 units in the same month last year. The company had earlier announced a sales target of 8,000 units for India for 2012 compared to 5,511 units that it had sold in 2011. Audi India, a part of the European auto major Volkswagen Group, sells various models in India such as premium sedans A4, A6 and A8, sports utility vehicles Q5 and Q7, and sports cars RS5 Coupe, R8 and R8 Spyder.

China’s ZTE to ‘curtail’ business in Iran

ZTE Corp, China’s secondlargest telecommunications equipment maker, said it will ‘curtail’ its business in Iran following a report that it had sold Iran’s largest telecom fi rm a powerful surveillance system capable of monitoring telephone and Internet communications. Reuters reported Thursday that Shenzhen-based ZTE had signed a 98.6 million euro ($130.6 million) contract with the Telecommunication Co of Iran in December 2010 that included the surveillance system. () ‘We are going to curtail our business in Iran,’ ZTE spokesman David Shu said in a telephone interview on Friday. The article also reported that despite a longtime U.S. sales ban on tech products to Iran, ZTE’s ‘Packing List’ for the contract, dated July 24, 2011, and included numerous American hardware and software products. The U.S makers of those products - which include Microsoft Corp, Hewlett- Packard Co, Oracle Corp, Cisco Systems Inc, Dell Inc, Juniper Networks Inc and Symantec Corp - all said they were not aware of the contract, and several said they were investigating the matter. Shu said ZTE had decided ‘some time ago’ to ‘shrink’ its business in Iran, although he said the company had not yet decided on the details. ‘It’s still being discussed,’ he said. He also said he did not know the reason for the decision. Until the Reuters article was published, ZTE spokesmen had declined to discuss the company’s business in Iran with the news organization. ‘Right now we cannot release more information,’ Shu said. A spokesman for Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York could not immediately be reached for comment. ZTE’s action would mark another blow to Iran, which is under global sanctions because of allegations it is trying to develop nuclear weapons - something the country denies. Current sanctions have not targeted Iran’s telecommunications sector. But several other major equipment makers previously have announced they were going to cut back their business there. They include European fi rms Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks, a joint venture between Nokia and Siemens, as well as China-based Huawei Technologies. The actions have not meant an immediate end to all Iranian business, however, as some fi rms continue to honor existing contracts that can last for years. But on Friday, European Union governments agreed to ban the sale to Iran by European companies of telecommunications equipment that could be used for repression, including monitoring or intercepting internet and telephone communications. The ban takes effect Saturday. Shu described ZTE’s business in Iran as much smaller than that of other equipment makers. Asked about the TCI contract, which included a large amount of networking gear along with the surveillance system, Shu said it was not yet completed. He said he did not know how it might be affected by ZTE’s decision to curtail its business in Iran. TCI is owned by the Iranian government and a private consortium with reported ties to Iran’s elite special-forces unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The company has a near monopoly on Iran’s landline telephone services, and much of Iran’s internet traffi c is required to fl ow through its network. TCI offi cials in Tehran either didn’t respond to requests for comment or could not be reached. ZTE is publicly traded, but its largest shareholder is a Chinese state-owned enterprise. It says it sells equipment in more than 140 countries and reported annual revenue of $10.6 billion in 2010. Like most countries, including the United States, Iran requires telephone operators to provide law enforcement authorities with access to communications. Human rights groups say they have documented numerous cases in which the Iranian government tracked down and arrested critics by monitoring their telephone calls or internet activities. Another ZTE spokesman said Thursday, ‘ZTE always complies strictly with all U.N. regulations, as well as local laws and regulations of the country we operate’ in.

UNHRC High Commissioner warns Sri Lankan activist

GENEVA: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday issued a warning against threatening Sri Lankan activists. According to Pillay, the run-up to the UNHRC vote in Geneva was marked by “an unprecedented and totally unacceptable level of threats, harassment and intimidation directed at Sri Lankan activists who had traveled to Geneva to engage in the debate, including by members of the 71-member offi cial Sri Lankan government delegation”. Spokesperson of the Offi ce of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, Rupert Colville, said: “They (Activists) were abused in many way verbally, there were text messages, telephone calls, accosted in corridors... there were even incidents outside the UN premises as well as inside wry intimidating fi lming and photography taking place...people putting cameras right in people faces...against the rules...I mean that’s not supposed to be happening on these events”. In the meantime, Pillay said: Sri Lankan media outlets have been running a “continuous campaign of vilifi cation, including naming and in many cases picturing activists, describing them as an ‘NGO gang’ and repeatedly accusing them of treason, mercenary activities and association with terrorism. Some of these reports have contained barely veiled incitement and threats of retaliation”. “There must be no reprisals against Sri Lankan human rights defenders in the aftermath of yesterday’s adoption by the human rights council of a resolution on Sri Lanka,” she added.

US soldier in Afghan killings charged with 17 counts of murder

KABUL: A US Army staff sergeant was charged today with 17 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder over a shooting spree in the southtoern Afghan province of Kandahar, US military forces in Afghanistan said in a statement. Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, a 38-year-old veteran of four combat tours, is accused of walking off his base on March 11 under cover of darkness and opening fi re at civilians in at least two different villages in Panjwai district.

Manmohan departs for Seoul n-security summit

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left today for the March 26-27 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, prior to which he will be on a two-day offi cial visit to South Korea March 24-25. At the Nuclear Security Summit, Manmohan Singh will join 57 world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, to discuss the global threat posed by nuclear terrorism and the measures required to prevent terrorists from gaining access to sensitive nuclear material and technologies. In his departure statement Friday, Manmohan Singh called for maintaining the highest levels of nuclear security and safety to retain public support for harnessing the benefi ts of atomic energy. “India is expanding its nuclear power programme to diversify its energy mix and enhance energy security. In order to retain public support for harnessing the benefi ts of nuclear energy, we must be able to assure them of the highest levels of nuclear security and safety,” he said. The need for nuclear security and safety was “even more important after the Fukushima accident in Japan last year”, he added. Manmohan Singh pointed out in this context that India had prepared a national report on enhancing the global nuclear security architecture “which will be shared during the summit”. “I will highlight the high priority we attach to nuclear security, safety and non-proliferation, and our impeccable record in this regard. I also intend southto underline India’s continuing support for a world free of nuclear weapons,” the prime minister added. The summit would also provide the opportunity to exchange views with a number of world leaders who will be attending the conclave, he said. Manmohan Singh said he looked forward to his bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, at whose invitation he is making the May 24-25 offi cial visit “to undertake a comprehensive review” of relations between the two countries “and identify new steps for the future”. With South Korea being a strategic partner and an important pillar of India’s “Look East” policy, “we have a vibrant trade and investment relationship. Our partnership in science and technology, education and energy holds enormous promise”, the prime minister said. An interaction with leading CEOs of South Korean corporations is scheduled for March 26 morning.

Ruling BJD MLA abducted by armed Maoists in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Ruling Biju Janata Dal MLA from Laxmipur (ST) Assembly seat Jhinna Hikaka was abducted by armed Maoists late last night from Tayaput on the Koraput- Laxmipur roaad while he was returning from Semiliguda. Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG) South Western Range Soumendra Priyadarshi told media over phone that Hikaka was returning with his Personal Security offi cer (PSO) at about 0120 hrs when he was kidnapped by the armed Maoists. The left wing extremist kidnapped the MLA, his PSO and the driver but later at about 0400 hrs, they released the driver and the PSO and took away Mr Hikaka with them inside the dense forests. Priyadarshi said neither the MLA nor the PSO had informed the police about their programme of returning from Semeliguda to Laxmipur in late night. He said the MLA got down from his vehicle when he noticed that some vehicles were stranded on the Koraput Laxmipur road at Tayapur, about fi ve kms away from Laxmipur. By the time the ruling BJD MLA could realise the gravity of the situation, several armed Maoists who had dug the road disrupting the communication in view of today’s bandh called by the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee, encircled him and took him hostage along with the driver and the PSO. But later, the Maoists released the driver and the PSO who reported the matter to the Laxmipur police station about the abduction of the MLA. The abduction of the ruling BJD MLA by the Maoists has exposed the differences in the cadres operating in Odisha since CPI (Maoist) Odisha Organising Committee Secretary Sabya Sachi Panda had announced a unilateral ceasefi re to facilitate the negotiation for the release of two Italian nationals kidnapped by the Red rebels on March 14 last from the dense forests in Kandhmal district.

31 cases booked against bogus IT companies

HYDERABAD: The State Government on Thursday announced that31 cases were booked against bogus Information Technology (IT) Companies during the last three years up to February this year in Greater Hyderabad and Cyberabad while no cases were booked in other surrounding districts in the state. This was informed in the state Assembly by Minister for Home Sabita Indra Reddy to a question by A Rejender (Congress) during Question Hour in the House. To control bogus IT companies, the government is also considering setting up a Core Committee with concerned senior offi cers and stakeholders at the statelevel to prepare action plan, she said and added a close watch is kept to unearth the companies. Special parties were formed to arrest the absconding accused in the cases, she said adding some of the cases were handed over to CID for investigation. Awareness programmes are being conducted among public especially in engineering colleges and educational institutions regarding bogus software companies by giving wide publicity, she added.

Future leaders must prepare to handle challenges: Dr Kalam

HYDERABAD: Former President of India A P J Abdul Kalam on Thursday stressed on the need for future leaders to effectively prepare themselves to handle challenges in the domain and dimensions of future confl icts. In his valedictory address of Higher Defence Management Course at College of Defence management here, Dr Kalam, who spoke on ‘Profi le of Dynamic Leadership, was interspersed with memoires of his interaction with young service offi cers serving in extremely diffi - cult conditions on the borders. While expressing full confi dence in the abilities of the armed forces leadership, he stressed on the need for future leaders to effectively prepare themselves to handle challenges in the domain and dimensions of future confl icts. Besides quoting examples of high quality of leadership displayed by a number of eminent personalities ranging from the fi eld of space, science, infrastructure projects like DMRC to military, Dr Kalam said that a leader must have a vision, and a passion to realise the same. He must be able to venture along unexplored paths and know how to manage success and failure, he said a leader should have the courage to take decisions and must display nobility in management. Transparency is an essential attribute of a good leader. A good leader becomes the master of the problem, defeats the problem and succeeds, he said a leader also must ‘work with integrity and succeed with integrity’. He suggested that offi cers should build a brand of integrity, which once established, becomes impregnable by any one with a malicious intent. He stressed on the need for creative leadership at all segments of governance. Earlier, in his welcome address, Maj Gen Sandeep Singh, AVSM, SM, VSMCommandant of College of Defence Management, highlighted the activities of the past academic year. Apart from a packed academic curriculum comprising eleven management disciplines, the offi cers were also put through the rigours of writing dissertations requiring extensive research and analysis, review of contemporary books, and writing of case studies on actual events experienced during their career. The offi cers were also taken on a Management Education Tour to gain an exposure to corporate best practices and innovations, he said for an international perspective, the offi cers were taken on an International Strategic Management Tour, which included countries like Australia, Vietnam, South Africa, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia. A unique feature of the course has been the exposure to a wide to be spectrum of experts in different fi elds of specialisation through guest lectures, he added. The Commandant complimented the offi cers for their creditable performance in the course, with 111 obtaining distinction, and 31 passing in the fi rst division. The former President also had a brief interaction with children on the sidelines of the Convocation Ceremony. As many as 144 offi cers (Colonels and equivalent) of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and friendly foreign countries were awarded Master of Management Studies degree from Osmania University at the function. The function was attended, among others, by Lt Gen NK Singh, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff(DOT) and Prof S Satyanarayana, Vice Chancellor, Osmania University. The function marked the culmination of the Higher Defence Management Course 7, which commenced on 30 May 2011. The fi ve foreign offi cers passing out with the course were from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The Higher Defence Management Course aims to train selected offi cers in management concepts and techniques for effective and effi cient management within the Armed Forces at directional level. The Chief Guest distributed the degree parchments, trophies and book prizes to the participants. Colonel Abhay Dayal was awarded the Chief of Army Staff Integration Trophy for the best all round performance in the Course.Colonel Sandeep Singh was awarded MMS Trophy for standing fi rst in the order of merit. Colonel SK Sharma was awarded the Commandant’s trophy for the best Case Study, Colonel A Chandpuria and Group Captain JK Sahu were jointly awarded the Commandant’s trophy for best Dissertation, while the most promising Foreign Student Trophy was awarded to Col Ejazur Rahman Choudhury of Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka upset over India’s decision ‘to help Tamils’

GENEVA: India voted for a US-backed resolution urging Sri Lanka to probe rights abuses in the war on the Tamil Tigers, but quickly underlined that it did so only to enable Sri Lankan Tamils to get justice. However, this stance of India has disappointed Sri Lanka, which blamed strategic alliances and domestic political issues, an apparent reference to politics in Tamil Nadu, for the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister GL Peiris said the most distressing feature of this experience is the reality that voting at the Council is now determined not by the merits of a particular issue but by strategic alliances and domestic political issues in other countries which have nothing to do with the subject matter of a Resolution or the best interests of the country to which the Resolution relates. After joining 23 other countries to vote against Colombo in Geneva, India notably underlined its “strong ties” with Sri Lanka and claimed that there won’t be any rollback of the robust relationship. India is also understood to have worked behind the scenes in toning down the resolution to make it “nonintrusive”. In New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made it clear that Colombo’s sovereignty must be respected. “We have to weigh the pros and cons... What we did is in line with our stand... We don’t want to infringe upon sovereignty of Sri Lanka but our concerns should be expressed so the Tamil people can get justice and live a life of dignity,” Manmohan Singh said. The UNHRC adopted the resolution with 24 votes in favour, 15 against and eight abstentions. The motion called on Colombo to address abuses of humanitarian law during the climactic phase of the war that crushed the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, ending 26 years of civil war. China and Russia rallied behind Sri Lanka in Geneva.

Over 90 pc business executives use Social Media

NEW DELHI: Over 90 per cent of business executives use Social Media in India, and spend anywhere between 30 minutes to 6 hours every day on sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Skype and Google+ from their notebook PCs, smartphones and tablets, according to a study released today. About 88 per cent of executives use Social Media primarily as a tool for better professional networking, 75 per cent chiefl y for social networking, while 15 per cent use it for fi nding new career or employment opportunities, says the study titled ‘Social Media Usage Habits of Business Executives in India, March 2012’, published by CyberMedia Research (CMR). “Social media takes a lot of time, and time spent online by Indian executives in a day runs up to 6 hours. This has raised concerns about loss of time and productivity. However, our study reveals that at the workplace, social media is being increasingly used by professionals for multitasking and for better time management,” said Anirban Banerjee, Associate Vice President, Research and Advisory Services, CMR. He said the survey respondents feel that social networking tools help them communicate faster, with a larger audience in a relatively shorter time span. For professional interactions, Linkedin is used by more than 90 per cent of business executives, while 80 per cent indicated using Twitter, and 70 per cent used Skype. Facebook is now being increasingly used for social communications by businesses, and this is gradually replacing other forms of outbound communication, according to the study. For personal and social networking Facebook, Google+, Twitter, MySpace and Orkut emerged amongst the top fi ve used Social Media platforms. Google+ is being used by nearly 65 per cent of business executives, while 64 per cent use Twitter. According to Prabhu Ram, General Manager, Research and Consulting, CMR, “A majority of the established social networking platforms have developed a unique positioning for themselves amongst users. For instance, while Linkedin is used for professional networking and lead generation, Facebook is preferred for social networking. As per our survey results, a ‘new generation’ tool like Google+ is being used in both professional and personal settings within a short span of its launch.” The survey says respondents indicated multiple modes for accessing social networks. While notebook PCs remained the most preferred medium for accessing social platforms, an interesting trend is that the use of smartphones to access social networks now exceeds that of desktop PCs. Interestingly, tablets are gaining traction amongst the respondents with 15 per cent reporting its usage. According to Faisal Kawoosa, Senior Manager, Research and Consulting, CMR, “Indians have traditionally favored personal computers at work and home to log online. An interesting trend that emerges from our study is that smartphones are being increasingly used for connecting to social networks at workplace and home, providing a unique uninterrupted user experience. “The survey said rise in adoption of smartphones added to the increase in use of social media for personal and professional interactions and raised concerns, particularly amongst operators, about its impact on other forms of traditional communications, including phone usage, text messaging and email. Social media usage has resulted in decrease of email communications. The survey respondents indicated a preference for social networking tools over email for business communications with contacts in their social network. Only 15 per cent of respondents indicated using emails “frequently” for communicating with contacts already present in their social networks. Similarly, SMS/text messaging has taken some impact from the ascent of social media. Only 27 per cent respondents indicated using SMS/ text messaging frequently for contacts on their social networks. However, when it comes to phone usage, 63 per cent of respondents still prefer to call. This shows that phone usage has been least impacted by the rise of social media. The survey reveals that an overwhelming 93 per cent of respondents are not inclined to pay a fee for their social network usage. About 7 per cent of respondents indicated they would be willing to pay, if Social Media sites offer premium features and content. “Users would largely prefer to have free access to social networking platforms. However, if Social Media sites provide new, user-specifi c applications, content and premium networking tools and metrics, professional users may be willing to pay a fee. This indicates there could be some traction amongst target users going forward, if social networking service providers are able to put together the right package and able to demonstrate a reasonable return on investment,” says Anirban Banerjee, Associate Vice President, Research and Advisory Services, CMR. The survey was conducted online from December 2011 to February 2012 and 300 business executives across industry verticals partici-

All party meet: Left reiterates stand on Lokpal

NEW DELHI: An all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which was aimed at bringing an end to the deadlock over Lokpal Bill ended on Friday. The meeting was held to discuss the proposed legislation which could not be passed on the last day of the Winter Session in Rajya Sabha amid pandemonium. After coming out of the meet, CPI-M politburo member, Sitaram Yechury said that states should be given the freedom to appoint Lokayukta. “Our party is of the view that corporate and government funded NGOs should be under the Lokpal ambit,” Yechury told mediapersons when asked about Left Party’s proposed amendments on the Lokpal Bill. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader, Mohan Singh said that the government and all the other political parties were of the same view that an effective Lokpal Bill should be passes as soon as possible. While attending the meet the prime minister said that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is committed to an effective Lokpal to check corruption. “Our government stands committed to an effective Lokpal legislation,” Manmohan Singh said at the all-party meet. “We look forward to benefi tting from the wisdom and guidance of all leaders present here in the task that we have set for ourselves,” he said. Leaders of parties in Rajya Sabha including BJP’s Arun Jaitley, BSP’s SC Mishra, RJD’s Ram Kripal Yadav, SP’s Ram Gopal Yadav, NCP’S Tariq Anwar and CPI’s AB Bardhan met at the Prime Minister’s residence to discuss the controversial bill, to which 97 amendments have been moved by Opposition members in the Upper House. Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, AK Antony and Salman Khurshid were among those present at the meeting. Opposition parties have moved 97 amendments to the Bill in Rajya Sabha some of which were contentious and the meeting would discuss ways to evolve consensus on them, sources said. Some of the amendments, the sources said, are for bringing the Prime Minister’s Offi ce under the Lokpal, seek exclusion of Lokayukta from the Bill, abolition of minority quota and inclusion of Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha as one of the members of the selection committee. Government is keen on passing the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha even as the opposition and social activist Anna Hazare have renewed pressure on the issue. Hazare has said he will go on a fast from March 25 if the Bill is not passed while BJP has said in the Upper House that the debate and amendments to the Bill should be taken up from where they were left on the night of December 29 when the House was adjourned amid a din. Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill. The fresh consultation is aimed at ensuring that the anti-graft Bill is passed in the fi rst part of the Budget Session which ends on March 30.

Remote Andaman youth makes three short films

PORT BLAIR: S M Kumerashan, a youth from remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands have surprised everybody by making three short fi lms in just two years. Kumerashan, who has his fi nance fi rm at Port Blair, is all set to release his fi rst short feature fi lm ‘Naalaya Seidhe’, meaning ‘Tomorrow’s News’ on April 8 . Kumerashan has directed the short fi lm while Mr SP Somasundaram is the producer. The story and screenplay has been written by Kumerashan himself. ‘Produced at the modest cost of nearly Rs 3 lakhs the one hour long short fi lm is all about local youths who do not get jobs on time and indulge themselves in antisocial activities. From childhood, I, wanted to make movie and hence I gave my best in this short fi lm,’ Kumerashan said while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday morning. Local artists Ruban and Guru have played the lead characters in the fi lm, which doesn’t have any lead female artist. Besides this short fi lm on social issues, Kumareshan have made two other short fi lms Talai Magan and Urau Kalin Mozhi which are of fi ve minutes and three minutes duration. ‘Though the movie has been completely shot in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the editing and dubbing works were carried out in screen forum studios of Chennai,’ he added. He is all set to release the short fi lm on April 8 at Port Blair. The fi lm has been censored from Central Board of Film Certifi cation last month and was categorized as short feature fi lm.

Awareness campaign to save house sparrows

ROURKELA: In a awareness campaign to save the house sparrows from extinction Banai sub-division in Odisha’s Sundargarh district organised a series of programmes to mark the world sparrow day. Banai DFO, A K Mishra who had been instrumental in conservation of these sparrows, roped in school children and traditional drama troupes to raise awareness on the issue. A rally by school children was taken out through the sub divisional head quarters town and it was followed by a function. Over 300 school children and drama troupes participated in the programme. Nearly 40 specially designed nesting earthen pot were distributed among the children to attract house sparrows. More nesting pots would be supplied to people who wished to help protect the bird, Mishra said. Programme shed light on conservation measure and the threat that, these birds face.

Footballer Venkatesh collapses on pitch and dies after delayed medical attention

Footballer D Venkatesh died after collapsing on the pitch during a district-level league match, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said on Wednesday. A 27-year-old Bangalore Mars striker D Venkatesh collapsed following a cardiac arrest at the Bangalore Football Stadium. With no ambulance around, his Bangalore Mars team mates hired a tuk-tuk (an auto-rickshaw) to take him to a local hospital where Venkatesh was declared dead, one report said.

Govt to inter-link 9,000 libraries in three years

NEW DELHI: The government will digitally inter-link 9,000 libraries all over the country in three years and work towards up gradation of infrastructure of reading resources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here on Wednesday. “A young reader sitting in his village public library should be able to access books and information from across the world,” the Prime Minister said while speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Oxford University Press, India. He said the National Mission for Libraries, anchored in the Ministry of Culture, would focus on improvement of the public library system of the country particularly concentrating on the States where library development is lagging behind. “The National Mission hopes to cover approximately 9,000 libraries in three years. It will conduct a national census on libraries, work towards upgradation of infrastructure of reading resources, and seek to modernise and promote the networking of libraries,” he said. He stressed the need to provide the people, particularly the youth, accessto quality books and said the government must focus on the number of books read.”The challenge for us is to widen the population of readers, not just the market for books,’ he added. The Mission, he said, would not be able to succeed through governmental effort alone and resources available in the community, private sector and non-governmental organisations would have to be roped in. Affordable modern information technology could be deployed to extend the resources of libraries, Dr Singh added.

Brain pacemaker, a hope for epileptic patients

NEW DELHI: Deep brain stimulation now hold hope for epileptic patients in the country as Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon, has performed a breakthrough treatment of an epileptic patient by implanting pacemaker as a cure. The treatment conducted by a team of neurologists led by Dr Alok Gupta at Artemis suggests that deep brain stimulation using implanted electrodes help reduce seizures in epileptic patients. Addressing a press conference here today Dr Gupta, Head, Department of Neurosurgery, Artemis Health Institute said, “We took on the challenge of treating 33-year-old Shalini Arora’s recurring epileptic fi ts by implanting pacemaker.” “The result showed that patient whose brain was implanted with devices known as brain pacemakers-which send electrical impulses to specifi c parts of the brainhad reduction in seizures,” he said adding “these exciting fi nding offers hope to patients who regularly suffer from seizures and have been unable to fi nd relief through other forms of treatment as no serious complications have been reported since January, when Shalini was treated. “In this highly specialised procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a wire as thin as a strand of hair, is implanted with precision in the specifi c area of the brain called Anterior Thalamus,” he explained the procedure adding, “In this treatment, impulses to the Anterior Thalamus in the brain are supplied and controlled with an externally programmed pacemaker implanted below the left collar bone. Dr Gupta further said, “Epilepsy affects the day-to-day life of a patient since they can suffer from fi ts any time of the day or night. With this new line of effective treatment, it would be possible to control this inconvenience caused to patients and give them a seizure free life.”

A vote against status quo

By-elections to the seven Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh demonstrated that the people rejected the status quo but were not looking for an alternative. They roundly rejected the Congress and the Telugu Desam which between them have ruled Andhra Pradesh for three decades. -Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan

India - Oxford collaborating on particle, cancer research: VC

NEW DELHI: Oxford University has broadened the purview of its relationship with India over the years, moving beyond education and publishing to collaborate on important scientifi c and health research projects, its vice chancellor, Andrew Hamilton, says. ‘We have strong and substantial research collaboration beyond academic projects. Yesterday, I visited the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research where a group of physicists are collaborating with physicists in Oxford, Jawaharlal Nehru University and at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (in Kolkata) on neutrinono - an elementary sub-atomic particle,’ Hamilton told IANS here. ‘It is a very exciting study and the scientists plan to fi re neutrinos through the core of the earth from Oxford to India to test its strength,’ Hamilton said. The vice chancellor, who is in India to celebrate 100 years of Oxford University Press in the country, said much collaborative research was taking place between Oxford and India ‘and he was trying to meet the collaborators to strengthen them’. The Oxford University is also collaborating with 12 research centres across India, including the All- India Institute of Medical Sciences, about the ‘causes and development of therapies for cancer,’ Hamilton said. ‘It is a signifi cant and growing problem in India. Our purpose is to properly strengthen and expand the research to fi nd out if there is genetic disposition in certain population groups in India towards certain cancers - and study the origin,’ Hamilton said. ‘The Oxford University Press in India was committed to ensure that the publishing output was relevant to the 21st century India tailored for local, regional and national readership across cultures.’ ‘The relationship between Oxford and India has been strong for more than 400 years in 1579, when the fi rst recorded evidence of an Englishman to arrive on the Indian shore was that of Father Thomas Stephens. He was an Oxford man,’ Hamilton said. In 1832, Oxford University set up the fi rst chair in Sanskrit and in 1871, the fi rst Indian student came to study in Oxford, he said. ‘Over the years Oxford has educated several Indian leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,’ he said. ‘Three hundred and fi fty Indian students are studying in Oxford today, Hamilton added.