399 baby Siamese crocodiles found in China

399 baby Siamese crocodiles seized in China Border police in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have seized 399 baby Siamese crocodiles which are believed to have been trafficked from neighboring Vietnam. The reptiles were found in a rented house in Dongxing City when police were collecting home registration information.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 31 July 2016.

The crocodiles measured approximately 25 centimeters each in length and appeared to be about 15 days old and, must have been trafficked from Vietnam. This species of Siamese crocodiles are a protected species in China. As per statements of the police, they saw three men, who appeared to be nervous. They were carrying goods in front of the house and, when they approached to question them, two of the suspects escaped by truck while the other was apprehended as he tried to flee from the back door of the house.
It may be recalled that in January, 70 frozen wild Siamese crocodiles were seized from a seafood truck in Fangchenggang. These crocodiles are a critically endangered species native to Southeast Asia. Their skin is used to manufacture luxury leather products in the international market. In China, it is illegal to raise them without a license or to trade and traffic the species.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

EU imposes ban on water hyacinth which is Britain's best-loved pond plant

US First Lady Michelle Obama wants Hillary Clinton to be the first woman president of the US

Prince Harry in Africa to save 500 elephants and relocate them


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Lord Shiva feels rains are the best option for cleaning (satire)


Mass stabbing in a Japanese care home in Sagamihara leaves at least 15 dead and 28 injured

ISIS carries out suicide bombing in Qamishli - death toll at least 44

Jihadist kills 85-year-old priest in a church Normandy - churches in Britain to tighten security


Next James Bond movie would not come before 2018

Wonder Woman celebrates 75th anniversary - trailer of latest film released

Bollywood actress Dia Mirza turns director with film on tigers on World Tiger Day

Leopard enters a hotel in Nainital and creates panic - leaves on its own

Nainital is a hilly place and tourist spot with forest around and it is natural for wild animals like leopards to be seen around but, when such an animal enters a hotel, it creates understandable panic. And, that is what happened. It was the second instance of a wild animal wandering into human habitation.
Earlier this month, on July 10, a Himalayan bear was spotted swimming in Naini lake - it had presumably come from a nearby jungle. Now, it was a leopard that created a furor in the hill town. It walked into a hotel after breaking a glass window and entered a room occupied by a couple. The hotel is in the Tallital area and the incident happened at around 4.30am.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 31 July 2016.

Once the alarm was raised, it rushed into the bathroom attached to the room from where it escaped through the ventilation window after a couple of hours. The occupant of the room was awakened by the sound of shattering glass and saw the leopard. When the rescue team tried to bring it safely out, it was scared by the noise and tried to attack one of the personnel who was trying to sedate it with a dart gun. Subsequently, it managed to escape on its own.
It seems it had drifted into the town in search of food at the garbage mound near Hanumangarhi and was probably chased by dogs. Tat made it come to the hotel and, seeing its image reflected in the window, it probably mistook it for another leopard and attacked the reflection. Thus it broke the window and entered.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

EU imposes ban on water hyacinth which is Britain's best-loved pond plant

US First Lady Michelle Obama wants Hillary Clinton to be the first woman president of the US

Prince Harry in Africa to save 500 elephants and relocate them


vMoody has too many women around (satire)

Didi’s naughty boys tie her up in knots (satire)

Lord Shiva feels rains are the best option for cleaning (satire)


Mass stabbing in a Japanese care home in Sagamihara leaves at least 15 dead and 28 injured

ISIS carries out suicide bombing in Qamishli - death toll at least 44

Jihadist kills 85-year-old priest in a church Normandy - churches in Britain to tighten security


Next James Bond movie would not come before 2018

Wonder Woman celebrates 75th anniversary - trailer of latest film released

Bollywood actress Dia Mirza turns director with film on tigers on World Tiger Day

Yoga in a flight proves costly for a South Korean tourist flying from Hawaii to Japan

A South Korean tourist returning from Hawaii with his wife wanted to do yoga in an United Airlines flight from Honolulu to Narita in Japan. He had been to Hawaii to celebrate his 40th marriage anniversary. But, he turned violent when he was not allowed to do the yoga.
He was in jail for 13 days and has escaped more jail time - but has to pay US$44,235 in fines.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 1 August 2016.

It seems the man, in his 70s, was arrested after he yelled at flight attendants, shoved his wife and headbutted two Marines when he was told to stop doing yoga on the flight. He refused to sit in his seat during the meal service. Instead, he went to the rear of the plane to do yoga and meditate. After arrest, he apparently told US authorities that he hadn't slept in 11 days.
His behavior made the pilot return to Honolulu.
US District felt that his actions constituted a violent felony and due to that, it is possible he may never be allowed to return to the United States. The man indicated that since he was in his 70s, he did not intend to travel to the US again.
The fine of $US44,235 to United Airlines was to cover the cost of turning the plane around, which included fuel costs and payment to passengers who had to return to Honolulu.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

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Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

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EU imposes ban on water hyacinth which is Britain's best-loved pond plant

The European Union has imposed ban on water hyacinth which is Britain’s best-loved pond plant because it is hated in Spain and Portugal. This plant has been added to the EU’s Invasive Alien Species Regulations which means it cannot be grown or sold anywhere within the EU.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 31 July 2016.

In Britain, the water hyacinth is a favorite of pond owners because it protects fish from predators like herons and kingfishers, it oxygenates water, and prevents algae from clogging ponds. Moreover, it does not seed. It cannot escape into waterways and dies off completely after the first winter frost.
However, in warm climates like that in Spain, Portugal and South Africa, it grows rapidly creating thick floating mats on lakes and affecting water sports, boating and irrigation. Spain and Portugal have already halted sales because lakes are being swamped. They have lobbied for the EU-wide ban because they claim that Britons who own holiday homes might smuggle it in their luggage or cars to plant in their ponds.
Britain has opted for Brexit and while the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs spokesman said it would police the ban, it added that Britain remains subject to EU legislation until it leaves the EU which is still some distance away.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Hot air balloon crashes in Texas - all 16 on board killed

A hot air balloon flight, organized by the Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides company, crashed with at least 16 people on board in Texas and, as per officials, there are no survivors. US investigators say that the basket portion of the balloon caught fire before the craft came down in a field near the city of Lockhart, located some 30 miles (50 km) south of Austin.
It seems there are massive power lines that are above the place where police tape is marked off.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 31 July 2016.

It is believed that the flight encountered difficulties about halfway through the journey and, the company's chief pilot, Skip Nichols, is one of those who was killed in the crash. This accident is likely to be one of the deadliest hot air balloon crashes on record. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said there was a "significant loss of life".
The authorities are facing difficulties with identification of the victims because, for such rides, people could just walk up and buy a ticket, unlike an airplane, which would have a list of names and details of passengers. Incidentally, three years ago, 19 people - many of them tourists - lost their lives after a hot air balloon came down after a mid-air explosion in Egypt.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

West Bengal government trying to woo IT sector with more facilities

The government of West Bengal wants to woo the IT industry in Salt Lake Sector-V with promises of more facilities. Hence, the administration plans to hold a meeting with IT representatives to discuss the problems the industry is facing. The initiative has come at an opportune moment since the government has signaled a crackdown on syndicates. These cartels had been tormenting the IT hubs of Sector V and Rajarhat-New Town.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 31 July 2016.

The meeting will be held at Nabanna, the state secretariat. Since the state has not yet explicitly cleared the air on SEZ status for IT projects, the government is making an effort to "build confidence through other measures".
The "law and order" in Salt Lake Sector would be on the agenda apart from issues like adequate streetlights in and around Sector V, parking problems and increase in the number of hawkers.
Sector-V is home to 350 small, medium and big companies, most of them in the IT sector. There are nearly 150 plots measuring between two and five cottahs lying vacant in Sector V and its adjoining areas and the government was determined to ensure tat syndicates do not interfere in the way of industrialization.
It is estimated that nearly 1.5 lakh employees come to Sector V daily and 40 per cent of the workforce were women. To cater to them, around 12,000 vehicles ply in the area every day.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Lightning strikes kill at least 31 people in Odisha

At least 31 people have been killed and 30 others injured in lightning strikes in different parts of Odisha. The lightning was accompanied by thundershower and rain. The special relief commissioner has confirmed 25 of the deaths and the final count may go up as information was still coming in.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 30 July 2016.

Balasore district reported eight deaths, while Bhadrak reported seven - all these 15 happened between 10am and 12 noon and most of the victims were those working on paddy field. In Banta, Chandballi and Tihidi blocks of Bhadrak district, four of the deceased were farmers working on the paddy field and three others were returning home from market.
In Khurda district, of which state capital Bhubaneswar is a part, six people were killed while four deaths were reported from Mayurbhanj district and three others in Jajpur district. Moreover, three deaths occurred in Nayagarh, Keonjhar and Kendrapada district respectively.
As per rules, the standard ex-gratia norms are Rs 4 lakh compensation to the next of kin of the deceased.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Copacabana Beach, a venue for 2016 Rio Olympics, being guarded by a warship

There is a massive security mechanism set up in Rio de Janiero for the Olympic Games. The tourist hot spot Copacabana Beach is being guarded by a warship that is stacked with missiles and an arsenal of lethal weaponry. It has been positioned as a security cover for the mega event to be held in the shadow of ISIS terrorism. Brazil would be using the frigate, and a small fleet of other vessels to patrol the waters around tourist hot spot Copacabana Beach which would be one venue for the beach volleyball.
Moreover, thousands of people will be partying on the famous sands of the Copacabana every night during the Olympics and would be dining out in the many restaurants.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 29 July 2016.

Thousands of sport loving fans are expected to visit Rio during the world's biggest sporting event scheduled to begin next week. Brazil is spending almost $900 million on protecting the Olympics from terrorist attack and the 500,000 foreign visitors expected in Rio for the games.
There will be a record 130,000 police, soldiers, naval personnel and security guards on duty. They have been drafted in to combat the terrorist threat after a gang of alleged ISIS operatives were arrested in Brazil earlier this month. The security has been beefed up with back up from the US Bureau of Diplomatic Security, which are acting as advisors to the Olympic officials in the fight to prevent carnage at the games and protect athletes and sports fans.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Say 'good bye' to Parle-G brand of biscuits

The owners of the biscuit factory in Vile Parle, Mumbai, have decided to stop manufacture of the brand which had been the most popular and easily available brand of biscuits in the deepest pockets of the country for decades.
The brand was Parle G, which began its journey as Parle Gluco in 1939 and adopted the current name much later in 1980. It is the most consumed brand in India producing around 400 million biscuits daily.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 30 July 2016.

The factory had first started functioning in 1929 manufacturing candies and the owners halted production in the factory a few weeks back. All its 300 employees have opted for voluntary retirement. Other brands of Parle will remain because its products comprise a mammoth 40 per cent of total biscuit market share in India.
It may be noted that around 4,551 Parle-G biscuits are consumed every second and the product is available at more than 60 lakh retail outlets through the country. These figures indicate the legacy of this biscuit brand which had an humble beginning as a small factory at Mumbai’s Vile Parle.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Levying a charge of 5p per bag has seen a dramatic drop in use of plastic bags

By levying a nominal charge of 5p per plastic bag, the use of such bags has dropped dramatically. The result is that there will be six billion fewer single-use plastic bags taken home this year. The decision had been taken by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who have confirmed that more than seven billion bags were handed out by major retailers in 2014. However, this figure fell to just over half a billion in the first six months after the 5p charge was introduced last October.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 30 July 2016.

As a side effect, retailers have donated more than £29m towards charities and community groups because of the charge. Removing six billion plastic bags out of circulation is a great achievement and fantastic news because, it will translate into making our precious marine life safer, our communities cleaner and the future generations will not be saddled with mountains of plastic that will take hundreds of years to break down in landfill sites.
The 5p charge was meant for retailers who had 250 or more full-time equivalent employees - they had to charge a minimum of 5p for the bags they provide for shopping in stores and for deliveries. Smaller shops and paper bags were exempted. The 5p charge has clearly been a huge success - for not just the environment but also for a good causes across the country from the £29m raised for charities.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Karnataka bans selfies in specific tourist spots like waterfalls, dams, cliffs etc

Taking a cue from other states, Karnataka has decided to ban selfies at tourist spots like waterfalls, dams and cliffs because there have been a number of unfortunate deaths of people who had taken took one wrong step in their quest for that perfect frame and paid the penalty.
It is understood that state tourism has identified more than 60 locations that would be declared "no-selfie zones", with warning signs carrying messages like: "Make up your mind before the selfie becomes your last frame." The publicity material would also contain "no selfie" messages, and tourism officials and guides would be sensitised on the importance of restraining people from taking dangerous selfies.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 30 July 2016.

It may be recalled that on Feb 12, three medical students fell into an irrigation canal in Hulivana, 180km from Bangalore, while taking selfies and died. More recently, on July 18, an ambulance driver and his friend fell 250ft into a gorge near Charmadi Ghats, Chikmagalur, while taking selfies.
Mumbai has already declared 16 "no-selfie zones" across the city - these are mainly at barrier-less seafronts, after the craze among the young for clicking themselves at unusual spots and at unusual angles led to several deaths. It has been observed that most selfie-linked deaths happen at places like dams, barrages, cliffs, waterfalls and ghats. People get lured (by the scenery), disregarding the fact that one false step can lead to disaster. India accounted for at least half the world's 27 selfie-related deaths last year.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Treasure hunt for $US2 million leads to death of a hunter in the Rocky Mountains

Treasure hunt is always an exciting affair and the promise of untold fortunes, buried deep in America's Rocky Mountains, that has driven thousands of treasure hunters to the brink of obsession has led to the death of a treasure hunter. The man Randy BilyeuHe had left with his dog and a raft and, even though the dog and his raft turned up, there was no trace of the man himself.
Finally, his body was found north of the Cochiti Lake along the Rio Grande River in the Santa Fe wilderness, six months after he was reported missing by his wife.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 30 July 2016.

The man was following cryptic clues to search for a bounty of gold and jewels estimated to be worth about $US2 million has become the first casualty in one of the most desperate and dangerous treasure hunts America has seen. The treasure trove was purportedly hidden somewhere in the Rocky Mountains by eccentric millionaire 85-year-old Forrest Fenn. He was an art dealer dubbed a real-life Indiana Jones and he gave out to the public only a handful of cryptic clues as to the treasure's whereabouts.
The treasure hunter had moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Colorado two years ago after he caught the Fenn fortune fever. He bought himself a raft to explore the region's rivers and, a week after he set off on his journey, his loved ones lost contact with him. Subsequently, his dog and raft were found and his remains turned up after another six months.
Incidentally, Forrest Fenn was a former military pilot and an archeology enthusiast and he made his fortune in art dealing. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he decided to give back all his fortune to society and hit upon the plan of treasure hunt. His treasure reportedly consists of 19kg of riches that includes 265 gold coins that were "mostly American eagles and double eagles." There was also "hundreds of gold nuggets, some as large as chicken eggs, ancient Chinese carved jade figures, pre-Columbian gold animal artefacts, lots of rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds, and other things".


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Floods and landslides in Nepal leave at least 77 dead

The toll in floods and landslides in Nepal have reached 77 with hundreds of others forced to flee their homes as torrential monsoon rains wreaked havoc in the country and army had to be deployed for rescue and relief operations. The heavy rains have resulted in massive floods and landslides in many parts of the country, putting thousands of lives at risk.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 29 July 2016.

Incessant rains have swept away many houses and bridges and, apart from the 77 dead, another nine persons are still missing. The worst-hit district was Pyuthan. In this district, at least 36 have died and dozens of houses have been swept away. Moreover, nearly 200 families have been displaced due to floods and landslides.
Floods have also swept away four micro-hydropower projects and majority of the affected people were earthquake victims who were living in quake-damaged houses after repair. Tens of thousands of Nepalese continue to live in tents following last year's devastating earthquakes that killed nearly 9,000 people.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Jamshedpur Angling Club (JAC) organises day-long angling competition with easier rules

Jamshedpur Angling Club (JAC) is all set to host a daylong angling competition in Jayanti Sarovar to mark the 112th birth anniversary of JRD Tata, the doyen of Indian industry. It is expected that around 60 anglers from Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Durgapur, Kharagpur, Ghatshila and Bhubaneswar will take part in the event.
This year, a number of steps have been taken to ensure less disappointment for the anglers.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 29 July 2016.

One of the revised rules is - anglers can use multiple hooks and throw their bait till an unlimited distance. Their chances will be bright if the range of the bait is more. This will help them net more number of fish. It is usual for anglers to hurl the bait at a distance of around 60 feet. This earlier was two hooks till a distance of 30 feet.
Moreover, JAC has released around 2.5 lakh fish fries in the 20-acre lake last month. Obviously, anglers are assured of hooking and bringing in better.
The club is charging Rs 1,200 per contestant and will provide anglers with a fishing platform and lunch packet.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Donald Trump lashes out at Hillary Clinton - feels she is unfit to lead the country

The race to the White House is hotting up and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump came down heavily on Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton - he said that she is unfit to lead the country. He was reacting to Hillary Clinton's fiery speech at the Democratic Convention and said - “Our way of life is under threat by Radical Islam and Hillary Clinton cannot even bring herself to say the words.”
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 29 July 2016.

Trump came down heavily on Clinton and tweeted: “Hillary's refusal to mention Radical Islam, as she pushes a 550% increase in refugees, is more proof that she is unfit to lead the country.” He went on to say that on the economic front, “She will never reform Wall Street. She is owned by Wall Street.”
Other strong words and statements used by Trump are - “Hillary's vision is a border less world where working people have no power, no jobs, no safety” ...... “Hillary's wars in the Middle East have unleashed destruction, terrorism and ISIS across the world.”
Continuing in the same vein, he lashed out at the Democratic presidential nominee saying - "wherever Hillary goes corruption and devastation follows her. ... “No one has worse judgement than Hillary Clinton.”
Both the contenders have bared their fangs and one will have to wait and watch developments.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Monkey enters reading room of Parliament and leaves after half an hour through VIP gate

An adult monkey sneaked into the Parliament for a sudden visit and entered the Parliament House library adjoining the Central Hall. From there, it found its way into the reading room meant for MPs and journalists and roamed around for half an hour before leaving.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 29 July 2016.

The monkey jumped on the tables and climbed up electrical wires in the gallery area and again climbed down and unable to locate the exit from the library, it made its way out of the main door and through the green-carpeted corridor. It was there for nearly half an hour and finally left by the main gate of the building on the side meant for VIPs.
The hapless library staff contacted Parliament security but there was no help forthcoming because there was no way to catch such monkeys in the absence of a langoor. These had been deployed earlier to deal with the recurring monkey menace but, in June, their services were terminated.
The langoors had been employed to chase away monkeys in parts of Lutyens' Delhi. Sources in the Lok Sabha secretariat have revealed that monkeys are reappearing in the premises of the Parliament since langoors took their last pay and bid goodbye.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Larry, the 100-year-old lobster of Florida, died on the way to its retirement abode

Larry, a huge lobster of Florida, weighing all of 15 pounds and believed to be aged between 70 and 100, was being transported to an aquarium, in Maine which was to be its retirement abode. But - it died on the way. The beloved crustacean was being transported from a restaurant in Sunshine, Florida, to Maine when it passed away. It had been rescued from its doom by activists, but when staff at the West Boothbay Harbor unpacked the lobster and found it had died during the 1,530-mile journey.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 28 July 2016.

The lobster had been packed in a Styrofoam clamshell with seaweed and frozen gel packs and it is not clear as to why it died. The huge lobster, three times larger than the average lobster, was headed for the stock pot earlier this month. Someone who saw him in the tank at Fish Tin seafood restaurant in Sunrise, Florida, bought him from owner and reserved a table for his family the following week.
Incidentally, the owner had bought Larry from a vendor only recently and was 'astounded' by his size. He said he felt 'bad' about serving up the lobster, but some animal activists got word of the lobster's impending fate and intervened. They offered to buy Larry from the man who wanted to make the aging animal dinner and had booked a table.
That really nettled the owner and he donated the lobster to the activists who arranged to send him to an aquarium - he could be quarantined for life or even be set free in the ocean. But - he died en-route to Maine.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Global warming and rise in sea level could take its toll on US military bases

Global warming is set to present a major problem to the US military because many of its bases located along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico will be increasingly vulnerable to floods and power-packed storms as the planet warms. This has been indicated in the report by the Union of Concerned Scientists that covered 18 military bases. The research concluded that the military could risk losing land and strategic assets in the coming decades due to sea level rise.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 28 July 2016.

In the opinion of the team, by the year 2050, most of these sites will see more than 10 times the number of floods they experience today. ... in 2070, all but a few are projected to see flooding once or twice every day. And, the worst part is that these are not the worst-case scenarios.
The sea level rise will have its effect on US bases from Florida to Maine. The assumptions are that there would be a moderate rate of ice sheet melt that will continue to increases over a period of time with an ultimate rise of 3.7 feet above 2012 levels, globally, by the end of this century.
Another scenario, assumed a "more rapid ice sheet loss and projects an ultimate rise of 6.3 feet above 2012 levels" across the planet by the year 2100.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Howrah and Sealdah stations are in the bottom 10 list of clean stations

Howrah and Sealdah stations in Kolkata are among the country's largest and busiest railway stations and have been ranked in the bottom 10 out of 32 used by more than 50,000 passengers daily. CST Mumbai and Chennai Central, which are in the same category, have been ranked in the top 10.
Nearly 8.5 lakh people use Howrah station each day while Sealdah handles about 12 lakh and, in comparison, CST Mumbai receives more than 15 lakh passengers every day and yet stays much cleaner.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 28 July 2016.

Howrah and Sealdah have been ranked "average" in a survey on cleanliness conducted by the railways across 407 stations. Out of the 407 stations surveyed, Howrah ranks 275, Sealdah is 346 and Kolkata station 131. CST Mumbai, which receives more footfall than Sealdah and Howrah, has been ranked 129 while Chennai Central stands eight notches higher at 121.
It has been revealed that both Howrah and Sealdah stations have dirty washrooms and the platforms are often littered with trash. Moreover, parcels of fish are ferried through the new terminal at Howrah station and water seeping out of them makes the platforms filthy. Also, scores of hawkers selling vegetables squat inside the subway that lead to the bus terminus from the old terminal - as a result, the area is dirtied.
Same for Sealdah - here also, much of the fish and vegetables arriving at the markets come through this station. The parameters used for the survey were cleanliness of ticketed areas, non-ticketed areas, toilets and waste management and the survey was commissioned by the Railway Board and conducted by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) along with a private agency.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Dehradun to hold the spring bird festival as a part of eco-tourism

The state forest department of Uttaraknand has decided to hold the spring bird festival at seven venues this year - that way, all the regions of the state would get representation. The festival is being held for last three years and has become quite a popular event.
The first of these was held at Asan Conservation Reserve followed by Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve while last year, it was held in the Doon Valley where activities were held at Asan, Forest Research Institute and Rajpur Road.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 27 July 2016.

This festival has become an attraction for eco-tourism and, till now, only one destination was being promoted. But, since communities from all over the state were not able to participate and get benefit from the festival, a decision was taken to decentralize the program and give representation to maximum regions each year. The seven circles chosen are four at Garhwal namely Bhagirathi, Shivalik, Pauri and Yamuna, and three at Yamuna namely North, South and Western Circle.
The bird festival will provide opportunities to locals to display their handicrafts and products and sell the handmade stuff. The series of the spring bird festival will begin in October and go on till February next year. The specific dates and venues are yet to be announced.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Prince Harry in Africa to save 500 elephants and relocate them

Prince Harry has returned to Africa with his '500 Elephants' project in order to continue his conservation crusade and take a leading role save the continent’s biggest beasts from extinction. Prince Harry is an experienced pilot with warzone experience. He would round up family groups of elephants and get them relocated them 200 miles by air to sanctuary across Malawi.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 27 July 2016.

The pilot in the ‘500Elephants’ project is required to drive out elephants from wooded areas onto the plains so that they can be tranquilized more easily by the on board vet. Prince Harry can perform such a task with ease because of his experience in handling helicopters. He would also monitor the sedated animals after their immobilization.
This is his second successive summer in Africa and, this time, he is working with the NGO African Parks. The 31-year-old Prince Harry brings with him valuable field experience gained from last year’s three months embedded with bush vets and an anti-poaching teams. He has gained hands-on skills with the animals known as Africa’s Big Five.
Harry’s latest venture is the £1million move of around 500 elephants to a wildlife reserve in central Malawi from two parks in the south of the country. The reason for the relocation is gradual scarcity of food and space for the animals. African Parks hopes that the elephants in Malawi can eventually serve as a ‘reservoir’ to restore other African elephant populations. As per estimated, Africa has fewer than 500 000 elephants - it used to be several million a century ago.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Steel City Jamshedpur wants eco-friendly Durga Pujas - begins preparations

Durga Puja, the biggest festival of Bengalis is hardly 70 days away and, already preparations have been started by Jamshedpur Durga Puja Kendriya Samiti to ensure celebrations keeping in view the environmental constraints and requirements. The Samiti is an apex organization that monitors Pujas in the steel city of Jamshedpur and it has set the ball rolling with festivities expected to be held in the second week of October.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 27 July 2016.

For a start, the samiti has issued directives to all organizers in Jamshedpur to go in for light-weight idols without the use of synthetic colors - this will facilitate smooth and pollution free immersions. The puja committees have been asked to use natural and environment-friendly colors.
The idol makers have indicated that they can make light-weight and eco-friendly idols but, these will be costly. Normally, traditional materials are bamboo, clay and hay, while the lighter varieties were made of coir, copper wire and plaster of Paris. These need more time to make and there is the cost factor as well.
Another aspect is the concern over inadequate rain due to which the level of water in both the Subernarekha and Kharkai was low. Usually, overflowing rivers help in smooth immersion of idols. This will be another point to keep in mind while making the idols.
Jamshedpur hosts over 300 pujas and is second only to Calcutta in Bengal in terms of numbers. Last year's steel city puja count was 300.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

Bullet can wait, Talgo is here - travel Mumbai to Delhi in 13-hours, much faster than Rajdhani Express

Yes, the Bullet Train can wait. In order to run Bullet trains, it would be necessary to redesign the route and tracks to accept high speeds. But, Spain's Talgo will make use of existing facilities. It is here and can cover Mumbai to Delhi in just 13 hours - much faster than the Rajdhani Express that takes nearly 16 hours to cover the distance of 1384-Km. Rajdhani travels at 130kmph while Talgo travels at 180kmph.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 27 July 2016.

As things stand, a Mumbai to Delhi train journey within 13 hours could become a reality in the first week of August. The final phase of trials of the nine-coach Talgo Spanish-manufactured high speed train will make three trips between Mumbai and Delhi between August 1 and 5.
The schedule as given by Western Railway (WR) is - it will depart from New Delhi at 7.55 pm on August 1, and will maintain a speed of 130 kmph during the entire journey. At this speed, the distance of 1,384 kms will be covered in 14 hours and 5 minutes. The Rajdhani Express touches 130 kmph and takes nearly 16 hours to cover the same distance.
The composition of the nine-coach Talgo train would be two executive class compartments, four chair cars, a cafeteria, a power car, and a tail-end coach for equipment. Incidentally, the train has already completed the Mathura-Palwal test run at 180 kmph.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Efforts on by Odisha to get UNESCO Heritage tag for Bhitarkanika national park

Alitalia pilot refused to fly from Beirut to Rome because he was tired - passengers stuck for 16 hours at Beirut

Wildfire in California spreads over 11,000 acres - residents evacuated


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Moody embraces yoga, his medics could embrace poverty (satire)

Lone wolf attack in Munich mall kills 10 including the attacker

Youth attacks train commuters with an axe - leaves more than 20 injured, some seriously

ISIS carries out suicide attack in Kabul - 80 killed, death toll could rise


Sir Michael Caine forced to change his name because of ISIS

Irrfan Khan meets Arvind Kejriwal before release of his film 'Madaari'

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood