Oil spill on beach after two cargo ships collide off the Kamarajar Port in Ennore

The oil spill due to the collision of two cargo ships off the Kamarajar Port in Ennore has resutedin pollution of the Chennai’s beaches also. Morning beach walkers found oil on the sands on the Marina beach, near INS Adyar, at Nochikuppam and at Pattinapakkam.
Residents were shocked to see the black oil deposit on the sands of the Marina. Fishermen from Nochikuppam, who brought in their catches after fishing trips, mentioned about a strong smell of oil in the sea. Fishermen organizations have demanded for immediate action to remove the oil spills since it is affecting the livelihood of the fishermen. THey have not been able to venture into the sea for the past two days.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 31 January 2017.

An expert on oil spills has warned people not to go to the beaches that had been polluted because it was very harmful to the skin. Inhaling benzene found in such fuels is also bad. The oil is very heavy oil and difficult to clean. the Coast Guard had issued notice to the owner and master of the ship, MV Dawn Kanchipuram, over the incident.
The volume of the oil that has been spilled is large. Oil spills move due to wave action and also through ocean currents and the waves break up the oil plumes into smaller portions.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Mars mission very much on the cards - six scientists are getting ready in Hawaii

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26-year-old man mows down four people and injures another 25 in Melbourne CBD

Organised crime of bag lifting in wedding venues of Delhi

A well organized crime of bag lifting in wedding venues of Delhi has been reported. The gang of wedding lifters include a juvenile whi is employed on a "contract" by the gang. They have been apprehended from south Delhi and, preliminary investigation reveals that they had been involved in more than 15 cases of wedding crashes over the past few months.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 31 January 2017.

The gang belonged to a village in Madhya Pradesh and would escape across states with the booty to avoid detection. The police have successfully recovered a stolen foreign-made pistol and some stolen cars that used as a getaway vehicle after each heist.
The accused used to drive to Delhi from Madhya Pradesh and target wedding program in Chhatarpur and Vasant Kunj. They had inducted the juvenile on "contractual bondage" from his mother to carry out the crimes while they did the planning. They hired the juvenile for Rs 2 lakhs per night.
The juvenile had his work clearly cut out. He would gate crash the party and fix his focus on the bag containing the cash and jewellery. He would usually park himself beside the bride and even offer to help her keep the gifts during which he would place them in a bag. Later, he would walk out with the valuables, meet the others who would be waiting outside in the car and speed away.
The thefts were based on inside information provided by some staffers of popular banquet halls and farm houses. They were on the pay roll of the gang and would relay information about the event schedules and the profiles of the hosts and the guests who were to attend the ceremony at the venues.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Mars mission very much on the cards - six scientists are getting ready in Hawaii

Remembering Princess Diana on her 20th death anniversary

Restaurant offering only organic food opens in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad


Didi to UP on a selling mission (satire)

Ronald Grump invites Moody to Las Vegas (satire)

In the wonderland of deo sprays, fairness creams, and condoms


Sets of the film Padmavati in Jaipur vandalised, Bhansali cancels shooting

Indian born actress Priyanka Bose talks about the movie 'Lion'

Pakistan government lifts the ban on Indian films with 'Raees' and 'Kaabil'


Fire in a mosque in Texas - the Islamic Center of Victoria badly damaged

ISIS had plans to launch chemical warfare - evidence unearthed in Mosul

26-year-old man mows down four people and injures another 25 in Melbourne CBD

British children get their own mobile phones before they are 11 years old

A study has shown that nearly 20,000 British children have been given a mobile phone by the age of six and one in eight have their own handset by the age of eight. Moreover, 11 years old is the most common age to be given a phone and nine out of 10 youngsters have their own phone by the time they are 15 years old.
The survey was carried out on more than a 1,000 parents who had children aged 10-15 and it was carried out as part of the insurance provider Aviva's to look at the impact of technology on family lives.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 30 January 2017.

Their parents' generation had to wait much longer for their first phones because the mobile phones were not widely available or affordable in their childhood. Those in the age group 35-44 got their first phone at age 20 on an average, while those in the age group 45-54 ot theirs when they were around 29 years old.
Majority of the parents surveyed said that they gave their children their first phone for safety reasons.
Others said they gave their child a phone because all of their friends were getting them, and one in five bought the device 'to keep them entertained'. Seven per cent admitted that they gave their children phones so they could play games.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Mars mission very much on the cards - six scientists are getting ready in Hawaii

Remembering Princess Diana on her 20th death anniversary

Restaurant offering only organic food opens in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad


Didi to UP on a selling mission (satire)

Ronald Grump invites Moody to Las Vegas (satire)

In the wonderland of deo sprays, fairness creams, and condoms


Sets of the film Padmavati in Jaipur vandalised, Bhansali cancels shooting

Indian born actress Priyanka Bose talks about the movie 'Lion'

Pakistan government lifts the ban on Indian films with 'Raees' and 'Kaabil'


Fire in a mosque in Texas - the Islamic Center of Victoria badly damaged

ISIS had plans to launch chemical warfare - evidence unearthed in Mosul

26-year-old man mows down four people and injures another 25 in Melbourne CBD

Mahatma Gandhi’s samadhi at Rajghat gets a new look

Those who come to the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, Delhi, will now see it wearing a new look. This samadhi sees more than 10,000 domestic and foreign visitors every day and the renovated samadhi will be inaugurated on Monday, January 30, on the occasion of the 69th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 30 January 2017.

Till now, the samadhi did not have much to offer visitors except the black stone platform that marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Now, a 157-word brief profile of the Mahatma and a 131-word description of Gandhi Samadhi have been put on display. Both of these are in Hindi and English and have been placed at all the three gates of the samadhi at Rajghat.
In addition, the existing conventional lights have been replaced by energy efficient LED lights installed on top of 104 aesthetically designed poles - this is expected to save 60,000 KWH annually. Solar panels have also been installed above roof tops and cycle shed at the parking area and, in order to improve security, a total of 27 CCTV cameras have been installed.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Mars mission very much on the cards - six scientists are getting ready in Hawaii

Remembering Princess Diana on her 20th death anniversary

Restaurant offering only organic food opens in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad


Didi to UP on a selling mission (satire)

Ronald Grump invites Moody to Las Vegas (satire)

In the wonderland of deo sprays, fairness creams, and condoms


Sets of the film Padmavati in Jaipur vandalised, Bhansali cancels shooting

Indian born actress Priyanka Bose talks about the movie 'Lion'

Pakistan government lifts the ban on Indian films with 'Raees' and 'Kaabil'


Fire in a mosque in Texas - the Islamic Center of Victoria badly damaged

ISIS had plans to launch chemical warfare - evidence unearthed in Mosul

26-year-old man mows down four people and injures another 25 in Melbourne CBD

Coast Guard arrests fishermen for illegal fishing in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary

Coast Guard personnel have arrested 139 fishermen and have seized 14 seagoing vessels which were engaged in for illegal fishing in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary. Sea fishing is prohibited within the marine sanctuary limits throughout the year.
However, patrolling is increased between November and May because of the mass nesting season of the endangered olive ridley turtles. These turtles enjoy Schedule-1 status under the Wildlife Protection Act. They get entangled in the nets of trawls and vessels for prolonged periods and die of asphyxiation. Moreover, the fast-moving propellers of fishing trawlers strike the turtles and kill them in large numbers.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 30 January 2017.

The arrested fishermen belong to Balaramgadi, Dhamara (in Balasore) and Talchua (in Kendrapara). The Coast Guard also recovered many items of fishing like mono-filament fishing nets, GPS systems, disaster alert transmitters, walkie-talkie communication systems, fish finding gadgets, registration documents of the vessels, identity proof documents of the crews and a haul of three tons of sea fish.
However, none of the vessels had turtle excluder devices installed. These are specialized device through which the trapped sea turtles can escape when caught in fishing nets.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Mars mission very much on the cards - six scientists are getting ready in Hawaii

Remembering Princess Diana on her 20th death anniversary

Restaurant offering only organic food opens in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad


Didi to UP on a selling mission (satire)

Ronald Grump invites Moody to Las Vegas (satire)

In the wonderland of deo sprays, fairness creams, and condoms


Sets of the film Padmavati in Jaipur vandalised, Bhansali cancels shooting

Indian born actress Priyanka Bose talks about the movie 'Lion'

Pakistan government lifts the ban on Indian films with 'Raees' and 'Kaabil'


Fire in a mosque in Texas - the Islamic Center of Victoria badly damaged

ISIS had plans to launch chemical warfare - evidence unearthed in Mosul

26-year-old man mows down four people and injures another 25 in Melbourne CBD

New entrants to the Kamla Nehru zoo in Indore - a pair of iguanas

There are new entrants to the Kamla Nehru zoo in Indore - a pair of iguanas. The species has never been part of Indore zoo before and have been brought from Hyderabad zoo. Both of them are green in color, around 2.5 feet long and one and a half years old.
The zoo has plans to induct other colors as well - like the blue and red colored iguanas.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 29 January 2017.

Iguanas are big lizards exotic species found in Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico and the Caribbean islands and are often as long as five feet.
The zoo has arranged separate arrangement to ensure that the reptiles get accustomed to the environment but, they do not require any artificial environment. The main aim would be to provide good food to the herbivorous reptile.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Mars mission very much on the cards - six scientists are getting ready in Hawaii

Remembering Princess Diana on her 20th death anniversary

Restaurant offering only organic food opens in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad


Didi to UP on a selling mission (satire)

Ronald Grump invites Moody to Las Vegas (satire)

In the wonderland of deo sprays, fairness creams, and condoms


Sets of the film Padmavati in Jaipur vandalised, Bhansali cancels shooting

Indian born actress Priyanka Bose talks about the movie 'Lion'

Pakistan government lifts the ban on Indian films with 'Raees' and 'Kaabil'


Fire in a mosque in Texas - the Islamic Center of Victoria badly damaged

ISIS had plans to launch chemical warfare - evidence unearthed in Mosul

26-year-old man mows down four people and injures another 25 in Melbourne CBD

Remembering Princess Diana on her 20th death anniversary

Prince William and Prince Harry will mark the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death by commissioning a statue of their mother. When Diana passed away, killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997, Prince William was 15 years old and Prince Harry just 12.
The Princes plan to install a permanent statue in Kensington Palace of their mother.
In a joint statement they have said: "It has been 20 years since our mother's death and the time is right to recognise her positive impact in the UK and around the world with a permanent statue.... Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy."
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 29 January 2017.

It is planned to put the statue of the Princess in a public part of Kensington Palace gardens, Diana's former home. The Princes want a small committee to help them come up with a design and choose a sculptor. The committee would have Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Julia Samuel, a godparent of Prince George who was a close friend of the Princess, and the team will be chaired by Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, their former principal private secretary.
The statue is likely to be unveiled later this year.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

200-year-old banyan tree uprooted by cyclone Vardah replanted in Chennai

A 200-year-old banyan tree that had been uprooted by cyclone Vardah last month has been successfully replanted in Chennai. It was a major task and the residents joined hands to carry out the replanting. They did not want their landmark to vanish.
The tree which was located on LDG Road, Little Mount, Saidapet, has received a new lease of life.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 29 January 2017.

The Greater Chennai Corporation’s park division provided fungicide to help revive the giant tree while Larsen and Toubro provided the manpower to rehabilitate the tree. To do this, the branches were pruned, after which the tree was given anti-fungal treatment. Then a five by five feet pit was dug and sand and mud removed from the original spot were transferred to fill the pit. After 15 days it would be provided more nutrients.
The residents were keen to resurrect the tree because it has been around for more than two centuries and defined the area they live in. The shade of this majestic banyan had even the venue for a number of marriages and functions.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

 

Eco-Park in New Town to soon have a Japanese restaurant offering sushi or tempura

Those who visit the Eco Park in New Town will soon get to taste Japanese delicacies like sushi or tempura at a restaurant that is coming up next to the upcoming Japanese garden. There are numerous Chinese restaurants in Kolkata that offer Chinese food but very few Japanese restaurants. The restaurant would be in sync with the Japanese garden.
The concept is to showcase Japanese culture in Eco Park.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 29 January 2017.

The HIDCO authorities plan to select a bidder who would have experience of running at least one Japanese restaurant in India. They should have international expertise and preferably be of foreign origin. In addition, the cuisine of the restaurant must be originating from Japan to ensure authenticity.
The structure of the restaurant has already been set up by HIDCO.
During the Bengal Global Business Summit, H.E. Mr Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Japan, New Delhi, had visited the upcoming Japanese Garden in Eco Park. In December last year, a workshop had been organized in New Town on the Japanese garden and a team of Japanese landscape experts had appreciated the concept. They had come up with helpful suggestions. They have also indicated that there were more than 500 Japanese gardens in the world and the one at Eco Park would be an addition to that list.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Chinese in Mumbai celebrate the Year of the Rooster

The Chinese community in Mumbai are celebrate the Year of the Rooster from January 28, 2017 to February 15, 2018. The festivities have been set in motion by hanging red paper lanterns, wind chimes and greetings of prosperity. These heralded the start of the Year of the Rooster.
The Chinese visited the only Chinese temple in Mumbai which is the shrine of Kwan Tai Shek in Mazgaon. After the prayer ceremony held at midnight, there was the dragon dance enacted in the streets. It brings back memories of the grand parade in Kolkata's Chinatown.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 28 January 2017.

This is an important festival in the Chinese calendar and it calls for a family reunion. Some of the Chinese from Mumbai are visiting Kolkata to meet their relatives and watch the dragon parade.
Families follow the tradition of gifting red envelopes containing token sums of money to children and unmarried youngsters on new year's eve. Their numbers have gone down and the Chinese is no longer a close-knit community because many qualified youth do not want to run family owned restaurants, beauty parlours or dentist clinics. Instead, they prefer to migrate abroad to work or to study.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Hell's Bay, a mako shark, sets a record - travels 20,900-Km in 600 days

Hell's Bay is the name of a mako shark that has set a record - it traveled 20,900-Km in 600 days. That is half way around the Earth. This shark has been dubbed 'Energizer Bunny' because his travels had taken him around the east coast of the US.
This has been discovered by researchers at Florida's Nova Southeastern University. They had tagged and tracked the finned creature from May 2015.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 28 January 2017.

Hell's Bay was first tagged off the coast of Ocean City in Maryland. He then went on the first half of his journey which took him north along the eastern seaboard. After that, he returned near the original tagging site and then spent 2016 passing throughout the Atlantic, on to Nova Scotia, Bermuda and finally heading back to Ocean City.
These mako sharks are excellent swimmers and can attain sustained speeds of 35 km/h with bursts to over 80 km/h. They can grow to be around four metres in length and weigh over 500-Kg.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Days of Indian snake charmers are coming to an end

The days of snake charmers in India are gradually coming to an end - it is no longer a paying proposition because in the village, a snake charmer can earn about 200 rupees (£2) a day which is certainly not enough to support a family.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 27 January 2017.

Snakes are revered by Hindus in India and these snake charmers are believed to be followers of Lord Shiva who is portrayed with a king cobra around his neck. Snake charmers used to be a regular fixture at Indian bazaars and festivals and they would often be the main source of medicines in cases of snake bite.
But, the centuries-old tradition is slowly dying out because the authorities want to enforce wildlife protection laws, and after an outright ban on the practice in 1991. Added to that is modernity - the age old tradition is being elbowed out and the saperas do not. Plenty of alternate entertainment options are now available.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Restaurant offering only organic food opens in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

A restaurant that is offering only organic food has opened in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. It is the brain child of three former collegemates-turned entrepreneurs. They have taken the fad for healthy food by this unique restaurant. They claim it to be a unique, first-of-its-kind concept.
The restaurant is a 114-seater fine dining restaurant and uses 100 per cent certified organic ingredients. The ingredients are procured from vendors who have been certified for their processes.
The restaurant itself has been certified by Vedic Organic, an agency mandated by the APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority).
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 27 January 2017.

The joint will serve buffet and thali and the plan is to also market organic food items, both sourced from vendors and other branded players in the market. The company has already invested ₹2.5 crore on the restaurant. As per plans, by mid-April, a separate restaurant that will serve organic non-vegetarian food will also be opened in the same building. Subsequently, they plan to open 15 more restaurants in the next one year and expand their reach to Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai.
Their plan also includes catering to the corporate clients and dishing out organic sweets, packed in earthen pots, apart from namkeens.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Florida outsources snake catching jobs - hires two snake hunters of Tamil Nadu for $68,888

India is known for snake charmers and their ability to catch snakes is also being appreciated by Florida because the Florida wildlife officials have outsourced the job of catching Burmese pythons to people of the Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu.
Two Indian snake hunters have been hired by Florida wildlife officials and their job is to get rid of the pythons, which are wiping out small mammal populations and driving some of them to near extinction in a tropical wetland in the US state.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 27 January 2017.

The two snake catchers, both in their 50s, were inducted along with two translators. They have to work with detection dogs to track down and capture the giant snakes. The commission says it paid USD 68,888 to hire the Irula men and their translators and fly them to South Florida from their home in southern India and they will stay in Florida through February.
It seems their success rate has surprised the officals of Florida Fish and Wildlfe Conservation Commission (FWC) - in just eight days, they bagged as many as 13 pythons. One of the catch was a 16-foot-long female. Four of these were on their first visit to Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge on North Key Largo in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

 

New Zealand is the least corrupt country in the world

Transparency International has placed New Zealand on top of the list of least corrupt countries and thus, New Zealand has reclaimed its ranking which it had lost.
It had been on top of the the index for seven consecutive years until 2013 - it fell to second position in in 2014 and to fourth in 2015. This prompted the anti-corruption organisation to warn that the Government was at risk of becoming "complacent" in tackling corruption.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 25 January 2017.

As per Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index for 2016, New Zealand scored 90 points out of 100 and it secured first - place to be equal with Denmark. A total of 176 countries were considered. The index draws on up to 13 surveys "covering expert assessments and views of businesspeople" to compile its rankings. Some of the criteria are press freedom, public access to official information, fundamental rights and the absence of corruption.
Justice Minister of New Zealand has credited the ranking to a number of Government initiatives like new bribery offences, ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, reviewing extradition laws and fast-tracking anti-money laundering reforms.

The top 10 in the list are -

1 Denmark and New Zealand

3 Finland

4 Sweden

5 Switzerland

6 Norway

7 Singapore

8 Netherlands

9 Canada

10 Germany, Luxembourg and United Kingdom

India's score was 40 - a two point improvement over the figure of 2015 which was 38.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Theresa May to gift Donald Trump a quaich when she meets him in the Oval Office

British Prime Minister Theresa May is going to the White House with gifts for her hosts. The gifts include a hamper full of produce from Chequers, the PM's country retreat in Buckinghamshire for First Lady Melania Trump.
Theresa May will also carry an engraved 'quaich' which is a traditional two-handled Scottish drinking cup or bowl for Donald Trump, the President, when she meets him in the Oval Office as announced by 10 Downing Street.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 26 January 2017.

The 'quaich' should be a delight for the President, whose mother was from Scotland and who is proud of his tartan roots. But, the 45th President of the US doesn't drink alcohol. He never has. Of course, he is not the first teetotal US president. George W Bush gave up alcohol having been a heavy drinker in his youth.
The reason for Donald Trump to become a teetotaler is because his brother Fred had died at 42 from alcoholism. Brief information on the gifts have been furnished by Downing Street - the hamper for Melania would contain "a range of produce including Chequers apple juice, damson jam and marmalade, as well as Bakewell tarts and cranberry and white chocolate shorties".
Incidentally, the Quaich is described as an ancient Scottish artefact and its form has not changed for centuries. The term "Quaich" originated in the mid-16th century from the Scottish Gaelic word "cuach" which means cup.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Rail disaster involving more than 700 passengers averted on Madgaon-Dadar Jan Shatabdi

It was a narrow escape for more than 700 passengers on the Madgaon-Dadar Jan Shatabdi Express when the train halted just 30 metres short of a heavy obstacle placed on the railway track. It was a 380-Kg piece of rail and it was over seven metres long. It had been kept on the train's path near Diva station.
The train was moving at 15-Kmph but if it had hit the rail, it might have derailed. It the train had been at speed., the result would have been a major disaster.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 26 January 2017.

It had the appearance of a meticulously planned and executed job and it is believed that some people had placed the heavy rail within 17 minutes of two trains passing through the spot. Normally, when a piece of metal touches both rails of a track, a circuit gets activated and the signal turns red. In order to prevent this, a lot of soil had been applied on the rail which would indicate some knowledgeable persons.
GRP suspects that at least four men were involved in the incident otherwise it would have been difficult to lift a 380kg object. The railway police are probing the terror angle as a couple of recent derailments in north India pointed to the role of terrorists.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Historic high-rise building in Tehran collapses, kills at least 30 firefighters

A 17-storey Plasco building, a historic high-rise in the heart of Tehran caught fire and later collapsed killing at least 30 firefighters. The disaster was inadvertently shown live on state television and happened in spite of the authorities repeatedly warning the tenants about blocking stairwells with fabric from cramped garment workshops located on its upper floors.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 20 January 2017.

It was not clear how many people were in the steel-and-concrete building at the time of the incident. The fire appeared to be the most intense on the upper floors - it was the location of workshops where tailors cooked for themselves and used old kerosene heaters for warmth.
President Hassan Rouhani has ordered his Interior Minister to investigate the disaster.
The Plasco building was one of the first high-rise to come up against the backdrop of Mount Damavand. It was started in 1962 and was the first privately owned tower to be built during the era of the US-backed shah, when oil money fueled the capital's rapid development. The tower was the tallest in Tehran at that time and was just north of the sprawling Grand Bazaar. It got its name from the plastics manufacturing company that was owned by its builder who was an Iranian Jewish businessman.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Tamil Nadu traders will not sell foreign brand of soft drinks from 1 March

Tamil Nadu traders are taking a derision of not selling foreign brand of soft drinks from 1 March but switch over to Indian brands. Towards this end, they will devote the whole of February to educating traders and consumers about the shortcomings of these foreign brands.
The foreign brands do more harm than good to the body. Recently, one of the brands admitted that it was not suitable for children and that it contained certain harmful chemicals.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 25 January 2017.

During the recent protest by students demanding conduct of jallikattu, many of the youngsters sought a ban on these soft drinks because these draw our groundwater and take the profits outside the country. Hence, this campaign to ban foreign branded soft drinks. Restaurants will also be approached to refrain from selling these brands.
Moreover, a particular brand of milk manufactured by an MNC is also under the scanner - a hotelier has indicated that he would shift over to Indian brands.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

On its 250th anniversary, the Survey of India (SOI) to measure the height of Mount Everest

To celebrate its 250th anniversary, the Survey of India (SOI) olans to measure the height of Mount Everest. The SOI is an organization that was established in 1767 to map the subcontinent for the East India Company and it continues to remain India's principal mapping agency.
After the Nepal earthquake of 2015, there have been a speculation that the natural disaster may have moved the peak.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 25 January 2017.

The Survey of India (SOI) will make use of modern satellite-linked instruments and traditional trigonometry to determine the peak's altitude. This is currently documented through multiple surveys at 8,848 metres (29,029 feet) above sea level.
The new Everest-measurement exercise will depend on two techniques - (i) some scientists will climb the peak and use global positioning system (GPS) instruments to measure its altitude (ii) others will use high-school trigonometry techniques to measure the altitude from surrounding locations in the Himalayas.
Mount Everest was first granted the title of the world's highest peak in 1856 after nearly two years of observations by SOI scientists and others. Subsequently, many other agencies have measured the height of the mountain's peak and the value has remained constant.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Bengal gets UNESCO approval for its cottage industry products - sitalpati, madur and shalpata plate

Bengal has received UNESCO approval for two of its cottage industry products - the sitalpati and madur — and the shalpata plate. This is the culmination of the efforts of the government to revive the traditional arts and crafts of Bengal.
The UNESCO approval is an international recognitionunder the category of traditional handicrafts.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 23 January 2017.

The West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board has been trying to revive and promote products like the sitalpati, madur, shalpata plates and other such traditional Bengali handicraft items. They have recently received a message from UNESCO recognizing these handicraft items.
Madur is made from madur sticks that are primarily produced in East and West Midnapore. The sitalpati sticks, on the other hand, are produced in areas of Cooch Behar. Due to lack of product promotions, artisans had to sell these products at a low cost. As a result, the industry was dying a slow death. Artisans are now trained and provided with platforms to sell their products directly to consumers. These platforms are the fairs and exhibitions that are organized across the state.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Microplastics ingested through sea food is a major health hazard

Seafood eaters are unknowingly absorbing tiny pieces of plastic into their bloodstream and these have effects that are yet to be established. This is as per a research carried out by University of Ghent in Belgium. Such plastics that measure less than a millimetre across, are widely found in mussels, oysters and other shellfish.
Scientists have calculated that more than 99% of the microplastics pass through the human body - but the rest are absorbed by body tissues.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 24 January 2017.

As per the findings of researchers, Europeans currently consume up to 11,000 pieces of plastic in their food each year and fewer than 60 of these are likely to be absorbed and accumulate in the body over a period of time. However, the amount of plastic absorbed from our food will keep going up as plastic pollution in the ocean gets worse.
Incidentally, mussels feed by filtering around 20 litres of seawater a day and ingest microplastics by accident. Most of these are excreted, but, still, on an average each mussel contains one tiny fragment lodged in its body tissue. With the increase of plastic pollution in the ocean that will increase.
It has been predicted that by the end of the century, those who regularly eat seafood could be consuming 780,000 pieces of plastic a year, absorbing 4,000 of them from their digestive systems.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Bihar to go in for egg production in a big way to meet the shortfall of eggs

Under a new plan, Bihar will go in for production of eggs on a large scale - these eggs will generate both money and employment in the state. The daily requirement of eggs in the state was 2.8 crore and it was producing only 10 lakh eggs per day. Obviously, there is a large scope to tap this market.
More than 2000 people from eight districts have shown interest. They are from Siwan, Gopalganj, Bhojpur, Buxar and have submitted applications to the Centre for Incubation and Entrepreneurship of Bihar Vidyapeeth to avail of assistance in developing an egg production unit.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 24 January 2017.

Bihar is dependent on Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for eggs and plans to make good the shortfall by producing them in the state itself. The eggs that are procured are kept in cold storages which makes them not as good as fresh eggs.
As per plans, entrepreneurs have to invest Rs 10-12 lakh to start the unit and the balance would be in the form of loans - this can be up to 90 per cent of the investment.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Feeding the homeless people in Chennai by recycling wasted food

The `No Food Waste' project in Chennai is a crusade against food-waste that can stave off hunger for many of the homeless inhabitants. It will be working with Greater Chennai Corporation to accomplish this objective.
Under the program, the group will receive untouched leftover food from collection points across cities and distribute it to the homeless - it will concentrate on localities that have quite a few of them. The city is being mapped for `hunger spots' which are those areas that have several clusters of homeless population.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 24 January 2017.

The project is at present channelling tonnes of untouched leftover food to the needy in cities like Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Trichy in the state and in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Due to this unique scheme, the homeless of Chennai may get a dignified way to satisfy their hunger and would no longer have to scavenge for throwaways in dumpsters.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20