Over 5000 DMK members arrested on wednesday

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On Wednesday, over 5000 DMK members, including MPs Kanimozhi, TKS Elango-van, AKS Vijayan and Helen Davidson, courted arrest after holding demonstrations in protest against the detention of over 100 fishermen of Nagapattinam and their 18 trawlers in north Sri Lanka.

While the protestors alleged that the TN fishermen were taken by the Sri Lankan navy, reports from the island said they were apprehended by Tamil fishermen in Jaffna. All the arrested protestors were released in the evening. That the TN fishermen and their trawlers were apprehended at sea by their Lankan counterparts and not the island navy was acknowledged even by pro-LTTE website TamilNet which justified the seizure.

The TN fishermen used bottom-trawlers which “destroyed the livelihood of Eezham fishermen… in spite of repeated complaints by the local fishermen over a long period of time,” said TamilNet, adding that the TN fishermen would not dare to venture into the Eezham waters when the Sea Tigers, the navy wing of the LTTE, was operating.

Five persons chosen for Dr. Ambedkar Award

Five persons chosen for Dr. Ambedkar Award!

Indian Science Monitor, a non-profit institute here involved in promoting scientific temper, has chosen five persons for Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Award for Excellence 2010.

They are E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, MP (for contributions in the field of political science); R.W. Alexander Jesudasan, principal, Madras Christian College (research in entomology); K. Ramachandran, Post Master General (innovative activities in postal services); S. Velvizhi, Senior Scientist, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Nagapattinam, (popularising and streamlining marine-based livelihood options to rural communities); and D. Dayalan, Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India (integrating electronic and digital technology in archaeological interpretation).

Speaking at a function organised here on Wednesday in this connection, former judge of the Supreme Court S. Mohan appealed for societal recognition of intellectuals and scientists.

“It is unfortunate that they do not get the recognition they deserve while politicians, cine actors and even blackmarketeers get all the publicity,” he lamented.

Justice Mohan said that “shabby treatment” meted out to the intellectual community resulted in brain drain.

T.K.V. Rajan, founder-director, ISM, said the objective of this institute was to transmit relevant scientific data from ancient, mediaeval and modern science to the scientists and concerned citizens. It also aimed at generating awareness among the public of the impact of science and technology on society.

Galle-Matara railway line opens today

Galle-Matara railway line opens today!

At 12.50 p.m., when a train on the Galle-Matara railway line crossed 100 kmph speed, it marked a first for the Sri Lankan Railway. Never in the past has a Sri Lankan train done those speeds.

This was possible after a major upgradation by the Indian public sector entity, IRCON. The modernised Galle-Matara railway track was inaugurated on Wednesday afternoon, ushering in a new era in speed for Sri Lankan Railways.

A line of credit of $167.4 million was extended by India for the rehabilitation of the Colombo-Matara rail link. Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha in August had ceremonially inaugurated the work on Sri Lanka’s southern coastal railway line.

The first train was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama and Mr. Kantha. They also travelled on the train to Matara.

Merely 15 minutes after Galle, it hit a speed of 100 km per hour. It completed the distance in just over 30 minutes, a gain of 15 minutes.

The rail lines, which were damaged during the 2004 tsunami have been upgraded with the assistance of Government of India.

Train service between Matara and Galle was suspended for the last six months for carrying out the modernisation work.

Under the 2nd stage of this project the railway track from Galle to Hikkaduwa will be modernised. Hikkaduwa to Kalutara South and Kalutara South to Maradana will be modernised under the 3rd and 4th stages respectively.

Reading a national newspaper is important for IAS aspirants

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Reading a national newspaper is important for the aspirants of civil services examinations, according to B. Ramasamy, social scientist and Director, RIAS Civil Services Academy, New Delhi.

Delivering a special lecture at the IAS coaching programme organised by J.K. Rithish Kumar, Member of Parliament, Ramanathapuram, at Mohamed Sathak Engineering College in Kilakarai on Tuesday, he said during his last 15 years of conducting coaching and training programme to civil service aspirants he had found that those who were familiar with day-to-day affairs had come up with flying colours in civil services examinations.

They could be familiar with the current affairs only by reading national newspapers. It would be immensely useful in preliminary, main and interview stages.

“For IAS aspirants, national newspaper is like a text book. If they undertake the reading in a dedicated manner, I think they have a bright chance,” Mr. Ramasamy said.

Stating that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had effected a major change in the pattern of examinations for civil services, he said the pattern, which mostly benefited by the upper middleclass people particularly doctors, engineers during the last six decades, had been changed so to benefit all citizens of India.

All people irrespective of rich, poor, crossing barriers of caste, religion should come forward to reap the benefits of new pattern.

“Write extensively”

Mr. Ramasamy said the second foremost important work for aspirants was to write extensively on various aspects.

They must work hard to write so as to get good marks in descriptive aspects. If anyone wanted to become an IAS and IPS officer, he or she should preserve the school books and notes for reference.

They would be immensely helpful to them for scoring good marks.

While pointing out that many aspirants, who did well in preliminary and main examinations, had been forced out of the race due to lack of interpersonal skills, logical reasoning abilities, and communication skills in the personality test (interview). They should strive hard to know about their own native areas, India and the country’s relationship with the neighbouring countries.

Mr. Rithish Kumar said he was of the view that civil services was better than any other profession. It was a dream for many.

The programme was to motivate the people of Ramanathapuram constituency to take up civil services examinations.

T.N. Hariharan, Collector, S.M. Hamid Abdul Quadir, Chairman, Mohamed Sathak Trust, S.M. Yousuf, Executive Director, A.J. Habeeb, Faizal Abdul Cader, Directors, Mohamed Sathak institutions, Syed Abu Thaheer, Principal, Mohamed Sathak Engineering College took part.

Blood pressure drug cause Kidney failure for stroke patients

Blood pressure drug cause Kidney failure for stroke patients!

A Norwegian study of 2,000 stroke patients, who had high blood pressure, found that more of those treated with the drug candesartan suffered from kidney failure than those who were not given it. More also suffered symptoms due to low blood pressure, such as dizziness.

The academics from Oslo University concluded that administering candesartan, which belongs to the family of drugs called angiotensin-receptor blockers, did not give any benefit to the patients “and may actually be harmful”, the Lancet reports.

Candesartan is sometimes given to stroke patients to lower blood pressure, which reduces the chances of another event, according to the Telegraph.

However, they said the differences in harmful outcomes between those given the drug and those not was not statistically significant.

Besides, the actual numbers who suffered these side effects was small. Only 18 of the candesartan group suffered kidney failure, compared to 13 in the placebo group; while the figures for low blood pressure symptoms were nine and five respectively.

Elspeth McAusland, of The Stroke Association, UK, said: “This research suggests that stroke physicians should avoid using blood pressure lowering medication at this stage, however more research needs to be done in this area.”

Australia ready to win 4th World Cup: Tait

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Australian paceman Shaun Tait insists that his team has regained its lost aura and is poised to win a record fourth World Cup title despite predictions to the contrary.

Australia have not made a very good start to the campaign though, losing by 38 runs to India in a practice match on Sunday.

But Tait feels there are hardly any weaknesses in the team.

“We had the wood over England in the one day series, we’re the No.1 ranked team in the world in one day cricket, so to be fair, it’s hard to find weaknesses,” Tait told the World Cup edition of the ‘Wisden Cricketer’ magazine.

“It’s just been an all-round effort lately, there’ve been a couple of nice games where the bowlers have kept England to a low score and the batters have got the job done.

“Our fielding’s been really good and for a long time the Australian team has been the best fielding side in the world.

And we talk about the aura the Australian team has always had, I think we’ve got that back now, I think we’ll be going into (the World Cup) with a solid aura about us, and I think teams will be wary of the Australian team again, for sure,” he added.

Tait said the Aussies were not intimidated by any of the rivals that await them at the World Cup.

“I wouldn’t say we fear anyone, but I think there are some good teams out there,” he said.

“Because of the conditions on the subcontinent the Sri Lankans and the Indians are going to be dangerous for sure, and I think overall as a one-day team South Africa are pretty dangerous,” he added.

State plans “grading” system for engineering colleges

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  The state government which is in deep trouble over the fee reimbursement arrears that amount to nearly `3,500 crore, is once again talking about a “grading” system for engineering colleges apparently to rein in the college managements. To this effect, it has directed the high-power committee set up for the purpose to grade the colleges within two weeks.

The managements, meanwhile, see it as an “arm-twisting tactic” adopted by the government to create panic among the colleges which are demanding the fee reimbursement arrears.

The government had appointed a three-member high-power committee in August last year to grade the colleges based on their faculty and infrastructure after it received several complaints that majority of the engineering colleges in the state had failed to comply with the AICTE norms despite running for several years.

Sources said that the government wants to grade engineering colleges into four categories. Top colleges will be graded “category A” and average colleges “category B”. The remaining below-average colleges will be graded as “C” and the rest will fall under the D category which are “unfit” to run classes.

The government plans to release fee reimbursement arrears on priority basis to colleges depending on the grades. While A-grade colleges will get 100 per cent of the arrears, the B-grade ones will get 50 per cent and the C-grade colleges will get 25 per cent arrears immediately. The D-grade colleges will be issued notices to comply with the minimum norms to claim the funds.

As per official estimates, less than 70 colleges out of 700 engineering colleges in the state fall under “category A”. A major chunk of the colleges are sub-standard and can be “checked” while releasing the funds.

Sources said that the government wants to bring to the notice of the Supreme Court the existing “ground realities” in colleges with regard to the quality of engineering education being offered to students after claiming huge amounts from the government. This will be done as part of its affidavit to be filed before the SC within four weeks.

Indian rupee gains 13 paise against the U.S. dollar

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  The Indian rupee gained 13 paise to Rs 45.55 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange on Monday, supported by a higher opening in the stock market and weakness of the greenback against other Asian currencies. The rupee had gained 4 paise against the US dollar to close at Rs 45.68/69 in the previous session on Friday.

  Dealers said in addition to dollar weakness against other Asian currencies overseas, a higher opening in the stock market supported the rupee sentiment today. The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex shot up by 211.55 points, or 1.19 per cent, to 17,940.16 in opening trade on Monday.

Nokia and Microsoft joins to boost smartphone sale

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World’s largest cellphone maker Nokia and software giant Microsoft will form a broad strategic partnership, a move that will help them to fight stiff competition from rivals Apple and Google in the smartphone market.

The partnership, announced today, would see Nokia adopting Microsoft’s Windows Phone as its main smartphone platform. The two entities would form a “broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem,” Nokia said in a statement.

Both companies have good presence in India. Faced with intense competition from Apple and Google, the Finnish major has seen its smartphone market share going down in recent times. The latest partnership move comes a few months after a former Microsoft veteran Stephen Elop took over the reins of Nokia.

According to the statement, Nokia would contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a wide range of price points, market segments and geographies. Apart from using Microsoft’s Bing search engine across its devices and services, Nokia would also collaborate on joint marketing initiatives.

“Nokia and Microsoft will combine our strengths to deliver an ecosystem with unrivalled global reach and scale. It’s now a three-horse race,” Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop said. Microsoft CEO Steven A. Ballmer said the partnership provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation and a proven ability to execute.

Further, Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services and the software giant’s development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones.

Reliance Comm accused the old GSM operators caused loss of Rs. 1 lakh crore to govt

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Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Communication today accused the old GSM operators for “unscrupulously” causing revenue loss of over Rs. 1 lakh crore to the government during 2001 to 2010.
The company alleged that old GSM operators cornered excess spectrum beyond 6.2 Mhz and caused the loss to the government through other fraudulent misrepresentations as well from time to time.
While it has not named any operators, old GSM operators include Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular.
“The old 2G operators, by active and fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment of material facts from the government, have unscrupulously caused the National Exchequer staggering losses of over Rs. 1,00,000 crore, during the period 2001 to 2010,” RCom Chief Executive Officer (Wireless Business) Syed Safawi said in a statement, and demanded that the CBI must investigate into these irregularities by the old GSM operators.
He said that spectrum was hoarded illegally in excess of 6.2 MHz in active connivance with certain DoT officials and it has extensively been documented and commented upon in successive reports, which form part of the ongoing investigations by the CBI, under the monitoring of the Supreme Court.
The CAG’s report of 2010, Justice Shivraj Patil report of January 20011, TRAI reports of May 2010 and February 2011 and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal’s recent public statements, have identified these anomalies in the recent past, he said.
TRAI had also pointed out that some operators were holding 2G spectrum in the “superior” 900 MHz band and has proposed that airwaves in this band should be priced at 1.5 times the cost of spectrum in 1,800 MHz band, for which the regulator has recommended six-fold jump in its prices last week.
The loss of revenue to the government by the old 2G operators, on account of excess spectrum alone, has been computed at figures of as high as a shocking over Rs. 55,000 crore.
Several of these old 2G operators had also secured the prized and most valuable original eight licences for 2G in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai in 1994-95, on a nominated basis, without any auction and by nearly zero payment of licence fees, he said.
For instance 2G licences for a Delhi and Mumbai licence were less than Rs. 200 crore compared to the recent 3G auction of over Rs. 7,000 crore for a licence in these two cities.
He also pointed out that the old 2G metro operators, by “misrepresentation of facts, and in active connivance with certain DoT employees”, obtained an extension and doubling of their licence period from the stipulated 10 years to an unprecedented 20 years, with zero payment of additional licence fees.
“These old 2G operators immediately sold stakes in their companies to foreigners, and encashed thousands of crores of rupees as illegal profits, in identical manner as has been adversely commented upon in the CAG’s report of 2010, in relation to stake sales for 2G licenses issued in 2008,” Mr. Safawi said.

3 children burnt alive

3 children burnt alive!

3 children of a family were charred to death when a fire broke out in the slums here, police said today. The fire broke out when a burning kerosene lamp fell down inside a house in Karbigahiya area near Patna junction late last night, they said adding the blaze soon engulfed the slums.

The three children of the family who were roasted alive were identified as Raja (9), Badal (8) and Banjat (8). The inferno was later brought under control as fire engines were pressed into service.

மத்திய போலீஸ் தேர்வு: மார்ச் 14-ல் உடல் தகுதி தேர்வு

மத்திய போலீஸ் தேர்வு: மார்ச் 14-ல் உடல் தகுதி தேர்வு!

சென்னை, பிப். 11: பணியாளர்கள் தேர்வாணையம் மூலம் நடைபெற உள்ள மத்திய பாதுகாப்பு படை போலீஸ் தேர்வுக்கு மார்ச் 14-ம் தேதி உடல் தகுதித் தேர்வு தொடங்க உள்ளதாக ஆணையத்தின் தலைவர் என்.கே. ரகுபதி தெரிவித்தார்.

இது குறித்து சென்னையில் செய்தியாளர்களிடம் வெள்ளிக்கிழமை அவர் கூறியது:

நாடு முழுவதும் எல்லை பாதுகாப்புப் படை, மத்திய ரிசர்வ் போலீஸ் படை, மத்திய தொழில் பாதுகாப்பு படை, ஆயுத எல்லை காவல் படை உள்ளிட்ட மத்திய பாதுகாப்பு படைகளுக்காக 53 ஆயிரத்து 200 போலீஸôர், பணியாளர்கள் தேர்வாணையம் மூலம் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட உள்ளனர்.

இதற்கு முன்பு அந்தந்த மத்திய காவல் படை நிறுவனங்களே தங்களுக்குத் தேவையான ஆள்களை தேர்வு செய்து வந்தன. நக்ஸல் பாதிப்பு அதிகம் உள்ள பிகார், ஜார்க்கண்ட், மேற்கு வங்கம், சத்தீஸ்கர், மத்தியப் பிரதேசம், உத்தரப்பிரதேசம், ஆந்திரம் உள்ளிட்ட மாநிலங்களில் நக்ஸல் பாதுகாப்புப் படைக்கென 11 ஆயிரத்து 231 பேரும், எல்லை பாதுகாப்பு படைக்காக 5 ஆயிரத்து 947 பேரும் இப்போது தேர்வு செய்யப்பட உள்ளவர்களில் அடங்குவர். தமிழ்நாட்டுக்கென 1,827 பணியிடங்கள் ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இந்த பணிகளுக்கு வேறு மாநிலத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர்கள் விண்ணப்பிக்க முடியாது.

தேர்வு கட்டணம் ரூ. 50: இத்தேர்வுக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க விரும்புபவர்கள் 10-ம் வகுப்பு தேர்ச்சி பெற்றவர்களாகவும், 18 வயதில் இருந்து 23 வயது நிரம்பியவர்களாகவும் இருக்க வேண்டும். இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பினர் (ஓ.பி.சி.) 26 வயதுக்குள்ளும், ஆதிதிராவிடர், பழங்குடி வகுப்பினர் 28 வயதுக்குள்ளும் இருக்க வேண்டும். தேர்வு கட்டணம் ரூ. 50.

இந்த பணத்தை தபால் அலுவலகங்களில் தபால் முத்திரைக் கட்டணமாக (இதஊ நபஅஙட) செலுத்த வேண்டும். ஆதிதிராவிடர், பழங்குடி வகுப்பினர், அனைத்து வகுப்பு பெண்கள் ஆகியோர் தேர்வுக் கட்டணம் ஏதும் செலுத்த வேண்டியதில்லை. மேலும் ஆதிதிராவிடர், பழங்குடி வகுப்பு ஆண்கள் 162.5 செ.மீ. உயரமும், மற்ற பிரிவு ஆண்கள் 170 செ.மீ. உயரமும், பெண்கள் 157 செ.மீ உயரமும், ஆதிதிராவிடர், பழங்குடி வகுப்பு பெண்கள் 150 செ.மீ. உயரம் இருந்தால் இத்தேர்வுக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க முடியும். விண்ணப்பங்கள் வரும் மார்ச் 4-ம் தேதிக்குள் வந்து சேரும் வகையில் அனுப்ப வேண்டும்.

அனுப்ப வேண்டிய முகவரி: மண்டல இயக்குனர், தென் மண்டலம், பணியாளர்கள் தேர்வாணையம், ஈ.வி.கே. சம்பத் மாளிகை, கல்லூரி சாலை, சென்னை-6 என்ற முகவரிக்கு அனுப்ப வேண்டும்.

இணையதளம் வாயிலாக...: விண்ணப்பங்களை ஜ்ஜ்ஜ்.ள்ள்ஸ்ரீ.ய்ண்ஸ்ரீ.ண்ய், ஜ்ஜ்ஜ்.ள்ள்ஸ்ரீள்ழ்.ஞ்ர்ஸ்.ண்ய் ஆகிய இணையதளங்களில் இருந்து பதிவிறக்கம் செய்து கொள்ளலாம்.

மேலும் (ஜ்ஜ்ஜ்.ள்ள்ஸ்ரீ.ர்ய்ப்ண்ய்ங்.ய்ண்ஸ்ரீ.ண்ய்) என்ற இணையதள முகவரியில் இணையதளம் வாயிலாகவும் விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம். இணையதளம் வாயிலாக விண்ணப்பிப்பவர்கள் தேர்வுக் கட்டணத்தை பாரத ஸ்டேட் வங்கியின் பண அட்டை (க்ங்க்ஷண்ற்ஸ்ரீஹழ்க்) மூலம் செலுத்தலாம். மற்ற வங்கி பண அட்டைதாரர்கள் பாரத ஸ்டேட் வங்கியில் செலான் எடுத்து அந்த செலான் எண்ணை குறிப்பிட வேண்டும்.

தேர்வுகள்: முதல் கட்டமாக இந்தியா முழுவதும் வரும் மார்ச் 14-ம் தேதி உடல் தகுதி தேர்வு நடைபெற உள்ளது. தமிழகத்தில் சென்னை, மதுரையில் நடத்த திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதில் தேர்ச்சி பெறுபவர்கள் எழுத்துத் தேர்வுக்கு அனுமதிக்கப்படுவார்கள்.

எழுத்துத் தேர்வை பொறுத்தவரை 2 கட்டமாக நடத்த முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. தொழில் பாதுகாப்புப்படை, அசாம் படைப்பிரிவுக்கு விண்ணப்பிப்பவர்களுக்கு மே 1-ம் தேதியும், இதர பாதுகாப்பு படைகளுக்கு விண்ணப்பிப்பவர்களுக்கு ஜூன் 5-ம் தேதி எழுத்து தேர்வு நடைபெறும்.

இது குறித்த மேலும் விவரங்களுக்கு... 94451 95946 என்ற செல்போன் எண்ணிலோ, 044-2825 1139 என்ற தொலைபேசி எண்ணிலோ தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம் என்றார் ரகுபதி.

Bharti, Google joins together to encourage education in rural India

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  Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises, on Monday said it has received $5 million funding by search engine giant Google to support its Satya Bharti schools.
  “Google will provide financial support of $5 million to upgrade and support 50 Satya Bharti elementary schools, run by the Bharti Foundation,” Bharti Enterprises Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Rakesh Bharti Mittal told reporters here.
  These schools, present in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, will now be named Satya Elementary schools, he added.
“Globally, Google donates about $150 million every year to support various initiatives on education, healthcare, etc. This is our first such initiative in India and we hope to continue the good work,” Google Chief Business Officer Nikesh Arora said.
  Bharti Foundation provides education to underprivileged children in rural areas. It runs 236 primary schools and one senior secondary school. Going forward, an additional 15 primary and four senior secondary schools are scheduled to be opened in the next academic year.

LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA TO ACTOR VIJAY

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Dear Vijay Sir,

We were eager to contact you to confirm the news that you are back in 3 Idiots. After seeing that news we were excited and jumped with joy. If the news is true we will celebrate this in Australia as a festival. We prayed in all the temples that we need you to act in 3 Idiots. We have contacted the entire fan members in Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane and we, as fans, kindly request you to accept the offer of 3 Idiots and we assure that it will be the biggest hit in your career than Gilli and Kathalukku Mariyathai. We have seen that you thanked online fans, and if you want to do anything for your fans, please accept this 3 Idiots and adjust your dates and do whatever Shankar sir says; please we need to see you reach great heights.
We also request you to release the trailer in Australia and Australian Vijay fans club will take the full responsibility and expense. If you confirmed 3 Idiots, we will make it big in Australia. We have also decided to donate meals for 500 poor children in India on the day of its release. Please accept the 3 Idiots and this is what everyone of your fans expect from you sir.

With lots of Love,
Vijay fans Club, Australia.
323, Bell Street, pascoevale South, Melbourne, Victoria-3064.
Australia.
pearlkg2010@gmail.com