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THE CONTACT WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ISSUE - 672, 21 - 27 JUNE 2016 PH: (905) 671 - 4761

ISIS FIGHTERS IN LIBYA ARE USING PREGNANT WOMEN AS HUMAN SHIELDS AIR ATTACK: A Libyan Hind helicopter. Left: Area of Sirte where jihadis are trapped

ALERTS: British soldiers monitor a hand-held device

British special forces have corralled hundreds of Islamic State jihadis in ‘kill boxes’ in the besieged Libyan city of Sirte, but the desperate fanatics are using pregnant women and girls as human shields to prevent them storming the town.

Elite commandos from the SAS and SBS – the Special Boat Service – secretly co-ordinated attacks by land, sea and air to overpower IS fighters, retaking control of a crucial oil port in the terror group’s last bastion in Libya. The British forces, working jointly with US Navy Seals, deployed drones and high-tech infra-red cameras to locate hundreds of jihadis who have run the city as an extremist caliphate for the past 18 months.

Reports are only now starting to emerge of how, last Saturday, during a surprise assault, the special forces working with the Libyan army, air force and coastguard guided fighter

BRIT FORCES CORNER JIHADI FIGHTERS IN LIBYA’S ‘KILL BOXES’

bombers and helicopter gunships on a series of raids that destroyed target buildings where there were clusters of IS militants, driving them into the open. Russian-made Hind attack helicopters then strafed the jihadis as they made for the harbour. Coastguard vessels

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blocked any possible escape by sea, and ground troops drove in under sniper fire, building a new frontline with sand berms.

Airborne and land-based equipment managed by remote control had guided in a Mirage

fighter jet that dropped two 500lb bombs and two MiGs that dropped up to six bombs.

By the early hours of the following day, the jihadis were cornered in multiple ‘kill boxes’ within an urban area of six square

miles. British and American strategists are now working with Libyan field commanders to determine the next move.

The parts of Sirte still under IS control are the last remaining areas held by the terror group in Libya.

Among the armed IS fighters and snipers positioned on rooftops, the sophisticated spotter cameras used by the SBS could make out the outlines of women and children being held as hostages by the fanatics, presenting the coalition forces with a dilemma.

A senior military adviser who has knowledge of the top-secret operations, said: ‘Storming the kill boxes is a tempting option Continued on Page 2

Issue - 672 (2)

21 June - 27 June 2016

British man charged over attempt to kill Donald Trump at rally

LOS ANGELES A 19-year-old Britsh man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer’s gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday’s rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered.

It said the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas “to kill Trump,” and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before.

“Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump’s life,” the complaint said.

It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he “would try again to kill Trump” in the event his plan in Las

Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back.

The prosecutor’s office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk.

Britain’s Foreign Office is “providing assistance” in the case, a spokesman said.

The complaint said Sandford had told investigators he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California.

It said Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob’s gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors.

“Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again,” according to the complaint.

BRIT FORCES CORNER JIHADI...

Continued from Page 1 for the Libyan military forces, who are desperate to get IS out of their country. But there would be risks to families they are holding hostage.

‘If our hands were not tied by UN Security Council sanctions against training and equipping these former militias we would be confident of a speedy victory in the sort of undercover operation we are trained for.

‘Instead, the best option might be to starve them out. We calculate these fighters will run out of ammo, food and water within a month.

‘The worrying risk is that they would use the time to plant landmines and IEDs in buildings and homes, even in piles of rubble. That is the way they operate.’

A nearby power plant that was retaken from IS in recent months is still a no-go area, riddled with booby-trap explosives.

About 100 SBS and US Navy Seals personnel are directing

For over 600 NRIs, realty dream turns sour GURGAON Virendra Jain, an NRI businessman based in the US, was in India in 2010 for his daughter’s wedding when he came across a newspaper advertisement about a real estate project promising assured returns.

Upbeat about the growing Indian economy, Jain invested Rs 60 lakh in commercial real estate project Spire Edge of AN Buildwell in Manesar hoping to get fixed rental income and return to India.

But his dream of returning to his motherland with guaranteed fixed income has been dashed in a long-drawn legal battle with the

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developer. He curses his decision to invest in real estate in India and is now forced to make several unscheduled trips to this country to pursue his legal fight against

the developer.

“I will now think several times before finally returning to India and make any investment in this country,” said Jain. Jain is not alone. There are over 600 NRI investors who are struggling to get their property several years after investment in the Spire Edge commercial project that was launched in 2008.

“We never thought that some

operations from bases in Malta and Cyprus, and from the Libyan city of Misrata, around 150 miles from Sirte.

British reconnaissance teams are also deployed a few miles from Sirte, scanning for IS targets.

During the operation on Saturday, the SBS used state-of-the-art imaging on cameras mounted on airborne drones and land vehicles that enabled them to see accurate details within Sirte.

The heat-seeking equipment provides such detailed images that the special forces were able to make out about 650 men with weapons, and many unarmed people being held hostage.

Among them were several pregnant girls.

The British-made equipment used in the operation is the most sophisticated available. The source said it made earlier heatseeking devices ‘look like Stone Age tools’.

As Libyan Brigade fighters advanced, the resistance from IS fighters was intense. The forces

of the UN-backed Libyan Government suffered 35 fatalities and 55 wounded.

Unusually, about 12 IS fighters were captured and are now under interrogation in the holding cells of a military command centre in Misrata, the city two hours away which bred the most effective fighters in the Libyan uprising against Colonel Gaddafi of 2011.

A Libyan intelligence officer who welcomes Western support for the battle of Sirte, said: ‘We value the advice and co-ordination support but we are frustrated that promises of equipment and a joint combat role have not been fulfilled. We hope Britain and America will play a bigger role once our new unity government has proved itself. But our immediate priority is to get Islamic State out of our country.

‘They have imposed terrible suppression on the people of Sirte and we want our city back. With the help of special forces, we have managed to destroy their stranglehold.

How an Apple saved Isro away from long-term dependence

people could cheat us in a place like Manesar, barely 50 km from Bengaluru the national capital, and no action The Indian Space Research will be taken against the Organisation (Isro) has become accused,” said Pradeep Sharma, one of the first picks for countries looking to launch satellites. The situation was not always like this.

Thirty-five years ago, on June 19, 1981, Isro successfully launched its first communication satellite, Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment (Apple), on Ariane-1 from Kourou, French Guiana.

This was a major milestone in India’s space programme as Apple was used for several communication experiments, including another NRI investor based in relay of television programmes Singapore, who had invested Rs and radio networking. Incidentally, 55 lakh to purchase commercial this satellite was transported on a bullock cart, captured for space in the project.

He claimed that his complaints posterity in an unforgettable to the Prime Minister’s Office, photograph. It had only been six Haryana Chief Minister’s Office years since Aryabhatta, Isro’s first went unheard. “Prime Minister satellite, and the agency was still Modi urges NRIs to invest in India, in its infancy much like the but with a situation like this, where country’s infrastructure. Isro had investment is not safe, no one will been trying launch technology through its SLV class of invest in India,” he said.

launchers and the Satellite Telecommunication Experiments Project had been launched.

Bhaskara and Rohini had been successes before Apple. But Apple laid the foundation for

indigenous development of operational communication satellites which grew into a very large constellation of satellites in Insat and Gsat series that spurred the country’s technological and economic growth. Newer applications like tele-education, tele-medicine, Village Resource Centre, Disaster Management System etc were enabled through space technology.

Issue - 672 (3)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Issue - 672 (4)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Iran-Bahrain lock horns over Shia cleric!

Bahrain has revoked the citizenship of the kingdom’s most prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qasim, accusing him of promoting “sectarianism and violence.”

Bahrain’s population is 2/3 Shia Muslim, but the country is led by an oppressive Sunni government closely allied with Saudi Arabia. In the days following the “Arab Spring” protests in 2011, Bahrain’s security services overreacted with extremely violent and bloody massacres of unarmed protesters, backed up by troops from Saudi Arabia. The protests began in Bahrain on February 14, 2011.

Dozens of protesters were killed, over 1,600 were arrested, and thousands were injured. According to a statement issued

by Bahrain’s government on Monday: “Accordingly, the citizenship of Isa Ahmed Qasim has been revoked. Ever since he received the Bahraini nationality, Qasim has established organizations that follow an external religious political authority, played a major role in creating an extremist sectarian environment and

worked on dividing the society alongside sects and in accordance with subordination to his orders.

Qasim has also adopted theocracy and emphasized on the absolute allegiance to the Religious Clerics. Through his sermons and “fatwas”, he exploited the religious pulpit for political purposes to serve foreign interests. He also encouraged sectarianism and violence.

Qasim has kept his decisions and positions, which he dictated as religious rituals, dependent on his continuous communication with hostile foreign organizations and parties. In addition, Qasim collected funds without complying with the provisions of the law. On several occasions, Isa Qasim has violated the

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supremacy of the law by issuing edicts (fatwas) that affected the elections and its processes. He influenced voters’ decisions using religious sentiments. This extends to all aspects of public affairs, undermining the rights of the people and the rule of law. He also rallied many groups to prevent the issuance of the second section of the Family Law (Jafari Section).”

The phrase “to serve foreign interests” presumably refers to Iran and Hezbollah.

Although the 2011 protests were finally put down by massacring the protesters, there have been sporadic protests since then, and the Bahrain government evidently is afraid of a repeat of 2011’s full scale anti-Sunni riots. The government of Iran, which is an equally bloody regime that massacres innocent protesters, issued a statement criticizing the revoking of Qasim’s citizenship, and appeared to threaten Bahrain’s government with a coup. The statement begins by reciting crimes of Bahrain’s regime, the same crimes that Iran’s regime regularly commits: “The oppressed Muslim nation of Bahrain had been under the cruel, biased, unfair,

and illegitimate regime of Al-Khalifa for long years.

SUNNY BAINS Despite furious acts which included unashamedly racist discrimination, arrest of their religious inviting outsiders to meddle in its own leaders, imprisoning and torturing women affairs. Furthermore, Bahrain’s Shia and children, stripping citizenship, violation leaders prefer that Iran stay out because of their rights without any qualms and they like to maintain the public pretense several other crimes, this patient people that Iran is not supporting Bahrain’s Shia have exercised patience; tightening the anti-government clerics. However, the pressures has never distracted Bahraini action of revoking the citizenship of people of their non-violent approach. ... Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qasim appears to Seemingly, the Al-Khalifa regime has have been a kind of “last straw” for Iran, underestimated and misinterpreted the after a series of actions by Saudi and scope and magnitude of the public wrath; Bahrain officials targeting Shia leaders encroachment of the religious leader’s in their respective countries.

The most explosive action occurred in January, when Saudi Arabia executed 47 alleged terrorists - 46 Sunnis and one Shia, Mohammad Baqir Nimr al-Nimr, Iran and Shias were infuriated because the execution implied that Shia terrorism is equivalent to Sunni terrorism. Iranian mobs firebombed the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and attacked the consulate in Meshaad. Saudi Arabia and Iran broke diplomatic relations as a result. Other Saudi allies followed suit. Last month, Bahrain’s courts sentenced Shia opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, after he had been found guilty of charges relating to “publicly inciting hatred, an act which disturbed public peace, inciting non-compliance with the law and insulting public institutions.” Salman’s Al Wefaq National Islamic Society issued a statement calling the decision rights is definitely a sure redline for the “an alarming politically-motivated verdict public the crossing of which would set that only deepens the political and the region ablaze, leaving no alternative constitutional crisis in Bahrain.” than resorting to armed resistance. The Early last week, Bahrain’s government consequences of the possible conflict shut down the Al Wefaq National Islamic would be beyond estimation and would Society. Then on Thursday, a Bahrain rewrite the history through toppling the court sentenced eight people to 15-year despotic regime. The supporters of the jail terms for forming a “terror group.” regime in Manama should accept They also had their citizenships responsibility for legitimizing the brazen revoked, after convicting them of rulers of Bahrain for any bloody “establishing and raising donations to confrontation.” fund a terror organization named The last sentence can and will be ‘Bahraini Hezbollah’.” The implication is interpreted as encouraging a coup in that “Bahraini Hezbollah” is a terror Bahrain, and suggests that Iran would group funded by Iran. Then on Monday, support a coup. Iran’s puppet terror Bahrain revoked the citizenship of organization, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qasim, Bahrain’s issued its own threatening statement, leading Shia cleric, and a leader of the criticizing Bahrain’s action, and “[calling] opposition. Perhaps, under “normal” on the Bahrainis to decisively express circumstances, this court action would their rage and discontent in face of the have been ignored by Iran and everyone regime’s action against Sheikh Qasim.” else. But after so many actions of the Iran reacts to a series of repeated same kind, Iran’s leaders may have felt anti-Shia moves by Bahrain and they had to do SOMETHING, and they Saudi Arabia made their veiled threat of a coup, even Normally, Iran is publicly silent about though they know that an actual coup Bahrain’s regime, lest it be accused of could lead to full-scale war between Iran meddling in Bahrain’s affairs, and thereby and Saudi Arabia.

ISHANT SHARMA GETS ENGAGED TO CAGER PRATIMA SINGH, TO TIE KNOT IN DECEMBER International cricketer Ishant Sharma will marry Pratima Singh, a basketball player from Varanasi who has represented India at the international level, in December this year.

Speaking to HT on phone, Pratima’s mother Urmila Singh said, “ Ishant and Pratima got engaged in the presence of friends and relatives at a hotel in Gurgaon on Sunday. Their marriage will take place in December, most likely in Varanasi.”

Singh has consulted a noted astrologer to find the shub muhurt and date (auspicious time) for the marriage. “I am very pleased with my daughter’s choice.

Pratima is a sportsperson and has chosen a cricketer as her life partner. Ishant is very good. Ring ceremony is done.

Now, we are looking for an auspicious muhurt (time) for the marriage in December.” Urmila revealed the marriage was rescheduled from July to December because Ishant is expected to be on tour with Team India during most of this period. The fast bowler met Pratima around five years ago and the relationship blossomed. “Pratima started playing basketball at an early age. She was selected to the Indian junior basket ball team in 2006. She was made captain in 2008,” Singh said. Singh participated in the Asian Games in 201o and performed well.

Issue - 672 (5)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Aloo for musk deer, kola for elephants, poachers use code words to deal in protected animals

One day, none of this will be here anymore.

Buildings will crumble.

Rivers will change direction. Mountains will collapse. If we wait around long enough, the Sun will become a supernova and destroy the Earth. Next time you’re stuck in traffic, remember that. At least it won’t happen before you get to your exit! Nor, while we are on the topic of patience, will you have to wait an eternity before something wonderful turns up. It’s on its way right now! !!!

When we stop to think about how lucky we are to be alive, and how short our time tends to be, it becomes clear that every moment is too precious to waste.

Yet some moments just don’t feel so special. All we can think about are our troubles, our obligations or our reasons to feel resentful. Even worse are the moments when we feel full neither of something good nor something bad. We just feel somehow flat or empty. When such times come, we must let them go. Here comes a reminder of what life can feel like at its best! !!!

In 1964, WPN-114 was felled. Cut down by accident in the name of research; it was later found to be the world’s oldest tree, at least 4,862 years old. But that tree was probably unaware it was so old. It was oblivious to the records it was setting every time the sun rose on its branches.

Some successes are only appreciated once they’re over; some so subtle we barely notice they have taken place. Soon, you will experience a win.

Don’t search too hard for it but rest assured it will make a positive difference in your life. !!!

It is true that sometimes our dreams can seem unattainable. Our best efforts can fall short and only bring disappointment as our expectations fail to be met. It can even feel as if we’re simply grasping at straws. But there is a part of you that still believes that if something can be conceived, it can be brought into being. After all, if it weren’t for dreamers, we wouldn’t be able to jet off for holidays in exotic locations or watch TV images from around the world. Get ready to celebrate a small but significant dream coming true. !!!

‘The heart wants what the heart wants’. Emily Dickinson understood the feelings of those in the throes of passion. But, how would life be if we listened only to our hearts?

Swept away on a tide of powerful emotions, would we find ourselves washed up on a remote island, yearning for a life left behind? Tidal waves of feelings take us into unknown territory, but we need our heads with us to figure out where we are.

The celestial picture makes matters of the heart the essence. It might be wise to keep your wits about you too! !!!

You have the capacity to surprise someone. And the person you are most likely to surprise is ... you!

It’s time to shake off some of your self-limitations and realize how much potential you have hiding within you. The only way, though, that you can realize this potential is if you realize that you have this potential. It’s as if you’ve spent so long digging up your weeds that you haven’t noticed the flowers blooming in the border. Arrange some of them into a bouquet. Treat yourself, and you’ll find that others will treat you.

Despite strong objection on sale of animals and their parts on various ecommerce and free classified websites, poachers and traffickers are using code words to deal in protected animals.

The challenge before security agencies now is to track the trade route, which is widespread in the online world.

CAUGHT IN THE WEB A senior central government official said the online business of animal parts is conducted through popular shopping and free ad-posting sites, websites of various companies and even via social networking sites.

The rampant use of web space for selling protected species is evident as on June 15 authorities in Uttarakhand arrested a 19year-old who was sold a protected species of turtle on the e-commerce website OLX.com.

Youth uploaded an advertisement for selling a bunch of Indian Roof turtles on OLX. The demand for such animals is quite high in Delhi, where the teen was trying to sell it.

“A strict vigil is being kept on various websites, which are being used to sell such animals. However, it is impossible to keep a complete check as new websites pop up every day.

advertisements to be uploaded without filter.

“There are over 400 protected birds and animals but the websites and portals do not even know it.

They are selling animals

Legal issues arise when trading is being done on a website hosted outside India and in most of the cases, sellers use fake ids and change their IP to operate,” said Triveni Singh, additional superintendent STF, who this month cracked a group of poachers who were involved in killing deers and selling their horns.

Singh explained that to escape the police radar, traders are using codename for animals and their parts. He also blames websites for being negligent and allowing such

and their parts not knowing that even they are party to the crime,” Singh said.

CODE WORDS A senior Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) officer also confirmed that there are over 200 websites, which are being rampantly used by people to trade in animal parts. WCCB is a statutory multidisciplinary body established under the ministry of environment, forests and climate change, to combat organised wildlife crime in the country.

“People use code names such as aloo (potato) for

At a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, she dazzled in head-to-toe Chanel, looking every inch the chic and refined modern Royal.

But away from the spotlight, Lady Amelia Windsor is a cigarettesmoking, cleavage-flashing party girl who could give Prince Harry a run for his money for the title of the wildest member of ‘the Firm’.

Snaps from social media accounts show that the 20-

year-old granddaughter of the Duke of Kent prefers completely different parties to the one to which was she was invited by the Queen.

At a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, she dazzled in head-to-toe Chanel, looking every inch the chic and refined modern Royal.

But away from the spotlight, Lady Amelia Windsor is a cigarettesmoking, cleavage-flashing party girl who could give Prince Harry

a run for his money for the inadvertently exposing her title of the wildest member chest as she parties the of ‘the Firm’. Snaps from night away. social media accounts show that the 20-year-old granddaughter of the Duke of Kent prefers completely different parties to the one to which was she was invited by the Queen.

During a trip to India, Lady Amelia puffs on a cigarette as she cavorts on a beach with a group of friends.

In a second shot taken on the same night, she is seen bending forwards and

musk deer, kola (banana) for elephant’s tusk, etc.

Despite the ban on all ivory ads, traders sell it using code words,” a senior WCCB officer said, adding that these code names are frequently changed to stay away from the police net. For example, as soon as a law enforcement agency catches on ‘white gold’ as a code for ivory, a new code word pops up,” Even People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) monitored a similar coding used by seller on OLX site.

“Koala, a threatened species that is illegal to keep as a ‘pet’ in any country, was being sold as ‘Australian teddy bear’. Similarly, Tiger skin is often sold as ‘stripped Tshirt’.

Illegal wildlife smugglers use code words and other techniques to mask their activities, making it virtually impossible for websites to be certain that its ads never facilitate the illegal wildlife trade,” explained Nikunj Sharma, government affair liasion with People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

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Issue - 672 (6)

21 June - 27 June 2016

TRUMP TO PROMOTE MELANIA AS A JACKIE O

By KHALEDA RAHMAN Donald Trump plans to tout his wife Melania as a ‘Jackie O for the 21st century’ at the Republican convention – and has even enlisted the help of the producer of The Apprentice to make the TV broadcast more interesting.

The focus in Cleveland will be on celebrities, rather

reports.

Melania, a Slovenian-born former model, and 70-yearold Trump’s children will deliver testimonials at the event from July 18 to 21, a Trump advisor said.

Donald Trump plans to tout his wife Melania as a ‘Jackie O for the 21st century’ at the Republican convention – and has even

than politicians, and the billionaire businessman’s family and famous friends will be the stars of the show, the New York Post

enlisted the help of the producer of The Apprentice to make the TV broadcast more interesting.

The focus in Cleveland will

By KATE PICKLES We’ve all had a boring job where every minute drags as we count down the hours until it’s finally home time.

If this isn’t reason enough to make us reach for the job pages, a study has

a dirty working environment can have a long-term cognitive effect on employees.

In the past, researchers have been divided on whether it was working in an unclean workplace facing exposure to agents

be on celebrities, rather than politicians, and the billionaire businessman’s family and famous friends will be the stars of the show, the New York Post reports.

Melania, a Slovenianborn former model, and 70-year-old Trump’s children will deliver testimonials at the event from July 18 to 21, a Trump advisor said.

When Trump explored the possibility of a presidential run in 1999, Melania was asked what kind of role she would play if he ever became commander-in-chief.

‘I would be very traditional, like Betty Ford or Jackie Kennedy’, she replied.

But as well as having his family sing his praises at the convention, Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, also reportedly wants his supporters from the world of sport to speak publicly on his behalf.

They include NFL quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady, UFC president Dana White, Nascar CEO Brian France and former basketball coach Bobby Knight, according to the Post.

However, Roethlisberger recently told the Pittsburgh PostGazette that he is ‘staying out of politics’ and will not attend. ‘You’ll see every type of multi-ethnic person

they can get on stage,’ the source added to the Post.

‘If Muhammad Ali were still alive, he’d have him up there.’

point threatening to stop fundraising if Republicans don’t rally around him.

Speaking at a theater at the Treasure Island hotel on

‘It’s all made up by the press,’ he said. ‘It’s a hoax, I’m telling you.’

Meanwhile, a movement exists among some

Trump also plans to the Republican convention an entertaining one for viewers across the country. His campaign hopes to get the ‘highest ratings in any convention in modern television history,’ another Trump source said. To do this, Trump has secured prolific television producer Mark Burnett, who created The Apprentice with him in 2008. On Saturday, The Donald railed against efforts by some frustrated Republicans planning a last-ditch effort to try to thwart him from becoming the party’s nominee, at one

the Las Vegas strip, Trump referred to ‘an insurgent group’ trying to deny him delegates at the party’s July convention.

‘Now you have a couple of guys that were badly defeated and they’re trying to organize maybe like a little bit of a delegate revolt,’ he said. ‘I thought they already tried that.’

Trump pushed back against such efforts several times during his speech, claiming they were somehow ‘illegal’ and then dismissing them as a mediagenerated fabrication.

conservative delegates and operatives to change party rules to allow a different nominee, though it’s a longshot effort that lacks sufficient backing as well as a candidate to offer up at an alternative.

Indeed, Trump wondered aloud who his opponents would pick as a replacement, a problem that has plagued the ‘Never Trump’ movement for months.

‘Who are they going to pick? I beat everybody. But I don’t mean beat — I beat the hell out of them,’ he said.

Lead researcher Dr Joseph Grzywacz said the new study was significant because it showed both can play an important role in long-term cognitive well-being. He and his team used cognitive function data from almost 5,000 working adults participating in the ‘Midlife in the United States’ study.

Scientists examined individuals’ workplaces and their ability to maintain and later use information they learned. They also looked at their ability to complete tasks, manage time and pay attention. They found greater occupational complexity - the learning of new skills and taking on new challenges resulted in stronger cognitive performance in

people, as they aged.

This was especially true with women.

Participants had also been asked about any memory issues they were experiencing.

‘The practical issue here is cognitive decline associated with ageing and the thought of, ‘‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’,’ Dr Grzywacz said.

The second result was those who had jobs that exposed them to a dirty working environment saw a cognitive decline.

‘Psychologists say that the brain is a muscle [so if you don’t use it, you lose it], while industrial hygienists point to chemicals in the work environment that may cause decline,’ he said.

‘There are real things in the workplace that can shape cognitive function some that you can see or touch, and others you can’t. ‘We showed both matter to cognitive health in adulthood.’

Dr Grzywacz added: ‘Both of these issues are important when we think about the long-term health

of men and women.’

‘Designing jobs to ensure that all workers have some decision making ability may protect cognitive function later in life, but it’s also about cleaning up the workplace.’ The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

A boring job really CAN make you brain dead

found a lack of stimulation can have a long term effect on the brain.

Researchers at Florida State University found both having a dull job and

such as mold, lead or loud noises - or working in an unstimulating environment that took the biggest toll on brain health as people aged.

Issue - 672 (7)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Orlando gunman Omar Mateen raged Indian-American running for against ‘filthy ways of the west’ Congress seat in New Jersey

ORLANDO Orlando gunman Omar Mateen apparently made a series of Facebook posts and searches before and during his attack on a gay nightclub, raging against the “filthy ways of the west” and blaming the US for the

help in reconstructing the killer’s movements. The FBI is also trying to establish how much Mateen’s wife may have known about the attack at Pulse dance club.

“We need your help in developing the most complete picture of what he

deaths of “innocent women and children,” according to a Senate committee letter released on Wednesday.

The killer whose rampage left 49 people dead also searched for “Pulse Orlando” and “Shooting” online on the morning of the carnage on Sunday and said on Facebook: “America and Russia stop bombing the Islamic state,” according to the letter.The Senate Homeland Security Committee sent the letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, asking the company to produce information on Mateen’s online activity and to provide a briefing to the panel.The letter illuminating Mateen’s state of mind in the final hours of his life was released as the long, sad procession of memorials and funerals for the victims began in Orlando and as the FBI appealed for the public’s

did and why he did it,” FBI agent Ron Hopper said at a news conference.

In its letter, the committee said staffers have learned that five Facebook accounts were associated with the 29-year-old American-born Muslim.

“The real muslims will never accept the filthy way of the west,” Mateen wrote, according to the letter from committee chairman Senator Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican.

Johnson did not say how he learned of the posts other than to cite “information obtained by my staff.”

As he did in his call to a 911 operator during the massacre, Mateen pledged his allegiance on Facebook to the leader of the Islamic State and, in his final post, warned: “in the next few days you will see attacks from the Islamic state in the usa.”

27-year-old Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin dies in car crash, family requests privacy

Anton Yelchin, a charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new Star Trek films, has died at the age of 27. He was killed in a fatal traffic collision early Sunday morning, his publicist, Jennifer Allen confirmed.

LIVED SO LONG IN SUCH A SHORT TIME Yelchin started small with roles in indie films and various television shows, before breaking out in films

like the crime thriller Alpha Dog and the teenage comedy Charlie Bartlett.

His biggest role to date has been in the rebooted “Star Trek” films - the third of which, Star Trek Beyond comes out in July. Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents were professional figure skaters who moved the family to the United States when Yelchin was a baby. Yelchin’s family requests privacy at this time.

Despite his professed loyalty to the extremist group, the Obama administration has said it has seen no evidence that the shooting rampage was directed by the Islamic State.

A spokesman for the FBI did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday evening, and Facebook had no immediate comment.

The three-hour rampage began at 2am Sunday and ended with Mateen being killed by a police SWAT team. The FBI said it is still gathering evidence at the Pulse and analyzing cellphone location data to piece together Mateen’s activities leading up to the massacre, while also interviewing people who had any dealings with him.

On Saturday night, hours before the rampage, Mateen visited Disney Springs, an outdoor restaurant, retail and entertainment complex at Walt Disney World, an official who was briefed on the case but insisted on anonymity to discuss the continuing investigation told The Associated Press.

The official said it is not clear what Mateen was up to.Meanwhile, drag queens and motorcyclists turned out to pay their respects at an evening visitation at a funeral parlor for Javier Jorge-Reyes, a 40-year-old salesman and makeup artist. Members of the SWAT team underwent a stress- management debriefing on Wednesday, as hundreds of others involved in the response to the shooting have done, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said. Further counseling is being made available. “These are some of the bravest toughest men I know,” Mina said.

“No one can prepare you for what those officers encountered that night.

They stood toe-to-toe and went face-to-face with a mass murderer, and I’m extremely proud of that.”

Chelsea Clinton blessed with second baby!

Chelsea Clinton, who is already a proud mother to daughter Charlotte, turned mommy to a new baby boy.The daughter of US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, announced the arrival of newborn son Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky late Saturday morning on Twitter, reports News.com.au reports.

WASHINGTON A 30-year-old IndianAmerican Democratic social worker is running for the US House of Representatives from New Jersey which is known to

- the first Indian-American to be elected to the New Jersey State Assembly tried his luck in 2012 and lost to Lance by more than 50,000 votes.

Another Indian-Americans

be a strong Republican bastion.

Peter Jacob, a staunch supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont, was elected unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 7.He is seeking to unseat incumbent Leonard Lance of the Republican party who has represented Congressional District 7 of New Jersey since 2009.This is the same Congressional district from where Upendra Chivukula

Thomas Abraham ran as an independent in 2008 and got less than one per cent of the votes.

The 7th Congressional District of New Jersey is said to be a strong Republican bastion. The party has retained this seat for the last 100 years, except for six years between 1975-1981.

However, Jacobs, hopes to turn the tide this election cycle given that his rival incumbent Lance is supporting Donald Trump.

In a Congressional district having a sizeable population of foreign born, extreme views are unlikely to sail through, he noted.

“It is ironic to me that Leonard Lance has endorsed Donald Trump, because Trump has preached out against the type of politician that Leonard Lance is,” Jacob told local Daily Record.

“When they arrived in 1986, they had three things with them. Just USD 20 in their pockets, hearts full of hope and six-months-old me in their arms,” he said.Today his parents own and operate a thriving business.“I wouldn’t say I’m a long shot. I think 2016 is a very different year,” he told the media outlet.During his undergraduate and graduate years, Peter was a student activist and leader. He worked with the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW), the YWCA and the International Institute.

Through these and other community organisations, he helped fight the ongoing scourges of child abuse, human trafficking, and disastrous Iraq War.

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21 June - 27 June 2016

NRI writer’s book on Queen Victoria to be made into film

LONDON An Indian-origin author’s book on Queen Victoria’s relationship with her trusted Indian aide Abdul Karim in the late 1800s would soon be made into a film in which Oscar-winning British actress Judi Dench will play the protagonist.

‘Victoria and Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closet Confidant’ by author Sharbani Basu was released nearly six years ago.It captures the relationship between the British monarch and her trusted Indian aide Karim in the late 1800s.”I’m absolutely delighted that my book is in such safe hands. To have Dame Judi Dench play Victoria is absolutely perfect.

With Stephen Frears directing and the screenplay by Lee Hall, it’s a dream team,” said Basu, the London-based journalist and author of books like ‘Spy Princess’ and most recently ‘For King and Another Country’.”As a writer, one spends years sitting in archives and researching a piece of forgotten history. It’s a great feeling when the book goes out into the world and you can share the story. The film will take it to an even wider audience,” she said.Karim was just 24 when he arrived in England from Agra to

wait at table during Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in 1887.

He grew close to Queen Victoria, becoming her teacher or munshi - and instructing her in Urdu and Indian affairs.

Three 12-year-old girls hospitalised after taking ecstasy pills in Britain London: Three 12-year-old girls were rushed to hospital on Sunday in Manchester after they took ecstasy pills.

They are thought to be among the youngest ever to be made dangerously ill by swallowing social drugs, Xinhua news agency reported.

Greater Manchester Police said two were seriously ill and the third was under observation in hospital. The incident came just weeks after teenager Faye Allen, 17, from nearby Liverpool, died after taking an ecstasy pill at a dance event in Manchester.

Police were alerted to a shopping precinct late on Saturday night after reports that the 12-year-olds had become ill after taking the drug known as “teddy tablets”.

Paramedic crews rushed the three girls to hospital in the city as police launched an inquiry to establish who supplied the potentially lethal class-A drugs to the schoolgirls.

US gunman was fired from guard school over gun joke

Parents gifted teen daughter to Pennsylvania man found living with 11 more girls London Authorities have been searching the home of a Pennsylvania man accused of sexually assaulting a teenager whose parents police say gave her to him when she was 14 because he helped them financially. She was one of a dozen girls living in the residence.

Officials in Bucks County acting on a tip Thursday found 51-yearold Lee Kaplan at his Feasterville home, along with 12 girls ranging in age from six months to 18 years. One girl, now 18, told police that she and Kaplan have a 3-year-old and a six-month-old. Kaplan faces charges including statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and aggravated indecent assault.

Here’s what happened: Kaplan’s neighbour, Jen Betz, called the authorities as she was concerned about the girls she saw outside the home,

which she said had boarded windows and high weeds.

“They’re so sad and fearful every time I see them. That’s what

ranging in age from six months to 18 years.

Parents of the girl Kaplan is accused of assaulting told

made me call,” she said. “I’ve been telling my husband for years ‘Something isn’t right, something isn’t right.’“ When cops went to the house, they found 51-year-old Lee Kaplan living with 12 girls

police they were going to lose their farm until Kaplan “came out of the blue and saved them from financial ruin”.

The parents then handed over the girl to him when she was just 14.The teenager’s parents told police the other nine girls in the house were their children, but no birth certificates or Social Security cards could be located to confirm that, he said.

Officials are trying to verify who the parents of the other children found at the home are.

When police entered the home, “all the children were running around,” officials said. “Some were hiding. They were wellbehaved, but scared.”

The 18-year-old girl’s father, Daniel Stoltzfus, told an officer he gave his 14-year-old daughter to Kaplan after researching the legality of such an action online.

Meanwhile, police and dogs scoured the home’s backyard for evidence. Stoltzfus is charged with conspiracy of statutory sexual assault and children endangerment. His wife, Savilla Stoltzfus, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

All three were being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

The children apparently did not attend school and it was unclear if they had ever been to a doctor, but they didn’t appear to be in bad health and showed no visible signs of trauma.

Another neighbor, Bob Greenfield, said Kaplan seemed “weird” and he now wishes that he also had called authorities.

“You knew something was wrong,” he said. “It makes you feel bad. If I had said something a while ago, they would have come earlier.”

Emoji handbags designed by Indian student make waves in UK London An Indian student at the Birmingham City University is making waves with her innovatively designed futuristic handbags that sport LED emojis designed to get people talking at a time of dwindling human communication in the age of social media.

Madhura Kulkarni from Nashik believes that social media is responsible for the growing lack of face-toface communication between people. A student of Fashion Design, her work is part of the university’s Inspired festival.

Kulkarni said: “The concept behind the bag is to initiate a verbal conversation between two people with the help of LED emojis that you can choose to

display on the bag. For example, if two people are showing the same emoji on their bag, it might start a conversation between them.”

“In the 21st century where people are extremely tech savvy, some people are so engrossed in social media that they rarely talk to

others verbally. I feel that my concept could revolutionise the world.” Kulkarni was recently named a finalist in the 2016 New York Independent Handbag Designer Awards.

Brazil declares financial emergency, requests funding for Rio Olympics

NEW YORK Orlando gay nightclub gunman Omar Mateen was dismissed from a prison guard training programme in 2007, days after the Virginia Tech massacre, for joking about bringing a gun to class.In 2007, the department of corrections employed Mateen and financed his schooling at Indian River State College to become an officer. But it lasted

only six months.

Another recruit in the prison guard programme informed Mateen’s teachers about his twisted joke. “On April 14, 2007 while the class was given a 15minute break, Omar Mateen approached me laughing saying that if he was to bring a gun to school would I tell anybody,” the trainee wrote. “I looked at him and turned away.”

Pre-mature Ejaculation?

London The acting governor of Rio de Janeiro has declared a state of financial disaster so he has more leeway to manage the state’s scarce resources less than two months Brazil hosts the Olympic Games.Francisco Dornelles

announced the decision on Friday.The move will allow Dornelles to adopt exceptional measures to pay costs related to the Games as the state grapples with the country’s economic recession. The 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 5-21.

416-887-4971

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21 June - 27 June 2016

‘Fed up’ judge orders GPS tag to track UK teen’s anti-social behavior London A 15-year-old boy has become the first child in the UK to be fitted with a GPS tag, allowing police to track his “anti-social” behaviour, media reports said on Sunday.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was handed a criminal behaviour order in a landmark ruling which requires him to wear the Global Positioning System (GPS) tag for six months, The Mirror reported.The offender must wear the electronic tag at all the times so that police can track and monitor his actions, the report said.Initially, he was given a warning but continued to offend, including threatening a 14-yearold girl with a replica firearm and brandishing a firearm in the street, it said.

A youth court delivered the judgement after the teen wreaked havoc in Oxford and Didcot in November last year, committing a string of crimes including burglary and robbery, the report said.

Fed up with his behaviour, a judge ordered the boy’s movements be monitored using a tag in April this

year.Police Constable Mike Ellis, Oxford anti-social behaviour officer, said it was the first case in the country where an under18 had been given the

to us. The tag allows us to see if he has been in the area where the crime took place or whether he is behaving himself. This is really to act as a deterrent to the

punishment.

“We believe there may have been a similar order made with an adult in London but this is the first in the country with a youth. I think it will be very successful not just in this case but also in the future,” Ellis said.“It allows us to see if he is involved in any antisocial behaviour we get reported

offender as they know we will be able to see whether they were near where a crime took place,” he added.

Guardians GPS to track children A Kochi-based start-up has launched a GPS enabled app

Pakistan woman paraded with blackened face, shaved head for eloping

Lahore A 23-year-old woman was paraded in the streets with blackened face and shaved head, by her family, for allegedly eloping with a man, the latest in a series of ‘honour’ related crimes in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

According to eyewitnesses, the family members including parents of the woman, on paraded her in the streets outside her house after blackening her face and shaving off her head in a village of Uch Sharif, Bahawalpur, some 400 km from Lahore.Reports said the woman who had allegedly eloped with a man of another village returned home a week later.On her return, her family members including father, husband and step-mother reportedly tortured her secretly and then presented her before a Panchayat (a gathering of area elders) that announced punishment for her for her crime of ‘dishonouring the family’.

Senior police officer Ehsan Sadiq told reporters that an FIR has been registered against 10 family members of the woman and the Panchayat members and arrested the victim’s father and step-mother.He said police

would soon arrest the remaining suspects and complete investigation at the earliest.

Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous state, has seen a spur in honour-related crimes, including honour killing, in recent times.Two pregnant women have been brutally killed by their parents in last one week for contracting marriage against will of their families.At least 1,100 women were killed in the name of honour in Pakistan last year by their relatives on the pretext of defending what is seen as family honour.

that gives parents a live update on the movement of their children to school and back.

‘Guardians’, an innovative product developed by Transight Systems Pvt Ltd was launched at the Rajagiri Public School Kalamassery in Kochi in the presence of Director of Rajagiri Schools, Father Varghese Kachapilly.

It is a smart identification system that includes a smart identity card for each student and a Radio Frequency Card Reader with GNSS/GPS Transight models, which will be installed in school buses.

All these devices are connected to the Transight Cloud Account of the school, where movement of students and buses are managed.

Every parent will get their own accounts in this cloud, and once the application is downloaded they will receive all updates and alerts live on their smart phones as and when their child boards and alights the school bus.

The system also has some other interesting features like leave

reporting, live tracking and absent reports.

If required, one can also alter the boarding point using the application, CEO of Transight, Feroz Rehman said.

The app will help parents monitor and manage their child’s transportation by keeping track of the school bus approaching the boarding stop and school.

Parents can also receive instant notifications as soon as their child successfully boards the bus and reaches the school premises, along with additional updates of bus movements throughout their journey.

Besides, parents can report the leave request of their child through this application, which in-turn helps to ensure the child’s safety by identifying non-reported absence. Parents will also get the attendance reports of their child, which is shared from the school records. As far as schools are concerned, the management will be notified with instant reports of absentee students as soon as the bus enters and leaves the school premises.

her husband were abducted and shot dead by relatives near Thikriwala village in Punjab province last Wednesday, police

relatives, who abducted the two, shot them in the head and dumped their bodies in the canal.On Saturday, the parents

officials told AFP on Sunday.

Aqsa Bibi, 22, and Shakeel Ahmed, 26, worked at a local pharmacy and had married in a court ceremony four years back, though Aqsa’s family disapproved of their union. Their bodies were discovered after they washed up in a canal. Aqsa was expecting a child, though it was not immediately clear how many months pregnant she was.

Police said on Sunday one of Aqsa’s brothers assembled his

of a Christian woman, Nasreen Shahzadi, 25, allegedly stabbed her to death for converting to Islam after marrying a Muslim man, Irfan Rehmani, in Punjab province’s Layyah district, some 350 km from Lahore.

Shahzadi eloped with Rehmani three months ago and married him in court, a police official said, adding that Shahzadi’s parents invited the couple to their house, where they stabbed her to death and dumped her body in a field.

In another incident, a 23-yearold woman was paraded in her village’s streets after her face was blackened and her head was shaved, allegedly by her parents, for eloping with a man. “Honour” killings are thought to claim around 1,000 lives every year in Pakistan.Last week a man’s throat was slit by relatives of his wife who disapproved of their match -- a rare instance of a male victim. The week before, 16 yearold Zeenat Bibi was killed in Lahore by her mother for marrying a man of her own choice — a case that sparked condemnation throughout the country.

Pregnant woman among four new victims of honour killing in Pakistan

Islamabad The kin of a pregnant woman in Pakistan slit her throat to punish her for marrying against their wishes, police said on Sunday, one of the several horrific cases of “honour killing” that have surfaced over the past week in the country.

Muqaddas Bibi, who was seven months pregnant with her second child, was murdered in Gujranwala earlier this week. Bibi had eloped with her neighbour Shafiq two years ago, and married him in court, in defiance of her family’s wishes. Last week, her family convinced her to return home while she was visiting a health centre near their house. She was told all had been forgiven but when she reached home, her father Bashir, mother Amna, and brothers Adeel and Naseer slashed her throat with a sharp-edged weapon.

When police reached the house, they found Bibi’s body but her family had fled. The body was shifted to a morgue for autopsy while forensic evidence was collected from the scene.

Another pregnant woman and

Former President Mursi sentenced to life by Egyptian court London Egypt’s former president Mohamed Mursi was handed another life sentence on Saturday, after a court found him guilty of espionage and leaking state secrets. Mursi, leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, has already been sentenced in three other cases, including the death penalty for a mass jail break during the 2011 uprising against former president Hosni Mubarak and a life sentence for spying on behalf of Palestinian group Hamas.The

court on Saturday also said the death penalty had been approved

for six others accused alongside Mursi, including three journalists sentenced in absentia. Two other defendants who had worked in Mursi’s office were sentenced to life in prison. The

sentences are the latest in a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood since an army takeover stripped Mursi of power in 2013 following mass protests against his rule. Prosecutors argued Mursi and his aides were involved in leaking sensitive documents to Qatari intelligence that exposed the location of weapons held by the Egyptian armed forces. All of the defendants can appeal the verdicts to the Egyptian Court of Cassation, the country’s highest civil court.

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I, Rajbir Singh, 19 B Block Guru Amardass Avenue, Ajnala Road, Amritsar, Panjab, India, currently residing at 260, River Forks Lane, Cambridge, Ont., N3H 0B4, Canada Have Changed My name From Rajbir Singh to Rajbir Singh Kahlon. All Concerned Please Note. ***672*** Mumbai based punjabi parents seek a suitable match for their son, born 81, 5’-11" tall, Engineering, settle in Brampton, doing business. Please send your bio-data & recent picture to: sunitawasan@gmail.com or call: 647-621-1000 *** 674 *** Saini Sikh parents invite matrimonial alliance from the GTA for their slim, fair, beautiful, 5’2"/’83 born daughter, born, raised, educated in Canada, Bachelors in Business Management, and employed in the Finance division of a reputable Canadian company.

The boy should be clean shaven, born, raised and educated in Canada & professionally employed.

Please email sub2405@gmail.com or call 416-741-0777 *** 673*** Brahmin parents invite matrimonial alliance for their daughter, 26 yrs. old, 5’-4” tall, Canadian Citizen, pretty, family oriented Vegetarian, university graduate. The boy should be Canadian/American, Immigrant/ Citizen,Vegetarian, Professionally qualified, employed from good family background.

Boys on student visa for higher studies (university level) may also be considered. Please send your bio-data & recent picture to: : bhupp1958@gmail.com Or Call : 905-956-2392 (or leave Message) ***670*** Jat Sikh family seek a suitable match for their daughter, 1985 born, 5'-5" tall, beautiful, intelligent, well-cultured, canadian immigrant, getting citizenship this year, B.Tech (india), pg project management (canada), working in admn.dept in canada. The boy should be equally qualified, Jat Sikh, wellsettled in canada. Brother and parents well settled in USA. Please send your bio-data & recent picture to: dhillonintl@yahoo.com or call: 1718-414-4618 *** 670*** Professionally, well educated, Non-Drinker, Non-Smoker, vegetarion, Canadian family son, 28 yrs. old, 6’ tall, handsome, all education is in U.S.A. & Canada, Professionally Employed, well settled in NYC Area, Persuing further studies in his profession. Interested families please contact with complete profile & recent pictures to: thematch4boy@gmail.com ***670*** Punjabi Sikh parents seek a

21 June - 27 June 2016

match for their daughter, born and raised in Canada, 27 yrs. old, 5’-4” tall, beautiful, pretty, Doctor (MD) finishing her specialized residency in Ontario. The boy should be Doctor (MD) or Pharmacist or Dentist, born and raised in Canada, handsome, atleast 5’-10” tall with family values and well versed in both cultures. Ontario prefered.

Please send you bio-data and recent picture to:dkgrewal6@gmail.com ***670*** Jat Sikh parents are looking for a suitable match for their daughter, 33 yrs. old 5’-6” tall, Canadian Citizen, post graduate, employed in one of the reputed banks of Canada, divorced after a brief marriage (no kds). The boy should be Canadian Citizen, Jat Sikh, well educated and professionally employed.

Please email recent picture and bio-data to: gill.roop@hotmail.com Or Call : 1-604-615-4316 Or : 1778-954-7274 ***670** Jat Sikh parents seek a professional match for their handsome Canadian citizen son, based in Toronto as a professional Chartered Accountant (CA-CPA), born May 6, 1979, 6’-1" tall. The girl should be family oriented with a balance of eastern and western values.

Please send your bio-data & recent picture to: a.aulakhfamily@gmail.com or call: 905-796-2044 *** 670*** Wanted suitable Canadian match for Ramgarhia Sikh Boy, 25 yrs. old, 5’-10" tall, non trimmer, B. Tech, Civil Engineering & Architecture, doing PG course of Const.

Project management in canada, having 10 yrs. Visa for USA, reputed family based in Ludhiana. Father Chief Engineer in Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. Please send your bio-data & recent picture to: sspnesar81@gmail.com or call : 1-604-725-9033 or 011-9185287-00081 *** 670*** Lubana Sikh family seeks a suitable match for their son, Canadian citizen, medical doctor in residency, 29 yrs. old, 5'-9" tall, turbaned. The girl should be equally qualified in medical field from USA or Canada. Please send your biodata & recent picture to : kmultani333@gmail.com or call: 647-479-8389 *** 670*** Jat sikh parents seek a suitable alliance for their son, Toronto Based, Canadian Citizen, 30 yrs. old. 5’-6" tall, smart, handsome, clean shaven, family oriented, B.Eng., M.E.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Canadian University, Currently working in his field with an good company. The girl should be slim and well qualified. Interested please contact with pictures of girl

to: inderpreetsran@gmail.com or call: 647- 449- 1640 *** 670*** Jat Sikh family looking for a suitable match for their son age 26 year, 5’-11” tall, Canadian Citizen, Completed bachelor in mechanical engineering, Now pursuing their own family business. The girl should be Canadian Citizen/Immigrant, well educated, beautiful and professionally employed. Please send you bio-data and recent picture to: isingh0999@gmail.com Or Call : 647-448-1290 ***670*** Jat Sikh family seek a suitable match for their daughter, 27 yrs. old, 5’-5” tall, B.D.S. M.,B.A. Convent Educated , beautiful, soft sopken, homely & from a very reputed family. The boy should be Canadian Immigrant or Citizen, well educated, well settled & from a reputed family.

Malwa preferred. Please send you bio-data and recent picture to: lakhwindergill@hotmail.com Or Call : 647-640-6666 ***670*** Jat Sikh parents seeking a match for their Canadian born son, 34 yrs. old, 6’-2” tall, University educated, professionally employed, well paid manager.

The girl should be University educated, beautiful with family values. Please email recent picture and bio-data to: tormgr13@gmail.com Or Call : 416-708-1392 ***670** Ravidasia Sikh parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, 32 yrs. old, 5’-6” tall, Canadian Citizen, beautiful, family oriented, Degree in Human Resources, Lab technician and professionally employed. The boy should be professionally qualified, Canadian Ciizen and well settled with family values.

Family is well settled in Canada.

Caste no bar. Please email recent picture and bio-data to: rambains@icloud.com Or Call : 1-604-502-8819 ***670** Jat Sikh family seek a suitable match for their daughter, 35 yrs. old, 5’-5” tall, Canadian Citiazen, Dental Hygenist, working in her own field. The boy should be professionally qualified, family oriented. Please send you biodata and recent picture to: jasleenbhullardhutt@yahoo.ca Or Call : 1-604-722-5531 ***670*** Tank Kashatriya Sikh parents seekina suitable match for their Canadian Citizen daughter, 28 year old, 5’-3”, B.Com, CGA, working with the Government.

The boy should be a Canadian Citizen or PR, equally qualified, well settled in Job in Toronto or Surroundeing area, preferabley clean shaven. Please send you bio-data and recent picture to: singhjag_@hotmail.com Or Call : 416-722-9771 ***670***

Ravidassia Sikh family seek a suitable match for their daughter, 28 yrs. old , 5’-9” tall, American Citizen, Master’s in Health Administration B.B.A. working in Hospital. The boy should, equally qulified, family oriented.

American/Canadian Citizen, At least 6’ tall. Please send you biodata and recent picture to: janagal57@gmail.com Or Call : 1-347-421-8879 ***670*** Well settled, landlord jatt sikh Bhullar family in india looking for a suitable match from canada for their 24 yrs. 5'-9" tall, handsome, only son, Studing business administration in canada. Please send your bio-data & recent pictures to: asbhullar33@gmail.com or call: 647-381 0541 or 905-497 5563 *** 670*** Jat Sikh parents seeking a suitable match for their daughter, born and raised in Canada, 29 yrs. old, 5’-7” tall, beautiful, family oriented, Master’s degree in Physiotherapy and professionally employed in Ontario. The boy should be well educated, professionally settled with family values. GTA prefered. Please email recent picture and bio-data to: sanjog60@hotmail.com Or Call : 1-204-881-7405 ***670** Punjabi (Malik) parents invite matrimonial alliance for their daughter, 40 yrs. old, 5’-4” tall, slim, fair, beautiful, nevermarried before, M.A. B.Ed. degree holder, working as govt. teacher in Haryana (India), presently on visitor visa in Canada. Parents retired from govt. job and living in India. Uncle’s family is well settled in Canada. Caste no bar.

Please email recent picture and bio-data to: myresponse40@gmail.com Or Call : 416-887-7766 ***670** Jat Sikh Grewal parents seeking a suitable match for their son, 36 yrs. old, 6’-1” tall, Canadian Citizen, MBA degree holder, working with reputable bank. The girl should be educated, professionally employed and with family values. Please send you bio-data and recent picture to: grewal2016@yahoo.ca Or Call : 1-604-765-9214 ***670*** Jat Sikh parents invite matrimonial alliance for their beautiful daughter, 25 yrs. old, working as RN in Seattle (USA), Completed BSN in Nursing. The boy should be born in Canada/America, well educated, professional (Doctor/ Dentist), employed and with moderate family values. Please

send you bio-data and recent picture to: madamk1940@gmail.com Or Call : 1-778-564-5300 ***670*** Saini Sikh family seek a suitable match for their son, 30 yrs. old, 5’-6” tall, Canadian born, Diploma in Business Administration & human resources programme, working in his own field. The girl should be equally educated, Canadian born, beautiful, slim.

Please send you bio-data and recent picture to: gbsingh86@outlook.com Or Call : 416-904-7099 ***670*** Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their son, 31 yrs. old, 5’-10” tall, Canadian born, working as a RN and Teacher.

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Issue - 672 (11)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Chinese dog meat vendors cover signboards In ‘43, Bose raised a women’s Restaurants in China’s Guangxi Zhuang region’s Yulin city have covered the Chinese character for “dog” on their signboards in order to “avoid trouble” ahead of the start of a

requires vendors to cover their signboards.

“Recently, authorities have frequently asked to check the licenses of these restaurants and vendors, including their food

controversial dog meat festival on Tuesday.

Fearing protests from animal rights activists that have inundated past festivals, many restaurants and vendors in the city have covered their signboards.

Some restaurants have even changed their names entirely.A dog meat seller named Zhou who works at the city’s Dongkou market told the Global Times daily on Sunday that she just wanted to “avoid trouble”.

Another dog meat seller, Li, said that the government

sanitation permits and business licenses,” Li said.Before mass media coverage of the festival held since the 1990s began in recent years, only local people bought dog meat, whereas now many people from Northeast China or neighbouring Guangdong province also come here to taste the meat, a local resident Zhang said. Zhou added that eating dog meat is a long-standing tradition that people from outside the area may not understand.

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday described the warden of a girl’s school hostel as psychopath and said she

blood came out from her mouth. The way she has treated the girls it indicates she is a psychopath,” the Minister

had gone underground after a case was registered against her for beating up the girl students.

“I met the girls whom she had beaten. One girl was hit in the abdomen and

for Education, Naeem Akhtar, said.

Of the seven injured students, one is still getting treated in the SMHS hospital while the others have been discharged.

REASON FOR BEATING THE GIRLS According to the girls, the warden, Dr Shabnam Gurazi, beat them up after they refused to clean their room on Thursday as they were busy studying for exams.

The girls didn’t disclose their bruises to anyone.

However, the next day when they went to school

Past festivals have witnessed confrontations on the street between restaurant owners, vendors and animal welfare protesters, who claim the festival is barbaric and who have called upon the city to stop the “cruel celebration”.

“The government is capable of telling the public that this kind of tradition is improper and should be banned,” Jiang Hong, head of a Xi’anbased animal protection group, said. “The market stimulated the production chain. In order to get dogs, many people resorted to stealing and poisoning them, which may be dangerous, since some people were likely to have been poisoned by eating poisoned dogs.”A supervisor of the Dongkou market said all the dog meat sold in the market had been approved by the local food safety watchdog, adding that no law or regulation prohibits residents from buying or selling dog meat.

According to a report by West China Metropolis Daily, some 10,000 dogs are consumed during every dog meat festival.

Bharat Gaurav awardee Srinagar school warden beats girls then goes underground

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the teachers were horrified on seeing their condition and send them for treatment to different hospitals.

Dr Shabnam is a recipient of Bharat Guarav award from the All India Human Welfare Council in 2015.

STRICT ACTION AGAINST THE WARDEN Akhtar said strict action would be taken against the warden, whom he repeatedly mentioned as culprit.

He said the warden had used the lathi in the most brutal way. “Such people should not be the part of state’s education system”, he said. The minister said the government has placed the warden under suspension and an FIR has been lodged against her.

He said the culprit had gone into hiding and was avoiding her arrest by changing her hideouts regularly.The hostel is known as Gujjar Bakerwal hostel, where mostly the girls of nomadic Gujjar tribe stay.The students also alleged that the warden would force them to babysit her infant daughter.

Also, she would often force them to wash her clothes.

regiment to fight British

Is the participation of women in the military a recent development?

From ancient warriors, to medieval queens and women archers of the Amazon rainforests, there is plenty of evidence of women’s active participation in the military through the ages. In the decades following the industrial revolution, women’s participation in the armed forces was discouraged in the Western world. In many countries colonised by the West, however, there were women fighting against the colonial powers. After the industrial revolution, the first large-scale mobilisation of women for military purposes happened during the First World War. Even at that time, their role was primarily restricted to nursing services and other support functions.

Since when have women been recruited for combat roles?

During the Second World War, both sides, the Allies and the Axis powers, recruited women soldiers most of which was voluntary. The UK, Germany and the Soviets

had the bulk of women soldiers fighting in the war.

In the UK and Germany, the role of women was largely confined to administrative, clerical and

nursing jobs. The limited combat role open to them was the running of antiaircraft systems. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, was the first major country to recruit women for front-line combat positions. Soviet sniper Lyudmila Mikhailivna Pavlichenko was credited with 309 kills in the Second World War. Similarly, Roza Shanina operated on the front line in a marksman’s position during the war, and was credited with 59 confirmed kills. The Soviet Union also had an all-

women fighter pilot regiment popularly known as the ‘Night Witches’. The 40-member regiment flew over 23,000 sorties during the war. In 1943, Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army raised the all-women Rani of Jhansi regiment to operate as guerilla infantry to fight against the British.

What is the present scenario?

Official recognition of women as full-fledged members of the armed forces gained momentum in the late 1940s. Women became officially recognised as a permanent part of the US armed forces in 1948, the UK in 1949, and Canada in 1951.

In most other countries, the first batch of women soldiers joined in the 1980s or the 1990s. India started recruiting women in its armed forces in 1992.

Initially, these recruitments were largely restricted to the Army Medical Corps, the Army Dental Corps, and the Military Nursing Service. In some countries like New Zealand, Israel and Canada, all military positions, including combat roles, are open for women.

Issue - 672 (12)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Solar Impulse2 begins Atlantic crossing NEW YORK The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft was flying over the western Atlantic Monday morning on one of the most difficult legs of its recordbreaking bid to cross the globe using only solar energy.

The plane, which took off from

New York’s JFK airport at around 2:30 am (0630 GMT), is piloted

by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, who is expected to spend approximately 90 hours during which he will take only short naps - crossing the Atlantic.

“It’s my first time taking off from JFK,” Piccard said over a live feed from the aircraft as he headed off into the night sky en route to Spain’s Seville Airport.

Several hours later he posted on Twitter that despite a previous full moon there is “now a pink sky in front of me, the day is waking up. ” The voyage marks the first solo transatlantic crossing in a solarpowered airplane and is ex-

pected to last four consecutive days and nights, depending on weather.

The plane, which is no heavier than a car but has the wingspan of a Boeing 747, is being flown on its 22,000-mile (35,000-kilometer) trip by two pilots taking

turns, Piccard and Swiss entrepreneur Andre Borschberg.

“I’m in the cockpit this time, but we’re flying together,” Piccard told Borschberg before takeoff.

The pair have flown varying legs of the journey, with Borschberg piloting the flight’s final Pacific stage, a 4,000-mile (6,437-kilometer) flight between Japan and Hawaii. The 118-hour leg smashed the previous record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history.

The plane, now on the 15th leg of its east-west trip, set out on March 9, 2015 in Abu Dhabi, and has taken the aircraft across Asia and the Pacific to the United States with the sun as its only source of power.

“Smooth takeoff and all #Si2 systems have been checked here at the Mission Control Center for the #Atlantic Crossing,” Borschberg posted on Twitter soon after Solar Impulse 2’s departure. Prince Albert of Monaco, a patron of the project, gave the flight the goahead from its mission control center in Monaco, telling Piccard “you are released to proceed.” Approximately a third of the journey still remains for the plane, which will fly through Europe and on to Abu Dhabi after crossing the Atlantic. The single-seat aircraft is clad in 17,000 solar cells. During nighttime flights it runs on battery-stored power. “Solar Impulse is like a flying smart grid, and if we can make it work in an airplane, where we can’t cheat, we can make it work on the ground, in our cities, for our homes and for all applications,” Borschberg said in a statement.

The plane typically travels at a mere 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight. “Best of luck on this wonderful adventure @bertrandpiccard & all the team,” British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, owner of space tourism company Virgin Galactic, posted on Twitter.

Piccard and Borschberg are no strangers to adventure. Piccard, a psychiatrist, made the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999. Meanwhile, Borschberg only narrowly escaped an avalanche 15 years ago and in 2013 survived a helicopter crash with minor injuries.

Ayodhya dispute: Aurangzeb, not Babar, built Babri masjid, says new book

Patna With the Ayodhya issue back in the spotlight ahead of the 2017 UP polls, a new book on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid controversy claims to give a new perspective to the dispute.The book, Ayodhya Revisited, has been authored by former IPS officer Kishore Kunal who, as Officer on Special Duty in Ayodhya from 1990 to 1992 to the then Union home minister, had an insider’s view of the goings-on in the dispute.

The most stunning “finding” in the book, which Kunal claims is drawn from original documents presented for the first time, is that Mughal emperor Babar was not the one who built the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1528 as is popularly believed.

“I have quoted from many original Sanskrit sources to show that Babar was a very liberal ruler, free from religious bigotry. He never demolished any temple in India and never visited Ayodhya,” Kunal said.

The author has claimed that a Ram temple existed on the disputed site, which was demolished by Fedai Khan, the governor of Ayodhya in 1660 AD, at the command of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Kunal has accused Francis Buchanan, who surveyed Ayodhya in 1813-14, of erroneously crediting the mosque to Babar by drawing upon a ‘spurious inscription’ that contained a ‘fabricated portion’, which reads that it was built by Mir Baqi at the command of Babar.

Algeria blocks Facebook, Twitter to prevent exam cheating

Virginia Raggi first female mayor in Rome

ROME Rome has elected populist Virginia Raggi as its first female mayor in a significant electoral reverse for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.Exit polls yesterday gave the anti-establishment Five Star Movement’s candidate at least 60 per cent of the vote in a run-off contest with Roberto Giachetti of Renzi’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD).The 37-year-old lawyer and local councillor, a complete unknown only a few

months ago, had been widely expected to claim the keys to City Hall.But the margin of her victory exceeded expectations with the exit polls pointing to her taking between 62 and 68 per cent of the vote.Polls suggested the PD had not suffered such big reverses elsewhere but the centre-left was in danger of losing control of the major northern cities Milan and Turin while holding on to Bologna and Naples. Victory in Rome is a

major coup for the Five Star Movement (MS5) founded by comedian Beppe Grillo in 2009, which has since established itself as the major opposition force in Italian politics.

Raggi successfully tapped into widespread anger among voters over the state of the capital’s public transport and other services, widely seen as having been undermined by years of cronyism and sleaze in the municipal administration.

Algiers Algeria has come up with a new trick to tackle exam cheating among school students blocking social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter.

In order to prevent cheating in secondary school examinations, Algerian authorities on Sunday temporarily blocked access to Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms across the north African country.

The move follows after high school exam papers were leaked onto social media ahead of the exam in early June.

The students accessed questions on Facebook and other social media.

Owing to the leaks, 300,000 of

the 800,000 students who sat for the “baccalaureate” exam earlier had to sit for re-exam on Sunday.

“This (move) is to protect students from the publication of false papers for these exams,” the report said, quoting an official.While Algeria blocked social media to fight exam leaks, similar blockages have been reported in Uganda and Congo Brazzaville regarding unsettling political situations in those countries.

According to a report in africanews.com, earlier this month, police arrested several people, including officials working in national education offices and printers as part of an investigation into the leaks.

Issue - 672 (13)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Pakistan grants Rs 300 million to madrassa linked to Afghan Taliban Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has allocated Rs 300 million in its budget to a madrassa known as the ‘University of Jihad’ and having top Afghan Taliban leaders

among its alumni, including its former chief Mullah Omar.

“I am proudly announcing that Darul Uloom Haqqania Nowshera will get Rs 300 million to meet its annual expenditures,” KhyberPakhtunkhwa minister Shah Farman told the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly this

week.

He said the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government in KhyberPakhtunkhwa was not raiding and targeting religious institutions

but has been cooperating and providing financial assistance to it.The madrassa in Akora Khattak in Nowshera district of the province is known for having several top Afghan Taliban leaders among its alumni, including former Taliban chief Mullah Omar who received an

More than 1 lakh Bangladeshi clerics sign anti-terror fatwa Over one lakh Bangladeshi Islamic scholars on Saturday issued a fatwa (edict) declaring militancy and extremism in the name of Islam ‘forbidden’. The ‘fatwa’ signed by some 1,01,524 Islamic scholars belonging to Bangladesh Jamiatul Ulama is comprised of 26 volumes for divisional cities and four more signed by women scholars.Chairman of Bangladesh Jamiatul Ulama and Imam of Sholakia Eid congregation Maulana Farid Uddin Masud revealed the fatwa at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the

capital.“Islam is a religion of peace. In the name of Islam, some quarters are spreading extremism and terror through misinterpretation of Quran and Hadith to gain their personal interests,” he said.“Though many label the militants as jihadis, they are actually terrorists,” he said, adding: “Islam doesn’t support terrorism.

And those, who are carrying out suicide attacks with the belief to go to heaven as martyrs if they die and live as heroes if remain alive, will not go to heaven according to Quran and Hadith,” he added.

honorary doctorate from the seminary.

Haqqani Network founder Jalaluddin Haqqani, al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent leader Asim Umar and slain Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, who was killed in a US drone strike last month, were among alumni of the seminary which is dubbed as the ‘University of Jihad’.

When asked about such a big chunk of financial assistance to a single seminary, Minister for Religious Affairs Habibur Rehman said that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had promised to Haqqania madrassa’s administration financial assistance of Rs 150 million which was adjusted in the Auqaf fund this year, the News International reported.

“Darul Uloom Haqqania is one of the oldest and largest seminaries of Pakistan and it deserves financial assistance,” Rehman, who belongs to Jamaat-i-Islami, was quoted as saying by the paper.

Rehman said that Rs 150 million would be provided to the madrassa in 2016-17 while the remaining amount would be given to it next year.

Founded in 1947, the Islamic seminary is currently headed by Maulana Sami ul Haq, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.

He also serves as the chairman of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, an umbrella coalition of more than 40 groups, including Hafeez Saeed-led Jamat-udDawa (JuD) and the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba.

Farman said that the KhyberPakhtunkhwa government was providing financial assistance to other seminaries and mosques in the province.

I’m not a gate-crasher, retorts Vijay Mallya after book event row

Indian High Commissioner Navtej Sarna’s presence at the event on Thursday where Vijay Mallya, an offender in a money laundering case, was spotted, sparked a row following which the Indian External Affairs Ministry on Saturday issued a clarification that Mallya was not on the list of invitees of the event organiser.

REACTION Mallya on Sunday said he was not a “gate crasher”, suggesting that he was invited to the book launch event here which was also attended by the Indian High Commissioner.

“Never gate-crashed in my life...

I am not a gatecrasher and would never be one,” Mallya tweeted on Sunday, responding to the claims that he was not among the invitees.

The MEA had said the High Commissioner left the stage and venue immediately after making his comments when he spotted Mallya in the audience. The event was organised by the London School of Economics.

The disgraced business tycoon, who had walked in soon after the event started, tweeted, “I went for my friend - the author. Sat quietly with my daughter and listened.

Headline news and unfounded speculation followed.”

“No evidence, No chargesheet.

Before claiming all this should I not be given a chance to pursue my legal remedies? Most unfair,” he said.

Social media was in a frenzy after it emerged that Sarna, who was one of the special guests at the event to mark the launch of socialite Suhel Seth’s new book, attended the function with Mallya in the audience.

MEA RESPONSE After the uproar over the issue, the MEA had said there were two clear segments to the June 16 event in question the book launch

by UK Minister Jo Johnson and discussion at LSE and later a reception at the High Commission for select guests.

“The list of invitations for the LSE event was determined by LSE. They have written to the High Commissioner that Mallya was not on their list. They have also said that the event was advertised widely through social media and attendees were not required to register in advance.

“Mallya was certainly not an invitee to the reception at the High Commission for which the invitations were issued by the High Commission, and was not present,” the MEA statement said.

but ISIS is trying to increase its influence in Africa and to plot attacks in the region and in Europe, Brennan said. He said Boko Haram is now the ISIS branch in west Africa and has several thousand fighters.

The ISIS branch in the Sinai has become the “most active and capable terrorist group in all of Egypt,” attacking the Egyptian military and government targets in addition to foreigners and tourists, such as the downing of a Russian passenger jet last October.Other branches have struggled to gain traction, Brennan said. The Yemen branch, with several hundred fighters, has been riven with factionalism.And the Afghanistan-Pakistan branch, also hundreds of fighters, has struggled to maintain its cohesion, in part because of competition with the Taliban.He said the US-led coalition has made progress combating the group, which has had to surrender large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria and

has lost some of its leaders in airstrikes. ISIS has struggled to replenish its ranks of fighters, Brennan said, because fewer of them are traveling to Syria and others have defected.“The group appears to be a long way from realizing the vision that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, its leader, laid out when he declared the caliphate two years ago in Mosul,” Iraq, Brennan said.He said the group’s ability to raise money has also been curtailed, although the group still continues to generate at least tens of millions of dollars in revenue each month, mostly from taxation and from sales of crude oil.

Islamic State is ‘formidable and resilient’, CIA chief says

CIA directorJohn Brennan told Congress on Thursday that the Islamic Stateremains “formidable” and “resilient”, is training and attempting to deploy operatives for further attacks on the west and will rely more on guerrilla-style tactics to compensate for its territorial losses in the Middle East.

Giving the Senate intelligence committee an update on the threat from extremists, Brennan said ISIS has been working to build an apparatus to direct and

inspire attacks against its foreign enemies, as in the recent attacks in Paris and Brussels — ones the CIA believes were directed by ISIS leaders.“ISIL has a large cadre of western fighters who could potentially serve as operatives for attacks in the west,” Brennan said, using another acronym for the group. He said ISIS probably is working to smuggle them into countries, perhaps among refugee flows or through legitimate means of travel.Brennan also noted the

group’s call for followers to conduct so-called lone-wolf attacks in their home countries.

He called the attack in Orlando a “heinous act of wanton violence” and an “assault on the values of openness and tolerance” that define the United States as a nation.Brennan said the CIA is sharing intelligence with the FBI to help identify potential lone-wolf attackers, but the CIA’s responsibility is to gather information about operations overseas. He said the CIA has found no connection between the Orlando shooter and a foreign terrorist organization.He said ISIS is gradually cultivating its various branches into an interconnected network.“This is a global challenge,” Brennan said. “The number of ISIL fighters now far exceeds what al-Qaida had at its height.”He said there were 18,000 to 22,000 ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq — down from about 33,000 last year. The branch in Libya, with between 5,000 and 8,000 fighters, is likely the most advanced and most dangerous,

Issue - 672 (14)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Palestinian’s classic car replica turns heads in Gaza GAZA Repairing cars in the Gulf, a Palestinian mechanic from the Gaza Strip once spotted a vehicle that took his breath away.

It was a classic: a Mercedes Gazelle.

Munir Shindi knew that he had to have one.

So, after returning home to Gaza, he set about building a replica of the 1927 model of the two-door, open-top roadster from scratch.

Cannibalising parts from used vehicles and importing a few items such as

locks, hub caps and hinges from the United States, Shindi, 36, spent nearly two years shaping his masterpiece. It’s now on display

in his mechanic’s shop. “I wanted to prove to myself that I can make it and that nothing was impossible,” he said. Off-white with bur-

Europe’s Ariane 5 launches two satellites into space KOUROU Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket launcher successfully sent two telecoms satellites, one for a US-based com-

munications service provider and one for an Indonesian bank, into space on

Saturday.

They were launched from Kourou, in French Guiana, at 6:38 pm (2138 GMT), according to launch com-

pany Arianespace.

It was the third launch of the year, placing into orbit the

Echo Star XVIII for satellite service provider Dish Network, and BRIsat for Rakyat Indonesia bank.

Twenty-nine minutes after launch, the satellite Echo Star XVIII entered orbit.

The satellite is designed to provide direct broadcasting services for 15 years to the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii for Dish Network.

Forty-two minutes after blast off, the satellite BRIsat reached its orbit.

It is the first telecommunications satellite dedicated to a financial institution, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, which has 53 million customers across the Indonesian archipelago, according to Arianespace.

Hitler’s trousers, Goering’s cyanide container sold at auction BERLIN Trousers with leather pockets worn by Adolf Hitler and a brass container that held the cyanide used by a top deputy to commit suicide were among a trove of Nazi memorabilia sold for hundreds of thousands of euros at an auction in Germany.

The sale of items from a collection of an American medical officer who attended to the needs of defendants at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials was condemned by Germany’s Jewish community as “scandalous” and “disgusting”.

The auctioneer did not respond to repeated re-

quests for comment. German media said one Argentine bidder spent over 600,000 euros ($681,060) alone at Hermann Historica’s weekend auction in Munich, snapping up

Hitler’s trousers and military jacket, and an aviator watch that belonged to Hermann Goering, the beefy Nazi air force commander, among other things.

The trousers sold for 62,000 euros, the jacket made from “finely-woven field-grey cloth” - went for 275,000 euros, the watch for 42,000 euros and some silk underwear owned by Goering for 3,000 euros, according to mass-circulation daily Bild.

Other items under the hammer included the brass container for the hydrogen cyanide phial that Goering swallowed while awaiting trial in Nuremberg in 1946, which fetched 26,000 euros, and Hitler’s medical X-rays after a failed assassination attempt in July 1944, Hermann Historica said on its website.

gundy seats, the replica is built on a Mitsubishi chassis and powered by a 1,600 cc Mitsubishi engine.

It drew admiring glances and cheers from motorists and pedestrians as Shindi, accompanied by two of his sons, took a rare drive down a main Gaza street on Sunday. “I am still waiting for the authorities to allow me to license it so I can drive it properly,” he said.

Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the lightweight Gazelle series helped Mercedes dominate motorsport in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

According to classic car websites, about 300 Gazelles were produced, and one unrestored model sold for $7.4 million in 2004. Palestinians in Gaza, territory controlled by the Hamas group, import cars from around the world via neighbouring Israel. There are about 70,000 registered cars in the small, densely populated enclave of 1.95 million people.

Drone forces hour-long closure of Dubai airport

A rogue drone disrupted air traffic at Dubai International Airport for more than an hour on Saturday, said the operator of one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.

“DXB airspace was closed due to unauthorised UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) activity for 69 minutes resulting in a number of diversions,” Dubai Airports said in a statement on its Twitter account, using its code. “Airspace reopened at 12:45 (0845 GMT)” on Saturday, it added.As a result, some flights were delayed for four hours and four flights were diverted, the 7Days newspaper reported.

It was the second such

incident in 18 months, according to media reports in the United Arab Emirates.

The use of drones is banned within the boundary of the airport, with those found guilty of flying the pilotless aircraft there facing he

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Issue 672 (15)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Shahid-Alia hit the right notes in Abhishek Chaubey’s drug drama

By Suhani Singh Director: Abhishek Chaubey Cast:Shahid Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Satish Kaushik, Prabhjyot Singh Rating: 3 Stars In a candid conversation between two police officers, Udta Punjab simply sets up a scary scenario.

Assistant inspector Sartaj Singh (Diljit Dosanjh) tells his senior that he has read that if Punjab doesn’t get a firm grip on its narco terror then the drug lords will be ruling the state much like in Mexico. The comparison is nothing to celebrate for Punjab, long seen as the jewel in India’s crown, surely doesn’t want to be associated as one of the most dangerous places in the world.

Written by Abhishek Chaubey and Sudip Sharma, Udta Punjab is not the most comprehensive film on the state’s vicious drug crisis. What it tries to be, with varying success, is a humane drama about the damaging consequences of drugs on the youth, and how the politicians and police forces are partners in crime as they facilitate the illegal industry for their own profit. There’s a reason the state’s ruling parties are laying low and distancing themselves from the film for it genuinely has you worried for the state which is losing a generation to drugs.

There are four character

arcs to follow here: the cocaine-loving rapper Tommy Singh (Shahid Kapoor), the Bihari migrant working in the state’s fields (Alia Bhatt), Sartaj who is complicit in the drug trade and Preet (Kareena Kapoor Khan), a doctor with rehabilitation and raising drug awareness on her mind. The two men have a decisive epiphany which awakens their conscience and makes them reconsider the paths they have chosen. Tommy has an encounter with two of his fans in prison and Sartaj discovers that his younger brother is an addict after he overdoses on a new cocktail of drugs and lands in a hospital. It’s here that Sartaj runs into Preet, who teams up with him to expose the powerful people involved in the dirty trade.

None of their journeys however are as hard-hitting and poignant as that of the Bihari labourer whose life turns around when she gets hold of a packet of heroin. An accidental victim of the crisis, she is trapped in its convoluted web and struggles to get out of it after she becomes a heroin addict and a sex slave.

Chaubey’s third film, his first without his mentor Vishal Bhardwaj, isn’t as seamless as Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya. Udta Punjab only briefly hints on what’s driving the youth to get hooked to drugs. The film shuttles from one character to another but not all their journeys are taut. The

Finding Dory

By Tatsam Mukherjee Cast (voice artists): Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence, Ed O’Neil, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Idris Elba, Eugene Levy Direction: Andrew Stanton Ratings: 4 Stars Last time, it was the orange clownfish Nemo who had to be found. This time around it is Dory, the blue tang with a ‘short-termremembery-loss’ who gets

lost.

Director Andrew Stanton returns for this watery lostand-found sequel. We are back under the ocean, with all the marvels of the deep around us hundreds of kinds of fish, and plants, and creatures great and small.

Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) who has been hanging out with Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and his dad Marlin (Albert Brooks) suddenly has a flash of her past life she had a mom

weaker track of the lot is Preet and Sartaj’s pursuit to trace the people involved in the supply chain. It is but expected that all the characters will ultimately see their destinies converge but the circumstances which lead to it seem forced and contrived.

Tommy’s sudden turn as a lover boy appears too rushed and even the heartbreaking moment can be foreseen.

Instead it’s the small moments than the loud sequences that hit the right notes. Such as when a small store owner mentions how the days of drinking tea are long gone with drugs ruling the scene or when Preet talks of how resolving the drug menace rests as much in the addicts ability to kick the habit as it is in nabbing the suppliers and manufacturers. If the demand decreases, the supply will be affected. Chaubey also applies Amit Trivedi’s soundtrack effectively with “Da Da Dasse” and “Ikk Kudi” being most noteworthy. One wishes though that he’d not overindulge and chop the extended bloody climax.

Dosanjh does a credible job as officer who has a change of heart as well as have it beat hard for Preet.

His is not as interesting a part as Shahid Kapoor’s or Alia Bhatt’s but he nonetheless manages to assert his presence in the film.

Kareena Kapoor Khan has the most limited screen time of the four leads but

she leaves with a bang in the pivotal scene of the film which best demonstrates the devastating consequences of drugs on its users. Kapoor milks his flamboyant part, which provides both laughs and much-needed perspective, though he occasionally takes the OTT route in his quest to be the dazed and confused, selfaggrandising pop star. It is Alia Bhatt who stands out with a riveting performance that requires tremendous vulnerability and resilience in equal measures. And does she deliver whether

she is screaming or staying quiet. The film’s highlight moment, scripted beautifully by Sharma and Chaubey, belongs to her as she unleashes her character’s anger, frustrations and weakness.

Blame the Central Board of Film Certification for spoiling a major deal of the film with the filmmakers having been forced to move to the High Court to appeal against CBFC’s 89 odd cuts which were broken down in 13 points. If you have been reading the newspapers and websites to follow the tussle, some

of the film’s jokes, key moments and its abusive tonality are already known to the viewers. But credit also goes to Pahlaj Nihalani and his cohort to unknowingly promote a film which highlights a significant issue consuming a state - a state which going by its leaders reactions believes ignoring the problem is a way to tackle it. Chaubey delivers the message without being preachy. Even with the generous splash of humour the concern for Punjab’s denizens is high on the minds of the writers. That’s worthy a high.

and dad! That’s all it takes for her to take off to a marine institute in California, to search for her parents.

Because it is a Disney animation film, we know how this will end. In between, Dory and her clownfish pals have themselves an adventure, spending maximum time with a seven-legged octopus called Hank (Ed O’Neill) whose sole ambition is to get to an aquarium in Cleveland, and bumping into a shortsighted whale shark (Kaitlin Olson) who turns out to be a childhood buddy, and a beluga whale

(Ty Burrell) who is trying rev up his echo-location talent.

And just in time too. About the only segment that has zing is the last 20 minutes, which has a rescue operation. The rest is fine, but familiar and bland.

I missed the lightheartedness of the original. This one is touchy-feely-weepy, underlining the movie’s big theme home is where the heart is. What happened to throwing your head back

and laughing?

And I don’t know about you, but why do these characters go yakkity-yak all the time? They talk far too much. It gets tiresome after a while, even if some of the lines are cutesy and

funny. Right at the end, as Dory stares out into the vast deep and falls silent, we see what she sees, and share that sense of wonder. In that blue, which stretches into infinity, anything is possible.

Issue 672 (16)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Debutante Sobhita wrote poetry for her character in Anurag Kashyap’s film There is a preconceived notion about how models can’t act, and yet debutante Sobhita who won the Miss India Earth title in 2013, aced her very first audition to bag the role in Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0.

Interestingly, she had no clue who the audition was for and only found out later that it was an Anurag Kashyap film.

She wrote poetry for her character, which director Anurag Kashyap thought was impressive, but couldn’t fit it in the film.

Raman Raghav 2.0 sees Kashyap working again with Nawazuddin, who he earlier worked with in Black Friday and Gangs of Wasseypur. The film also stars newcomer Vicky Kaushal, who made his debut last year in Masaan which was backed

by Anurag Kashyap.

I don’t want to go and play a cliched Indian girl According to Anushka Sharma, what Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone are doing on foreign shores is amazing,

but she is personally not working towards Hollywood projects.

Both Priyanka and Deepika have bagged plum projects in the West.

Priyanka will be seen as

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the main antagonist in Dwayne Johnson’s Baywatch which is her Hollywood debut. Deepika is making her debut in Hollywood with XXX The Return of Xander Cage.

When asked if she has a similar plan, Anushka said, “Everything that I am going to do as an actress doesn’t matter where it’s coming from. It just has to be interesting.

I don’t want to go and play a cliched Indian girl.”

“The cliches are there, so if I do something, it has to be interesting.

What Priyanka and Deepika are doing is amazing... More power to them. They are representing our country in a way and they are making more opportunities for other people. It’s awesome, but I am not working towards it,” she added.

The NH10 star, who will soon be seen in Sultan, said sharing the screen space with Salman Khan in the film was intimidating.

“He is not the kind of a person who will go out of the way to make you feel comfortable. I get intimated to work with Salman and there is no doubt about it.

Salman Khan is afraid of losing his stardom Salman Khan might be Dabangg in reel life but is he as dabanng in real life?

In a recent media interaction, the Sultan star admitted that he is afraid of losing the stardom that he has worked on and achieved in his career of over 25 years. But he also added that he believes that life is more than being a screen star and that thought keeps him in peace. “Everyone is scared of losing stardom,” Salman Khan told IANS, “I would be lying if I say no.

It’s not just the stardom...

It’s that love, it’s that respect.” Elaborating on how stardom is fleeting, Salman added, “Suddenly, it all gets over... that is one quality you are working so hard for and suddenly something happens and you are not the liked person any more...that bothers everyone.”

However, the Dabangg star feels that one should have the strength to face such an existential conundrum.

He gave the example of his father, screenwriter Salim Khan (of the SalimJaved duo) who had to experience losing stardom, twice. Salman also

used himself as an example. In fact, at one point through the early 2000s, his films were flopping and he did not command the stardom that his peers, Shah Rukh or Aamir did. It was only with 2007’s Wanted and 2010’s Dabangg that his luck turned.

Criminal case against Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez Jacqueline Fernandez, Dishoom producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Rohit Dhawan are facing a criminal case on charges of insulting the Sikh religion in one of the songs of their upcoming film Dishoom. The song is discussion is Sau Tarah Ke, which features, apart from Jacqueline, actors Varun Dhawan and John Abraham.

IRKED BY KIRPAN IN SONG Jacqueline is seen dancing wearing a kirpan - a Sikh ceremonial dagger - in the film song which has irked the Sikh clergy. The complainant Ravinder Singh Bassi, in his complaint to the court, has also made Sector 34 SHO and SSP Chandigarh as coaccused.

The court has fixed July 1 for hearing and has asked the complainant, an advocate, to produce primary witnesses in the court.

Earlier, on June 15, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) in a letter

written to Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification Pahlaj Nihalani had asked him to get the controversial song removed from the film as it was desecration of the Sikh symbol.

ACT HURTING SENTIMENTS DSGMC letter says the ‘act’ is hurting sentiments of Sikhs who have sent a number of complaints to the committee. Sirsa said that he has requested the

apology to the Sikh community for the deliberate insult done to a respectable Sikh religious symbol. If the CBFC fails to take appropriate action in this context, DSGMC will be compelled to

“The song depicts a semi-clad Jacqueline Fernandez, dancing with a kirpan dangling in front of her legs and supported by a cloth belt worn around the waist by her and thereby made the mockery of the sacredness and respect of the religious symbols of kirpan,” Manjinder Singh Sirsa, general secretary, DSGMC, said.

CBFC to instruct director Rohit Dhawan to immediately remove all the trailers and videos of the aforementioned song uploaded on YouTube or other websites.

PUBLIC APOLOGY “Either delete the song from the movie or re-shoot its video sans the wearing of kirpan supported by the actress and to instruct the director and cast of the movie to make public

initiate criminal proceedings against the director of Dishoom as well as against the CBFC,” said the open letter written to Pahlaj Nihalani.

ARABIC SWORD However, the film producer has already denied the allegations, saying that the dagger shown in the film is not a kirpan but an Arabic sword. The song in question was shot in Morocco.

Issue 672 (17)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Jennifer Aniston covers stomach, sparks pregnancy rumours Actress Jennifer Aniston has sparked pregnancy rumours when she stepped out in New York City while appearing to cover her stomach. The former ‘Friends’ star, 47, was photographed donning a black tank top, a red patterned skirt and a pair of black flip-flops.

She walked while putting her hat and a denim jacket in front of her tummy, reported Ace Showbiz. Aniston also tried to hide her stomach when she went on a dinner with husband Justin Theroux. At the time, she wore a tight black T-shirt paired with trousers of the same color while clutching presumably the same denim jacket. The actress initially sparked pregnancy rumours after a publication shared a photograph showing her rocking a “baby bump” in a tiny bikini during a romantic getaway with her hubby in Eleuthera, Bahamas earlier this month.

Christina Grimmie’s killer went under the knife to woo her?

‘The Voice’ star Christina Grimmie’s killer Kevin James Loibl reportedly embarked on a mission to change his appearance in an attempt to win the late singer’s affection, before going on to kill her.

Grimmie, 22, was killed on June 11 while meeting fans after performing at the Plaza Live venue in Orlando, Florida. She was shot three times by 27-year-old Loibl, before he turned the gun on himself after being tackled by her brother Marcus. Now his coworkers have new claims,

revealing the extent of his infatuation with her.

Loibl underwent “hair transplants and Lasik eye surgery” to change his appearance, and even became a vegan in an attempt to lose weight, reports tmz.com. He made no secret of his adoration for Grimmie, and reportedly played her music at work regularly.

He reportedly went to one of her shows in March this year and hinted he met her there, and also told his co-workers he regularly “played online games with the singer”.

Winona Ryder wants to do Demi Lovato shares heartfelt ‘Beetlejuice 2’ with Tim Burton message to LGBTQ community

Actress Winona Ryder gave a memorable performance in ‘Beetlejuice’ back in 1988 and she says she is still up for making a sequel to the classic film. It was recently announced that

work on a follow-up movie isn’t happening right now, but the actress wouldn’t be against the idea in the future, reported Collider.

Ryder, who played goth teen Lydia in the original, said: “I don’t really know

what’s going on with that. “Obviously, it was an iconic film.

The only way it could really ever be done is with Tim (Burton) and Michael (Keaton).

There’s something that really resonates with all ages with that film. It’s interesting. I think it would be great if it happened, if it was the right circumstances.

“Gosh, you know you’re getting older when they’re making TV shows, sequels or plays for things that you did.” It’s not the first time Ryder has spoken about the possibility of a sequel, after she sparked rumours of a new “Beetlejuice” movie last year during an appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers”. The muchloved cult classic starred Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin as Barbara and Adam Maitland, a married couple who die in a car accident and find themselves haunting the dream house they bought when alive.

Demi Lovato has called for the end of the cycle of violence towards the gay community following massacre at the Orlando, Florida nightclub. The “Skyscraper” singer is one of the many stars who have shared both condolences and outrage over the tragedy, which left 50 dead and more than 50 injured after a gunman opened fire at the Pulse hotspot. Lovato, 23, took to Twitter for the first time since the massacre, said she has been unable to find the words to express her sadness. “There are no

words for how upset I’ve been since Orlando,” she wrote. “I cry for the victims, ache for the families, and have immense admiration for the LGBTQ community and their resolve in absorbing this horror and uniting with strength and fearlessness. Stay strong.

We stand with you.” She added more action needs to be taken to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future, writing, “We hurt. We mourn. We argue. We settle. We need to stop the cycle.” Lovato has long been a supporter of

the LGBTQ community, and was recently feted for her advocacy with the coveted Vanguard Award at the GLAAD Media Awards.

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Issue 672 (18)

21 June - 27 June 2016

UK politician Sayeeda Warsi abandons pro-Brexit campaign over ‘hate’ London A British politician announced she would no longer support the campaign to leave the European Union, accusing it of “hate and xenophobia” on Monday, days before the referendum.

week.

“That ‘breaking point’ poster really was -- for me -- the breaking point to say, ‘I can’t go on supporting this’,” Warsi told The Times.

“Are we prepared to tell lies, to spread hate and

Sayeeda Warsi, former chair of the Conservative Party and a prominent Muslim, told The Times newspaper she had decided to “leave Leave” because of a poster launched ahead of Thursday’s vote.

The poster, an image of migrants and refugees queueing on the border of Slovenia with the caption “Breaking point”, was unveiled by the anti-EU leader Nigel Farage last

xenophobia just to win a campaign? For me that’s a step too far.”

Accusations of divisive tactics by the Leave campaign intensified after the shock murder last week of lawmaker Jo Cox, a proEU campaigner who had advocated for refugees’ rights.

Her alleged killer, Thomas Mair, replied “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain” when asked to give his name at a court appear-

ance.

Farage was forced to fend off criticism of the poster over the weekend as polls indicated the two sides were neck-and-neck ahead of the June 23 vote.

Finance minister George Osborne called it “disgusting and vile” and said it had “echoes of literature used in the 1930s”.

But Farage denied stirring hatred. “When you challenge the establishment in this country, they come after you, they call you all sorts of things,” he said.

Warsi, a member of the House of Lords, was a junior foreign office minister under Cameron until she resigned in protest at the government’s policy on the Israel-Gaza conflict in 2014. Following her announcement, Vote Leave questioned whether Warsi had ever supported their campaign.

“When I invited Sayeeda Warsi to join the Leave campaign, she declined,” Daniel Hannan, a member of the Vote Leave campaign committee wrote on Twitter.

Sale of ‘Om’ inscribed shoes in Pakistan leave Hindus fuming New Delhi Members of the Hindu minority in Pakistan resorted to a large-scale protest after shoes with ‘Om’ inscriptions were sold openly in the Sindh province. The protestors deemed the actions of the shopkeepers and distributors as blasphemous. Angered over the incident, the community even sought a ban on the sale of the shoes stating that it hurt their religious sentiments.

The protests were carried out after the shoes were brought to the notice of the Hindu community. The Pakistan Hindu Council has begun protests against the Sindh government and local authorities operating in Tando Adam Khan. According to Ramesh Vankwani, the patron-inchief of Pakistan Hindu Council, shoes with ‘Om’ symbols were being sold during Eid festivities for the last three years.

1. Members of Hindu

community alleged that the shoes were sold purposefully to insult the sentiments of Hindu locals.

2. Pakistan Hindu Seva, an organization working for inter-faith solidarity said that the shoes were being

shoes.

5. The community alleged that the shoe company's actions were spreading hatred.

6. Hindu communities asked locals of Tando Adam Khan town to seek

manufactured by Zeb Shoes.

3. A statement by the group requested the authorities concerned to take notice of the matter immediately to override any expected mistrust within the locals.

4. The organization demanded that Farman Ahmed owner of Zeb Shoes to be barred from manufacturing and selling the

legal help to settle the issue and refrain from violence.

7. Some local newspapers even reported that the sales were not restricted to Tando Adam Khan and that they were being sold at other parts of Sindh.

8. Pakistan is home to about eight million Hindus most of whom reside in southern province of Sindh.

Issue 672 (19)

21 June - 27 June 2016

New record: 65 million people displaced in 2015, says UN The UN refugee agency says persecution and conflict in places like Syria and Afghanistan raised the total number of refugees and internally displaced people worldwide to a

record 65.3 million at the end of last year.

The previous year, 2014, had already seen the highest number of refugees worldwide since World War II, with 60 million displaced people. But last year when Europe staggered under the arrival of large numbers of migrants topped that record by nearly 10 percent, the UNHCR said Monday in unveiling its annual Global Trends Report.

The Geneva-based agency urged leaders from Europe and elsewhere to do more to end the wars that are fanning the exodus of people from their homelands. “I hope that the message carried by those forcibly displaced reaches the

leaderships: We need action, political action, to stop conflicts,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “The message that they have carried is: ‘If you

don’t solve problems, problems will come to you.’”

With stark detail, UNHCR said that on average, 24 people had been displaced every minute of every day last year or 34,000 people a day up from 6 every minute in 2005. Global displacement has roughly doubled since 1997, and risen by 50 percent since 2011 alone when the Syria war began.

More than half of all refugees came from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Turkey was the “top host” country for the second year running, taking in 2.5 million people nearly all from neighboring Syria. Afghan neighbor

Pakistan had 1.6 million, while Lebanon, next to Syria, hosted 1.1 million.

Grandi said policymakers and advocacy groups admittedly face daunting challenges helping the largest subset of displaced people: Some 40.8 million internally displaced in countries in conflict. Another 21.3 million were refugees and some 3.2 million more were seeking asylum.

More than a million people fled to Europe last year, causing a political crisis in the EU. Grandi called on countries to work to fight the xenophobia that has accompanied the rise in refugee populations, and decried both physical barriers like fences erected by some European countries as well as legislative ones that limit access to richer, more peaceful EU states.

Such European policies were “spreading a negative example around the world,” he said.

“There is no plan B for Europe in the long run,” Grandi said.

“Europe will continue to receive people seeking asylum.

Their numbers may vary ... but it is inevitable.”

Trump wants US to consider profiling Muslims Donald Trump suggested Sunday that the United States should seriously consider profiling Muslims inside the country as a terrorism-fighting tool, the latest example of the Re-

that he “hate(s) the concept of profiling, but we have to use common sense” over “political correctness.”

Trump’s proposal runs counter to Justice Department

publican presidential nominee-in-waiting increasingly backing positions that could single out a group based on their religion.

“We really have to look at profiling,” Trump said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation. “It’s not the worst thing to do.”

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee added

policy, which explicitly prohibits profiling on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity and national origin. That profiling ban applies not only to federal agents but also to local law enforcement officers who participate in federal task forces.

Trump’s increasing embrace of policies that could isolate Muslims in America is ex-

traordinary for a candidate assured of his party’s presidential nomination. The proposals have been roundly dismissed and criticized by many Republican leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. Civil libertarians, Muslims and others also have strongly disagreed, arguing that profiling is unconstitutional and often constitutes unlawful discrimination based on race, religion and other factors.

Law enforcement should remain allied with groups that might have helpful information, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in an interview that aired Sunday.

“It is very important for to us maintain our contacts within the Muslim community, because, often, individuals, if they’re from that community and they’re being radicalized, their friends and family members will see it first. They will see activity first. And we want that information to come to us,” Lynch said on CNN’s State of Union.

Australia PM Malcolm Turnbull vows gay marriage vote despite homophobia fears Australia’s prime minister insisted on Monday a referendum on legalising same-sex marriage will be held this year if his government is re-elected despite the Labour opposition calling it “a taxpayerfunded platform for homophobia”.

The country holds elections on July 2 with the latest opinion poll showing the ruling Liberal-led coalition and Labour neck-andneck.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is well-known for his support of gay marriage, is in favour of a referendum on the issue instead of a parliamentary vote. But Labour has hardened its language against a public vote, in what commentators said was a strategic move to set up the issue as a clear choice on polling day.

“We have a very clear policy which is that every Australian will get a vote on the subject,” Turnbull, the first sitting Australian leader to attend the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, told reporters.

“Of course, if we are successful on July 2, then I have every expectation that the parliament will swiftly legislate for a plebiscite and a plebiscite will be held shortly after parliament resumes, which I would assume to be in August.

“So I would hope that the plebiscite could be held before the end of the year.”

Labour has pledged to hold a parliamentary vote to change the Marriage Act within 100 days if it wins

office, and warned that allowing the public to decide risked exposing underlying homophobia.

It has suggested a plebiscite could unleash hateful advertising and expose children of gay parents to

negative messages.

“In modern Australia, no one should have to justify their sexuality or their love, to anyone else,” Labour leader Bill Shorten said at Labour’s official election campaign launch yesterday. “And instead of sitting in judgement, instead of providing a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia, we will gift every Australian an equal right in respect of love. Nothing less.”

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Issue 672 (20)

Indian Air Force makes history by inducting fi

by Jugal R Purohit On a cool Saturday morning, everyone looked to the sky and prayed. It would rain, the weatherman had warned. As those gathered at the tarmac readied themselves to witness the ‘Combined Graduation Parade’ of the 197th course at the Air Force Academy (AFA), it was clear that this would be no ordinary affair. From the enhanced visitor count to the commensurate security detail to the broadcast vans of news networks to the curiosity in its run up, the distinction was measurable in more ways than one. At 9am, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced: “It is a red letter day. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has inducted three women pilots as fighter pilots.” Before ending his fiveminute speech which was followed by the young officers taking oath and then marching off, he paused and said: “Yours is the noblest and most honourable of all professions.” The crowd seated before the iconic Sekhon block was in rapt attention and history, as the cliché goes, had been made.

Decision Reflecting back at the last six months during which Flying Officer Mohana Singh, one among the three women fighter pilots, not only made the decision to opt for the fighter stream mid-way through the course, but also worked hard at her training. Her mother Manju Singh said: “She did not discuss too much.

She hardly had time. The training must have been very intense. Yes, there were moments of stress and when she told me so, I told her she had made her choice and she should believe in herself.” On October 8, last year, during his customary Air Force Day parade address, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said something which despite years of litigation and activism could not be said.

The IAF, he mentioned, was opening its doors in a manner unprecedented. It was planning to induct women as fighter pilots. The words

MOHANA SINGH She comes from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. Her grandfather was a flight gunner in Aviation Research Centre. Her father is a warrant officer in the IAF. Mohana is excited to continue the family legacy of serving the nation.

:20(1

,1',$·6 ),567 ),*+7(5 3,/276 *(7 :,1*6 even resounded in the distant Dundigal where inside the 6,700-acre campus of the AFA, then flying cadets Avani Chaturvedi, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth picked them up.

The trio was inching closer to completing their ‘Stage One’ training which included among other things successfully completing 55 hours of flying the Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) Pilatus. A beaming Bhawana recounted: “To share a secret, I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but when we joined the option was not there. So when it came to us in December 2015, I knew I was going to grab it.”

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar congratulates one of the women fighter pilots Evaluation The three volunteered, as the regulations required.

IAF’s evaluation of their physical and mental aptitude, which the force insists has been gender neutral, found them fit. In the next stage, which culminated in Saturday’s ‘Combined Graduation Parade’, the trio, along with 90 other flying cadets

successfully completed their ‘Stage Two’ which also involved flying the vintage Kiran intermediate trainer aircraft for 87 hours. Standing in a corner, DP Chaturvedi, an engineer in the Madhya Pradesh government and Flying Officer Avani’s father took the question head on, “It was my daughter’s call.

Her natural instincts propelled her and we will

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21 June - 27 June 2016

rst batch of women pilots into its fighter squadron

always admire her. I am a firm believer that what’s in destiny will happen and nobody can stop that.� When the final round, ‘Stage Three’ commences, it will require the Flying Officers to report at the air force station in Bidar, Karnataka.

Their next examination will be on the Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Hawk.

It promises to be the longest of all and will take about a year to overcome.

If they fail, the dream of flying the fighter will die. “Whether male or female, if the officer does not qualify the stage in that one attempt then the fighter stream is not for them,� clarified Air Marshal GP Singh, AFA Commandant. How heavy is the burden of being a fighter pilot? Avani was quick on the response. “There are many women pilots who have flown Pilatus and Kiran before us. Till now, we have not done anything special. What we will now do will be special and we hope we will do good,� she replied. The fighters indeed are firmly on the ground.

Officers’ real fight begins now

Flying officer Avani Chaturvedi with her sisters at the combined graduation parade in Dundigal

Creating history: Avani Chaturvedi (left), Bhawana Kanth (centre) and Mohana Singh became the first women fighter pilots to be formally commissioned by the Indian Air Force.

Before the formal parade to walk into history on being commissioned into Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday, it is unlikely that Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh would have missed the slosh dance, a long held tradition among fighter pilots.

The swinging slosh steps lighten up the rigours of fighter pilot training. The girls have come a long way overcoming a testing medical examination by aero medical training centre probing their ability to withstand physical challenges associated with fighter flying, and a gruelling training.

Now that the glass ceiling has been broken, the accompanying spotlight will melt away in the severity of training that will get more complicated in the next stage. It takes a lot to make a fighter pilot and the progression

brings its own complexities. What they have undergone till now is basic flying training on two types of aircraft. Each one of them flew 55 hours on the Swiss Pilatus PC 7 Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) before graduating to Kirans, which initiated them on handling jets.

They completed mandatory 87 hours on Kirans before getting commissioned into the IAF.

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Issue 672 (22)

21 June - 27 June 2016

20 HORRIBLE CRIMES ISIS INFLICTED ON YAZIDIS IN ONGOING GENOCIDE

The United Nations’ Commission of Inquiry on Syria, in its latest report, made it official that ISIS was committing genocide against the Yazidis in Syria.

“Genocide has occurred and is ongoing,” Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Commission, was quoted as saying in a press release.

“ISIS has subjected every Yazidi woman, child or man that it has captured to the most horrific of atrocities,” he added.

The commission’s findings are “based on interviews with survivors, religious leaders, smugglers, activists, lawyers, medical per-

infidels, has publicly cited the Yazidis’ faith as the basis for the attack of August 3, 2014 and its subsequent abuse of them.”

Here’s a list of crimes documented in the report ISIS separated Yazidi men and boys over 12 from the rest of their families, and killed those who refused to convert, in order to destroy their identity as Yazidis.

Women and children often witnessed these killings before being forcibly transferred to locations in Iraq, and thereafter to Syria.

Captured men and older boys became ISIS captives and were forcibly con-

sonnel, and journalists, as well as extensive documentary material, which corroborate information gathered by the Commission,” reads the press release. The report also noted that “ISIS, which considers the Yazidis to be

verted to Islam, those who refused were summarily executed.

Captives men and boys were forced to work on construction projects, digging trenches, cleaning streets, and looking after cattle.

They were also forced to

pray, grow their beards and hair, and follow other religious dicta promulgated by the group. Anyone who tried to escape was beaten at the first attempt, and executed on the second.

ISIS fighters forced Yazidi women to give up valuables, including gold, money and mobile telephones. They also separated children from their mothers, especially young girls. Only girls aged eight years and under were allowed to remain with their mothers.

ISIS held hundreds, sometimes thousands, of Yazidi women and children at various sites all of which were severely overcrowded. At some sites, captives were given little food or water.

Women at some sites were given food with insects in it and were forced to drink water out of the toilets.

Many captives, particularly infants and young children, became very sick from contaminated food and water, but no medical care was provided.

ISIS fighters would select captive women and girls they liked and forcibly pull

them from their rooms.

Any woman who tried to help was brutally beaten by fighters.

ISIS fighters also executed women who were approximately 60 years and older.

Thousands of women and girls, some as young as nine, were sold in slave markets, or souk sabaya, in Raqqah, Aleppo, Homs, Hasakah and Dayr Az- Zawr.

Yazidi women and girls were and still are being constantly sold, gifted and willed between fighters. One woman, who estimated she had been sold 15 times, told the Commission, “it is hard to remember all those who bought me.”

At the slave markets, fighters asked women to take off their headscarves as they wanted to see their hair. Sometimes they even asked women to open their mouths to check their teeth. Women were made to “walk through the room like a catwalk” before being auctioned. Anyone who refused was beated with wooden sticks.

Captured Yazidi women and girls were deemed property of ISIS and openly

termed sabaya or slaves.

Eighty percent of captured women and girls are available to fighters for individual purchase.

marital status, current location and price.

While being held by ISIS fighters, Yazidi women and girls over the age of nine

At the main holding site in Raqqah city, a Yazidi girl attempted to kill herself by jumping off the second floor of a building. She was severely injured, but ISIS fighters forbade other Yazidi captives from helping her. Suicides were commonplace amid ISIS brutalities -- some women and girls killed themselves by slashing wrists or throats, while others hanged themselves using their headscarves.

Since 2015, ISIS fighters have started holding online slave auctions. According to the report, they’re using messaging app Telegraph’s encrypted network to circulate photos of captured Yazidi women and girls, with details of their age,

are subjected to brutal sexual violence. Most of those interviewed reported violent daily rapes by their fighter-owners. Some were handcuffed behind their backs during the rapes while others had their hands and legs tied to the corners of the beds.

Girls as young as nine were raped, as were pregnant women. Many women and girls also reported injuries as a result of the rapes, including bleeding, cuts, andbruising.

Women who resisted rapes were threatened with gang rape. One woman told the Commission that her Syrian fighter-owner threatened to throw her off the roof of his house if she resisted.

Issue 672 (23)

21 June - 27 June 2016

A tiny country of creative geniuses • By Eric Weiner The first time I glimpsed Edinburgh Castle, sprouting from the basalt like some giant stone apparition, I was stunned into an uncharacteristic silence.

There is something about Edinburgh – indeed about all of Scotland ¬– that inspires not only silence, but also a certain type of creative ingenuity.

You feel this something as soon as you arrive in Scotland’s capital. You feel it in the zigzag of alleyways that is Old Town.

You feel it in the raw beauty of Arthur’s Seat, the extinct volcano that towers over the city. You feel it in Edinburgh’s choc-a-block bookshops – living proof of the city’s rich intellectual heritage.

with her infant daughter in her arms and the first three chapters of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stonetucked into her suitcase. She wrote the rest in the city’s cafes, including the now-defunct Nicholson’s Café and the very much thriving Elephant House, which sports a sign outside announcing that you’ve arrived at “The Birthplace of Harry Potter”.

In fact, Edinburgh’s influence on Rowling’s imaginary world of wizardry is unmistakable: as many locals have noted, Hogwarts bears a striking resemblance to George Heriot’s School in Old Town.

In other ways, too, Scotland punches above its creative weight, with writers

Stevenson, an Edinburghnative, described so wonderfully in his short tome Edinburgh: Picturesque

There’s a little bit of Scotland in all of us, whether we know it or not. If you’ve ever consulted a calendar or the Encyclopaedia Britannica, you can thank the Scots. If you’ve ever flushed a toilet or used a refrigerator or ridden a bicycle, thank the Scots. If you’ve ever had surgery and didn’t feel a thing, you can thank the Scots.

Scottish creativity combines the lofty and the practical. Think of Glasgow’s James Watt and his steam engine, or Fife-born Adam Smith and his classic Wealth of Nations book or the eagleeyed detective named Sherlock.

Or, for that matter, a young wizard named Harry.

JK Rowling was a struggling single mother of two, on the dole, when she arrived in Edinburgh in 1993

like Ian Rankin, the popular mystery author, and Alexander McCall Smith, author of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

Then there is Silicon Glen, Scotland’s high-tech region that is home to some cutting-edge research, such as the real-life “tractor” beams created at the University of Saint Andrews, and the development of a new generation of prosthetics limbs (including some that can be controlled via app) by the Livingston-based firm of Touch Bionics.

But what exactly explains Scottish creativity?

“Edinburgh seems to thrive on surprise,” the playwright Donald Campbell told me over tea at his Edinburgh home. This is true even of the land itself, with its “theatre tricks in the way of scenery”, as Robert Louis

Notes.

It is also true of the people.

One day over tea at a café, I sat down with local teacher Muriel Kirton. It was freezing outside, but I spotted a man running by in T-shirt and shorts.

“What’s wrong with him?”

I asked.

“He’s Scottish,” she replied, as if that explained everything.

In a way, it does. The Scots are a contradictory people. It was a Scotsman, Adam Smith, who invented the field of economics, and a Scotsman, Thomas Carlyle, who roundly mocked it as “the dismal science”.

“We’re a bit schizophrenic,” conceded Kirton, explaining that, while generally a very cautious person, she once took off for South America on a whim.

The Scots are not only

mercurial, they’re also outsiders, perched on the fringe of the United Kingdom. From a creativity perspective, this is good.

Throughout history, most creative geniuses have been outsiders in one way or another.

I witnessed Scottish creativity for myself when I visited a local Edinburgh science fair. It was a bit odder than your typical science fair. Exhibits included a polygraph and mouse pads fashioned like oriental carpets, and something called a “solar spectrometer”, which I never figured out what it did. The most popular exhibit was one featuring a 3D printer.

That’s where I found Robin Beer. (“Beer, like the drink,” he said with a smile.)

He’s in the software business so, technically, he

Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest arts festival, but, according to Beer, Scottish ingenuity is a year-round affair. In fact, he said, he finds the long Scottish winter to be the most inspiring time. “The darkness and cold forces you to stay indoors and get creative.”

I was sceptical. Never mind penning a great work of literature or inventing a world-changing contraption, I was finding it hard to get out of bed. At this latitude, late winter mornings are not your friend; the darkness and the chill conspired with my down comforter to immobilize me. I might easily have slept until noon, were it not for the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, mocking me, cajoling me out from under the covers. “The great af-

walking path along Edinburgh’s main canal. I was not alone. Others were heeding Stevenson’s advice; they were walking and running and cycling, and doing so in attire – Tshirts and shorts – that, to my non-Scottish mind, seemed wholly inappropriate given the biting cold.

The word scrappy sprung to mind. Yes, that is what the Scots are. They are scrappy. I had not previously associated the word with creative genius, but perhaps I should. As I picked up my pace in a futile attempt to stave off hypothermia, it dawned on me how that word, scrappy, explains much of Scotland’s creative spark.

Scrappy, I decide, deserves a better connotation. Scrappy is not mere pluck or stubborn persis-

could live anywhere but, still, there’s something special about Scotland, he said. Yes, this creative spirit is in full bloom each August during the famous

fair is to move,” he said.

So I moved. First to the shower, then to breakfast, then, boldly, in the spirit of adventurers through the ages, outside. I joined a

tence. Scrappy people are resourceful, determined and grudgingly optimistic. Scrappy is good. It is also very Scottish.

Issue 672 (24)

21 June - 27 June 2016

The week ahead could be frustrating, but it brings a chance to relax and wind down.

You may notice a desire to rebel against the system, but you’d be better off finding a way to fulfill your desires while still maintaining a positive relationship with the laws of the country. Friday’s Solar Eclipse can encourage a spiritual breakthrough, enticing you to meditate regularly.

The week ahead could be frustrating, but it brings a chance to relax and wind down.

You may notice a desire to rebel against the system, but you’d be better off finding a way to fulfill your desires while still maintaining a positive relationship with the laws of the country. Friday’s Solar Eclipse can encourage a spiritual breakthrough.

Don’t let a minor misunderstanding affect you early on. Stay positive and things should soon blow over between you. On another note, find the middle way between sharing too much information and being superficial. You don’t need to spill your secrets to everyone, only those you trust to keep them safe. When it comes to your career, this week’s Eclipse brings a chance to make a breakthrough.

You’ll need to decide how much to focus on your mission and purpose and how much to give in to another’s need for attention. One incident could make you aware of how much of your time you’ve given away and how little you’ve gotten in return. The move of Venus into your social sector brings options for warmth, romance, and fun.

Responsibilities may impede a desire for fun and adventure, which you’ll need to remedy.

What you really need is balance - not too much of one or the other. It’s certainly a good time to study or consider making travel plans. Once Venus heads into Taurus you’ll be eager to reach out and connect with people who can help you with your professional aspirations.

Don’t be too quick off the mark regarding a purchase. It’s best not to buy on impulse.

Besides, you may get more enjoyment from your money if you use it for leisure and recreation. Starting Tuesday the idea of getting away might appeal to you, especially if it offers the chance for a relaxing break.

Friday’s Eclipse in Pisces could spotlight changes to a key relationship.

You’ll be in the flow at work and at your creative best. Harness your imagination for success. An edgy transit suggests you should guard against letting someone disrupt your emotional foundations. Be strong! A Solar Eclipse in your work and lifestyle sector could coincide with events that encourage you to make a fresh start with your health or other routines.

This week you have the option to review your thinking and consider whether or not it’s helping you achieve your goals. If not, think about replacing your negative thoughts with more upbeat versions. This will enhance your chances of success.

Venus heads into Taurus on Tuesday, lighting up your relationship sector.

Romance takes on a sensual glow!

A focus on your leisure and pleasure sector encourages you to take it to the limit.

But you need to balance this by thinking carefully about your financial situation and how much it might cost you. The move of Venus into your lifestyle sector might tempt you to overindulge, which could be frustrating if you're on a diet.

Self-doubt could be a problem early in the week, but you can overcome anything with a determined approach. Even so, you could resist changes within the home or family. It’s wise to be flexible, as this is a great time to make progress. Romance sparkles from Tuesday, when Venus glides into your pleasure sector to make for some divinely sensual encounters.

Communication and interactions continue to be very important this week, bringing many opportunities for work, new business, and buying and selling. The only thing that could prevent you from getting ahead is the pattern of limitation within you. It’s time to become aware of it and let it go. A potent influence could encourage you to make changes to your financial situation.

Certain friends may no longer share your values, especially if yours have become more alternative or cutting edge. If this drives a wedge between you, it might be time to find people who understand you.

Use your discrimination on Wednesday, when things may not be entirely clear cut. Friday’s Solar Eclipse in your sign brings the chance of a fresh new start.

Issue 672 (25)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Technology Facebook’s suicide prevention tools now available to all users!

Facebook has been creating products that would help people connect and communicate with friends and family in bad events be it natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods or terrorist attacks in countries.

In a bid to curb self-injury and suicide episodes globally, social networking giant Facebook has updated its suicide prevention tools and are now making them available to all users including in India.

The tools, developed in collaboration with mental health organisations and with inputs from people who have personal experience with self-injury and suicide, were first launched in the US with the help of organisations like Forefront, Lifeline and Save.org.

“We’re updating the resources we offer to people around the world who may be experiencing self-injury

or suicidal thoughts, as well as the support we offer to their concerned friends and family members,” posted Antigone Davis, Global Head of Safety and Jennifer Guadagno, Researcher at

Facebook, on Tuesday.

“We are rolling them out around the world in collaboration with local partners and in all languages Facebook is available in,” they added.

In a latest incident in Gurgaon, Haryana in India, a 32-year-old man was saved by his friends and the police after he posted pic-

tures of a suicide bid on Facebook.

Varun Malik, who works in a multinational company, tried to commit suicide by cutting his wrist and uploaded the pictures

of a bleeding hand on the social networking site Facebook.

His friends who saw the post came to his rescue and informed the police immediately. Malik was rushed to a private hospital where doctors said his condition was stable.

“We have teams working around the world, 24/7,

News shared and recommended by friends on Twitter more likely to go viral Social media sites are not only good at connecting people from across the globe, but are also great for promoting or marketing,

especially if people or your friends share your posts.

Micro-blogging site Twitter is making news exactly for this reason. As per a study, news or stories that are recommended or shared by your friends on Twitter, have a higher tendency to go viral. The team of researchers from Columbia University in the US and the French National Institute (Inria) found that, reader referrals drove 61 per cent of the nearly 10 million clicks in a random

sample of news stories posted on Twitter.

Clicks, tweets and retweets definitely work their magic, it seems, since researchers

believe that readers have a good idea regarding what their followers would like to read and see and what kind of news will be more appealing to them.

The researchers attempted to peer under the hood by collecting all the open data they could find -- the number of Twitter’s 280 million followers who potentially viewed and shared a news link shortened by the web app, Bit.ly, and how many clicks those links received.

Eighty two per cent of

shares, and 61 per cent of clicks, of the tweets in the study sample referred to content readers found on their own.

But the crowd’s relative influence varied by outlet -- 85 per cent of clicks on tweets tied to a BBC story came from reader recommendations while only 10 per cent of tweets tied to a Fox story did.

“People are more willing to share an article than read it. This is typical of modern information consumption. People form an opinion based on a summary, or summary of summaries, without making the effort to go deeper,” said Arnaud Legout, research scientist at Inria.

The researchers presented their results at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Sigmetrics conference in Nice, France, recently.

who review reports that come in. They prioritize the most serious reports like self-injury,” the Facebook duo posted.

“The resources we send to the person who posted something concerning will include an expanded set of options. People can now choose to reach out to a friend, contact a helpline or see tips,” they announced.

With the help of these new tools, if someone posts something on Facebook that makes you concerned about their well being, you can reach out to them directly and you can also report the post to Facebook.

Microsoft teams up with legal marijuana industry Microsoft embarks on a new journey with its recent tie up with a software industry that supports the legal marijuana industry.

After the United States government decision to legalize the use of marijuana in 20 states in for medical and recreational use, the tech giant announced its first-ever collaboration with California based start-up Kind Financial, which helps businesses and government agencies track sales of legalized marijuana “from seed to sale”, as per BBC news. Being the first-ever

tie-up of its kind, it will help in eliminating the traditional stigma linked with marijuana. Kind Financial earlier developed applica-

ond in 2001.

The report on Verge, points out both patents predate Loon, “and the company does not ap-

Google co-founder Larry Page and Sergey Brin visited their headquarters as well, showing interest in their technology.

pear to have licensed either one.”

The company says they had signed an NDA with Google in 2007, and shared trade secrets with them when in 2008,

However later on Google terminated all discussions with Space Data because of an article in Wall Street Journal, which hinted the search giant was interested in the technology.

plans to set its future in videos as well.

Speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women International Summit in London, she said that in five years time, the social me-

dia platform will probably be ‘all video’.

Why the sudden swerve?

As Mendelsohn explained, there has been a year-on-year decline in text posts and a distinct rise in photos and videos shared through its service in recent times.

It’s nice to know that the world is becoming more advanced and accepting change, however, the question still stands whether or not this will be a good idea?

tions to help marijuana businesses accept electronic payments. With this partnership, Microsoft is looking forward to help individual and government launch successful regulatory reforms.

US company sues Google; claims search engine giant stole their idea

Search engine giant Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc are being sued by a a US company called Space Data Corporation over claims that the former stole their idea for Project Loon.

According to a report in The Verge, Space Data Corporation alleges in its complaint against Google, it was they who had developed the technology nearly a decade back, and were in talks with with the search giant as well.

The complaint states Google’s Project Loon is based on Space Data’s patents for providing connectivity through a balloon network, one being filed in 1999, and the sec-

Will videos be the face of Facebook five years down the line?

Social media giant Facebook is a world within a world, wherein people from across the globe can connect and expand their reach.

The previous year and a half is evidence that Facebook has a certain inclination toward content that contains videos.

This propensity for videos was confirmed, when Facebook’s EMEA vice president, Nicola Mendelsohn, made it clear that the social network

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21 June - 27 June 2016

Singapore athlete dubbed ‘Angel Tan’ guilty of recruiting women for prostitution Singapore’s national paraathlete Adam Kamis, who represented the country at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, on Monday pleaded guilty of recruiting women for prostitution through social networking web sites for his social

escort agency and sexually exploiting a minor girl.

Adam, 37, took to Facebook to recruit women, using the moniker ‘Angel Tan’ to pass himself off as an escort girl working for SG Freelancers the escort agency he started in early 2013 to get out of debt.

He pleaded guilty to 11 charges of recruiting

women for prostitution and one charge under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act for exploiting a 16year-old girl.

For child trafficking, Adam could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to SGD100,000. He could

also be given up to six strokes of the cane. Adam will be sentenced on June 27.

Deputy public prosecutor Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz told the court that Adam wanted to “pique their interest and gain their trust.”

Adam, who lost his right arm in a motorcycle accident and had left arm paralysed, represented

Singapore at the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Asean Para Games.

Between early 2013 and October 2015, when he was arrested, Adam had recruited 15 women, Channel News Asia reported.

His victims were students, a dental assistant, childcare teacher and an accountant, and were aged between 16 and 38.

The court heard that the 16year-old girl had come across Adam’s advertisement for a freelance job paying SGD500 a day. She contacted ‘Angel Tan,’ the moniker used by Adam.

Adam, who introduced him-

self as a staff of the escort company, met the girl at his apartment in Yishun.

He sexually exploited her by persuading her to let him “inspect” her body, assuring that all girls who attended the interview had to do the same. Despite telling Adam she was only 16, he persisted, telling her that no one would find out.

He had sex with her. For other victims, Adam would get the victims to disclose their personal details in a “sexually explicit” questionnaire. Adam would “try out” the women by having sex with them, SripathyShanaz told the court.

Sripathy-Shanaz is seeking a sentence of 38 months against Adam. The DPP argued that this was not a spur of the moment decision but the culmination of detailed planning which spawned a well laidout, sophisticated recruitment process.

He was both the mastermind and operator of the entire enterprise, she said.

For procuring or attempting to procure a woman for the purpose of prostitution, Adam faces up to five years’ jail and a fine of up to SGD10,000.

Pregnant teens in Australia deliberately smoke to have smaller babies

Pregnant teens in Australia are deliberately taking up smoking to help them reduce the birth weight of their unborn babies and make childbirths less dangerous and painful, a shocking new research has found.

According to a 10-year study into smoking in Australia, girls as young as 16 are taking up smoking as they are more afraid of labour pains linked to having a large child rather than the health complications caused by cigarettes.

“They had read on packets that smoking can reduce the birth weight of your baby, which is obviously

not how the public health message is intended to be taken,” said Simone Dennis, associate professor at the Australian National University.

“They were scared because they were small.

The worst thing that could happen to them was to have an enormous baby,” Dennis was quoted as saying by ‘The New Zealand Herald’. “Some had even taken it up for the first time for that very reason, and some smoked harder, hoping the promise on the packet would come true,” she said. The findings are published in the book Smokefree.

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21 June - 27 June 2016

US toddler’s body found after gator attack at Disney resort ORLANDO A US family’s desperate search for their toddler son, who was snatched by an alligator off the shore of a lake at a Disney resort, ended Wednesday when divers found the two-year-old’s body in murky water. Walt Disney World said it has shut down all of its Florida resort beaches and marinas out of precaution after

the incident - the first such death in its 45-year history.

The boy’s father tried frantically to save him after the attack Tuesday night at a lakeside beach at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, but could not pry the toddler from the gator’s grasp.

“His body was completely intact... The body has now been turned over to the Orange County medical office for an autopsy,” Sheriff Jerry Demings told reporters.He said the toddler most likely drowned. The body was found just 10 or 15 yards (meters) from where he was taken, in murky water about six feet (1.8 meters) deep, the sheriff

said. The two-year-old victim was identified as Lane Graves of Elkhorn, Nebraska - a suburb of Omaha. His parents are Matt and Melissa Graves, Demings said.

“Of course, the family was distraught but also, I believe, somewhat relieved that we were

‘Sobbing’ Obama marks daughters high school graduation

able to find their son with his body intact,” Demings said.

The gator struck at around 9:00 pm Tuesday (0100 GMT Wednesday) as the child was playing in roughly a foot of water at the Seven Seas Lagoon outside the Grand Floridian, which is right across the lake from the Magic Kingdom.

The lagoon is man-made but connected to a natural lake. And alligators - common to Florida can travel over land. Both help explain why there were gators in the body of water.

The boy’s father fought the alligator - estimated to be between four and seven feet (1.2-2.1 meters) long, according to reports - but the animal and child disappeared underwater, officials said.Bill Wilson, visiting from Indiana, saw the incident from the balcony of his Grand Floridian room and said the attack unfolded in less than 30 seconds. Within a minute, the gator and boy were gone.

He said it first sounded like a fight had broken out. “I looked over and here comes one of the lifeguards. He said ‘Everybody get out of the water.’ The mother was there and she was frantic, running up and down looking,” Wilson told the Orlando Sentinel.

Wilson said Disney staff and first responders reacted quickly.

The Grand Floridian is part of the massive Disney resort complex that includes several theme parks, water parks, hotels and golf courses.

“As a parent and a grandparent, my heart goes out to the Graves family during this time of devastating loss,” said Robert Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company.

Prostitutes, parties and private jets: How Goldman Sachs ‘wooed Libyan group’

London London’s High Court this week heard the salacious details of the Libyan Investment Authority’s $1.2 billion lawsuit against Goldman Sachs. Hearings show the investment banking giant went to great lengths - which allegedly included procuring prostitutes and a Moroccan holiday to win investment during Gaddafi’s reign in Libya.

The LIA has alleged that the banking giant duped its officials with entertainment and parties into making nine investments in 2008. LIA ended up losing 98 per cent of its wealth fund or $1.3 billion when markets turned sour, but it claims Goldman made profits worth more than $270 million.

Here’s what LIA said in court Youssef Kabbaj - the Goldman banker in charge of the LIA contract - allegedly “procured” services of a prostitute and her friend for an evening at $600 for himself and the brother of key LIA director, Mustafa Zarti. Zarti, apparently declined the offer of a prostitute.

According to a Daily Mail report, the prostitute has been identified

as 25-year-old Michella of Russian origin. An advert for her online reads, â•œI am often complimented I am very beautiful with angelic smile” and “I am tender, very passionate and I am, guilty of having great appetite for naughty games.” On being approached by a Sun reporter, she said even if she had met Kabbaj, she didn’t remember what happened eight years ago. “I have five clients every day so you can count how many it is for eight years,” she said. Kabbaj too has denied the allegations.

The LIA alleged that Goldman also treated the brother Haitem Zarti to extensive training, holidays, business class flights, fivestar accommodation in Dubai and even a highly coveted internship to win his brother’s trust.

Zarti’s salary during the internship was $5,000-$7,000 a month - “equivalent to the pay of a GS entry level analyst,” as Kabbaj described it.

The bank paid for LIA staff to stay in five-star London hotels and offered them corporate entertainment including football and theatre tickets.

Mother saves son from mauling by lion

Chicago Antonio Perkins, 28, was found face down with gunshot wounds to the neck and head on in a vacant lot on Chicago’s west side.

Perkins was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Facebook Live video appears to show Perkins recording

Impotence?

416-992-5489

himself and a group of people in front of a row of homes before someone opened fire.

The phone appears to tumble through bloody grass before going black.

The audio continues with bystanders screaming and crying.

On Friday, police identified the man in the video as Perkins, who they said was a documented gang member.

The video remains on Facebook with a user warning message about its graphic nature.

A spokeswoman from Facebook acknowledged the video posting, saying it does not violate company policy.

The social media site will remove a video if it celebrates or glorifies violence, she said.

DENVER A mother fought off a mountain lion that attacked her five-yearold son while he was playing with his older brother outside his home in western Colorado.

The unidentified boy’s mother heard screams and raced outside the house northwest of Aspen where she found the cougar on top of her son, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said.

The woman “was able to physically remove her son from the mountain lion” and the boy’s father called 911 as he drove his son to hospital, the sheriff added.

A hospital spokeswoman said the child sustained injuries to his face, head and neck and was in fair condition.

His mother was treated for injuries to her hands and legs and released.

Sheriff’s deputies and a law enforcement officer from the US Forest Service found the mountain lion in the front yard of the residence and put it down, the sheriff said.

Officials were searching for a second mountain lion after

witnesses said two lions were seen in the area prior to the incident, the Colorado Parks

when a young lion attacked a man as he fished in a remote area in northwest Colorado, the

and Wildlife department said.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said there have been two, possible three, fatalities related to mountain lion attacks in the state since 1991, while some 16 people have been injured by cougars since 1970.

The last known attack in the state occurred in July 2015

wildlife department said.

In another wild animal attack, police divers recovered the body on Wednesday of a two-yearold boy who was grabbed by an alligator in front of his family during a vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.The boy’s father had fought to wrestle his child from the alligator’s grasp.

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21 June - 27 June 2016

Two Indians from Dehradun among 25 killed in attacks in Afghanistan London Two Indian nationals were among 25 people killed in a string of bombings across Afghanistan on Monday, days after Washington expanded the US military’s authority to strike the Taliban.

The Taliban and the Islamic State both claimed the first at-

tack, which killed 14 security guards, including the Indians, working for the Canadian embassy in Kabul in a massive blast that left their yellow minibus spattered with blood.

“We have learnt that 2 Indian nationals, Ganesh Thapa & Govind Singh from Dehradun, died tragically in the blast in Kabul today morning,” external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted late on Monday night.

The Indian government is working with its Afghan counterpart to repatriate their bodies at the earliest, Swarup said without giving other details.

The Indians were working for

Sabre International, a private security company.

Earlier reports had said all the security guards killed by the blast triggered by a suicide bomber were Nepalese nationals.

Soon after a Taliban spokesman on Twitter claimed the attack, the Islamic State’s affiliate in Af-

ghanistan and Pakistan released a competing claim in which it named and pictured the alleged bomber, according to the SITE monitoring group.

An Afghan intelligence source said officials were investigating the IS claim, which was denied by the Taliban.

The Taliban also claimed a second, smaller blast in south Kabul that the interior ministry said killed one person.

The bombings were followed hours later by an attack on a market in the remote northeastern Badakhshan province that authorities said killed 10 people, with the death toll set to rise.

The wave of violence came 10

Man kicked off dream cruise

NEW YORK Bali-Mark O’Keefe, 57, was on a 10-day P&O cruise to Bali with Debra when he threw the cigarette overboard without thinking. The couple, from Perth, Australia, had saved up for the holiday for a year.

He was asked to leave the ship and his daughter Courtney claims he was forced to make his own way home from Bali.

Speaking to reporters, she said: “He had maybe two drags because the weather was horrendous - he butted it out, and without thinking, he flicked it.

He instantly regretting it and apologised.”

Mr O’Keefe was allegedly asked to return to his cabin and told that if he did so there would be

no further repercussions.

However, the next morning Courtney received a panicked call from her mother that her father had been removed from the ship.

She said: “The captain said ‘You’re off’ - no letting my dad apologise, no option of cutting him off at the bar, no giving him a fine.

Nothing.”

Courtney has since complained to P&O after saying her father was left on an island where he boarded a small plane to Denpasar and was then forced to find his own way home from Bali. P&O spokesman David Jones told the Daily Mail that “fire safety on board the boat is of highest priority”.

days after Washington announced an expansion of the US military’s authority to conduct air strikes against the Taliban, a significant boost for Afghan forces who have limited close air-support capacities.

Competing claims Police said the attack on the security guards was carried out by a suicide bomber on foot on a key road leading east out of Kabul towards Jalalabad. The interior ministry said in a statement that five Nepali citizens and four Afghans were wounded.

The Canadian embassy confirmed the “cowardly” attack in a tweet and said it had employed the guards.

The explosion could be heard across Kabul and a plume of smoke was seen above the site of the blast on Jalalabad road, a main route housing many foreign compounds and military facilities. The blast shattered the windows of nearby shops.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said his country “strongly condemns” the killings.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack on social media, saying it was “against the forces of aggression” in Afghanistan.

82-year-old man vowed to marry if he passes Class 10, fails for 47th time

82-year-old Rajasthan man Shiv Charan, who vowed to marry only if he passed Class 10 examinations, failed for 47th time.

The results of the Rajasthan board’s Class 10 examinations, which were announced on Sunday, shattered his hopes of getting married.

Shiv Charan,also known as Sheojiram or Pappu, is a resident of Kohari village in Behror town around 140 km from Jaipur.

“Till the time I am alive I will go on taking the exam,” Shiv Charan told IANS on Monday.

Shiv Charan, who lives in a temple, depends on the state govt’s old age pension to meet his daily needs.

“It is not just passing the exam.

It will also give me an opportunity to get married,” he said.

Despite failing eyesight, problems in hearing and joint pains, his passion to clear the exam remains intact.

“In 1995 I passed in all subjects except mathematics,” he said.

However, this time, he failed in all subjects, securing zero in some of them. Charan took his first board exams in 1969.

Italy’s ‘Osteria Francescana’ crowned best restaurant NEW YORK Italy’s “Osteria Francescana” was crowned world’s best restaurant of 2016 at an awards ceremony in New York on Monday, the first Italian establishment to win the annual accolade.Run by chef Massimo Bottura, “Osteria Francescana” pipped last year’s winner, Spain’s “El Celler de Can Roca,” in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, after coming second in 2015.The Italian chef, whose world-famous restaurant in Modena came number three in 2013 and 2014, was emotional in accepting his award.“I want to thank everyone because it’s been so hard, our job is all about art work,” an ecstatic Bottura told the ceremony.“It’s all about our work, in the kitchen everyday to work and succeed.

“With Spain’s “El Celler de Can Roca” knocked down to second place, the third spot went to New York’s “Eleven Madison Park.”

The top 10 was rounded out by restaurants in Peru, Denmark former four-time winner “Noma” France, Spain, Japan and Austria.Three French chefs won individual honors, with Alain Passard of Arpege given a lifetime achievement award, French-born Dominique Crenn named best female chef and Pierre Herme best pastry chef.

The accolades came after critics complained last year that the system was open to abuse since the jury do not have to offer physical evidence of having

actually visited any particular restaurant.

The bulk of those complaints came from France, which in 2016 made it into the top 10 for the

Europe.

Asia and the United States each had six in the top 50, while South America and Scandinavia each had five.Spain had seven

first time in three years but has never managed to win first prize.

The board praised Bottura for his twists on traditional ingredients and his “Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano” in particular.

The awards said he crafted the world-famous cheese into “forms and textures most diners will never have previously experienced.”

“The chef’s ambitious creations perfectly balance the demands of honoring heritage while embracing modernity,” the board added.

They praised his menu of “deliciously executed classics” such as tagliatelle with handchopped ragu and risotto cooked with veal jus.

The 2016 list included restaurants in 23 countries on six continents - but half were in

restaurants on the list, including three in the top 10.

The awards, run by trade magazine Restaurant, began in 2002 and have become a reference for the world’s foodies, but were hit last year by allegations of cosy deals between restaurants and jury members.

CHARGED

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E3 video game show comes with rise of celebrity player LOS ANGELES New consoles and blockbuster games always make a big splash at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, but this year the undisputed winners are online stages for video game play and commentary.

And with them comes the rise of

the celebrity player.

The appetite on sites like Twitch and YouTube Gaming for play video, commentary, trailers, and more seems insatiable, industry insiders say.

“There are hundreds of millions of users watching gaming content every month,” YouTube global head of gaming content Ryan Wyatt told AFP at E3 on Tuesday.

Wyatt admits that he is surprised “that it is this big now. “ YouTube Gaming, a version of the Alphabet-owned videosharing service tailored as a one-

stop shop for game lovers, launched with a website and mobile applications in August 2015.

Now, billions of hours of gaming content are watched monthly at the service - and that number is rising, Wyatt said.

YouTube has made a priority of

“empowering content creators,” personalities who captivate online audiences with play, comedy, wit, commentary or combinations thereof.

“They are superstars in their own right,” Wyatt said.

“They are celebrities.”

Wyatt noted that more than half the Top 10 “YouTubers” are gamers, with popular personalities “making a killing” when it comes to earning money.

Last year, entertainment industry magazine Variety published a survey showing that YouTube personalities had the kind of

influence on teens typically attributed to Hollywood celebrities. For example, more than 45.5 million people subscribe to the YouTube channel of Swedish-based comedian and gamer PewDiePie. “They are basically transcending the gaming industry,” Wyatt said of YouTube gamer stars.

The Amazon-owned Twitch. tv lets anyone broadcast game related content and allows them to connect with publishers or advertisers.

More than 20,00 people attended last year’s TwitchCon gathering of “broadcasters” and publishers, and nearly two million more watched it online, according to the San Francisco-based pioneering game-play streaming service.

“Overall, viewership is skyrocketing,” a Twitch spokesman who goes only by the name ‘Chase’ told AFP. “We break milestones every year, there is no sign of streaming slowing down at all.

“There are Twitch broadcasters who boast six-figure incomes and who have people queue “around the block” for autographs or selfies at public appearances, according to Chase.

Sony Interactive Entertainment chief executive Andrew House saw the technology-driven video game industry as a natural venue for the rise of content creator stars and “the democratization of celebrity.”

Disney opens first theme park in mainland China SHANGHAI Entertainment giant Disney opened a massive theme park in

Shanghai on Thursday, hoping to win over communist-ruled China’s growing middle class with the ultimate American cultural export. Thousands waited in long lines in the raindrenched park, hoping to be among the first to ride attractions such as a futuristic rollercoaster based on the “Tron” science fiction films. The opening comes after tragedy struck Disney’s resort in the US state of Florida, where an alligator killed a twoyear-old child at the shore of a lake in the massive complex.Walt Disney World said it had shut down all of its

Florida resort beaches and marinas as a precaution after the incident. The Shanghai resort is

the US company’s sixth in the world and the first in mainland China - there is already one in Hong Kong.

Workers broke ground on the project in 2011 and the Shanghai Disney Resort now sprawls over 3.9 square kilometres (1.5 square miles) on the city’s outskirts, with a fairy-tale castle soaring over the horizon.

But the launch of the $5.5-billion resort, representing one of the biggest ever foreign investments in China, comes as growth in the world’s second largest economy slumps to its lowest level in a quarter century.Still, the world’s

most populous country is simply too big to ignore, Disney chairman and chief executive Bob Iger said.

“We wanted to make a strong statement. After all, this is the largest market in the world,” he told journalists before the park opened.

Iger himself viewed the present site for the project, which is a cooperative venture with statebacked Shanghai Shendi Group, in 1999.

Speaking at an opening ceremony, he said: “This is one of the most exciting moments in the history of the Walt Disney Company.”

Despite the economic slowdown, some changes over the past five years are in Disney’s favour: the government’s shift towards encouraging domestic consumption as the new driver of growth and relaxation of the strict “one child” family planning policy.

The highest-ranking Chinese official to attend the opening, Vice Premier Wang Yang, said the rain was a “symbol of fortune”.He forecast a “golden era” for tourism in China, which would help boost the economy.

“I would like to call this rain a rain of US dollars or Renminbi.”

Disney calculates there are 330 million people living within a three-hour journey of Shanghai

Patients greeted by robot at Belgian hospital

OSTEND A Belgian hospital has just welcomed its newest staff member: Pepper, a humanoid robot that speaks 19 languages.

Developed to improve social and health care by the Belgian company Zora Bots, Pepper joined the medical team as a receptionist at Ostend hospital AZ Damiaan.

Pepper will introduce visitors to the hospital, provide information and guide visitors and patients to the correct floor and room.

With a speed of just 3 km/h (1.8 mph), Pepper is also able to guide slower patients.

Fully charged, it can work for up to 20 hours on its own.

“The robot itself is a metre 20 high, so it is not like Arnold Schwarzenegger with a leather jacket and an ‘I will be back’ robot,” said Zora Bots’ co-chief executive, Fabrice Goffin.

“It is a quite nice robot and the reactions are positive for the moment.”

During the first week, Pepper was mainly used on the hospital’s maternity department.

Bieke Vandeputte, the mother of a newborn baby, was amazed. “it is another way of making contact and maybe it is reassuring that it is a robot for some people,” she said.

“The baby was really sure.

He did not mind putting his hands on it.

It did not frighten him so I think it will be important.

Especially for children.”

Pepper is not the first robot used at the AZ Damiaan hospital, but it is the first to communicate with patients and to have the ability to guide them.

Before the arrival of Pepper, the staff had already worked with a predecessor, Zora, for about a year.

Zora is smaller and slower than Pepper and used mainly in physical therapy classes.

At a price of 30,000 euros, Pepper is expensive.

New Delhi Officials in India have “arrested” 18 lions as they try to find a man eater suspected of killing three people.

Forest officials in Gujarat state will test the lions’ prints and excrement in an attempt to identify the killer.

The “guilty lion” will be kept in a zoo for life while the others will be released back into the Gir sanctuary, the officials told BBC Hindi.

Six attacks on humans have been reported recently near the sanctuary, the only habitat of the Asiatic lion.

Gujarat’s top forest official, JA Khan, said that the lions had been “arrested” over the past two months and were now being held in separate cages while tests were carried out.

“We think we have pinpointed the guilty lion, but we are still awaiting the results of nine more animals,” he said.

Wildlife expert Ruchi Dave told the BBC that the “tests” involved studying the pug marks and faecal matter of the lions.

“The officials are also studying the animals’ behaviour.

Man eating lions usually get aggressive at the sight of a

human being,” she said.

Another wildlife expert Revtubha Raizada said the man-eating lion would be caged for the rest of its life, as it was too unsafe to release it back into the wild.

Some experts feel that the thriving lion population in Gir forest is to blame for the “unusual” behaviour by the lions.

India puts Gujarat lions on trial after three people killed

Govind Patel, the former chief wildlife warden of Gujarat, told the Indian Express newspaper that Gir could accommodate only 270 lions, forcing some prides to settle outside the boundaries of the sanctuary.

India’s Supreme Court has ruled that Gujarat needed to relocate some of its lions to other states to avoid the possibility of disease or other disaster wiping out the entire population.

However the state has expressed reluctance and has not yet complied with the order.

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Famed artist Christo invites public to walk on water ISEO Italy-Renowned artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff can walk on water.

And thanks to him so can you.

Wearing dark wellington boots,

a red and black all-weather coat, jeans and a smart striped shirt, Christo - as he is universally known - crossed his hands while standing in the middle of Lake Iseo in northern Italy.

All that separated him and the vast body of water was 200,000 floating orange cubes that create a three kilometre-long (1.

9 miles) runway that connects the village of Sulzano to the small island of Monte Isola on the lake.

“It’s a very physical project, you need to go there (to understand it),” he said Thursday of the project called “The Floating Piers” which will open to the public from June 18 to July 3.

“It’s not a painting, it’s not a sculpture.

You need to walk on it. feel it with the sun, with the rain, with the wind.

It’s physical, not virtual.”

First conceived in 1970 for the

River Plate delta in Argentina, the Christ-like project that Christo, 81, devised with his late wife Jeanne-Claude has finally been resurrected.

Despite the long delay in

realising his vision Christo said the project, his first since 2005, “stayed in our hearts”.

Forced to abandon the aquatic walkways in Argentina, then again in Japan due to permit troubles, the piers exhibition got the go-ahead in just two years in Italy, thanks to the enthusiasm of local officials and nearby residents.

Made of 200,000 recyclable polyethylene cubes linked by 200,000 giant screws, the piers are covered with a dahlia-yellow fabric made of tightly woven nylon designed to change tone as the sun sets and become an intense red when wet.

This is not Christo’s first artistic outing in Italy.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, both born June 13, 1935, brought three projects to the country in the 1960s and 1970s, including an installation on Milan’s

Police charge 52-year-old Thomas Mair with Jo Cox’s murder PARIS British police said on Saturday they had charged a man in the slaying of lawmaker Jo Cox, and said the suspect appeared to have acted alone.

West Yorkshire police said on its website that Thomas Mair, 52, had been charged with the murder of the 41-year-old mother of two. “We have now charged a man with murder, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon,” West Yorkshire Police Detective Superintendent Nick Wallen said in a statement.

Mair was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, Wallen said.

Cox, a supporter of Britain

staying in the EU, was shot and stabbed on Thursday by a man who witnesses said shouted “Britain first,” in her own electoral district near Leeds in the county of West Yorkshire in northern England.Wallen said Cox “was attacked and sustained serious injuries from both a firearm and a knife and despite assistance from passers-by, the ambulance service and police officers who were quickly on the scene, she sadly died of her injuries.”

Wallen said the suspect was quickly apprehended thanks from help to the public.

He said police, working with the North East Counter Terrorism Unit, was pursuing inquiries into media reports of “the suspect being linked to right wing extremism” and “the suspect’s link to mental health services.”

“Based on information available at this time, this appears to be an isolated, but targeted attack upon Jo - there is also no indication at this stage that anyone else was involved in the attack.

Cathedral square in which they wrapped a monument to King Vittorio Emanuele.

The couple first rose to fame for their eye-catching packaging of famous landmarks like the Pont Neuf across the Seine in Paris in 1985 and Berlin’s Reichstag in 1995 - a project which took almost a quarter of a century of bureaucratic wrangling to get off the ground.

Describing his passion for reimagining objects with audacious wrapping and packaging, Christo said: “I don’t like to talk on the telephone, I don’t know how to drive cars.

I’m interested (in the) real thing.”

“The Floating Piers” cost 15 million euros ($16.

7 million) to create but will be free to the public and is expected to attract 500,000 visitors by the time it closes.

It was funded as is typical for Christo’s works by the sale of his blueprints and design models.

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Dog steals away stillborn baby from hospital in Indore

Indore In a shocking instance, a dog took away the body of a stillborn from the state-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital on Saturday morning. The baby was delivered by a 19-year-old teenager from Dhar.

The pregnant mother was admitted to the burns unit in the hospital on Thursday after suffering 83% burns in an accident. Sonography tests diagnosed that the baby had died and the fetus was removed to prevent further danger to the mother. She delivered the stillborn late on Friday night.

Hospital authorities allegedly did not send the body to the mortuary immediately, but left the fetus in a tray in the surgery unit, when the dog stole away the corpse.

“I was waiting by my daughters side when I saw a dog entering and picking the foetus from the tray. By the time I could alert anybody, it started running,” said

an attendant accompanying the patient.Hospital authorities remained mum on the matter, but nurses on duty in the burns department confirmed what happened.“We had kept the foetus in the tray as the family members were not much interested in the body… since their daughter was also critical.

They later on informed us and we then caught hold of the dog and put the body back,” said a nurse on the condition of anonymity.

Deputy superintendent of the hospital, Dr JK Verma, said the fetus was sent for postmortem to confirm what happened.

“It is very difficult to state what had happened as there is no eye witness except for the family members. We have sent the body for the postmortem and have also informed the police as it is a medico legal case. Once the report arrives we will be in a better position to talk about it,” he said.

Macaron maestro Herme named world’s best pastry maker PARIS They call him the “Picasso of patisserie,” the man who has made his melt-in-the-mouth macarons an international object of desire.

Pierre Herme, who the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” classification crowned best pastry chef Monday, has elevated the simple but delicate French specialty into an artform.

But the larger than life creator, the fourth generation of a family of master bakers from the Alsace region of eastern France, started out not liking macarons at all.

“I found them too sweet,” Herme - who dreamed of being a cake maker since he was nine - told AFP.That’s why he dedicated himself to making the soft little meringue-like biscuits made of almond flour, egg whites and sugar, a great deal more exciting.

“What prompted me to work on macarons was that before there were just coffee, chocolate and vanilla flavours,” he added.

“So it gave me great latitude for creativity.”

Astonishing inventiveness quickly became Herme’s trademark.

He married unlikely ingredients and fillings such as olive oil and vanilla, or wild rose hip, fig and foie gras to exquisite effect,

insisting that sugar should be used as a “seasoning and not a principal ingredient. “ Instead, his famous laboratory near Parc Monceau in central Paris works on the intensity of taste, turning out such classics as the “Ispahan” - made with

famous for its pastel-coloured macarons - he went out on his own in 1997.

The following year, he opened his first shop in Japan, and soon his creations were becoming objects of conspicuous consumption, often given as presents in

raspberries, lychee and rosewater - and the “Mogador,” a sublime combination of passion fruit and milk chocolate.

Despite his mother’s protestations, Herme apprenticed himself to the great Parisian patissier Gaston Lenotre at the age 14 before leaving to join the rival house Fauchon a few years later.

Having spent the 1980s developing his art - during which time he also worked for Laduree,

beautifully designed boxes.

Herme insisted constant experimentation is the root of his success.He begins each new creation with a drawing and by writing out the recipe, often inspired by “something I have tasted, something I have read or maybe an image,” he told AFP. He then calls in his team of patisserie chefs who work in his laboratory, which is housed in the 19th-century Parisian mansion where he has his office.

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Frozen in time: India’s last taxidermist keeps on stuffing

MUMBAI When Santosh Gaikwad, India’s last-known practising taxidermist, first started stuffing animals 13 years ago he would keep dead birds in his family’s freezer at home, much to his wife’s consternation.

Now, as the head of India’s only taxidermy centre, he enjoys the use of two deep freezers large enough to hold a lion - at the government-run workshop in Mumbai’s national park.

“I had no option but to keep the dead birds in the home freezer,” Gaikwad told AFP, flanked by a snarling leopard, Bengal tiger and two contented-looking lionesses.

“My wife was afraid because we didn’t know how they had died.

She thought food might get infected.So I wrapped them in two or three plastic bags, airtight,” he added.Back then, Gaikwad would take the birds from Mumbai’s Bombay Veterinary College where he still works as a professor in anatomy department.Now he has built up such a reputation he receives a continuous supply of animals from state governments and pet owners.Taxidermy, popular in

British colonial times, may conjure up images of Indian maharajas killing tigers and proudly displaying their stuffed corpses in their lavish palaces.

But India’s Wildlife Protection Act 1972 outlawed the hunting of wild animals and taxidermy trophies.

Instead Gaikwad, 42, stuffs animals that have suffered a natural or accidental death and is inundated with requests to prepare animals for museums and for grieving pet lovers.

It may seem a strange hobby to some but “there’s a lot of demand” said Gaikwad, clad in a green surgical gown at the national taxidermy centre, opened in 2009 in Mumbai’s lush Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Gaikwad, who is the only person authorised by the Indian government to stuff wild animals, explains that “taxidermy is the combination of five arts: “sculpture, painting, carpentry, cobbler, and anatomy”.

He skins the animal soon after death.Any remaining flesh is then carefully removed.

Measurements are taken of the animal’s body mass and a cast replica is prepared based on the original skeleton.

Hyderabad It was a dream come true for Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh, as they were inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as the first women fighter pilots on Saturday.

Addressing the media after being

come true.Terming it a great feeling, Chaturvedi said, “We had to go through a rigorous selection process. Of the six shortlisted, we three made it to the last stage.

We had to train at par with men.

And we gave 100%.”

Defence minister Manohar

commissioned at a function at IAF Academy in Dundigal on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Kanth said, “I am privileged to be the first woman combat pilot in the Indian Air Force. I am also quite fortunate to get the chance of becoming the fighter pilot and it gives a sense of pride.” Singh said it was a special feeling for her and thanked her parents for their support to make her dreams

Parrikar said it was a red-letter day in the history of the Indian Air Force. “It is also a golden day as for the first time these women are going to join the fighter pilots.

This will inspire more women to take up most challenging task in the armed forces. Our longterm objective is to work towards gender parity in the armed forces,” he said.The minister reviewed the combined

Acid thrown at college teacher by bike borne assailants in Bhopal Bhopal A 22-year-old college teacher sustained severe burn injuries on her back and legs after two motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly threw acid on her in Bhopal on Saturday, underscoring the easy availability of the corrosive liquid despite court restrictions on its sale.

The State Women Commission sought a report from police on the incident which came six months after another woman faced a similar acid attack in Madhya Pradesh’s capital city.

Police said the incident took place in the morning when Shailja Namdeo was on her way to work at the polytechnic college.

The two assailants – one with the face covered and another clad in a burqa – stopped her to ask for directions in the posh Arera Colony. The victim, however, managed to turn her face the other way when she saw the burqa-clad attacker take out a bottle. The acid hit her hands, back and legs, police said, adding that she received “minute injuries” on her forehead.

The woman managed to run back to the private hostel where she stays. The hostel-owner rushed her to the Narmada Hospital where her condition is stated to be stable.

The women told police in a statement that she suspected someone of following her for the past three days but had not paid any attention to the possible stalking.

Habibganj police official CM Dwivedi said a bottle suspected to have been left behind by the

assailants has been from the spot.

He, however, said the bottle did not contain normal acid which is banned but distilled water used in batteries.

the market openly without any check,” Chaudhary said.

He said the government failed to stop “open sale of acid” despite promising action after the previous incident in the Ashoka

“We are checking CCTV footages and call details to nab the accused,” he added.

Home minister Babulal Gaur, member of parliament Alok Sanjar, MLA Surendra Nath Singh and MP Youth Congress president Kunal Chaudhary visited the victim at the hospital.

MP Youth Congress staged demonstrations overt the attack and also burnt an effigy of the home minister. “Police are trying to downplay the case by calling it acid of a battery. It was surely an acid, which is being sold in

Garden area. Acid attack was made a separate category of crime in 2013 amid growing incidents of revenge on women who had spurned sexual advances or rejected marriage proposals. The courts have promised free medical treatment and the government has moved to stop the free sale of acid but such attacks continue unabated, a fact brought out by women who boldly spoke out against the practice in an award-winning series Stop Acid Attacks by HT in 2013.

Mamta Kulkarni an accused in India’s biggest ever drug seizure: Police

IAF inducts India’s first three pilots in fighter squadron

graduation parade of 130 flight cadets including 22 women trainees and commissioned them as flying officers. He conferred meritorious awards on the top ranking flight cadets. The graduation parade was followed by a spectacular air show by skilled pilots on Sukhoi fighter jet, Sarang helicopters and Akash Ganga skydivers.

Parrikar said the pilots will soon fly to Bidar in Karnataka for their next round of training including flying of fighter jets like Hawk, Sukhoi and Tejas. They will complete the training by next year, he added.

Parrikar said there was still a long way to go in inducting more women in all the three wings of the ar med forces. “There are still a lot of technical and administrative difficulties in several areas in taking more women. We need to create a lot of infrastructure for women, especially in air force and navy wings. Yet, we will work towards creating more opportunities for them,” he said.

Hyderabad In a major breakthrough, Thane Police today named former Bollywood actor Mamta Kulkarni as an accused in India’s biggest ever drug racket which was busted two months ago.

Mamta is likely to face a Red Corner Notice by the Interpol. 10 people have been arrested till now.

Earlier, police had also named Mamta’s husband Vicky Goswami as an accused in the case.

Addressing the media, Thane CP Paramvir Singh said police probe reveals that Mamta and Vicky were the masterminds behind the drug racket.

Mamta, who was present in January 8 Kenya meetings along with international drug mafia Abdullah, even discussed about how drugs can be taken to India.

DRUG NETWORK Revealing further information, police said that details of the case were shared by American

Drug Enforcement officials.

Abdullah reportedly tried to set up a factory in Mombasa in Kenya. Singh said that 100 kilograms of Ephedrine were received in Mumbai by Vicky’s agent, who handed it over to Vicky. Police also said that Avaon Life Science is the name of the drug company and is operating in Solapur.

BOLLYWOOD UNDER SCANNER Meanwhile, Thane Police is also probing the role of few people from Bollywood in the drug cartel scandal. Police is also on the lookout for Kishor Rathod from Gujarat. Mamta Kulkarni was back in the spotlight after a drug racket, busted by Thane Police, led to her husband who is an international drug lord wanted by the US for running a narcotics racket. Thane Police seized 20 tonnes of ephedrine in a record haul in April. Drugs worth Rs 2,000 crore were confiscated during the police raid.

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Husband’s throat slit by wife’s kin in rare male Pakistan ‘honour killing’ Multan A man’s throat was slit by relatives of his wife who

disapproved of their marriage in the latest “honour killing” to hit Pakistan, police said Saturday.

Hundreds of women are murdered by relatives in conservative Muslim Pakistan each year on the pretext of defending what is seen as family honour, but it is rare for victim to be a man.

The murder happened at a marketplace in the Punjab city of Burewala on Friday, when Muhammad Irshad, 43, was attacked by his father-in-law and two brothers in-law, police said.

“The assailants were armed with knives and hatchets and after inflicting several wounds on Irshad’s body they slit his throat,”

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district police chief Ghazi Salahuddin told AFP. Irshad had married Mussarat Bibi, the daughter of a rich local agricultural family, about an year ago and fled as he feared his in-laws would kill him, but he had returned to see his parents, the police chief said.

A manhunt had been launched to find Irshad’s in-laws, who remained at large, he added.

Last week 16 year-old Zeenat Bibi was killed in Lahore by her mother for marrying a man of her own choice in a case that sparked condemnation throughout the country.

It was swiftly followed by another killing, of a couple in Lahore who married without their family’s consent.

On Thursday relatives slit the throat of a young mother who was pregnant with her second child after she married against their will in the village of Buttaranwali, some 75 kilometres (46 miles) north of Punjab provincial capital Lahore.

On Sunday a young girl was killed by her brother for insisting on marrying the man of her choice in the city of Sialkot, also in Punjab.

A film on honour killings in Pakistan won an Oscar for best documentary short in February.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to eradicate the “evil” amid publicity for the film, “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness”, but as yet no fresh legislation has been tabled.

Religious tolerance in India deteriorating, says US rights expert London Religious tolerance in India is “deteriorating” while religious freedom violations are “increasing”, a rights expert has told American lawmakers.

“A pluralistic democracy, in India today religious tolerance is deteriorating and religious freedom violations are increasing,” Robert P George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at the Princeton University and a former chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.

MINORITY COMMUNITIES HARASSED “Minority communities, especially Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs, have experienced numerous incidents of intimidation, harassment and violence during the past year, largely at the hands of Hindu nationalist groups,” George alleged in his testimony before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organisations of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“Members of the ruling BJP tacitly supported these groups and used religiously-divisive language to inflame tensions further,” he alleged. These issues, combined with longstanding problems of police bias and judicial inadequacies have created a pervasive climate of impunity in which religious minority communities increasingly feel insecure with no recourse when religiouslymotivated crimes occur, George told lawmakers yesterday.

SCS, STs BARRED FROM ENTERING TEMPLE In his testimony, George said in the last year, “higher caste” individuals and local political leaders also prevented Hindus

Country of Particular Concern, George said.

NO FOREIGN FUNDS FOR NGOs In his testimony, George alleged that civil society in particular non-

considered part of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Dalits) from entering religious temples.

The national government or state governments also applied several laws to restrict religious conversion, cow slaughter, and foreign funding of NGOs, he said.

Moreover, an Indian constitutional provision deeming Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains to be Hindus contradicts international standards of freedom of religion or belief, George argued.

India has been on USCIRF’s Tier 2 since 2009. Given its negative trajectory, USCIRF will continue to monitor the situation closely during the year ahead to determine if India should be recommended to the State Department for designation as a

governmental organisations receiving funds from overseas are facing difficulties. In April 2015, the Ministry of Home Affairs revoked the licenses of nearly 9,000 charitable organisations, he noted.

“For example, two NGOs, the Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), which run conflict-resolution programmes and fight court cases stemming from the 2002 Gujarat riots, had their registrations revoked,” he told lawmakers.

Additionally, the US-based Ford Foundation, which partially funds the Sabrang Trust and CJP, was put on a “watch list” when the Ministry of Home Affairs accused it of “abetting communal disharmony”, he said.

11-year-old boy stabs classmate who threatened him for money

Abu Dhabi’s Louvre becomes museum ‘on the sea’ ABU DHABI Abu Dhabi’s Louvre museum has been surrounded by sea water in a major step towards completion of the ambitious

project, the developer said Tuesday.The contractor has begun removing temporary sea protection walls used during the main construction phase, allowing the “integration of the sea” with the museum, Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC)

said. “This delicate process is the result of months of planning and preparation to ensure that the inflow of sea water takes place

in a controlled manner around and within strategic places in the museum,” said TDIC chairman Ali Majed al-Mansoori.

Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and built at a cost of half a billion euros, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will feature 9,200 square metres (100,000 square

feet) of gallery space.

A temporary platform was built in the sea in 2009 for the museum’s construction, during which more than 4,000 steel and reinforced concrete piles were driven into the ground to create a base.

The outer layer of the museum’s giant 180-metre dome, which extends out over the water, was completed in September.The iconic structure is perforated with designs that will project light patterns in the shape of palm trees onto the exhibition space below.

A water system, derived from ancient Arabian engineering, will flow between the enclosed galleries and outer areas of the museum.TDIC has not yet announced a date for the opening.Many of France’s grand museums, including the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay and the Palace of Versailles, will loan art to Abu Dhabi as part of a 30-year collaboration with the emirate worth one billion euros.

Lyon An 11-year-old boy was charged on Thursday with attempted murder after stabbing and seriously injuring a classmate in the central city of Lyon, a source close to the case said.

The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, “admitted the facts” in court, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The incident took place on Wednesday at the AnatoleFrance primary school in a poor, high crime area of the city.

The 11-year-old stabbed a 12year-old in the stomach in front of their classmates, said a police source, adding that the victim had allegedly tried to extort

money from him.The child was temporarily placed with a foster family after being charged.

Under French law children between the ages of 10 and 13 can be held criminally responsible, but will not be imprisoned.Instead they can be punished with a warning, be made subject to house arrest or forced to undergo compulsory civic training.“These two students were not known for being violent. They dealt with matters among themselves and the only response was violence.

That means the community failed and that makes me angry,” said communist local mayor Michele Picard.

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Another case of forced conversion in Pakistan, this Istanbul bans gay pride march on security grounds time married Hindu girl forcibly remarried by jirga Istanbul In yet another case of kidnapping and forced conversion from Pakistan, a jirga (traditional assembly of leaders that makes decisions according to the teachings of Islam), forcefully remarried an already-married

Hindu girl to an elderly man in Tharparkar district of Sindh province in Pakistan. Wadia Bai Meghwar had married her cousin Suresh in a Karachi court on May 4, 2016. However, a few days later someone from an influential family of the area took Wadia from their home, promising to marry the couple in a traditional wedding. But to Suresh’s surprise, Wadia never returned to him and was instead forcibly married off to a 56-year-old man by her brother. Wadia’s is not the only such case. Minority Hindus in Pakistan continue to suffer from forced conversions and discrimination with recent reports suggesting there is no end to their plight.

PAST INCIDENTS In March 2016, Harya was kidnapped from her village in the Umerkot district of Pakistan’s Sindh province. A week later, Harya was presented in a local civil court and was declared a

Muslim and the wife of the man who had abducted her.

In 2014, Dharmo Sochi was approached by a Muslim businessman demanding his Hindu daughter, Madhuri’s, hand in marriage. The businessman, Jameel Solangi, allegedly

threatened the family with abduction and murder unless they caved in. In 2012, a 14-yearold Hindu girl, who was kidnapped from Jacobabad city in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, has been forced to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim man.

CASE OF CONVERSIONS Although there are no confirmed statistics on forced conversions in the country, according to a report by the Movement for Solidarity and Peace in Pakistan published by Asian Human Rights Commission, at least 1,000 Pakistani girls are forced into Muslim marriages and made to convert to Islam annually. The report found that forced marriages usually follow a similar pattern: girls between the ages of 12 and 25 are abducted, made to convert to Islam, and then married to the abductor or an associate. If a complaint is filed, then “girls are held in custody by

the abductors and suffer all kinds of abuse and violence”. Even if the case is taken to court, the girls are threatened and pressurized by their husband and his family to declare that their conversion was voluntary. And so the case is closed. Victims are sexually abused, forced into prostitution, and suffer domestic abuse or even wind up in the human trafficking cycle. Such cases rarely end in the girls going back to their real families.

From the moment the controversy begins, right up until the court hearing, the girls live with their kidnappers and suffer trauma and violence. These fragile girls are told that they “are now Muslims and that the punishment for apostasy is death”.The ongoing issue has become so severe now that a significant number of Pakistani Hindus are forced to migrate to India.Forced conversions have become a grave human rights concern in Pakistan.Recently, PTI lawmaker Lal Chand Malhi, serving as MNA on a minority seat, argued for the need to pass and implement legislation on forced conversions, reports the Express Tribune. Malhi, a parliamentarian from Umerkot, the only district in Pakistan where almost half the population is Hindu, has said that forced conversions have become routine in some parts of the country.He also pointed out that a significant portion of Pakistani Hindus belong to the lower castes and they neither have the means nor the influence to report cases of forced conversions.

Highlighting the existence of this class barrier, Malhi said that cases of forced conversions often get reported only when the upper caste Hindus are the victims.

British Muslims join IS due to cuts in public services: UK’s student leader London A student leader has blamed the British government’s cuts to public services as the reason behind the Muslim youth travelling to join terror groups such as Islamic State.

Malia Bouattia, the controversial National Union of Students (NUS) president who refused to condemn IS, said Britons have no choice but to go off to Syria to join the IS because they feel disempowered, Daily Mail reported.

Mass unemployment, the closure of youth centres and the fact that education was being privatised and rendered inaccessible have taken away vital support networks for Britain’s youth, she said.

Bouattia, 28, made the remarks in a debate at the University College London on why more than 800 British citizens have travelled to join the IS in Syria

and Iraq.“We need to start asking why people feel so desperate that they have to take such actions that they are not necessarily in a space where such ideas are harnessed or encouraged like in the education system, we might say,” she said.“What is leading particularly young people to feel so kind of disempowered that they are left with no choice but to go off to Syria or join certain groups?” she asked.

Focusing on mass unemployment among British Muslim youth and privatisation of education, she said: “And I did also say we have to look at mass unemployment, the fact that education is being privatised and rendered ever inaccessible, youth centres have been closed down, every service available to support young people to allow space for critical thought and development has been shut down by the state.”

Istanbul The authorities in Turkey’s biggest city Istanbul on Friday banned an annual gay pride march planned for later this month, citing security fears.

The Istanbul governorate said in a statement it was aware through reports in the press and social media of plans to hold the annual march on June 26 but urged citizens not to follow the calls to take part and instead to comply with warnings by the security forces.

The Istanbul gay pride march had until last year been held on 12 occasions largely without incident, growing into the largest such event in a Muslim country in the Middle East with thousands taking part in a celebration of diversity.

However in 2015, police shocked participants by firing tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to prevent the march before it had even begun.

The statement from the governorate said: “Permission will not be given for... a meeting

or a march on grounds of safeguarding security and public order.”

“We urge our dear Istanbul residents not to heed calls to take part and to comply with warnings by the security forces.”

Activists are planning a week of events from this weekend culminating in a gay pride march on June 26 that traditionally follows Istanbul’s famed shopping street Istiklal Caddesi and finishes in Taksim Square.

However Turkey has been hit by a string of attacks this year, including a deadly suicide bombing on Istiklal itself that killed Israeli tourists and was blamed on jihadists.

Meanwhile, the march, as last year, is scheduled to take place during the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

There had already been concerns about the security of participants after a hardline nationalist youth group, the Alperen Hearths, vowed to intervene to stop the march from taking place.

Islamists attack Radiohead fans in Turkey Istanbul British rock group Radiohead on Saturday condemned “violent intolerance” after Islamists brutally attacked customers at an Istanbul record store attending an album release party, angered that the event coincided with Ramzan.

A group of about 20 men accosted and beat up customers and employees at the Velvet IndieGround music store in the city’s hip Tophane district on Friday night for drinking alcohol while listening to music during the Muslim holy month.

They trashed the store, hurled insults and broke up the release party of the album “A Moon Shaped Pool”.

At least two people were injured, witnesses told Turkey’s Dogan news agency. Police have started an investigation into the violence.

Images filmed during the altercation and widely circulating on social media show the attackers hurling barstools and wrecking the store.

One person was seen bleeding with head injuries after being hit with a bottle.

One of the attackers is seen

shouting: “We will kill you, you bastards!”

Rayka Simoni, who was outside the store, told Dogan that the Radiohead fans were “quitely listening to music while sipping beer” when they were attacked.

“Twenty people started throwing bottles at them. One of them kicked my friend for telling them it wasn’t right to hit women,” she said.

Radiohead said in a message: “Our hearts go out to those attacked.

“We hope that some day we will be able to look back on such acts of violent intolerance as things of the ancient past. For now, we can only offer our fans in Istanbul our love and support.”

The Hurriyet newspaper said the music store’s owner was a South Korean national who had been living in Turkey for many years.

It said many South Koreans were inside at the time of the attack.

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Hashtags, algorithms, chatter: Novel model to track ISIS activities online Washington Researchers have developed a model to identify behavioural patterns among online groups of ISIS supporters that could provide cyber police and antiterror watchdogs a roadmap to their activities and help predict terror attacks.Researchers from University of Miami in the US identified and analysed secondby-second online records of 196 pro-ISIS groups operating during the first eight months of 2015.

They found that even though most of the 108,000-plus individual members of these selforganised groups probably never met, they had a striking ability to adapt and extend their online longevity, increase their size and number, reincarnate when shut down - and inspire “lone wolves” with no history of extremism to carry out horrific attacks.

“It was like watching crystals forming. We were able to see

how people were materialising around certain social groups; they were discussing and sharing information - all in realtime,” said Neil Johnson from University of Miami.Generalising a mathematical equation commonly used in physics and

chemistry to the development and growth of ad hoc pro-ISIS groups, researchers witnessed the daily interactions that drove online support for these groups, or “aggregates,” and how they came together and multiplied prior to the onset of real-world

Modi Government that anyone who commits a crime by killing a person should come and sit in protest in front of Kejriwal’s residence and then the big BJP

“save” Girri and NDMC vicechairman Karan Singh Tanwar in Khan’s murder case.

There is no ‘open debate’ in murder case: Kejriwal to Maheish Girri New Delhi Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday flatly refused BJP MP Maheish Girri’s demand of having an ‘open debate’ in the

murder case of NDMC Officer MM Khan.

He also used the occasion to train guns at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government at the Centre, saying the NDA regime’s criminal justice system allows a person to commit the crime and then sit in protest outside Kejriwal’s residence.

“Is there an open debate in a murder case? Is this the criminal justice system of the BJP wherein they allow the accused of a murder case to sit in protest in front of Kejriwal’s residence? I think this is the message of the

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leaders would come to support the accused,” Kejriwal said.

“The police should arrest him (Maheish Girri) and should interrogate him as to what relations he had with the prime accused. It is the duty of the police to arrest and then start the investigation but they are unable to do that, because of the pressure from the BJP,” he said.

The BJP lawmaker from East Delhi has been sitting on a hunger strike since yesterday with posters challenging Kejriwal for a debate.

Girri earlier in the day said that his hunger strike would continue.

“The hunger strike is going to continue. The Delhi Chief Minister has leveled baseless allegations of my involvement in NDMC official MM Khan’s murder,” he told ANI. “I will not even move from here till he comes out and I get justice,” he added.

In a letter to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, Kejriwal had accused the former of trying to

campaigns.

Researchers suggest that by concentrating just on these relatively few groups of serious followers those that discuss operational details like routes for financing and avoiding drone strikes - cyber police and other anti-terrorist watchdogs could monitor their buildup and transitions and thwart the potential onset of a burst of violence. “This removes the guess work. With that roadmap, law enforcement can better navigate what is going on, who is doing what, while state security agencies can better

monitor what might be developing,” said Johnson.

“So the message is find the aggregates - or at least a representative portion of them and you have your hand on the pulse of the entire organisation, in a way that you never could if you were to sift through the millions of internet users and track specific individuals, or specific hashtags, Johson said.

The research suggests that any online ‘lone wolf’ actor will only truly be alone for short periods of time, he added.For the study, researchers monitored pro-ISIS groups on VKontakte, the largest online social networking service in Europe. They began their online search of pro-ISIS chatter manually, identifying specific social media hashtags, in multiple languages, which they used as “signals” to trace the more serious groups.

The hashtags were tracked to the online groups, and the data was fed into a software system that mounted the search. The results were repeated until the chase led back to groups previously traced in the system, researchers said. The findings were published in the journal Science.

group which wants to combine all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state. The group is outlawed in several countries, including Bangladesh.

Six suspected Islamist militants

Hindus, Christians, Sufi Muslims, secular activists and foreigners, with most blamed on or claimed by Islamist militants.

Many of the victims were hacked to death with machetes.

have now been shot dead since Bangladesh launched a nationwide crackdown on local jihadist groups in the wake of a spike in murders of secular activists and religious minorities.

The drive has seen more than 11,000 people including 194 militants arrested over the past week despite widespread criticism by local and international human rights groups.

Rights activists also questioned the incidents of deaths in police custody, saying the militants were shot dead in “cold blood” in encounters staged by officers.

Nearly 50 people have been killed over the last three years in a wave of gruesome murders targeting

This month alone, an elderly Hindu priest was found nearly decapitated in a rice field and a Hindu monastery worker was hacked to death, while a Christian grocer was found murdered near a church.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the Hindu priest’s murder and other recent attacks.

But authorities instead blame homegrown militant groups and say international groups IS and al Qaeda have no presence in Bangladesh. Although it is officially secular, around 90 percent of Bangladesh’s 160 million-strong population is Muslim. Some eight percent of the population is Hindu.

Teenage ‘Islamist’ shot dead in Bangladesh after attack on Hindu lecturer Dhaka A teenage suspected Islamist militant being held in custody in Bangladesh was shot dead Saturday in a gunfight, police said, days after he allegedly hacked and critically wounded a Hindu lecturer.

Police said Golam Faizullah Fahim, 19, who was in custody for questioning, was killed when police officers came under attack in a farmland area after taking him to a river in search of his Islamist associates.

“Miscreants fired at the police van as we came near a jute farm.

A gunfight ensued. After the gunfight we saw Fahim was shot and wounded. He died after we brought him to a hospital,” Sarwar Hossain, police chief of Madaripur where the shooting took place, told AFP. Locals in Madaripur caught Fahim on Wednesday after he and two other suspected Islamists attacked and wounded 50-year-old mathematics lecturer Ripon Chakrabarti, a Hindu, police said.

The attack was the latest in a wave of brutal assaults on secular activists, writers and religious minorities by suspected Islamist militants.

Police later told reporters Fahim was a college student and was a member of banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation) is an international

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WILL KUMBLE BOWL A GOOGLY?

By BAIDURJO BHOSE It is looking increasingly likely that former Indian legspinner and captain Anil Kumble will pip leading applicant Ravi Shastri to become the next head coach of the Indian national cricket team.

coached an international or first-class team, Kumble's outstanding record as a player has tipped the scales in his favour.

The cricket advisory committee of the BCCI - consisting of (Kumble's former

While Ganguly, Laxman and committee coordinator Sanjay Jagdale will meet the candidates in a hotel in the city, Tendulkar will join them via video link from London.

Both Shirke and BCCI president Anurag Thakur

Although Kumble was the final candidate to throw his hat into the ring when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) opened applications, not to mention the fact that he doesn’t fulfil the criterion of having

teammates) Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, and V.V.S. Laxman - is set to meet in Kolkata on Tuesday to interview the seven candidates shortlisted by BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke.

will be present for the meeting via video conferencing.

A BCCI official said it was basically a contest between Shastri and Kumble.

Even though Kumble doesn’t fulfil the criterion of coaching a first-class or international team, the official reiterated that guidelines did not really matter when it comes to someone of his stature. “Kumble, Shastri, Sandeep Patil,

Mohammad Shami backs day-night Tests with pink ball India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has offered positive feedback on

the pink ball in Indian conditions, after it was used on an experimental basis during a domestic game at Eden Gardens.

In April, India’s cricket

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board decided that one game of an upcoming three-Test series against New Zealand would be a day-night affair, pending trials of the pink ball.

The 26-year-old, who picked up five wickets playing for Mohun Bagan in the daynight final, said South Asian conditions favoured swing with the pink ball, which was an exciting prospect.

“With red or white balls, there was some visibility problem as it took (on) the colour of grass,” he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. “Definitely I will prefer this (pink) ball, this is much better.

The biggest plus point is (the swing) under lights, what else does a bowler want? It’s challenging for both batsmen and bowlers.

“If we can maintain the dryness, I’m sure it will reverse. It did (reverse), I noticed.”

Pravin Amre, Lalchand Rajput and Tom Moody are six of the seven candidates who are going to be interviewed on Tuesday. While it is basically a race between Shastri and Kumble, the latter could well pip the former Team Director,” the official told Mail Today.

“Also, let us not keep harping on the issue of meeting the criterion of past coaching experience. You have to realise that he has more than 900 international wickets and also has been a successful skipper for the national team. Do you really think he needs to have coaching experience after this to qualify for the coach’s post? Let’s see what happens tomorrow,” he said.

Another BCCI official said it was for a reason that Kumble decided to throw his hat in the ring, and he wouldn’t have done so if he hadn't got a positive response from those who matter.

“Also, let us not keep harping on the issue of meeting the criterion of past coaching experience. You have to realise that he has more than 900 international wickets and also has been a successful skipper for the national team. Do you

really think he needs to have coaching experience after this to qualify for the coach’s post? Let’s see what happens tomorrow,” he said.

Another BCCI official said

it was for a reason that Kumble decided to throw his hat in the ring, and he wouldn’t have done so if he hadn't got a positive response from those who matter.

Not Focused on Milestones, Every Match for South Africa a Privilege says AB de Villiers AB de Villiers has described it as a privilege and honour to represent South Africa in 200 One-Day International.

De Villiers’ milestone was dampened by the rain in Barbados on Sunday after the tri-nation series match against Australia at the Kensington Oval was abandoned with only one over bowled.

De Villiers’ 100th Test match played against India in Bangalore late last year was also washed out.

De Villiers, the No. 1 ranked ODI batsman, took his tally to 205 ODIs, including five matches for Africa XI. He joined Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Herschelle Gibbs and Jonty Rhodes in an exclusive club.

“Normally I’m not too fussed about these kinds of milestones,” he admitted after the match.

“Yes it’s a nice milestone, it’s a way to wake up and look back at how lucky I have been over my career to play so many games and to be around for so long.

“It is a great privilege and honour to represent this

country and to have played for so long. I am fortunate to be in this position and hopefully there will be a few more to enjoy and a few more victories as well.

“The moments I remember are all the teams wins, the friendships I have made over the years, certainly the close games that we have won as a team more than any personal mile-

stones,” De Villiers added.

South Africa play their last round-robin match against the West Indies on Friday and are faced with a mustwin situation (unless the West Indies beat Australia on Tuesday) to advance to the final on June 26.

“We have played quite a few close series in the past where we have had a few must-win games,” De Villiers said.

“In our last series against England we were 2-0 down with three to play and we won all three. We have been in this situation before, we enjoy these kind of situations, we like to bring the fight when it matters most. It’s a great opportunity for us to prove that we are that kind of team under pressure, I am looking forward to it.”

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Sad wombat who warmed China builds world’s hearts dies in Australia fastest supercomputer

SYDNEY An Australian wombat who became depressed after a massive cyclone tore through his wildlife park home, depriving him of cuddles with tourists, has died, prompting an outpour-

ing on social media.

Tonka, a bare-nosed wombat, was raised by rangers at Queensland’s Billabong Sanctuary after his mother was hit and killed on the road and he was rescued from her pouch.

The furry marsupial watched television with rangers, slept with a toy teddy bear,

and delighted in having his tummy rubbed, the Sanctuary near Townsville said in a Facebook post.

But after the monster storm Cyclone Yasi tore through Queensland in 2011, prompting the clo-

sure of the park for 10 weeks, Tonka went into a mysterious decline, refusing food and losing weight.

It wasn’t until the park reopened that Tonka became his normal self, cleaning out his food bowl for the first time in weeks.

“The conclusion? Tonka had missed his pats and

cuddles and become depressed! Since then he never looked back,” the sanctuary said. Tonka, who was seven, was put down on Saturday after extensive tests showed he had irreversible kidney damage.

Bob Flemming, who owns the park, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the response to Tonka’s death had been overwhelming. “People have been sending in their photos of their experiences with Tonka, their children holding Tonka over the years,” he said.

“He just loved people so much, he fretted if he wasn’t being handled.” In hundreds of comments online, several people wrote that Tonka had been the highlight of their Australian trip. “You will be missed so much. Will never forget your gorgeous waddle,” wrote one. “RIP Tonka from your friends in Canada who remember you fondly,” wrote another.

BEIJING China has built the world’s fastest supercomputer using locally made microchips, a survey said Monday, the first time the country has taken the top spot without using US technology.

The Sunway Taihu Light machine is twice as fast as the previous number one, which was built in China with chips from US firm Intel, the Top500 survey of supercomputers said on its website www.top500.org. China also has more top-ranked supercomputers than the US for the first time since the survey began, with 167 compared to 165. Located at China’s national supercomputer centre in the eastern city of Wuxi, the Sunway TaihuLight will be used for climate mod-

elling and life science research. Its performance ends “speculation that

with four in the US, the ranking said. Others are in Japan, Germany, Switzer-

China would have to rely on Western technology to compete effectively in the upper echelons of supercomputing,” the survey’s website said. The supercomputers on the Top500 list, which is produced twice a year, are rated based on speed in a benchmark test by experts from Germany and the US. Of the top ten fastest computers, two are in China,

land and Saudi Arabia.

China has poured money into big-ticket science and technology projects as it seeks to become a hightech leader. It plans to open the world’s largest radio telescope in southeastern China this year, state-media reported. But despite some gains the country’s scientific output still lags behind, and its universities generally fare poorly in global rankings.

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Health Cure for Zika may be on its way Doctors could soon have a cure for Zika infection after a team of researchers found a way to disrupt Zika and similar viruses from spreading in the body.

The team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified a single gene pathway that is vital for Zika and other flaviviruses to spread infection between cells.

Further, they showed that shutting down a single gene in this pathway, in both human and insect cells, does not negatively affect the cells themselves and renders flaviviruses unable to leave the infected cell, curbing the spread of infection. The study points to a potential drug target for Zika and other flaviviruses such as den-

gue and West Nile that have major impacts on public health.

“We wanted to find out if we could identify genes present in the host cells that are absolutely required by the virus for infection,” said senior author Michael Diamond, adding “Out of about 19,000 genes that we looked at, we only found nine key genes that the virus relies on for infection or to spread. All of them are associated with an important part of the cell that processes viral particles, which is essential to spreading the infection.”

To identify genes that

flaviviruses rely on, Diamond and his colleagues utilized a gene editing technology called CRISPR that is capable of selectively shutting down individual genes. Viruses must hijack host cells to replicate

and spread, making them dependent upon the genetic material of the organisms they infect. If a cell lacks a gene that the virus requires for infection, the virus will be stopped in its tracks, and the cell will

This serves to underline the urgent need for action worldwide to curb the obesity epidemic.”

She added that action needs to be taken by governments as well as by individuals, for instance by creating an environment that does not promote overweight and obesity, and that encourages people not to be sedentary and not to eat more than they need. “This is more important than hassling people into dieting whatever shape they are. Once established, overweight and obesity is much harder to tackle.”

The researchers point out that limitations to the study include the fact that their findings are only applicable to men and that, overall, women have a lower risk of heart failure than men; nor did they have any information on weight gain after the men were conscripted at 18, so that a slightly greater weight at 18, might be an indicator of an increased risk of subsequently becoming overweight or obese, which in itself, would be a risk factor for heart failure.

Racking up the hours at our desks may lead to a promotion or a pay rise in the short run, but over the long run, it backfires on women.

A new study has revealed that women, who work more than 40 hours a week for 30 years could be increasing their risk going to an early grave.

Work weeks that averaged 60 hours or more over three decades appear to triple the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart trouble and arthritis for women, according to The Ohio State University study.

The risk begins to climb when women put in more than 40 hours and takes a decidedly bad turn above 50 hours, researchers found.

“Women - especially women who have to juggle multiple roles - feel the effects of intensive work experiences and that can set the table for a variety of ill-

survive. Such evidence indicates that the missing gene is vital to viral spread and should be studied further.

Of the nine key genes Diamond and his colleagues identified, one called SPCS1, when disabled, not only reduces viral infection but appears to have no adverse effects on the cells the scientists studied. The researchers performed the first experiments on West Nile virus and then showed that the same results held true for other Flaviviridae family members, including Zika, dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and

hepatitis C viruses. While the absence of this gene shut down the spread of flaviviruses, the researchers found that eliminating the gene had no detrimental effect on other types of viruses, including alphaviruses, bunyaviruses and rhabdoviruses.

“Flaviviruses appear to be uniquely dependent on this particular gene to release the viral particle,” Diamond said. “In these viruses, this gene sets off a domino effect that is required to assemble and release the viral particle. Without it, the chain reaction doesn’t happen and the virus can’t spread. So we are interested in this gene as a potential drug target because it disrupts the virus and does not disrupt the host.”

nesses and disability,” said lead author Allard Dembe.

“People don’t think that much about how their early work experiences affect them down the road,” he

sponsibility and may face more pressure and stress than men when they work long hours, previous research shows. On top of that, work for women may

said. “Women in their 20s, 30s and 40s are setting themselves up for problems later in life.”

Men with tough work schedules appeared to fare much better, found the researchers, who analyzed data from interviews with almost 7,500 people who were part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

Women tend to take on the lion’s share of family re-

be less satisfying because of the need to balance work demands with family obligations, Dembe said.

Employers and government regulators should be aware of the risks, especially to women who are required to regularly toil beyond a 40-hour work week, he said. Companies benefit in terms of quality of work and medical costs when their workers are healthier, Dembe said.

Middle-age heart fitness Long work hours put women at cancer, heart risks tied to teenage weight

Your weight as a teenager can be a good measure of how well your heart will be doing in middle age, according to a recent study.

The research found that in men with a BMI of 20 and over, the risk of heart failure increased by 16 percent with every BMI unit, after adjustments for factors that could affect the findings, such as age, year of enlistment into the Swedish armed forces, other diseases, parental education, blood pressure, IQ, muscle strength and fitness.

Annika Rosengren of the University of Gothenburg, who led the research, said, “Although most studies define a normal weight as having a BMI between 18.5 and 25, this is probably not an appropriate definition in

the young, most of whom are naturally thin. This may be why we see an increase in the risk of heart failure starting at a fairly low BMI level. However, it was surprising to see the very steep increase in risk with increasing body weight above a BMI of 20.”

Rosengren noted, “Given the global trend for growing numbers of teenagers to be overweight and obese, our findings suggest that heart failure, which in this study occurred at the relatively early average age of about 47 may well become a major threat to health worldwide.

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Upset tummy? Try these mild foods to feel better!

Now that the mercury is touching new levels with each passing day, it is very important for all of us to know the tips and tricks to combat the heat. An upset stomach is a very common problem in summer as the intense heat triggers the growth of bacteria contamination in food causing bacteria dehydration and other gastrointestinal problems.

In order to avoid such uncomfortable situations, health experts advise us to

keep our diet healthy and simple in summer.

Here are list of some magical foods to soothe your trouble: Chilled Ginger and Carrot soup You need: Water, Peeled carrot, finely chopped ginger, buttermilk, and salt.

Method: Boil water in a saucepan and add carrot and ginger.

Simmer the mixture for 10 mins over medium-low

Want to stay disease-free for life? All you need is seven servings of whole grains a day. Eating three more portions of dietary fiber a day is associated with a lower risk for all cardiovascular diseases and for dying of cancer, diabe-

eral, the study showed that the higher the consumption, the better protected you are.

“We saw the lowest risk among people who ate between seven and seven and a half servings of whole grain products a day,

heat. Strain the mixture and let it cool slightly. Make a

puree of carrot and liquid in a food processor. Pour into

ate a lot of white bread, rice or cereals with refined grains did not show reduced risk.

“A lot of folks eat plenty of grains, but they choose refined breads instead of varieties with more dietary fiber. Our study suggests that you can reduce the risk of premature death by replacing a big part of the white flour in your diet with whole grain products,” said Aune. Some of the beneficial health effects of eating whole grains may lie in their high fiber content. A high intake of dietary fiber can stabilize blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, and can positively affect the gut environment. All of this can contribute to a reduced risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Whole grain products also contain several other biologically active substances, such as antioxidants, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc. It is probably the whole package of favorable components that contribute to the positive effect on the risk of chronic disease and mortality.

You may want to put down that steaming cup of Joe as it can increase your chance of developing a specific type of cancer, the World Health Organization has announced so.

Beverages surpassing 65 degrees Celsius may increase the risk of tumours in the esophagus, which resides in the chest area below the throat, according to USC’s Mariana Stern and 22 other scientists from 10 countries.

They met at the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, in May to determine if drinking coffee, mate or other very hot beverages causes cancer.

“Enjoy your coffee or mate, but make sure it’s not very hot,” said Stern, adding “There is physical evidence that very hot beverages can contribute to cell injury in the esophagus and thus contribute to cancer formation.”

The group scoured more than 1,000 studies on over 20 different types of cancer. The scientists concluded drinking any beverage hotter than 149 degrees Fahrenheit is “probably carcinogenetic to humans,” placing scalding

a bowl; add buttermilk and salt. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves, lime juice, and black pepper.

Ginger Tea You need: Hot water, Finely chopped unpeeled ginger, loose black tea leaves, milk, sweetened condensed milk.

Method: Grate ginger in boiled water. Let them boil

for 5 to 7 mins. Remove from flame. Add tea leaves and let it rest for 3 to 5 mins.

Stir in milk and then strain the whole mixture in a cup.

For a dash of sweetness, add 1 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of condensed milk.

Raspberry Mint sauce You need: Plain low-fat yogurt, honey, grated ginger, finely chopped fresh mint leaves and raspberries.

Method: Take a bowl and mix yogurt, honey, ginger, and mint. Let it rest for 10 min. Serve with berries.

hot drinks in the same category as DDT, frying food at high temperatures, con-

nogenic” to safe for consumption as long as neither is scalding hot.

sumption of red meat and the human papillomavirus.

According to the National Coffee Association, coffee waiting to be served should sit at 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit (82-85 degrees Celsius). That’s around the temperature McDonald’s restaurants served coffee before a well-known lawsuit prompted the fast food chain to sell coffee at a temperature of 10 degrees lower - still far above what the researchers consider safe.

The scientists downgraded a cup of joe from “possibly carcinogenic” and hot mate from “probably carci-

In 1991, the WHO gave coffee that classification based on a much smaller database of studies. Now, the scientists highlighted some studies that associated coffee with cancer when the real culprit was probably tobacco smoking, which is highly correlated with heavy coffee drinking, according to the report.

The researchers estimate that a cup of coffee a day decreases the risk of liver cancer by 15 percent. In other words, the scientists are giving coffee lovers a free pass to drink as much coffee as their bladders can handle.

This piece of news or advice might bring confusion to your mind, particularly as tactful parents. Because no parents would like their toddlers to crawl around the dirty floors and get filthy fearing infections and other health problems. However, experts are of the view that babies have a specific and additional need for interaction with dirt.

Here are a few reasons why you should allow your children eat dirt: • Microbial exposure during early life has been linked to greater protection from illnesses such as allergies, asthma, inflammatory bowel dis-

ease (IBD), asthma, obesity, diabetes, etc, later in life.

• Your children actually need to be exposed to the dirt in their early lives in order to fully develop their immune system as they should be.

Whole grains each day can Piping hot drinks keep diseases at bay can give you ‘cancer’

tes, and respiratory and infectious diseases, a study has shown.

The study is strong proof that consuming lots of whole grains is good for our health, says first author Dagfinn Aune of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

The meta-analysis isn’t the first study that links whole grains to positive health effects, but it is the first one to look at how much whole grain one should eat to minimize health risks and that has examined the connection with various causes of death. In gen-

which was the highest intake across all the studies.

This corresponds to 210225 grams of whole grain products in fresh weight and about 70-75 grams of whole grains in dry weight, and is about the same as the health authorities in Norway and other Nordic countries recommend as the minimum daily allowance,” says Aune.

The researchers’ analyses showed fewer risk factors for people who consumed more bread and cereal with whole grains, as well as foods with added bran. On the other hand, people who

Vitamin D may be ‘useless’ Those who pop vitamin D pills regularly, you may be better off simply spending your cash on fruit and vegetables as a recent study has suggested that the supplements give no protection against diseases.

The vital nutrient that comes with the sun’s rays is widely seen as an important element to good health. Many people place strong belief in its potential benefits in treating a number of medical conditions, such as depression or Multiple Sclerosis, and feel a need to supplement their vitamin D intake. But according to lead author Michael Allan,

much of that belief isn’t validated by science.

“Wouldn’t it be great if there was a single thing that you or I could do to be healthy that was as simple as taking a vitamin, which seems benign, every day? There is

an appeal to it. There is a simplicity to it. But for the average person, they don’t need it.” says Allan. The study examined the evidence for 10 common beliefs about vitamin D. The beliefs range from the abil-

ity of vitamin D to reduce falls and fractures, improve depression and mental well-being, prevent rheumatoid arthritis, treat Multiple Sclerosis, and lessen incidences of cancer and mortality. The review finds little evidence though that supplementation with this vitamin has much of an effect at all. According to Allan, only a few of the 10 beliefs the team looked into seemed to exhibit some scientific proof. Strongest among them, vitamin D was shown to have a minor impact in reducing the number of falls among the elderly and reducing fractures.

Reasons why you should let your kids eat dirt!

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Issue 672 (39)

21 June - 27 June 2016

Shrimp Lemon Pepper Linguini Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup white wine 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest salt to taste 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1/4 cup butter 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil Directions: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook for 9 to 13 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute garlic about 1 minute. Mix in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by about 1/2.

Mix shrimp, butter, parsley, and basil into the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in the cooked linguine, and continue cooking 2 minutes, until well coated.

til heated through, about 3 minutes.

Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture.

Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Melt more butter as needed, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Kung Pao Chicken

SPinach and Feta PaSta Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minced 3 cups chopped tomatoes 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2 cups spinach leaves, packed salt and pepper to taste 1 pinch red pepper flakes 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled Directions: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic, and cook until golden brown. Mix in tomatoes, mushrooms,

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained, 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 cup salsa 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons butter, divided 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided Directions: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn, then add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes; mix well. Cook un-

and spinach. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook 2 minutes more, until tomatoes are heated through and spinach is wilted. Reduce heat to medium, stir in pasta and feta cheese, and cook until heated through.

Ingredients: 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks 2 tablespoons white wine 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water 1 ounce hot chile paste 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 2 teaspoons brown sugar 4 green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts 4 ounces chopped peanuts Directions: To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together.

Place chicken pieces in a glass dish

Salmon Bake with Pecan crunch coating

Juicy Roasted Chicken

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons butter, melted 5 teaspoons honey 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley 6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon salt and pepper to taste 6 lemon wedges Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.

Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with mustard-honey mixture.

Chicken Parmigiana Ingredients: 1 egg, beaten 2 ounces dry bread crumbs 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 3/4 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce 2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.

Pour egg into a small shallow bowl.

Place bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into egg, then into the bread crumbs. Place coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40

Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture. Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat.

Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

minutes, or until no longer pink and juices run clear. Pour 1/2 of the spaghetti sauce into a 7x11 inch baking dish. Place chicken over sauce, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top and return to the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Issue 672 (40)

21 June - 27 June 2016