Junior Digest

New Delhi; Heat wave has so far claimed 35 lives in Telangana, according to an official report on Wednesday, while in Odisha, 30 people reportedly died of sunstroke.

Most parts of the country sweltered under a blazing sun on Thursday with heat wave claiming dozens of lives in Telangana and Odisha this season even as the weatherman predicted further increase in temperature .

Heatwave has started to grip parts of peninsular India including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Marathwada, Vidarbha and isolated pockets of Karnataka. “Temperatures have been above the 40 degrees mark at several places. For instance, Titlagarh in Odisha recorded its maximum at 45 degrees Celsius, and Nalgonda in Andhra Pradesh sizzled at 44 degrees Celsius. Also, Hyderabad observed its maximum at 43 degrees Celsius which is the highest in 43 years,” said private weather forecasting agency Skymet. Heat wave continued to sweep across Odisha with the mercury crossing the 45 degrees mark in some places.

Though the mercury level declined in the coastal belt including Bhubaneswar which recorded 40.2 degrees Celsius, the entire western region of the state was on the boil. Though the unofficial death toll due to sunstroke remained at 30, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said, “Of the total 30 alleged heat wave related death reports received by the government, five were examined by the district collectors and none of them died of sunstroke.”

Heat wave condition also prevailed in the districts of south Bengal as the Met Department forecast a similar condition for the next two days. Bankura district recorded 43.6 degrees Celsius, the day’s highest temperature in West Bengal, while Kolkata was a notch lower than yesterday at 40.0 degrees. Heat wave is likely to prevail at most places in Telangana for the next two days including in districts like Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Rangareddy and Khammam. “Dry weather is likely to prevail over the state with most places likely to record maximum temperature between 42 and 45 degrees Celsius,” India Meteorological Department said in a statement. In Telangana, the state government has issued alerts in all districts to take precautionary measures to minimise the impact of the prevailing weather conditions.

@ Agency report.

By tradition, the job of secretary-general has rotated among regions and Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have all held the top UN post. East European nations, including Russia, argue that they have never had a secretary-general and it is their turn. There has also never been a woman secretary-general and a group of 56 nations are campaigning for the first female UN chief. There are currently four women and four men who have thrown their hats in the ring — six from Eastern Europe, one from Western Europe and one from the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to Luksic, they are: former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim; former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pucic; former Slovenian President Danilo Turk; UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova from Bulgaria; former Moldovan Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman; former U.N. refugee chief and ex-Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres; and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who heads the U.N. Development Program.

While Tuesday’s session was under way, another candidate announced his entry into the race: former Serbian foreign minister and General Assembly president Vuk Jeremic said in Belgrade that the government will be nominating him. In his lead-off presentation, Luksic spoke in both English and French — the two working languages of the United Nations — and said thank you in the four other working languages as well, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese. He stressed the importance of promoting women in top UN posts and said if the secretary-general is from a country in the developed north, the deputy secretary-general should be from the developing south. And he proposed that the deputy secretary-general be based in Nairobi to focus on implementing the new UN goals for 2030 to tackle poverty and preserve the environment as well as key regional issues. In response to Algeria, representing the Non-Aligned Movement of more than 100 developing countries, who asked how he would resist pressure from the major powers, Luksic suggested that the question be asked after a first five-year term saying “the only way to measure it is by results.”

@ AGENCY REPORT.

Washington : Apr 14, 2016 : US President Barack Obama has appointed Indian-American MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga to a key administration post as a member of the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity.

Banga is one of the nine members of the commission appointed by Obama, a White House announcement said on Wednesday.

“I have charged the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity with the critically-important task of identifying the steps that our nation must take to ensure our cybersecurity in an increasingly digital world,” Obama said. “These dedicated individuals bring a wealth of experience and talent to this important role, and I look forward to receiving the Commission’s recommendations,” he said.

Banga has been the president and the CEO of MasterCard since 2010.  Prior to joining MasterCard, he held various senior management roles .

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Banga is also a member of the board of directors of the Dow Chemical Company, the board of governors of the American Red Cross, the Council of Foreign Relations, and serves as chairman of the Financial Services Roundtable and co-chair of the American India Foundation.

@ Agency report.

Around 450 Vietnamese drug addicts have escaped from a rehabilitation centre where many were held for compulsory treatment, an official said Thursday.

The detainees attacked guards, climbed walls, and broke down the main gate at the centre in the Vietnam’s southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau late Wednesday.

“We have brought 150 patients back, while search efforts are underway for nearly 300 others,” Le Thi Trang Dai, director of the provincial labour department, told AFP.

Vietnam’s government enforces a compulsory treatment programme for the country’s estimated 140,000 drug addicts.

Addicts can also voluntarily enter the centres to undergo rehabilitation treatments.

The escapees were a mix of compulsory and volunteer admissions, Dai said.

Local authorities are urging families to bring back runaway patients so they can complete their treatment, she added.

“Police are also investigating the reasons behind the escape, trying to understand if there is a leader behind the incident,” she said.

The escapees have been begging for clothes from local residents and trying to hitchhike out of the area, the VnExpress newspaper said.

“Others have escaped into (a) nearby deep forest,” the report added.

Addicts undergo two-year spells of treatment at the centres aimed at curbing rising drug use rates, especially among young people.

@ Agency report.

New Delhi:  More than half of people in rural areas still go for open defecation though things seems to be changing after construction of community toilets as part of Swachh Bharat Mission, a survey has found.

“In rural areas, the percentage of persons going for open defecation was estimated to be 52.1 per cent,” said a Rapid Survey on ‘Swachhta’ Status conducted by the NSSO during May-June 2015 covering 3,788 villages and 2,907 urban blocks.

The study further found that in rural areas, 55.4 per cent households contributed to open defecation.

The situation, however, is better in urban areas where the percentage of persons going for open defecation was estimated to be 7.5 per cent, as per the study.

It stated that out of 3,788 villages surveyed, 13.1 per cent villages in India were found to have community toilets.

“Out of the sample villages, at all India level, 1.7 per cent villages were found to be having the community toilets but not using them. 82.1 per cent of all the community toilets available in the villages were being used for defecation or washing purpose,” it said.

From the 2,907 city sample surveyed at all India level, 42 per cent wards were found to have community/public toilets. At all India level, 1.6 per cent wards were found to be having the community/public toilets but not using them, it said.

In rural areas, 45.3 per cent families reported to have toilets while in cities, 88.8 per cent households have the facility.

In villages, 95.6 per cent of persons from families having access to toilet at home or common facility was using it. Similarly the proportion of such persons was 98.7 per cent in cities. “36.7 per cent villages had pakki nali and 19.0 per cent villages had katchi nali as drainage arrangement for waste water coming out of the rural households. 44.4 per cent villages had no drainage arrangement,” it said.

In 54.9 per cent of villages having community toilets, cleaning was being done by the persons employed by the panchayat or on contract payment. In 17 per cent villages, it was being done by the residents themselves. However, 22.6 per cent villages were such where the community toilets were not being cleaned.

In cities, cleaning of community/public toilets was being done by the persons employed by the local municipal body in 73.1 per cent wards having these toilets. 12.2 per cent wards were such where the cleaning was being done by the persons employed by the residents’ welfare association.

However, community/public toilets in 8.6 per cent wards were not being cleaned by anybody, it added.

@ Agency report.

Washington, Apr 14 ,2016 : The IMF today called for the adoption of a three-pronged approach with monetary, fiscal and structural actions to avert recession risks and enhance global financial stability even as it singled out India as a “bright spot” in the world.

“The global recovery continues but has weakened.

Globally, the impact of lower commodity prices on commodity importers is less positive than expected. Commodity exporters have to adjust their economies in a more difficult environment,” International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in her spring global policy agenda.

Nonetheless, terms of trade developments have led to a narrowing of global imbalances, even as net creditor and debtor positions continue to expand, she said, adding that the global economy is expanding moderately but the outlook has weakened further since October and risks have increased.

“The global economy has been impaired from growth that has been too slow for too long and at this rate, a sustained recovery – with the expected higher living standards, lower unemployment and declining debt levels – may not be delivered,” Lagarde said.

“However, some recent improvement in data releases, somewhat firmer oil prices, reduced pressures on outflows from China and actions by major central banks have all contributed to improving sentiment,” she said.

Lagarde said activity in emerging economies, which have contributed the bulk of global growth since the crisis, continues to cool as a result of deep recessions in Brazil and Russia, modest recoveries in advanced economies, exposure to China’s rebalancing, and tightening financial conditions.

“Ongoing transitions will continue to slow China’s growth, particularly in the manufacturing sector, but make it more sustainable. India remains a particular bright spot, with rising real incomes and confidence boosting domestic demand,” the IMF Managing Director said.

According to her, each country should commit to a set of policy actions – as determined by available policy space – that contributes to a global package of reforms to lift both national and global growth.

Global cooperation is also needed. Examples include enhancing mechanisms for adjustment and liquidity provision, shoring up global trade, tackling corruption, and furthering the regulatory reform agenda, Lagarde said.

Building on these recent positive developments, the global economy can get back on a stronger and safer track, but the current policy response will need to go further, she said.

“Countries must reinforce their commitment to durable global growth and employ a more potent policy mix. A three- pronged approach with monetary, fiscal, and structural actions can work as a virtuous trinity, lifting actual and potential growth, averting recession risks, and enhancing financial stability,” she said.

@ Agency report.

New Delhi, Apr 15 ,2016: Fewer private cars were seen on roads as the second phase of the odd-even scheme was rolled out in Delhi today to combat spiralling air pollution with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealing to people to join hands to make the initiative a success.

Thousands of policemen and civil defence volunteers were deployed in various areas of the city to enforce the restriction which will run for 15 days, till April 30.

The actual impact of the scheme will be known only on Monday, the first full working day after the second phase roll out. Today is a holiday because of Ram Navami followed by Saturday and Sunday.

“Odd even starts today. Let’s all join hands and resolve to make it a success,” Kejriwal tweeted.

The Delhi government, which has projected the second phase of the road-rationing policy as the “decisive” one, said that 2,000 traffic personnel, 580 enforcement officials and over 5,000 civil defence volunteers are being deployed by it for smooth implementation of the scheme.

Violators will be fined Rs 2,000 in accordance with relevant section of the Motor Vehicles Act and the scheme will not be implemented on Sundays. Under the scheme, odd-numbered cars are allowed to run on odd dates while even-numbered cars are allowed on even dates.

The first phase of the policy, that was in force between January 1 and 15, did not have its intended affect as it could not lower pollution “as much as expected” but it significantly helped reduce traffic congestion in the city, Kejriwal has said.

However, Kejriwal has also stated that his government is seriously considering to enforce the measure for a period of fifteen days every month. Sources said any decision in this regard will be taken after analysing impact of the second phase of the odd-even scheme in reducing pollution.

The only change in the blueprint of the policy’s implementation from its first phase is the exemption given to cars carrying children in school uniform apart from those being driven by women, VIPs except Ministers in the AAP government and CNG vehicles with mandatory stickers.

The government has conceded that it has not been able to find a solution to the problem of cars going to pick up children after school hours during the scheme. Kejriwal has suggested car pooling to parents to avoid problems.

Two hundred metro trains will make around 3,248 trips daily during the next fortnight, a rise of about 56 trips over the existing arrangements, DMRC has said.

The city Government has formed 120 teams comprising officials of the transport department to punish errant car drivers.

The traffic police has identified 200 intersections across the city where their personnel will be deployed in teams.

Also, a 20-member Special Task Force has been set up to look into matters reported by the mobile teams.

@ Agency report.

A team of researchers from the University of Vienna have developed a super-strong new ‘wonder material’ Carbyne in a stable form for the very first time. Carbyne has been created before, but only in small, unstable amounts.

The team detailed their findings in the Nature Materials journal. They have successfully produced bulk amounts of carbyne in the lab.

Carbyne was first modelled in a computer simulation, by scientists keen to learn more about its unusual properties. The material, made from long chains of carbon atoms, has enormous tensile strength and stiffness. Carbyne is formed in one-atom thick strings, making it a truly one-dimensional material . Stretching it can also alter its electrical conductivity, giving it a wide range of uses in electronic devices.

However, even when they manage to create carbyne in real life, scientists (until now) have only ever been able to create an extremely unstable 100-atom long string, at the most.

The Austrian researchers have dramatically improved the process – some of the strings they created were 6,400 atoms long, and could remain stable indefinitely due to the innovative way they were constructed.

The team, using two rolled sheets of graphene, created a tiny double-walled tube. They synthesised the carbyne in the gap between the graphene sheets, which protected the material and kept it stable.

Although the carbyne strings the team has created are longer than ever before, they’re still invisible to the naked eye. Much more work will need to be done before the remarkable material becomes usable, and the scientists still don’t know whether it will retain its properties while inside the graphene tube.

However, as it says in the study, the team’s discovery represents as “elegant forerunner towards the final goal of carbyne’s bulk production.”

@ Agency report.