The Indian Panorama

Month: June 2014

  • Anjali Damania quits AAP, then retracts her resignation

    Anjali Damania quits AAP, then retracts her resignation

    NAVI MUMBAI (TIP): The AAP’s state convener Anjali Damania quit the party on June 5 morning, but retracted her resignation in the evening after it convinced her to do so. Her leaked resignation letter exposes disorder within the party. Coming after anchor-turned-activist Shazia Ilmi and Air Deccan founder Capt G R Gopinath’s resignation, Damania’s exit would have been a third body blow to the fledgling political outfit. She stayed on after extracting three promises from the state executive committee.

    “Party leaders did not allow me to submit my resignation.We held a meeting in Santa Cruz where it was agreed that some members of the committee who are not good for the outfit will have to make way for others. Secondly, committee meetings will be open to all volunteers who wish to attend. Thirdly, we will restart the weekly meetings we held before so that volunteers are aware of everything that goes on,” she said.

    Since morning, when Damania dropped the ‘R’ bomb, senior AAP members were in talks with her to convince her not to leave. She wrote in her resignation letter, “With a heavy heart I am ending my association with AAP… I have never and will never compromise my values.” Earlier in the day, AAP’s national executive member Mayank Gandhi said, “We have promised to undertake restructuring within the party so that our main focus remains fighting corruption in India. As convener, she (was bogged down in administrative work).”

  • City announces new citywide campaign to encourage youth to enroll in Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals Program

    City announces new citywide campaign to encourage youth to enroll in Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals Program

    SPEARHEADED BY THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS, CAMPAIGN AIMS TO BOOST DACA’S LOW REGISTRATION NUMBERS IN NEW YORK CITY

    NEW YORK (TIP): The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the city’s Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Young Men’s Initiative launched a new public awareness campaign to encourage the city’s undocumented youth to seek eligibility information and enroll in the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA). DACA, a federal program introduced by President Obama in 2012, offers temporary protection against deportation, work authorization, and a Social Security card to certain young immigrants who came to the United States before their sixteenth birthdays, provided they meet residency, criminal background, and education or military service requirements.

    The first DACA recipients from 2012 will need to begin renewing their two-year DACA status this month. Despite a significant $18 million city investment in funding to legal, literacy, and outreach providers to support potentially eligible immigrants in applying for DACA and upcoming renewals, more than half of the approximately 79,000 potentially eligible immigrants in New York City have not yet applied for DACA. Fewer than 34,000 applications have been submitted in New York State as of March 31, 2014, meaning the city’s application numbers are estimated to be significantly less than 43 percent, as compared to an estimated application rate of 51.8 percent nationwide.

    New York City’s lower application rate is due to a range of factors, including the misperception that DACA is only for college-bound young people; in New York City, the eligible population is far more diverse than the cap-and-gown imagery that has dominated the messaging on this program. The campaign, the first of its kind in the nation, includes advertisements appearing in English, Spanish, and Chinese on subways, buses, and bus shelters. Additionally, the advertisements will be appearing in Urdu, Bengali, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Russian and Korean language newspapers.

    The city is launching new online tools at nyc.gov/daca and dacanyc.org to help immigrants assess their eligibility for DACA and obtain free legal and financial assistance for their applications. “I am thrilled to be able to help spread the word about a program as important and valuable as DACA,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Nisha Agarwal. “DACA has already helped tens of thousands of New Yorkers gain crucial benefits, including protection from deportation, work authorization, in-state tuition at CUNY, and access to public health insurance programs.

    The city wants to help the thousands and thousands more immigrant youth who stand to benefit from DACA.” “In the first initiative of its kind in the nation, DYCD and its community partners have already assisted nearly 3,200 DACAeligible young immigrants and families, and this public education campaign will help us serve even more,” said Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Bill Chong. “Through community outreach, literacy and employment services, the unprecedented covering of applicant legal fees, or helping young people obtain their high school equivalency, the city expects to eliminate barriers to achieving DACA status for as many as 11,000 New Yorkers during the twoyear program.”

    “When New York City’s Young Men’s Initiative (YMI) decided to fund the DACA campaign, we knew that this was a wise investment that would provide a strategy to engage some of our hardest to reach young people,” said Jahmani Hylton, Director of Young Men’s Initiative. “DACA creates opportunities for many immigrant youth and young adults, where opportunities previously did not exist, by allowing access to the very basic things that we sometimes take for granted like education, work, and even a social security number.”

    “I enthusiastically support the Administration’s efforts to encourage some of the 79,000 DACA eligible New Yorkers to take advantage of the potentially lifechanging opportunity that is a successful DACA application,” said chair of the City Council Immigration Committee Carlos Menchaca. “In the midst of an unsustainable and broken national immigration system, the DACA openings in New York City can distinctly provide the local immigrant community with the ability to more fully participate in our political system, in our economy, and in our schools. I hope that eligible individuals will seize this important moment in the struggle for immigrant equality in the city of New York, and on the national level.”

    “We applaud the new outreach campaign being launched by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs that will continue to help reach the most vulnerable immigrant populations,” said Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “As the coordinator of the Department of Youth and Community Development’s DACA Outreach program, we have overseen groundbreaking work by 26 DACA outreach providers serving our communities in 25 languages. Over the last six months, these providers have reached more than 2,000 hard-to-reach immigrants. MOIA’s efforts continue the city’s progressive and comprehensive approach to DACA in the face of crippling federal inaction on immigration reform. We look forward to working together to make sure that all New Yorkers who qualify can enroll.”

    “The Door is proud to be a part of the Mayor’s efforts to support immigrant youth and to promote their access to higher education and the workforce. Every undocumented young person should meet with an attorney-free of charge-to get the facts,” said Rebecca McBride, staff attorney at The Door – a Center of Alternatives. “Whether they are eligible for DACA or a green card, The Door encourages undocumented youth to come forward, learn about their options, and make a plan for the future.

    Knowledge is power.” “The Legal Aid Society proudly supports MOIA’s innovative city-wide DACA education program. In keeping with New York’s traditional leadership role in providing legal and literacy services to immigrants, MOIA’s program would ensure that all eligible DACA beneficiaries realize their dreams of remaining legally in the U.S. and obtaining a path toward permanent lawful status, essential education and professional opportunities,” said Jojo Annobil, Attorney-in-Chief of the Immigration Law Unit at The Legal Aid Society.

    “Our goal with Pocket DACA is to empower those who may be eligible for Deferred Action to better understand the requirements and find reputable legal help, but also to engage more deeply with potential applicants about their experiences and concerns,” said Matthew Burnett, Director of the Immigration Advocates Network. “By offering an interactive self-screening tool and contact information for local legal services providers, the app increases the chances that eligible young immigrants will be successful in their request. The generation of young immigrants who can benefit from DACA is incredibly tech and social-media savvy.

    This app will put them in the driver’s seat when it comes to their future.” “To help its residents take full advantage of the benefits of DACA, cities like New York and innovative partners like Immigration Advocates Network and Pro Bono Net are designing bold new ways of reaching eligible young immigrants across the five boroughs, connecting them to user friendly resources to help them secure DACA status, and reminding New York City’s current DACA recipients about upcoming renewals,” said Suzette Brooks Masters, program director for migration at the JM Kaplan Fund, a foundation which funds DACA implementation and IAN/PBN.

    Testimonies from DACA recipients
    “DACA has afforded me many more opportunities and opened doors that were previously closed,” said Sandra Sandoval, DACA recipient and Field Support Coordinator, Immigration Advocates Network. “With DACA, I have been able to use my college degree and get a job, while continuing to contribute to my community through my work. Even more importantly, DACA has given me the courage to follow my dreams and to continue to fight for more comprehensive relief for my community.” “DACA changed my life.

    It allowed me to embrace my identity as an undocumented immigrant, and empowered me to become publicly active about an issue that many struggle with privately. Thanks to DACA, I was able to apply, and get accepted into, nursing school,” said Hina Naveed, DACA recipient and DACA Coordinator at El Centro del Inmigrante. “My life, which previously had felt as if it was on hold, is now back on track, and I feel as though I can realistically attain all that I had previously aspired to.

    The DACA campaign is a wonderful initiative, there are still many individuals who are eligible but have not yet applied, either because they are afraid or unaware. For those who are afraid, I would like to refer to my life as testimony that DACA is a life-changer. There are many free legal services available, I urge you to take advantage of them and not miss out.”

    “For over 24 years, I lived in New York City, undocumented. In September of 2012, I meet Atlas: DIY’s immigration attorney, Lauren Burke. She helped me apply for DACA, and I was approved on November 20, 2013. Less than three weeks later, I had my work authorization card, my social security number, and my New York State driver’s permit. Two weeks later, I started The Receptionist Training Program at Atlas: DIY, and less than four months later, I was offered a job as their Director of Operations,” said Maria Caba, DACA recipient. “Now, part of my responsibility at Atlas is to help young people find out about DACA and learn how to apply. DACA has opened doors that otherwise would be closed to people like me.

    DACA is not permanent, but it offers you a sense of safety, a sense of belonging, and a sense of empowerment. I am so excited for the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs’ DACA transit ad campaign, because now more people will know about DACA, and they will be able to see that there is help available for them. They just need to speak up and ask for it.” “Getting DACA has really changed my life. It has allowed me to get a job where I fight to empower members of my community, while going to college and pursuing my dreams. The more people who are eligible and get DACA, the stronger our communities become.

    I think it’s incredibly important that everyone knows about this opportunity, and if you think you might be eligible, go to a place like Make the Road New York to get free legal advice and apply now!” said Antonio Alarcon, DACA recipient and member of Make the Road New York.

  • GIVE YOUR BEDROOM A ROMANTIC TOUCH

    GIVE YOUR BEDROOM A ROMANTIC TOUCH

    Bedroom decor should have a romantic essence to it, don’t you think? Considering that we spend a major part of our lives in our bedrooms, we should make it one of the most comfortable zones in our homes. It should be a room that spells romance and makes you feel good as soon as you step inside — a space that stimulates your senses. So, what do you need to make your boudoir a cosy love nest? Read on to find out some tips…

    Make it look great

    The way your bedroom is lit, can make or break the look you want to create. Interior designer Ketki Passi says, “The right kind of lighting can help create a romantic ambience.” Candles can work wonders — they are what romance is all about. the mysterious light and shadow effect of a candle can give a very special aura to your bedroom.

    Bright, harsh bulbs are a big no-no. For the ideal romantic look dim, soft lights are key. Use heavy curtains to escape the glare of harsh street-lights. Of course, table and floor lamps are indispensable.

    Make it comfortable

    A bed that looks comfortable is a basic essential here. Four-poster beds look romantic. Use light fabric drapes in pastel shades around the bed to get a soft look. When it comes to bedspreads and covers, avoid rough and uncomfortable fabrics — soft, smooth and comfortable ones like satin, silk and very good quality airy cotton are essential.

    Using sexy colours makes your room look, well, sexy. Choose bright bold colours like red, orange or rust. Place plush pillows on the bed of different sizes to make it look comfortable and inviting. Two large pillows, four medium rectangular pillows and around four to five smaller square cushions. A fluffy and soft comforter can add to the romantic look.

    Prioritise privacy Curtains spell romance — pretty, flimsy, sheer curtains that sway with the breeze, light ones in lovely pastel shades that leave you feeling calm and relaxed. Of course, you should also have those heavy drapes to guard your privacy.

    Indulge the senses

    Romance is about titillating the senses and the sense of smell is important. Spraying room freshener is passe. Opt for fragrances of incense sticks, scented sachet, aromatic candles in lavender, vanilla, and camomile etc. Go and have fun doing up your bedroom!

  • G7 threatens Russia with more curbs

    G7 threatens Russia with more curbs

    BRUSSELS (TIP): World leaders urged Vladimir Putin on June 4 to stop destabilizing Ukraine or face further sanctions as they met without a Russian president for the first time since the 1990s. Putin reached out a hand despite being banned from the Group of Seven summit following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March, saying that he was ready to meet Ukraine’s president-elect. But G7 leaders said that while they still hoped for “constructive” talks with Putin on the sidelines of D-Day commemorations in France on Friday, Moscow could face further punitive measures.

    In a joint communique they said Putin must recognize the results of Ukraine’s May 25 presidential election, won by Petro Poroshenko, stem destabilization in the east of the country, and pull Russian troops back from the border. “Actions to destabilize eastern Ukraine are unacceptable and must stop,” the group said. “We stand ready to intensify targeted sanctions and to implement significant additional restrictive measures to impose further costs on Russia should events so require.”

    The leaders have warned Russia that manipulating energy supplies to intimidate one’s neighbours is unacceptable and that they need to diversify their energy systems to avoid getting blackmailed. “The use of energy supplies as a means of political coercion or as a threat to security is unacceptable,” a draft G7 summit statement seen by AFP said. Russia supplies about 30% of Europe’s gas, with about half of that transiting Ukraine. Obama has shown no signs of wanting a meeting with Putin despite the fact that both will be in Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings in Europe.

    Other G7 leaders whose economies are more exposed to Russia than Washington took a softer tone. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that European leaders would “take stock” of Russian actions at a summit end June and “reflect which further sanctions are necessary”. But Merkel, who is due to meet Putin in France, said that “the main thing is to be constructive” and that further sanctions would take effect only if there had been “no progress whatsoever”.

    French President Francois Hollande – who is scheduled to have separate dinners with both Putin and Obama in Paris on Thursday – agreed that “dialogue and deescalation must be encouraged”. British PM David Cameron said he would be taking a similar message to Putin when he meets him also on Thursday. Putin hinted that he could meet both Poroshenko and even Obama, saying “I don’t plan to avoid anyone”.

    But he taunted the United States and waved away allegations of Russian military meddling in eastern Ukraine. “Proof ? Let’s see it!” he said. “The entire world remembers the US secretary of state demonstrating the evidence of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, waving around some test tube with washing powder in the UN Security Council,” Putin said.

  • Landslide win for Assad in polls, Damascus in celebratory mode

    Landslide win for Assad in polls, Damascus in celebratory mode

    DAMASCUS (TIP): A little after 10pm on June 3 when Syrian People’s Assembly speaker announced Bashar al-Assad as the presidential election winner, his words found an echo on Damascus streets. Young men and women began dancing at the city centre square. Cars whizzed past with girls and boys waving Syrian flags. Soldiers fired celebratory gun shots and the sky was filled with firecrackers. Feroz Junaid (22), who lost his arm in an attack a year ago, waved a photograph of Assad with his other arm.

    “Barroh, baddam, nafdik ya Bashar (We sacrifice our blood and spirit for Bashar),” chanted a young woman. Basil Abdel Rehman and his wife, Rasha, walked for two hours to the city centre to celebrate Assad’s victory. Assad won over 10 million (88.7%) votes, while US-educated businessman Hassan Abdullah al-Nouri 500,000 (4.3%) and Maher Abdul-Hafiz Hajjar over 300,000 (3.2%). His opponents dismissed the election as a sham and maintain the narrative in Assad-controlled territories does not reflect the larger Syrian reality.

    But independent observers, including parliamentarians from a number of countries, declared the polling “free and fair”. TOI visited 10 odd poll booths in the countryside around Damascus and found people cheering and dancing after the election results were declared. Men and women, whose children were tortured and killed in the war over the last three years, openly voted for Assad. Many of them wore T-shirts with Assad’s photos. They say the sentiment across much of the country runs contrary to the Western narrative that the election was stage-managed.

  • 9 get death sentence for terrorism in Xinjiang

    9 get death sentence for terrorism in Xinjiang

    BEIJING (TIP): Chinese courts have sentenced nine people to death for terrorist activities in the northwestern Xinjiang region. Two others have been given death sentence with a two-year reprieve, which means the verdict will be reviewed after the reprieve period. The convictions follow a series of deadly attacks, including the recent killing of 31 people in a market in the provincial capital of Urumqi.

    The convicted are among the 81 defendants who have been sentenced to various punishments — including death penalty, life imprisonment and long-term sentences — by six different courts in the region, according to the regional higher people’s court. The alleged terrorists included 68 people who were accused of organizing, leading or participating in terrorist organizations, intentional homicide, arson or illegal manufacture, storage and transport of explosives. The courts convicted another 13 people for inciting ethnic hatred and discrimination, or teaching criminals methods. The crimes were the focus of the region’s special operation to crack down on terrorism, said the regional higher people’s court.

    A senior Xinjiang official said the crimes were the result of religious extremism and not China’s policies on ethnic affairs. Arkin Tuniyazi, vice chairman in the region’s government, rejected allegations the authorities interfered in local customs, prohibiting men from growing beards and women from wearing the veil. “Elder Uygur men, especially those living in southern Xinjiang, have the tradition of growing thick beards.

    We have never thought that it is a problem; it is completely their own choice,” said Tuniyazi. He admitted the government did try to dissuade women from wearing the veil, because it represents religious conservatism and was “never a Uygur tradition”.

    Some young Uygur women have begun to use the veil under the influence of religious extremism, which is preached to them unlawfully, he said. “Some scripture interpretations prohibit people from dancing to express their joy at weddings or mourning over the deceased at funerals,” the official media quoted him as saying. “I find those rules seemingly out of ‘restraint’ entirely against nature.”

  • Obama health care nominee withdraws

    Obama health care nominee withdraws

    WASHINGTON (TIP): President Barack Obama’s choice to be the top health official at the embattled veterans affairs department has withdrawn his nomination. The news comes amid a firestorm over long patient waits at military veterans’ medical facilities and covering up delays, a headache for Democrats ahead of November congressional elections.

    Murawsky now oversees seven VA hospitals and 30 clinics, including one in suburban Chicago where there are allegations that its staff used secret lists to conceal long patient wait times for appointments. The White House said in a statement that Murawsky feared a prolonged fight over his confirmation, adding that he believes the role is too important not to be filled quickly. Obama accepted Murawsky’s withdrawal and will move quickly to find a replacement, the White House statement said.

    Murawsky’s withdrawal comes as the Senate reached agreement for a bipartisan bill expanding veterans’ ability to get government-paid medical care outside veterans affairs hospitals and clinics. The framework agreement was announced on Thursday on the Senate floor by veterans affairs committee chairman Bernie Sanders and Republican Sen. John McCain.

  • 45 killed by suspected Boko Haram gunmen in Nigeria

    45 killed by suspected Boko Haram gunmen in Nigeria

    MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (TIP): Fortyfive people were killed by suspected Boko Haram gunmen pretending to be preachers in a village near the group’s spiritual home in northeast Nigeria, two residents said on June 6. The attack happened at about 9:30 pm (2030 GMT) on June 5 in Barderi, on the outskirts of Maiduguri, and saw insurgents hoodwink locals into congregating before opening fire on the crowd.

    Itinerant preaching is commonplace in mainly Muslim northern Nigeria and the fake clerics reportedly told villagers that they had come to show them “the righteous path”. Mallam Bunu, who survived the attack, said: “I counted 45 bodies after the attackers left the village. “They came to our village… and lied to us that they had come to preach to us and when almost all the villagers had gathered, another set of insurgents emerged from nowhere and opened fire on the congregation before we all scampered for safety.” Another survivor, Kallamu Bukar, said: “When we converged, another set of insurgents emerged from nowhere and joined those that were disguised as preachers. “They opened fire on the congregation.

    The assailants also set ablaze several houses, shops and other personal effects.” The attacks came after Boko Haram gunmen rampaged through four villages in the far-flung Gwoza district in Borno state on June 3. A local member of parliament described the attacks, which carried on into Wednesday, as “massive” while local community leaders said hundreds of people may have been killed.

    Gunmen also burned down a Roman Catholic church and a local government office in Madagali in neighbouring Adamawa state on Thursday morning. Borno, Adamawa and Yobe state have been under a state of emergency since May last year but apparent initial gains in forcing Boko Haram out of urban centres appear to have been lost. Attacks now occur on an almost daily basis in remoter border regions, increasingly against civilians, often due to the perception that local vigilante groups are assisting the military.

  • European Commission proposes euro for Lithuania

    European Commission proposes euro for Lithuania

    LONDON (TIP): The European Commission in its 2014 Convergence Report has proposed to the EU council of ministers that Lithuania can become the latest country to adopt the euro as its currency on January 1, 2015. It also struck down the possibility for seven of its member states – Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden – to adopt the currency. The Commission said none of them currently fulfill all of the criteria to adopt the Euro. Their situation will therefore be reassessed in two years’ time.

    It said, “These countries have made uneven progress on the road to euro adoption, but Lithuania stands out from this group as it now fulfils the convergence criteria.” The Council will take the final decision on the matter in the second half of July after EU heads of state and government discuss the subject at the 26-27 June European Council meeting and after the European Parliament has given its opinion. Olli Rehn, commission vice-president, said, “Lithuania’s readiness to adopt the Euro reflects its longstanding support for prudent fiscal policies and economic reforms.

    That reform momentum, driven in part by Lithuania’s EU accession 10 years ago, has led to a striking increase in Lithuanians’ prosperity: the country’s per capita GDP has risen from just 35% in 1995 to a projected 78% in 2015.”

  • ‘Rambo’ kills 3 in Canada, updates FB while on run

    ‘Rambo’ kills 3 in Canada, updates FB while on run

    Amanhunt is under way in the Canadian city of Moncton after a gunman shot dead three members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and left two others injured. Residents of Moncton, a city of about 69,000 people around 95 miles (150 kms) northeast of St. John, New Brunswick, have been warned to stay inside and lock their doors after a man identified as Justin Bourque, 24, went on a shooting rampage shortly before 19.20 local time (22:20 GMT). The Royal Canadian Mounted police tweeted an image of the suspect wearing military camouflage and wielding two guns. Police in New Brunswick also confirmed on their Twitter feed that three officers had been killed and that two others had sustained “non-life threatening” injuries.

    Dramatic footage of what appears to be the shooting has also appeared on Thursday showing residents hiding in their houses as they watch a gunfight between police and the shooter. People are shown shouting and screaming as shots ring out on the street outside. Police road blocks have been set up in the area and drivers told to stay away. In a macabre twist to the story a Facebook page, which appears to belong to the suspect, was active shortly before and during the city-wide manhunt. A post written 11 hours ago by Justin Bourque from Moncton featured the lyrics to the Megadeth song ‘Hook in Mouth’.

    “Don’t try to fool us, we know the worst is yet to come. / I believe my kingdom will come,” the Facebook user wrote. The account profile features a picture of two men holding rifles and standing in a wooded area and posts on the site make repeated reference to the right to bear arms and weaponry. Bizarrely the Facebook user appears to have added two new friends to his account whilst on the run from police.

    Meanwhile, a former colleague of the alleged gunman has described how he “wanted to go out with a bang and bring people with him”. Caitlin Isaac, who according to Business Insider, worked with Bourque at Walmart said Bourque wanted to “give people something to remember him for”, and “always had a problem with authority”. She claims he was fired from his job for “attitude related issues”.

  • GET RID OF BLACKHEADS WITH HOME REMEDIES

    GET RID OF BLACKHEADS WITH HOME REMEDIES

    Blackheads are dirty, tiny black spots that make home on the skin of your face, especially your nose. These are mostly the result of dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells, which clog the pores of the skin through which it breathes.

    Here are a few home remedies that can help you prevent or control or remove blackheads: Wash your face Don’t be too harsh on your skin. But do wash it twice or thrice with a good facewash. Use a scrub at least thrice a week. Exfoliate Use gentle exfoliaters on your face as too rough a use can harm your skin too. But do use them once a week to remove blackheads.

    Steam bath

    Taking steam on your face loosens the blackheads, making it easier to remove them. Take a mixture of lemon, honey and add some sugar to it. Rub it gently on your skin till the sugar melts on your face and acts as a natural scrub.

    You can also use a mixture of ground oats with a tiny pinch of salt and olive oil. While applying both these solutions, keep them for about 10 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.

  • High-speed internet for flyers within EU

    High-speed internet for flyers within EU

    LONDON (TIP): Passengers will now receive superfast in-flight broadband wi-fi services while flying within the European Union. British satellite telecommunications firm Inmarsat which has been spearheading the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 announced a big investment to boost broadband connectivity in aeroplanes. over Europe. The London-based firm will link aircraft to the internet via cellphone towers on the ground pointing skywards. A spacecraft will augment the system ensuring passengers experience an unbroken onboard wi-fi service. Inmarsat said on Thursday it will deploy a unique integrated telecommunications network delivering aviation passenger connectivity across the EU.

    The company has placed an order for a new S-band satellite, called Europasat and expects to complement this satellite with a fully integrated air-to-ground network across the European Union. Inmarsat’s new aviation network will deliver high-speed broadband services to commercial and business aviation passengers across the continent. These capabilities will be offered alongside Inmarsat’s Global Xpress aviation services, extending Inmarsat’s service coverage for European aviation passengers seamlessly across the rest of the globe.

    This will place Inmarsat in a leadership position in the in-flight passenger connectivity market, which is already both substantial and growing rapidly in North America and which offers exceptional growth potential globally. “We believe that the same in-flight connectivity opportunity exists in Europe and that, with the support of EU telecoms regulators, Inmarsat can rapidly bring to market unique, high speed aviation passenger connectivity services to meet this market demand on an EU-wide basis,” said Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce.

    “A number of European airlines are aligned with this vision and we are absolutely delighted to announce advanced discussions with British Airways to be a launch customer on our new aviation network.” Kate Thornton from British Airways commented: “British Airways is in discussions with Inmarsat about leading Europe in a new era of broadband in the air.

    Starting with UK domestic routes Inmarsat intends to deploy Europe’s first ground-based 4G broadband network giving our customers the internet access they expect on the ground while in the air.” To reduce initial programme costs, Inmarsat and Hellas-Sat, a noncompeting European satellite operator, have contracted with Thales Alenia Space for the construction of a satellite on a shared basis, with each partner retaining exclusive rights to a separate payload.

  • WHY MUSKMELON IS GOOD IN SUMMER

    WHY MUSKMELON IS GOOD IN SUMMER

    While most people gorge on mangoes during summer, another fruit that should be a part of your summer diet is muskmelon, also known as cantaloupe. Its high water content helps you stay hydrated during the hot season. Having this yellow-orange coloured succulent fruit early in the morning is also good for your digestive system.

    A great source of beta-carotene, folic acid, potassium, vitamins C and A, muskmelon not only helps you stay healthy, but is also great for your skin and hair. Here’s why you should include this fruit in your diet. Strengthens immune system: A rich source of Vitamin C, muskmelon helps boost your immunity by stimulating the White Blood Cells in the body.

    Prevents cancer According to studies, the high carotenoid content in this fruit can help to prevent cancer, especially that of lungs.

    Good for the heart The potassium content in the fruit helps control blood pressure and prevents hypertension. It also reduces the risk of heart diseases. Containing adenosine that has blood thinning properties, muskmelon also prevents blood clotting in the cardiovascular system.

    Helps cure kidney diseases A good diuretic, the fruit helps cure kidney disease. Having it with lemon early morning is helpful.

    Good for vision Rich in vitamin A and beta carotenes, studies have proven that regular consumption of foods like muskmelon can reduce the risk of developing cataracts by 40%.

    Helps treat insomnia With effective laxative properties — a special compound that calms anxieties — muskmelon soothes your nervous system, getting rid of your sleeping disorders.

    Treats menstrual problems The vitamin C helps regulate menstrual flow, thus relieving cramps in women. Have this fruit daily during the painful time of the month.

    Cures Toothache The rind of this fruit is effective in curing toothache. Peel the fruit’s skin and add it to boiling water, till it is cooked. Once the mixture cools, strain and use it as a mouth rinse.

    Prevents nausea Having muskmelon tea, prepared from the fruit’s root, is an effective diuretic and helps reduce vomiting sensation.

    Helps lose weight The next time you scoop out the seeds of this fruit, don’t throw them away. High in fibre, consuming these seeds will help in weight loss.

    Anti-ageing agent The fruit helps combat free radicals in the body that damage the skin and are responsible for causing premature ageing.

    Rejuvenates skin The collagen content, along with the protein compounds in this fruit, helps in your skin cell regrowth, providing a beautiful glow to your skin.

    Cures skin problems If you suffer from skin problems like eczema, make sure to have muskmelon juice regularly. You can also apply this juice as lotion to treat skin problems or as first aid for burns and abrasions.

    Fights hair loss Insonitol, a form of Vitamin B, required for your hair growth, is found in most citrus fruits as well as muskmelon.

    Acts as natural conditioner Mash the fruit in a cup and massage your hair with its pulp after shampooing. Wash off after 10 minutes.

  • Gunman kills one, injures three on Seattle campus

    Gunman kills one, injures three on Seattle campus

    LOS ANGELES (TIP): A lone gunman killed one person and injured three others on June 5 on a college campus in the northwestern US city of Seattle, where the mayor denounced America’s “epidemic of gun violence”. The latest bloody rampage to shake the United States came just two weeks after an apparently mentally disturbed man opened fire at a California university and killed six people. Those wounded at Seattle Pacific University, including at least one who was critically hurt, were being treated in hospital.

    The dead victim was a 20- year-old man, according to police. The Seattle police department described how the gunman opened fire in a lobby of a science building on the campus. “Police have one suspect in custody, an adult male who was subdued after being pepper-sprayed by a student security guard,” the police statement added. Initial reports suggested there were two gunmen, but police said that proved false. Mayor Ed Murray expressed outrage that his city had fallen victim once more to the gun violence plaguing the United States.

    “Today should have been a day of celebration at the end of the school year. Instead it’s a day of tragedy and of loss,” he told reporters. “Once again, the epidemic of gun violence has come to Seattle, the epidemic of gun violence that’s haunting this nation.” Witnesses described their fear as the shooting unfolded, and the bloody aftermath. One student recounted hearing a loud bang from next to the classroom he was in. His teacher initially thought it was a science experiment, but someone went out and came back saying: “I think someone’s been shot.” “So we turn off the lights we lock the door and we close the blinds,” the student, identified as Blake, told KIRO 7 TV.

    “I was scared for about a minute,” he added, recalling hearing shouting and someone running past the door. After a couple of minutes, “cops come in through another classroom which was connected to ours and they escorted us out. “I just saw piles of blood on the ground, just scattered throughout the lobby. And I actually stepped in a puddle…. “I saw someone was on the ground. Someone was on top of them, their hands behind their head.” Police spokesman Chris Fowler described how the young male gunman was taken into custody after opening fire in the lobby of a building on the campus.

    He began to reload when a student who was monitoring the building “confronted the shooter (and) was able to subdue the individual,” Fowler told reporters, without directly confirming the death. “Once on the ground, other students jumped on top of them and they were able to pin the shooter to the ground until police arrived.” Less than two weeks ago, a reportedly mentally unstable 22-year-old man killed six people before turning the gun on himself at a college campus in Santa Barbara, California.

    School shootings have become a tragic periodic occurrence in the United States in recent years. They include the December 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut that left 20 small children dead, and the Virginia Tech shooting in April 2007 in which 33 died, including the gunman.

  • US looking forward to welcome MODI TO WASHINGTON

    US looking forward to welcome MODI TO WASHINGTON

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The United States is looking forward to welcoming the new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington, but refrained from making any announcement on the possible trip in September. “We look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister to Washington, nothing to announce on timing at this point,” the state department deputy spokesperson, Marie Harf, told reporters at her daily press conference.

    “I don’t have any more details. We said we look forward to welcoming him,” Harf reiterated when pressed further. Earlier last month US secretary of state John Kerry had welcomed Narendra Modi to US during his meeting with the Indian ambassador to the United States S Jaishankar. The assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal is scheduled to hold meetings in New Delhi over the next several days establishing the first high level contact between the Obama administration and the Modi government after the latter came back to power on May 26.

    “Some very productive consultations w (with) my Chinese counterparts on regional connectivity,” Biswal tweeted. In a statement, the North American Punjabi Association welcomed the purposed meeting between Modi and Obama in Washington in September. “This meeting is a step in national interest,” said Satnam Singh Chahal, its executive director. NAPA, he said, will write to Modi to raise the issue of Security and Safety of Sikhs residing in the United States.

  • Hillary Clinton recalls foreign policy disagreements with Obama in book: Report

    Hillary Clinton recalls foreign policy disagreements with Obama in book: Report

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Potential presidential candidate Hillary Clinton writes in her new book that she raised concerns about a swap of Taliban prisoners when she was President Barack Obama’s secretary of state and disagreed with his decision not to arm Syrian rebels, CBS News reported. CBS News said it obtained a copy of her forthcoming memoir, “Hard Choices,” on Thursday, before its planned publication next Tuesday.

    Clinton is widely considered the Democratic front-runner if she enters the 2016 White House race. With controversy swirling over Obama’s move to swap five Taliban militants held at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for captive US army sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, the book discloses that a much earlier discussion about him took place among top foreign policy advisers, including Clinton.

    “I acknowledged, as I had many times before, that opening the door to negotiations with the Taliban would be hard to swallow for many Americans after so many years of war,” she wrote. The excerpts published by CBS News also reveal Clinton’s disagreement with Obama over his decision not to arm Syrian rebels fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “The President’s inclination was to stay the present course and not take the significant further step of arming rebels.

    No one likes to lose a debate, including me,” Clinton wrote. In a speech last week, Obama said he would increase support for the Syrian opposition, but he did not provide details. Clinton’s book, a memoir of her tenure at the State Department, is being published by Simon and Schuster, a unit of CBS’ parent company, CBS Corp. She will then launch a high-profile book tour across the country. Russia reset? As the top US diplomat from 2009 to 2013, Clinton also acknowledged making a linguistic misstep in declaring a “reset” in American relations with Russia. Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March has raised questions about the so-called reset.

    In the book, Clinton calls Russian President Vladimir Putin “thin-skinned and autocratic, resenting criticism and eventually cracking down on dissent and debate.” In March, she drew parallels at a closed-door fundraiser between Putin’s actions and those of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler before World War Two. She later backtracked from those comments. Asked in an interview on Wednesday about Clinton’s comments comparing him with Hitler, Putin said: “It’s better not to argue with women.

    “When people push boundaries too far, it’s not because they are strong but because they are weak. But maybe weakness is not the worst quality for a woman,” he added. Clinton also addressed her experiences surrounding the 2012 attacks on the US diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, saying: “There will never be perfect clarity on everything that happened.” Republican critics have condemned her handling of the incident, in which four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were killed.

    The book also details Clinton’s meeting with Obama after she lost the Democratic presidential nomination to him in 2008. “We stared at each other like two teenagers on an awkward first date, taking a few sips of Chardonnay,” she writes.

  • INCLUDE YOGHURT IN YOUR DIET

    INCLUDE YOGHURT IN YOUR DIET

    Yoghurt is one of the most beneficial food items and must be made a part of everyone’s daily diet.

    It is not just rich in calcium -which is good for the bones -but protein as well, which helps build muscles. Yoghurt is also good for the skin and hair. Here are some other benefits…

    It aids digestion. Eating yoghurt after a meal stimulates digestion, as it helps absorb nutrients from the other food that you have consumed.

    It is an anti-oxidant that not only keeps the body cool, but also cleanses it.

    The bacteria present in yoghurt boosts immunity by fighting different microorganisms in the body.

    Yoghurt contains several vitamins that ensure your nervous system functions well.

    Apply yoghurt on your scalp to keep dandruff at bay . The lactic acid and anti-fungal properties make it a good home remedy.

    It is also good for the skin as it contains vitamin E, zinc and phosphorous. Add yoghurt to homemade facial packs for better results.

  • Civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama dies at the age of 93

    Civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama dies at the age of 93

    SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama, whose photograph famously appeared in Life magazine showing her cradling the head of Malcom X moments after he was shot, has died of natural causes in her Berkeley home. She was 93. Kochiyama’s family said she died in her sleep on June 1 .

    Among her many accomplishments during 50 years of work, Kochiyama’s activism led directly to the US Senate’s agreement to pay reparations and apologize to Japanese-Americans and others who were interred during the World War II. Kochiyama was living in New York when she forged an unlikely bond with Malcolm X, and she witnessed his 1965 assassination in New York. Kochiyama was born in San Pedro, California, to a middle-class family. She and her family were interred for two years in Arkansas during World War II.

    After the war, she moved to New York and married her husband, Bill, who died in 1993. After her release at the war’s conclusion, Kochiyama dedicated her life to social activism that spanned races, nationalities and causes, including vocal opposition of the Vietnam War and anti-apartheid policies in South Africa while supporting independence for Puerto Rico. “Her tireless dedication to civil rights helped inspire generations of activists, including within the American Muslim community,” the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement.

    “She will be fondly remembered by all those of us who continue to defend civil liberties and promote justice.” The mother of six was living in New York’s Harlem neighbourhood when she forged an unlikely bond with Malcolm X in the 1960s. She was sitting in the front row of the Audubon Ballroom Auditorium in New York when assassins burst in and gunned him down. The California assembly adjourned in Kochiyama’s memory on Thursday. Kochiyama is the author of a memoir, “Passing It On”, and is survived by four of her children and several grandchildren.

  • John Lennon sketches and poems sell for almost $3m in New York

    John Lennon sketches and poems sell for almost $3m in New York

    John Lennon’s scribbles, letters and poems have proved a hit for Sotheby’s after exceeding their presale estimates to sell for almost $3 million in New York. The former Beatle’s nonsensical poem, “The Fat Budgie”, sold for $143,000 (£85,000) despite being valued at the much lower price of $35,000 (£21,000). Handwritten manuscript “I Sat Belonely” took four times its estimate and went for $137,000 (£82,000), while a corrected typescript called Neville Club surpassed its £12,000 (£7,000) estimate to sell for $100,000 (£60,000).

    The auction’s highlight came with Lennon’s Sherlock Holmes parody, “The Singularge Experience of Miss Anne Duffield”, which fetched $209,000 (£125,000). The various pieces came from Lennon’s mid-Sixties books, In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works. They were auctioned as part of a 89-lot sale after being released by their previous owner, British publisher Tom Maschler, who persuaded Lennon to write the books. Sotheby’s has confirmed that the sale represented the most substantial private collection of Lennon’s work ever to come to market.

    Every lot was sold, making the auction a “white glove sale”. Gabriel Heaton, deputy director of Sotheby’s books and manuscripts, said in a statement: “The outstanding result shows that Lennon’s nonsense verse, puns, wicked humour and comic drawings continue to resonate 50 years after the publication of (his books).” Lennon was shot and killed by Mark Chapman outside his New York apartment in December 1980.

  • HOW TO BURN 500 CALORIES EVERYDAY

    HOW TO BURN 500 CALORIES EVERYDAY

    We are programmed to believe that losing weight is a Herculean task, which involves grueling exercise schedules, crash diets and drastic lifestyle changes. But the truth is far from it.

    Yes, you need exercise to feel and be your best and healthy eating should be a part of your daily life, but weight loss isn’t just about a one hour fitness routine or some simple diet tips. It’s about how you live each day, what you do, and how you do it.

    So if you’re fresh out of ideas and want some extra help to burn 500 more calories every day, you’ve come to the right place! Here’s a list of 15 activities that will help you knock off those extra calories stacking up on the weighing scale.

    2 hours of bowling burns 500 calories. According to fitnessforweightloss.com one can burn 105-285 calories in 30 minutes of bowling, depending on your weight.

    If you are 72 kgs than you burn 219 calories in one hour

    If you are 91 kgs than you burn 273 calories in one hour

    If you are 109 kgs than you burn 327 calories in one hour

    Talking to your loved ones on the phone in the office basement? No, don’t stop, just start walking up and down the stairs while you continue your act of care.

    This wil not only burn calories but tone your glutes, as well! Body weight influences caloric usage during 5 minutes of stair climbing. 30 min at a pace of 8 min per mile burns 500 calories. How many calories you burn depends on your body weight.

    The more you weigh the harder your body has to work and so the more calories you burn. Clean, mop and dust your house for 2 hours and burn 500 calories for sure! It depends on your current weight, how long you work, how hard you work and what activities you do. The type of activity you’re doing makes a difference.If a person weighing 45kgs spends 15 minutes mopping, he/she will burn 77 calories. Washing dishes for 15 minutes would burn 38 calories.

    Scrubbing the floors would burn 65 calories. And if this doesn’t sound interesting, you can just turn on your favorite playlist and dance with your broom too! That can boost the number of calories burnt by another 15%! Don’t just stop there. If you’re on the phone, walk around while you talk. You’ll burn more calories standing than sitting. Stand while talking on the phone. Better yet, try a standing desk — or improvise with a high table or counter.

    Eat lunch standing up. If you can’t get away from your desk, try standing to make a phone call or read a report. Even shutting your office door to squeeze in 5 minutes of pushups or jumping jacks can burn another 50 calories. Six hours of kissing burns 500 calories! Foreplay burns fewer calories. A person weighing 70 kgs would burn 25 calories in 15 minutes of foreplay. Stretch foreplay out to burn more calories. The same person would burn 216 calories in 45 minutes of foreplay.

    Oral sex: 100 calories Woman on top, 10 minutes: 300 calories for women, 130 calories for men. Sex standing up: Up to 600 calories for both people. What’s the use of just watching Kareena shaking her booty on popular Bollywood tracks? Go join a Zumba class yourself and burn 500 calories! Provided you give your full effort throughout the class! Dancing gives your body a complete workout.

    Rumba is good for stretching; it increases your flexibility and builds muscle strength. Most dance forms concentrate on your core muscles, especially the back. A fast dance form like jive works on your legs, as well as your arms. A person weighing 70 kgs would need to do fast ballroom dancing for approximately one hour and 25 minutes to burn 500 calories, according to Nutristrategy.

  • Court grants Utah stay in gay marriage case

    Court grants Utah stay in gay marriage case

    SALT LAKE CITY (TIP): A federal appeals court has granted Utah’s request to delay the implementation of a ruling ordering state officials to recognize more than 1,000 gay marriages that were allowed immediately after the state’s same-sex marriage ban was overturned. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision on Thursday afternoon, prolonging the uncertainty for the gay and lesbian couples who married in December.

    The order was set to take effect Monday, based on a ruling in a May from a federal judge who said the state’s decision to freeze benefits was harming the couples. Gov. Gary Herbert and state attorney general Sean Reyes, both Republicans, filed an appeal of that ruling late Wednesday. They requested the stay Thursday.

  • Obama makes ‘no apologies’ for Taliban hostage deal

    Obama makes ‘no apologies’ for Taliban hostage deal

    BRUSSELS (TIP): President Barack Obama vehemently refused to apologize on Thursday for doing a prisoner trade with the Taliban to free a US soldier, despite a fierce political storm over the deal in Washington. Critics, both Republican and Democratic, have asked whether the transfer of five Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay for the release of US army sergeant Bowe Bergdahl was even legal, and question both the price paid and the principle of a swap.

    But Obama, asked about the row raging in Washington at the G7 summit in Brussels was unapologetic, repeating that he had a duty as commander-in-chief to get Bergdahl home. “We have a basic principle, we do not leave anybody wearing the American uniform behind, Obama said, adding that he had acted last week because the health of Bergdahl, held captive for nearly five years was deteriorating.

  • State department official to lead US team to Sisi swearing-in

    State department official to lead US team to Sisi swearing-in

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A senior state department official will represent the United States at Sunday’s inauguration of the new Egyptian president, but in a sign of US unease, no cabinet-level ministers will attend. The US delegation to the swearing-in of president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will be led by state department counselor Thomas Shannon, a senior adviser to secretary of state John Kerry, a US official said.

    “The United States looks forward to working with president-elect al-Sisi in Egypt and his government to advance our strategic partnership and many shared interests,” State department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said. But she acknowledged to reporters that the US administration was not yet “satisfied” with the progress made in returning to democracy in Egypt. A former general, Sisi won nearly 97% of the vote in last week’s polls, nearly a year after he toppled Egypt’s first freely elected leader, Islamist Morsi.

    “There’s more work to do,” Harf told reporters. “We believe Egypt needs to continue its transition toward a stable, inclusive and civilian-led democracy.” She stressed that elections were only part of the process to move the country toward democracy. “Democracy is about more than just a ballot box, it’s about how you govern, it’s about how inclusive you are,” Harf added.

    “So we’re going to be looking for all of those things going forward in terms of how this new government behaves.” The US has partially lifted a freeze on military aid to Egypt, and 10 Apache helicopters are due to be leaving storage to head to the country to help counterterrorism efforts in the Sinai. Harf confirmed that another chunk of US military aid, including Harpoon missiles and parts for Abram tanks, remained frozen.

  • CHANGLANG

    CHANGLANG

    Changlang District is situated on the south-eastern corner of the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, near the Myanmar border. Known for its rich biodiversity and scenic beauty, Changlang is a popular tourist destination in North-East India. As per folklore, the name ‘Changlang’ was derived from a hilltop called ‘Changlangkan’, where the natives discovered an herb that can be used for poisoning fish in the river.

    Changlang District is bounded by Lohit District and Tinsukia District of Assam in the north, by Tirap District in the west and by Myanmar in its south-east. Patkai Bum Hills, which are the extensions of the Greater Himalayas reaching up to Nagaland, is the natural barrier between Changlang and Myanmar. Changlang town is the administrative headquarters of Changlang District.

    The population of Changlang District consists of Tutsa, Tangsa, Nocte, Singpho and the Lisu tribes along with Deoris, Tibetans and Chakma and Hajong refugees. Tangsas, Singphos and Tutsas are the native tribes of Changlang District. Tangsas reside in the south-eastern Patkai Bum Hills of the Indo- Myanmar Border, Singphos on the plains towards the north of Changlang and Tutsas occupy the western part of Changlang. Tangsa, Assamese, Hindi and English are the most common languages used in Changlang though there are many tribal languages in use that belong to Tibeto-Burman language family.

    Moh-Mol, Pongtu Kuh and Shapawng Yang Manu Poi are the main festivals celebrated by the Tangsa, Tutsa and Singpho tribes respectively. Changlang District, primarily an agrarian region, consists mostly of hilly areas. Changlang, which has a gentle slope towards its north-west, exhibits varying altitudes that range from 200 meters to 4500 meters.

    Rivers like Noa-Dehing, Namchik, Tirap, Namphuk, Dapha, Namphai, Tissu, Tarit, Tara, Tikeng and Tiging are the water resources of the region, most of which eventually merge with River Buri-Dihing. The plains of Changlang often get flooded during the monsoon months as they are situated in the valley of Dihin. Changlang is rich in various species of flora and fauna.

    The region comprises of the Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests towards Assam and the eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests towards its south-east. The hilly areas and mountain slopes of Changlang are covered by alpine, temperate and subtropical forests. The upper reaches of Changlang are covered in thick foliage of rhododendron, oak, pine,maple, fir, juniper, sal and teak. The highlight of Changlang tourism is the Namdapha National Park. Namdapha National Park consists of about 96 species of mammals, 453 avian species and 50 reptilian species along with numerous species of other life forms. Changlang town can be reached from Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Margherita and Miao by road.

    The nearest airport to Changlang town is situated at Dibrugarh and the nearest railhead is at Tinsukia. November to February is the best time to visit Changlang. Tourist places in Changlang The District of Changlang provides numerous sightseeing attractions for the tourists to explore.

    The most popular ones include The Namdapha National Park, Miao, Tibetan Refugee Settlement Camp, Stilwell Road,World War II Cemetery, Lake of No Return and Nampong. The Namdapha National Park is the largest national park in the north east India situated at a few km from Miao. It is spread in a total area of 1985 sq. and has a separate camera point and camping site present within its premises.

    Places like MotiJheel and Gandhigram are also its special attractions. Its most popular feature is its wildlife safari that provides a complete tour of the whole park. Miao is another popular sightseeing attraction of Changlang. Its main attractions include its mini zoo, museum and the Tibetan Refugee Settlement where colourful woollen carpets are produced. It is also popular for tea farming, oil drilling and opium cultivation.

    The Tibetan Refugee Camp is the oldest settlements of Tibetan refugees in the place and is situated at 4 km from Miao. This camp houses 500 families having 2800 members making it the 45th largest refugee settlement of India and 75th in the world.

    It is also popular for producing carpets. Stilwell is a historic road and is located in the town of Jairampur in the Changlang District. It was created by Americans during the Second World War and joins India with the Chinese City of Kunming.

    The World War II cemetery is located at 25 km from the town of Pangsau near the Indo- Myanmar Border and Stilwell Road. It is a burial ground for the soldiers who died in the world war second and most of the soldiers buried here are of Chinese, Kachins, Indian, British and American origins. Nampong is the threshold of the Indo- Myanmar border and it is the same region through which the historic Stilwell Road passes.

    The Lake of No Return is visible from Pangsau Pass and provides a soft landing for the fighter planes that were hit in the war by the enemy planes. As all the planes perished here, the place came to be called as the lake of No Return. There are also several nearby villages to Changlang that provides a close look to the culture, traditions and people of the place. The most popular ones include Vijoynagar, Jairampur, Ranglum, Kengkho, Jongpho-Hate, and Thamlom Village.

  • China under-reported defence by 20%: Pentagon

    China under-reported defence by 20%: Pentagon

    WASHINGTON (TIP): China underestimated its growing defence budget by nearly 20% with its spending likely nearing $145 billion last year, the Pentagon has said. In an annual report required by Congress, the Pentagon said yesterday that China’s defence budget for 2013 was higher than the officially announced $119.5 billion. “We think that if you start factoring in other considerations, other funding streams that go into the military, other investments that are not included in the defence budget, that it could be up to $145 billion,” a Pentagon official said of the report.

    The United States and its allies, especially Japan, have repeatedly voiced concern about the Chinese military’s lack of transparency amid growing tensions between Beijing and neighbouring countries over maritime disputes. In its previous annual report on China, the Pentagon said that Beijing’s military spending was anywhere between $135- 215 billion. The $145 billion estimate “reflects an improvement in our understanding of how China develops its defence budget,” the official said. “But I would say there’s a lot that we still don’t know about China’s defence spending and that’s an area where we encourage China to be more transparent,” he said.

    In March, China announced a new hike of 12.2% in its defence budget to an official 808.23 billion yuan ($132 billion) for 2014. China dismissed foreign criticism, with the staterun China Daily saying, “World peace needs a militarily stronger China.” China’s military budget — either the official figure or Pentagon estimate — is significantly higher than the amount spent by its neighbours.

    In 2013, Russia’s defence budget was $69.5 billion, Japan’s was $56.9 billion, with India at $39.2 billion and South Korea at $31 billion. But China’s budget is much lower than that of the United States, by far the world’s largest military power, which has a $495.5 billion defence budget in 2013 along with another $82 billion allocated for the Afghanistan war.