Nagaland to act against officials who criticise govt. policies
The Nagaland government has warned government officials with disciplinary action if they are found “criticising policies and actions” of the State by expressing their views in social media and making statements before the press. This follows a statement from Naga interlocutor R.N Ravi last week that the Naga peace talks would conclude by October 31 and there would be no separate national flag or constitution for the Nagas.Mr. Ravi has accused the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), with which he, on behalf of the Government of India, signed a framework agreement on August 3, 2015 to find a solution to the decades-old Naga issue of delaying the talks. He said that “endless negotiation under the shadow of guns is not acceptable.”On Monday, an order issued by Temjen Toy, Chief Secretary, Nagaland, said, “whereas it has come to notice that some Government servants have been found criticising policies and actions of the Government by expressing their views/opinions or by making statements in the press, social media and in public meetings.” The order said that this was in violation of Rule 22 of the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968 and “therefore all government servants are directed to take note and not indulge in any act which may be construed as violation of such Rules, thereby making him/her liable for disciplinary action.”Earlier the government recalled all police “officers and personnel on leave” amid fears in the State of a possible breakdown of the peace process.Draft agreement readyMr. Ravi had told The Hindu that the civil society groups were on board and a “mutually agreed draft comprehensive settlement, including all the substantive issues and competencies” and that also had the blessings of the church was ready to be inked .On Tuesday, the Nagalim for Christ, Council of Nagalim Churches issued an appeal to “pray to God for protection of the identity, history and political rights of the Nagas.” The letter signed in the name of Ikato Chishi Swu, general secretary of CNC said, “let us pray to God for India leaders to let them respect and recognise the God given flag and constitution of Nagalim.”The letter said that people should wait for the “positive outcome” of the formal talks of the NSCN-IM and the Centre to be held on October 24.The NSCN-IM has been fighting for ‘Greater Nagaland’ or Nagalim — it wants to extend Nagaland’s borders by including Naga-dominated areas in neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, to unite 1.2 million Nagas. The Centre has said there will be no disintegration of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur to merge the Naga inhabited areas with Nagaland.
Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert (22) defends Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) who loses control of the ball while shooting for two points in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, in New York. The Suns defeated the Nets 122-114. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)NEW YORK — When Brooklyn ran off 17 straight points to erase an 18-point deficit in the third quarter, Phoenix guard Devin Booker thought back to last season, when his teammates often bickered among themselves when they faced huge deficits.This time, the Suns remained steady.ADVERTISEMENT Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa Read Next Before that, Suns interim coach Jay Triano had gambled on Warren, who started the fourth with five fouls,as Brooklyn’s defense clogged Booker, who only managed two points in the last 12 minutes of the game.“We had to risk putting him back in the game just to get our offense going,” Triano said. “When they lean all over Devin Booker, it opens up space for T.J., and he got us going in the fourth quarter when we needed baskets.”The Suns, who lost a tough one at Portland on Saturday, quickly answered with a 24-8 run for their first win on their five-game road trip.Phoenix outrebounded Brooklyn 66-44, with Alex Len coming off the bench to lead the way with 15.D’Angelo Russell scored 33 points and Hollis-Jefferson had 21 for the Nets, who’ve lost three straight after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers last Wednesday at home.ADVERTISEMENT Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:48NBA: Kawhi, George seek more for Clippers than beating Lakers01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games LATEST STORIES The Nets added another spurt to lead in the fourth quarter, but behind 32 points from Booker and a stellar final period by T.J. Warren, the Suns rallied to beat Brooklyn 122-114 on Tuesday night.“We called a timeout and we came together,” Booker said. “Our problem last year, when teams used to go on a run, it used to be a domino effect. We used to get down on each other, start arguing.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water poloSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutMike James had 24 points, and Warren scored 14 of his 20 points during the fourth for the Suns, who were up 83-65 with 5:58 to go in the third quarter after Booker pulled up with a 19-foot jumper.Then Brooklyn rallied, and Phoenix seemed headed for a disappointing defeat after Ronda Hollis-Jefferson’s basket gave Brooklyn an eight-point lead with 6:35 left in the fourth. MOST READ QC cops nab robbery gang leader, cohort Stronger peso trims PH debt value to P7.9 trillion “We could do a better job,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “I feel like we should definitely make better decisions. At the end of the day, I put the blame on us.”Warren and James combined on a 7-0 run that closed the lead to 106-101 with 6:15, forcing the Nets to call a timeout.“I thought Warren really hurt us,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He had some big offensive rebounds at the end and we couldn’t keep off him. I think Devin Booker attracts a lot of attention.”After a miss by the Nets, Warren tipped in Booker’s failed layup to initiate a 9-0 run capped by Dragan Bender’s 3-pointer that gave the Suns a 116-108 lead with 2:03 left in the game.MEMORIAL MOMENTA moment of silence was held prior to the national anthem at Barclays Center after a man in a rented pickuptruck mowed down pedestrians and cyclists along a busy bike path near the World Trade Center memorial, killing at least eight and seriously injuring 11.LATE ARRIVALThe Suns’ bus to the arena was delayed by the terror incident, which happened two blocks away from their hotel.TIP-INSSuns: Phoenix played for the fourth straight year on Halloween, improving to 8-9 on the holiday. … Tyson Chandler grabbed 13 rebounds.Nets: Brooklyn has lost five straight games played on Halloween, dropping to 6-8, including 5-5 at home. … Reserve forward Quincy Acy (left groin strain) missed his second straight game. … Brooklyn committed a season-low seven points and edged the Suns 22-13 in fastbreak points.UP NEXTSuns: Visit Washington on Wednesday night.Nets: Visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night for the start of a five-game road trip. Twitter promotes anonymous attacks on 2022 Qatar World Cup Japan ex-PM Nakasone who boosted ties with US dies at 101 CPP denies ‘Ka Diego’ arrest caused ‘mass panic’ among S. Tagalog NPA Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC John Lloyd Cruz a dashing guest at Vhong Navarro’s wedding Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. View comments
Catholic schools seek legislated pay hike, too Ethel Booba twits Mocha over 2 toilets in one cubicle at SEA Games venue Mister Jones Cayetano: Senate, Drilon to be blamed for SEA Games mess “The brand is reasonably untarnished,” O’Keefe said. “There are many ways to put meat onto this brand without stepping into something so problematic.” /cbbSports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Two-day strike in Bicol fails to cripple transport DA eyes importing ‘galunggong’ anew ‘Rebel attack’ no cause for concern-PNP, AFP Under a transaction unveiled Monday, SI owner Meredith Corporation sold the brand’s intellectual property to Authentic Brands Group for $110 million.The deal grants ABG access to more than two million images owned by the magazine and website, as well as the “Sports Illustrated” brand for purposes such as events and conferences, video production and sports gambling, the companies said in news releases.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSPalace wants Cayetano’s PHISGOC Foundation probed over corruption chargesSPORTSSingapore latest to raise issue on SEA Games food, logisticsEditorial control for the magazine and website will rest with Meredith for “at least two years,” with Merdith paying ABG an undisclosed licensing fee, according to a Meredith news release.“As one of the most iconic brands in sports media, SI is a cultural centerpiece with massive opportunities for growth across its burgeoning digital, TV and social platforms and industry-leading print magazine,” said Jamie Salter, founder and chief executive of ABG. With the ABG deal, Sports Illustrated sees a parallel to the strategy taken by publications such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, which have turned to conferences, travel seminars and podcasts as a means to raise funds for journalism.“We are now perfectly positioned, with the support and resources of ABG, to thrive in many other spaces: events and conferences, licensing, gambling and gaming, IP development, especially in video and TV, to name a few, all while continuing to benefit from Meredith’s industry-leading track record in operating media companies,” said SI Editor-in-Chief Chris Stone.Stone said the development of “independent, award-winning journalism and storytelling” remains the “heart of SI.”Gambling on gambling?However, some in sports journalism expressed concern about the future of the publication.“Really hope my colleagues get to keep doing the in-depth, high-end work that they do so well. So much talent and tradition at SI,” said New York Times tennis writer Christopher Clarey on Twitter.The announcement’s mention of gambling also raised concerns for Kelly O’Keefe, a professor of brand management at Virginia Commonwealth University.O’Keefe said monetizing the SI brand through quality sports programming was a logical extension for the company and could find a market with a company like Netflix that might want sports programming but has little direct expertise.But O’Keefe said SI’s interest in sports gambling was “worrisome” and potentially detrimental to the brand’s long-time value.Seven US states have legalized sports gaming since a monumental US Supreme Court decision a year ago, but the venture remains controversial in many circles. Companies such as Disney have kept their distance. LATEST STORIES “SI’s trusted name and fiercely devoted following set the stage for the brand to become a leader in lifestyle and entertainment.”Tough businessThe deal comes as magazines, as with newspapers, contend with diminishing readerships and advertising funds as more marketers commit dollars to online platforms.Such challenges have buffeted weekly publications such as Time, Fortune and Sports Illustrated, which were all sold to Meredith by Time in 2018.Sports Illustrated has long enjoyed unique cache in providing thoroughly reported and sharply-written accounts of just-completed games, as well as legacy-defining profiles of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and other stars. SI is also known for its sweeping narratives surrounding infamous figures such as Pete Rose, Mike Tyson and Tonya Harding.ADVERTISEMENT MOST READ Private companies step in to help SEA Games hosting Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Copies of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition sit for sale on a shelf at a bookstore, May 28, 2019, in New York City. Media company Meredith announced on Monday that it has agreed to sell the Sports Illustrated magazine brand to U.S-based entertainment company Authentic Brands Group for $110 million. AFPNEW YORK, United States — For decades, “Sports Illustrated” has played a unique role in chronicling major competitions like the Olympics and the highs and lows of athletic icons from Muhammad Ali to Serena Williams.But the fortunes of the 65-year-old magazine — known also for its annual swimsuit issue — will now be tied to a sale of the Sports Illustrated name that envisions re-fashioning the enterprise into a “leader in lifestyle and entertainment,” as its new owner put it.ADVERTISEMENT PDEA chief backs Robredo in revealing ‘discoveries’ on drug war View comments Magalong: Albayalde also got SUV out of ‘agaw bato’ operation in 2013 PLAY LIST 01:19Magalong: Albayalde also got SUV out of ‘agaw bato’ operation in 201302:34Google unveils motion-sensing Pixel 401:27Hontiveros says good conduct time being sold to favored inmates02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games02:11Trump awards medals to Jon Voight, Alison Krauss
Jinan: Top seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran progressed to the pre-quarterfinals of the Jinan Open with a straight-set win over Japanese qualifier Renta Tokuda, here on Wednesday.Playing his first tournament after losing the US Open first round, the left-handed Indian raced to a 6-2 6-2 win in the second round of the USD 162480 hard court ATP Challenger tournament. Prajnesh broke his rival four times and saved both the breakpoints he faced in the 63-minute contest.In the doubles, fourth-seeded Indian pair of Saketh Myneni and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan overcame Japan’s Shintaro Imai and Toshihide Matsui 6-4 6-3 in their opening round.It would have been an all-Indian quarterfinal but Hiroki Moriya and Goncalo Oliveira knocked out N Sriram Balaji and Vishnu Vardhan 3-6 7-6(2) 10-7 in the other first round match in the top-half of the draw.Now Myneni and Nedunchezhiyan will take on Moriya and Oliveira.Another Indian in the fray is Divij Sharan, who along with his top-seeded partner Mathew Ebden had prevailed 6-2 6-7(6) 11-9 over Steven Diez and Enrique Lopez Perez on Tuesday.Sasi Kumar Mukund, who had reached the final last week in Baotou, had made a first round exit with a 3-6 3-6 defeat against Shuichi Sekiguchi. IndiaIndian tennisjeevan nedunchezhiyanJinan First Published: September 4, 2019, 5:09 PM IST Get the best of News18 delivered to your inbox – subscribe to News18 Daybreak. Follow News18.com on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok and on YouTube, and stay in the know with what’s happening in the world around you – in real time.
Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of India’s third and final Test in Indore from October 8 due to a fractured thumb. BCCI has named batsman Karun Nair as his replacement.”A very minor fracture has occurred and he has been recommended 15 days rest, which effectively rules him out of the next Test,” said India’s media manager after India’s comprehensive victory.”Selectors have been informed about his status,” he added.On Sunday, Dhawan took blows on his bottom hand thumb twice with the ball rising awkwardly. He survived some anxious moments, managing to open his account after 14 balls, and the swollen thumb had to be taped. He was soon rushed to a city hospital for X-ray.He did not take the field on Monday when New Zealand were batting in the second innings. Consequently, Gautam Gambhir, who had replaced Lokesh Rahul before the second match in Kolkata, could play his first Test in two years.Dhawan did not make the playing XI in Kanpur in India’s 500th Test, where the team management opted to go in with Murali Vijay and Rahul as their preferred openers. (Also read: ‘Ambitious’ Gautam Gambhir as excited as debutant after India recall)Dhawan has scored only one half-century in his last 14 Test innings since back-to-back hundreds against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka over a year ago.Gambhir, who last played for India in the Oval Test against England, has 4046 runs in 56 matches and has hit nine hundreds. His experience will be key as India eye a whitewash over the Black Caps.advertisement(With inputs from PTI)
Atletico Madrid captain Diego Godin is leaving the club after nine years when his contract expires in June, the Uruguayan defender said at a news conference on Tuesday, fighting to hold back tears.Godin, 33, has played 387 times for Atletico since joining from Villarreal in 2010, scoring 27 goals – including famously clinching the club’s first La Liga title in 18 years with a header in a 1-1 draw at Barcelona in 2014.Godin did not say where he is going, but numerous Spanish media have reported that he is on his way to Italian Serie A club Inter Milan.”I’m a little nervous, much more than I am before a game, but I have called everyone here to inform you that these are my final days at the club,” Godin said.Atletico president Enrique Cerezo added: “We are here to say goodbye to an Atletico legend. You have been a vital part of this great era for the club, with your efforts and your goals, like the one which gave us the title at the Nou Camp.”You have fought in a thousand battles and defended the club’s shirt in every game and you have worn the captain’s armband. Wherever you end up, Atletico wishes you a lot of luck. Atletico is your family, the Wanda Metropolitano is your home.”OFFICIAL: Atlético legend Diego Godín will leave the club in the summer after 9 successful seasons. #UCL pic.twitter.com/uQKSh7mDHgUEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 7, 2019© CAPTAINEXAMPLELEADERU RU GUA YO!DETERMINATIONCOMMITMENTLEGEND9 seasons in Red & White#GraciasGodín!#AúpaAtleti pic.twitter.com/jNHZCoAV76advertisementAtlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) May 7, 2019In addition to the La Liga triumph, Godin won two Europa League titles, one Copa del Rey, one Spanish Super Cup and three UEFA Super Cups with Atletico as well as reaching the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals, only to lose both times to Real.Godin’s departure will leave another hole in Atletico’s defence, with France international Lucas Hernandez already agreeing to join Bayern Munich in June after they paid his 80 million euro release clause.Also Read | Manchester United’s top four ambition a disappointment in itself: Ashley Young
Ashes 3rd Test: Getting batting order right key for England in Steve Smith absenceAbsence of Steve Smith, who has proven almost immovable so far this series, will give England a boost, given Matthew Wade is the only other Australian batsman with a century and only two others have passed 50.advertisement Reuters LeedsAugust 21, 2019UPDATED: August 21, 2019 22:25 IST Australia won the first Ashes Test while second Test ended on draw. (AP Photo)HIGHLIGHTSConcussion ruled out Steve Smith from the third Ashes TestEngland have named the same 12-man squad for the third test in West YorkshireJason Roy’s form continues to be a worry for EnglandThe absence through injury of leading Australia batsman Steve Smith gives England a golden chance to level the Ashes series in the third test at Headingley, but the hosts must resolve their own batting problems first.Smith, who averages 126 in the series which Australia lead 1-0, was struck by a bouncer from fast bowler Jofra Archer in the first innings of the second Test at Lord’s and was replaced by concussion sub Marnus Labuschagne for the second innings.Initially, Smith passed a concussion test and was allowed to return to the field and complete his innings, but his condition worsened and Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed he is not fit to play in the third test, which starts on Thursday.The absence of a man who has proven almost immovable so far this series will give England a boost, given Matthew Wade is the only other Australian batsman with a century and only two others have passed 50.However, England have their own issues to address. Questions remain over their top order, with Jason Roy, a specialist opening batsman in one-day cricket, continuing to struggle.”Opening the batting in a test in England should be a specialist position yet someone like Jason Roy will probably only come off once in about 20 innings playing the way he does at the top of the order,” former England captain Nasser Hussain wrote in the Daily Mail newspaper.”He is obviously a special talent in white-ball cricket but at this level against the moving ball I maintain Roy’s best position in test cricket is in the middle order.”advertisementEngland have named the same 12-man squad for the third test in West Yorkshire, but it does appear they are considering moving Roy down the order.”We think we’ve got the best seven batters available to us,” England coach Trevor Bayliss said. “Whether we can change it round and make that (order) any better, I’m not sure, but we’ll certainly have a discussion about it.””Personally, I think he (Roy) probably is suited to the middle order.”Roy produced his most convincing innings of his fledgling international test career when scoring 72 batting at number three against Ireland, as opposed to 45 runs from five innings when opening.CHANGING ORDERMoving Roy will likely see Joe Denly open, with the pressure mounting on the 33-year-old given his highest score of the series is 30 so far.Captain Joe Root is another who has not reached his usual high level, averaging less than 25. Moving him further down the order to number four, his usual position, is also a possibility.”We are going to lose arguably our best batter,” Australia coach Justin Langer said. “It is not unlike England losing James Anderson, he’s arguably their best bowler. You take your best players out it always has an impact.”With England able to replace Anderson with the ferocious Archer in the last test, both teams remained evenly matched, with England almost able to sneak victory on the final day.Taking Smith’s runs out of the equation should, in theory, give England the edge, but there is hope for Australia in Smith’s likely replacement Labuschagne, who scored a gritty 59 as Australia saw out the draw at Lord’s.For sports news, updates, live scores and cricket fixtures, log on to indiatoday.in/sports. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for Sports news, scores and updates.Get real-time alerts and all the news on your phone with the all-new India Today app. Download from Post your comment Do You Like This Story? Awesome! Now share the story Too bad. Tell us what you didn’t like in the comments Posted byAnita Jat Tags :Follow England VS AustraliaFollow Ashes test
Government is to auction two licences for use in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band, with a view to attracting new entrants into the telecommunications market.This was disclosed by the Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, during Tuesday’s (March 26) sitting of the House of Representatives.The licences will be awarded to the highest bidders, once their bids meet or exceed the reserve price, and upon being determined as “fit and proper” by the regulators. Both licences have a 15-year term. The licencees will also be required to deploy their network and/or services across 90 per cent of the country within five years. “I would like to underscore here how serious the Government is about the requirement to deliver mobile broadband services within the timeframe established; and if the timeframe is not adhered to, I will promptly withdraw that licence,” Mr. Paulwell said.The Government will begin pre-auction activities in early April 2013 with the issuance of an Information Memorandum which will be advertised internationally, as well, as posted on the websites of the Technology Ministry and Spectrum Management Authority (SMA).“From the date of the issue of the Information Memorandum until the issue of the Request for Proposals in May 2013, the Ministry and the Spectrum Management Authority will be actively working to sensitize the market as to the economic potential and the commensurate market value of this offering,” the Minister said.The Minister added that the Request for Proposal will remain open for one month, with the entire process completed by July 15, 2013.The 700 MHz band is the upper portion of the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band, specifically channels 52 to 69 (698 MHz to 806 MHz). Internationally, the band was used for analogue television broadcasting; however, it has been allocated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for broadband wireless services.The band, which is considered to be low band spectrum, tends to be more penetrative and propagates farther, meaning that the signal goes through walls more easily, giving better coverage inside buildings, and requires fewer towers to cover a specific geographical area. “This dramatically reduces the cost of deployment, especially when compared to the costs of deployment of systems operating at higher frequencies,” Mr Paulwell said.Since commencement of operations in April 2001, the SMA has collected approximately $1.83 billion for Spectrum Licence Fees, and since the 2003/04 financial year, has collected $1.66 billion in Regulatory Fees, which cover the normal operating expenditure of the SMA.By Latonya Linton, JIS Reporter
zoom Denmark’s A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S has entered the second phase of its share buy-back program, which will be limited to a maximum of 75,000 A shares and 300,000 B shares valued at DKK 3.32 billion (USD 550 million).Maersk has initiated the DKK 5.6bn (USD 934m) share buy-back program back in August, said to be executed during a 12 months period.During the first phase of the program, Maersk had bought 33,608 A shares and 134,533 B shares for around USD 400 million.The second phase of the program will run from November 24, 2014 to February 28, 2015.Maersk has appointed Danske Bank as lead manager for the second phase of the share buy-back.After the completion of the first phase, Maersk holds 33,608 A shares and 237,315 B shares, equal to 0.2% and 1.1% of the share capital, respectively.Press Release
New Delhi: International wrestler Babita Phogat and her father Mahavir Phogat, whose struggle to coach her daughters in wrestling and their eventual success had inspired Hindi film Dangal, joined the BJP on Monday. Joining the party in the presence of Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, party’s general secretary in charge of Haryana Anil Jain and its state chief Subhash Barala, Phogats heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lauding him for abrogating Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370. Also Read – India gets first tranche of Swiss bank a/c details The party believes that the induction of Phogats will help it in the poll-bound Haryana, a state they hail from. Assembly polls are expected in the state later this year. Arjuna awardee Babita Phogat told reporters that Modi had written history by scrapping Jammu and Kashmir’s special provisions and described herself as a “big fan” of him. Lauding the father-daughter duo, Rijiju called Babita a “youth icon” who has brought laurels to the country by bagging medals at several international events. Also Read – Tourists to be allowed in J&K from Thursday Her father is also an icon for coaching his daughters and making them international level wrestlers, he added. Jain said it was a very significant day for the Haryana BJP. After the Union government abrogated the J-K’s special status on last Monday, she had tweeted, “This day will always be remembered. Salute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Jai Hind.” 29-year-old Babita had also defended Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar after he courted a controversy on his “brides from Kashmir” remarks. “Manohar Lal Khattar ji has not made any such statement which portrays women wrongly and I urge the media not to distort his statement,”she had said. Mahavir Phogat, a Dronacharya awardee who was chief of the Jannayak Janata Party’s sports wing, said only Modi was capable of taking big decisions like “avenging” the Pulwama terror attack, which had killed over 40 CRPF personnel in February this year, or “repealing Article 370.” BJP media head Anil Baluni said Mahavir Phogat had lived the ideals of the central government’s scheme, ‘Beti bachao, beti padhao’, by coaching her four daughters as wrestlers against societal pressure of that time. Babita Phogat is a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and has also bagged medals at several international championships.
Montrose Placer Mining Co (MPMC) constructed the ‘Hanging Flume’ – shown here with restoration workers on it – to carry water to power high-pressure monitors to slurry and expose gold-bearing gravels in southwest Colorado, USA. It was a remarkable feat of engineering for the time. High Country News of Paonia, Colorado recently published this report http://www.hcn.org/issues/45.13/history-buffs-rejoice-a-monument-to-gold-fever-is-reconstructed.“Picture a manmade water channel 10 miles long, able to carry up to 80 million gallons of water a day. Then consider what it would take to affix the lion’s share of that wood and iron structure to the side of serpentine, vertical canyon walls, 100 feet off the ground, weaving through the desert in a remote part of southwestern Colorado — a landscape as rugged as it is beautiful. Finally, imagine constructing that flume without motorized vehicles, power tools or modern climbing gear. That’s what the ambitious — and “gold fever” afflicted — founders of the MPMC accomplished when they built what’s known as the Hanging Flume to facilitate mining along the Dolores and San Miguel rivers.“Completed in 1891, the Hanging Flume powered hydraulic cannons, which blasted pressurised water to expose gold-bearing gravels and sluice out valuable metals. While it’s unclear how much gold the company found, the flume’s estimated $169,000 price tag drained its coffers, forcing it to abandon the structure a few years later. Yet today, despite scavenging and exposure to the elements, its remains still prompt almost everyone who sees them to ask: What is this? And how was it built? That is the first symptom of what aficionados refer to as ‘flume fever.’“If there’s a poster boy for flume fever, it’s Jerald Reid, 73, a retired machinist from Kannah Creek, Colorado, who has spent more than two decades researching the Hanging Flume. His first contact came when he and his wife, Margaret, took a scenic drive through the still-wild, isolated area through which the flume winds. Both were captivated, so they went to their local library, only to learn, as Reid says, that ‘there’s no book on it.’“After that, he says, ‘We spent two years — every Friday, Saturday and Sunday almost — hiking either in, above, or below the flume and photographing all aspects of it. And we spent literally hundreds of hours in the library going through microfilm and reading newspaper articles from the period (when it was built).’“Before long, Reid — who has a full head of gray hair, a beard and a no-nonsense manner — was conducting slide presentations and taking tourists on seven-hour walking tours –– even traveling to East St. Louis, Illinois, in search of MPMC’s incorporation papers, which he later discovered in Springfield, Illinois. “I can honestly say that my wife and I are the world’s leading experts on the Hanging Flume. That and $2 will get you a cup of coffee,” he quips, in a rare humorous aside.“The couple’s dedication inspired wood scientist Ron Anthony of Anthony & Associates in Fort Collins, Colorado, to assemble a team of historians, structural engineers, geologists and archaeologists who have been studying the flume for the past decade. In April 2012, Ithaca, New York-based Vertical Access, a company that, according to its website, specializes in unique ‘architectural investigation,’ sent a group of carpenters and ‘industrial rope access experts’ to rebuild part of it atop the existing framework. The new 48-foot segment (visible from Road Y11, off Highway 141) permits passers by to appreciate the size and appearance of the original and allowed the reconstruction team to glimpse the challenges of its assembly.“The men who built the flume logged and milled 1.8 million board-feet of ponderosa pine — enough for several hundred three-bedroom homes — then hauled it to the area via horse-drawn wagon; lowered heavy, unwieldy wood beams over the edge of overhanging canyon walls to workers dangling on bosun’s chairs below them; and hand-drilled thousands of holes in the sandstone to fit iron support rods custom-forged at nearby staging areas. Somehow, the workers maintained a steady pitch: The flume drops only 90 vertical feet over its length.“Donn Hewes, a Vertical Access technician who worked on the reconstruction, says that at first, he was fascinated only by the flume’s mechanics. ‘But after a week of dangling for eight hours a day at the end of a rope, it was more about: What was it like for the guys who were camping out here for three years?’‘We had a whole team of people out there with modern tools and equipment and we spent a week rebuilding a 48-foot section,” adds Vertical Access’ Keith Luscinski. “Those guys built miles and miles of flume. Men were men in those days.’”
WELCOME TO THE WEIRD Wide Web – where we take a look at the week’s best offerings in tech and social media news.Beer-hunting app of the week(Image: Beer Hunt)Here’s a possibly dangerous and/or embarrassing app that keeps track of every drink you consume and where you drink it. Beer Hunt then compiles all of the information from your night out in a handy ‘drink–o-graph’ and rates you against your friends. You may be the winner, but no doubt you’ll be the loser with the biggest hangover as well.(Image: Beer Hunt)3D history news of the weekThe world’s largest museum – the Smithsonian – has started scanning its entire collection in 3D so that it can be enjoyed by future generations, Gizmodo reports. It will also allow a current generation of history enthusiasts to view the museum’s amazing range of artefacts and those lucky enough to have actually visited will be able to look at the collection in greater detail.(SmithsonianVideos/YouTube)Bionic eye of the weekA US company has developed an eye implant connected to a pair of glasses aimed at restoring the vision of patients blinded by a disease called retinitis pigmentosa, Business Insider reports. The glasses have a miniature video camera innside that captures the scene and it send instructions are to an implant in the person’s eye. Small pulses of electricity stimulate the retina’s remaining cells transmitting patterns of light to the brain. Simple really…Here’s a video with more detail on how these amazing specs work:(SecoundSightEurope/YouTube)Twitter sexism of the weekThis neat site will give you an indication of how balanced you are on Twitter by analysing the proportion of retweets that were comments or opinions issued by men or women. A 10 is a perfect Twee-Q. Give it a try, and if you’re not happy with your score, just test the account of a really sexist celebrity to make you feel better.
The more astronomers search the universe, the more frequently they find the oldest known star. Back in 2007, word broke that astronomers found what was then the oldest known star, HE 1523. Now, Howard Bond and a team of astronomers at Pennsylvania State University have announced the discovery of a new star that is thought to be the even older. It’s called HD 140283, and it’s said to be 13.2 billion years old.The Big Bang is thought to have happened around 13.75 billion years ago, so that would place HD 140283 into existence only around 550 million years after the birth of the universe.The star isn’t too far away, only a relatively short 186 light years from our solar system. Interestingly, astronomers have recognized the star for over 100 years, and have known that it is mostly composed of helium and hydrogen, but have not been able to suss out its age until now.After determining the accurate distance of the star, the astronomers combined the star’s intrinsic luminosity with the knowledge that the star is exhausting hydrogen at its core. From that, the astronomers were able to determine the star’s age by performing some calculations based on the dimming state of the star’s luminosity. The calculations suggested that the star was 13.9 billion years old — 200 million years older than the Big Bang is estimated to have taken place — but with a margin of error of around 700 million years, which means HD 140283 is at least 13.2 billion years old. That margin of error places the star’s birth roughly at the beginning of the universe.Compared to HE 1523, which is also estimated to be around 13.2 billion years old, astronomers are more confident in HD 140283’s age, making it a more sure candidate to be the oldest star at this time. However, if HD 140283 actually formed 13.2 billion years ago, astronomers note that this somewhat changes our theory about early star formation.Due to the star’s chemical composition, it must have birthed during the second generation of star formation in the universe, and considering its age, this could mean that the second generation of star formation took place much earlier than astronomers previously thought.Now that we’ve found the current oldest star in the universe, check out the oldest star explosion, and the oldest galaxy.
Monday 2 Sep 2019, 4:37 PM 68 Comments Sep 2nd 2019, 7:29 AM This year’s St. Patrick’s Day breakfast at the VP’s official residence in Washington DC. Leo Varadkar hoping for ‘family lunch’ with his parents, partner and ‘friend of Ireland’ Mike Pence Mike Pence’s visit has been brought forward. He’s now due in Shannon today. Image: /PA Images https://jrnl.ie/4791993 By Daragh Brophy This year’s St. Patrick’s Day breakfast at the VP’s official residence in Washington DC. Image: /PA Images 45,078 Views That Ireland is a place where you can be who you are and love who you love. Where you can stand up for your rights and that others will stand with you. That even though there is so much still to do, we’re moving forwards, not backwards.The event is billed as a “celebration and of all the people that Pence and Trump’s cruel policies discriminate against”. Brexit Politicians on both sides of the Irish Sea will be paying close attention this week to Pence’s comments on Brexit and the Trump administration’s plans for future relations with the UK. US National Security Advisor John Bolton said during a visit to London last month that his government wanted “to move very quickly” on a trade deal with Britain after it leaves the EU, and that the UK was “first in line” for a future trade deal.Trump himself added that the UK could expect a “very big trade deal” in the wake of Brexit after a breakfast meeting with Johnson at the G7 recently.However the US House speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, has warned that any trade deal will not pass Congress if it undermines the Good Friday Agreement. Updated Sep 2nd 2019, 4:37 PM TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said that US Vice President Mike Pence is “a real friend of Ireland” and that he has got to know him “reasonably well in the last couple of years”. Pence arrives into Ireland today and will meet with Varadkar tomorrow as well as President Michael D Higgins. The meeting with Varadkar for lunch and talks will take place in Farmleigh House with Varadkar saying today that his parents and partner Matt Barrett will also be present. Barrett attended a St Patrick’s Day breakfast with Varadkar in the US Vice President’s official residence in Washington DC this year after an invitation from Pence. Pence has been criticised for his views and his legislative record on LGBT rights and a protest outside the Dáil is taking place tomorrow to coincide with Pence’s visit to Dublin. Speaking to reporters in Dún Laoghaire today, Varadkar said that Pence is “very welcome to Ireland”. He’s bringing his family with him so what we’re hoping to have tomorrow is a family lunch involving my parents and my partner, but that does involve getting time off work, not for me, so that’s all being worked on.“I do want to say, you know, about Vice President Pence, I’ve got to know him reasonably well in the last couple of years. He is a real friend of Ireland and somebody whose father fought in the Civil War and somebody who I hope I can speak to tomorrow about Brexit,” Varadkar added. Varadkar was likely referring to Pence’s maternal grandfather Richard Cawley who moved to the US in 1923 after previously serving with the Irish Free State Army. Brought forwardThe former Indiana governor’s visit to Ireland had initially been scheduled for later this week, but the trip was brought forward after an extra European engagement was added to his schedule. Pence was drafted in to take Donald Trump’s place at World War II anniversary commemorations in Poland yesterday after the president said he needed to remain in the US to deal with the approaching Hurricane Dorian.Pence is arriving in Shannon early this evening and will stay overnight in Trump Doonbeg – the Co Clare golf resort owned by the president where Trump himself visited earlier this year. Pence and his wife Karen landing in Warsaw yesterday. Source: Petr David JosekA Shannon Airport spokesperson said that extra security measures will be in place on the roads leading to the airport and the car parks from today until 12pm on Wednesday. The spokesperson said that while it will be “business as usual” at the airport, passengers should allow an extra 15 minutes travel time when travelling to and from Shannon. Pence will travel to Dublin tomorrow where he’s due to pay a courtesy call to President Michael D Higgins at Áras An Uachtaráin, before the engagement with Varadkar for at Farmleigh House. Pence is due to visit Iceland and the UK later in the week – with recent ‘incursions’ into the Arctic Circle by China and Russia expected to be on the agenda in Iceland and (of course) Brexit up for discussion in his London meeting with prime minister Boris Johnson. Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett met with Pence during the Taoiseach’s St Patrick’s Day visit to the US earlier this year.The Taoiseach extended an invitation to Pence, who has strong ancestral roots in Ireland, at that engagement in the Vice President’s Washington home. Tomorrow’s visit is expected to be met with protests in Dublin – including one organised by Amnesty Ireland at the gates of the Dáil. The NGO is hosting a ‘Disco at the Dáil’ to mark the presence of Pence, who has long been criticised for his positions on LGBT rights and abortion. “We want to show him, and people that support him, that we’re a different country now, so that he can’t go back to the USA and say there is any support for his policies here,” a Facebook event listing for the protest said. Share28 Tweet Email Short URL Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article
Facebook Twitter: @NeosKosmos Instagram Greek Australian Senator Nick Xenophon announced he is ready to shake up South Australian politics with the launch of a new party to contest next year’s state election. According to Xenophon, the party, named SA Best, will run candidates with real-life skills and experience in the March 2018 election in an attempt to give South Australia a complete change of approach to the way it is governed and how it delivers key services.At last year’s federal election, The Nick Xenophon Team won three South Australian senate seats and the Lower House seat of Mayo, won by Rebekha Sharkie, and had a strong showing in the regional federal electorates. In an interview with Neos Kosmos, Senator Xenophon talks about his decision to launch a new party, the key policies SA Best will be focusing on, and his strategies for tackling SA’s major issues in the future. Why and when did you decide that there is a need to set up a new party? Has this been something you have been contemplating for a while? It wasn’t a spot decision. The decision was that the State election is coming up and after the success of the Federal Election and the fact that three senators were elected from one state, we didn’t want to lose the opportunity to give South Australians a clear choice at the next state election, which is due in March of next year. The important issue here is that we needed to have a separate entity that was focused on South Australia and its issues and getting as many people elected to the South Australian parliament [as possible].How and why did you come up with the name SA Best? I think the name says it all. It is about bringing out the best in people, the best in our state and making the best decisions for the future of South Australia. It is positive and it is challenging. It is very hard to break the duopoly of the two major parties. As I have been telling people: forget the rest, vote SA Best.You stated that your wish is to shake up Australian politics. What does this involve in real pragmatic terms? SA Best will be based at the state level but what it involves in pragmatic terms is that we are already shaking up Australian politics by sharing the balance of power in the senate. It also involves getting people elected so that we can be in a position of influence so that we can shake up the political system to make it more transparent, more accountable, and more responsive to people’s needs. You said that you will run candidates with real-life skills and experience. What areas is this referring to and what experiences will this involve? What qualities do you wish your candidates to have? I want a combination of candidates whether they’ve been involved in government, business people, academics, tradies, people who have raised families, who have run businesses. We just want people with a solid grounding in common sense and it doesn’t mean we just want people who have been around for a long time. It’s a combination of different generations. I think we need to have that blend that reflects the diversity of our society. Of course we also want people who have come to this wonderful country from other countries and have made Australia their home. In terms of qualities of each candidate, we are looking for leadership and organisational skills, a good radar that senses and picks up on what’s going on in the community and a sense of empathy so that they actually give a damn about people and their issues. These are all important qualities.You have called for potential candidates to register online. Are there particular seats you will be targetting? We have seen a few applications already and location-wise there has been a strong showing of candidates in the Adelaide Hills where Rebekha Sharkie is the member, in the northern suburb seats and the western suburb seats; a combination of Liberal and Labor seats. We want to do this well so that we don’t spread ourselves too thin, therefore we would rather run in a handful of seats and aim to win those seats. It also depends on the calibre of people coming forward and what they can bring to the ticket. You have stated that we need to change the approach in the way our state is governed and the way it delivers its key services. What are you proposing for each service area? Just to give you an idea, my state colleague John Darley has long proposed an operational audit which involves making sure that those areas that are in high demand, where there is a shortage of frontline staff, those areas where there are too many, those areas where arguably resources could be diverted to areas of greater need are dealt with. You recalibrate the public service in a positive way and also reform our system of government. For instance, bureaucrats need to be kept accountable by both houses of parliament in the estimates process. The senate does a very good job of that federally. We should try replicate some of the practices that have been tried and proven in the senate and which would make the parliament more efficient. To do with more legislation, more issues. A parliament should be a powerhouse of ideas for the state but instead it’s become a Punch & Judy show where people are going to stand up and abuse each other. You need to have Freedom of Information laws so government is open, so you know what government is doing, so we don’t have secretive government. Secretive governments make bad decisions. It depends though. It depends what the issues [are]. What state parliamentary strategies do you want to see changed? These are things that will roll out, but I think parliament needs to be responsive to the needs of the people. It needs to keep the bureaucracy to account and to ensure that money is not wasted. There is also a need to scrutinise legislation properly. The Legislative Council should genuinely be a house of review by examining legislation not just when it arrives from debate, but having a system that analyses legislation as a matter of course; if it’s a contentious piece of legislation. That’s what the Senate does and we can learn from that. It does mean that people have to work harder and smarter and that’s a good thing. You need to have a proper process. I think that what happens is that sometimes people debate just for the sake of debating without actually adding any value to the debate and I think that’s one of the issues that needs to be taken into account. I think that parliament has been a tall case of confrontation rather than cooperation in solving problems.South Australia appears to have lost its way and faces many challenges on issues like unemployment, investments and manufacturing. What do you think has gone wrong and how can we fix it? South Australia has the weakest population growth on the mainland. I think we have lost our way in terms of a number of policies. We have lost our regional status. We still got it, but we lost it in relative terms because Western Australia has had a good stint. The demise has developed over a number of years. The state bank disaster deeply scarred the state and I think we were an industrial powerhouse many years ago, built on cheap power, affordable housing and effectively an abundant well-skilled and well-trained workforce. We lost those advantages over the years and it’s almost as though Tom (Sir Thomas) Playford and Don Dunstan were Ying and Yang. Tom Playford was very much a basics type Premier. He built on industrial development. You have said in the past that one policy option is a skilled migration and population growth strategy. Is this from a particular targeted region? Business migrants and international students won’t take away jobs from the locals. It will actually increase economic activity in the state. We are doing very poorly in terms of population growth. This is a country built on a sensible migration program. My parents came out here as migrants from Cyprus and Greece respectively and nearly one in two people in Australia are either born overseas or have a parent who was born overseas. That indicates to me that we are a great beautiful multicultural melting pot and that is something that we shouldn’t lose sight of. Migration policies in Australia are not racially based so it depends where the people come from, what skills they can add and how they can boost the state’s employment growth, [and] boost the state’s wealth. If you have the kind of mind to come in and buy a business and employ more people in return for getting citizenship, that actually grows economic growth. So, I’m not suggesting unskilled migrants come in, I’m suggesting business migrants and international students who are here to study, spend their money and live here which in turn stimulates the economy. People can do their course and then leave. We need to give them pathways. They build a link to our state. We need to allow them to stay for a little and employ their skills here. If done properly, migration grows economic growth. SA Best is unlikely to field candidates in all 47 Lower House seats, but Senator Xenophon expects to have a considerable impact on both the Liberal and Labor parties — buoyed by the results of last year’s federal election. Apart from the three SA Senate seats (Nick Xenophon, Stirling Griff and Skye Kakoschke-Moore) and the Lower House seat of Mayo won in last year’s federal election, the party also had a strong showing in the regional federal electorates of Grey, where NXT secured 27.8 per cent of the primary vote, and Barker, with 29.1 per cent. If this popularity was to continue in these regions, SA Best could snare seats in the state electorates of Mt Gambier, Mackillop, Hammond, Chaffey, Finnis, Heysen, Kavel, Flinders and Giles.