Awareness of domestic violence act rising: report

New Delhi: An increasing number of women are becoming aware of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA) despite a number of challenges like lack of finances and delay in judgements, according to a report released here on Friday.

The second monitoring and evaluation report of the 2005 law showed that 1,625 cases were filed under the act between July 2007 and October 2008 in Andhra Pradesh, reports IANS.

Between October 2006 and July 2008, a total of 3,287 cases were filed in Kerala, 1,180 cases were filed in Tamil Nadu, and 202 cases were filed in Himachal Pradesh. Delhi saw 3,534 cases being filed under the PWDVA between October 2006 and August this year.

"Twenty-two judgements under the PWDVA have been delivered by high courts in different states, indicating that there is a greater degree of familiarity of the law amongst women and judges now.

"The Delhi High Court dismissed a constitutional challenge to the PWDVA this April on the ground that the gender specific nature of this law aims at protecting women as a class that is disproportionately vulnerable to violence," Indira Jaisingh, director of the Lawyers Collective that brought out the report, said.

Highlighting some of the challenges that pose as road blocks to the smooth implementation of the law, Jaisingh said that protection officers, who are the linkages between the woman and the court, have been appointed at the district level in most of the states, only 10 states have appointed them at the sub-district level—a necessary step required to ensure that maximum women can take help of the law.

The report, called 'Staying Alive', said that in many cases protection officers have taken the initiative of interacting with aggrieved women, counselling and documenting the violence in navigating the justice system—therefore their presence is necessary to proper implementation of the PWDVA.

"Inadequate budgetary allocation is another challenge. Only 13 states, which include Assam, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, have allocated specific budgets for the implementation of the PWDVA. Of these, Andhra Pradesh has allocated the highest amount of Rs 10 crore," Jaisingh said.

Girija Vyas of the National Commission of Women (NCW) said that delay in the judicial process also acts as a dampener to the spirit of the law.

"Ideally justice should be delivered to the victim with three months but in many places, including the role model state Andhra Pradesh, cases drag on for more than six months," Vyas said.

To complaints filed by a small section of men saying that the PWDVA is sometimes being misused, Vyas said, "One has to understand that these are a very small number of cases and that an overwhelming majority of women are genuinely benefitting from the law."

The report recommended that the central government should protect women's rights in the workplace by enacting legislation on preventing sexual harassment at workplaces.

HP to help US Defense agency detect cyber threats

California: The central research and development organisation for the US Department of Defense on Thursday selected Hewlett Packard (HP) to develop a scalable network intrusion detection system that provides visualisation and defense against cyber threats.

The system, to be developed at a cost of US $3.6 million, would help the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) to detect threats using proactive technologies and by monitoring fluctuations in network traffic to improve real-time analysis as well as visualisation.

The system would detect hidden data that changes the flow of data distribution in order to identify harmful data in seemingly innocuous data exchanges, an HP release said.

By using generalised information theory to observe network traffic, scalable network monitoring is able to recognise when hidden data is being transferred, even if the network itself is not aware of the intrusion.

"HP's scalable network monitoring system allows for a new, dynamic method of identifying suspicious data and detecting threats before they enter the system," HP Federal Business Vice President Mike Freeman said.

The entire system is based on commercially available, off-the-shelf, midrange servers, which brings down the total development cost down.

"Federal agencies require security systems that anticipate new threats and adapt to counter them. Scalable network monitoring will provide optimum protection for networks, with cost and capacity that can be scaled to meet agencies' needs," the release said.

Punjab seeks economic federalism for all states

Chandigarh: Seeking economic federalism for all states in the country, the Government of Punjab on Thursday urged the 13th Finance Commission that states should get at least 50 per cent share from the gross central receipts and taxes collected.

The plea was made during a meeting of the state's top brass, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, with the Finance Commission led by its Chairman Vijay L Kelkar here, reports IANS.

The government sought a special agriculture and industry package for the state in view of the extraordinary contribution of Punjab to the national food kitty and constraints suffered by it due to industrial concessions given to the neighbouring states.

Badal said that economic federalism was required to help the states in accelerating development initiatives in line with the national objective.

Highlighting the issue of border area farmers in Punjab, Badal sought that the belt touching the hostile international border with Pakistan should be treated as special national zone where people must be compensated on the development front for the sacrifices they have been making in the overall national interest.

Badal said that the formula for devolution of central funds should be recast to make it commensurate with the contribution of each state to the central taxes rather than making it dependent on the size of population or geography.

The Chief Minister stated that Punjab had lagged behind in overall growth after the state went through a prolonged period of terrorism (1982-1995). "Still, Punjab farmers have been contributing the maximum to the country's food pool," he added.

The Finance Commission members asked the Punjab government to make its tax collection system more effective. It asked the government to do away with subsidies, especially the power subsidy to farmers.

Indian porn is the rage among voyeurs

http://www.in.com/news/readnews-science-technology-news-indian-porn-is-the-rage-among-voyeurs-8076291-f41011b5b03bd091b1db07bf647507e866dc18cd-1.html

Almost four years after an MMS clip of two Delhi high school students engaged in oral sex found its way to the internet and created a sensation, 'Indian porn' has come to have a cult following in the country.

Bored with professional pornography, voyeurs have latched on to internet sites and BitTorrent downloads for videos shot on the sly of women having sex with their partners, taking a shower in a hotel bathroom, or trying on dresses in a clothier's changing room.

While following the case of the 19-year-old girl from Kandivli, north Bombay, whose friends spiked her drink and made a sex video of her with their cell phones, DNA found the internet to be flooded with similar clips, often posted with catchy headlines. Most of the videos are available for free downloads on peer-to-peer file-sharing sites like BitTorrent and on blogs specialising in voyeur porn.

"There is nothing special about Indian porn until you bring those MMS clips and videos of innocent women into the picture," says Rahul Gupta, a Delhi-based internet safety expert. "Such porn is a real steal for websites because so many Indian men prefer these voyeuristic videos over the regular adult fare."

In the case of the Kandivli girl, her MMS wasn't uploaded online but distributed among college mates. "She came to the police when she found out, but most victims, unlike her, never even get to know that their privacy has been breached," says a police officer, referring to the video of a honeymooning couple that can be downloaded from a file-sharing site.

But how do such intimate, personal videos of people find their way to the internet? Contrary to popular belief, most voyeuristic sexual videos posted online are not shared by jilted or former lovers. As DNA followed the trail of personal videos hosted on various websites, the story that emerged was one of social networking on the internet; how the Net brings together people with similar sexual perversions.

The Hotel
A large number of videos that are posted online are shot in hotels where young people hire rooms for short durations to be with each other in an intimate space.

A number of hotels in famous tourist destinations like Lonavla, Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Agra, Manali, and Nainital give out rooms not just on a daily basis, but on a hourly basis as well. Most of the people hiring rooms for short durations are essentially couples looking for a "nice time" before they get back to Mumbai.

Since the motivation for the activity isn't money (none of the videos is sold or purchased on the internet; they are simply hosted for others to see), hotel managers and owners in the business seldom get caught as the videos don't come into the VCD market but remain online on select websites. With the guests unlikely to check these specific websites for voyeuristic porn, the victims may never know that they have been compromised. So there is little chance that they will raise an alarm.

The Detective
A number of videos posted recently on various websites are dated by at least two to three years and mention that the videos were shot as evidence against the woman or the man in question.

Such videos with suggestive titles -- 'Cheating wife making out with her boss', for instance -- are often leaked by detective agencies that created them as evidence for clients in a divorce matter or matrimonial verification.

The prostitute
In a large number of cases, evident from the titles of the videos, the women involved are prostitutes who often do not know that they are being filmed by their clients. Most of these videos are shot in such a way that the man's face is not seen and only the women, who are mostly referred to using vulgar street slang for prostitutes, are featured prominently.

Sexual perversions aside, most of the webmasters looking after these sites and web groups keep an eye open for any complaints by users alleging breach of privacy. In fact, a large number of websites and sex blogs remove a specific video if any user registers a complaint with them alleging that their video was posted online without their knowledge. By doing so, the website absolves itself of the responsibility of hosting "reality porn" illegally and can argue that users post their own videos and a video is removed in case a user lodges a complaint. After all, compliance with the rules often offers the best chance of survival.

Women, beware!
When you step into the changing room of a clothes store, check for suspicious objects on the walls. A camera could be hidden somewhere. If you spot anything suspicious, report it to the manager or, even better, the police.

When checking into a hotel, scan the room as well as the bathroom for cameras fitted on the walls or the roof. Inform the police if you indeed find something suspicious.

Avoid being intimate with your partner in front of a camera, even if it is in the privacy of your own home. You never know: there is always the chance that the video may be uploaded if you break up.

13-year-old father to take DNA test

http://www.in.com/news/readnews-current-affairs-13yearold-father-to-take-dna-test-8052425-56138-1.html

Baby-faced "father" Alfie Patten today pledged to take a DNA test after two other boys claimed they had also slept with baby Maisie's teenage mother.

Chantelle Steadman, 15, said 13-year-old Alfie is the father of her one-week-old baby daughter.

The news that such a young boy had fathered a baby prompted a fierce political debate over the high rate of teenage pregnancies in the UK and the sexualisation of children.

But yesterday Richard Goodsell, 16, and Tyler Barker, 14, told the News of the World they had slept with Chantelle at about the time she became pregnant and claimed she also had several other sexual partners.

Alfie today said he would take a DNA test as soon as possible to establish whether he is Maisie's father.

His spokesman Max Clifford said: "They are planning to do a DNA test.

"Alfie believed he was the father but due to reports in the News of the World at the weekend, he wants to make sure by having a DNA test as soon as possible."

Alfie, who lives with his mother Nicola in Hailsham, East Sussex, was just 12 when baby Maisie was conceived but said after her birth that he would stand by and support Chantelle with the baby.

Maisie is believed to be living with Chantelle and the teenager's parents Penny and Steve at their home in Eastbourne.

East Sussex County Council said Chantelle, Alfie and Maisie had received "a package of support".

In a statement released by the council today, Matt Dunkley, the council's director of children's services, said: "We would not normally publicly discuss individual case information and it must be remembered there are three vulnerable young people involved in this case, all of whom are entitled to protection and to have these matters dealt with confidentially.

"However, given the exceptional circumstances of this case, we do understand the need for reassurance.

"It is completely wrong to suggest social workers are doing nothing to support the families and young people involved in this case.

"In cases like this it is normal practice to assess the needs of the parents and the unborn child before the birth and to revisit those assessments once the child has been born to look at what further support might be needed.

"In this case a package of support was agreed before the birth including enhanced involvement from health visitors and family outreach workers."

Mr Dunkley added that social workers and health visitors were due to visit both families again to carry out further detailed assessments of the three children.

"These will further examine issues such as the parenting of Maisie and the support from the wider family, the education of these young parents, and other issues, including the impact of the huge amount of public interest there has been in this situation on both families," he said.

"For each of the young people concerned we will provide the necessary support identified and will continue to monitor the situation closely."

Another sex clip rocks campus - Noida MBA students

http://www.in.com/news/readnews-science-technology-news-another-sex-clip-rocks-campus-8073037-27dfbaefed3415f8e7fe6e53b093c3f09e6b234b-1.html

Spurned Noida MBA student leaks striptease video of girlfriend

A Campus sex video scandal has come back to haunt the country again after the last one at a south Delhi school in 2004 shocked the country and inspired parts of the recent Anurag Kashyap movie Dev D.

This time, a 23-year-old girl doing MBA from a prestigious B-school in Noida did a full striptease on camera for her boyfriend also from the institute who leaked the video recently to fellow students over mass-circulated e-mail.

A student, requesting anonymity, told MiD DAY the two were supposed to be married, but the girl had backed out.

"The boy, whom the girl had trusted even her e-mail password with, logged in to her mail and sent it out to almost her entire contact list," said the student, among those who had received the clip.

Despite repeated calls, MiD DAY could not get the girl's version as her mobile was switched off.

"We will investigate the case. If there is substance to it, we'll take the strictest action against the person who put the video out," said a senior spokesperson for the institution.

The video shows the girl stripping to music for apparently a mobile camera which zooms in and out once or twice inside what seems like a regular youngster's bedroom with a laptop and a music system.

Students of the institute said the girl had complained to a teacher.

"Nobody has complained to me," the teacher said before hurriedly keeping the phone.

Psychiatrist Sanjay Chugh said this was a classic case of a girl being immature and falling prey to gross misuse of modern technology.

"When some girls fall in love, they believe the relationship is for ever. If the boy has bad intentions, he can even get her to pose for such videos. It's just so tragically foolish; what else can one say," he said.


Sex and controversies
* A DPS Mathura Road girl had oral sex with her boyfriend which the latter recorded on camera and forwarded to his friends 2004

* Two boys of the Regional Institute of Technology in Namokom, Ranchi prepared a three-minute video clip of a girl in the nude and circulated it among students. 2006

* Many fake MMS scandals have also rocked Bollywood. A clip showed some model who looks like Preity Zinta taking shower in the nude. Similarly, a widely distributed clip showed a Mallika Sherawat lookalike having sex with a firang guy.

* The kareena-shahid kiss clip made headlines in 2006.

* In 2005, a video clip showing Ashmit Patel and Riya Sen getting intimate made headlines. Both of them claimed duplicates were involved.

'NOIDA MMS' girl doing striptease video circulated online

http://www.in.com/news/readnews-entertainment-news-noida-mms-is-available-at-download-websites-for-free-8104495-99583035733160760c778688a8b2034d85ccd299-1.html

It's been hardly 5 years when a MMS clip showing DPS (Delhi public School ) girl was sold on eBay which landed the eBay CEO in jail.

something very similar happened again a video called "NOIDA MMS" is being circulated on-line from email to email.

As on know it is learnt that a girl's account was used to send email to people in her friend list by someone who knew her password.

"We've not received any complaint from the girl or her family or from the college,” says A.K. Tripathi, Noida's superintendent of police CITY.

This video is about a 23 year old girl doing striptease for her boyfriend. Later on it also learnt that boy had access to her email account and he circulated the video when the gal refused to marry him.

The just released movie Dev D is also on the some similar line.

It has been searched only by the internet users for the last 24 hours its peak reached just 4 hours back

Right now 37% search queries are coming from New Delhi, and 9% from Kandivli, MH and 7% from Noida, UP and rest is coming from all over India.

The few who will be selling the video online must be making hell good bucks on this. AS we searched goggle for the MMS scandal we not able to find a free copy of this.

We consulted hour IT experts about it, if the email can be sent using girls account without knowing her password. Our experts tell us that it is possible to send email to anyone's account using your account and as a regular internet user you will be never able to know about it. Only the high-tech persons who are into it can identify it.

Al this type of stuff started when a guy from Jalandhar, Punjab made a video of his girl friend at his home using the computer web cam.

It's hard to understand if that guy as really wanted to marry the girl in this (NOIDA MMS) video. As no person who is mentally fit can do this to his/her loved one.

Psychiatrist suggest that when a gal falls in love they consider that this is for ever and don't mind to do all this as they are doing to for one whom they have considered her hubby. But the problems arise when the relationship is over.

Malta providing biometric passports to citizens

Valletta: The Government of Malta has started issuing biometric passports, thereby providing citizens with a more secure travel document which meets international requirements.

The new biometric passport will retain the present format but will include a microchip embedded in it which contains the digitised facial image and personal details of the passport holder as they appear on the data page.The microchip can be read electronically at border controls.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications Austin Gatt said that in the future, the chip will also carry an image of the holder's fingerprint.

The process to change to the new system is being introduced in three stages with the first stage taking immediate effect. This stage will introduce face to face identification at the application stage.

Gatt said that the introduction of the new passports was also an important step made by Malta to meet US requirements for eligibility to the visa waiver programme, reports ePractice.

"Existing valid passports need not be replaced until they expire," Passports Office officials said.

"Applications for passports can neither be submitted through third parties nor can they be submitted directly by post," the officials said.
—iGovernment Bureau

$15 mn UN commitment to help India achieve MDG

New Delhi: The United Nations (UN) on Friday signed an agreement with India and committed US $15 million for improving the Human Development Indices (HDI) in seven states.

The agreement signed by the UN and the Planning Commission aims at equipping backward districts in seven states including Bihar and Orissa achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) through better utilisation of government resources, reports IANS.

Planning Commission Principal Adviser Bhaskar Chatterjee and the UN Resident Coordinator Maxine Olson signed the programme document, the world body said in a statement.

The programme will supplement the government scheme at the national, state and district levels under which infrastructure and expertise will be provided to state governments and district planning committees. It will try to make planning at the grassroots more participatory.

India is way behind over 125 countries in human development indices.

The programme will bridge gap between planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring processes.

The statement said that currently, each district receives approximately US $75 million per year from a large number of government schemes. However, the absence of convergence leads to poor utilisation and results.

"The programme aims to address this lacuna through improved district planning, better budgeting and collaborative implementation where departments do not duplicate efforts. The programme also provides for better monitoring of outcomes from government programmes. State governments and district administrations are the key partners in this exercise," the UN said.

While Olson stressed on the proper monitoring of the programme, Chatterjee said that the project would serve as a catalyst in the process of inclusive development as spelt out in the 11th five year plan by developing replicable approaches to participatory planning and monitoring.

The MDG are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world's main development challenges.

The goals commit rich and poor countries to work together to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, ensure that all girls and boys complete primary school, promote gender equality, improve the health of mothers and children, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, protect the environment, and create a global partnership for development by ensuring rich countries give more and better aid, debt relief and trade opportunities to poorer countries.

Better policy could boost wind power sector

Chennai: There should be a stable and uniform national policy to make wind power projects financially attractive, a top industry official said here on Tuesday.

"China has overtaken India to the fourth position in the world in terms of installed wind power capacity. There is a negative growth in wind energy projects this fiscal as compared to fiscal 2006-07," the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA) Chairman DV Giri said.

Addressing Wind India 2008, a conference-cum-exhibition on wind power organised by World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE) here on Tuesday, he said the wind power capacity addition will be around 1,545 MW in India this fiscal, reports IANS.

"Repowering or installing high-powered wind turbines in the place of old, lower capacity machines, intercropping of small wind mills amongst bigger machines, development of offshore wind farms and development of hybrid turbines are some of the important needs of the industry," Giri said.

According to UK-based Garrad Hassan and Partners CEO Andrew Garrad, India needs better wind forecasting techniques so that predictability of the wind power generation is better.

"Short term—hourly and daily basis—forecasting is important for the success of this sector," Garrad said.

Proper estimates of wind potential and speed will enable investors in choosing appropriate turbine size so as to get optimum return on investment.

"Hybrids and better wind power forecasting would address the one major complaint about wind power, that is intermittent power," Suzlon Energy Vice-president Chintan Shah said.

With 18 more wind turbine manufacturers to start rolling out their turbines in India over the next one and half years, WISE Director General GM Pillai said, "By 2010 the total wind turbine production capacity in India will be 10,000 MW. We have to look for overseas markets for the turbines."

India giving overhaul to emigration procedures

New Delhi: The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is planning to overhaul the emigration system over the next two years with implementing e-Governance in the emigration procedures.

It has commissioned the Hyderabad-based National Institute for Smart Government (NISG) to study the internal processes and welfare schemes, to facilitate presenting a report by the end of the year. The overhaul will follow that.

The Rs 2 crore study on the 'emigration in e-Governance', which began a month ago, could end up attracting proposals from private companies for implementation of changes that will be suggested in the report.

NISG, a public-private initiative to provide e-Governance solutions, has already roped in global consultants KPMG to prepare the business process re-engineering report, which will be completed by 2008-end, a senior ministry official said.

"The study will take a hard look at the emigration system, look at the objectives and national goals and then review if the existing system is in line with it," he said.

But that is only one part. "We want this to be integrated with the passport system of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Home Ministry's immigration network," the official added.

Following this, tenders will be floated and a private company chosen to execute the implementation of the project by next March. "NISG will also do the handholding for selection of the downstream implementing agency," he said.

The procedures which will be re-engineered under this project include the process of application for emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants, monitoring of recruiting agents and contract verification by Indian missions abroad and even of foreign employees.

Recently, the Ministry also initiated a number of services such as insurance cover, database management, counselling, pre-departure orientation and skill upgrading.

Incidentally, NISG had recently helped implement the Rs 1,000 crore Passport Seva Project for the Ministry of External Affairs. The project awarded to Tata Consultancy Services aimed at delivering passport-related services in a transparent manner.

"We want NISG to develop ICT solutions, and even suggest legislative changes," the official said.

The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs had last year initiated a foray into e-Governance, with the computerisation and networking of the offices of the Protector of Emigrants by the National Informatics Centre, a division of the information technology department that provides the network and e-Governance support to the central government and the states.

But, according to the official, computerisation does not necessarily lead to efficiency, as it is merely automation of manual processes.

"e-Governance goes beyond translation of manual, it is addressing the lacuna in the system," he said.

A team of NISG officials has been working on this project for nearly two months, visiting regional offices and meeting stakeholders.

It has already visited regional offices of the Protector of Emigrants at Kochi, Mumbai and Chennai, as well as its headquarters in Delhi. "We also visited the Indian missions in Kuwait and Oman," an NISG official said.

NHRC issues notice to Maharashtra DGP, CS

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to Maharashtra's Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary over the alleged torture of Malegaon bomb blast accused Sadhvi Pragnya Thakur, an official said on Tuesday.

The NHRC's move has come after a complaint was filed alleging that Thakur was being harassed by the state's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), reports IANS.

Thakur filed an affidavit in a Nashik court November 17, claiming the ATS was torturing her and violating her human rights.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani sought a judicial inquiry in the case.

Six people were killed and 20 injured in the bomb blast in Malegaon September 29.

ITU unveils 'Cop' to protect children online

Geneva: International Communication Union (ITU) on Thursday launched a new initiative to safeguard children, the most vulnerable users of the Internet.

The initiative 'Child Online Protection' (Cop) aims to identify key risks and vulnerabilities to children in cyberspace, create awareness of the issues, develop and promote practical tools to minimise risk, share knowledge and experience and to facilitate international partnerships.

Cop brings together partners from all sectors of the international community with the aim of creating a safe and secure online experience for children everywhere, ITU said in a statement.

Addressing ITU's high-level meeting on cybersecurity by video message, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "We have to protect against cyber threats, especially when they target children. I welcome the ITU's 'Child Online Protection' initiative and urge all states to support it."

As a platform for global cooperation through Cop, ITU aims to coordinate efforts behind protecting children online and make them more effective and accessible.

Promoting the rights of children is central to the mandate of Unicef, as Associate Director of Unicef in Geneva Pascal Villeneuve pointed out, "Issues around the protection of children increasingly involve some kind of online component. We welcome the initiative to combine expertise in combating cybercrime against children."

United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) Executive Director Sandro Calvani said, "UNICRI is proud to take part in the ITU initiative on Child Online Protection, acting in partnership with other agencies from the UN family."

Along with UN agencies, eWWG, a consortium of 37 international companies and universities has come forward to support the initiative.

Citing optimism about the initiative, eWWG Founder and Chairman Salma Abbasi said, "By focusing our collective efforts on making the online world safe for children, we have the opportunity to really make a difference, especially in developing countries."

Besides organisations, such as the European Network and Information Security Agency (Enisa), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the GSM Association, companies like Intel, Microsoft and Telecom Italia have also pledged their support to the initiative.

It is vitally important that children across the world can go online safely and ITU's Cop initiative is a significant step in that direction, GSMA CEO Rob Conway said.

"Our support for this global initiative is part of a broader effort by our members to work with governments and other stakeholders to prevent mobile networks worldwide from being used to endanger children," he added.

Other agencies, like the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Interpol and Save The Children have also have also shown their support to this initiative.

"Interpol is committed to fighting Internet-related crimes against children, which it has set as one of the top priorities for international policing," Interpol's Trafficking in Human Beings Sub-Directorate Assistant Director Kristin Kvigne said.

To achieve this priority, Interpol was working globally with partners and supports initiatives like Cop to raise awareness and focus on the need to act locally and think globally to ensure the online protection of children, Kvigne added.

"We all have a special responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our young people in the offline world just as we do in the online one in this new digital age. Children are indeed our future," ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré said.

ITU plans to hold the first World Congress on Child Online Protection in 2009 in Geneva.

neurological test

This is a REAL neurological test.  Seat comfortably and feel calm.

1- Find the C below. Do not use any cursor help.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2- If y you already found the C, now find the 6 below.

9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999699999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

3- Now find the N below. It's a little more difficult...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

This is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these 3 tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your neurologist.
Your brain is great and you're far from having Al ZHEIMER Disease.Congratulations!

Bihar on a roller coaster ride, says Nitish

Patna: The Government of Bihar will appoint over 12,000 constables and 50,000 teachers to tone up law and order and education in the state, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced.

Listing the achievements of the state government during his three years in the office, Kumar said that Bihar has made all round progress in different sectors and people outside Bihar have now been watching the development in the state in wider perspectives.

"Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has been asked to conduct civil services examinations, pending from 48th batch to 52nd in one go," he said.

The state was on high pitch of education with opening up of some of the exclusive institutions like the National Institute of Fashion Technology (Nift), Chandragupta Institute of Management (Cim), Chanakya Law University (CLU), Nalanda International University, engineering colleges at Nalanda, Darbhanga, Motihari and Gaya and a branch of the BIT Mesra, Kumar said.

"Besides, the government has also enacted a legislation for the establishment of Aryabhat Gyan University," Kumar added.

In health sector, the state government has planned to open four new Medical colleges. Besides super speciality hospitals would also be set up in the state. Facilities of bye pass surgery and angioplasty would also be started from February next year.

Kumar claimed that his government has declared this year as 'agriculture year' and for this, Agriculture Road Map (ARM) has been prepared. A Farmer Commission has also been constituted to identify and redress farmers' problems.

For improving the civic amenities in the urban areas, the CM has launched 'Mukhayamantri Nagar Vikash yojana' and allotted Rs 100 crore for the project. City managers have been appointed to man the 122 urban local bodies.

Kumar made special reference about the remarkable improvement in law and order and crime situation. He enumerated the success story by saying that several hard core criminals including criminal turned politicians have been convicted under speedy trial scheme.

Citing the crime graph, he said that number of conviction has risen from 2,121 in 2006 to 3,831 in 2008 and number of persons convicted has swelled up to 10,000.

Giving an overall development figure he said that the state plan size has increased from Rs 1,471 crore in 2001-02 to Rs 13,500 crore in 2008-09.

The Chief Minister said that with the passage of Fiscal Responsibility Budget Management (FRBM) Act in 2006, the govt has been able to raise more revenue from internal resources which in turn help more plan capital expenditure in various sectors.

$800 mn ADB loan to Himachal for hydel projects

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh will get a loan of US $800 million from Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the execution of four hydro electric projects in the hilly Indian state under state's Clean Energy Development Investment Programme.

For this, the Government of Himachal Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ADB for the multi-tranche financing facility.

"The loan agreement would ensure construction of four medium to large hydro electric projects, namely Sawra-Kuddu (111MW); Kashang-I, II and III (195MW), Sainj Project (100MW) and the Shongtong Karchham Project (402 MW) and would be funding the generation of 808 MW power from all the above four projects," Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said.

Dhumal said that the annual generation from the projects would be to the order of 3,434 million units on completion. He said that the total estimated cost of the proposed projects was US $1.5 billion, about Rs 7,500 crore.

He added that the loan would be covering around 53.3 per cent cost of the projects and for the remaining amount, funding would be arranged from equity and other financial institutions.

Dhumal said that the state government and ADB had identified two projects ready for financing through the first loan tranche of US $147 million for the construction of part civil and electro mechanical works of 111 MW Sawra-Kuddu hydro electric project on the Pabbar river in district Shimla and civil works for 65MW, Kashang-I, hydro electric project located in district Kinnaur.

He said that other tranches would follow on the basis of the readiness of the projects and US $3 million proceeds of the first tranche will be made available to HP State Electricity Board for its enterprise resource solution.

India to upgrade processed food quality, sets lab

New Delhi: The Government of India is setting up a Rs 245 crore food processing laboratory and upgrading existing facilities in a bid to improve quality standards and boost exports of processed food products, reports IANS.

The 'world-class laboratory' would soon start functioning at Sonepat bordering Delhi, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Subodh Kant Sahay told the Economic Editors Conference on Wednesday.

Processed food products exported from India have often had to be destroyed in importing countries for failing to meet prescribed quality standards.

"If packaged foods are not meeting standards abroad, there is every chance the goods will be dumped," Sahay said, adding, "Our existing laboratories are being upgraded and will help us maintain quality standards."

The government has declared 2008 as "Food Safety Year".

The Minister said keeping the potential of the food processing sector, a 'Vision 2015' has been drawn up that envisages increasing the level of processing of perishables from six per cent to 20 per cent, value addition from 20 per cent to 35 per cent, and share in global food trade from 1.5 per cent to three per cent.

Sahay said that the food processing sector has attracted Rs 798 crore in foreign investments since 2004, and was one of the top 10 sectors attracting highest foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflows.

The government has now earmarked Rs 50 crore to set up 30 mega food parks during the 11th five-year plan that ends 2012, Sahay said.

"We will set-up 10 such mega food parks by the end of next year," he added.

Sahay said the food-processing sector, which employs 65 million people, is growing 12 per cent annually.

Water returns to Saurashtra, farmers follow

Ahmedabad: It's a happy homecoming for the farmers of Saurashtra. Faced with scarcity of water they left their land and profession. But today, thanks to a new water management system employed by the state government, a reverse migration is in progress.

"I left with my family for Surat in 2002. My land was fallow for lack of water. My two sons began earning Rs 15,000 at a diamond polishing factory. I returned early this year after seeing plenty of water in the check dams in the region," said Kanubahi Rambhai Suva, 62, of Khaki Jalia village.

He owns 15 bighas (about nine acres) of land in Upleta taluka (sub district) of Rajkot district in the parched Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Upleta is on the banks of the Moj river 300 km from here.

Today Suva has harvested 675 kg of genetically modified Bt cotton, fetching him Rs 15,000 per bigha. After cotton he plans to sow wheat. His earning works out to Rs 1.5 lakh per annum.

Suva is one of the farmers who have set the trend of reverse migration.

Along with Suva, 25 families had left Khaki Jalia village. Except for five families all are back in their native village.

As a result of water management there has been a change in the lifestyle of the farmers, says Dhavnat K Suva of Kakhi Jalia. "Today most of us have motorcycles and are prosperous. You can see the prosperity. I was cultivating sugarcane 20 years ago. Water scarcity made me venture into business. Now I am back to my old cultivation and am happy."

There are 30,000 small check dams and 300 large ones built in Saurashtra.

Today there are 35 check dams, including a couple of large ones, on the Moj river's 50 km stretch. Check dams store water throughout the year and help in irrigation when rains fail.

"Earlier it was very difficult getting water for even one crop in a year. Now we have three crops," says farmer Maldebhai Bodar of Sevantara village who owns 50 bighas of land.

These check dams help irrigate 600 hectares directly and 1,000 hectares indirectly in a 4-km radius, Jayanti Patel of Kolki village of Upleta taluka said.

In 2001, 12,000 check dams were built in Gujarat. Today there are over one lakh small and big check dams, with the irrigation department and other government agencies playing a major role in their construction.

Of 5,600 villages in Saurashtra, 3,000 villages have small and medium check dams while there are 300 large check dams in the region.

"Three hundred more check dams will be built on big rivers in Saurashtra at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore by 2009 end," Irrigation and Urban Housing Minister Nitin Patel said.

"Work on 60 big check dams will begin after Diwali on 80:20 basis (80 per cent cost to be incurred by the state government)," Patel said.

Saurashtra has 70 rivers. In 30 of them check dams have been constructed. Now 3,000 villages have 30,000 check dams. Of the seven districts of Saurashtra, most check dams are in Jamnagar followed by Bhavnagar, Amreli, Junagadh, Rajkot and Porbandar.

Surendranagar is covered by the Sujalam Sufalam scheme that brings in water from the river Narmada. Yet, it has 71 check dams.

"It is not enough if good rains are there. What is required is availability of water at the right time. During 1994-95 there was more rain than today, yet the crop output has gone up now," former Agriculture Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, during whose tenure the maximum check dams were built, said.

New telecos can't sell stake for three years

New Delhi: Mergers and acquisitions between new telecom operators will be allowed only if they have completed three years of operations after being issued licenses, Communications and IT Minister A Raja said here on Tuesday.

Additionally, the market share of the merged entity in the relevant telecom region should not be more than 40 per cent either in terms of subscribers separately for wireless and wired line phones, or in terms of adjusted gross revenue (AGR), he said.

"We have referred the three-year lock-in period to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the ministry of company affairs," Raja said during the annual Economic Editors' Conference.

The post-merger licensee entity will be entitled to the total spectrum held by the companies before the merger, and will have to fulfill all the conditions applicable for holding such spectrum within three months of the merger, reports IANS quoting Raja.

Department of Telecommunication Secretary Siddharth Behura said the government was also considering easing norms for rollout of services.

Under the existing rules, telecom operators are required to roll out 10 per cent of services within a year and are liable to pay a penalty if this obligation is not met.

However, if the new norms are introduced, operators will have three years to roll out 50 per cent of services.

Raja reaffirmed that the third generation (3G) mobile services spectrum and the broadband wireless access (BWA) auction will be completed in January next year.

"Spectrum will be allotted through simultaneous ascending e-auction," he said.

The Communications Minister also said mobile number portability (MNP) service will be launched from next June in the four metros initially and other parts of the country by 2009-end.

This policy will enable mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another.

Raja said that foreign investment in the telecom sector increased to US $1.26 billion in 2007-08 from US $478 million in 2006-07.

More than 10 million subscribers were added last month, while the total number of connections has gone up from 142 million in March 2006 to 353 million in September 2008, he said.

Pigs' organs for human transplant possible: Study

London: Organs of pigs suitable for transplanting into humans could be ready in a decade. Pigs genetically modified for the purpose of research will be ready in a year, say researchers.

The experiments are being conducted by Robert Winston of Imperial College, London, and his collaborator, Carol Readhead, of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, reports IANS.

Winston told The Times that organs that might be transplantable could be ready within two to three years and on the basis of the research going smoothly they would be fully licensed and tested in as little as 10 years.

Readhead said that kidneys are likely to be the first pig organs that researchers attempt to transplant into a sick human. The kidney was a really good candidate, she said, adding that there's a huge shortage and it would make a big difference.

A pig weighing 100 kg—those reared for meat weigh four times that much—is being reared for purpose of initial research. Later, the team expects to have a herd of 50 pigs to be kept as breeding stock to provide organs to order.

Pigs are regarded as ideal for animal-to-human transplants, xenotransplantation, and other research because of the similarity in the physiological make-up and because they get many of the same diseases, such as diabetes.

The research may be moved to the US as in Britain and the European Union, Winston's team has been banned from mating and producing offspring from the transgenic pigs.

Transgenic pigs are those which have been injected with genes to humanise their organs so that they are not rejected by the human body after transplants.

Patients who received pig organs would have to take immune suppressant drugs for the rest of their lives, but no more than those who received organ transplants from other people.

97% Indian kids will go to school by 2015: Unesco

New Delhi: India is on track to achieve net enrolment rate (NER) of more than 97 per cent by 2015, the Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) released on Tuesday said.

"Of the 17 countries with most children out of school, just three—Bangladesh, Brazil and India—are on track to achieve NER in excess of 97 per cent by 2015," the report said.

As per the global educational and cultural body, India had 7.2 million out-of-school children in 2006 and it will be reduced to just six lakh in 2015.

The enrolment in secondary education in India has increased from 39 per cent in 1999 to 43 per cent in 2006.

With 7.6 million out-of-school children, Nigeria will be worst off, followed by Pakistan (3.7 million), Burkina Faso and Ethiopia with 1.1 million are at joint third spot.

In terms of absolute numbers, 80 per cent of adult illiterates worldwide live only in 20 countries—50 per cent of them live in India, China and Bangladesh.

The report also emphasises that with the share of government expenditure on education dropping between 1999 and 2006 in 40 countries including India, low fee private primary schools were filling the slot.

In South Asia, Bangladesh devotes 2.6 per cent of national income to education, while Pakistan and India devote 2.7 per cent and 3.3 per cent respectively.

Poor quality government schools are important factors in the growth of private players. In India, the, contract teachers (para-teachers) have been used to increase the supply of teachers to remote rural schools.

"As they are often less qualified and more inexperienced than civil service teachers (trained teachers), the situation raises concern about providing teaching of equal quality to all areas," the report underlines.

However there is one good news—India, along with Bhutan and Nepal, has achieved gender parity in primary education.

According to the 2001 census, India's literacy rate is 65 per cent.

Bihar NREGA to have e-muster roll

Patna: The Government of Bihar has decided to introduce e-muster roll to ensure transparency in making payments to the labourers working in all schemes under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and Bihar State Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (BSREGS).

Speaking at a workshop organised to sensitise stakeholders in Patna on Sunday, the Rural Development Department Principal Secretary Anup Mukherjee said that this system would lessen the chances of corruption and also standardise the wages being paid to the labourers.

At present, Araia, Aurangabad, Bhabhua, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gopalganj, Jehanabad, Katihar, Kishanganj, Lakhisarai,Madhubani, Munger, Muzaffarpur,Nalanda, Nawada, Patna, Rohatas, Samastipur, Sheohar, Supaul and Vaishali districts of the state are covered with NREGA with 90:10 centre-state funding.

The remaining districts of the state were also brought under this scheme on state's own resources (BSREGS) from February 2, 2006.

Recently, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has reprimanded both state as well as central government for rampant corruption and less payment of wage in this project, which guarantees 100 days employment to the registered labourers or else they would be paid unemployment pension.

The introduction of this e-muster roll system would help bring greater transparency in the execution of this scheme at lower level.

At present 50:30:10 ratio of expenditure is maintained between Panchayat, Block and Zilla Parishad, respectively.

UK mandates biometric ID cards for non-Europeans

London: Britain on Tuesday made it compulsory for anyone visiting the country from outside the European Union for more than six months to apply for a biometric photo identity card.

Two days from now, tiers two and five of the new points-based immigration system—aimed at skilled workers with job offers and temporary workers—will also come into force, reports IANS.

About 50,000 cards are expected to be issued to foreign nationals by April 2009. The Home Office estimates that three million foreign nationals will have the card by 2010.

The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith wants 90 per cent of foreign residents in Britain to have identity cards by 2014.

"We want to prevent those living here illegally from benefiting from the privileges of Britain. Businesses, other employers and colleges want to be confident that those they are employing or taking onto courses are who they say they are, and have the right to work or study in our country," Smith said.

To get an ID card, people will have their faces scanned and will have to give 10 fingerprints.

On the front of the card will be their name, the place and date of issue of the card, the type of permit, how long it is valid and whether or not they can work.

On the back will be their date and place of birth, sex, nationality and whether or not they have access to publicly funded state benefits and some services.

Students renewing their visa who are issued with an identity card will pay between 295 and 500 pounds (US $450-760), and those renewing marriage visas between 395 and 595 pounds. If they lose the card, they will have to pay a renewal fee of 30 pounds.

From November 27, two more tiers under the points based system will be launched. Under the reforms employers who wish to recruit staff from these two categories will have to register with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and promise to inform the authorities if migrants fail to turn up or disappear.

However, only 1,900 companies have registered with the agency out of thousands that employ foreign workers.

To recruit skilled workers from overseas, companies must first advertise a job for a minimum of two weeks in Britain. Only if they are unable to fill it are they allowed to employ a worker from outside the European Economic Area.

A migrant worker will need to have set minimum qualifications, speak English, be able to support themselves without recourse to state benefits and have the skills needed for the vacancy.

"The cards and the new points system will make our borders more secure and human trafficking, organised immigration crime, illegal working and benefit fraud tackled," Smith said, adding that these measures would not be discriminatory.

"The Australian-style points system will ensure only those we need—and no more—can come here. It is also flexible, allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of business and taking population trends into account," she further said.

However, opposition parties and campaigners fear that the ID cards scheme will affect Britain's cultural life. They have warned of damage to the country's image abroad, and said celebrities like American singer Madonna or Brazilian footballer Robinho may not be interested in applying for cards to live in Britain in pursuit of their professions.

A group including author Philip Pullman, musicians Neil Tennant and Brian Eno, campaigning Queen's Counsel Baroness Kennedy, and comedians Mark Thomas and Lucy Porter wrote a letter to The Daily Telegraph, criticising the ID card scheme.

"Successful foreigners such as Robinho or Kevin Spacey, and the overseas students who subsidise our universities, have a lot of choice where they study or exercise their talents. Some will decide Britain has become too unfriendly," the letter said.

Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat shadow home secretary, supported the concerns stating, "Foreign nationals continue to make an enormous contribution to British culture, from the Premier League to the performing arts. If these people choose to go elsewhere to places that won't treat them like criminals, this country will be all the poorer for it."

Phishing attacks on Indian banks rising sharply

New Delhi: Several Indian banks have come under more than 400 phishing attacks during the past few months with the number rising sharply in September-October 2008, according to National Association of Software Companies (Nasscom).

Phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication in a bid to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details.

Criminals using the Internet have attacked banks such as state-owned Bank of India, private lender HDFC Bank, India's largest private lender ICICI Bank among others, Nasscom President Som Mittal told reporters on the sidelines of a Nasscom-organised conference on cyber security awareness.

Further, the number of phishing attacks on Indian banks sharply increased during September-October 2008 with most of the phishing attacks using compromised Indian government servers, reports IANS.

"There is high awareness at the government level and the number of attacks proves that we are at the cusp of a significant increase," Mittal said.

"We have cyber laboratories training police officers, and other people about data protection best practices and standards," Data Security Council of India (DSCI) Chief Executive Officer Kamlesh Bajaj said.

Currently, there are three cyber laboratories in Maharashtra and one in Bangalore with three to four people working in each laboratory, Bajaj added.

Apparently, over 80 Indian banks do not have adequate security protection for their online account users. Consequently, fraudsters can easily access the personal information of account holders.

These problems are due to the complexity of cyber crimes, and also non-cooperation from netizens, panellists at the conference said.

KINDNESS pays!

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked,

"How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied "Mother has taught us never to accept payment for a kindness."

He said... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As the boy ( Dr. Howard Kelly) left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and Man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked and something caught her attention on the side as she read these words.....

"Paid in full with one glass of milk." (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed:

"Thank You, GOD, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

NOW YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES.

1. You can send this page on and spread a positive message of Kindness and Love or
2. Ignore it and pretend it never touched you.

WISHING YOU HAPPY NEW YEAR, A YEAR FULL OF GOOD HELATH & PEACE.

India reworks obesity guidelines, BMI lowered

New Delhi: Alarmed by reports that India will become the global diabetes capital by 2050, the Health Ministry has reduced the diagnostic cut-offs for body mass index (BMI) to 23 kg/m2 and the standard waist circumference to fight the battle against obesity.

The standards have been set for the first time in the Ministry's consensus guidelines for Prevention and Management of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome for the country, released on Tuesday.

The BMI—considered the individual's fitness and obesity indicator—is the ratio of the body weight in kg versus height in m2.

The country's new diagnostic cut-off for the body mass index is 23 kg/m2 as opposed to 25 kg/m2 globally.

The guidelines were released jointly by the Health Ministry, the Diabetes Foundation of India, the All-India Institute of Medical Science (Aiims), Indian Council of Medical Research, the National Institute of Nutrition and 20 other health organisations.

A person with a body mass index of 23 kg/m2 will now be considered overweight and below that as one with normal BMI—unlike the cut-off limit of 25 kg/m2 earlier.

Those with BMI of 25 kg/m2 will be clinically termed obese (as opposed to 30 kg/m2 at the international level) and those with BMI of 32.5 kg/m2 will require bariatric surgery to eliminate excess flab.

According to guidelines, cut-offs for waist circumstances will now be 90 cm for Indian men (as opposed to 102 cm globally) and 80 cm for Indian women (as opposed to 88 cm at the international level).

This is the first time India has officially compiled its weight and flab statistics to step up the fight against obesity and its direct fallout—diabetes.

Studies say that India will become the global diabetes capital by 2050 if the abdominal and lower limb obesity and metabolic syndrome are not arrested.

Researches over the last several years have shown that Indian bodies and genetics are different from their western counterparts. Indians suffer from abdominal obesity compared to people in the west whose bodies are uniformly obese.

"The Indian body composition puts them in high risk for diabetes and hypertension. The guidelines—with revised statistics—will benefit the additional 15-20 per cent (60-80 million) of the Indian population who can now be clinically termed obese under the revised measurements," Anoop Mishra, director and head, department of diabetes and metabolic diseases, Fortis Hospitals, New Delhi and Noida, said releasing the guidelines.

The guidelines estimate that the absolute mortality due to chronic heart diseases in India will increase to 20.3 million annually by 2010 and by 2020 it will touch 2.58 million. The mortality rate stood at 1.59 million in 2000.

The current load of diabetes in the country—41 million—is expected to rise by 170 per cent in the next 20 years. Even today, India has the largest population of diabetics in the world, the guidelines said.

According to the report, every second person in Delhi fulfils the criteria of obesity or has excess abdominal fat and nearly one-fourth of the adolescent population in the capital has Syndrome X or metabolic syndrome, that heralds the onset of heart diseases and diabetes.

The study says one in every three Indians has high triglyceride (bad cholesterol) levels and 30-70 per cent has low levels of HDL (good cholesterol).

One in every three Indians has high blood pressure, which is expected to shoot by 60 per cent in the next 20 years.

"For every 10 extra kilograms above the stipulated body weight (measured according to height), life expectancy of a person reduces by three years," the report said.

"The situation merits an urgent need to formulate guidelines and protocol applications for the Indian obesity because the clinical presentation of obesity and its associated metabolic dysfunctions are so unique here than in the rest of the world," Sir Gangaram Hospital's Minimal Access and Bariatric Surgery Centre Chairman P Chowbey said.

The need for weight and fitness guidelines, specific to Asian countries, was first stressed in a study by the World Health Organisation's sub-committee set up to look into obesity and metabolic syndromes in the Asia-Pacific region in 2000.

Indonesia launches tsunami early warning system

Jakarta: A tsunami early warning system developed and funded by five donor countries began operations on Tuesday in Indonesia, nearly four years after the Asian tsunami of December 2004, which claimed 2.3 lakh lives.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who attended the launch ceremony in Jakarta, expressed pride over the development of the technology in Indonesia but reminded the country that the equipment was not an end-all, be-all but would only provide help, reports IANS.

The Government of Germany financed the 45-million-euro (US $58-million) project.

The 2004 tsunami was triggered by an earthquake that measured 9.3 on the Richter scale off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences said the death toll would have been considerably lower if an early warning system had been in place at the time.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in remarks read at the inauguration ceremony that the system was an essential ingredient to prevent another tragedy and to get accurate tsunami warnings to residence so they have time to flee.

"This is a major step forward for countless people in the region," Ban said.

"With the establishment of the system, Indonesia would be able to provide a tsunami warning in five minutes, shortly after an earthquake with the potential to generate a tsunami has been located, to give ample time for the public to move to safety," Indonesia's Meteorogical, Climatological and Geophysical Agency Head Woro Harijono said.

The system makes use of sensors placed on the seabed that relay details of changes in water pressure to buoys on the surface. The information is then transmitted via satellite to a tsunami early warning centre in Indonesia.

Harijono said that by the end of 2008, the observation network would operate 116 broadband seismographs, 90 tide gauges and two buoys.

Indonesia is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. It sits atop the Pacific Ocean's Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.

The 2004 quake and tsunami, which struck off Aceh, killed more than 1.7 lakh people in that province alone.

Other tsunami early warning systems have been installed in other countries hit by the 2004 tsunami, including Thailand and India.

World to see wage cuts due to economic crisis: ILO

Geneva: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Tuesday warned that millions of workers worldwide would likely see a reduction in their wages in 2009 due to the global financial crisis.

In industrialised countries, wages would likely to decline by 0.5 per cent. That compares to growth of 0.8 per cent in 2008, reports DPA.

Adding to the bad news, the ILO reported that wages fall at a faster rate than gross domestic product (GDP) contraction in bad economic years, but grow at a slower rate than GDP in good years. Indeed, for every one percentage point of GDP growth, salaries only increased by 0.75 percentage point.

"In years of expansion, wages grow slower than GDP," said Manuela Tomei, one of the authors of the ILO's Global Wage Report. "In years of contraction, wages decline faster than GDP," she continued.

If wages were to fall, she warned, purchasing power would be decreased, further adding to the world's economic woes.

The global economy grew at a four per cent annual rate between 2001 and 2007, but wages only increased by 1.9 per cent or less in half the world's countries, the report said.

In China, Russia, and other so-called 'transition countries', growth in real wages reached 10 per cent or more during that period. In the US, Japan and Spain, real wage growth was close to zero.

During that period, globally, minimum wages rose by an average 5.7 per cent annually in real terms.

However, inequalities between the rich and poor inside countries continued to grow. Germany, Poland and the US led the way among developed nations, with the gap between their rich and poor widening. China also showed increased signs of a widening gap.

Women also continued to make less than men, especially in Asia, the report stated.

The ILO called for steps to prevent a further deterioration in the share of wages relative to the share of profits in GDP.

It also said effective minimum wages, which need to be enforced, should be instituted to protect the most vulnerable and that collective bargaining was a good tool to ensure wages were more aligned with overall growth.

The report noted that collective bargaining power has decreased in many countries in recent years.

"The legitimacy of globalisation," said Juan Somavia, the ILO's Chief, depends on greater fairness in outcomes.

Last week the organisation warned that unemployment next year would rise globally and that the number of 'working poor', those who have jobs but make less than $2 a day, would also increase.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's latest outlook projected that member countries would see eight million more unemployed people next year and a drop in overall economic activity.

India to launch urban sanitation policy tomorrow

New Delhi: The Government of India will launch National Urban Sanitation Policy on November 12 aiming at sanitising all cities and towns of the country.

The policy would also ensure and sustain good public health and environment outcomes for the citizens with a special focus on hygienic and affordable sanitation facilities for the urban poor and women, a Ministry of Urban Development release said.

It would focus on awareness generation and behavioural change, elimination of open defecation, integrated city wide sanitation, safe disposal and proper operation and maintenance of all sanitary installations.

Besides providing financial assistance for state level sanitation strategies and city level plans and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), the policy would promote public private partnership (PPP).

The policy envisages an annual rating schemes for all Class-I cities and institution of an annual award.

India's Urban Development Secretary M Ramachandran will announce the details of the policy approved by the government last month at a Workshop being organised for this purpose.

St. Valentine was a Priest near Rome

St. Valentine was a Priest near Rome in 3 rd Centenary. At that time the Roman Emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshipping the Roman gods. During this persecution Valentine was arrested. Some say he was arrested because he was performing Christian marriages.
During the trial they asked Valentine what he thought of the Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. Of course Valentine said they were false gods and that the God that Jesus called Father was the only true God. So the Romans threw him in prison for insulting the gods.
While in prison Valentine continued to minister. He witnessed to the guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. Because these people had come to know Jesus, Valentine praised God right there in his prison cell. When the emperor heard about this he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he had Valentine beheaded.
Valentine knew that he might get caught in his Christian activities. He knew that if he told the court the truth about the Roman gods that he would be thrown in prison. And he knew that if he continued to witness to Christ in the prison he would make his captors angry. But he continued, because he loved the Lord and his fellow humans. He was willing to risk his life to free the prisoners and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who needed to hear it.
The Bible Says: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."(John 15:13) God showed us this love by coming in Christ to die for our sins. And St. Valentine demonstrated this love when he died for his friends. This is the kind of love that Valentine's Day is really about. Finally he was Executed on 14th February.Valentine was executed by the Romans,Because He refused to give up Christain Beliefs or Faith.

One in four centenarians hit by depression

Results of a recent study suggest that at least one in four centenarians suffer from depression, yet few have been diagnosed with the disease.

Adam Davey, a developmental psychologist at Temple University, and colleagues surveyed 244 centenarians taking part in the Georgia Centenarian Study. Results showed that more than 25% of respondents had clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms, however just 8% had a current diagnosis of depression.

"People who suffer from depression tend to have a high risk of mortality, so it's puzzling to see higher numbers among the oldest old," said Davey in a news release. He adds that further studies are needed to identify why the incidence of depression is so high amongst centenarians.

There are currently more than 60,000 centenarians in the United States, however over the next 50 years that figure is expected to soar to 247,000 as the baby boomers begin to reach their 100th birthday.

News release: Bittersweet milestones. Temple University. November 24th 2008.

National award to Himachal for Swan implementation

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has been conferred the national award for being the most progressive state in information and technology (IT) administration in the country by the India Tech Foundation.

Revealing this, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Himachal Pradesh happened to be the first state for having successfully implemented Himachal Swan (Himswan) project in the country providing connectivity to over 450 offices across the state.

He said that the IT Department had brought 2,500 offices across the state under the operational activities of the Himswan project. The project aims to extend the IT connectivity to entire state in a phased manner.

Dhumal said that the state government had envisioned the citizen centric Common Service Centre (CSC) for the benefit of the people in rural areas so that they could avail of various facilities through the IT modes.

The state government had formulated a programme to establish 3,366 CSCs all over the state in coming one year period connecting 3,243 Gram Panchayats of the state with the facility.

Chief Minister said that the state government was also working over creation of state level data centre at Shimla to host all types of applications of various departments on one hand and would also help in doing away with the hardware requirements at the departmental level.

"Among other IT promotional activities the state government had started Sugam Project on pilot project basis in district Shimla which had been welcomed by the people and had emerged a grand success," Dhumal said.

He said that with the setting up of the centre in the Deputy Commissioner's office, people were availing of services like license, registration, payment of electricity, water, telephone bills, on booking of bus and train, application for arms licenses, procurement of various certificates instantly.

Chief Minister said that the state had started the Government of India funded Content Service Provider project in the state which links the state with the National Portal and would be connecting the entire world through the networking system.

He said that all types of application and other related prescribed forms would be available to the people on the same since websites of all the departments would be created and connected with the National Portal.

"Agriculture Resources Information System (Agrinet) project was also started in the state to facilitate farmers and other people for accessing citizen centric information through a portal being created for the purpose," Dhumal said.

The Chief Minister revealed that court case monitoring system was also being evolved by the IT Department detailing the information about the court cases all over the country to help the government departments to track down their court cases pending in different courts of law.

Bad cholesterol inhibits fat breakdown

New research has revealed that LDL or “bad” cholesterol inhibits the breakdown of fat in adipocytes, or fat cells, thus suggesting that it is a regulator of fat stores.

Previous research has shown that the release of free fatty acids from adipocytes increases the synthesis of precursors of LDL cholesterol. However, Dr Johan Björkegren and colleagues at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, found that LDL cholesterol slows the rate of lipolysis (fat breakdown) in adipocytes. Together, these findings suggest that there is a “reciprocal link between the liver and peripheral fat regulating fat turnover,” says Björkegren in a news release.

The finding also suggests that drugs, such as statins, which lower LDL cholesterol may also promote the breakdown of fat stores.

Skogsberg J, Dicker A, Rydén M, Åström G, Nilsson R, et al. 2008 ApoB100-LDL Acts as a Metabolic Signal from Liver to Peripheral Fat Causing Inhibition of Lipolysis in Adipocytes. PLoS ONE. 2008;3(11): e3771 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003771

News release: Bad cholesterol inhibits the breakdown of peripheral fat. Karolinska Institutet. November 20th 2008.

J'khand agri-scheme to promote dual cropping

Ranchi: The Government of Jharkhand has come out with a new agriculture scheme, 'Kisan Kushali Yojana' (scheme for farmers' well being) to bring about qualitative improvement in socio-economic condition of marginal and small farmers in the state.

The proposed plan, which was recently approved by the state cabinet, intends to promote dual cropping pattern in those areas so far left out of irrigation net.

Besides, those living in non-agricultural areas would be given livestock for their sustainable development and would help the farmers in rearing of livestock.

It may be noted that around 10 per cent of cultivable land measuring 38 lakh hectares have the irrigation facility. Of that, farmers are able to take double crops only in 2-3 lakh hectares, while farming in the rest area are rain dependent.

"Under the scheme, the state government is contemplating to provide power tillers, tractors, mini-pump sets and digging wells, so that marginal farmers could take more than one crop in a year," Jharkhand Agriculture Director Nistar Minz said, adding that all the farm equipment would be given to farmers on heavy subsidy.

In the first phase, farmers of two blocks in each of the 24 districts would be benefitted from the scheme, sources said, adding that the state government had also waived tax being imposed on marginal vegetable vendors selling their produce in markets.

Earlier, with a view to mitigate problems of the farmers in Palamau, Garwah, Chatra and Latehar districts, which experienced scanty rainfall this monsoon, the state government declared them as drought-hit.

A few days ago, the Chief Minister had visited Garwah and Palamau and had said the state government would take all steps to help the farmers in the drought-hit districts.

A cabinet sub-committee had been formed to recommend steps for fighting recurring drought.

In another decision to set up a marketing complex in the state capital, the cabinet approved transfer of one acre and 19 decimal to Krishi Bazaar Samiti (agriculture market committee).

Doctors report world’s first tissue-engineered whole organ transplant

A team of British researchers and Spanish surgeons have carried out the world's first tissue-engineered whole organ transplant.

30-year-old mother-of-two Claudia Castillo needed a new left bronchus after her airways had been damaged by tuberculosis. Transplanting airways has always been very problematic and such transplants are usually unsuccessful. Therefore researchers at the University of Bristol in England embarked upon growing the woman a new airway.

Firstly, they obtained a donor trachea. They then used a series of chemicals and enzymes to wash away the cells from the donor trachea until all was left of it was a tissue scaffold made of collagen. They then repopulated the scaffold with epithelial cells and mesenchymal stem-cell-derived chondrocytes that had been cultured from cells taken from Ms Castillo. The new airway was then taken to Spain and transplanted into Ms Castillo by a team of Spanish surgeons.

A month after the transplant, a biopsy showed that the engineered airway had its own blood supply. At four-months, the transplant looked the same and had the same mechanical properties as normal airways, and the patients quality of life had returned to normal. Furthermore, there were no signs of transplant rejection even though the patient was not taking immunosuppressive anti-rejection drugs.

Study leader Martin Birchall, Professor of Surgery at the University of Bristol, said in a news release: “Surgeons can now start to see and understand the very real potential for adult stem cells and tissue engineering to radically improve their ability to treat patients with serious diseases. We believe this success has proved that we are on the verge of a new age in surgical care”.

Writing in The Lancet, the authors conclude: “The results show that we can produce a cellular, tissue-engineered airway with mechanical properties that allow normal functioning, and which is free from the risks of rejection. The findings suggest that autologous cells combined with appropriate biomaterials might provide successful treatment for patients with serious clinical disorders.”

Macchiarini P, Jungebluth P, Go T, et al. Clinical transplantation of a tissue-engineered airway. The Lancet. Early Online Publication, 19 November 2008. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61598-6

News release: Adult stem cell breakthrough. University of Bristol. November 19th 2008.

Bihar okays Kosi rehab and reconstruction policy

Patna: The Government of Bihar on Tuesday gave its approval to the Kosi Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Policy, 2008 to pave way for formal beginning of reconstruction work in flood affected areas of all six districts of the eastern Indian state.

The policy seeks to rehabilitate and reconstruct the devastated areas of the flood affected districts, besides channelizing the funds donated to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

It would also simplify the procedural wrangles and complicacy of rules with respect to sanction and execution of schemes.

Earlier, the state government had constituted a High Level Committee last month under Development Commissioner to take up the reconstruction work. This committee remained a non-starter as it lacked both logistic support as well as statutory vigour.

In a cabinet meeting yesterday, the state government also approved setting up of a Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Committee headed by the Chief Minister. The members of the committee would include almost all concerned ministers and secretaries.

The committee is expected to smoothen the procedures and expedite the reconstruction work in the flood hit areas, as well as accord sanction to the schemes and projects prepared for the reconstruction work. Initially, Rs 14,808 crore have been made available for taking up this task.

Diseased heart valve replaced through small chest incision

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/099200902111681.htm

Report by EurekAlert

New procedure prospective option for patients too frail for open-heart surgery

Chicago: When 91-year-old Irvin Lafferty was diagnosed with severe blockage of his heart valve—hardening that is formally known as aortic valve stenosis—open-heart surgery was out of the question. He'd already survived quadruple bypass while in his 50s, and having lived almost a century, Lafferty wasn't a good candidate for heart surgery for many reasons. His local cardiologist referred him to surgical and interventional specialists at Chicago's Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. And, on January 21, 2009, Lafferty became the first patient in Illinois to receive a prosthetic heart valve through a procedure known as transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation, which combines catheterization technology and traditional surgery, allowing doctors to implant a new heart valve in place of Lafferty's diseased valve while his heart remained beating.

"Traditional open-heart surgery is a very safe and effective way to replace diseased heart valves, but for many patients bypass surgery is not a viable option" says Patrick M. McCarthy, MD, Northwestern Memorial's chief of cardiothoracic surgery and co-director of its Bluhm Institute and a Heller-Sacks professor of surgery at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. "By utilizing the percutaneous technique—meaning surgery is not required—we are able to greatly reduce risk for these patients. We see percutaneous valve repair as not only having a great impact upon how high-risk patients are treated, but in how heart valve disease is treated period, in the U.S. and around the world."

McCarthy is a co-principal investigator for the clinical trial that provided Lafferty's new heart valve, which is formally referred to as the Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valve, or PARTNER. The Bluhm Institute is among the trial's pioneering sites. McCarthy says the procedure builds upon a routine catheter-based procedure, the balloon aortic valvuloplasty.

"Balloon aortic valvuloplasty has been traditionally offered as a palliative therapy for patients who were not candidates for aortic valve surgery," said the hospital's Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Charles J. Davidson, MD, who is also a co-principal investigator for the trial and a professor of medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. "This particular technique is a more durable treatment than balloon valvuloplasty and is potentially a breakthrough for treating high-risk patients."

Medical experts estimate every year nearly 200,000 people in the U.S. need new heart valves. Yet over half of them do not receive them primarily due to frailty, one of the most common reasons for exclusion from traditional open-heart surgery.

"Surgery becomes far too risky when patients are conditionally weak or frail," says Chris Malaisrie MD, a Northwestern Memorial cardiac surgeon and member of the site team evaluating this new procedure. "The goal is to replace diseased valve at minimal risk to these patients—many of whom have very limited therapeutic options. Aortic valve replacement is one of few therapies offering both symptomatic relief and improved long-term survival."

During insertion, the artificial valve remains collapsed until it reaches its destination. It is then expanded and released in place of diseased aortic heart valves. The prosthesis is made of stainless steel and biological leaflets that help direct the flow of blood in the heart. It is permanent and integrates an expandable stent that holds the valve in its intended position. Northwestern Memorial utilizes both the transfemoral (through the groin) and transapical (through the ribs) approaches. Implantation occurs in a hybrid operating room suite that incorporates elements of both a traditional OR and catheterization laboratory.

Manmohan asks Pak to send ISI chief to India

Islamabad: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday requested his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani to send the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief to India for exchange of information in connection with the Mumbai terror attack, a television report said.

The GEO TV report said the request was made when Gilani called Manmohan Singh Friday morning. However, there was no official word on it.

Indian authorities have said the terrorists, who struck at 10 places in Mumbai on Wednesday night and were still holding hostages Friday, had come from Pakistan.

An official statement said Gilani called Manmohan Singh and expressed profound grief over the loss of lives in the wake of the terror attack that has left at least 125 people dead.

Gilani strongly denounced the acts of terrorism in Mumbai and assured the Indian Prime Minister of his full cooperation.

"On behalf of the people and the government of Pakistan, I wish to express our deep shock and sorrow at last night's terrorist attacks in Mumbai," he said.

Gilani said Pakistan was also a victim of terrorism and extended his government's full support to jointly combat extremism and terrorism, according to the statement.

He appreciated the fact that the Indian Prime Minister was the first to telephone him after the blast at the Marriott hotel last month.

Himachal to develop model villages in Spiti valley

Shimla: The Government of Himachal Pradesh will be developing major tribal villages in Spiti Valley as model villages by taking up the development of Kibbar village in the sub-division in the first phase.

The state government would spend Rs 3 crore on the infrastructure development in the cluster of Chichim, Tashigang, Getay and Kee in the Kibbar Model Village Development Project followed by other villages in the valley.

Revealing this, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Kaza, Kibbar and Tabo would be developed into a model tribal villages by creating a quality infrastructure of all the basic amenities to cater to the requirements of the visitors to the valley.

He said that Kaza, Kibbar and Tabo were fast emerging favourite destinations with the international tourists and in people's participation quality boarding and lodging facilities were coming up changing the economic scenario of the tribal sub-division.

The state government would provide the local educational institutions with quality infrastructure, shopping complex facilities at Kibbar, cultural centre developed in the village, besides sewerage and street lighting facilities in the proposed villages.

Dhumal said that the state government had earmarked Rs 30 crore for concentrated development of Spiti Sub-Division under the Tribal Sub-Plan provisions.

EU citizens can access Europe's culture online

Brussels: The European Commission has launched the European digital library portal 'Europeana' which allows all European Union citizens to access Europe's rich cultural diversity online.

The initiative is within the framework of European Commission's i2010 strategy having as its ultimate goal to provide EU citizens with quick and easy access to Europe's cultural and scientific heritage, reports ePractice.

The portal provides electronic access to materials, including paintings, music, maps, manuscripts and newspapers from museums, libraries and archives which have been digitised.

Earlier, the Commission had urged the member states to increase through intense efforts their contributions to the digital library and enrich its holdings by allocating more funding to digitisation, by preserving digital material and by solving outstanding copyright issues.

For the period 2009-2010 approximately € 69 million will be administered for digitisation activities and research on digital libraries through the EU's research programme, apart from the € 50 million allocated by the information Society part of the Competitiveness and Innovation programme to improve access to Europe's cultural and scientific heritage.
—iGovernment Bureau

Rats spreading new plague

Research suggests that brown rats may be carrying a type of bacteria that can cause serious illnesses in humans.

Professor Chao-Chin Chang and colleagues have discovered that brown rats are carrying several species of Bartonella bacteria. The discovery is concerning as the bacteria are classed as emerging zoonotic pathogens, and can cause serious illnesses including endocarditis (inflammation of the heart), enlargement of the spleen, and neuroretinitis (inflammation of the retina and optic nerve). More than 20 species of Bartonella bacteria have been discovered since the early 1990’s, and at least eight are known to be pathogenic to humans.

The researchers took samples from 58 rodents, including 53 brown rats, 2 mice, and 3 black rats. Results showed that 6 (10.3%) of the rodents were carrying Bartonella bacteria, and five out of six of the carriers were brown rats. Four of the rodents were carrying B. elizabethae, which can cause endocarditis in humans. The researchers also identified a species of Bartonella that had not previously been identified in rodents. Further tests showed that the species was closely related to B. rochalimae, which is pathogenic to humans. Exactly how the bacteria are being spread to humans in uncertain, however the researchers are confident that, just like the plague, infections are spread by fleas.

Professor Chang concluded: “Several different Bartonella bacteria are surely transmitted by rodents. These results raise concerns about the existence of other reservoirs and vectors for this emerging infection. This certainly warrants further investigation."

Lin JW, Chen CY, Chen WC, Chome BB, Chang CC. Isolation of Bartonella species from rodents in Taiwan including a strain closely related to ‘Bartonella rochalimae’ from Rattus norvegicus. J Med Microbiol. 2008;57:1496-150. DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.2008/004671-0

News release: Scientists discover 21st century plague. Society for General Microbiology. November 24th 2008.

Health Comprehensive atlas of kidney genome created

Sydney: A comprehensive genome-based atlas, created by researchers, would help shed light on healthy and abnormal kidney development and disease.

The atlas shows how the entire genome is regulated to produce thousands of specific genes that are mixed and re-mixed to form genetic teams.

It is the joint outcome of the work by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Centre, Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) University of Queensland (Australia) and Harvard University researchers, reports IANS.

The teams jointly directed formation of 15 embryonic sections in developing kidney—from the earliest phases when stem cells are told how to differentiate into specific kidney cells, to the development of nephrons, the kidney's primary functioning unit.

Given that about one in every 500 births results in a kidney development abnormality, the study is a beginning for providing new insight into genes and genetic programmes that are critical to determining how kidney stem cells develop into structures in the adult kidney.

"Researchers can refer to the atlas to see the gene expression patterns in a normal developing kidney," said Melissa Little, a professor who led the Australian team.

"It will provide a basis of comparison for scientists studying abnormal kidney development, so they can see where gene interactions have gone awry to produce the abnormality."

Researchers created the atlas by analysing mouse embryonic kidneys aged 15.5 days, according to a University of Queensland release.

One of the more unexpected discoveries was the observation of new domains of gene expression that marked clusters of cells not previously known to be distinct.

The data has been released as an open-access resource for researchers around the world as part of the GenitoUrinary Development Molecular Anatomy Project.