If there is one sight that sticks out for an American visiting India for the first time, it is the wild juxtaposition of cows and traffic on city streets. For those of us accustomed to a culture in which bovines are considered livestock rather than sacred creatures, the combination makes for a bizarre spectacle. We are ill equipped to make sense of the scene. The four cows roaming around outside our hotel were enough to attract the attention of everyone in my traveling group. We pointed, stared and took pictures. Though it lasted only a short while, the encounter reflected what is likely to be a defining characteristic of my India trip: a confrontation with contrast.The first thing an American notices upon stepping off the plane is the distinct nature of India’s roads. On any given highway, one sees a freestyle pattern of traffic that gives the impression of mass chaos. Cars, trucks, motorcycles and rickshaws crowd the streets, coming within inches of one another at every turn. Despite the presence of street signs and painted lines, the roads have a defacto absence of designated lanes and are filled instead with a mass of weaving traffic. Inside tiny rickshaws, six or seven people are squeezed in. Add to the mix the astounding presence of car horns, used more for announcing location than expressing anger. All of this can be quite overwhelming for someone experiencing India for the first time. In America, the dominant culture emphasizes consistency and organization. Cars drive in lanes regardless of traffic. This orderly structure is something we accept as a given, so we tend to conclude that any divergent system is mayhem. The sight of clustering traffic and the sounds of relentless horns seems catastrophic. Not surprisingly, many Americans are appalled by the chaos they while riding a taxicab in India. For the drivers who must navigate the streets everyday, however, the frantically weaving traffic and people hanging out of trucks is normal. Could it be that our sense of order is designed to control us, while in India, everyone takes account of the other and traffic flows easily, even amidst chaos.Traveling in India means coming to grips with the chaos not just on the roads, but in the vast discrepancies in wealth and poverty. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in the contrast between the slums of Dharavi and the surrounding city of Mumbai. Walking through Dharavi can be disturbing to an outsider. Many of the tiny shacks in which people live are little more than collections of scrap metal pieced together, and the unbearably narrow alleyways outside are lined with litter and goat droppings. Even more striking than these conditions is the knowledge that, within blocks of the slums, there is a skyline filled with elegant skyscrapers and billboards advertising designer clothes. For an American, it is hard not to wonder whether there is any excuse for allowing the conditions of Dharavi to exist amidst the excess of Mumbai.The divisions of wealth and poverty in our economic system are evident even in the United States, but for the most part Americans are spared the sights of poverty, as the poor are segregated into separate and distant neighborhoods. To see the effects of a global capitalist market on the villages of Dharavi is to witness a contrast of rich and poor on an entirely different scale. Yet those who live in the slums, unarguably the greatest victims, seem to take the contradiction in stride. They go about their work, tend to their children and carry on much the way of people in any community. What’s more, the vast majority of them don’t even appear to be unhappy. Perhaps the contrasts around them are too overwhelming to do anything about or perhaps they simply accept lives. Is it that only Americans are sensitive to contrasts and contradictions, or is it just the “foreigner” in us? Here, the sight of slums next door to expensive condominiums merely reflects a fact of life.A visit to Khajuraho challenges our concepts of divinity. While viewing the beautiful ancient temples on this site, visitors will undoubtedly come across naked and erotic images for which it is best known in the United States. Someone unprepared for these images is disoriented by sculptures of both gods and erotic scenes. Many may even find inappropriate as Americans are educated in a Western religious tradition that skirts sexuality, going to great lengths to hide the details of intercourse and the physical organs involved in the act.I found the contrasts I observed in India confusing, chaotic and contradictory. Over time, however, I began to recognize that these perceived contrasts existed only in my mind and those of my fellow travelers. While we marveled at the cows on the road, those who drove or dodged around them didn’t seem to even notice their presence. For an American visiting India for the first time, the reaction to the cows on the road might be a good metaphor for how well they have tuned in to the charms of the country. Related Items
MOST READ Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf PLAY LIST 01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games WATCH: Streetboys show off slick dance moves in Vhong Navarro’s wedding UPLB exempted from SEA Games class suspension Catriona Gray spends Thanksgiving by preparing meals for people with illnesses SEA Games in Calabarzon safe, secure – Solcom chief “The training environment is better, there’s less distractions and you can really focus on your preparation,” said Huelgas.The national sports program has long been hampered by a lack of solid funding and sports officials have always pointed to that as the reason for every debacle Team Philippines sufferes in the SEA Games, Asian Games or the Olympics.And Guiao hopes a favorable Supreme Court ruling can remedy that situation.“There’s no other way to interpret the [PSC] law,” said Guiao. “The wording is very specific when it comes to the PSC’s share of Pagcor’s revenues.”“I’m hoping we can get a ruling this year,” Guiao added. “At the latest, we’re looking at early next year. Our lawyers are constantly working on it.” LATEST STORIES Archers, Tams brawl again in preseason, this time in Davao City LOOK: Venues for 2019 SEA Games NLEX coach Yeng Guiao. (File photo by TRISTAN TAMAYO / INQUIRER.net)NLEX coach Yeng Guiao said he is optimistic that the Supreme Court will rule in favor of a petition he filed that seeks to compel the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. (Pagcor) to remit to the Philippine Sports Commission its full share of the gaming agency’s earnings.Guiao said a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court could be a “game changer” for Philippine sports.ADVERTISEMENT Read Next LIST: Class, gov’t work suspensions during 30th SEA Games Last year, for example, Pagcor grossed P55.06 billion in revenues—a record for the agency.But the PSC’s share from that pie amounted to P1.26 billion. While that was an increase of P235 million remitted to the PSC in 2015, it was still way off the approximately P2.8 billion that the sports-funding agency should have gotten.Guiao said the money deficit his resolution would cover will provide the PSC with additional funding, not only for the training of elite athletes from targeted sports and the building of a wide grassroots base but also give sports officials the chance to put up a sports training facility outside Metro Manila.“We can, for example, seriously study building a training center in Clark,” said Guiao.Triathlon star Nikko Huelgas, the Southeast Asian Games gold medalist who was with Guiao on the show, admitted that training outside of Metro Manila was a huge factor in his successful bid to rule the biennial meet in back-to-back editions.ADVERTISEMENT View comments “It is a big boost to the perennial problem of having too little funds for our sports programs,” said Guiao Thursday, behind the scenes of his guesting on Sports IQ, the Inquirer’s multi-platform live sports talk show.“If the Supreme Court rules in our favor, and I’m optimistic it will, that will be a game changer,” he added.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water poloSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutSection 26 of Republic Act 6847, the law that created the PSC, clearly states that “5 percent of Pagcor’s gross income shall be automatically remitted directly to the PSC.”“All the PSC is getting right now is less than 2.5 percent of Pagcor’s earnings,” Guiao later explained during the show. “That means the PSC is getting below half of what it is lawfully theirs.” Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. SEA Games: PH’s Alisson Perticheto tops ice skating short program
DefinitionA computed tomography (CT) scan of the lumbar spine makes cross-sectional pictures of the lower back (lumbar spine). It uses x-rays to create the images.Alternative NamesCAT scan – lumbar spine; Computed axial tomography scan – lumbar spine; Computed tomography scan – lumbar spine; CT – lower backHow the Test is PerformedYou will be asked to lie on a narrow table that slides into the center of the CT scanner.Once you are inside the scanner, the machines x-ray beam rotates around you. (Modern “spiral” scanners can perform the exam without stopping.)A computer creates separate images of the spine area, called slices. These images can be stored, viewed on a monitor, or printed on film. Three-dimensional models of the spine area can be created by adding the slices together.You must be still during the exam. Movement can cause blurred images. You may be told to hold your breath for short periods of time.The scan should take only 10-15 minutes.How to Prepare for the Test Some exams use a special dye, called contrast, that is put into your body before the test starts. Contrast helps certain areas show up better on the x-rays.Contrast can be given in different ways.It may be given through a vein (IV) in your hand or forearm.It may be given as an injection into the space around the spinal cord.If contrast is used, you may also be asked not to eat or drink anything for 4-6 hours before the test.advertisementLet your doctor know if you have ever had a reaction to contrast. You may need to take medicines before the test in order to avoid this problem.If you weigh more than 300 pounds, find out if the CT machine has a weight limit. Too much weight can cause damage to the scanners working parts.You will be asked to remove jewelry and wear a hospital gown during the study. How the Test will FeelSome people may have discomfort from lying on the hard table.Contrast given through an IV may cause a slight burning feeling, a metal taste in the mouth, and a warm flushing of the body. These feelings are normal and go away in a few seconds.Why the Test is PerformedCT rapidly makes detailed pictures of the lower back. The test may be used to look for:Birth defects of the spine in childrenInjury in the lower spineSpine problems when MRI cannot be usedThis test can also be used during or after an x-ray of the spinal cord and spinal nerve roots (myelography) or an x-ray of the disk (discography).Normal ResultsResults are considered normal if no problems are seen in the lumbar region in the images.What Abnormal Results MeanAbnormal results may be due to:Birth defects of the spineBone problemsFractureLumbar disk herniationLumbar spinal stenosisSpondylolisthesisRisksRisks of CT scans include:Being exposed to radiationAllergic reaction to contrast dyeCT scans expose you to more radiation than regular x-rays. Having many x-rays or CT scans over time may increase your risk for cancer. However, the risk from any one scan is small. Talk to your doctor about this risk and how it weighs against the benefits of the test for your medical problem.Some people have allergies to contrast dye. Let your doctor know if you have ever had an allergic reaction to injected contrast dye.The most common type of contrast given into a vein contains iodine. If a person with an iodine allergy is given this type of contrast, nausea or vomiting,sneezing, itching,or hives may occur.If you must have this type of contrast, your doctor may give you antihistamines (such as Benadryl) or steroids before the test.The kidneys help remove iodine out of the body. People with kidney disease or diabetes may need to receive extra fluids after the test to help flush the iodine out of the body.Rarely, the dye may cause a life-threatening allergic response called anaphylaxis. If you have any trouble breathing during the test, you should tell the scanner operator right away. Scanners come with an intercom and speakers, so the operator can hear you at all times.ConsiderationsThe lumbar CT scan is good for evaluating large herniated disks, but it can miss smaller ones. This test can be combined with a myelogram to get a better image of the nerve roots and pick up smaller injuries.ReferencesGardocki RJ, Camillo FX. Other disorders of the spine. In: Canale ST, Beaty JH, eds. Campbells Operative Orthopaedics. 12th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2012:chap 44.advertisementDillin W, Eismont FJ, Kitchel S. Thoracolumbar injuries. In: DeLee JC, Drez D Jr, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drezs Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:section B. Grainger RG, Thomsen HS, Morcos SK, Koh DM, Roditi G. Intravascular contrast media for radiology, CT, and MRI. In: Adam A, Dixon AK, eds. Grainger & Allisons Diagnostic Radiology: A Textbook of Medical Imaging. 5th ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 2. Shaw AS, Dixon AK. Multidetector computed tomography. In: Adam A, Dixon AK, eds. Grainger & Allisons Diagnostic Radiology: A Textbook of Medical Imaging. 5th ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 4.Review Date:1/17/2013Reviewed By:C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc., Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, Stephanie Slon, and Nissi Wang.
World Championship silver medallist shuttler Saina Nehwal feels her decision to change base to Bangalore under Vimal Kumar’s tutelage turned out to be a masterstroke as it helped her regain her game and prolong her career, which was in serious doubt last year.Saina reiterated that she contemplated quitting last year following a string of poor performances but Vimal came as a saviour and instilled confidence and self belief in her.Also read: SRK fan Saina wants to be the queen of Badminton “It really really helped (decision to shift to Bangalore) and everyone can see that. A lot has changed since then. I have changed as a person. As of now I have become World no. 1, won China and India Open, reached the finals of All England and World Championships. All these happened only as I moved to Bangalore,” Saina said after returning from World Championship in Jakarta, where she lost to Spain’s Carolina Marin in final.”It was a move from Hyderabad but I did it because I wanted to improve and I think it was a good decision. Vimal Sir’s influence is the biggest change. I really want to thank him for spending so much time with me in the court and making me believe everyday that I am a champion, I can be number one.Also read: ‘Saina is not mentally fragile'”Even physically I am feeling much better. It’s because, when you get personal attention you are naturally going to improve. The whole attention is on you. He is working on areas in which I am weak,” Saina pointed out.advertisementA year ago, things were not going according to plan and Saina thought of quitting badminton after last year’s World Championships following a series of defeats. But training under Vimal helped Saina rediscover herself.Thinking about quitting “I was thinking about quitting (last year) because I thought I was getting irritated with the kind of performances I was giving. I was not happy with the way I was playing. It was not happening, I was not finding out ways to win. It was getting challenging for me because I knew I was a world class player,” Saina said.”Losing without a fight was not me. That was not the Saina I knew and only because of that I felt ‘why push yourself like this’. That moment Vimal Sir joined the Uber Cup team after a long time. He worked on my game and I started winning games in Uber Cup and then I won the Australian Open.”Geared up for Rio Having created history by becoming the first Indian woman to enter the finals of the World Championship, Saina is now all geared up for next year’s Rio Olympics.”It’s (World Championship medal) one of the special medals because it is going to give me lot more confidence to be ready for the Olympics. That is for sure. Olympics will have the same players coming in. Olympics come every four years. It will be lot more pressure. But same kind of players will be there,” she said. This was the first time that Saina managed to clear the quarterfinal jinx and she said it came as a “big relief”.”A big relief coming out of that quarterfinal stage. Now when I play the big events, the only thing that will be in my mind is to win the tournament,” she said.You want to win Saina said she tired her best to win the final match.”Of course, when you reach finals, you want to win it.Even I wanted to do that. Sometimes, things does not fall in place. But I gave my best. I am very happy that I reached finals of two big events this year,” she said.”It was disappointing to lose in the finals. But I have to take the positive out of it.”Numero uno Despite the 16-21 19-21 loss in the final, Saina became the world’s numero uno shuttler.”I feel great. I am very happy that my performances are coming out well. The important thing is that I am able to give more medals to my country. It is a very proud moment for me.This will only help me to achieve many more good results in future,” Saina said.”I’m very happy that things are finally falling in place.With the kind of training I am doing results will come.”On the Spaniard Carolina Carolina seems to have become a thorn in the flesh for Saina as it is against the Spaniard that she lost in the final of the prestigious All England Championship earlier this year.advertisement”I gave a much better account of myself in the World Championship than the All England final. I fought till the end here. But I need to find some ways to beat her (Carolina). She is in very good form.”The next time when I play her again I am sure I will be much better than this time,” she said.
Hardik Pandya’s all-round performance in the first Test against South Africa has drawn a lot of praise from former Proteas legend Lance Klusener.India were staring down the barrel in their first innings after South Africa posted 286 when Pandya came to the crease and smashed 93 off 95 balls in the first innings. He then took two wickets late on Day 2 which brought the visitors back into the game at Newlands.”I thought his knock in India’s first innings was fantastic. His batting was excellent in the way he reversed pressure and put it back on South Africa. He is going to be fantastic for India. He is still developing and I think if he could add another yard of pace to his bowling, he would become a truly amazing all-rounder,” Klusener told PTI.In a short span of time in international cricket, Pandya has established himself as a regular in the team. His record in limited-overs cricket has been excellent with both the bat and the ball. In Tests, he now has a century and two fifties.”All the signs are there that he is developing into a fantastic all-round prospect. Sure, he is bound to fail a few times the way he plays, but it is better to encourage that positive approach than reel him in.”So, he is in good company, whether he plays for Mumbai Indians in IPL or in this Indian team, he is surrounded by a lot of good people. It is their responsibility to nurture him,” he added.advertisementIndia though couldn’t capitalise after they bowled out the hosts for 130 in the second innings and fell short by 72 runs in their chase of 208 on a seaming track at Cape Town.Vernon Philander recorded career-best figures of 6 for 42 as the Proteas bowled out Virat Kohli and Co. for 135 on Day 4 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series.It is to be noted that India opted out of the solitary practice game before this Test series. Klusener didn’t agree with this approach.”Look, it is always good to have a practice game under your belt. If India were touring in the sub-continent, then it wouldn’t be the end-of-the-world if they didn’t play a practice game before the tour. But for them to come to South Africa, it would have been nice for them to have the practice game in foreign conditions.”If the shoe was on the other foot, and South Africa were touring India, they would have played at least one practice game to get used to sub-continental conditions,” he said.He said there were lessons to be learnt from the defeat in the series opener.”India can take a lot of learning from that first Test loss. It could have been a lot worse to be honest if Pandya didn’t play that excellent knock and scored those 90-odd runs. I think that is a learning point for India in how they can turn this around. They need to be pro-active and take the pacers’ challenge head on,” he added.
This assurance against the background of what she notes are concerns from some stakeholders, who describe the conference as a “talk shop”. Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, says the upcoming Eighth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference is expected to generate tangible outcomes that are implementable.This assurance is against the background of what she notes are concerns from some stakeholders, who describe the conference as a “talk shop”.“It [has been] my intention, [since] I became Minister with responsibility for the diaspora, that we would change that and ensure that our conferences have direct outcomes which are implementable and specific” the Minister added.Senator Johnson Smith further indicated that “we will be reporting on results of the last [conference in 2017, in terms of] where we would have slipped and succeeded, and also looking at how we take these conference outcomes forward, in an actionable way”.She was speaking with JIS News following the 2019 conference’s launch at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, last week.The event is slated for June 16 to 20 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, under the theme – ‘Jamaica and the Diaspora: Building Pathways for Sustainable Development’.Meanwhile, Senator Johnson Smith advised that the Ministry and its legacy partners are working to ensure that this year’s conference is “one of the best ever”.“The Ministry’s team is ready and the legacy partners are ready. We have more sponsors coming on board and everybody is very energised,” she further indicated.Senator Johnson Smith also informed that there will be a Conference launch in New York on Tuesday, April 9, at the office of the Consulate General of Jamaica, beginning at 6:00 p.m.Additionally, she said a focus group meeting on the draft National Diaspora Policy, will be held with a broad cross-section of Jamaicans living in New York.“We do intend that one of the significant outcomes of the conference is to finalise the consultations, so that we have a Policy that’s ready for presentation to Cabinet and tabling in Parliament,” she said.The Minister further advised that similar launches are slated for Miami and Toronto. “It [has been] my intention, [since] I became Minister with responsibility for the Diaspora, that we would change that and ensure that our conferences have direct outcomes which are implementable and specific” the Minister added. Story Highlights Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, says the upcoming Eighth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference is expected to generate tangible outcomes which are implementable.
Patna: The Bihar Assembly was adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday amid pandemonium by RJD members seeking debate on the deteriorating law and order in the state through an adjournment motion. As the House assembled at 11 am, RJD member Lalit Kumar Yadav informed Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary that he has submitted a notice for an adjournment motion, for a debate on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, by suspending Question Hour. Also Read – How a psychopath killer hid behind the mask of a devout laity! The Speaker told the RJD leader that he has received the notice for the adjournment motion, which Yadav could raise after the completion of the Question Hour. “This is a long session during which you can raise the issue. It can also be raised during a thre-hour debate on the Home department’s budget for 2019-20,” Choudhary said. After the completion of the Question Hour, the Speaker rejected the RJD MLA’s adjournment motion on the ground that it did not follow the rules of business of the House. Also Read – Encounter under way in Pulwama, militant killed Lalit Yadav and his party members insisted on the debate and rushed into the well of the House, raising anti government slogans and creating ruckus, after which the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm. Leader of the opposition in the assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav was not present in the House for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday. The issue of his absence was raised by JD(U) chief whip Ratnesh Sada saying, “Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has been absent in the House for past three days.”
LEAVE A REPLY Cancel replyLog in to leave a comment Sajadi appears in the film alongside Jabbari, the latter of whom plays the drama’s title character, an upper-class teen in Tehran whose relationship with her parents takes a severe turn after questions arise about her relationship with a local boy. The film, a co-production between Iran, Canada and Qatar, made its world premiere at TIFF on Friday night, and will continue to screen this Sunday and next Sunday for the public.“I was surprised to have this news and of course, so sad,” Foroughi told The Globe and Mail over email. “But now I am so much looking forward to our premiere here in the country where I live and love. What is important for me is all the supports and kindness Ava and I have received so far from the festival, especially from [TIFF programmers] Magali Simard and Steve Gravestock.”“The girls are so happy that we all care about them here,” she added. “Altogether, we are looking forward to our audience’s feedback.”Last week, Foroughi was announced as one of the 15 nominees for the 2017 Directors Guild of Canada Discovery Award. This year’s award winner will be announced at the annual DGC gala on Oct. 28.In 2014, Foroughi was at the centre of a dispute with Canadian customs officers, who seized an art installation that was shipped from Iran to Montreal. She eventually received a permit from Foreign Affairs to release her work, which was part of a federally subsidized art project. Advertisement Facebook As the new Iranian film Ava enjoys its debut at the TIFF this weekend, it will have to do so without the presence of its two stars.According to reports, the Canadian government denied travel visas to Iranian performers Shayesteh Sajadi, 18, and Mahour Jabbari, 17. Ava‘s director Sadaf Foroughi, an Iranian-born Canadian citizen, said her two young actors were denied entry after applying for a travel visa through Canada’s embassy in Turkey.According to a letter received by Sajadi and excerpted in The Hollywood Reporter, the government was not satisfied “that you would leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident.” A Globe and Mail request for comment from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has not been returned. Twitter
Advertisement Advertisement Login/Register With: Director Sadaf Foroughi attends the Toronto International Film Festival announcement of their Canadian features for this year’s program in Toronto, Wednesday August 9 , 2017. – CHRIS YOUNG/THE CANADIAN PRESS
Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Simon Katich became the latest to join the bandwagon of coaches and players, who feel that standard of umpiring in the current season has left a lot to be desired. Though Katich was not forthcoming, he pointed out the contentious decision which went in favour of Delhi Capitals’ Shikhar Dhawan in Friday’s match against KKR. The southpaw, who survived a review on 11, went on to seal the match for the Capitals with an unbeaten 97. Also Read – Puducherry on top after 8-wkt win over Chandigarh”I don’t want to get into trouble. I will give a stock standard answer: It’s a tough job. Obviously last night, there was a contentious one (Dhawan) and unfortunately it didn’t go away,” Katich in a roundabout manner said what he intended to. The ongoing edition of the IPL has had quite a few umpiring controversies so far leading to top players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli coming down heavily on the standard of umpiring. While Dhoni’s latest conduct has not been above board, Katich was all praise for his leadership skills and ability to take the game deep. Also Read – Vijender’s next fight on Nov 22, opponent to be announced later”It will be interesting to see what the master in Dhoni goes with tomorrow. He seems to pull the right strings at the right time. He is so well prepared. There’s a lot of thought put into the team. He’s very clever in the way he uses his bowlers, his field positions,” said Dhoni. “We got completely outplayed in Chennai. But we feel our team suits our wicket as well with the quality spinners we’ve got. Unfortunately, we didn’t adapt to the conditions in Chennai. We thought it was a 180-wicket and it took us probably four overs to realise that and the game was done and dusted.”
Underlining the “profound humanity and integrity” of Mr. Nyerere, who passed away in October 1999, the Secretary-General said, “Let us pay tribute to Mwalimu by showing the same level of commitment as he did to justice, lasting peace, development and the betterment of people’s lives all over the world.”The Secretary-General said that much remained to be done to ensure that all the world’s people were free from fear and want. In Africa, in particular, he emphasized, “poverty, ignorance, disease, conflicts and wars continue to affect many millions of people.” “Today, corporate social responsibility is a major international issue; the need to preserve the environment for future generations is universally acknowledged; the debt issue is high on the global agenda,” Mr. Annan said, noting that in all those developments, Mr. Nyerere, “speaking clearly and eloquently for the weak in the world of the strong” had played a key role. Mr. Nyerere served as Tanzania’s first President following its independence from Britain in 1961. After voluntarily stepping down from the presidency in 1985, he played a lead role in numerous initiatives to promote peace on the African continent, including as mediator for the Burundi peace process.
In a press release issued earlier today, UNICEF noted that since September, thousands of people in war-torn Donetsk had been spending most of their days and nights in at least 12 bomb shelters with little or no access to water, hygiene, sanitation or food. Among them, the UN agency added, were an estimated 1,000 children who regularly sought refuge from the heavy shelling. “The most vulnerable are those who are forced to seek refuge in unsanitary, crowded and freezing cellars and bomb shelters, children living on the streets, and those who come from poor families or whose homes have been severely damaged,” UNICEF Representative in Ukraine, Giovanna Barberis, explained. “UNICEF reminds all parties to the conflict in Ukraine to keep children out of harm’s way,” Ms. Barberis continued. “We also urge the international community to act now to provide the thousands of children affected with the basic assistance they need.” In late February 2014, the situation in Ukraine transcended what was initially seen as an internal Ukrainian political crisis into violent clashes in parts of the country, later reaching full- scale conflict in the east. A cease-fire and peace plan for eastern Ukraine was signed in the Belarussian capital of Minsk on 5 September, but remains fragile. The situation has since continuously deteriorated, with serious consequences for the country’s unity, territorial integrity and stability. Ms. Barberis reiterated her concern for the safety of Ukraine’s children – including the 1.7 million affected by the conflict – in a separate phone conversation with UNICEF spokesperson, Christophe Boulierac, during a press conference in Geneva. She noted that the recent shelling in Mariupol, which claimed the lives of two children and injured another seven, had further underlined the urgent need for an end to the violence and the provision of a scaled up humanitarian response. In addition, she said, Ukraine’s children were increasingly vulnerable to psychological damage as well as infection from various diseases due to the lack of hygiene and vaccines. Answering a question from a reporter, she admitted that barely 50 per cent of the 7.9 million Ukrainian children had been properly vaccinated against polio, rendering them susceptible to contagion. Also speaking from Geneva, Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), revealed the latest casualty figures gleaned from UN data. As of 26 January, he said, a total of at least 5,187 people had been killed in the continuing conflict and 11,550 had been wounded.
· Positive trend for big buses held through to Q4 2008 led by double-deckers · Large coaches saw a big fall in 2008, but total still above 2000-2005 average · Significant structural and spending shifts in bus and coach demand since 2003 “December’s data registrations raised a note of caution over the recent strong growth in double-deck bus registrations”, said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “The trend held for most of the year and growth hit 122% after demand had reached an atypically low level in 2007. Big bus demand will be hit by the abrupt recession but may prove more resilient than coach demand has been. Given stable funding and passenger numbers, the growing use of buses in urban and remote rural areas should support the market”.DownloadClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Amadou Sow and Ar’Mond Davis had 14 points apiece to lead UC Santa Barbara to its fifth straight win, knocking Sacramento State from the unbeaten ranks 75-58 on Thursday night.UC Santa Barbara (6-1) is off to its best start since the 2007-08 season when the Gauchos kicked of the year with a 5-1 mark. UCSB will play at Washington on Sunday.JaQuori McLaughlin added 13 points with six rebounds. Robinson Idehen chipped in 10 points.Sacramento State took an early lead and led until Sow hit a jumper and McLaughlin nailed a 3-pointer for a 16-13 advantage. Idehen dunked and followed with a layup for a 21-16 lead with 6:28 left in the first half. The Gauchos were up 32-27 at the break.Devearl Ramsey opened the second half with a trey and Sow added four more quick points for a 39-29 lead. The Gauchos pushed that to 59-40 with 8:06 remaining.Joshua Patton had 15 points for Sacramento State (3-1), which played its first game away from home. Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa added 11 points.The Associated Press
OSU then-junior defenseman Cara Zubko (2) passes the puck during a game against Minnesota on Nov. 15 at the OSU Ice Rink. OSU lost, 5-3. Credit: Ed Momot / For The LanternAfter dropping both games against the Wisconsin Badgers last weekend, the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team opens its home schedule on Friday against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, winners of last season’s NCAA tournament.The Buckeyes lost both games against Wisconsin by a combined score of 15-0, but spent the following week in practice trying not to dwell on the past.“I think what’s key is to not look back on what’s happened, but to look forward,” senior forward Julia McKinnon said. “Obviously, every team says that at the beginning of the year, but I think we need to focus on D-zone for us most importantly, blocking the shots, looking to get man-on-man.”The difficulty for OSU as it welcomes Minnesota and its high-powered offense is continuing to balance preparing for opponents with the developmental aspects of hockey.“Yes, I can implement systems where the score might have been a little bit closer, but I want our team to get better at being hockey players and knowing what our weaknesses are and what our strengths are,“ OSU coach Jenny Potter said.Eight Golden Gophers are ranked in the top 30 scorers in the country, and Potter spent much of this week preparing her squad for another up-tempo competitor.“We’ve been playing to high speeds in practice, not just stepping in and expecting to be skating that fast, knowing that that team’s coming in,” senior defender Cara Zubko said.Zubko said she believes that at this stage of the season, it was good for both OSU’s newcomers and veterans to receive the lessons that come with back-to-back blowouts on the road.“I think no one goes into the first weekend of the year expecting losses like that. But I think it was a wake-up call in a good sense that, just because we know we have lots of work to do,” Zubko said.Zubko was not the only member of the program looking to take positives away from its series against Wisconsin, and the team is eager to get right back on the ice tonight against another tough conference opponent.“I think it’s a lesson in life as far as how much work you put in, or lack thereof,” Potter said. “For us as a group, seeing where we are and where we want to go, with Wisconsin being a great team, Frozen Four team last year, ranked No. 2 right now, this team wants to be in those positions, so it’s a stepping stone.”Against Minnesota, OSU will look to compete with one of the best, if not the best, program in the nation. The Golden Gophers set an NCAA record with eight goals in a single period en route to an 11-0 victory over St. Cloud State last Saturday, and are led by freshman forward Sarah Potomak, who ranks fourth in the nation in scoring.But for a glass-half-full team like the Buckeyes, the opportunity to erase memories of last week’s sweep by facing off against another elite team is one not to pass up.“We know we have lots of work to do,” Zubko said. “We can’t look back on that, there’s a lot of hockey and a big season in front of us and we’ll be ready for this weekend.”The Buckeyes drop the puck in Game 1 against Minnesota at 6:07 p.m. on Friday and at 2:07 p.m. on Saturday in Game 2.
Remember the video of Ohio State men’s basketball players Aaron Craft, Jon Diebler and Jared Sullinger singing Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A?” Do you wish you could see those three sing the song live? If the OSU men’s basketball team had a midnight madness, that performance could happen. Started by Charles “Lefty” Driesell at the University of Maryland, midnight madness is currently a major part of the college basketball world, and it took place last Friday night. Driesell came up with the idea in 1971 to have his Terrapins’ first practice of the season at the earliest possible time that the NCAA would allow: midnight. Schools across the country have since adopted that idea, with the midnight practice now transforming into more of a preseason party hosted by the basketball team than work on the court. Students, alumni and fans gather at a teams’ arena to see their program introduce that year’s team. Different schools do different things, but the event usually involves the team performing a song or dance, the head coach giving a speech, and an intrasquad scrimmage. This year, Connecticut had a dunk contest, Syracuse got Carmelo Anthony to show up and interact with the crowd, and Maryland had an alumni scrimmage featuring some of their current and former NBA players. Nonathlete celebrities show up for the madness as well. Rapper Wale performed at Georgetown’s event last season, and 50 Cent appeared at Villanova’s five years ago. Basically, all the big-time programs have some form of a season tip-off event highlighted by entertaining performances and all-star game-type defense scrimmages. Except for the Buckeyes. It’s not as if OSU doesn’t have a big enough basketball program to host such an event. Two 30-win seasons and a national title game appearance in the last five years, along with an anticipated top-five team this year puts the Buckeyes among the nation’s top teams. Why not celebrate something that OSU does well? With the current state of the football program, the men’s basketball team should be the pride of the athletic department. Hosting an event that takes attention away from the football team and focusing it onto a basketball program that has done nothing but win and represent the school well in recent years needs to happen. The possibilities for the event are endless. A scrimmage between players, both former and current, would certainly entertain. Who wouldn’t want to see Sullinger posting up Greg Oden or William Buford trying to shake Evan Turner? Ohio natives Kid Cudi, Bow Wow, or Chip tha Ripper could perform. If those three aren’t available, I’m sure the crowd wouldn’t mind being serenaded by the voices of Craft and Sullinger. Who knows, maybe known Buckeye fan Lebron James would show up. Either way, OSU is missing out on a big part of the college basketball world, and it’s time for change.
The small tortoiseshell saw a 47 per cent drop in numbers while peacock butterflies slumped to their second worst year on record, with a drop of 42 per cent on 2015 numbers. Sightings of comma butterflies fell 46 per cent while gatekeeper populations were down 40 per cent and small coppers dropped 30 per cent compared to 2015.Sir David, who is president of the charity, said: “Worryingly, we are now seeing the fortunes of some of our once common butterflies mirror those of our rarest species and they too are now also suffering significant declines with butterflies declining more rapidly in urban areas than in the countryside.“In the last decade our butterflies have experienced several poor years and although resilient, they simply cannot sustain repeated losses, especially if the habitats they need in order to rebuild their populations are also under threat.” Sir David Attenborough is encouraging members of the public to count butterflies over the next three weeksCredit:Helen Atkinson A large white butterfly Credit:Butterfly Conservation 
Sir David Attenborough has urged Britons to take time to count butterflies this month over fears that even common British species are dying out.Today marks the annual launch of the Big Butterfly Count, which encourages the public to look for 18 common species such as the Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper which are struggling.More than three-quarters of the UK’s butterflies have declined in the last 40 years, according to the charity Butterfly Conservation, and last year saw some saw the worst falls for butterfly numbers since the Big Butterfly Count began in 2010. This year’s count follows new findings that butterflies are declining more rapidly in urban areas than in the countryside.Richard Fox, Butterfly Conservation Head of Recording said: “With increasing numbers of our common and widespread butterflies in long-term decline, Big Butterfly Count is more important than ever. Simply taking 15 minutes out of your normal day to enjoy the sunshine and count butterflies can help us monitor their populations. It’s a win-win for wildlife.” Sir David added: “Taking part in the Big Butterfly Count is good for butterflies and it is also good for us all. The Count is good for butterflies because your sightings will tell us which species need help and in which areas we need to help them.“But the Big Butterfly Count is also good for you because 15 minutes spent watching butterflies in the summer sunshine is priceless; spending time with butterflies lifts the spirits and reinvigorates that sense of wonder in the natural world.”The Count runs from 14 July to 6 August. Taking part in the Count is easy – find a sunny spot and spend 15 minutes counting the butterflies you see and then submit sightings online at www.bigbutterflycount.org or via the free Big Butterfly Count app. 
A Red AdmiralCredit:Butterfly Conservation Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.
Finland’s largest trade fair event for mining technology EuroMining will be held May 20-21, 2015 at the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre. The organisers state that the international event “will assemble all major mining industry actors under one roof.” At this point, exhibitors are coming from nine countries besides Finland. Professionals from the mining and quarrying, geology, enriching and process industry as well as metallurgy fields will all be present. This is the second time the trade fair has been organised “creating a forum for actors in the field to establish international contacts, present new products and to discuss future solutions.” The Environmental Contribution of 2015 award will also be presented on the opening day. Tampere Trade Fairs Ltd is organising this event for the second time in co-operation with the Finnish Association of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and Green Mining programme of Tekes.“Finland’s mining industry is part of an international field, which will show strongly during the EuroMining 2015 trade fair in May. Our mining industry operates under the same principles as in any other part of the world, so discussion of the field’s challenges and possibilities must be discussed both from a global and Finnish perspective. Metal prices and general willingness or unwillingness to invest are reflected in Finland just like any other place. Finland’s lengthy permit practices and diverse appeal options have their own twists, either hindering or completely eliminating the making of investment decisions. On the other hand, a good level of basic knowledge and competence together with excellent ore potential form a permanent lure for mining companies. Solid infrastructure also plays a key role”, says retired Director General Elias Ekdahl of the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK).“The market situation of the mining industry is challenging this year, but maintaining customer relationships and future customer contacts still require constant presence. Even if new mine projects have been put on hold, the already discovered deposits have not disappeared. Before or later, once the market situation improves their exploitation will continue full on. This also shows in the fact that the share of foreign exhibitors at the EuroMining trade fair is increasing. 20% of direct exhibitors are currently foreign. In addition to Finland, actors in the field are coming from Australia, South Africa, Great Britain, Austria, Canada, China, Sweden, Germany and Turkey”, says Project Manager Mikael Wänskä of Tampere Trade Fairs Ltd.
THIRTY HEALTH AND disability organisations are to have their funding restored for the next year period as their positions are reviewed, Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly has announced.These groups had previously received funding through a support scheme but their applications were not among the 155 approved this year. This left many of them facing closure.In a statement today, Kelly’s department said it was making available bridging finance totalling just under €1.3 million for a twelve month period “to avoid a sudden and adverse impact on these organisations”. The funding for each organisation will be restored based on their allocation so far this year.Some of the organisations include the Irish Heart Foundation, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, The Carers Association and the Dyslexia Association of Ireland.Kelly said that it is now essential that this time is used to find a more long-term solution to funding problems in these organisations.He also said that, in conjuction with the Department of Health, a review of public funding for national organisations in these sectors will take place to ensure the money is used efficiently.Read: Irish funded operation saves the lives of 20 children in Ukraine>Read: Here’s how these furry friends are changing the lives of autistic children in Ireland>
Beat ’em up games aren’t as prolific as they used to be back in the day so it’s always fun when a new one is released. It’s even better when this beat ’em up is based on a franchise that is perfect for the genre. No doubt being released to drum up attention for the upcoming movie, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle looks like it will deliver a ton of great side scrolling action for fans of beat ’em ups and the TV series.Each of the levels, along with the dialogue, cutscenes, and enemies are all pulled from the first two seasons of the series. Because this is a modern beat ’em up, players will be able to level up their characters and unlock new attacks and weapons. Combos can be pulled off by combining light, heavy, and projectile attacks. Players will also be able to unlock characters like the Green/White Ranger and human characters Aisha, Rocky, Adam, and Kat (all of whom eventually become Power Rangers on the show).Like I said above, it is rare when we get any new beat ’em up games so Mega Battle is definitely welcome. It admittedly looks like a cheesy flash game, but if it controls well and is fun, then we can forgive its appearance, especially since it has four-player co-op.Just looking at the trailer conjures memories of playing these type of games with friends, so if this is even half as fun as Turtles in Time, Final Fight, Streets of Rage, and Double Dragon then we should be in for a treat when this game is released on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in January 2017.In less joyous Power Rangers-related news, Ricardo Medina Jr., who played the Red Ranger in Power Rangers: Wild Force, was recently arrested for murdering his roommate with a sword. He has pleaded non-guilty, but if convicted he faces a possible life sentence with no chance of parole for 26 years, meaning he won’t be playing this game. <>
Jason Namako RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Now Playing Up Next The 11/26 “Thanksgiving” edition of WWE Smackdown on Syfy drew 1.65 million viewers, a big drop from the 2.23 million viewers the show drew last week.Smackdown last year at this time (11/28/2014 episode airing on Friday night) drew 3.05 million viewers.Source: TVbythenumbers.comRecommended videosPowered by AnyClipBully Ray Calls Out Ring Of Honor Fan On TwitterVideo Player is loading.Play VideoPauseUnmuteDuration 0:30/Current Time 0:04Loaded: 100.00%0:05Remaining Time -0:26 FullscreenUp NextThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Replay the list Pinterest Ronda Rousey On WWE: I Love This Job, But I Dont Need It Match announced for next week’s 205 Live, 8-Man Elimination from TLC PPV in 2015 Videos Articles Now Playing Up Next CMLL World Lightweight Champion Dragón Lee to debut at MLW December events Bully Ray Calls Out Ring Of Honor Fan On Twitter Velvet Sky Ronda Rousey Highlighting WWEs Problems
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