All Rescued Kids in Tamil Nadu From Zeme tribe

By Dhananjay Mahapatra

New Delhi, Apr 1 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered a thorough probe into the alleged incidents of child trafficking from Northeastern states by missionaries. Additional solicitor-general Indira Jaising said from the sketchy police report, majority of the children rescued from "homes" run by missionaries in Tamil Nadu appeared to be minor girls.

A bench comprising CJI K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan issued notices to Manipur and Assam governments, seeking their response to the serious issue of trafficking.

The SP, Kanyakumari district, in his affidavit, informed the apex court that on a tip-off, the child welfare inspection committee visited 'Bethesda Blessing Ministries Home' at Plavilai, Kaliyakkavilai, run by Pastor Shaji and found 76 children in squalid conditions.

Kanyakumari SP informed SC that all children belonged to 'Zeme' tribe in Manipur and Assam and that Rev Paul belonged to the same community. "Due to poverty, parents of these children entrusted them to Rev Paul on the promise that he would provide better education and healthcare to them," the SP said.

Bumkini: A Lift For Your Booty

Bottoms up! The 'bumkini' that promises to transform your derriere

Saggy bottoms can now be given an instant lift - with a bra designed for the buttocks.

The Biniki, worn under pants, holds up the bottom giving it a firm look  to rival even curvy stars Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce - known for their toned derrieres.

The device was invented by Californian psychologist Dr Karin Hart after she lost weight and started to lose shape in her behind.

Peachy: The Biniki is worn under pants, holding up the bottom and giving it a firmer look, using a belt with adjustable hoops

She said she soon discovered there was no product on the market to cater for small or flat behinds.

The Biniki uses a belt around the waist with adjustable support hoops which loop under the buttocks to lift them up, making them look firm.

She has even created a male version called the Maniki and created variations that can be worn as thongs or under bathing costumes.

The Biniki features a firm support band around the waist to establish a secure anchoring and two attached adjustable straps for lifting.

It cannot be detected under most clothes and can be worn low on the hips.

Dr Hart said: 'When I lost some weight, I looked for a derriere lift in stores. Since I couldn't find one I decided to make something for myself to get the boost I wanted.

Bum deal: The Biniki promises to achieve the Jennifer Lopez, left, and Beyonce effect, who are famous for their stunning curves

'By wrapping a strip of adhesive tape around myself in different ways I found one that worked. The look it gave me was so nice I decided to make a few to wear under clothes.

She added: 'Most people would agree that the breasts and the buttocks look best when held high on the body. This motivates millions of women to wear a bra.

'There is an inconsistency though, because the backside looks good as well when high on the body, but there is no lift product.

'The derriere has panties, thongs, boy shorts and horizontally shaping compression, but no bra.'

Dr Hart has five issued US patents and international patents based on her designs.

She continued: 'Biniki is capable of emphasizing smaller, flatter derrieres, enhancing the silhouette with or without clothes and bring a new sense of confidence about how one looks in back.

'People with small or flat bottoms benefit greatly from this shape wear.'

As well as the Maniki, she has developed a Throng, a Biniki that can be worn as a thong but without the uncomfortable rear strap 

The Biniki costs £20 plus postage and can be ordered from Dr Hart's website, while she looks for a European distributor to sell her products in the UK.

For further information, visit www.biniki-fashions.com.

'Stand And Deliver' Teacher Jaime Escalante Dies

Jaime Escalante, the California mathematics teacher who’s work inspired the 1988 film Stand and Deliver, has passed away today at the age of seventy-nine, losing his battle with bladder cancer.

Escalantes is known for motivating struggling inner city students to exceed top national scores in advanced calculus.

“Escalante had proved that inner city students were able to perform at the highest level, and left an important legacy for American education.”

Full story at BBC.

Miss Barak is Sangita Phukan

Senapati (Manipur), Apr 1 : Twenty-one year old Sangita Phukan of Assam has been crowned as the Seven Sisters Miss Barak, 2010 in the contest which was held at the indoor stadium of Senapati district headquarters yesterday.

Sangita hails from Jorhat district, Assam.

Talking to media persons after being crowned the new Miss Barak, Sangita, who graduated in English last year and is still continuing her study, said that she aspires to become a well known writer.

Towards realizing her dream, Sangita has so far written and published two books.

Sangita said she would like to continue her literary journey to highlight problems afflicting the Northeast region, their root causes and the problem thereof.

The Miss contest was held as part of the Seven Sisters Barak Festival, 2010 organized by Youth Hope Foundation, Senapati under the sponsorship of 59 Mountain Brigade.

The theme of the festival was 'Peace through culture and identity'.

In all 14 contestants from Assam, Nagaland and Manipur participated in the contest.

The title of the first runner-up and the second runner-up has been respectively bagged by 19-yr old Himakshi Argawala of Guwahati, Assam, and 16-year old Sangrila Meisanam of Keishamthong Top Leirak, Imphal.

Along with the crown of new Miss Barak, 2010, Sangita received cash prize of Rs 1 lakh while the first and second runner-up were given Rs 50,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively.

Five jury members conducted the contest.

Other sub-title winners of the contest are Dibakmi-Best designer; Lungai Kim - Miss Congeniality; Himakshi Argawala - Miss Talent; Lijano Aoubum - Miss Catwalk; Sangrila Meisanam - Miss Photogenic; and Theiyaphi - Miss Perfect 10. Chairman of Hill Area Committee Thangminlien Kipgen, MLA of Tadubi A/C K Raina and GOC of 57 Mountain Division Maj Gen DS Hooda graced the function as chief guest, special guest and president respectively.

 

The Sangai Express

** ‘Barak Queen – Crown’ Pic courtesy Hueiyen Lanpao; Other pictures are exclusively owned by BCCL and Sinlung.com,

Media Asked to Focus on Development of Northeast States

By Shreeraj Gudi

New Delhi, Apr 1 : Union Government's interlocutor for Naga peace talks R. S. Pandey on Wednesday asked the media to report more on progress and development of the northeast region than just covering problems.

"Northeast has more stories on prospects and development than problems. There is a vast region of peace and tranquility. The areas which are enjoying peace and harmony should be shown to the outside world," Pandey said.

His comments came while participating in a dialogue on "North East: Fallen off the media map?" organized by the Foundation for Media Professionals (FMP).

Pandey asked the scribes to highlight the basic human values in their reporting when he said the northeastern part of the country can really produce good and sellable news. But he expressed concern that the mainstream media did not have much focus on that region.

In his address, Pandey stressed that the psychological gap between northeast region and mainstream or metropolitan cities-centric media should be bridged.

"There is an immense psychological difference, this needs to be filled with," Pandey said.

He said covering northeast is a big challenge and a bit difficult but even in that one can achieve success.

"This is the time of media proliferation. If the bosses in the media can decide, they can send and get report extensively," Pandey said.

He said there are commonality as well as differences in the homogenous group of northeastern states, which are home to over 200 tribes.

Pandey, who also served for over a two decade in Nagaland as Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer acknowledged that infrastructure development in the region is still a big challenge, though the region showed good in Human Development Index (HDI).

He expressed confidence that the things were improving compared to 30 years ago, but they still need more focus.

Pre-Paid Power Supply Soon in Manipur

Maphou Dam Site (Manipur), Apr 1 : In a move to control power theft and monitor loss of power in transmission, a new mechanism of power supply in a ‘pre-paid’ system is likely to be introduced in the State of Manipur.

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh informed this to a group of media persons on the sidelines of his day-long inspection visit at the Thoubal multi-purpose project site on Monday.

“We’re planning to introduce a pre-paid mechanism of power supply,” Ibobi said while replying to a question on shortage of power supply due to loss in it’s transmission process and frequent report of power theft. “Laying of underground cable is also in full swing in this regard,” he added. Manipur received around 100-110 MW against it’s requirement of 145-150MW of power in the peak hour.

The Chief Minister is confident of getting 145MW as the State’s share once the 2000MW Lower Subansiri (Arunachal Pradesh), 750MW Bongaigaon (Assam) and Palatana (Tripura) projects are commissioned in March next year (2011).

He also expressed need to upgrade the existing 132 KV Yurembam power supply transmission station, 8 km west of Imphal, and appealed to the people of Yurembam village to cooperate with the government in the interest of the State by allowing to acquire necessary land for the project.

Mizoram Govt To Assists Anthurium growers

Aizawl, Apr 1 : As per the latest record, there are 472 families in Mizoram engaged in anthurium cultivation who get financial assistance from the horticulture department, government of Mizoram.

Aizawl district tops the list in family wise with as many as 313 families while Lunglei seconded with 67 families followed by Serchhip district with 43 families.

Horticulture department also assisted anthurium growers from Kolasib, Mamit and Lawngtlai districts. The department estimated a sell of 9,60,000 anthurium flowers to various customers.

The flower, which has a unique beauty with lasting charm is not only fascinated by the Mizo people, rather it has a very high demand from other states of India and even from abroad.

In fact, decorated and medicated anthurium flowers have been exported in huge numbers to countries like Japan, UAE, European countries through an agency called Zo Anthurium Growers Society (ZAGS) working for marketing and others improvement of anthurium farmers in Mizoram.

Besides this, ZAGS also organized anthurium exhibition-cum-sale in various places of the state to promote farmers and selling the flowers at reasonable prices to the public.

Earlier, Lalhmangaihzuali, secretary, Zo Anthurium Growers Society (ZAGS) informed that the society has exported 13,81,629 stems of anthurium worth Rs. 96,69,123 during 2008-09. She added that during 2008, the society sold anthurium stems worth Rs. 53,00,639.

"During 2009, ZAGS has sold anthurium stems worth Rs. 3,01,118 to Puja Florist & Himalayan Florica, New Delhi and also exported Rs. 1,02,400 worth to the Sutton & Sons (I) Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata during 2008-09", Lalhmangaihzuali said.

A single flower could usually fetch between Rs 5 to Rs 10.

via Newmai News Network

SC Asks NCPCR to Inquire Into Trafficking of Manipur Children

New Delhi, Apr 1 : The Supreme Court today ordered an inquiry by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) into the trafficking of children from Manipur and Assam to Tamil Nadu.

A Bench, headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, asked the Commission to place its report within four weeks and posted the matter for hearing in May.
The court asked the Tamil Nadu government to furnish names of the children who were rescued from Kanyakumari district and and their parents.
It was hearing an application based on a media report about recovery of 76 such children.