Northeast Siblings Assault: Cops Drag Feet

Hmar Youth from Manipur in a Hospital in Delhi after assaulted by Landlord in Munirka, New Delhi


New Delhi, Apr 15 : If men and women from the north-eastern states often do not turn to the police for help when in distress, they would be perfectly justified in doing so, going by the way the case of two siblings from Manipur assaulted in Munirka is progressing.

Two days after the incident, the cops seem to be in no hurry to arrest the main accused, Yudhvir Singh, who is absconding. The six other men who joined in the assault have not even been identified.

The spy camera which was allegedly used by the accused to watch the girl has not been recovered. In fact, the cops seem to be extra keen to rule out that it wasn't 'just a misunderstanding over a CCTV camera'. They say that only after the accused is caught will they be able to recover the camera and clear their doubts.

"Anyway, we have booked him under non-bailable offences," claimed a senior police officer under the condition of anonymity. Despite repeated attempts, DCP (south) HGS Dhaliwal could not be reached for his comments.

The claim of the Manipuri family that they had removed a spy camera a few months back that was directed towards the house carries little weight with the police.

The girl's brother-in-law told TOI: "I had removed one spy camera that was positioned on the light bulb a few months back.

At that time, he had asked for forgiveness saying he had placed it for security purposes – to guard against his AC being stolen. If that was the purpose, I wonder why it was pointed at our house?

We put up a curtain so that even if he placed a camera somewhere else, he won't get to see anything. However, on Tuesday night my sister-in-law found another camera on the balcony of his terrace pointed downwards at our house which was when we warned him again, leading to the assault."

Joint commissioner of police (southern range) Amulya Patnaik told TOI: "We have already registered a case and the accused are on the run.

All legal action will be taken and strict action against the accused will be taken. Delhi Police takes matters related to northeast victims extremely seriously and strict action will be taken in this case as well."

Meanwhile, the brother of the girl is still recuperating at Daya Memorial Hospital in Munirka.

Though a CT scan has been normal, he is unable to speak coherently with anyone. "There is no injury to the brain and thankfully no bone injury either. It will obviously take some time for him to recover but he will be okay," said neurosurgeon Dr Sairam.

Plebiscite Talk Gets Louder in Manipur

Imphal, Apr 15 : In Manipur it has become very common for the general public to come together in the resolution of pressing problems.

Given that the Manipur state is infamous for the preponderance of armed related problems since it attained statehood, it is only reasonable that the issue be put in public domain.

A series of meetings, largely entitled “Public participation in bringing solution to Manipur-India Conflict”, have been underway, more aggressively since the arrest of RK Meghen, chairman of the proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) contentiously from Motihari in Bihar late last year, for the initiation of plebiscite for the determination of the fate of the people of Manipur.

Clearly, the people have warmed up to affect some sort of change in their own small ways to the overarching issue plaguing the insurgency ridden State of Manipur.

However, the mobilization and campaign for plebiscite has not been a smooth sail. The public participations has initially been subjected to close scrutiny by agents of the government.

Such meetings have been held in Sekmai, Lamsang, Yairipok under the aegis of local civil organizations.

A case of preemptive action by Lamsang police resulted in the lodging of an FIR against the leaders of the meeting in Lamsang under section 153-B (imputation against national integrity) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

The police had dubbed such meetings as an attempt to excite feelings against the government established law in India and a conspiracy to support underground outfits in Manipur by furthering their cause.

Interestingly, on March 21 last, after being produced before the NIA special court in Guwahati, the chairman of UNLF RK Meghen noted that “the chief minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh was the first chief minister of States under the government of India to openly talk about plebiscite in the State Assembly.”

Because no rebuttal was forthcoming from the chief minister on regard to the volte face, keen observers were flummoxed at the statement that apparently put New Delhi in an uncomfortable position.

“The Indian system is a plutocracy…under such a system, there is no plausible way for small communities to make any tangible progress and take the road to development,” the UNLF chief had said. 

While the Union government has been exploring ways to bring the recalcitrant Meghen to negotiating table, he and his one-of-the-longest-running armed underground group in Northeast UNLF have been sticking to their guns of plebiscite.

Meanwhile, the issue of plebiscite has also been crossed in the official list of taboo by the State government.

People from all walks of life are therefore being accommodated and educated on the subtle meaning associated with the political process called plebiscite.

Source: Newmai News Network

New Bolivian Law Will Give Nature ‘Human’ Rights

Evo Morales is Bolivia's first indigenous president, and he's bringing some back-to-the-earth philosophy to the country.

Bolivia is set to pass The Law of Mother Earth, a sweeping piece of legislation that, as Vice-President Alvaro García Linera says, "establishes a new relationship between man and nature."

The new law, part of a restructuring of Bolivia's legal system, has its roots in indigenous Andean beliefs. It makes humans equal to all other living things and establishes 11 new rights for nature, including the right to life, the right to pure water and clean air, and the right to not have cellular structure genetically modified.

The law also refers to Pachamama, an Andean deity, as "the source of life [...] in permanent balance, harmony and communication with the cosmos."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's unclear how the law will be enforced. Obviously, making mosquito swatting a crime would be a little crazy.

But with climate change on track to raise temperatures in the country by as much as 7 degrees Fahrenheit in the next 100 years and turn wide swathes of Bolivia into a desert, you can't blame Morales for trying to get something on the books to protect his country. And maybe others could follow Bolivia's lead.

Here in the states, we don't necessarily need a law that recognizes Pachamama, but something to prevent coal companies from blowing up Appalachia would be nice.

source: GOOD

Hazare Protest Cost Rs 30 Lakhs

Social activist Anna Hazare addressing his supporters in his village, Ralegan Siddhi, in Ahmednagar - PTI

New Delhi, Apr 14 : Anna Hazare and his associates brought the government to its knees on the Lokpal Bill issue through a campaign on which a little over Rs 30 lakh was spent in the past one year.

According to details provided by 'India Against Corruption' (IAC), which spearheaded the campaign, it received a total donation of Rs 82,87,668 while it spent Rs 32,69,900 for the campaign.

"We have issued receipts to all the donors and have maintained a record of their details. We issued receipts on account of Public Cause Research Foundation which is acting as the secretariat for the campaign," an IAC spokesperson said.

According to IAC, they spent Rs 9,47,344 for tent, bed, sound system and hall booking for the Jantar Mantar protest and other programmes.

An amount of Rs 8,93,938 was spent on telephone calls while another Rs 4,61,382 was spent on travelling.

Rs 2,405 was spent on postage while the amount for other expenses were: Printing (Rs 7,32,624), food (Rs 81,751), medical expenses for those on fast (Rs 44,908), video- recording (Rs 11,755) and stationary (Rs 6,940).

Jindal Aluminium made the highest donation of Rs 25 lakh followed by an individual Surender Pal Singh (Rs ten lakh), Ramky (Rs five lakh) and Eicher Good Earth Trust and an individual, Arun Duggal, Rs three lakh each.

HDFC Bank gave Rs 50,000 to the movement while Carmel Convent School in Delhi donated Rs 20,000 for the IAC. The Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd shelled out Rs 10,000.

"We received a donation less than Rs 5,000 from 2,871 people which amounted to Rs 7,34,498," the spokesperson said.

Meet iTrevor, The Dancing Apple Store Boy

The Boy has already attracted a cult online following

By Rachel Quigley

A boy who videos himself dancing wildly in Apple stores is set to be the next YouTube sensation.

Trevor, or iTr3vor - his internet persona - has posted a number of videos on the site of him dancing to various popular songs.

He walks into the Apple store to use one of the many Macs they have available for public use, turns on the camera, introduces himself and the song before launching into his choreographed dance, much to the amusement of the Apple patrons around him.

Set up: Trever sets about his task and introduces his song, with a far from pleased customer looking on in the background

Throw some shapes: Trevor gets down on his Apple dancefloor while the bemused 'fans' look on in horror

Oblivious: the rest of the customers go about their business, seemingly unaware that Trevor is dancing wildly in the background

Many people ignore him, some look on in amusement, some even join in with his rauccous dancing. Apple workers tend to turn a blind eye to what Trevor does.

In one video, three girls in the background are obviously not impressed by his moves and are seen throwing him various looks of disgust and disparagement.

In the same video, an Apple worker eventually comes over and turns off the music, ruining Trevor's performance of the day.

In another, he is joined by a friend Spencer as they dance to Willow Smith's Whip My Hair.

Party pooper: An Apple store employee turns off the video, ending Trevor's fun and letting other customers enjoy their peace and quiet

Sad face: A disappointed Trevor tells fans his dance is over for today, but promises his fans he will back with more next week

Crazy: In another video, Trevor 'whips his hair back and forth' like Willow Smith

Trevor has already attracted a cult following and responds to requests from fans.

At the beginning of one video he says to the camera: 'Hi guys it's iTrevor, you wanted even more videos of me dancing in Apple stores, well here you go.'

He then launches into a Britney Spears dance.

His videos receive a varied number of hits, anything from 10,000 to 100,000.

His most popular video to date is his dance to failed American Idol contestant Rebecca Black, for which he drew more than 350,000 hits.

He even has his own website, mainly of he and his friend Spencer doing wacky things on camera, carefully edited by iMovie software.

According to his Twitter page, he is trying to draw the attention of chat show host Ellen de Generes and appear on her show as she is a fan of dancing YouTube sensations.

United Arab Emirated Unveils Luxury $18 Million Superbus

By Kate Midena

The Superbus was developed by former Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels and his team. Picture: EPA / Lex Van Lieshout

The bus is fully powered by electricity. Picture: EPA / Lex Van Lieshout

Tourists look at the first Superbus prototype, on display at the World Exhibition of the International Association of Public Transport in Dubai. Picture: EPA / Ali Haider

It looks more like the Batmobile than a bus, but visitors to the United Arab Emirates could soon be travelling at 255 km/h in this super-luxurious Superbus.

The most glamorous invention to hit the UAE to date, the Superbus was designed by Dutch astronauts over a seven year period.

Resembling an elongated limousine, the Superbus if fully powered by electricity, and was constructed with light carbon fibre materials to make it more energy efficient.
Coming in at close to $18 million to create, the Superbus measures 4.5m, has six wheels, 12 doors, and seats 23 passengers.

Inside each passenger will have a personal air bag, television and internet access.
The Superbus was unveiled at the World Exhibition of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) in Dubai by Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels, who was a mission specialist on the Challenger.

'The strength of the concept is that the Superbus can drive everywhere where a normal bus can drive," Mr Ockels told The Daily Mail.

The vehicle has adjustable height, rear-wheel steering and a turning circle of roughly 10m.

If it passes government inspections, it will go into service in popular areas around the UAE.

China Slaps Ban On 'Absurd' Time Travel

By Peter Farquhar

Time travel stories on TV are totally made up, say Chinese officials. Picture: Newmarket Films

It’s the basis for some of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time - The Terminator, Back to the Future, Black Knight, just to name a few.

But if you ever find yourself in China wanting to check out what Bill and Ted willn't be up to last week, forget it. Time travelling is banned.

In a bogus move by the Cultural Revolution-loving dudes at China's State Administration for Radio, Film and Television, it has been decided that TV shows that deal with changing history "lack positive thoughts and meaning".

"The time-travel drama is becoming a hot theme for TV and films," it says.

"But its content and the exaggerated performance style are questionable."

Some observers claim the real reason behind the ban is that the recent rash of TV time travel dramas focus too much on perceived happier times in the past for its citizens.

No dice, say the administrators.

"Many stories are totally made-up and are made to strain for an effect of novelty," they claim.

Time travel plots are made up? Go on with you.

No, it's true - "they casually make up myths, have monstrous and weird plots, use absurd tactics, and even promote feudalism, superstition, fatalism and reincarnation.”

So no Dr Who? (Or Amy Pond, for that matter.) Not quite.

They're guidelines only that "discourage" such content, rather than outright ban it.

But if you want to test out what the words "guidelines" and "discourage" mean when it comes to Chinese administration officials, be our guest.

Just make sure you've got a deranged inventor ready to fire up the flux capacitor if it all appears to have gone pear-shaped.

Not that they would know...

Where There's A Wheel There's A Way

Unicyclist who can reach 50mph and has ridden down 6000-metre volcano

Trekking across the world's harshest and most remote regions sounds like a tough enough challenge - but imagine doing the whole thing on a unicycle.

That's what Canadian Kris Holm has been doing in an unbelievable career which has seen him traverse the Great Wall of China and descend a 6000-metre volcano while riding on a single wheel.

And in 2010 Holm, who can reach speeds of 50mph, became the first unicyclist to reach the podium in an event against his two-wheeled cousins in the gruelling seven-day mountain BC Bike Race.

Kris Holm unicycles across the Great Wall of China. In 2010, the Canadian became the first unicyclist to reach the podium in an event against his two-wheeled cousins in the gruelling seven-day mountain BC Bike Race

As these breathtaking pictures show, he is not afraid of tackling any terrain - from perilous cliff edges to jagged mountain tops.

Mr Holm, 37, has travelled across some of the toughest terrains in the world, including Himalayan country Bhutan and the jungles of Bolivia.

Holm and his unicycle have travelled to some of the most remote regions of the world, including Himalayan country Bhutan and the jungles of Bolivia

He said: 'I do get some odd looks sometimes on my travels. They know me round where I live, but abroad people do give me funny looks.

'Actually in countries like Mongolia and Bhutan it wasn't necessarily because of the unicycle, they just shrugged me off as Western so I must be doing something weird.

'Some of them actually thought it was what Westerners do, ride unicycles all the time. If only that was the case.

'I have travelled on the Great Wall of China, descended down Licancabur, a 5950-metre volcano in Bolivia, and climbed the third highest mountain in North America.

'A unicycle can go just as many places as a two-wheeled bike. Obviously over a flat distance two wheels are faster, but actually up and down hill it doesn't make that much difference.

'I actually finished third last year in the BC Bike Race as the only competitor among 500 riders on one wheel, that was amazing.'

Holm started uni-cycling in 1986 aged just 12 after getting the bike as a present.

He said: 'I was like any kid, I just kept practicing and soon I was riding. Learning to ride a unicycle is just like anything else it's 95 percent practice.

'Where I live in Canada there is a lot of outdoors and I love to go out on the trials, so a lot of people are used to seeing me.

'When I first started unicycling I was probably one of the only people in the world to try and ride the same trials as two-wheeled bikes but now there are more and more people willing to give it a try.

'I also design my own unicycles which are made for those who want to give trialing a go, it's a lot cheaper than mountain biking to buy a unicycle so who knows maybe more and more people will do it.'

Holm has descended a 5950-metre volcano in Bolivia and climbed the third highest mountain in North America on his one-wheeled contraption

His talents saw him scoop the 2005 European, 2002 World, and 1999 North American unicycle trials championships.

Now he is planning to coax us all off to get off our bikes and onto one wheel in a brand new book about his adventures, Mountain and Trials Unicycling, set to be released this autumn.

He graduated with an MSc from the University of British Columbia in 2002, and works as a professional geoscientist in addition to managing his unicycling brand, www.krisholm.com.