Your love is lifting me higher

The world's tallest teenage girl walks hands in hands with her boyfriend, the picture of young love despite a staggering 1ft 4in height difference.
Elisany da Cruz Silva, 17, measures an unbelievable 6ft 8in tall and has to bend down to plant a kiss on her 4ft 4in lover Francinaldo da Silva Carvalho, 22.
The youngster, from Salinopolis in Brazil, has a form of gigantism because of a tumour on her pituitary gland, which regulates growth. Doctors have since removed the tumour.

The height of passion: Brazil's tallest teen, Elisany da Cruz Silva with her boyfriend, Francinaldo da Silva Carvalho in Salinopolis, Brazil

Loved up: At 6ft 8in-tall, Elisany towers over her smitten partner, who is just 5ft 4in

The aspiring model told Vietnam-based broadcaster BTV: 'What really attracted me was his personality, the way he acts with people and the way he acts with me.
'The only thing that really affects us is when we hang out holding hands - it seems like he is my little brother or son.

'But I didn't choose him, God did.'

Tender: The couple says the extreme height difference does not matter

Love no matter what: Francinaldo says his girlfriend, who aspires to be a model, is a 'beautiful person'

The pair are happy together and she loves nothing more than stooping to kiss him and giving him clothes from the top shelf which he cannot reach

Construction worker Francinaldo says his friends ask things about how he hugs her, but he tells them there is a way of doing everything.
He added: 'She is a beautiful person. She is tall but she is so pretty, with a beautiful face. I don't mind having a tall girlfriend.
'I feel free and relaxed as a person and don't care what people say.'

Condition: The pretty 17-year-old who aspires to be a model, has a form of gigantism caused by a tumour of the pituitary gland

Surgeons removed the tumour causing her height condition two years ago after her story was first publicised

Elisany was too tall to ride the school bus and says she left school because of teasing from classmates.
She added: 'It's hard when I'm inside home. I get distracted and hit the wood in the ceiling with my head.
Elisany lives in a small house with her sisters and mother Ana Maria Silva and step-father Luiz Jorge.
Her mother said: 'I want her be like the other girls because I know she feels weird and sometimes wants to be like them.'

Family: Elisany da Cruz Silva with her mother Ana Maria Ramos in Salinopolis in the north of Brazil

Elisany with her mother, Ana Maria Ramos, and sister, Meire. Her quick growth caused her migraines and pains in her limbs

Kelly Brook Wicked calendar shoot

It may not be the most traditional Mrs Claus outfit, but Kelly Brook's admirers certainly won't mind when they get their copy of her 2013 calendar.
Dressing up in an array of temperature raising outfits, this red number was by far the most festive and could very well be the picture to go with next December's page in her annual.
Wearing a lacy cape with matching hotpants, the model showed that although she has dipped her toes in the acting and presenting pool, Kelly's greatest assets are not her performance skills, rather those famous curves.

Festive: Kelly Brooks Mrs Claus outfit may be a little raunchier than tradition but those buying her calendar certainly won't mind

However racy the picture looks, there is something slightly spiritual about her pose.
Hands raised, facing upwards and held out on each side, the glamour model had a crimson crown of thorns positioned round her head, as though she was recreating an image of Jesus Christ.
Another reason why this shot may very well be for the twelfth month, when considering the son of God's birthday.

 

Putting up a fight: Kelly Brook shares raunchy snaps from her 2013 calendar shoot

A behind the scenes video - just over a minute long - documents the shoot,  beginning with a wet haired Kelly telling the camera: 'Hi, I;m Kelly Brook and welcome to my 2013 calendar shoot.'
It then cuts to montage of the stunning model in a range of barely there costumes.
In one scene the brunette star is dancing in a sports crop top with boxing gloves on as she shares a joke with those working on the shoot with her.

Baywatch: Kelly pays homage to Pamela Anderson in a very revealing red swimsuit as a wind machine blows her hair

Ready for action: Kelly poses wearing a pair of boxing gloves while her nipples are covered with gaffer tape

Viewers don't just see her in a range of sexy costumes, there are also glimpses of the star getting her hair and make up done.
In another scene she pays homage to Pamela Anderson's Baywatch character as she slips into a very high-leg red bikini.
And then as if there isn't enough flesh on the display, she pulls together the top half, so just her nipples are covered by the red costume.

Biker chic: Kelly wows in lacy leotard which is see-through as she sits on a motor bike

Wet look: The model slips into a pink swimsuit with a hose pipe in her hand, while she pouts for the camera

Wild thing: The clothes designer peels off her jacket revealing leopard print lining, she also has star transfers up her thigh

Kelly then turns up the heat even more in a see-through lacy leotard giving viewers a glimpse of her nipples beneath, which she wears as she straddles a motorbike.
A fan of fifties pin-up girls, she then wears a leopard print bra with a bow in her hair. As she turns around her bare bottom is revealed.
She then changes from pin-up to Hula girl wearing just a pair of knickers and a flower garland which just about covers her modesty.

Funky headdress: It's not all about her body as Kelly wears a large red headdress with matching red lipstick

American girl: The 33-year-old appeals to her fans across the pond in a stars and stripes tank top, as she hold a banana

According to The Sun a number of the images were deemed too raunchy to actually appear in her calender.
It seems the 33-year-old has spent much of this year in various states of undress.
Kelly took to the stage in November for a stint in London burlesque show Crazy Horse, in which she stripped off each night.
She also had a role in Keith Lemon: The Film and again spent much of the time in her underwear.
Apart from turning up the heat in her calender shoot amongst other things, Kelly has been getting into the Christmas spirit visiting Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park with her boyfriend Thom Evans.

Welcome: A wet-haired Kelly greets fans to her behind the scenes video

Made up: Kelly gets her hair and make-up done ahead of the shoot

Cheeky: As well as being very sexy, Kelly had fun on the shoot posing with a fake mustache on her finger

Hmar Rebels Start Talks With Mizoram

By Lalremlien Neitham

Aizawl, Dec 21 : The Hmar People Convention (Democratic) in its press statement yesterday informed that representatives of the HPC(D) and Mizoram government met at Silchar, Assam on December 13, 2012 to chalk out solutions for a peace dialogue between the two to solve the long pending political demands of the Hmars in Mizoram.

John F.Hmar, info & publicity secretary of the Hmar insurgent group said that before the Mizoram-Hmar political talks, Suspension of Operation (SoO) will be signed by both parties expectedly in January 2013 .

The HPC(D) however added that political dialogues cannot be held and no agreements will be signed without the HPC(D)'s Chairman H.Zosangbera, 'Army Chief' Lalropui his deputy Lalbieknung who are currently incarcerated in the Central Jail at Tanhril near Aizawl.

The Mizoram Police arrested the three leaders in June this year from Silchar & New Delhi airports.

The HPC(D) also said that it expects the Mizoram government to be honest and sincere in its approach to solve the Hmar political issues in Mizoram.

Manipur''s Gangte Tribe Attempts To Create Record in Bible Reading

Churachandpur (Manipur), Dec 21 : More than 7000 people from the Gangte tribe participated in a record attempt to mass read the Holy Bible at an event in Manipur in a bid to enter record books and get recognition for the community on a national level.

The event was organized in the state''s tribal dominated Churachandpur district where the Gangte people gathered to take part in the centenary gospel celebrations of the local church organization on Sunday.

About 7,047 people from the community gathered at a local ground for the event and read all of the 16 chapters from the Bible''s entire Book of Romans portion.

The event started at around 1.30 pm and the feat was completed in a span of about an hour.

The event was also organized in a bid to make it an entry into the Limca Book of Records and get recognition for the community on a national level.
The Limca Book of Records is India''s premier organization that keeps a data of records made by people in various feats throughout the country.
For most of the participants, the event, apart from a record attempt, has also helped in fostering societal bonds among the people from the tribe.
"This is an event of the Gangte, and it is part of the centenary celebrations. So we just want to try for the Limca Book of Records by reading the Bible by a number considering around
7000, through mass reading.
"And it is imparting a lot of education in the society for a better future especially in our community, that is Gangte tribe," said Albert Gangte, a participant.
The Gangte tribe, mostly Baptist Christians, is one of the many tribes in the state of Manipur that come under the umbrella category of the Kukis.

Manipur Actor Molested On Stage

By Kishalay Bhattacharjee

Chandel, Manipur: Momoko, a popular young actor in Manipur, was headlining a fund-raising concert in the state's Chandel town when a man climbed onto the stage.

"He was touching me. I warned him. Then he pulled my hair and threw me on the ground and repeatedly kicked me. He also hit me in the left eye," she said.

NDTV does not reveal the identities of women who have been assaulted, but Momoko requested that her identity not be concealed. She says she is determined to raise awareness of the violence women confront alone even in crowded places.

The man who she accuses of assaulting her is Livingstone Anal, a leader of the once-banned National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM), the armed militia now in a ceasefire with the government of India.

A co-performer who tried to help Momoko was shot at by Anal, but escaped unhurt.

Hundreds marched in the state capital of Imphal today to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh's office, demanding action.

Home Minister Gaikhangam has promised action, but the militant leader is yet to be arrested.

"When we asked the securitymen why they didn't help, they said they are on ceasefire. Does that mean a woman gets beaten in front of the police and they do nothing?" asked the actor.

Ceasefire rules prohibit armed militant groups from moving around with arms, but across the region they violate this with impunity.

US on Arunachal

As territorial disputes between China and its neighbours acquire a sharper edge, how America talks about them becomes an important part of the unfolding geopolitical dynamic in Asia.

In the East and South China Seas, which have become the new theatres of regional rivalry, Washington has carefully avoided backing the territorial claims of any of the parties — neither those of China nor of its allies. On the India-China border dispute, in contrast, we have been just reminded that Washington recognises India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.

During her visit to Guwahati last week, the US ambassador to India, Nancy Powell, reportedly said that the US acknowledges the McMahon Line as the legitimate border between India and China. Powell’s comments apparently came in response to questions from local reporters. The US envoy added that this is not a new American position and has been in place since 1962, when New Delhi and Beijing clashed with each other.

While that is a separate story in itself, Powell’s decision to reaffirm the US approach to Arunachal and the McMahon Line might be of some political significance. It has been years since the US formally articulated this long-standing position on the India-China border dispute. It is one thing for a country to have a position and entirely another for it to state it, or restate it, in public. What matters is the context.

At a moment when US-China relations have entered an uncertain phase, and the India-China boundary dispute remains unresolved, American support to India’s sovereignty over Arunachal adds one more layer to the complex triangular relationship between Delhi, Beijing and Washington.

Legacy of 1962

An American scholar, Jeff M. Smith, has recently published a brief account of how the Kennedy administration decided to back India against China on the McMahon Line.

As India-China tensions on the border began to boil over in 1959, Smith writes, then US Secretary of State, Christian Archibald Herter, made it clear that Washington did not take sides in the territorial dispute between India and China.

As push came to shove in 1962, US Ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith, pressed Washington to endorse Delhi’s territorial claims on the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), since renamed as Arunachal Pradesh. The US State Department was reluctant and instead proposed a “study” of the issue, a classic bureaucratic device to delay and deny change! Galbraith would not give up and got President John F. Kennedy to overrule the State Department.

A week into the war, Galbraith announced the following in Delhi on October 27, 1962: “The McMahon Line is the accepted international border and is sanctioned by modern usage. Accordingly we regard it as the northern border of the [North East Frontier Agency] region.”

Note that Galbraith’s statement 50 years ago, and that of Powell last week, are silent on the disputed western sector in Kashmir. Smith tells us that Galbraith was not convinced of India’s claims of sovereignty over Aksai Chin. Washington’s current position is that Aksai Chin is a disputed area that is claimed by India but administered by China.

Smith, a fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, concluded that American support to India’s sovereignty over Arunachal has been an enduring legacy from the Kennedy administration that has been forgotten in Washington, Delhi and Beijing. “Not really,” Powell is saying. The State Department, like any good foreign office, can always remember when it wants to.

Asian dilemmas

While the India-China border is relatively tranquil at the moment, the real challenge for US policy comes in East Asia, where China’s growing power is testing American alliances. America’s allies that feel bullied by China have no option but to rely on US power. But many in Washington, despite the recently proclaimed pivot to Asia, are concerned about giving a blank cheque to allies.

An American commitment that is too strong and open-ended, they worry, might encourage the allies to provoke China and drag Washington into a fight against Beijing over small islands that America has no real reason to bother about.

An ambiguous American commitment, on the other hand, would leave China free to take one small bite at a time, none big enough to provoke an American reaction. If America must carefully navigate between the dangers of “entrapment” and “abandonment”, China is unlikely to make it easy for the US.

The writer is a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, Delhi and a contributing editor for ‘The Indian Express’

Will The World End Today? NO CHEER UP

There has been tremendous speculation world over about a mythical catastrophe that would end the world today, Dec 21, the winter solstice day, predicted by the Mayan calendar.

Manipuri Arrested For 100-crore Marketing Fraud

New Delhi, Dec 11 : According to the police, the 23,000 victims of the alleged scam are from Manipur, a State from where the arrested person Ningombam Raju hails.

A young man, who allegedly duped people to the tune of Rs.100 crore by promising lucrative returns on their investments, has been arrested by the Delhi police.

According to the police, the 23,000 victims of the alleged scam are from Manipur, a State from where the arrested person Ningombam Raju hails.

“Raju played a pivotal role in luring people to invest in a bogus company called Welkin Real Tech Private Limited where he was employed,” said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

Mr. Yadav said the arrest was made at the instance of the Manipur police which had registered a case against Raju.

He said several persons from Delhi are involved in the scam. He, however, added that no complaint has been registered in Delhi so far against Raju or the company.

Raju had joined Welkin, a company based in Delhi and owned by Kishanveer, in 2010. The joining fee for the investors was fixed as Rs.1,500 and using one identity proof a member could invest a maximum amount of Rs.10 lakh.

“The company made a claim that the money invested by its members was being re-invested in real estate or share market,” said Mr. Yadav.

After amassing a huge amount of money from its 23,000 members/subscribers, Welkin Real Tech Pvt. Ltd. was shut down in February 2011. Following the closure, Raju remained underground for over a year only to resurface in April 2012. He later started another business.

The Manipur police, which had registered an FIR against Raju earlier this year, sent a letter to the Delhi police on December 7 informing them about his presence in and around the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border. Two days later, acting on a tip off the police arrested Raju from Kotla Mubarakpur.

Before joining Welkin, Raju had worked in several other companies including BBS (Base Business System) Marketing Limited owned by another Manipuri who allegedly used similar modus operandi to cheat people and this was where Raju allegedly learnt how multi-level marketing companies work, said the police.

Mr. Yadav added that Raju had also bought a couple of properties in Uttam Nagar in West Delhi. The Manipur police have been informed and the accused would be handed over to them in a couple of days, said Mr. Yadav.

Last month, the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police had arrested a couple for allegedly cheating over two lakh investors of Rs.500 crore on false promises of lucrative returns.