Category Archives: GENERAL

Women use gossip to compete for a man’s attention

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Although both men and women gossip, women may be more likely to use gossiping and rumour-mongering as tactics to badmouth a potential rival who is competing for a man’s attention. Women also gossip more about other women’s looks, whereas men talk about cues to resource holding (e.g., wealth) and the athleticism of their competitors. According to Adam Davis of the University of Ottawa in Canada, gossiping is a highly evolved social skill and an intrasexual competition tactic that relates to women’s and men’s evolved preferences. He therefore sees it as essential for interpersonal relationships, and not a flaw of character. Davis is the lead author of a study in Springer’s journal Evolutionary Psychological Science that provides the first verifiable evidence for a positive link between intrasexual competitiveness, the amount of gossip that people take part in, and whether they are OK with such talk or not. Scholars agree that gossip has evolved as an efficient way to learn more about others, and to enforce group norms. It is also a method by which people can learn more about their rivals, and can call into question their reputation, especially when they are vying for the same romantically or sexually desirable mates.

In this study, 290 heterosexual Canadian students between the ages of 17 and 30 years old completed three questionnaires. One measured how competitive the participants are towards members of the same sex as their own, especially in terms of access to the attention of potential mates. The other questionnaires measured the tendency and likelihood of the participants to gossip about others, the perceived social value of gossip, and whether it is okay to talk about others behind their backs.

It was found that people who were competitive towards members of their own sex had a greater tendency to gossip. They were also more comfortable with the practice than others. Women had a greater tendency to gossip than men, and they also enjoyed it more, and saw more value in participating in such chit-chat. Men were more likely to gossip about the achievements of others. Such talk among women often targeted the physical appearance of another, and was used to share social information. Women also found gossip to have greater social value, which may allow them gather more information about possible competitors in the game of finding a mate. It may also help to hone their ability to gossip in future.

According to Davis, these findings provide evidence that gossip is an intrasexual competition tactic that corresponds to women’s and men’s evolved mate preferences. It also reflects the different strategies used by the sexes in their quest to find suitable mates.

“The findings demonstrate that gossip is intimately linked to mate competition and not solely the product of a female gender stereotype that may be viewed as pejorative,” states Davis, who believes that therapists, counsellors, educators, and the general public should rethink their stance about gossip. “It is a highly evolved social skill essential for interpersonal relationships, rather than a flaw of character.”

Trends, benefits, and costs of working remotely

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A new assessment indicates that working remotely is a growing trend, and while it is associated with higher organisational commitment, job satisfaction, and job-related well-being, these benefits come at the cost of work intensification and a greater inability to switch off. The findings are published in New Technology, Work and Employment.

“Work is gradually being detached from traditional places such as the office, factory, or shop. Our study also shows that employers benefit from increased effort as workers strive to show that working remotely is not a slacker’s charter,” said Prof. Alan Felstead, co-author of the analysis. “However, remote workers find greater difficulty in redrawing the boundaries between work and non-work life.

Black tea may help with weight loss, too

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UCLA researchers have demonstrated for the first time that black tea may promote weight loss and other health benefits by changing bacteria in the gut. In a study of mice, the scientists showed that black tea alters energy metabolism in the liver by changing gut metabolites.

The research is published in the European Journal of Nutrition.

The study found that both black and green tea changed the ratio of intestinal bacteria in the animals: The percentage of bacteria associated with obesity decreased, while bacteria associated with lean body mass increased.

Previous studies indicated that chemicals in green tea called polyphenols are absorbed and alter the energy metabolism in the liver. The new findings show that black tea polyphenols, which are too large to be absorbed in the small intestine, stimulate the growth of gut bacterium and the formation of short-chain fatty acids, a type of bacterial metabolites that has been shown to alter the energy metabolism in the liver.

“It was known that green tea polyphenols are more effective and offer more health benefits than black tea polyphenols since green tea chemicals are absorbed into the blood and tissue,” said Susanne Henning, the study’s lead author and an adjunct professor at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, which is part of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “Our new findings suggest that black tea, through a specific mechanism through the gut microbiome, may also contribute to good health and weight loss in humans.”

“The results suggest that both green and black teas are prebiotics, substances that induce the growth of good microorganisms that contribute to a person’s well-being,” she said.

In the study, four groups of mice received different diets — two of which were supplemented with green tea or black tea extracts:

Low-fat, high-sugar
High-fat, high-sugar

High-fat, high-sugar and green tea extract

High-fat, high-sugar and black tea extract

After four weeks, the weights of the mice that were given green or black tea extracts dropped to the same levels as those of the mice that received the low-fat diet throughout the study.

The researchers also collected samples from the mice’s large intestines (to measure bacteria content) and liver tissues (to measure fat deposits). In the mice that consumed either type of tea extract, there was less of the type of bacteria associated with obesity and more of the bacteria associated with lean body mass.

However, only the mice that consumed black tea extract had an increase in a type of bacteria called Pseudobutyrivibrio, which could help explain the difference between how black tea and green tea change energy metabolism.

Dr. Zhaoping Li, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, chief of the UCLA Division of Clinical Nutrition and the study’s senior author, said the findings suggest that the health benefits of both green tea and black tea go beyond their antioxidant benefits, and that both teas have a strong impact on the gut microbiome.

“For black tea lovers, there may be a new reason to keep drinking it,” she said.

The findings build on a 2015 UCLA study that demonstrated that both green tea and black tea helped prevent obesity in mice that consumed a high-fat, high-sugar diet.

Turtle Sanctuary to be set up in Allahabad

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In order to protect the rich aquatic biodiversity of river Ganga from escalating anthropogenic pressures, development of a Turtle sanctuary in Allahabad along with a River Biodiversity Park at Sangam have been approved under Namami Gange programme.

The project at an estimated cost of Rs 1.34 crore would include development of River Biodiversity Park at Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Sarasvati), establishment of a Turtle Rearing Centre (Permanent nursery at Triveni Pushp and makeshift annual hatcheries) and awareness about the importance of river Ganga and imperativeness of its conservation has been approved.

This project will provide much needed platform to make the visitors aware of their place in the ecosystem, their roles and responsibilities, improve their understanding of the complexity of co-existence with the environment and help generate awareness for reducing the impact of human activities on critical natural resources. The task of dissipating knowledge about river Ganga will be taken up ardently in this project, which is 100% centrally funded.

The sustenance of more than 2000 aquatic species including threatened gharials, dolphins and turtles in river Ganga exemplifies the rich biodiversity of this lifeline to over 40 per cent of the country’s population. Rivers Ganga and Yamuna at Allahabad are home to some of the most endangered fauna like turtles (Batagur kachuga, Batagur dhongoka, Nilssonia gangetica, Chitra indica, Hardella thurjii etc.), the National Aquatic Animal – Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica), the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and numerous migratory and resident birds.

Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 to be Held in Hyderabad, November 28-30

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A high-level delegation from the Government of India and the United States met today, at NITI Aayog to plan the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which will be held November 28-30 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad, India.

The Summit will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump, who leads the U.S. delegation.

The GES is the preeminent annual gathering of emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders from around the world. Through networking, mentoring, and workshops, the GES empowers entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, build partnerships, secure funding, and create innovative goods and services that will transform societies. This year, the focus will be on women entrepreneurs and the tremendous potential women bring to entrepreneurship.

GES 2017 will create an environment that empowers innovators, particularly women, to take their ideas to the next level. Women represent tremendous promise for economic growth and prosperity — but in both developing and developed countries, also face tremendous barriers to building businesses. This year’s theme is “Women First, Prosperity for All” to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in all its strengths and diversity.

GES 2017 will be attended by over 1600 delegates, including entrepreneurs and investors, CEOs of major knowledge-based industries, representing the full measure of entrepreneurial talent from diverse backgrounds across the world. The participants will be truly global, representing 160 countries, with representation from every region of the world. Entrepreneurs will represent a diverse range of geographies, industries, business size and scalability. Investors and representatives from organizations that support entrepreneurs will be hand-picked to catalyze investment, networking and mentoring. There will be special emphasis on empowering young and women entrepreneurs and the role they play in making communities more prosperous and secure through enterprise.

NITI Aayog is taking the lead in organising this Summit for the Government of India. Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog stated that this is a unique opportunity for Indian Startups and Innovators to interact and network with the finest entrepreneurs of the world. He acknowledged the support of Government of Telangana in hosting the Summit at Hyderabad, and said “India, the oldest civilization, welcomes civilizations from across the world to GES 2017. We need to harness technology to solve some of the most pressing problems in healthcare delivery, education, energy, safe drinking water and agriculture, among others for the benefit of communities at large. Innovation and entrepreneurship will play a decisive role towards this end. I am sure this will be a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to interact with the best.”

Jennifer Arangio, Senior Director at the National Security Council, The White House, said “The United States is proud to partner with India for this year’s GES. Uniting under the theme Women First, Prosperity for All, the Summit will highlight the Trump Administration’s commitment to the principle that when women are economically empowered, communities and countries thrive. Hosting GES in India is a signature of the broad and enduring partnership between our two countries. We thank our co-host, the Government of India, for their support, energy and hospitality, and look forward to a high-impact Summit that brings together ground-breaking U.S. entrepreneurs and investors with their counterparts from around the world.”

Innovations developed by entrepreneurs have transformed the world’s economies by creating jobs, increasing productivity, and improving the quality of life for people everywhere. The summit will primarily focus on four thematic sectors: Energy & Infrastructure, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Financial Technology & Digital Economy, and Media & Entertainment sectors.

The GES 2017 agenda consists of breakout sessions, master classes, and workshops. Three networking sessions are planned in the schedule to enhance opportunities to interact with other GES 2017 participants. The summit will have Breakout Sessions where panelists will discuss key themes, innovative industries, and other aspects of entrepreneurship that are being highlighted in GES 2017. Master Classes are immersive, and typically focus in depth on a certain topic. Workshops invite more hands-on, interactive conversations on a chosen topic between the panelists and the audience.

NITI Aayog and the U.S. Embassy are planning a series of ‘Road to GES’ events in collaboration with different agencies to generate enthusiasm and attract the attention of different stakeholders.

As part of the summit, there will be a virtual exhibition of India’s innovative prowess in collaboration with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. It is also proposed to showcase India’s heritage, social entrepreneurship and craftsmanship in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Culture.

For more information, visit www.ges2017.gov.in and www.ges2017.org

How much is that call worth?

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Call centres can be expensive as well as the source of lots of consumer angst. But companies can get more bang for their buck by doing a better job of coordinating marketing decisions that drive customers to call centres with operational ones about handling them once they get there, says a new study from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

The study, co-authored by Professors Philipp Afèche and Opher Baron in the Rotman School’s Operations Management and Statistics Area, and Mojtaba Araghi, an assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, provides an integrated marketing-operations framework to help companies design more effective service policies for their call centres and other service channels.

The framework builds on a theoretical model that maps the flow of new and existing customers through the call centre and their consumer decisions afterwards, based on their experience.

Unlike previous research, the model links call centre capacity, service quality and how that quality influences future consumer behaviour.

“Our model highlights that it is important for companies to be able to answer questions like: How does a particular customer behave if they don’t get served? What’s the chance that they will leave the company — or spend more, depending on the service quality they’ve received?” says Prof. Afèche. This can give companies insight into designing different service levels for different types of customers, depending on their value to the company.

Too often, says Prof. Afèche, call centres react in response to marketing decisions, rather than the two functions working together to determine which customers to target in a marketing campaign and what capacity needs to be there to serve them. Traditional ways of measuring customer value, meanwhile, can ignore how that value is affected by service quality, leading to poorer decisions about attracting and keeping them.

“Our model gives companies a more complete picture of the value of a customer,” says Prof. Afèche.

Getting things right at the call centre has been shown to be vital to businesses. Previous research has shown that companies use call centres for 80% of their customer interactions and 92% of customers base their opinion of the company on what happens during their call. Four out of ten customers who end their business with a company place the blame squarely on a customer service call that went badly.

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One hour of exercise a week can prevent depression

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A landmark study led by the Black Dog Institute has revealed that regular exercise of any intensity can prevent future depression – and just one hour can help.

Published today in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the results show even small amounts of exercise can protect against depression, with mental health benefits seen regardless of age or gender.

In the largest and most extensive study of its kind, the analysis involved 33,908 Norwegian adults who had their levels of exercise and symptoms of depression and anxiety monitored over 11 years.

The international research team found that 12 percent of cases of depression could have been prevented if participants undertook just one hour of physical activity each week.

“We’ve known for some time that exercise has a role to play in treating symptoms of depression, but this is the first time we have been able to quantify the preventative potential of physical activity in terms of reducing future levels of depression,” said lead author Associate Professor Samuel Harvey from Black Dog Institute and UNSW.

“These findings are exciting because they show that even relatively small amounts of exercise – from one hour per week – can deliver significant protection against depression.

“We are still trying to determine exactly why exercise can have this protective effect, but we believe it is from the combined impact of the various physical and social benefits of physical activity.

“These results highlight the great potential to integrate exercise into individual mental health plans and broader public health campaigns. If we can find ways to increase the population’s level of physical activity even by a small amount, then this is likely to bring substantial physical and mental health benefits.”

The findings follow the Black Dog Institute’s recent Exercise Your Mood campaign, which ran throughout September and encouraged Australians to improve their physical and mental wellbeing through exercise.

Researchers used data from the Health Study of Nord-Trøndelag County (HUNT study) – one of the largest and most comprehensive population-based health surveys ever undertaken – which was conducted between January 1984 and June 1997.

A healthy cohort of participants was asked at baseline to report the frequency of exercise they participated in and at what intensity: without becoming breathless or sweating, becoming breathless and sweating, or exhausting themselves. At follow-up stage, they completed a self-report questionnaire (the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) to indicate any emerging anxiety or depression.

The research team also accounted for variables which might impact the association between exercise and common mental illness. These include socio-economic and demographic factors, substance use, body mass index, new onset physical illness and perceived social support.

Results showed that people who reported doing no exercise at all at baseline had a 44% increased chance of developing depression compared to those who were exercising one to two hours a week.

However, these benefits did not carry through to protecting against anxiety, with no association identified between level and intensity of exercise and the chances of developing the disorder.

According to the Australian Health Survey, 20 percent of Australian adults do not undertake any regular physical activity, and more than a third spend less than 1.5 hours per week being physically active. At the same time, around 1 million Australians have depression, with one in five Australians aged 16-85 experiencing a mental illness in any year.

“Most of the mental health benefits of exercise are realised within the first hour undertaken each week,” said Associate Professor Harvey.

“With sedentary lifestyles becoming the norm worldwide, and rates of depression growing, these results are particularly pertinent as they highlight that even small lifestyle changes can reap significant mental health benefits.”

PM lauds the contributions of eminent personalities and groups towards Swachhta Hi Seva

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The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has lauded the contributions of eminent personalities and groups towards “Swachhta Hi Seva”. The nation-wide sanitation campaign “Swachhta Hi Seva” started from 15th September and culminated today, October 2, on Gandhi Jayanti, which is also celebrated as the Swachh Bharat Diwas.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister appreciated Sh Anupam Kher, Sh Mohanlal, Smt Chanda Kochhar, India Today Group, India TV News, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Indian Cricket Team, Sh Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Dettol India, NDTV, Reliance Foundation, Tata Trusts, Sh Akshay Kumar and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, for their support and efforts towards the Swachh Bharat Mission.

“Commendable gesture Anupam ji.

Excellent effort by noted actor @Mohanlal.

Important message by @CKforCleanIndia, who along with the @ICICIBank family has made vital contributions to Swachh Bharat Mission.

I laud the @IndiaToday family for the proactive steps to further awareness on Swachhata. Congrats to all #Safaigiri awardees.

Wonderful initiative by @indiatvnews. This will further spread the message of cleanliness across the nation.

I congratulate @SadhguruJV & the team of Isha Foundation for their exemplary effort to generate awareness on keeping our rivers clean.

Appreciable message by the Indian Cricket Team on making India Clean.

Good effort Rajeev ji.

I laud @DettolIndia & @ndtv for the initiative. This timeline has many inspiring efforts on cleanliness. https://twitter.com/swachhindia.

Laudable work by @ril_foundation across India towards a Swachh Bharat. Have a look at this timeline. https://twitter.com/ril_foundation/

Congrats @tatatrusts! Their Prerak initiative of a young professional in each district to support SBM is praiseworthy.

Well written @akshaykumar. Appreciate your steadfast support to the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Excellent effort by you and the Art of Living family! Together 125 crore Indians will create a Clean India.”, the Prime Minister tweeted.

Rajghat gets Mahatma Statue, for the first time

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Vice-President Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu unveils the 1.80 metre bronze statue

Interactive Interpretation Centre on the life and works of Gandhiji another new visitor attraction

Rajghat, the Samadhi of the Father of the Nation in the national capital , has for the first time acquired a new feature that could appeal to the large number of visitors. Vice-President of India Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu today unveiled a 1.80 metre tall bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of the 148 Birth Anniversary of the champion of country’s independence.

The statue, sculpted by the renowned Shri Ram Sutar is installed in the Parking Area of Rajghat Samadhi Complex at a cost of Rs.8.73 lakhs. It is mounted on a two feet high pedestal clad with granite. The famous message of Gandhi ji “Be the Change You Wish to See” is inscribed on the front side of the pedestal. Installation of the Statue is a part of a large number of improvement works at Rajghat undertaken during the last three years.

Over 10,000 people visiting Rajghat daily and foreign dignitaries pay homage to the Father of the Nation at the simple black stone platform marking the place where Gandhi ji was cremated. The new statue would offer another spot for them to pay their respect to the great soul.

Shri Venkaiah Naidu also inaugurated an Interpretation Centre in the Parking Area of the complex. The Rs.59 lakhs facility enables interactive learning about the life and works of the Mahatma through Digital Display using LED screens. Visitors can watch films, life events, listen to speeches of Gandhiji besides participating in quiz, using ear phones for interaction without disturbance.

The Samadhi Complex also got a new administrative block that is equipped with Visitors Room, Publication Unit, Staff Room, Drinking Water facility. This has been built at a cost of about Rs.75 lakhs.

During the last three years, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs and the Rajghat Samadhi Samiti have undertaken several works at Rajghat to enhance visitor experience.

Every Indian should become part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan: Vice President

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The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that every Indian should become part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, a “Jan Andolan”, with a missionary zeal so that the goal of a “Clean India” is achieved by 2nd October, 2019 – the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. He was addressing the gathering at an event to present the India Today Safaigiri Awards 2017, organized by India Today Group, here today. The Chairman of Living Media, Shri Aroon Purie was present on the occasion.

The Vice President said that Gandhiji accorded highest priority to sanitation and cleanliness and had famously said “Sanitation is more important than political freedom”. He further said that the cause of many of our diseases is the condition of our lavatories and our bad habit of disposing of excreta anywhere and everywhere. The dream of the Father of the Nation a ‘Clean India’ could be realized through ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’, he added.

The Vice President said that we cannot achieve sustained progress if we adopt a business as usual approach. He further said that we should collectively search for innovative solutions that will make a tangible difference to the lives of the people. This is the responsibility that everyone must take it as a sacred mission, not a mere job or chore, he added.

The Vice President complimented the India Today Group, under the leadership of ‘Swachh Bharat’ ambassador Shri Aroon Purie, for organising these Safaigiri Awards. He further said that media today holds enormous potential for influencing public opinion, and award events like these to give a big boost to all stake holders.

The Vice President congratulated all the India Today Safaigiri Awardees, and said that they are the true beacons of light who can become role models for other citizens to come forward to contribute to the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.

Following is the text of Vice President’s address:

“It is my pleasure to be here today, on along with friends from the media and other industries, to deliberate on issues related to sanitation and waste management, and take forward our collective mandate of a ‘Swachh Bharat’

Media today holds enormous potential for influencing public opinion, and award events like these to acknowledge and reward the efforts of proactive citizens and organisations will give a big boost to citizens and corporate houses to come forward to donate their time and efforts towards the cause of swachhata, and strengthen the government’s efforts at citizen outreach.

I commend the India Today group, under the leadership of Swachh Bharat ambassador Shri Aroon Purie, for organising these annual awards for the cause of ‘swachhata’.

I would also like to congratulate the awardees tonight, for they are the true beacons of light who can become role models for other citizens and organisations to come forward to contribute to the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Friends!

Gandhiji accorded highest priority to sanitation and cleanliness and had famously said “Sanitation is more important than political freedom”. He had also pointed out that “the cause of many of our diseases is the condition of our lavatories and our bad habit of disposing of excreta anywhere and everywhere”.

I have recalled these telling statements made by Gandhiji to drive home the point that the dream of the Father of the Nation could be realized through ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’ if everybody from celebrities to common man selflessly participate and take ownership of the programme, rather than treating it as a government-driven campaign.

According to UNICEF, good sanitation can save Rs.50,000 per year per family. Over 1,00,000 children die every year in India due to diarrhea.

Lack of sanitation also contributes to physical and cognitive stunting in children. Besides, women and girls face a serious threat to their safety when they resort to open defecation. These are all serious issues and can no longer be ignored by adopting a status quoist mindset.

A World Bank report had said that lack of sanitation costs over six per cent of our GDP.

Every Indian should become part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan – “Jan Andolan” with a missionary zeal so that the goal of a “Clean India” is achieved by 2nd October, 2019 – the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Ever Since Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan” with a call to achieve ‘ Clean India’ by 2019, there no doubt has been tremendous response from different sections of the people as also various State Governments, local bodies, public representatives, NGOs and local communities.

Overall, the Swachh Bharat Mission has made remarkable progress and has transformed the sanitation situation in the country.

The number of Indians defecating in the open in rural and urban areas is estimated to have reduced to 30 crore, from about 60 crore in 2014.

Over 2,45,000 villages, 1300 cities, 200 districts and 5 states have been declared open defecation free (ODF). All villages along the banks of the Ganga have been declared ODF.

Over 50% of urban wards have door to door collection of municipal solid waste. Nearly 100 megawatts energy is being produced from waste in the country.

Over 5 crore toilets have been constructed in rural and urban areas. There is some distance to travel, and we are all committed to achieving a clean and open defecation free India by October 2019.

This campaign aims to mobilise people from across the country, especially government functionaries across all levels, local leaders, youth groups, women, school children, defence personnel, corporate, celebrities, faith organizations and citizens

We cannot achieve sustained progress if we adopt a business as usual approach. We should collectively search for innovative solutions that will make a tangible difference to the lives of the people.

This is the responsibility that all everyone must take it as a sacred mission, not a mere job or chore. It is possibly the best and the most sincere tribute to the father of the nation who was so passionate about it.

It is an opportunity for each one of us to show that we care, that we care about our country and our fellow citizens.

Friends!

These kind of achievements are possible only when the community comes together to achieve public health outcomes through engaging and motivating public, generating demand for toilets and using them. Few such examples:

On this occasion let me share with you all the story of a spirited 105-year-old Kunwar Bai from Chhattisgarh. She is an inspiration for all of us to emulate. Her zeal and actions for a better life made her sell off all her goats to build toilets in the house. She was felicitated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister himself and is now the mascot for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

A teenager lavanya in Karnataka went on a 3-day fast demanding toilets in each house in her village. She finally called it off when officials promised to construct toilets in the village.

Dr.Manjula, IAS, the former CEO of Bangalore rural achieved ODF in 48 GPs in 6 months which was a record time in Karnataka.

16-year-old Mallamma from Koppal district in northern Karnataka recently went on a hunger strike to pressurise her mother to build a toilet at home.

Tanuja Gouda, who hails from Uttar Kannada district comes from an all-women household who dug the toilet pit all by herself investing in her family’s health.

Women and girls are taking a stand against marriage into families without toilet facilities.

It is relatively easy to build a road, bridge or an airport. But trying to change human behaviour is complex. The sheer scale of the operation makes it a gargantuan task.

While mass-media campaigns are useful, the real key to bringing about behaviour change on the ground is to have grassroots-level trained and incentivised motivators using interpersonal communication with villages and households to ‘trigger’ demand for toilets and cleanliness.

Beyond behaviour change and appropriate technology practices, it is also crucial that swachhta, or cleanliness, becomes ‘everyone’s business’.

To this end, all sectors, including the private sector, are increasingly getting involved to mainstream sanitation into their core work. The private sector is stepping up to the plate.

Friends!

Through the past fortnight under Swachata Hi Seva , several Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, State Ministers, MPs, MLAs and Sarpanches have offered shramdaan to inspire their constituents.

The Prime Minister himself offered shramdaan for the construction of a twin-pit toilet in a village in his Parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

Movie stars, sports personalities, corporates, artists and faith leaders have offered shramdaan in different parts of urban and rural India.

We have seen amazing examples of service for cleanliness even by the institutions which are the epitome of service – the armed forces and police forces across the country.

The first step towards a developed India is to create a clean and hygienic and therefore a healthy India. Let us ensure that this jan andolan intensifies every day and every citizen plays his part.

With the kind of leadership we have now in the country ,the near-unanimous support of political leaders across states, civil servants , people from all walk of life and, most importantly, the leadership of grassroots-level leaders like sarpanches, especially women, there is now a quiet confidence across the country that the Jan Andolan will succeed.

I hope that more media houses and corporate organizations come forward and join hands with the government, for it is only when each of us come together unitedly that our collective dream of a “Swachh Bharat’ can be met.

Jai Hind”

Spacex Founder Elon Musk’s BFR Mega Plan Not Practical in 50 Years

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Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, Australia, SpaceX founder Elon Musk revealed the hysteric side of his vision to transport passengers from New York to Shanghai in 39 minutes and sending humans to Mars in 2022 and not beyond as estimated.

“Most of what people consider to be long-distance trips could be completed in less than half-an-hour,” Musk said. Thundering applause to his vision was all that mattered instantly as global media went crazy to give the news headline status and now that the brouhaha subsided, the other side of the story is emerging.

Cost and benefit analysis has shown that the idea is as crazy as the initial failures that had beset SpaceX in its inaugural years.

Here is the time schedule making rounds for the flight at a maximum speed of 27,000 km/hr (17,000 mph) across the world:

* New York to Shanghai in 39 minutes
* Los Angeles to New York in 25 minutes
* Los Angeles to Honolulu in 25 minutes
* London to Dubai in 29 minutes
* New Delhi to Tokyo in 30 minutes

However, airlines industry has remained reluctant to respond as the aviation history is replete with many mega plans going bust before or after take off. The grounding of Concorde supersonic planes is not out of memory of many air travel experts.

Much before the birth of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Concorde aircraft flew for 30 years from 1976 to 2003 at a cost of $7000 for New York-London flight in 3.5 hours but crashes and safety concerns had cemented its commercaial viability assigning the aircraft to museums now. What Elon Musk is proposing is to bring down the time ten times down but leaving the big safety concern to what he aptly termed Big F**king Rocket.

Other concerns to such aviation plan have not come forth as analysts are still counting on its viability. What one could surmise at this point is that this hysteric plan is beset with flaws of unforeseen hurdles.

First of all, global cities are not in seas as rockets of SpaceX are designed to land on seas and not on landscape. The travel from cities to launchpad is not in Musk’s BFR plan still.

Secondly, safety concerns are given a go-by as SpaceX history is not without failures and no insurance company would come forward to foot the bill as crashes would frequently block any take offs.

Thirdly, the plan is commercially unviable as $2900 for any Trans-Atlantic flight may make the whole idea a luxury or once-in-lifetime experience for many. It may perhaps end up as a tourist attraction than a regular aviation mode.

Finally, Elon Musk is alone in his vision and not backed by other global billiionaires and not certainly by Branson-likes who would go planned to carry out such mega space projects. For now Musk should focus on Mars travel in 2022 than earth-bound unsafe space travel.

Defence Minister visits Ladakh, J&K

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Defence Minister Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman visited the forward locations of Leh, Ladakh and Siachen on Saturday, 30 Sept. to review the security situation in the area.

During her visit she was accompanied by The Chief of the Army Staff, The Army Commander, Northern Command and Corps Commander of the Ladakh Corps. The Defence Minister interacted with the soldiers in the remote areas of Siachen Glacier and conveyed her best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra.

Mrs Sitharaman also inaugurated a bridge on river Shyok on the road between Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) which was constructed by the BRO. During her visit to Leh she interacted with the troops of Indian Air Force at Air Force Station Leh. Defence Minister Visits J&K, Reviews Security Situation in Valley

On Friday, Mrs. Sitharaman visited the Chinar Corps in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) to review the overall security situation prevailing in the Valley. She was accompanied by the Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat, Northern Army Commander Lt General D Anbu and the Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen J S Sandhu.

She visited the forward areas and was briefed about the robust counter-infiltration posture along the Line of Control. The Defence Minister was subsequently briefed by the Army Commander in Badami Bagh Cantonment on the prevailing security situation in J&K and was given an overview of the counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist operations undertaken in the recent past.

She appreciated the effectiveness of the intelligence and operational grids and commended the troops for the excellent operational successes, which had contributed significantly towards a secure environment in the State.

The Minister complimented the commanders for the high level of synergy achieved with the J&K Police and Central Armed Police Force. Later in the evening, she called on Governor N N Vohra and also interacted with the Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti.

ARPAN Version 3.0 for Defence Security Corps Rolled Out

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Defence Security Corps personnel now have a software ‘ARPAN’ which shall ease personal documentation and all issues related to their progression as the software has been rolled out for faster access and retrieval of information, especially the pension.

The ARPAN software consisting of seven modules facilitates end to end human resource, financial management of Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks with major functional advantages of timely processing of postings, promotions, release of salary, publication of personal occurrences and processing of pension has been rolled out by DCOAS (IS &T) for the Defence Security Corps.

“The software provides valuable data for decision and policy making for the Defence Security Corps Directorate,” said a statement. After launch of this software, Defence Security Corps troops would be able to access their service profiles, statement of accounts and adjustment of allowances at par with the troops of Indian Army. The software has been developed by Tech Mahindra.

MRP Plus GST Display Allowed till December

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The government has allowed the manufacturers or packers or importers of pre-packaged commodities to declare the revised retail sale price (MRP) in addition to the existing retail sale price (MRP) for three more months from October 1 to December 31, 2017. Earlier, it was allowed for three months from 1st July 2017 to 30th September, 2017.

The government said the permission was given on account instances where the retail sale price of a pre-packaged commodity is required to be changed but not undertaken yet. The declaration of the changed retail sale price (MRP) was allowed to be made by way of stamping or putting sticker or online printing, as the case may be.

Use of unexhausted packaging material/wrapper was also been allowed upto 30th September, 2017 after making the necessary corrections. “Considering the requests received to extend the permission for some more time it has been extended to display the revised MRP due to implementation of GST by way of stamping or putting sticker or online printing for a further period of three months, up to 31st December, 2017,” said a statement by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

1 in 3 older adults take something to help them sleep but many don’t talk to their doctors

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1 in 12 people over age 65 take prescription sleep medications, which carry health risks for older people, U-M/AARP National Poll on Healthy Aging finds.

Sleep doesn’t come easily for nearly half of older Americans, and more than a third have resorted to some sort of medication to help them doze off at night, according to new results from the National Poll on Healthy Aging.

But most poll respondents said they hadn’t talked to their doctor about their sleep, even though more than a third said their sleep posed a problem. Half believe — incorrectly — that sleep problems just come naturally with age.

The poll was conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, and is sponsored by AARP and Michigan Medicine, U-M’s academic medical center.

Those who turn to medications may not realize that prescription, over-the-counter and even “natural” sleep aids carry health risks, especially for older adults, either alone or in combination with other substances. In fact, national guidelines strongly warn against prescription sleep medicine use by people over age 65.

Despite this, the nationally representative poll of people ages 65 to 80 finds that 8 percent of older people take prescription sleep medicine regularly or occasionally. Among those who report sleep troubles three or more nights a week, 23 percent use a prescription sleep aid. Most who use such drugs to help them sleep had been taking them for years. Manufacturers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say such drugs are only for short-term use.

Medication: not the only option

“Although sleep problems can happen at any age and for many reasons, they can’t be cured by taking a pill, either prescription, over-the-counter or herbal, no matter what the ads on TV say,” says poll director Preeti Malani, M.D., a U-M physician trained in geriatric medicine. “Some of these medications can create big concerns for older adults, from falls and memory issues to confusion and constipation,” even if they’re sold without a prescription.

“The first step for anyone having trouble sleeping on a regular basis should be to talk to a doctor about it,” she continues. “Our poll shows that nearly two-thirds of those who did so got helpful advice – but a large percentage of those with sleep problems simply weren’t talking about it.”

She notes that non-medication-based sleep habits are the first choice for improving sleep in older people. Sleep and health

In all, 46 percent of those polled had trouble falling asleep one or more nights a week. Fifteen percent of the poll respondents said they had trouble falling asleep three or more nights a week.

Other health conditions can contribute to sleep difficulties. Twenty-three percent of poll respondents who had trouble sleeping said it was because of pain. And 40 percent of those with frequent sleep problems said their overall health was fair or poor. Other reasons for sleep troubles included having to get up to use the bathroom at night, and worry or stress.

Insomnia and other irregular sleep patterns can interfere with daytime functioning, and are associated with memory issues, depression and an increased risk of falls and accidents. Even so, many said they didn’t see sleep issues as a health problem – in fact, this belief was the most common reason that poll respondents said they didn’t talk to their doctor about sleep.

This also highlights the need for doctors to ask their older patients about their sleep habits and what they’re doing to address any issues they may be having

“We know that sleep is a critical factor for overall health as we age, and this new research highlights sleep problems as both a significant health issue for older adults and an underacknowledged one both by patients and their providers,” says Alison Bryant, Ph.D., senior vice president of research for AARP. “We need to help people understand that lack of sleep is not just a natural part of aging.”

More about medication use

In all, 14 percent of the poll respondents said they regularly took a prescription sleep medication, prescription pain medication, OTC sleep aid or herbal supplement to help them sleep. Another 23 percent took one of these options occasionally; most of the occasional users said they chose OTC sleep aids.

The most recent Beers Criteria established by the American Geriatrics Society, which guides the use of medications among older people, gives a strong warning against use of prescription sleep drugs, which are sold under such names as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata.

Meanwhile, even though OTC sleep aids can be purchased without a doctor’s guidance or prescription, they still carry health risks for older people, Malani notes. Most of them contain diphenhydramine, an antihistamine that can cause side effects such as confusion, urinary retention and constipation.

Among poll respondents with frequent sleep problems who took something occasionally to help them sleep, OTC sleep remedies were the most common choice. But among those with frequent sleep issues who took something on a regular basis to try to sleep, prescription sleep medications were the most common option, with 17 percent reporting use.

Use of melatonin and other herbal remedies may be perceived as safer, but less is known about their potential side effects and they are not subject to the FDA’s approval process for medications, says Malani. But any issue that prompts someone to buy an OTC or herbal remedy on a regular basis is something they should discuss with their doctor, she adds.

The poll results are based on answers from a nationally representative sample of 1,065 people ages 65 to 80, who answered a wide range of questions online. Questions were written, and data interpreted and compiled, by the IHPI team. Laptops and Internet access were provided to poll respondents who did not already have it.

Computer scientists address gap in messaging privacy

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Researchers have developed a solution to a longstanding problem in the field of end-to-end encryption, a technique that ensures that only sender and recipient can read a message.

With current end-to-end encryption, if an attacker compromises a recipient’s device, they can then put themselves in a position to intercept, read and alter all future communications without sender or recipient ever knowing.

The new protocol, published in IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, forces attackers to leave evidence of any such activity and alerts users to take action.

Dr. Jiangshan Yu at the University of Luxembourg, Professor Mark Ryan at the University of Birmingham and Professor Cas Cremers at the University of Oxford, were motivated by the discovery of mass software vulnerabilities, such as the Heartbleed bug, that make the majority of devices vulnerable to compromise.

Dr Yu explained, “There are excellent end-to-end encryption services out there, but by definition they rely on your device itself remaining secure; once a device has been compromised there’s little we can do. That’s the problem we wanted to solve.”

Following Edward Snowden’s revelations about government mass surveillance, end-to-end encryption is now widely available through services such as Facebook’s WhatsApp. The approach uses pairs of cryptographic ‘keys’ for the sender to encrypt and the recipient to decrypt messages; anyone wanting to read your messages has to first hack into your phone to steal your latest keys. The attacker then performs a ‘Man-in-the-middle’ (MITM) attack, for example by taking control of your WIFI router to intercept your messages, and uses the stolen keys to impersonate you.

Current encryption protocols such as Signal used by WhatsApp make the most of the fact that a MITM attacker can only intercept messages sent via the compromised network. For example, as soon as you send a message via 3G rather than the compromised WiFi the attacker will no longer be able to act as an intermediary. They will lose track of the keys and be locked out of the conversation.

The solution, called DECIM (Detecting Endpoint Compromise in Messaging), addresses the question of what to do when the attacker is in a position to intercept all of your messages on a long-term basis. Both your Internet Service Provider and messaging service operator are in such positions – all your messages pass through their servers – so that if they obtained your keys, they would never be locked out of a conversation, and you would never know.

With DECIM, the recipient’s device automatically certifies new key pairs, storing the certificates in a tamper-resistant public ledger.

The team undertook a formal security analysis using a symbolic protocol verification tool, the ‘Tamarin prover’, which runs millions of possible attack situations, verifying DECIM’s capabilities. This is a rare step for a messaging protocol, and the same analysis for other protocols revealed several security flaws.

“There’s no silver bullet in the field of end-to-end encryption”, said Dr. Yu, “but we hope that our contribution can add an extra layer of security and help to level the playing field between users and attackers.”

Professor Mark Ryan, from the School of Computer Science at the University of Birmingham, said, “Our Security and Privacy group tries to solve problems that are important to society. Given the prevalence of cyber-attacks on phones and laptops, we are proud of this work on detecting when encryption keys have become compromised. Next, we intend to apply for this work on detecting encryption key compromise to applications, for example in blockchain or in Internet-based voting.”

CARA launches monthly “Jan Sampark” Program to facilitate adoption

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The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) of the Ministry of Women & Child Development has started a monthly “Jan Sampark” program to enable the public to have interaction with its officials and staff for seeking information related to Adoption as well as flagging their concerns.

The first of its kind programme was held in New Delhi yesterday. Nearly 150 Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs), Adoptive Parents and representatives of agencies participated in the session, which lasted for more than four hours.

Details pertaining to Immediate Placement and Special Needs Adoption Module of Child Adoption Resource Information & Guidance System (CARINGS) as well as the newly launched Grievance/Query portal were shared with all the stakeholders. Also many of the PAPs were counselled and motivated to go for adopting older children.

The event will now be a regular feature every month apart from the quarterly Facebook live chat by CEO CARA.

Government enhances superannuation age of doctors to 65 years

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A visionary and pragmatic decision that will strengthen the health services in the country: J P Nadda

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the enhancement of superannuation age of doctors other than doctors of the Central Health Services (CHS) falling under various Departments/Ministries/autonomous organisations, to 65 years. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda, welcomed the Cabinet decision and stated that it is a very visionary and pragmatic decision that will strengthen the health services in the country. “Through this forward looking step, the services of experienced doctors shall be available to bring quality health services to the people. It will help in retaining the existing strength of experienced doctors thereby providing better patient care satisfaction,” Shri Nadda added.

Terming the decision to be people-centered and pro-patient, Shri Nadda further stated that it will address the shortage of doctors. “This is a strong signal that the Government is taking all steps to enhance services/service delivery. This would also help in improving doctor-patient ratio in the country,” Shri Nadda said.

Speaking further on the cabinet decision, Shri Nadda said that the decision will help in proper academic activities in Medical Colleges as also in effective implementation of national health programmes for delivery of health care services. “The decision may not have much financial implications as large numbers of posts are lying vacant and the present incumbents would continue to work in their existing capacity against sanctioned posts. Around 1445 doctors of various Ministries/Departments of the Central Government would be benefitted,” Shri Nadda informed.

According to the Cabinet decision, the superannuation age of doctors under the administrative control of the respective Ministries/Departments [M/o AYUSH (AYUSH Doctors), Department of Defence (civilian doctors under Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Service), Department of Defence Production (Indian Ordnance Factories Health Service Medical Officers), Dental Doctors under D/o Health & Family Welfare, Dental doctors under Ministry of Railways and of doctors working in Higher Education and Technical Institutions under Department of Higher Education) has been enhanced to 65 years.

The Union Cabinet has approved ex-post facto, the enhancement of superannuation age of doctors working in Central Universities and IITs (Autonomous Bodies) under Department of Higher Education to 65 years; and approved enhancement of superannuation age of doctors in Major Port Trusts (Autonomous Bodies) under Ministry of Shipping to 65 years.

The Union Cabinet has approved that doctors shall hold the administrative posts till the date of attaining the age of 62 years and thereafter their services shall be placed in non-administrative positions.

 

Rescue of US citizen from Leh by IAF Helicopter

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On 26 Sep 17, the IAF was requested by US Embassy through Ministry of Defence to help in locating and rescue of US citizen Ms Margaret Allen Stone. Ms Stone had set out for trekking in the Ladakh region and had been held up in Zhingchan area at a distance of 75 Km from Leh since 06 Sep 17 due to injury. Her condition had deteriorated during this prolonged period of lack of care. She was in a critical condition. The US Government informed IAF of the situation in the afternoon hours on 26 Sep 17.

IAF responded to the situation with requisite alacrity. Exact location of Ms Stone was ascertained with the help of civil administration and by evening two IAF helicopters were able to locate Ms Stone in the valley. Ms Stone was brought to the safety of Leh hospital for medical care by sunset on 26 Sep 17.

President of India presents the National Tourism Awards

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The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the National Tourism Awards today (September 27, 2017) at a function held in New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. Its evolution can be estimated from the fact that the number of tourists all over the world has increased from 2.5 crore in 1950 to 123 crore in 2016. The tourism industry contributes 10.2 percent of the world’s GDP. It is estimated that every 10th person in the world works in the tourism industry.

The President said that in India too the livelihood of a very large number of people is linked to the tourism industry. In the year 2016, tourism’s contribution to GDP was 9.6 percent and 9.3 percent to total employment. The tourism industry can contribute significantly in generating permanent employment opportunities and eliminating poverty. According to an assessment, an investment of Rs. 10 lakh in tourism industry provides employment to about 90 people, while about 45 in agriculture, and about 13 people in manufacturing.

The President said that inclusive tourism development can strengthen inclusive economic development. Every citizen should strive to provide a good experience to tourists at his or her own level. In a tourism conscious society, the role of the government is only to provide direction and a facilitating environment.

The President said that ‘Adopt a Heritage Project’ which was launched today, with the efforts of the Tourism Ministry, Culture Ministry and Archaeological Survey of India, has great potential to make our rich and diverse heritage monuments, tourist-friendly. He expressed hope that this project will help in the maintenance of our heritage with a partnership of the public and private sectors.