Messi arrives in Kolkata

KOLKATA: Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata on a silent, rainy night. His entry - in the wee hours of Wednesday - was far quieter than the one Diego Maradona met with during his visit here three years ago. That time, a crowd of a few thousand had waited patiently at the airport and lined the roads for over a good few hours, simply chanting his name.

Not that Messi would have minded this quiet entry at all. The attention-shunning little big star would have liked it that way, slipping in unnoticed like he does in opponents' territories on the football field. But imagine the tremendous physical strain on a global sport star. Where does he hide, when does he sleep? 

As dusk fell on Kolkata on Wednesday, he was back with the squad, ready for his first training under a new coach-smile on face, spring in step. This was after an emotionally-taxing Spanish League opener against Villarreal late on Monday-where he scored two and generally dictated the 5-0 demolition for FC Barcelona.

A remarkably fresh-looking Messi got off the bus in the hotel lobby after reportedly spending over a quarter of an hour obliging CISF personnel and their cellphone cameras at the airport arrival lounge. Accompanying him was teammate Javier Mascherano, who looked worse for wear, but then that is the same expression he carries to work too. Looking world weary is a part of Mascherano's job-description, just as it is Messi's to look like a happy puppy when there's the prospect of playing football in the near future-it's that crucial difference between destroyer and creator.

But then you can't wish away jet lag. Messi - after ordering a generous round of club sandwiches from the coffee shop at dawn - gave the noon press conference a miss. It left an entire 'world' which had arrived to see, hear, even touch the little genius, disappointed.

But they couldn't dwell on it for long as Alejandro Sabella, Argentina's new national coach, took it upon himself to fill two roles. In a long chat with the press that ranged over a lot of things, he summed up the Messi conundrum best. "Messi is a lot more important than me," he stated simply, and ahead of his first match in charge, Sabella, perhaps recognizing the magnitude of the task he has undertaken, went on to announce the little, big man as his new captain till the World Cup 2014.

Venezuela - who have had to pose as Paraguay in the posters that have lined the city - are enjoying the role of underdogs thrust upon them. A Latin American oddity - in that, they remain the only nation from the region to never have qualified for the World Cup - Venezuela will have to go that extra mile to win over the Kolkata fan, who swears by World Cup glory alone.

Yet, manager Cesar Farias, who joked that he always kept his luggage packed since the axe in South American football came with the job, insisted that the gap, barring Messi, between them and Argentina was decreasing, and it was only a matter of time before they would match them blow for blow.

In a world of non-stop play and ceaseless travel that are proving the demands of the modern-day global football industry, and Kolkata-with its rich traditional legacy of the game-is one of the once-distant outposts suddenly within touching distance. If India is the latest 'market' interest as the global football brands claim, then Kolkata is the first port of call.

This is a city going through its customary seasonal flux. The monsoon's retreating-making the sky a live canvas of crazy cloud play. The pujas are a month away and the pandals-all bamboo and coir skeletons-are already worming their way up. Tuesday was the last day of Eid fasting-and with the accompanying noise of an out-of-schedule Salman Khan release the next day-comes this impending prospect of a football carnival. Chants of "Messi, Messi" are already renting the air.

Chilli variety brings pride to Ukl village

 

IMPHAL, Aug 31: Around 5 tonne of Chillies have been produced in the 2nd Hathei Phanit (Chilli festival) which  was held at Sirarakhong village with the stated objective of promoting a variety of Chilly grown in the village which is known for its taste and look.

Sirarakhong village is located around 60 kms from Imphal, close to the road connecting Mahadeva and Pfuzero via Tolloi under Ukhrul district.

It is said that the cultivation of the  particular Chilli variety found in the village started since the days of yore by the forefathers of the villagers and they still continue with the practice reaping rich dividend year after year.

Unfortunately, major chunk of the production could not reach the markets at Imphal on account of the deplorable road condition. In such a situation, the Chillies produced in Sirarakhong village is taken to  neighbouring Nagaland and other States including Assam where there is great demand.

Taking up the onus of promoting the Chilli variety known for its taste and looks, Sirarakhong Shanao Long  has been organising Hathei Phanit (Chilli festival) since last year.

During the 2nd Hathei Phanit which was underway at the village today, many people who understand the quality of the Chilli variety turned up from different parts of the State to make purchases of the Chilli and its products  made from it to their hearts’ content.

The inaugural function of the festival was attended by Senior Scientific Officer of Environment and Ecology Wing Preshaw Shimray as chief guest and Ringui Awunga  AS Atem as guest of honour. The function commenced with the welcome song presented by students of Sirarakhong Model School and it was followed by the key note address of the festival delivered by president of Sirarakhong Shanao Long. Later, addressing the gathering, Senior Scientific Officer Preshaw Shimray observed that it is the duty of the present generation to preserve and promote the cultural heritage bequeathed by our forefathers. Instead of running after Govt jobs, educated unemployed youths in the village should also contribute their mite in the preservation of cultural heritage, the officer said, while pointing out that increasing the production of the high quality Chilli variety found in the village would help in generating income not only for the family but also for the State as a whole.

At the occasion, cultural dances were also presented.

Afterward, the chief guest led other dignitaries in inspecting the stalls participating in the festival.

Assam Rifles Crackdown on supporters of SHDDC

 

IMPHAL, Aug 31: Tension ran high at Gamgiphai today following confrontation between Assam Rifles personnel and supporters of Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee.

Two Assam Rifles officers, who not only led a crackdown against women protestors enforcing economic blockade along National Highway 39 over the Sadar Hills district demand at Gamgiphai were also detained by agitated protestors.

The personnel allegedly molested the women.

The two officers were, however, let off later on.   

According to a senior police officer of Senapati District Police, who was  present at the site of the incident when a media team from Imphal  reached there, two personnel of 43 Assam Rifles in civvies were coming on a motorcycle from Motbung and heading towards Sekmai side when the women blockade supporters stopped them for entry and verification.

But the two personnel started threatening and using abusive words against the women protestors.

The conduct of the two personnel infuriated the protestors all the more leading to a highten tension in the area.  The two personnel, however, managed to escape from wrath of the protestors. One Akim, a woman protestor recalled that not long after this incident, a team of 43 Assam Rifles personnel in uniform led by their post commander arrived in a Gypsy and started chasing the women protestors. They also beat up and molested some of the women protestors, Akim alleged, claiming that at least 8 women sustained injuries while 3 others were molested in the ensuing crackdown of the Assam Rifles.

Infuriated at the conduct of the Assam Rifles personnel, agitated people overpowered two AR officers and attacked some other personnel who rushed in as reinforcement.

Vahchin Haokip, another woman protestor, said ‘we are only demanding district status for Sadar Hills and have no conflict with the Assam Rifles. We don’t hinder the movement of AR personnel in uniform. But  the conduct of the two AR personnel who came riding a motorcycle and flex their muscles apart from using abusive language against the women protestors infuriated the people’’.

According to information received by press, the two AR officers who were detained by the protestors were released late evening after their CO concerned tendered an apology late and gave the assurance of taking up necessary action against the two officers for their rude conduct.

Ex-MP and president of Trinamool Congress, Manipur unit Kim Gangte played a major role in bringing about an amicable solution between the two parties.

Multiple landslides cut off villages in Nagaland

Dimapur, Aug 31: Multiple landslides and land sinking occurring in the approximate 91 kilometer stretch of foothill road between Bokajan-Wokha road due to incessant monsoon rains have cut off a number of villages from access to the district headquarters since June.

Around 18 villages under Ralan area which lies between Bokajan, Assam and Wokha, Nagaland have been severely affected because of the landslides.

According to the affected villagers there, there are more than 60 landslides which include more than 20 major ones on the road from Wokha-Yanthung-Meryan-Totsü-Hangkuo Yankely-Ralan New till Ralan Old.

In around 10 areas on that stretch of road which is 91 km approximate, major land sinking is taking place, it has been reported. The particular road considered as a life line since the odd 18 villages under Ralan area will have to take the alternate route via Bokajan-Dimapur-Kohima to reach Wokha which takes more than 12 hours by private vehicle and 24 hours if it’s a commercial bus. However, finding transportation is another thing to worry about, which has put these villagers in dire straits during emergency situations.

Otherwise, it’s just around 5 hours trip from the last point of the affected village Ralan Old till Wokha town. And with no government assistance coming in despite the frequent outcry, most of the road maintenance, inconsequential though it may be, is being done by the villagers.

M Odyuo, president VDB&VCC Union, Wozhuro-Ralan Block while highlighting the grievances faced by the people of the affected area said the state government and the concerned department earnestly need to immediately look into the matter and redress the problem faced.

Apart from the landslides, the road in many areas has become virtually untraceable because of thick vegetation due to lack of maintenance, he stated.

The block VCC president said some funds were allotted to contractors last year for maintenance of the road, however with the funds not enough, major repair could not be done and this year’s torrential rains have completely cut off the road in the said Bokajan-Wokha road.

Citing instance on the plight faced by people of that area, Odyuo said VDB and VCC representatives of Wozhuro-Ralan block were forced to travel all the way to Wokha via Bokajan-Dimapur-Kohima to attend a meeting because of the road despair.

The meeting was called to discuss on access and redress of the road blockade of the Wokha-Bokajan road cause by severe perennial rain.

In this connection, the VDB&VCC Union, Wozhuro-Ralan Block today appealed the concerned authority to kindly under take necessary action for removal of the land slides and clearing of the side drains and also for the clearance of the jungles through the entire road in the hill section and to restore the connectivity at the earliest.

It should also be mentioned that the Ralan Area Students’ Union (RASU) lamented that nothing has been done for the said area despite the Governor of Nagaland declaring villages of Lotha lower ranges as backward in the year 1986.

“There are more than 60 landslides between old Ralan to Hankvü for which 6 villages are cut off from both ends. Some villages maintain the road from the village fund and can not afford any longer”, RASU had added.

Justin Bieber uninjured after Honda Civic crashes into his Ferrari in Los Angeles

TEEN pop idol Justin Bieber was involved in a minor car crash in Los Angeles today, when a Honda Civic collided with his expensive black Ferrari.

Los Angeles Police Department officials told theLos Angeles Times the crash occurred in the San Fernando Valley, but did not specify exactly where or when.

"No one was injured and there was no damage to either vehicle," the department said in a statement.

Police told Access Hollywood that the 17-year-old singer was driving his Ferrari at the time of the accident and had his assistant riding with him.

Witnesses to the accident told another celebrity news website, TMZ, the Honda "tapped" Bieber's Ferrari so gently that there was no need for either driver to exchange details.

 

 

Singer Justin Bieber (L) and singer/actress Selena Gomez arrive at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on August 28, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Suicide car bomb kills 10 in southwest Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan — A suicide car bomber attacked Shiite Muslims in southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday as they were heading home after morning prayers at the start of an Islamic holiday. The blast killed 10 people, officials said.

The attack occurred in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Baluchistan is believed to be home to many Taliban militants who have targeted Shiites in the past. Extremist Sunni Muslim groups like the Taliban view Shiites as heretics. 

The bomber was apparently targeting a Shiite mosque but could not get close enough because the road was blocked, said Quetta police chief Ahsan Mahboob.

Instead, he detonated his explosives in a parking lot nearby, Mahboob said.

It is unclear how many of the 10 people killed were Shiite worshippers or others who were hit by the blast as they were passing by, said Mahboob. The blast also wounded at least 17 people and damaged nearby vehicles and buildings, he said.

The attack was a somber beginning to Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that comes at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. In Pakistan, the three-day holiday started Wednesday while in many other parts of the Muslim world it began on Tuesday.

Many analysts believe Baluchistan is home to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and fighters have used the province as a convenient gateway to attack foreign troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government has also fought a decades-long insurgency in Baluchistan waged by nationalists who demand a greater share of the province's natural resources

 

Zeliangrong raised strong objection to separate Kuki district

Dimapur, August 31: The Zeliangrong community of Assam, Manipur & Nagaland today had strongly objected the “Kuki demand for ‘Sadar-Hills District’” out from land traditionally held and owned by Nagas. The Zeliangrong Union addressed a representation to the chief minister of Manipur today cautioning that “we cannot tolerate the politics of conversion of our lands into Kuki district or Kukiland.”

The Zeliangrong Union questioned the demand by a community that had migrated from Twelpi of Chin-Hills of Burma, crossed over the southern border of Manipur and settled at ‘Mombi’ (on the south-east of Tengnoupal area), 165 years ago in 1845, during the reign of King Nara Singh of Manipur.
“As before, the Kukis has once again submitted a memorandum to the President of India, for a district of Sadar-Hills.  The Zeliangrong Nagas as well as other Naga groups of Manipur have always been against this Kuki demand for a Sadar-Hills District -- for the reason that the lands (areas) of Sadar-Hills originally belong to the Naga districts of Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul and as such the areas should not be conceded for Kuki political interests which include their aspiration for a Kuki home-land and state,” the union said. Besides, the representation said, the “Kuki demand” will also affect the interest of the Meitei and the territorial integrity of Manipur state itself.
The union also elaborated on the background of the demand for a ‘Sadar-Hills district.’ “It is a historical fact that in Manipur the Nagas in the surrounding hills (including the Sadar-Hills) and the Meiteis in the valley are autochthonous people and have been  living there as owners of the land for thousands of years since time immemorial, even before the founding of Manipur kingdom by Pakhangba in 33 AD. So, how the Kukis who migrated from Burma (Myanmar) into Manipur in the recent history, could claim Sadar-Hills as their home district or home-land,” the union said.

The Zeliangrong Union also referred to the report “Chin Hills-Manipur Boundary Commission, 1894” where , the Kukis (Thadou Kukis), about 1500 in number, migrating from Twelpi of Chin-Hills of Burma, crossed over the southern border of Manipur and settled at ‘Mombi’ (on the south-east of Tengnoupal area), 165 years ago in 1845, during the reign of King Nara Singh of Manipur.
“The then British Political Agent in Manipur Major McCulloch allowed them to settle there on the condition that they (the Kukis) should serve as ‘sepoy villages’ to prevent other immigrants from Chin-Hills from across Manipur border,” the union said in its representation.
The Zeliangrong Union reiterated its demand for restoration of various parts of “Sadar areas” to their respective parent districts of Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Senapati. “This will be the right and lasting solution for the controversial Sadar-Hills issue. The Nagas can live peacefully with the Kukis, Nepalis and other communities of the said areas; but we cannot tolerate the politics of conversion of our lands into Kuki district or Kukiland,” the representation added.

Goods trains collide, one dead, four trapped in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR: Two goods trains collided in Orissa's Keonjhar district early today killing one of the drivers while four others were trapped in the wreckage.

The mishap took place near Tangiripala station between Keonjhar and Banspani when an iron ore-laden train proceeding from the district rammed into an empty goods train approaching from opposite direction, railway officials said.

While the body of the driver of one of the trains was recovered, the fate of four others was still unknown as they were trapped in the wreckage and rescue operation was on in full swing, a senior East Coast Railway (ECoR) official said.

There were five persons including drivers and assistant drivers in both the trains, he said, adding engines of the trains were badly damaged and gas cutters and other equipment were being used to extricate those trapped.

Earlier, railway sources had said that one person was killed and four others were seriously injured in the mishap.

"Rescue and search operation is in progress and it is difficult to ascertain the fate of those trapped," ECoR sources said.

Senior railway officials including divisional railway manager (Khurda division), Sanjay Garg, have rushed to the spot to supervise rescue and service restoration work.

Following the mishap, Inter-City express trains between Puri and Banspani have been cancelled, the sources said, adding there was little impact on rail traffic as the route is mostly used for goods trains to carry minerals.

Efforts were on to ascertain the circumstances that led to the mishap, they said.

Irom Sharmila looks forward to Anna visit

IMPHAL: Irom Sharmila Chanu, who is on an indefinite fast for the last 10 years seeking repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, has expressed gratitude to Anna Hazare for deciding to visit Manipur to support her campaign.

"If he comes to support my stir, it will be really good for the people. It's up to his conscience whether he would fast or not. But I will not insist him to do so," the Iron Lady said. 

A core committee member of India Against Corruption has already said Anna would soon visit the state to support Sharmila's cause. Notwithstanding the media report of the Gandhian's visit, Sharmila also invited Anna to join her campaign against Afspa in Manipur.

Demanding repeal of the army Act that gives sweeping powers to the armed forces to the extent that they can even shoot persons on mere suspicion, Sharmila is on a fast since November 5, 2000. She took the step a couple of days after Assam Rifles jawans mowed down 10 civilians at Malom village in Imphal West.

At present, she is being forced-fed through her nose by the government at the security ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, close to her Konpal Kongkham Leikai residence in Imphal East.

Minutes before being remanded in judicial custody by an Imphal court on Tuesday, Sharmila expressed her desire to call UN Commission of Human Rights to see for itself gross violation of human rights by security forces in the country and Manipur in particular.

"It's up to God's will that AFSPA would be scrapped and for me I'll continue with my mission against the draconian Act," she said.

Earlier, Team Anna's core committee member Arvind Kejriwal had invited Sharmila to join Anna's agitation at Ramlila ground. While supporting Anna's movement, Sharmila had said she could not join him in Delhi as she was in judicial custody and state authorities would not allow her to leave Manipur. She, however, expressed solidarity with Anna's cause from Imphal.

As decided by the Just Peace Foundation (JPF), a trust formed for Sharmila's cause, it sent its coordinator, Seram Rojesh, to join Anna rally on the Ramlila Maidan. Hordes of film personalities, including Amir Khan, civil society leaders and academicians had also extended support to the fight of the Iron Lady.

Last Sunday, Seram quoted Aamir as saying, "The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, should be repealed and I support Sharmila's crusade." On being briefed about Sharmila's condition, the Bollywood actor, who's in New Delhi to support Anna's cause, said, "Let's think what I can do for Sharmila."

Social activist Medha Patkar is also said to have told the JPF that they would support Sharmila's fight against the military act.

CRPF jawan injured during encounter

JORHAT: A CRPF personnel was injured critically during an encounter with Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigres (KPLT) militants in the Kakochang area of Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Monday night.

The jawan was identified as Dipak Mitra and is currently undergoing treatment at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH). Doctors said his condition is stable and he is out of danger.

Police said the encounter took place at around 10.15pm on Monday when a group of CRPF Cobra team launched a search operation in the Kokachang area in Karbi Anglong against KPLT militants. "Heavily armed KPLT rebels fired at the CRPF personnel injuring a jawan critically," said Bokakhat police station OC Rajen Moran. JMCH official Anadar Neog said, "The jawan was admitted to the hospital on Monday night with bullet injury."

A senior police officer of Karbi Anglong said a group of KPLT, comprising 25 militants, has been taking shelter in the Kakochang area for the last few months using the area as a safe heaven.

Assam duo aims record by floating on water for 108 hrs

GUWAHATI: In a bid to popularize a unique yoga technique, Plavini Pranayam, a city duo plan to create a world record by floating on water in a sitting position for the longest time ever. Munidra Sarma and Hitesh Sarma of Nalbari are now practising a hundred-hour long 'float on water' show and get their names into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The duo on Tuesday demonstrated a five-hour long show at Bimala Prasad Chaliha Swimming Pool in Nehru stadium here, where they floated in the pool to impress the crowd. Munidra and Hitesh have announced they will set a record by floating on water for 108 hours by the end of this year and have already contacted the Guinness World Records authorities.

"We have been practising Plavini Pranayam since 1995. It is a yoga breathing technique that allows experts to float on water after years of practice. We perfected this pranayam technique only in 2007. Now, we want to popularize it by setting a world record by floating for 108 hours," said Munidra.

The Guinness authorities are expected to give Munidra and Hitesh a place to demonstrate their art within the next month. "We will need a pond or a stagnant water body to demonstrate this unique yoga art. The place where we will be setting the record has not been decided yet. During the time of our demonstration, we will not take any kind of food as Plavini Pranayam allows one to go without food for days. It also helps blood circulation, cleans all the internal abdominal organs effectively and counters diseases," said Hitesh Sarma.

The duo has already showcased Plavini Pranayam in places like Chandan Sarovar, Kamakhya temple, New Delhi, Puri and many other places. "Yoga is a poplar form of exercise in today's world. But yoga can give one more than just physical fitness. It's a dedication and inspires you to go beyond physical limitations," said the duo.

Windows 8,sneak peek! Whats hot in 8!

Microsoft provided another glimpse at changes coming with the next-generation of  Windows software that powers most of the world's computers.


Microsoft is making major improvements to a key Windows Explorer file management program to enhance how it interacts with the coming Windows 8 operating system, according to Windows division president Steven Sinofsky.

"Windows 8 is about reimagining Windows, so we took on the challenge to improve the most widely used desktop tool (except maybe for Solitaire) in Windows," Sinofsky said atop a blog post detailing Explorer modifications.

"Windows Explorer is a foundation of the user experience of the Windows desktop and has undergone several design changes over the years, but has not seen a substantial change in quite some time," he added.

A control "ribbon" for commands was added to make them more easily accessible to people other than "power users" familiar with Windows Explorer shortcuts.

Engineers set out to "return Explorer to its roots as an efficient file manager and expose some hidden gems" in the form of handy commands many people may not know, according to Alex Simmons of the program management team.

Microsoft in June provided the first sneak peek at the successor to Windows 7, a next-generation operating system designed to work on both personal computers and touchscreen tablets.

Sinofsky demonstrated some of the features of the operating system code-named "Windows 8" at a D9 technology conference hosted by All Things Digital.

" Laptops, slates, desktops -- all can run one operating system," Sinofsky said.

"Windows 8" builds upon many of the features in Microsoft's latest mobile operating system for smartphones, Windows Phone 7, including the use of touch "tiles" instead of icons to launch and navigate between applications.

Microsoft has promised to reveal more features of Windows 8, which uses Internet Explorer 10 as a Web browser, at its developers conference in Anaheim, California, opening on September 13.

China ship with 22 labs spied on India

By Sudhi Ranjan Sen | August 30, 2011 22:09 IST

New Delhi: India detected a Chinese spy ship disguised as a fishing trawler in the Indian Ocean a few months ago. By the time ship figured in the Indian radars, it had operated already for about 22 days and was positioned off-the cost of Little Anadaman - an area which is considered sensitive and crucial in the ongoing battle for supremacy over the Indian Ocean region between India and China.

Immediately after detection an Indian Navy Ship was sent after it. However, since the Chinese ship was in international waters, no punitive action could be taken against it. The Indian Naval ship, instead, tailed the Chinese ship sending out a clear message that India was aware of its actual mission. In order to avoid the Indian Navy tail, the Chinese Ship moved towards Sri Lanka and docked at the Colombo. Inquiries by the Indian security agencies revealed that ship as many as 22 Laboratories on board.

A report sent up to government, which NDTV has access to, claims that the Chinese ship was mapping the Indian Ocean and picking up crucial Bathymetric data. Other Laboratories on board the ship were designed to collect data on the currents of the Indian Ocean, the temperature at various depths and also very crucially, underwater obstructions and obstacles. Bathymetric data is crucial for submarine and Carrier based operations. Information about ocean currents, on the other hand, is crucial if torpedoes are to be used.

Why does China need this data?

India's assessment is China will be able to carry out Aircraft carrier based operations by 2017. China doesn't have an operational aircraft carrier yet. The collection of data from the Indian Ocean is designed towards this. Once the Chinese Carrier Battle Group is ready for operations the Indian Ocean region will be one of the main focus areas of China. This will not help China secure the shipping lanes that carry its exports towards Europe and North America but protect oil and coal imports. However, the presence of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean region cannot be altogether benign for India. In fact the presence of a Carrier Battle Group in Indian Ocean region is a serious military threat for India. Chinese ground forces already have an edge over their Indian counterparts along the land borders. Chinese naval presence in Indian Ocean region is, therefore, a cause of serious concern for India.

China monitors Indian missile programme

What is also worrying Indian security agencies is the presence several Chinese fishing trawlers along Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast during test launches of missiles. All Indian missiles are tested from Wheeler Islands. Security agencies have told the government that fishing trawlers are most likely monitoring the Indian missile test launches and colleting telemetric data of the missile. Telemetric data is crucial to build effective counter measure against missiles.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/china-ship-with-22-labs-spied-on-india-130174&cp

Chinese Man Paying for Car with Coins Hits Unexpected Snag

Most people tend to think that since coins are legal tender, they should be allowed to pay for whatever they want with them, regardless of the price. For one man in China, he learned that this is only half true.



A man named Wang purchased a car at a dealership in Xianyang City, located in the Shaanxi province of Northwest China on August 1. Instead of depositing the coins he’s earned as a flour wholesaler over the past year, he rolled all of them up and used a van to bring them to the dealership.

The coins, which were comprised of one-yuan, 10-cent, and 50-cent denominations, weighed about 300 kilograms. Unfortunately, Wang hit a snag with the dealership when it was unable to find a bank to take in the entirety of the payment. One bank agreed to take just a quarter of the coins and begun the counting process.

Sadly, Wang is carless until he or another bank is willing to count all of the coins. Next time, go with a check.

Arsenal offers free away clash ticket to fans after humiliating Man U loss

 

London, Aug 30: Arsenal isoffering fans a free ticket after the humiliating 8-2 Premier League defeat to Manchester United.

According to the Sun, all 3,000 Gooners who paid up to 52 pounds a ticket for Sunday's trip to Old Trafford will be given a complimentary seat at a future away league clash.

Manager Arsene Wenger has also apologized to the club's supporters for the thrashing.

"The fans do not want to see their team like that. We can only apologize and come back with strength and desire in the next game against Swansea," Wenger said.

"Big scores are humiliating, but they are always under special circumstances," he added. (ANI)

Rooney takes ninth spot in Man U’s all-time goal scorers list

 

London, Aug 30: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooneyhas said that he is "delighted" at becoming ninth in the club's all-time goal scorers list.

Rooney has scored 152 goals since his arrival from Everton in 2004.

"To score over 150 goals for a club like United is a great feeling. Hopefully there are many more to come," the Daily Express quoted Rooney, as saying.

"I was aware I was only one goal away from reaching 150. And speaking to some of the players, I asked how many Bobby Charlton had scored for the club. Giggsy said, `You need another 100 or so'. So, that's a target for me now and hopefully over the next few years I will be able to achieve it," he added.

If the 25-year-old spends the rest of his top-flight career at Old Trafford, he is on target to overtake Sir Bobby Charlton as United's all-time record scorer.

Charlton scored 249 in all competitions, Rooney is 97 behind.

Rooney also said that he is pleased with the way he has started the ongoing Premier League season.

"I worked hard in pre-season to make sure I was fit and started well and thankfully I've done that. The team has made a great start

The Story How Tattooing Came About (Ao Folktales)

 In ancient times in the Ao villages, unmarried girls would sleep in the spinster’s house at night.  Girls from both rich and poor families would meet each other and mix there and they would tell stories and laugh together and spend the night there with the old lady.  Amongst the group there was this rich girl and there was also a girl from a poor family who was intelligent, beautiful and popular with many of the other girls.  The rich girl grew quite envious of the poor girl and she disliked her.  During the evenings the rich girl would make fun of the poor girl saying things like, "You cannot even laugh loudly, you are so weak.  You from a poor family, what do you get to eat?  Even when you speak, it sounds as if you haven’t had enough to eat”.  She made fun of her because she was beautiful and popular.

The poor girl happened to be the child of a single parent and as her father was dead, she lived alone with her mother.  In the morning when the daughter returned home from the spinster’s house "dzüki” we call it, she would complain to her mother about the rich girl’s cruel taunts.  "Just wait! Relax! Mum is going to make sure you are not insulted like that again.  Mother is going to fix you up!” Her mother promised.

This went on for sometime until one day when the girl returned in the morning as usual her mother said to her, "For the next week you are not to go out”.  "Why? What is your plan? Asked the daughter.   "I have thought of something” replied her mother.  She then went and brought something to her bedside, calling her daughter to come over and sit on the bed with her.  The mother made her daughter stretch her legs out on the bed and then she took some black stuff from a can and started applying it to her daughter’s legs.  "The daughter cried out, "Ma!  Its painful!” and she tried to get away, but the mother said, "Wait, wait, wait, you wont regret it!  You must bear this pain for a little while but then people are going to admire you and you won’t feel insulted anymore.” "Alright mum, I know you are not going to do me any harm, I know you are going to do the best for me because  you have always loved me”, and replied the girl, remaining calm while her mother finished the work on her legs.  It was rather like hammering.  We are not quite sure what she did but it was quite painful.  Finally mother said, "Look, now it is done.  Look at your legs, look how nice it looks. It is sure to be a success so you must not go out until it is healed  You will feel pain for a while and I will only allow you to go out in about a week’s time.  The girl looked at her feet and she saw black spots and that her legs had also gone red because of the painful thing her mother had done with something that may have been a needle – she had used a sharp, sharp thing to make those black marks. "Its painful and it is red, but as you said it will be healed soon, I am happy”, said the girl.  The mother bandaged up the girl’s legs with cloth and helped her to climb into the loft where things are usually stored in a traditional Naga house, telling her not to come down until she was instructed to do so.  After a couple of days the girls friends came to the house to enquire about her because they were missing her jovial company and they wanted to know how she was.  "She has gone out for a short trip but she will be back soon”, the girl’s mother told them.  "We really miss her”, repeated the girls.  Even the daughter from the rich family showed concern, and the mother said to herself, "you are really going to like her when she comes back”.  The mother was eager to keep it a secret.  She fed her daughter every day and imagined the envy that she would get from the other girls.  After a week she told her daughter to remove the bandages from her legs and have a look at them.  The girl looked at her legs and exclaimed, "Mum, they are looking beautiful!”.  "I feel certain it was a success!” Exclaimed the mother and she helped her daughter down from the loft.  She saw that the girl’s legs were healed and the marks had set and the legs were looking beautiful – black, black, black marks.  After that it was time for the girl to visit the "dzüki” in the evening.  Mother gave her a new shawl and the girl set out to meet her friends at the spinster’s house were the Ao girls slept in those days.  There was no electricity then, only the light from the fire, so her companions did not see her legs at first.  They were so happy and they exclaimed, "Our friend has come back at last!”, they were all very excited to see her.  They gathered around the fire and started to discuss things and tell stories in the firelight. The poor girl wanted to show off her tattoos, so she took up a position close to the fire and sat with her legs forward.  Everyone suddenly saw the marks and exclaimed, "Why, what is this?  It is looking beautiful!  What did you do?  That is why you went away, how did you get it.?”  "I don’t know”, said the poor girl as she wanted to keep it a secret.  The rich girl especially wanted to know where she had got it from and the tattoos were all they could talk about that evening.

The next day the whole village saw the new tattoos and they all admired them and talked about the girl’s beauty.  Everyone went crazy over her, the boys too.  The rich girl was furious and envious and she was determined to know the secret.  By now all the villagers were offering all kinds of things to have their daughters tattooed too and the mother could not say no, so  she started tattooing their legs and this is how it started.  It began with legs but the tattoos spread to the chin and cheeks.  You know we have Monsen and Chungli in the Ao community.  This story I am telling you is in Monsen language.  Anyway, from that day on the villages started tattooing different patterns of tattoos for the different clans.  It would be easy to see a Monsen girl from a Chungli girl by the patterns of their tattoos.  The boys found it helpful too, in distinguishing the girls they admired and tattooing became very popular.  It all began from that time when the mother of the poor girl used her creativity to bring admiration for her daughter which goes to show that you can be creative even if you are not rich.

extracted from talleststory.com

The copyright and the way the story is narrated is totally the authors view. NagaJournal is not responsible for anything.

The Story of Clan Marriage (Ao Stories)

I was told this story by my father and it contains a good moral.    It is a tragic love story.  There was a handsome young man once in Chunglimti,  where we Aos originated.  He was very talented and he could sing and dance very well and he was so handsome that all the women of the village fell in love with him.  One of his admirers was a rich lady who had seen him and fallen in love with him once at  a festival when he had been dancing in his traditional warrior costume.  She approached him, and at that very moment he also fell in love with her at first sight, and their relationship began to grow.

The couple were so much in love that they never stopped to think of their family backgrounds. They didn’t even wonder about such things, they were only thinking of each other and how to keep the relationship going.  One day however they were strolling together and talking of their families when he enquired of her clan name:  We Aos have several clans, such as Jamir, Lamtor and so on.  She told him that she was a  Lamtor, and it turns out that he was from the same Lamtor clan.  From our forefather’s day we have had a law which forbids any two people from the same clan from marriage.  It was very unfortunate, as they were already deeply in love when they came to discover that they were from the same clan.  There is a saying that when a boy and a girl from the same clan fall in love, it will be very hard for them to separate.  These days we are often faced with people from the same clan falling in love and living together as a family, but in the village this has always been unacceptable and those that do it are rejected by their families.  This story tells of the origin of this rule.

The lovers could not end their relationship, it was too late for that.  Soon everyone came to know of their love and the fact that they were from the same clan. The village council discussed it and decided that something had to be done, the situation could not continue.  The lovers realized what was going on and they had to meet in secret.  The villagers gave them an ultimatum to break the relationship or to face capital punishment.  A few days later and they observed that that the lovers were still together so they decided to inflict capital punishment on the offenders.  They decided that death would be the only thing that would deter others from following their example in the future.

The villagers stoned the couple to death and buried them together in a single grave.  From that very place a plant grew from the ground.  It was a vine of the type that climbs up from the right to the left  when it grows, but this particular one grew in the opposite way, climbing up from the left side.  It is considered an ill omen by us, indicating that something is wrong.  We call that plant "machizü” and it still exists.  That plant is a reminder to us not to fall in love with someone from the same clan.  The plant shows us that it is a wrong thing to do.  This is what our forefathers have taught us, that before you fall in love, you must find out which clan the girl  is from.

As narrated and translated by :  Mr. Temjen Lemtur

Sadar Hills stir to continue

 

IMPHAL, Aug 30 : With the public once again endor-sing that the agitation should go on until the de-mand to upgrade Sadar Hills to a district status is rea-lised, the highway bloc- kade and general strike imposed by the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Co-mmittee is set to continue until the next meeting.

As in the previous public meeting, today's meeting held at Kangpokpi voted for continuing with the agitation until the district demand is met.

Today's meeting was the second following the appeals issued by the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister to call off the stir.

The three MLAs of Sadar Hills, Thangminlien Kip-gen, Haokholet Khongsai and Doukhomang Khong-sai along with the ADC members of Sadar Hills and former MP, Kim Gangte attended the meeting, where the public turned up in droves.

Apart from calling to go ahead with the agitation, those present termed the suggestions of the Chief Minister as another tactics to buy time and keep their demand in abeyance.

The decision to continue the agitation came despite the appeal from the three MLAs, the members of the ADC Sadar Hills and community leaders to suspend the agitation following the appeal from the State Government.

Flatly rejecting the suggestions of the State Government, the public, especially the women folk laid down the rider that they would suspend the stir provided the three MLAs and the members of the ADC assure that they will ensure the upgradation of Sadar Hills to a district within two months time.

With no meeting point established it was agreed that the same issue would be discussed at the next meeting scheduled for tomorrow at Saikul.

According to sources, the Saikul meeting is expected to be followed by another meeting of the three MLAs, the ADC members and social leaders to decide whether the agitation should be relaxed for some time or not.

Strong 6.8 quake hits near East Timor

DILI, East Timor — A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck deep beneath the seabed near East Timor on Tuesday but no tsunami warning was issued, a local geophysics agency said.

The quake hit at 13:57 pm (0657 GMT) at a depth of 469 kilometres (291 miles), about 271 kilometres northeast of the capital, Dili, according to Indonesia's geophysics agency.

"We did not issue a tsunami warning. There are no reports of damage so far," said Novita, an official at Indonesia's national quake centre.

"The quake was felt by the people in Timor island, but not strongly," she said.

Hotel residents in Dili ran out of their buildings when they felt the quake, but there were no reports of damage.

East Timor sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the meeting of continental plates causes high seismic activity.

Trai says cancel 69 telecom licenses, DoT agrees to only 8

NEW DELHI: The department of telecommunications (DoT) has decided to move for cancellation of only eight licences for failure of telecom operators to meet rollout obligations, against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai's) recommendation that 69 licences be cancelled. According to data available till August 28, 2011, only Aircel (two), Dishnet (three), Etisalat (two), and Sistema Shyam (one) were issued show-cause notices for cancellation of licences.

Any licence termination can only occur after the conclusion of a long legal battle. Apart from this, since companies have got away with a large majority of their licences intact, the impact on their business is negligible. Consumers are also largely insulated from this move, as the violation signifies lack of network and therefore, subscribers. In any event, with number portability, the few subscribers, if any, can easily migrate to the 10-13 other operators in the same circle.

Documents with TOI reveal strong reluctance on DoT's part to cancel more than these eight licenses, based on disagreement with the Trai on the very definition of rollout obligations. The telecom regulator had made statutory recommendations under Section 11 of the Trai Act and DoT has been grappling with the recommendations for over nine months.

If this confrontation between DoT and Trai continues, the holders of the remaining 61 licences are likely to get away by paying penalties as opposed to licence cancellation.

Rollout obligations are one of the key licence conditions in terms of public/consumer interest since it is an indication of how far and how soon an operator rolls out the network. The spread of network, in turn, increases competition - which places downward pressure on consumer tariffs.

After the CAG report on the 2G spectrum scam, dated November 16, 2010 was released, pointing to a Rs 1.76 lakh crore loss to the exchequer, a PIL was also filed in the Supreme Court. Simultaneously, on November 18, 2010, Trai wrote to the DoT recommending cancellation of 69 licences granted by ex-telecom minister A Raja on account of violation of rollout obligations.

Trai had determined that 38 of the 69 licences were straight cases for cancellation, while in the remaining 31, DoT should "seriously consider cancellation after legal examination in view of non-utilization of spectrum and resultant loss of revenue to the exchequer, in addition to the imposition of liquidated damages as per license conditions".

Rollout obligations become even more important in the current context since the government had argued that it was giving away spectrum in 2008 at 2001 prices to 121 new unified access service licensees and 35 dual technology operators purely to serve consumer interest - the need to have a higher degree of competition in order to reduce tariffs further. Three years later, Trai found that at least 69 of these licensees had not even met their preliminary rollout obligations.

The first and youngest FIDE rated player in the North Eastern region

Success does not have any age and this has been proved by six year old Embok Khyllep whothe first and youngest FIDE rated player in the North Eastern region became  this year.



Impressed with his skills, the State Government on Monday felicitated Khyllep with a cash prize of Rs 5000 along with a laptop during a function held at JN Sport complex on occasion of National Sports Day.

A student of 1st standard in St Anthony’s school Khyllep has impressed one and all with his brilliant moves and techniques at the game of chess. He secured first position in the under 9 category of the 4th North East Open Chess Championship 2011 and was also awarded the most promising player of the tournament.

The six-year-old also secured first position in the Meghalaya Inter School under 13 chess championship 2011 where he scored 3.5 out of 4.

Besides participating in several other tournaments, Khyllep took part in the National Under 9 Championship 2010 held at Ahmedabad.

Taking pride at the performance of his son, SD Fancon said that Khyllep developed a keen interest in the game when he was a mere three year old.

“On seeing the talent we started coaching him for two to three hours daily,” an elated Fancon added. After being trained for two years by his family, Khyllep, at the age of five started participating in different tournaments held at local and national levels among others.

Fancon is however saddened by the fact that the state lacks professional coaches who could train young kids like Khyllep to make it to the next level.

Meghalaya Chess Association general secretary TH B Singh also rued the fact while adding that negotiations are on and a professional chess coach may soon be in the State in a bid to further hone the skills of local chess players.

Commenting on Khyllep’s feat, Singh said, “He is dong very well and with proper guidance can even be a grand master at a later stage.”

-TST

Assam CM Likely To Reshuffle Cabinet

Tarun Gogoi has directed his Cabinet colleagues to improve their performance within the next two months. Gogoi has reportedly made it clear that the ministers failing to live up to his expectations will have their wings clipped. There are indications that some important departments held by non-performing ministers might be allotted to principal parliamentary secretaries. The Assam Government is expected to appoint principal parliamentary secretaries and parliamentary secretaries before the New Near.

The Congress-led Assam Government will most likely appoint principal parliamentary secretaries and parliamentary secretaries after December 2001 or before the New Near. For that to happen, the State Government will have to amend the act related to appointment of principal parliamentary secretaries and parliamentary secretaries. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is expected to place the proposal for appointment of principal parliamentary secretaries and parliamentary secretaries in the winter session of the State Assembly which will be held either in November or in December. A number of senior Congress MLAs who have not been included in Gogoi Council of Ministers have started lobbying with the party leadership for appointment as principal parliamentary secretaries and parliamentary secretaries. On the other hand, the Chief Minister has issued strict instructions to his Cabinet ministers that they should really perform within the next two months. The Gogoi Government has already completed 100 days. This is Gogoi’s third consecutive term in office as the State Chief Minister. He is said to be unhappy with the failure of some of his ministerial colleagues to deliver the goods. Gogoi is even considering taking some important portfolios away from non-performing ministers and allotting them to principal parliamentary secretaries.

-NE

One day, my fight will also be recognised: Irom Sharmila

Imphal, August 30 (IANS): Irom Sharmila, on a hunger strike for the past 11 years, Tuesday said a day would come when her fight against rights violations by security forces would be acknowledged by New Delhi like the way parliament had recognised Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption. "The central government recognised Anna Hazare as a true Indian citizen and hence accepted his demands. I am sure one day the government would recognise me and my fight against rights violations," Sharmila told journalists outside a local court where she was being presented for a routine hearing.



"I would like to urge Anna to visit Manipur and see for himself what is happening here," Sharmila said as she was shoved inside a police van from the court premises. Dubbed as the Iron Lady of Manipur, Sharmila began her fast Nov 2, 2000, after witnessing the killing of 10 people by the army at a bus stop near her home. Now around 40, she was arrested shortly after beginning her protest -- on charges of attempted suicide. She was sent to a prison hospital where she began a daily routine of being force-fed via a nasal drip.

Sharmila is frequently set free by local courts, but once outside, she resumes her hunger-strike and is rearrested. She is campaigning for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that enables security forces to shoot on sight and arrest anybody without a warrant. Civil rights campaigners in Manipur are upset with the mainstream media for the disparity in coverage by comparing Anna Hazare's anti-graft fast and ignoring the over decade-long hunger strike by Irom Chanu Sharmila.
"There is a general sense of feeling that we, the people of the northeast, have always been neglected, discriminated, and looked down upon by the rest of India, including the mainstream media. See how Anna's fast has hogged media headlines and see our very own Irom fasting for nearly 11 years," Singhajit Singh, a civil rights campaigner and Sharmila's elder brother, said. "The attitude of the Indian public is sad in the sense that something happening in the northeast is seldom recognized by the mainstream media. The whole attitude is discriminatory," said Babloo Loitongbam from a local human rights group.

AFSPA was passed in 1990 to grant security forces special powers and immunity from prosecution to deal with raging insurgencies in the northeastern states and in Jammu and Kashmir. The act is a target for local human rights groups and international campaigners such as Amnesty International, which say the law has been an excuse for extra-judicial killings. Amnesty has campaigned vociferously against the legislation, which it sees as a stain on India's democratic credentials and a violation of international human rights laws. Sharmila is currently being held in an isolated room at the Jawarharlal Nehru Hospital here.

"If Anna was born in Manipur and Sharmila born in New Delhi, things would have been just the reverse. For the mainstream media, northeast or things happening in the northeast hardly excite them," Singh said. Earlier in the day, former union home secretary G.K. Pillai said that Sharmila must "reach out to people across the country" like Hazare to make her cause known. "It is a question of how you reach out to people. AFSPA is applicable only in Jammu & Kashmir and in the northeastern states. Corruption is pricking people everywhere and that's why Anna Hazare had a high moral ground," Pillai told IANS Monday.

"She (Sharmila) has to reach out to the people across the country. She has to say why she is on fast," said Pillai. Manipur is home to 2.4 million people and about 19 separatist groups which have demands ranging from autonomy to independence. An estimated 10,000 people have been killed during the past two decades of violence.

Arunachal Pradesh society denounce ‘dam-signing spree

Dimapur, August 30 (MExN): A number of organizations from Arunachal today expressed shock at what it called the “present trend” of the signing memorandum of agreements for construction of mega dams in Arunachal Pradesh by the state government with private power developers “which even doesn’t comes under CAG.” “In the failure of the government to come out with a white paper, we shall be compelled to initiate vigorous judicial activism in the public interest,” the organizations warned.

The organizations Siang Bachao Andolan, Human Right Law network-Arunachal Unit, Global Human Rights Organization Nefa Indigenous Human Rights Organization, Women Power Connect-AP and Arunachal Citizens’ Rights issued a joint statement today denouncing the actions of the Arunachal government.

The joint statement said that the land owners or the “to be affected people” have never been informed of the plans for construction of the dams. These dams are going to deprive thousands of tribal villagers, of their livelihood, agricultural assets and lands, virgin forests and rivers. “In the mad rush for receiving unaccounted ‘upfront payment’ through the signing of memorandums, the government of Arunachal Pradesh in particular and the government of India have forgotten to plan any systematic means to tap the numerous water resources of the state in any form,” the organizations stated.

The civil society groups expressed serious concern ‘as to how so many inexperienced, never-heard-of private companies have been awarded very sensitive projects of construction of dams, which in fact and actually requires vast experience and expertise to go ahead’.  “We are really astonished to see some of the Arunachal Pradesh Firms and most interestingly, even Tours & Travels Pvt. Ltd. have been awarded the construction works without any open tender or bid and above all without any expertise and experience in the field of dam constructions so far,” the joint statement said.

In the interest of the public, the organizations have asked the government of Arunachal Pradesh to come out with a white paper on the upfront payments received so far from the private dam developers and also the expenditure statements of the same money, so citizens ‘know where the money received against their lands, rivers, waters and forests have gone’.  Within a short span of time, the Jarbom Gamlin government, sworn in on May 5 has signed seven memorandums without the knowledge of “to be affected people”, the statement said.
“All of the 7 MoAs have been signed on Siang Basin, flowing in West Siang and Upper Siang districts. Pertinent question remain unanswered is-what’s the rush?” the organizations added

Tikhir students flay abduction; appeal to ENPO

Dimapur, August 30 (MExN): The Tikhir Students’ Union (TSU) condemns the abduction and physical assault of four Tikhirs by the Yimchungrü terrorist group “Yimchungrü Liberation Front” on August 29. A note from the union said the “YLF” waylaid and abducted the persons Merenba, Venthong, L. Mongtsin and P. Yamliu from High Bridge/Yayi Bridge ‘while retreating from Shamator to Kiusam’.
“The victims were blind-folded and hands tied and later Merenba and Venthong were released but Mongtsin and P. Yamlu were taken to Longkong village and at last the two victims were rescued by the police from the hands of the terrorists,” the union said in its note.
According to the union, the abduction was “obviously a well planned and this incident has once again reminded everyone that Yimchungrüs have not given up their inhuman (most uncivilized tactics).”

Condemning the crime, the Tikhir students’ warns the Yimchungrü that “now Tikhir will not tolerate against such acts by the Yimchungrü as we have had enough in the past.”

Further, while appreciating the administration and police for taking steps and rescuing the victims, the students’ body also asked the authorities to nab those responsible “otherwise Tikhirs will take befitting action against those culprits.”
The union also asked the ENPO and ENSF to intervene and initiate necessary action as the incident took place within their jurisdiction. The note was appended by the union’s president R. Daniel Tikhir and executive council chairman Anthony Tsanmong Tikhir.

US Men at War: BlackBerrys and iPads on the Afghan Front

By John Wendle / Arghandab Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011

There are almost as many laptops as there are rifles scattered around the 2nd Squad's sleeping quarters in the old school at Combat Outpost (COP) Kowall. Mixed in with dust, sand, helmets and 40-mm grenades are Dells and MacBooks. The men who started out in 2001 as Generation Kill have transformed into Generation iPod. As technology has become miniaturized and more portable, U.S. soldiers have increasingly taken laptops, terabytes of movies and video-game systems into war zones to kill downtime.

Private First Class Andrew Napoli, 21, took a BlackBerry, a MacBook, an iPad, a PlayStation Portable video-game system, a terabyte external hard drive and a cell phone to Kandahar province's Arghandab River Valley when he was deployed in August 2010 with the 3rd Platoon of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division. Napoli says he spends a majority of his time on guard duty or foot patrol. Now there is less fighting, he says, he sometimes watches two or three movies a day.

It was a different situation last summer. For three months, from August to October last year, the newly arrived soldiers of the 3rd Platoon at COP Kowall were hit by Taliban fighters multiple times per day; foot patrols had frequent contact with the enemy. "There was no sleep, no nothing besides patrols, firefights and guard duty," Napoli says. Now, fighting has given way to boredom and routine as the troop surge has brought more stability to the valley. Surrounded by high walls and barbwire in a battle zone that was once one of the most violent in Afghanistan means there is not a lot to do besides guard, patrol and sleep. But that is the old Army. Now soldiers can watch movies on laptops and chat with friends online.

"All there is to do here is watch movies and play video games in your free time. It's nice for a couple hours to just take your mind out of here. No matter what else you do: you're working out, you're still at the gym at this COP; you play video games, you're still playing video games at the COP. But a movie is nice because you can just kind of sit there. There have been times when I'd hang a sheet over my bunk bed and sit there and watch a movie. Sometimes you'd forget where you are and you'd pull back the sheet and be like, 's--t, I'm still here,'" Napoli tells TIME.

A majority of the soldiers in the platoon brought laptops — anticipating the monotony of counterinsurgency warfare. "I kind of bought this laptop special for the tour because I knew it'd get destroyed. I didn't want to buy a nice one, so just got a $300 one," says Private First Class Sheldon Henry as he watches a crime drama between patrols. "If they didn't have their laptops?" says Sergeant Byren Gerber, the 2nd Squad's leader, "they'd probably get in fights." The eyes of Private First Class Greg Diette, who watches around 20 movies a week, open wide when he contemplates the question of what he would do without a laptop. "If I didn't have it?" he says, pausing. "No idea."

But laptops, movies, video games and iPods are not the only escapes. BlackBerrys have made an appearance in the combat zone as well. Of the roughly 30 soldiers in the platoon, five of them have the devices (the soldiers pay the monthly charges themselves). Napoli says he uses his "everyday. All day." Napoli's wife sent the device to him so they could stay in touch. "My wife updates me on her life. I listen mostly because my daily life doesn't change basically. But we'll send each other pictures once in a while so that we see each other in some sort of way," he says.

But, even with all of the communications devices and ways to keep in touch, Napoli says that during the heavy fighting last year he did not tell his family what was happening. "My wife knows stuff happens. They're following the news, but if they would hear about it from me, they would think, 'O.K., that's really bad.'" The view that less information about the fighting is better is shared by most of the other soldiers. "I've never posted anything like, 'Oh, another firefight,' on Facebook," Private First Class Juan Lopez, 20, tells TIME.

Even if they do not do a live update on firefights, with all of the communications options out there — from Skype to Google Talk to AIM — it has become easier and easier to stay in constant touch. But this can present drawbacks — and dangers — in a war zone. "I'm really attached to my family. At one point, I would call home just about every other day. I started getting homesick, and I felt like it was interfering with my work. I'd be on patrol, and then I'd catch myself thinking about my mother and my father or my sisters, my nieces and nephews — just not paying attention to what's in front of me. So, I just quit calling home as much," says Lopez. Now, Lopez's family follows him on Facebook, reading his status updates — a way to stay in touch with less emotional commitment.

Other soldiers feel similar about all the methods they can now use to communicate with home. "For me — all this talk while I'm here — I hate it," says Napoli about his BlackBerry. "All the talking I do while I'm here, I don't like it. I'd rather be here the entire year and every once in a while just be like, 'Hey, I'm O.K.' If I didn't have this stuff, I'd be fine with that because I like to focus on my work here and pretend like the life back home doesn't even exist."

The older guys in the platoon remember the Army before all of the entertainment and communications options were available — before all of the distractions and news from home. "The only thing we'd get was one 10-minute phone call a week," says Staff Sergeant John Fox, 32, of his deployment to Iraq in 2003. There were no public computer terminals available to the soldiers. Fox, who had his wife set up a Yahoo! Messenger account for him just days before this deployment, says there were "probably about three or four guys who brought out laptops" to Iraq in 2003. "It was just a bunch of guys all huddled around one laptop watching pirated DVDs."

Yet, even with all of the changes that have taken place in the past decade — the vast increase in interconnectedness, communications options and social-networking sites — troops, young and old alike, still agree that the traditional letter to a soldier still carries the most weight. "To me, a letter goes a long way. Nowadays it'll mean a lot more because somebody actually took the time out of their day to sit down and write," says Lopez, who has an ammo can full of saved letters. "A letter takes more time out of your day. E-mails and messages on Facebook, or anything like that, you do it on your phone. You know, you're sitting there while you're driving and you can send a text or whatever. But a letter, you have to write it, you have to wait for it."

Arizona man stuffs snakes in his pants, flees store

MESA, Ariz. – A man was arrested on theft charges after police said he was caught on video trying to steal an albino boa constrictor and other exotic reptiles by stuffing them down his pants. Police say Eric Fiegel stole several baby albino boa constrictors at a pet store by stuffing them in his shorts.

Police say Eric Fiegel stole several baby albino boa constrictors at a pet store by stuffing them in his shorts.

Eric Fiegel, 22, was arrested at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday after police reviewed surveillance footage from a pet shop that shows a man stealing baby albino boa constrictors July 30 from Predator's Reptile Center in Mesa by placing them in his pants and exiting the store, according to police.

Police said he reportedly entered the store, removed several baby snakes from their cage, and exited without paying. He allegedly returned later in the evening and left with several more snakes hidden in his pants, police reported.

According to police, Fiegel then traveled to another pet store and traded several of the snakes for $175 and a large reptile tank valued at $175.

A witness obtained a license plate number which police used to locate Fiegel.

Fiegel was later positively identified from a police lineup by two witnesses and also from the surveillance footage that showed him placing the snakes in his pants, according to a police report.

Anna to meet Irom Sharmila soon

Social activist Anna Hazare will soon visit Manipur to meet civil rights activist Irom Sharmila, RTI activist and Team Anna member Akhil Gogoi said in Guwahati after his return from Delhi. 

Gogoi also said that Anna had extended his moral support to the Iron Lady of Manipur, who has been on hunger strike for over 10 years now, demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the state.

After being released from hospital, Anna would return back to his village in Maharashtra and post this he would be visiting Assam and the North East to commence the next round of democratic movement.

On the first day of his visit to Northeast, Hazare will join an anti-dam protest in Assam and would visit Manipur the next day, Gogoi said.

 

 

Facebook snatches NIT Warangal student for Rs 45L salary

HYDERABAD: It's raining lucrative jobs at NIT Warangal which has had the best placement season so far. The 51-year-old institute started its recruitment drive on August 15 and already has a 21-year-old fourth year BTech computer science student securing the highest ever pay package of Rs 45 lakh per annum. The offer, made by Facebook, has created a record of sorts here. The institute confirmed that the student will be joining the technical wing of the social networking giant, as soon as he completes his course in March next year.

This has set a new benchmark at NIT Warangal in that the highest salary any student from the institute had bagged so far was Rs 20 lakh per annum. From the 2010-11 batch as many as three students had got jobs that paid them Rs 20 lakh per annum, sources at NIT said. It is not just the 21-year-old whizkid who has bagged a hefty package this year. According to sources, the salaries offered to students so far range anywhere between Rs 5 to Rs 12 lakh per annum. The recruitment process for this year that started on August 15 is expected to last till March 2012. Sources said that most of the recruiters so far are IT companies.

About 30 students from computer science stream of the institute have already been recruited. Eight companies have come in for recruitment in the first round so far. According to NIT officials, this year other than the usual brand of companies several new ones have expressed interest in hiring. "Companies have now shed the recession blues completely and are looking for fresh candidates to recruit. Many of them like Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle and Google could recruit more number of freshers than they did last year," said a senior professor from the institute. Last year, 92% students from the B Tech batch of the institute and 50 % students from M Tech batch were recruited by companies. The average pay package offered by companies last year was between Rs 6 and Rs 7 lakh per annum. The institute officials are expecting a considerable increase in the pay packages this year. NIT professors said that this year, several companies have been vying for the first interview slots with students.

"Most of the IT companies are willing to pay really well to bright students who get absorbed in the first or second interview. The companies who come for interviews later could offer bigger packages to students. We'll have to wait and watch what the salary trend this year is," said an official from NIT.

WikiLeaks Springs a Leak: Full Database of Diplomatic Cables Appears Online

For the second time in a year, WikiLeaks has lost control of its full, unredacted cache of a quarter-million U.S. State Department cables — and this time the leaked files are apparently online.

The uncensored cables are contained in a 1.73-GB password-protected file named “cables.csv,” which is reportedly circulating somewhere on the internet, according to Steffen Kraft, editor of the German paper Der Freitag. Kraft announced last week that his paper had found the file, and easily obtained the password to unlock it.

Unlike the cables that WikiLeaks has been publishing piecemeal since last fall, these cables are raw and unredacted, and contain the names of informants and suspected intelligence agents that were blacked out of the official releases. Der Freitag said the documents include the names of suspected agents in Israel, Jordan, Iran and Afghanistan, and noted that interested parties — such as the Iranian government or intelligence agencies — could have already discovered and decrypted the file to uncover the names of informants.

“The story is that a series of lapses, as far as I can see on behalf of WikiLeaks and its affiliates, has led to the possibility a file becoming generally available which it never should have been available,” confirmed former WikiLeaks staffer Herbert Snorrason, of Iceland, who left the organization as part of a staff revolt last year, and is now part of the competing site OpenLeaks.

Information about the exposed file and password was also confirmed by the German newsweekly Der Spiegel. According to that publication, the cables were contained in an encrypted file that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange had stored on a subdirectory of the organization’s server last year, which wasn’t searchable from the internet by anyone who didn’t already know its location.

Assange had reportedly given the password for the file to an “external contact” to access the file’s contents. With both the file and the password now online, the leak is complete.

“The issue is double: On one hand there is the availability of the encrypted file, and on the other the release of the password to the encrypted file,” Snorrason told Threat Level on Monday. “And those two publications happened separately.”

The password leak was done “completely inadvertently,” Snorrason added. He declined to identify the leaker, or the circumstances of the leak, but said it was someone who was with neither WikiLeaks nor OpenLeaks.

Last year, former WikiLeaks spokesman Daniel Domscheit-Berg and another WikiLeaks staffer led a staff revolt at WikiLeaks following a rift with Assange. They finally left the organization and set up OpenLeaks.org. When they left WikiLeaks, they took the contents of the WikiLeaks server with them, which included the encrypted file. Last December, Domscheit-Berg returned most of what he had taken, including the file containing the cables.

Wikileaks supporters subsequently released an archive of the data that Domscheit-Berg had returned, as a public service to provide readers with access to everything WikiLeaks had previously published. But among the documents was the encrypted file containing the cables. Several months later, the person to whom Assange had provided the password somehow made it public online. Der Spiegel doesn’t elaborate on precisely why or how that person published the password, and Snorrason declined to say more, for fear of guiding people to the password.

“It’s not very obvious how the password was made available, and we’re not keen on making it any more obvious how or why it might have been published,” Snorrason said.

Both the encrypted file and password went unnoticed until recently. Der Spiegel implies that Domscheit-Berg or someone else connected to his rival OpenLeaks organization was responsible for calling Der Freitag’s attention to the file and password to make a point that WikiLeaks is unable to properly secure the data it possesses. Domscheit-Berg did not immediately respond to an e-mail query from Threat Level on Monday.

After nine months of slow, steady publication, WikiLeaks abruptly opened the spigot last week on its cable publications, spewing out over 130,000 by Monday afternoon — more than half the total database.

This is not the first time that WikiLeaks has lost control of its database of cables. Last year, as the organization and its media partners were beginning preparations to publish stories related to the cables, a WikiLeaks member gave the database to a freelance reporter, Heather Brooke.

Brooke was not a member of the approved cabal of media outlets that had been given access to the documents and her possession of them threatened to derail the plans that WikiLeaks and its media partners had hammered out for publication. The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. subsequently secured agreement from Brooke that she wouldn’t herself publish any of the cables or stories related to them.

WikiLeaks responded to the leak on Twitter on Monday by writing: “There has been no ‘leak at WikiLeaks’. The issue relates to a mainstream media partner and a malicious individual.”

Photo: MVJantzen/Flickr

Anna Hazare plans NE trip, focuses on AFSPA

Guwahati | August 29 : After having led the ‘people’s victory’ on the Jan Lokpal issue in the national capital, noted crusader Anna Hazare has put his focus now in the North East India region, thanks to Irom Sharmila of Manipur and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi of Assam.

Anna Hazare, the 74-year-old crusader has decided to take up two seemingly regional issues that “will come to impact all Indians in the long run”. The demand for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) of 1958 and the campaign against the construction of mega dams are the concerns of Anna Hazare now.
“Hazare has made up his mind to visit northeast soon after recuperating and getting back to work,” said Assam-based RTI activist and Team Anna member Akhil Gogoi here on Monday. “His mission includes rallies against big hydropower projects threatening the existence of people in the Northeast and a trip to (Manipur capital) Imphal to lend support to the cause of Irom Sharmila Chanu.” Hazare’s tour plan, Gogoi added, was drawn up during a recent core committee meeting of Team Anna.

Sharmila, 38, has been fasting since 4 November 2000 after Assam Rifles personnel gunned down 10 civilians at a bus stand near Imphal Airport apparently while chasing rebels. Her crusade has been against the AFSPA, which activists say gives soldiers the license to kill and stage fake encounters.

Sharmila’s cause became a topic of discussion after activists in Manipur underscored the nation’s indifference to her 10-year fast against the AFSPA, “which, like corruption, spares no one.” “Hazare’s proposed visit is an encouragement for us,” said Sharmila’s brother Irom Singhajit, 53. “We hope his involvement will take my sister’s cause to the national stage.”

Team Anna had last week invited Sharmila to be a part of the anti-corruption movement in New Delhi. Sharmila wrote back requesting Hazare to get her released so she could join him. Irom Sharmila also asked Hazare to visit Manipur to lend support to her cause.

Khaplang out of peace talks

H. CHISHI | The Telegraph

Kohima, Aug. 29: The Khaplang group of the NSCN today decided to pull out of the Naga reconciliation process after its rivals decided not to harbour any rebel group of the region averse to the Naga political cause.

Admitting that the Khaplang group has ties with Ulfa, the Manipur-based UNLF, PLA and Prepak, Kughalu Mulatonu, envoy to the collective leadership of NSCN (K), said from Longwa in Mon district of Nagaland that the Isak-Muivah group, which had harboured many northeastern insurgent groups, today wanted to crush groups opposed to oppression by the Centre to resolve an issue which was “below sovereignty”.

NSCN (K) criticised Khole Konyak, Kitovi Zhimomi and S. Singnya of falling into the trap of the Isak-Muivah group, which, it alleged, was trying to solve the Naga problem with New Delhi by compromising on Naga sovereignty.

The Isak-Muivah and Khole-Kitovi factions of the NSCN and the Singnya faction of the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) have decided to form a “Naga national government”, to disengage from all forms of actions detrimental to the political cause of the Nagas and to work for the territorial integrity of the Nagas.

Mulatonu also criticised the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), which had initiated the peace process, for creating the Khole-Kitovi faction out of NSCN (K) in the name of Naga reconciliation although Khaplang, Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah were the first persons to sign the “covenant of reconciliation”.

On the three Naga groups’ decision to form the Naga national government, Mulatonu said it would be next to impossible, as everybody wanted to lord over the other groups.

Asked whether the Khaplang group anticipated joint operations by the security forces of India and Myanmar and other Naga groups if it continued to harbour other militant groups, Mulatonu was optimistic that the “Centre would never indulge in such tactics” as the other Naga outfits had climbed down from their demand of sovereignty to the settlement of more then 60-year-old Naga political issue within the ambit of the Constitution.

“They will never carry out joint operations against us,” he said, adding that the Centre would try to work out some formula with NSCN (K) to solve the Naga political issue.

However, sources at the Delhi-based Burma Centre, who are against the ruling junta in Myanmar, said the Centre had recently supplied sophisticated guns to the junta which usually carries out operations against the Khaplang group in winter.

Pillai hopeful of Naga solution

Creation of job opportunities in N-E will curb rebel activities, says ex-home secy
OUR CORRESPONDENT | The Telegraph

Shillong, Aug. 29: Former Union home secretary G.K. Pillai, who is here to attend the convocation of Martin Luther Christian University, said he was hopeful of a solution to the demands of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) by end-2012. The group is currently in a ceasefire with the government.

Asked what sort of autonomy the government was looking at, Pillai said, “I cannot divulge anything about the matter as this is at a sensitive stage of negotiation.”

He said the settlement is in the final stages and the NSCN (I-M) supremo Thuingaleng Muivah was happy with the progress of the talks.

Pillai also said the state governments in the Northeast should start creating more jobs for the youths to wean them away from militant activities.

Speaking to reporters here today, he said the primary purpose of many militant groups is to extort money and the youths were joining them only because the government had failed to provide adequate jobs.

Pillai, who retired on June 30, said there is a tremendous talent pool in the Northeast in terms of sports and music and many self-employment avenues could be created. “The Northeast youths are also employed in the hospitality sector elsewhere in the country, which shows the potential of the youths in the region,” he said.

According to Pillai, the “so-called militancy in the Northeast without any ideology” could be described as a cottage industry to extort money.

Citing a case, Pillai said the original purpose of the formation of Ulfa was to fight influx of migrants from Bangladesh, but the same group took shelter in Bangladesh.

Pillai, who had initiated several positive measures to end violence in the Northeast when he was the Union home secretary, said there is no room for militant activities in the days to come in the region.

There would be a logical conclusion to the ongoing peace talks with various militant groups and violence would go down as the people of the Northeast are tired of the unrest and extortions. He also said the term insurgency has become obsolete in the Northeast, as many criminal gangs which sprang up are only running an extortion racket and kidnapping people for ransom.

On the Garo Hills-based Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) luring youths and policemen by offering big pay packets, Pillai said, “They are also getting money through extortions and since the risk of punishment is not there, crime and extortion are thriving.”

Citing an example, he said, “Most of the crimes in Delhi are committed by the first-timers and there is only 10 per cent conviction. Hence, they continue to commit various crimes without the risk of punishment.”

On the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the former bureaucrat said the government wants a more humane law for the region.

Earlier, Pillai held a meeting with members of civil society and NGOs. He stressed the need for effectively utilising the funds provided by the Centre for the Northeast.

UNITE oh NAGA! UNITE into Everlasting future

The sun has set,
Blazing down the oceans,
Here at the ends of the earth,
I dream, I dream of a land I walked,
I dream of the promises talked,
I remember the ones that taught me
How to walk, and stand up, and see.

I dream of Nagalim,
I see now, ever more clearly,
Of a people, I hold so dear,
Where I once sang free,
Where I could be me,
Naga, I call, I call
Hold my hand, before I fall,
I pray one day, in this world,
Lift your heads and stand tall.

A day is coming,
When all the tribes shall unite
And blow the horn of joy
every girl and boy.
A day is coming,
When all the tears are gone,
Over will be the days, when there was mourn.

Clap your hands, sing without fear,
Freedom, freedom is coming, so dear
thousands upon thousands stand before God’s throne in the light,
They had fought the good fight,
To bring day, into the dark night.
Naga tribes, UNITE.

Written by Steve

Kidnapped engineer released

Imphal | August 29 : An engineer of the Manipur public works department (PWD) who was kidnapped by Kuki National Liberation Front (KNLF) on August 21 has been set free after eight days in captivity, according to a reliable source.  The 53-year-old surveyor of the state Public Works Department (PWD), Wungshungmi Kasar, went missing after some unidentified armed persons visited him at his Sarkaphung residence under Litan police station in Ukhrul district on August 21 midnight.

A press statement issued on August 24 by Kuki National Liberation Front said that Wungshungmi Kasar is in the outfit’s custody and pointed out that there was nothing personal against him. “The organization is forced to take this measure against PWD as the department did not perform their development works despite several warnings,” said the statement signed by the outfit’s information and publicity secretary Lunglen few days ago.   A reliable source today said that Mr Kasar has been released by KNLF after eight days of detention.  The condition for the release of the official cannot be immediately known. A family source confirmed that no monetary demand was made for the release of the engineer.

It is widely assumed that release of Kasar could be because of the intervention of several civil society organizations such as TNL, TKS, TMNL, TSL, TNWL and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Mapithal Rage Area formed in connection with the abduction. Several sit-in protests were staged at Litan junction and its adjoining areas to exert pressure for hi release.

These agitations condemned the abduction in the strongest possible terms and demanded his immediate release. With his release today, the aggrieved community finally heaved a sigh of relief and his family members expressed jubilation.

Naga MLA warned for supporting separate dist

Dimapur, August 29 (MExN): A Maring organization in Dimapur today issued stern warnings to a member of Manipur Legislative Assembly and another, an autonomous district council for consenting to an opposed agreement and the other for supporting the demand for ‘Sardar Hills District’ in Manipur.

The Maring Khulbung of Nagaland, based in Dimapur, expressed displeasure that MLA of 42-Tengnoupal assembly constituency W Morung Makunga has signed to the recognition of Khoibu community as a separate tribe in Manipur. He signed his consent during the Hills Area Committee meeting on August 23, in defiance of a memorandum of understanding between Maring tribe and the Government of Manipur on November 22, 2002, a note from the Maring Khulbung stated today.

The organization expressed regret that the MLA ‘sold his signature for narrow vote bank politics’ and without consulting the frontal organizations of the Mari people. The Maring Khulbung has asked the MLA to withdraw his signature within three days. The note warned that he would be held solely responsible for ‘any untoward incidents’ arising out of the issue in future if he fails to comply.

The Maring Khulbung also regretted that ML Dominic Maring, a Naga and ADC member from 23-Nongmaiching constituency ‘appended his signature’ in support of the ongoing demand in Manipur for a “Sardar Hills district.” The organizations had asked Dominic to withdraw his signature within three days. Failing to do so would result in his being “ousted totally” from “Nagalim” (sic) along with his family, the Maring Khulbung statement said.

ANSAM assures to defend Nagas’ land

Dimapur, August 29 (MExN): The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) on Saturday said to have decided not to allow bifurcation of even “an inch” of the Naga areas under any circumstances for creation of any new district in Manipur.

The ANSM’s presidential council meeting was held on August 22 in Ukhrul district and “resolved to reaffirm its (ANSAM) stand that not an inch of Naga area would be bifurcated away with under any circumstances for creation of any new district in Manipur.”  “To avoid any controversy and unrest in the so called state of Manipur, such a demand should be made to rest by the communal government by understanding the stand and the sentiments of the Nagas that it would impinge on the ancestral land of the Nagas,” the ANSAM stated in a press release appended by the organization’s president J Kumo Sha.

The meeting also reaffirmed that the demand for creation of Sadar Hills and Jiribam districts “should be consensus to all the ethnic affinities and communities in Sadar Hills and Jiribam and should be honourable to the Naga people.”

The ANSM has “decided to advice” and remind the government of Manipur to honour the MoUs signed between the government of Manipur and the Nagas, with ANSAM in 1981, with NSF in 1992, with ANSAM and UNC in 1996 and with UNC, ANSAM and other Naga frontal organisations in 1998.  “The decision of the incumbent government to demarcate the existing boundary before declaring Sadar Hills District as a full fledged district may be welcomed but not by means of  demarcating any Naga area (s) to creation of any new district(s). The state Cabinet’s decision to constitute a committee on reorganisation of administration and police district boundary to streamline administration of the state is not welcome by the Nagas as Nagas are the people in the world who knows best of their ancestral land and boundaries and hence need no history or government to tell the Nagas of their land and boundaries,” the organization stated.

The organization also expressed shock “to see the prejudice trained state forces that have become a watchdog in Sadar Hills area with arms folded watching the imbroglio and enjoying the warmth of burning trucks in this year’s rainy weather.”

The ANSAM questioned the bias of the ‘communal government of Manipur’ for imposing 144 CrPC in NH 53 Tamenglong area after a bandh was called by UNC.  “This kind of governance is a sign of communal and inefficient government, who masterminded all the unrest and propagated law and order situation in the State. The association vision no rest in the state and hence appeal to all non-Naga organisations and general public to blame the communal government of Manipur for the deadlock in the state of Manipur,” the ANSAM stated.
The association also appealed to the “communal government of Manipur” to immediately withdraw the 144 CrPC in the NH-53 Tamenglong areas. “Failing of which the association with take its own course of action and government will be held responsible for any untoward accident,” the ANSAM added.