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Monday, December 7, 2009

B'deshi scientists urged to help withstand global climate change

Xinhua, Dhaka, 7 Decemnber : Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Monday made a plea to scientists and experts to come up with cutting-edge technologies for supporting people of the South Asian country, where climate change represents one of the greatest threats to lives and their livelihoods.
Speaking at a program in capital Dhaka Monday, she said the country and its laborious people have been the worst victims of the global climate change with no fault of their own. Meanwhile, Hasina said climate change has also become the biggest threat for the world civilization. "I urge you (the scientists and technology experts) to come forward to increase capacity of the people to face the climate threats," she said. READ FULL STORY

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Raj Bhavan goes solar to reducing carbon emission
Kolkata, 7 December : Setting an example for taking up an eco-friendly lifestyle, the Raj Bhavan here has partially switched on to solar power today.
Gracing the occasion, President of India Pratibha Patil pressed a button to illuminate a part of the Governor's House with solar power, officials said. The solar energy project will get complete by March 2010 and with it the Raj Bhavan will be able to reduce 50 per cent on its thermal power consumption. This will translate to 600 kilograms reduction in coal consumption per day, they said.
The Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah, who was also present, said his ministry would allocate Rs one crore for all Governor Houses in the country to switch over to solar energy.

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Benefits of science should reach masses : Patil to scientists
Kolkata, 7 December : President Pratibha Patil Monday told scientists that the fruits of science should reach the masses as the importance of nations in the 21st century would be determined not only on economic strength but also in their ability to conceptualise inventions for people’s benefit.
Pointing out that the world was moving forward rapidly and decisively into an era where societies and economies are incrementally based on knowledge, the president said: “The importance of nations in the 21st Century shall be judged not by their economic strength alone, but also by their power to conceptualise inventions and bring their benefits to people.

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Save Sundarbans, take action to stop climate change
Kolkata Demanding, 7 December:
(L) An activist dressed as a crocodile is being carried through a traffic jam on a busy street during a march demanding world leaders to take action to stop climate change in Kolkata.
The biggest climate meeting in history, with 15,000 participants from 192 nations, begins in Copenhagen on Monday seeking to agree curbs on greenhouse gas emissions and raise billions of dollars for the poor in aid and clean technology.
(R) Activists carry a dummy crocodile as they participate in a rally demanding carbon reduction to save Sundarbans delta, in Kolkata today. Scientists have warned of alarming rise in temperatures in the Bay of Bengal due to climate change which could inundate coastal islands, destroy mangrove forests and affect both Bangladesh and West Bengal's Sunderbans, home to the largest wild population of Bengal tigers and one million people. Photos : Reuters and AP
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Prime minister Sheikh Hasina's India visit postponed
Dhaka, 7 December : Prime minister Sheikh Hasina's India visit has been postponed because of the Copenhagen talks, which she is due to attend.
Foreign minister Dr. Dipu Moni, announcing the postponement in a press conference Monday, said new dates might be set for the New Delhi trip, possibly in the second week of January.

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Satkhira region 2nd BDR trial adjourned till Tuesday
BSS, Satkhira, 7 December : The trial of suspected BDR mutineers in Satkhira region began Monday in a special court at the border force's district headquarters.
The court adjourn for the day after the charges were read out. Proceedings will resume on Tuesday in presence of the accused BDR mutineers in the dock. Huge contingent of police, RAB and intelligence force have been deployed around the special court installed at the 41 Rifles Battalion headquarters, the battalion's commander Lt Col Iqbal Azim said. BDR director general Maj Gen Moinul Islam is heading a three-member bench. The two other members are officers of lieutenant colonel and major general ranks.
This is the second trial after the first BDR mutiny trial began in a Rangmati court last month. Some 61 border guards under 7 Rifles Battalion based in Neeldumur will face trial in the Satkhira court in the phase.

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Tripura to set up 25more industrial training institutes
Agartala, 7 December : The Tripura government will set up 25 more industrial training institutes (ITIs) in the state to provide career-oriented training to jobless youth, Industries and Commerce Minister Jitendra Chowdhury said Monday.
“To solve the gigantic unemployment problem, vocational training and job-oriented teaching would be given through these proposed ITIs,” Chowdhury told reporters here. The union ministry for development of northeastern region (DoNER) will partly fund the establishment of these new ITIs estimated at Rs.125 crore, he said. “The union ministry has sanctioned funds for two of the 25 ITIs.”
According to the minister, the new ITIs would be commissioned in interior, tribal and minority-dominated and backward areas of the land-locked bordering state. With the new 25 ITIs, the total number of such training institutes in the state would rise to 30.

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GJM not to budge from statehood demand : Roshan
PTI, Kolkata, 7 December : Stating that the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha would not budge from its demand of Gorkhaland in the next tripartite talks, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri today said that creation of a separate state only would solve the problem in the Darjeeling Hills.
"It is the aspiration of all Gorkhas as we have been discriminated against over the years in all fields starting from education to jobs," Giri told PTI here today. Asked whether the tripartite talks on the issue scheduled to be held on 21 December in Darjeeling would bear any fruit, he said "our one and only demand is Gorkhaland and unless that demand is met, no talks will be fruitful."
"It is not just a problem of Gorkhas of Darjeeling and Dooars, it is an issue for all Gorkhas throughout India," he said. "We want a new state for the sake of our identity.
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Kishenji attends public meet
Kolkata, December : After a gap of a month, fugitive Maoist leader Kishenji attended an open gathering in Jangalmahal on 2 December to observe the foundation lay of their Peoples Liberation Group Army (PLGA).
Another Maoist activist, Rakesh, leader of the West Bengal-Jharkhand-Orissa border regional committee also attended the function along with the commander-in-chief of Jangalmahal, Bikash. The gathering was held amid tight security provided by PLGA activists who had surrounded the area with sophisticated arms and weapons to prevent the joint forces from attempting to foil the function and arrest top Maoist leaders like Kishenji.
Kishenji had left Lalgarh and Jangalmahal after the Maoist activists killed four jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) at Gidhni bazar area in West Midnapore district on 8 November. It is, however, not clear whether Kishenji is staying at Jangalmahal or left the place after attending the function there on 2 December. File Photo : AFP

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Railway minister Mamata Banerjee’s offer for Hasina
New Delhi, 7 December : Indian Railway minister Mamata Banerjee’s development blitz is set to touch Bangladesh.
When Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed comes calling later this month, India will make a slew of proposals to strengthen the rail network of its eastern neighbour. The bouquet for Hasina includes an upgraded station at the Indian border town of Bongaon to facilitate the movement of people and trade, a link to Tripura’s Agartala and access to Nepal through three points. “I share a special relationship with Sheikh Hasina. We will of course be meeting when the Prime Minister comes on her state visit,” Mamata said. The railway minister said she had ordered a Rs 17-crore upgrade of the Bongaon station. “We will also build the Akhuara-Agartala railway to link Bangladesh with the Northeast.”
Besides the personal meeting of the two ladies, Indian officials will hold talks to finalise railway co-operation with Bangladesh. Railway officials said survey work for the link between Tripura and Bangladesh had been completed, and work on the line would start soon.

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Again CPI(M) activist shot dead in West Midnapore
Midnapore, 7 December : Suspected Maoists shot dead a CPI(M) worker early today at a village in troubled Belpahari where the ultras gunned down three CPI(M) activists last Friday.
Sushanta Pratihar was shot in his head in Pinboni village and the body was left on the Pinboni-Pirakata road in West Midnapore district, police said. Some leaflets and a poster were found near the body which read "death penalty has been awarded at the verdict of the people."
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BCP Outlaw killed in Chuadanga district "shootout"
Kushtia, 7 December : A regional leader of outlawed Biplobi Communist Party (BCP) was killed in a 'shootout' between his cohorts and police at Munshiganj village in Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga district early Monday.
The dead was identified as Monwar Hossain alias Mono. Monwar was also a top leader of local gang BD Bahini that is led by one BD Hossain. According to police, acting on a tip-off that a gang of BCP cadres led by Monwar was holding a meeting at a banana orchard near Munshiganj bazar at about 1:30am(BDST), a team from Alamdanga Police Station led by its Officer-in-charge Ilias Fakir raided the place.
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Global Warming to have catastrophic affect on Andaman and Niocbar islands
UNI, Port Blair, 7 December : Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Niocbar Administration Vivek Rae said the Global Warming will have catastrophic affect on these islands.
Addressing a gathering during an environmental walkathon under the theme, 'save the environment' organised by the Coast Guard (A&N) Region, yesterday Rai urged the participants to do their utmost in ensuring preservation and protection of the environment. The walkathon was organised as part of the Indian Coast Guard’s Raising day celebrations on 1 February, 2010. He reminded the audience of the need to nurture nature and do everything possible to reduce global warming, which is the greatest threat to the survival of mankind at present.
Addressing the gathering Commander of Andaman and Nicobar Coast Guard (CG) and Deputy Inspector General KR Nautiyal stressed on the role played by the Indian Coast Guard in protecting the environment and endangered species like Olive Ridley Turtles. 'The objective of the walkathon was to spread awareness amidst the local populace regarding conservation of our environment heritage and promotion of knowledge about the disastrous aspects of climate change,' Commandant Vijay Singh told UNI.
Earlier, the event was flagged off by Mr Vivek Rae at the Netaji Stadium here in the early hours.

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