The strongest aftershock since the Sichuan earthquake two weeks ago has hit the Chinese province sending survivors and residents pouring on to the streets in panic.
The shock hit just as soldiers were preparing for an attempt to blow up a dangerous landslide that was threatening to burst, sending a lake formed behind it since the quake flooding down on to refugees beneath.
The aftershock, which measured 6.4 on the Richter scale, according to the Chinese authorities, killed one person in the city of Guangyan, near the epicentre, and sent another 71,000 houses tumbling to the ground. More than 260 people were injured.
Earlier, the government said the number of dead from the original quake had reached 62,664 with another 23,775 people missing. It is believed the total death toll may reach more than 80,000.
State media said it was feared that the aftershock might disrupt an attempt to blow up a natural dam formed by a landslide in the hills above Beichuan, one of the worst-hit towns.
Earlier, 1,600 soldiers and police had begun a trek up to the dam, around two miles upstream from the town. Each was carrying 22 pounds of explosive to be used to blast a hole through the dam to release the water.
Most residents of Beichuan have already been evacuated, but officials say there is no danger to villagers who are still living in the ruins of their houses on the hillsides above the town.
The lake, on Tangjia mountain, was now 723 metres deep, E Jingpin, the vice minister of water resources, said in Beijing.
”The relief work for Tangjia Shan quake lake is now at critical stage,” he said.
Troops were prevented from landing by helicopter because of fog, but the terrain in the area is steep and wooded.
The lake is one of 34 so-called “barrier lakes” formed by landslides. In addition, the authorities say 69 dams have been left in danger of bursting, 310 faced “highly dangerous situations”, while a further 1,424 faced moderate risks.
”If these reservoirs were to overflow, it would be a serious threat to the lives and property of the people downstream, and would influence the supply of water for agriculture and industry,” Mr E said.
Meanwhile, media reported the freeing of an 80-year-old disabled man from the ruins of his house on Friday. Xiao Zhihu had been pinned for 11 days by a concrete pillar that had fallen across his legs, but had been kept alive by food and water fed to him by his wife.
The government also said it was shortening the amount of time the Olympic torch would spend in Tibet from three days to one.
It has faced calls to abandon the Tibetan leg of the relay altogether since the outbreak of unrest in the province in March, but it attributed the reason to the need to make up time for the three days it was suspended for a period of national mourning for the quake’s victims.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Burma asks for $11bn to rebuild
REPRESENTATIVES of more than 50 nations met in cyclone-stricken Burma last night to pledge billions of dollars towards the country's rebuilding as speculation grew that the junta was preparing to release imprisoned pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.
Burma's ruling generals want the world to donate nearly $US11billion ($11.5 billion) to rebuild the country and help about 2.4 million survivors in need of aid.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last night he was hopeful "a turning point" had been reached in tackling Burma's crisis.
The one-day, 52-nation conference began on a note of optimism following promises by the military junta that foreign aid workers could enter the most devastated areas, from which they have been banned since the cyclone three weeks ago.
"I hope this marks a turning point in tackling the challenges facing this country," Mr Ban told about 500 delegates after a minute's silence for the dead.
But he said international relief workers and foreign medical teams must have "unhindered access to the areas hardest hit by the disaster".
Supporters of the democratically elected leader of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, also speculated yesterday that the junta was planning an easing of her house arrest conditions or even a release, as part of its concessions to huge international pressure. The detention order that confined her to a fifth consecutive year of incarceration expired at the weekend.
Burmese online publications have carried unconfirmed reports that the Nobel Peace Prize winner's release was imminent.
But Britain's Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, told Britain's The Observer newspaper that he would not be raising the issue of Ms Suu Kyi's imprisonment as it was "inappropriate when the utmost importance is ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid".
Mr Alexander added that the international community wanted to see "full and unfettered access for aid workers" as a condition for help.
Prime Minister Thein Sein said international aid "with no strings attached" was welcome but only civilian vessels could take part in the aid operation.
"Relief supplies can be transported by land, air or sea. But if relief supplies have to be transported by water, civilian vessels can come in through Yangon (Rangoon) port," he said.
US, British and French warships, loaded with humanitarian supplies, have been cruising off Burma's coast. But last week, state media said they would not be allowed into the country, citing fears of an American invasion to snatch the country's oil supplies.
General Thein Sein yesterday presented a long list of urgent needs, including temporary shelters, rice seeds, fertiliser, fishing boats and new salt factories.
Burma's military regime was expected to call for US$10.7 billion in foreign funds. But donors were unlikely to dig deep into their pockets until they actually gained access to devastated regions from which foreigners had been earlier banned.
Washington's representative, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel, said the US was prepared to offer much more than the US$20.5 million already donated. But only if international disaster experts were allowed to assess conditions in affected areas to determine how best to help the victims.
For weeks, the junta insisted it could handle the relief effort alone, even though reporters who have reached the delta say many are still without government assistance and that the situation is grim.
Bodies of some of the estimated 133,000 people left dead or missing are rotting in canals. There is little food, rice paddies are in ruins, and there have been international warnings of a possible famine ahead.
Burma's generals have a long history of making promises to UN envoys, then breaking them when the international spotlight fades.
The UN has repeatedly failed to convince the military to make democratic reforms and to release opposition leader Ms Suu Kyi, whose five-year period of house arrest expires this week.
Nyan Win, spokesman for Ms Suu Kyi's National League of Democracy, said yesterday there has been "no sign at all" that she would be released. He said a decision on whether to free her or continue her detention would probably come today.
An estimate released on Saturday by the UN said of the total 2.4 million people affected by the storm, about 42 per cent had received some kind of emergency assistance. But of the two million people living in the 15 worst-affected townships, only 23 per cent had been reached.
The UN has launched an emergency appeal for $US201 million. That figure will likely increase once disaster relief experts are able to survey the Irrawaddy Delta.
So far, the UN had received about $US50 million in contributions and about $US42.5 million in pledges in response to the appeal, a UN spokeswoman said.
Aid agencies said much needed to be clarified from Mr Ban's meeting, ranging from logistical issues about when aid workers' visas would be granted to how long they would be allowed to stay in Burma and where they could work.
Official estimates put the death toll at about 78,000, with another 56,000 missing. Burma has estimated the economic damage at about US$11 billion.
Source: theaustralian.news.com.au
Burma's ruling generals want the world to donate nearly $US11billion ($11.5 billion) to rebuild the country and help about 2.4 million survivors in need of aid.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last night he was hopeful "a turning point" had been reached in tackling Burma's crisis.
The one-day, 52-nation conference began on a note of optimism following promises by the military junta that foreign aid workers could enter the most devastated areas, from which they have been banned since the cyclone three weeks ago.
"I hope this marks a turning point in tackling the challenges facing this country," Mr Ban told about 500 delegates after a minute's silence for the dead.
But he said international relief workers and foreign medical teams must have "unhindered access to the areas hardest hit by the disaster".
Supporters of the democratically elected leader of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, also speculated yesterday that the junta was planning an easing of her house arrest conditions or even a release, as part of its concessions to huge international pressure. The detention order that confined her to a fifth consecutive year of incarceration expired at the weekend.
Burmese online publications have carried unconfirmed reports that the Nobel Peace Prize winner's release was imminent.
But Britain's Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, told Britain's The Observer newspaper that he would not be raising the issue of Ms Suu Kyi's imprisonment as it was "inappropriate when the utmost importance is ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid".
Mr Alexander added that the international community wanted to see "full and unfettered access for aid workers" as a condition for help.
Prime Minister Thein Sein said international aid "with no strings attached" was welcome but only civilian vessels could take part in the aid operation.
"Relief supplies can be transported by land, air or sea. But if relief supplies have to be transported by water, civilian vessels can come in through Yangon (Rangoon) port," he said.
US, British and French warships, loaded with humanitarian supplies, have been cruising off Burma's coast. But last week, state media said they would not be allowed into the country, citing fears of an American invasion to snatch the country's oil supplies.
General Thein Sein yesterday presented a long list of urgent needs, including temporary shelters, rice seeds, fertiliser, fishing boats and new salt factories.
Burma's military regime was expected to call for US$10.7 billion in foreign funds. But donors were unlikely to dig deep into their pockets until they actually gained access to devastated regions from which foreigners had been earlier banned.
Washington's representative, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel, said the US was prepared to offer much more than the US$20.5 million already donated. But only if international disaster experts were allowed to assess conditions in affected areas to determine how best to help the victims.
For weeks, the junta insisted it could handle the relief effort alone, even though reporters who have reached the delta say many are still without government assistance and that the situation is grim.
Bodies of some of the estimated 133,000 people left dead or missing are rotting in canals. There is little food, rice paddies are in ruins, and there have been international warnings of a possible famine ahead.
Burma's generals have a long history of making promises to UN envoys, then breaking them when the international spotlight fades.
The UN has repeatedly failed to convince the military to make democratic reforms and to release opposition leader Ms Suu Kyi, whose five-year period of house arrest expires this week.
Nyan Win, spokesman for Ms Suu Kyi's National League of Democracy, said yesterday there has been "no sign at all" that she would be released. He said a decision on whether to free her or continue her detention would probably come today.
An estimate released on Saturday by the UN said of the total 2.4 million people affected by the storm, about 42 per cent had received some kind of emergency assistance. But of the two million people living in the 15 worst-affected townships, only 23 per cent had been reached.
The UN has launched an emergency appeal for $US201 million. That figure will likely increase once disaster relief experts are able to survey the Irrawaddy Delta.
So far, the UN had received about $US50 million in contributions and about $US42.5 million in pledges in response to the appeal, a UN spokeswoman said.
Aid agencies said much needed to be clarified from Mr Ban's meeting, ranging from logistical issues about when aid workers' visas would be granted to how long they would be allowed to stay in Burma and where they could work.
Official estimates put the death toll at about 78,000, with another 56,000 missing. Burma has estimated the economic damage at about US$11 billion.
Source: theaustralian.news.com.au
CBSE Class 12 Exam Results on Reliance Mobiles
With the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 examination results being announced today, thousands of students in Orissa who've appeared for the exams can access their results through Reliance mobile phones.
They can check their exam results on their Reliance mobile phones either via voice portal by dialing 51234 815 @ Rs 2.40 per minute or via the Reliance mobile educational portal by dialing 53030 815 @ Rs 2.40 per minute or by clicking on: Reliance Mobile World>Exam Result>Get Results and entering their exam roll number.
Additionally, students can also access results of other examinations held by several state boards. And, results of medical and engineering entrance exams will also be made available on Reliance mobile phones as soon as they're announced, the company said.
Reliance claims their exam results on Reliance Mobile World is a very popular application -- one that very many students use and depend on.
Source: techtree.com
They can check their exam results on their Reliance mobile phones either via voice portal by dialing 51234 815 @ Rs 2.40 per minute or via the Reliance mobile educational portal by dialing 53030 815 @ Rs 2.40 per minute or by clicking on: Reliance Mobile World>Exam Result>Get Results and entering their exam roll number.
Additionally, students can also access results of other examinations held by several state boards. And, results of medical and engineering entrance exams will also be made available on Reliance mobile phones as soon as they're announced, the company said.
Reliance claims their exam results on Reliance Mobile World is a very popular application -- one that very many students use and depend on.
Source: techtree.com
City students excel in CBSE examinations
Pune: The students from Maharashtra have done exceedingly well in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) class 12 exams. The overall percentage of passing in Maharashtra is 93.76. In Pune, in the most of the schools passing percentage is above 90.
CBSE, on Wednesday declared results in Chennai, Ajmer and Panchkula regions. In Pune, while Kendriya Vidyalaya, Army area has 100 per cent result; the passing percentage of Kendriya Vidyalaya, CME, which has only science stream, is 97. Amranta Mogali stood first in Kendriya Vidyalaya, CME securing 91.8 per cent marks. In Kendriya Vidyalaya, NDA, Iswar Vinayak and Radhika Karkhanis stood first scoring 86 per cent in the science stream. The overall result of the school is 85 per cent.
Meanwhile, for the first time, the Central board of secondary education’s regional offices came out with the state wise statistics. “In Chennai region, the passing percentage this year is 90.71 which is far better than the last year’s 83 per cent,” said V Nagaraju, regional officer, CBSE, Chennai.
Maharashtra has also done exceedingly well. Of 7431 students appeared for the exams, 6967 passed. In the Chennai region, while Pondicherry tops the list with pass percentage of 97.75; performance of Lakshadweep was not up to the mark, which could manage only 52.17 pass percentage. In the region, of the total 48,249 students who appeared for the exam, 43,767 students got through. “Since CBSE has a system of grading, we don’t announce the names of toppers,” said Nagaraju.
Source: expressindia.com
CBSE, on Wednesday declared results in Chennai, Ajmer and Panchkula regions. In Pune, while Kendriya Vidyalaya, Army area has 100 per cent result; the passing percentage of Kendriya Vidyalaya, CME, which has only science stream, is 97. Amranta Mogali stood first in Kendriya Vidyalaya, CME securing 91.8 per cent marks. In Kendriya Vidyalaya, NDA, Iswar Vinayak and Radhika Karkhanis stood first scoring 86 per cent in the science stream. The overall result of the school is 85 per cent.
Meanwhile, for the first time, the Central board of secondary education’s regional offices came out with the state wise statistics. “In Chennai region, the passing percentage this year is 90.71 which is far better than the last year’s 83 per cent,” said V Nagaraju, regional officer, CBSE, Chennai.
Maharashtra has also done exceedingly well. Of 7431 students appeared for the exams, 6967 passed. In the Chennai region, while Pondicherry tops the list with pass percentage of 97.75; performance of Lakshadweep was not up to the mark, which could manage only 52.17 pass percentage. In the region, of the total 48,249 students who appeared for the exam, 43,767 students got through. “Since CBSE has a system of grading, we don’t announce the names of toppers,” said Nagaraju.
Source: expressindia.com
MAHE to help set up PIO University in Bangalore
MAHE has been selected to set up the university to provide affordable and quality education to children of Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO).
The much-awaited NRI/PIO university would soon be set up at Bangalore by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) under the supervision of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA).
Government had invited bids from educational institutes and MAHE has been selected to set up the university to provide affordable and quality education to children of Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs told reporters here.
The university will be functional from 2009, he said.
Fifty per cent of the seats in the university will be reserved for PIOs, he said, adding that Indian students will be eligible to seek admission for the remaining seats.
MAHE has offered to set up the university at Bangalore. It is expected to be a Deemed University De-Novo under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act as an Institution of Excellence.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised to the Indian Diaspora to set up an PIO university to meet their aspirations for higher education opportunities in India.
The varsity will also help in developing comprehensive bilateral links with India through the active association of the Diaspora. There are around 25 million PIOs living in nearly 130 countries.
In developed countries like the US and Britain, higher education is expensive and increasingly Overseas Indians look to their country of origin for higher studies for their children. Students from the developing countries also look up to India for their higher educational needs.
Source: deccanherald.com
The much-awaited NRI/PIO university would soon be set up at Bangalore by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) under the supervision of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA).
Government had invited bids from educational institutes and MAHE has been selected to set up the university to provide affordable and quality education to children of Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs told reporters here.
The university will be functional from 2009, he said.
Fifty per cent of the seats in the university will be reserved for PIOs, he said, adding that Indian students will be eligible to seek admission for the remaining seats.
MAHE has offered to set up the university at Bangalore. It is expected to be a Deemed University De-Novo under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act as an Institution of Excellence.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised to the Indian Diaspora to set up an PIO university to meet their aspirations for higher education opportunities in India.
The varsity will also help in developing comprehensive bilateral links with India through the active association of the Diaspora. There are around 25 million PIOs living in nearly 130 countries.
In developed countries like the US and Britain, higher education is expensive and increasingly Overseas Indians look to their country of origin for higher studies for their children. Students from the developing countries also look up to India for their higher educational needs.
Source: deccanherald.com
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