Headlines

Have You Argued Yet Over This Boss-Wife Ad?

Posted by Trueline Radio | Thursday, July 31, 2014 | Posted in ,


Is it about a perfect relationship or about gender power play? Or does it stereotype the woman, even one who is a super-achiever? The jury is still out as a debate rages over a new ad by a leading telecom company that attempts to pitch its network as cupid in a modern family context.

Here's how the ad rolls -- a perfectly turned out super-boss asks her team to get a job done the same day. She indicates that "can't be done" is not an option. The boss leaves while her subordinate is hard at work.

Alone in the office, he gets a call from his wife who is whipping up dinner for him. She suggests he abandon work and come home to a great meal. For good measure she video calls him.

Turns out boss is also wife.


On social media some people have slammed the ad as "regressive." Others argue that it is not so - well-known author Shobhaa De said the ad depicts "consensual domesticity" and not "enforced domesticity." (Watch)

Then there are those who allege that the ad is flawed - HR policies in most places, they say - some of them in satirical tweets - don't allow husband and wife to work in such a situation. There are still others who have joined long conversations to say, "Hey it's just an ad."

Either way, it's a successful campaign - it has got the eyeballs and generated buzz.


We are still wondering though whether the assignment got done that day.

Gaza 'Miracle Baby' Dies Over Complications, Power Cuts

Posted by Trueline Radio | | Posted in ,



Gaza City:  A premature baby rescued by Gaza doctors from her dead mother's womb last week has died due to complications and power cuts affecting the intensive care unit where she was treated.

The six-day-old baby was born by emergency Caesarean section on Friday after doctors at Deir al-Balah hospital in central Gaza managed to save her from the womb of her mother, who died when an Israeli tank shell hit her home.

The mother, 23-year-old Shayma al-Sheikh Qanan, had been eight months pregnant, and the baby was named after her.

But the baby was deprived of oxygen between her mother's death and doctors being able to operate, which meant she had to be hooked up to a respirator at the maternity ward in Khan Yunis hospital in southern Gaza.

"The baby suffered an oxygen deficiency in the womb after her mother's heart stopped," Dr Abdel Karem al-Bawab, head of the maternity ward at Nasser hospital, told AFP Thursday.

"This deficiency caused the baby to asphyxiate unexpectedly, rendering her brain dead," he said of the tragedy, which occurred Wednesday.

"The ongoing electricity shortages played a role because her oxygen tubes did not work properly and we had to resuscitate her more than once manually."


Doctors told AFP earlier this week that her vital signs were stable but said she would have to be on the respirator for "at least three more weeks."

Power situation in state likely to worsen

Posted by Unknown | Sunday, June 29, 2014 | Posted in


Thiruvananthapuram: The state's power scenario will worsen if the monsoon does not gain momentum.
If the power lines to bring power from outside the state are not ready by next month, the power situation is likely to further deteriorate.
In June, there was 20 per cent deficient rainfall so far and the dams including Idukki, Sabari and Idamalayar have only have only half the level of water stored in the same period last year.
Apart from Vaikom and some nearby places, there were no rains on Saturday. If the low pressure build-up in Lakshwadeep strengthens, the rainfall is likely to gain momentum in two days.
The Idukki reservoir is 18 per cent full, down from 35 per cent the same day the previous year.
This is sufficient to generate 39.7 crore units of power.
The Pampa dam has only 15 per cent water, down from 39.46 per cent the same day the previous year.

Apart from the depleting water flow to the dams, the hot climate is also triggering more electricity consumption.
The state consumed 6.328 crore units of power on Friday.

Brazil Fan Dies of Heart Failure After Chile Match

Posted by Unknown | | Posted in


Belo Horizonte, Brazil: A 69-year-old Brazilian fan died of heart failure while watching his country's World Cup penalty shootout win over Chile, media reported Saturday.

The man was watching the tense encounter, which Brazil won on spotkicks after the sides were locked 1-1 after extra-time, in a nearby bar when he complained of feeling unwell.
The fan, who was diabetic, died shortly after being taken to hospital, web news portal G1 and the website of Estado de Minas newspaper reported. 
The paper added local health officials had to treat some 100 people during the game, including a 50-year-old woman for a heart problem during the penalties and a young man whose nose was fractured in a fight.

India Writes to Switzerland Seeking Information on Secret Bank Accounts

Posted by Unknown | | Posted in

New Delhi: India has made a fresh request to Switzerland seeking bank details and names of Indians having unaccounted money in Swiss banks, as the government expands its efforts to combat the menace of black money.

The latest request has been made by the Finance Ministry after a Swiss government official recently said that Switzerland was ready to cooperate proactively with India to share details on a 'spontaneous' basis about persons and entities suspected to have untaxed assets in Swiss banks.
"We have written to the Swiss authorities seeking details in this regard. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely had promised that such a step will be taken," a senior Finance Ministry official told PTI.
The official said that the request letter has cited the existing bilateral treaties and global protocols applicable to the two countries for getting information about bank and other details of Indians holding untaxed funds or hidden wealth.
A spokesperson for Switzerland's Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF) later said that Swiss authorities were in touch with Indian and "Switzerland looks forward to working together with the new government of the Republic of India in its fight against tax evasion."
The Swiss government has been reluctant to share details about the Indians named in a so-called 'HSBC list', which was reportedly stolen by a bank employee and later found its way to tax authorities in various countries including India.
Despite repeated requests from India, including through at least four letters written by former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Switzerland has maintained that its local laws prohibit administrative assistance in matters where information has been sourced illegally, including through stolen lists.

Unbelievable Leakage Video Footage From Iran.

Posted by Unknown | Saturday, June 28, 2014 | Posted in

Only Hard minded persons can watch this heartbreaking video from Iran.
(Heart Patients please avoid to wattch this)





3 VCs in State not eligible as per UGC norms: Minister

Posted by Unknown | Friday, June 27, 2014 | Posted in




Thiruvananthapuram: Vice-Chancellors of three universities in Kerala do not have the eligibility prescribed the UGC to be in the post, Education Minister P.K Abdu Rabb today informed the state Assembly.

They are Kannur University vice-chancellor Dr. M.K. Abdul Khadar, Kalady Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit vice-chancellor Dr. M.C Dileep and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University vice-chancellor K.Jayakumar.

As per the UGC norms, a person needs to have 10 years of experience as a Professor or researcher to be appointed VC, the minister said.

In Kerala, there are no special norms prescribed for appointment as VC. The UGC norms are suggestions and the state is not bound to comply with that. The Universities can go by their own laws as they are autonomous institutions, the minister said in reply to a query by P.Sriramakrishnan.

CM flays opposition over headmistress' transfer

Posted by Unknown | | Posted in




Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Thursday flayed the Left opposition for criticising his government over the transfer of a school headmistress who is a Dalit.

"You have been unnecessarily raking up the issue of a headmistress' transfer by frequently referring that she is a Dalit. Please don't try to rake up this issue as a communal one," an angry Chandy told the opposition in the house.

The transfer of headmistress Urmila Devi of Cotton Hill Girls School here early this week has for the past two days created a ruckus both inside and outside the assembly.

The Left opposition walked out of the house in protest Thursday.

The row began when the headmistress is understood to have mentioned state Education Minister P.K. Abdu Rabb's delay in reaching a school function during her speech at the same event June 16.

A day later, a section of the media reported how the minister was treated poorly. Consequently, a probe was ordered by the state government and it recommended strong disciplinary action against the headmistress.

"You should please understand it was after the headmistress assumed office, the results of the school were excellent. She is a cancer patient and you should have shown a humanitarian attitude towards her," said Achuthanandan.

"... You took vindictive action by transferring her," he added.

In response, Chandy said when the Left was in office 2006-11, they took the extreme step of suspending a college principal and the head of department just because they spoke indifferently to a legislator.

"Please understand the probe that was ordered against the headmistress said she should be suspended, but we just transferred her to another school. She can go in appeal against this with the appropriate authority," Chandy said.

Meanwhile, the headmistress approached the State Administrative Tribunal and requested for an order to suspend her transfer, which was refused.

The state government informed the tribunal that all the steps taken were as per law.

The media has been having a free run on this issue with editorials and numerous debates on nearly dozen TV channels.

Alappuzha to host 27th Kerala Science Congress

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Thiruvananthapuram: The 27th edition of the annual Kerala Science Congress organised by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) will be held in Alappuzha from January 28 to 31 in 2015.

Dr Tessy Thomas, project Director, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will be the chairperson of the event, organised in association with National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC).

KSCSTE Executive Vice President Prof V N Rajasekharan Pillai, who is also the Ex-officio Principal Secretary to the Department of Science and Technology of the state government will be the president of the Congress.

‘Traditional industries’ has been chosen as the focal theme of the Science Congress in the backdrop of traditional industrial base of Alappuzha. Being a coastal district of Kerala, it is historically known as the ‘Venice of East’ and is famous for its coir industry.

Nearly 2,000 delegates comprising scientists and young researchers are expected to take part in the Congress. The four-day event will have sessions including lectures, focal theme deliberations and the Children’s Science Congress.

Deliberation on several hundreds of research papers from various fields of science and technology will set a major platform for resourceful interaction among scientists, researchers and students from all over the state.

14 killed, 7 injured in GAIL pipeline fire

Posted by Unknown | | Posted in




Hyderabad: At least 14 people were killed and seven others injured in a fire following a blast in a gas pipeline belonging to GAIL in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district today, a senior state minister said.

"As per initial reports we have received, 14 deaths have been reported and some more are critically injured and undergoing treatment," Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu told reporters here.

According to an official of the East Godavari district, the administration has recovered 13 bodies from the accident site while another death was reported from the hospital where the injured are being treated.

East Godavari District Collector Neetu Kumari Prasad told PTI that the incident took place in the early hours.

"As of now the fire has been brought under control. Fire engines were rushed to the spot and rescue operations are underway," Prasad said.

The accident occurred at Nagaram village in Amalapuram Mandal, she said, adding that three persons are critically injured.

All the injured have been rushed to a nearby hospital, the collector said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the loss of lives in the incident.

Naidu, who is now on a visit to Delhi, reviewed the situation with the collector and senior officials.

He asked state Deputy Chief Minister N Chinarajappa and the collector to rush to the spot to monitor the relief operation.