The Tribune – School to be named after Manak

Charanjit Singh Teja, Tribune News Service

Ludhiana December 8 From the next academic session, moral education will be introduced as a subject in Punjab government schools, said Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan while addressing a function at GGN Khalsa College here today. Sekhwan said this had become necessary in the contemporary times.

The minister also announced early implementation of the higher education policy. About he Library Act, he said it would be implemented soon to help the poor students gain easy access to books, magazines and newspapers. He said that the government school at Jalal village in Bathinda would be named after deceased singer Kuldeep Manak as demanded by Punjabi Sahit Akademi president Gurbhajan Singh Gill.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111209/punjab.htm#16

The Tribune – Manpreet, Raninder meet aggrieved teacher

S P Sharma, Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 8 Leaders of political parties are making a beeline for this dusty village near Gidderbaha to express solidarity with Varinder Kaur’s family. Varinder Kaur, a teacher, was slapped by an Akali sarpanch while holding a protest during the Sangat Darshan of Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday.

The incident has become a major issue on the eve of the assembly elections. The PPP chief, Manpreet Singh Badal, met Varinder this morning. His wife Vinu Singh had organised a candlelight procession in Gidderbaha last night against the slapping incident.

Raninder Singh, PCC chief Amarinder Singh’s son, also met the aggrieved teacher today. The Congress has sent a message to its district units to hold demonstrations tomorrow.

Raninder Singh urged the state election authorities to provide police protection to Varinder Kaur as she had received threat calls from unidentified persons.

The Congress would include the demands of the EGS teachers in its election manifes, Raninder told Varinder Kaur and her parents. He said it was a matter of shame that an Akali sarpanch had slapped a woman as Punjabi menfolk were known for their valour and chivalry.

Raninder accused CM Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal of trying to muzzle the voice of the people.

Criticising Manpreet, he said the latter was now shedding crocodile tears whereas he had himself let loose a reign of terror on Congress supporters as Finance Minister in the SAD-BJP government.

Manpreet, who was the first to visit Varinder Kaur’s house, said he was shocked by the incident and Sukhbir Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur should publicly apologise to the teacher.

I ask the state election authorities to provide police protection to Varinder Kaur as she has received threat calls from unidentified persons

— Raninder Singh, Congress leader

Sukhbir Badal and Harsimrat Kaur must apologise. It is strange that non-bailable charges have been framed against the protesting teachers

— Manpreet Badal, PPP chief

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111209/punjab.htm#5

The Hindu – Mamata says 50 bodies recovered from AMRI hospital

Indrani Dutta

Kolkata, 9 December 2011. At least 25 persons, including critically ill patients, are feared dead in a devastating fire at a private hospital in Kolkata.

Twenty-five fire engines are trying to combat the situation. While the fire that has been doused, thick smoke is still billowing out of the multi-storeyed AMRI speciality hospital in Dhakuria.

The fire broke out in the “early hours” at the basement where hospital chemicals and medical waste were stocked.

Fire service minister Javed Khan said that 80 per cent of the patients have been removed to other facilities.

46 bodies removed from amri hospital, the additional director general , west bengal fire services said. The list included patients and hospital staff.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited the hospital, however, said 55 bodies have been recovered, as noxious fumes are still emanating out of the basement and engulfing the crowded neighbourhood.

Milling crowds, of patients’ hapless relatives and curious passersby are hampering rescue operations. Some firemen have also been reportedly fallen ill.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the victims were being sent to the state-run SSKM hospital. Police sources said that at least 40 bodies have arrived at the SSKM mortuary and now bodies are being diverted to other state hospitals. SSKM hospital is the biggest hospital in Kolkata.

Six hours after the worst such tragedy, there has been no official communication from AMRI hospital so far.

Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury, The Hindu’s photographer who was covering the accident said, some locals broke open the window panes and rescued some patients.

Angry relatives and locals vandalised the receprion of the hospital, claiming that it failed to adhere to the safety norms.

The death toll could go up to 50, predicted Mr. Roy Chowdhury.

PTI adds:

Personnel of the Disaster Management Group reached the scene and were assisting in the operations. Commissioner of Kolkata Police R.K. Pachnanda too rushed to the spot.

Firemen smashed sealed windows to let the smoke out of the the annexe building of AMRI Hospital where a fire raged as paramedics rushed to revive patients evacuated out of the critical care units.

As soon as a patient was brought out of the building, families watching in horror rushed to ascertain if they could identify him, a PTI correspondent on the scene said.

Patients are being moved to the state-run SSKM hospital for further treatment.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article2700650.ece

Belgium, Ieper (Ypres) commemoration of World War I soldiers 11/11/2011

Alphonse Vandepeereboomplein – Poppy Parade

Alphonse Vandepeereboomplein – Poppy Parade

 Alphonse Vandepeereboomplein – Poppy Parade

 Alphonse Vandepeereboomplein – Poppy Parade

To see more Ieper pictures go to :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157621976532703/  

More Ieper pictures to follow  
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

Special to the Tribune – Dev Anand to be cremated in London tomorrow

Shyam Bhatia in London

I am heartbroken, very depressed and have lost a beautiful father, a beautiful friend – my best friend,” says Dev Anand’s son, Sunil, who was in the same London hotel as his father when he passed away last Saturday night at about 10 pm.

In an exclusive interaction with The Tribune, Sunil said, “It will take me a long time to get over it, but I know he’s in Heaven looking down on me.”

“I was in an adjoining room last Saturday. He’d gone to sleep and he didn’t respond. The medics were called… I called the medics and doctors right away… He was gone,” he said.

Friends and other close associates of the Bollywood legend have revealed that London paramedics arrived within four minutes of being called to Dev Anand’s hotel room where he suffered a massive cardiac arrest. Despite the best efforts of the paramedics lasting for more than half an hour, they could not revive him.

His personal doctor, Harley Street specialist Dr Keith, was also called and arrived soon afterwards.

Dev Anand’s body was subsequently taken to the nearby Westminster morgue, pending a formal coroner’s inquiry into the cause of death and Saturday’s cremation at London’s Putney Vale crematorium. A memorial reception will take place later the same day on the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan premises in the British capital.

Sunil, his sister Davina and their mother Kalpana are understood to be taking Dev Anand’s ashes back to India next Wednesday.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111209/main5.htm

BBC News – Karmapa Lama: Indian police charge Tibetan exile leader

8 December 2011

Indian police have charged exiled Tibetan leader the Karmapa Lama after seizing about $1.4m (£900,000) in cash at his monastery in Dharamsala.

They allege the cash was being held in violation of foreign exchange rules.

But the Karmapa’s aides say that it was provided by thousands of supporters in the form of donations to his monastery.

The Karmapa heads one of the four sects of Tibetan Buddhism and is expected to play a prominent spiritual role in the event of the death of the Dalai Lama.

Correspondents say that the district court where the criminal conspiracy charges were filed will soon make a decision as to whether the case should come to trial.

A statement released by his office on Thursday said that so far no official or court notice had been served against him.

“The Karmapa Office of Administration has always provided the authorities with complete details and documents pertaining to the case,” the statement said.

“At no point of time was His Holiness ever called or examined by the investigating agency.”

The statement said that that the Karmapa was consulting with his lawyers over the next course of action “which will be decided only once the court takes any decision on the charge sheet filed”.

‘Thorough investigation’   The Karmapa is seen as the third most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama.

He fled Tibet in 1999 and arrived in Dharamsala – in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh – which is the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

The Dalai Lama said in January, when the money was seized, that there should be a “thorough investigation” into the matter.

Police said at the time that the “unaccounted” money was made up of 24 currencies.

The Karmapa is reported to have told investigating agencies that he received the money in donations from followers and that it was being used to purchase land for a monastery.

He has argued in the past that he is not involved in the financial affairs of his religious order.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16085787