Manipur Militants Target Telecom Firm Employees

By Sujit Chakraborty

Imphal, Mar 3 : After targeting employees in the sectors of insurance, banking and hospitality, militants in Manipur have now targeted mobile operators in the state to continue their activities of extortion and abduction.

The militants had earlier burned down mobile towers after employees of telecom companies refused to fulfill their demands. In February, militants of the Kangleipak Communist Party (Nongdrenkhomba faction) outfit burnt down a mobile tower and gunned down a security personnel for not responding to their extortion demand.

Many underground outfits have established secret hideouts in the Loktak fresh water lake area, due to the difficult terrain and poor communication network. A large number of Meitei population, mainly fishermen, reside along the bank of Loktak lake.

According to Superintendent of Police Jayanta Singh, the state police have already stepped up their vigil in and around the lake area to flush out militants from the vicinity. Singh further revealed that the state government will deploy three American Hovercrafts for counter-insurgency operations.

Manipur has over 33 different underground militant outfits, most of which thrive on the business of extortion.

Almost all development projects in the state are severely affected by this large-scale extortion. The most affected departments are the Public Works Department and the Public Health Engineering Department.

The state police is handicapped by the shortage of weapons and manpower to deal with the situation.

Manipur Govt To Demolish illegal Religious Structures

Imphal, Mar 3 : Taking into account the Supreme Court's verdict, the state cabinet has taken up necessary steps to pull down all unauthorized places of worship, quarters and others structures located at public places across the state.

The move came at a time when the government has taken up massive road expansion drive and is also pulling down a large number of buildings constructed on both sides of various routes, including National Highways 39 and 53 in the capital.

Records complied by all deputy commissioners identified 316 unauthorised structures, including six inside the Keibul Lamjao National Park, a part of Loktak Lake in Bishnupur district. Keibul Lamjao is the only floating park in the world and home to the rare brow antlered deer, locally known as Sangai.

Recent trends show mushrooming of unauthorized churches, temples and Meitei deity worship places across the capital. The matter has already been discussed thoroughly in the state assembly.

Chaired by chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, the cabinet that met on Tuesday evening at his office chamber, resolved to handover the task of demolishing the illegal structures in the city to the district-level committee to be set up by the government, sources said.

While the respective deputy commissioner would be the chairman of the committee, superintendent of police, district town planners and panchayat members concerned would be its members.

Among other worship places, various churches are seen in and around government quarters at Lamphelpat in Imphal.

The meeting also gave its approval to sartorial allocation of the plan amount of Rs 3,210 crore granted to the state by the Union Planning Commission for the fiscal 2011-12.

It also gave its approval to allocation of Rs 800 crores for Special Plan Assistance (SPA). The cabinet approved to expand the Anti-Rethrovial Therapy (Art) services in the district hospitals of Bishnupur and Senepati and appointment of 16 staff including medical officers and pharmacists on contract basis for engaging in these activities.

Meghalaya Has More Women Than National Average

Shillong, Mar 3 : Meghalaya, where the indigenous communities follow a matrilineal system, has a sex ratio that favours women and the number of women per thousand men in the state is higher than the national average.

Meghalaya has a higher sex ratio of 972 women to 1000 men, which is greater than the national average of 933 women to 1000 men though it is lower than Kerala where 1058 women outnumber every count of 1000 men.

Revealing this fact at a two-day workshop on Rights of Girl Child and Future Implications of Imbalanced Sex Ratio' that began on Tuesday, chairperson of the Meghalaya State Women Commission, Susanna K Marak said an important tenet of child right is ensuring basic right to good health, nutrition, education and freedom from violence, abuse and exploitation for the child.

"The aim of the workshop is to empower voluntary organizations to address various constraints and problems faced by a girl child, to disseminate information and training to participants and support girls to become role models for generations to come," said OB Tariang, chairperson of the Meghalaya State Social Welfare Board.

The workshop is also focused on the need to empower and support adolescent girls so that they can become self-sufficient.

"A child is a divine gift to parents. A girl child requires additional protection and according to UNICEF guidelines a girl child must get equal opportunities in education, medicine, healthcare facilities and at workplace," said JA Lyngdoh, minister for social welfare.

In matrilineal Meghalaya, equal rights are accorded to men, women and children, said the minister. He, however, lamented that incidents of rape and "many forms of abuses" against girls have started increasing in the state.

Kate Winslet In 'Glamour': Shows Leg, Talks Chubby Past

Kate Winslet covers the April issue of Glamour, and in the interview she talks about body image, winning the best actress Oscar in 2009 for 'The Reader' and raising her kids (with Sam Mendes, from whom she split last year).

Glamour's press release follows; scroll down for photos. See the magazine's list of the 50 Most Glam here.

On being heavy when she was younger:
"I will tell you that when I was heavy, people would say to me - and it was such a backhanded compliment - they would say, 'You've got such a beautiful face,' in the way of, like, 'Oh, isn't it a shame that from the neck down you're questionable.' "

On whether or not she's had plastic surgery or wants to change anything about her body:
"No, I have never tried any of that stuff.... I don't have parts of my body that I hate or would like to trade for somebody else's or wish I could surgically adjust into some fantasy version of what they are."

On what it was like to win the Oscar:
"...I was the kid who never won the races. I never jumped the highest. I wasn't on the list of the high-achieving. That wasn't me, so winning the Oscar was like winning all the prizes in one single night that I never won as a kid. For me, it was an internal-fist-pumping moment of yes."

On the difficulties of raising kids:
"The challenge is making sure that they're never treated different just because I sometimes am. I always want them to be regular kids who are grateful and respectful of other human beings. I want them to know that when we fly first-class, that they are lucky. The highest compliment I could ever receive about my kids - and I can say that this does happen frequently - is when the in-flight crew say to me, 'Your children are wonderful. They are so well-behaved.' Every time I am told that, I could weep."

PHOTOS:

Assam Tops in NREGA Complaints in Northeast

By Rahul Karmakar

Guwahati, Mar 2 : Assam has topped the list of complaints related to implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the north east.

The list covers all complaints that the ministry of rural development received till 31 March 2010. According to the ministry, Assam has 30 comp

laints, followed by Manipur with seven, Nagaland with five, Tripura with two and Mizoram and Sikkim with one each. All complaints have been forwarded to the states concerned for appropriate action.

"MGNREGA is a demand based legislation. Funds are released to the states and union terrotiries based on the labour demand arising at the field level," said minister of state for rural development Pradeep Jain Aditya.

The north east comprising eight states, Jain said, was provided Rs 1882.30 crore under the MGNREGA during the 2010-11 fiscal. Assam was the largest beneficiary with Rs 532.71 crore, followed by Nagaland with Rs 392.47 crore and Tripura with Rs 303.07 crore.

Manipur received Rs 236.32 crore, Mizoram Rs 187.54 crore, Meghalaya Rs 163.07 crore, Sikkim Rs 37.72 crore and Arunachal Pradesh got Rs 29.40 crore during the current fiscal.

Smartphones Below Rs 10,000

Most people associate smartphones with stiff price tags. And for a while, this certainly was true -- you had to start off with a budget in the vicinity of Rs 15,000 if you were in the market for a handset that had a proper operating system with the option of adding and removing applications, multi-tasking, push mail, et al.

However, as the competition in the smartphone market has intensified, the number of brands and models in the market has increased significantly and this, in the best tradition of economics, has brought prices down. Today you can venture out and get a decent smartphone without having to spend more than Rs 10,000.

Here then is our list of the best smartphones you can get without having to take your expenditure into five figure territory, in order of increasing price (the prices may vary from store to store, so we advise you to treat these as approximate market prices).

Micromax Andro A60

The past couple of years have seen Micromax grabbing an increasing chunk of the Indian market with its sturdy, value for money devices. And, for all the snorts of contempt that high-end smartphone users may direct at it, the A60 reflects these twin Micromax virtues.
The slightly odd shape is not likely to turn many heads, its 3.2 camera might not be the greatest, and its 2.8 inch resistive touchscreen is unlikely to provide the smoothest touchscreen experience in town, but that is more than counterbalanced by a sturdy build, decent call quality, connectivity options like Wi-Fi and GPS, Android 2.1 with all its expertise in mail, maps and social networking -- all at a price lower than anything the competition has to offer.
Price: Rs 6,700

Spice Mi 310

It may not have been launched with the kind of fanfare that its predecessor, the Mi 300, was, but that should in no way devalue the Mi 310. It is at present, the lowest-priced Android 2.2 device in the country, offering features like Wi-Fi hotspot creation and the option to save apps on the memory card, apart from Android's Web and social networking muscle.
While not too many people would be impressed by the ordinary 2-megapixel camera, we liked the sleek build quality and the fact that it came with a capacitive 3.2 inch touchscreen, providing a decent Web surfing and social networking experience.
Goodies like 3G and Wi-Fi further sweeten the package. If we were on a really tight budget, this would be our first Android.
Price: Rs 7,800

Dell XCD28

Although best known for its value for money notebooks, Dell has of late been making its presence felt in the smartphone market. The XCD28 is its lowest-priced smartphone and if it is rock solid build and decent functionality you are looking at, then you would be hard pressed to find a better option.
The phone runs Android 2.1 and has the usual connectivity options mix (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, et al), and while some might get annoyed by the resistive 2.8 inch touchscreen (even a stylus is provided), that is offset to an extent by very good, if a tad bulky, build quality and a decent 3.2-megapixel shooter. Top that off with Dell's reputation for superb support and those looking for mail and social networking on the move might be swayed.
Price: Rs 8,000

Nokia E63

This is one veteran that keeps going strong, even though Nokia has come out with better devices since its launch. Running Symbian Series 60 (3rd edition) -- the same operating system that ran inside the formidable Communicator -- the E63 embodies the virtues that once made Nokia the toast of the smartphone business: rock-solid performance, good build quality and excellent battery life.
It has a very good QWERTY keyboard and while the display does seem on the smaller side, it is more than enough for messaging and email. To add to that, the E63 is super at handling multi-tasking. It might seem to hark from another age with its occasional lags, restarts and relatively poor Web browser, but it has a reassuringly solid feel to it. Many useful apps are available for it and yes, it still lasts up to three days on a single charge with push mail running. Not too many phones can do that these days, which is why it still sells!
Price: Rs 8,199

Samsung Omnia B6520

Of late, most people have been identifying Samsung with Android and Bada OS devices but that does not mean that the company has given up on other platforms. And proof of this is the Omnia 652, a full QWERTY handset that runs Windows Mobile 6.5. There will be those who think that this version of Windows is dated but the fact is that it more than holds its own when it comes to tasks like mail, browsing, multimedia and multi-tasking.
The battery lasts more than a day on a single charge -- a welcome change in these charge-a-day era of Android and Windows Phone 7 devices. We do wish its 2-megapixel camera was better and that its screen measured more than 2.4 inches.
Price: 8,500

Huawei Ideos

Huawei has thrown its hat into the value-for-money smartphone market with the Ideos. And it packs quite a punch. One of the few phones in the country running Android 2.2, it comes with a 2.8 inch capacitive touchscreen and a decent 3.2-megapixel camera, along with a five-way navigation pad just below the display.
Some might consider it to be a bit on the bulky side, the performance more than compensates -- it moves along at a brisk rate, be it browsing the Net or pushing mail on to your handset. It is available only from Aircel, but remains a very good option for those looking for the latest Android experience on a shoestring budget.
Price: Rs 8,500

Samsung Galaxy Pop

Many feel that the Galaxy 5 had opened the door for low-priced Android handsets in the country, and the Galaxy Pop adds more muscle to the relatively modest specs of the Galaxy 5. It comes with a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen, a very decent 3-megapixel camera (with smile detection!) and best of all, Android 2.2.
Gone too, is the clutter of buttons beneath the touchscreen seen in the Galaxy 5, giving the Pop a much cleaner look. Yes, we wish that a screen that big had a higher resolution than the very modest 320 x 240 pixels, but the Galaxy Pop is still perhaps the best Android phone in this segment in terms of performance.
Price: Rs 9,000

Nokia X5

QWERTY cuteness meets slideout utility in this smartphone that many feel has been targeted at the ladies because of its availability in a number of colours (including pink!). However, the X5 is perhaps the most compact QWERTY handset in the country; it fits a surprisingly spacious QWERTY keyboard into a compact form factor which literally fits into the palm of your hand.
The 5-megapixel camera is frankly, quite ordinary and the 2.36-inch screen seems a bit too small in these times of 3.5 and 4-inch displays, but on the other hand, the phone comes with Symbian Series 60 3rd edition, bringing with it all the goodness of push mail and multi-tasking. Battery life is very good too, as is the build quality. The X5 is staggering value for money for Symbian lovers who want a good QWERTY keyboard.
Price: Rs 9,100

Nokia C5-03

A few operating systems have been mauled as badly as Nokia's ill-fated Symbian Series 60 (5th edition), which attempted to merge a touch interface with Nokia's traditional messaging and multi-tasking skills. But no one can deny that the operating system does work very well for someone who is looking for a decent mail and browsing handset with a large display.
The Nokia C5-03 is just that with its 3.2 inch 640 x 360 display, which provides a decent Web experience in spite of being resistive. The 5.0-megapixel camera is the best we have seen in the price segment. Battery life remains iffy and crashes persist, but the C5-03 is a great option for those looking for the Symbian experience with touch thrown in, without spending a bomb.
Price: Rs 9,400

Sony Ericsson Aspen

If you are looking for a smartphone that combines a touchscreen with a backlit QWERTY keyboard, then the Sony Ericsson Aspen is your best bet in this segment. Although it does look like a slimmed down BlackBerry, the smallish 2.4 inch display is in fact a touchscreen with a full QWERTY keyboard right below it. It runs Windows 6.5 with a custom Sony Ericsson interface.
The modifications to the standard Windows 6.5 interface notifies you of new mails and the like in an attractive manner. No, the 3.2 megapixel camera is not going to take super pics but the keyboard is excellent, the shape is sleek and eye-catching and battery life is above average.
Your challenge, however, will be to get a unit at below Rs 10,000. Many retailers persist in selling it at slightly higher prices, but bargain a bit, and you will get a slice of Windows Mobile goodness.
Price: Rs 9,800

Charlie Sheen Reveals Goddess Sleeping Arrangement

Charlie Sheen's media blitz continues, and Tuesday he spoke with Howard Stern about his "goddesses," the two live-in girlfriends who help him care for his young sons.

Sheen revealed that Natty (a bikini model) and Rach (formerly known as Bree, her porn star name), sleep in separate beds in the same room - and he gets to pick which bed he sleeps in.

ROBIN QUIVERS: But how do they work it? Do they sleep in the same bed?
HOWARD STERN: Yeah, are all three of you in the bed together?
CHARLIE SHEEN: No because we are adults and we realize that three in a bed is like, we are all not seven.
HOWARD STERN: So everybody gets their own bed?
CHARLIE SHEEN: We have two beds in the bedroom and it is a 2-1 switch off. 'A 2-1 switch off,' listen to me.
HOWARD STERN: This is unbelievable. The two of them stay in the same bed and you are in the bed next to them?
CHARLIE SHEEN: No they will take a separate bed and then I have to choose.
ROBIN QUIVERS: Oh, so you come in and choose which bed you want to sleep in.
HOWARD STERN: You live like a king, my friend.
CHARLIE SHEEN: Why the hell shouldn't I, Howard?
HOWARD STERN: Why not? You are special, right?
CHARLIE SHEEN: Yes I am, just like you. We are special.

When asked whether the two women have sex with each other, Sheen replied, "Well, you would have to ask them."

In a 'Today' segment that aired Tuesday, Sheen talked about the appeal of the goddesses.

"These women don't judge me," he said. "They don't judge me. They don't lead with opinion. They don't-- they don't-- they don't lead with their own needs all the time. They're honest enough to tell me, 'Hey, look, you-- you know, park your nonsense. I-- I-- you gotta help me solve this. We solve it."

Is This Deepika’s Sexiest Cover Shoot?

Glamorous Bollywood diva Deepika Padukone looks irresistible on the cover of Vogue’s March cover. She has worked her magic on a barely there pink dress.

With a toned body like Deepika’s she can even make the most impossible clothes look good.

The dress she is wearing is from the label Burberry and the designer himself, Christopher Bailey, styled the look for her. Apparently he was completely wooed by Deepika’s beauty.

Deepika has been featured twice already on the cover of Vogue India. Her first shoot was vintage and the second had an youthful vibe. But this time she has cinched the deal in the Burberry dress.

Do you feel this is her sexiest cover shoot for Vogue till date? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Image courtesy: Vogue India