Grade 9 (Age 14-15 years) on Pitara Kids Network

Michelangelo: The Greatest Artist in Human History

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Michelangelo (1475 – 1564):

More than 500 years ago a young artist studied dead bodies, even went through their organs, and their muscles and bones, so that he could turn a block of white marble into the shape of a living, breathing man. That young man was an Italian sculptor and painter Michelangelo.

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, best known as Michelangelo was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet. His work has deeply influenced Western Art and he is the best-documented artist of the 16th century given the sheer volume of his work.

Louis Pasteur: The man who discovered vaccination

Thu, 21 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Louis Pasteur (1822 - 1895):

The next time you chomp on cheese or sip some wine, remember the French scientist Louis Pasteur who discovered that spoiled milk, fermented beer and wine, and many diseases are caused by bacteria. Millions of people are saved from bites from rabid dogs because of the rabies vaccine developed by Louis Pasteur.

Bacteria are tiny, living organisms that are only visible under a microscope. More than 150 years ago, Pasteur discovered that heating milk between 60 to 100 degrees Celsius kills the bacteria. This makes the milk safe to drink. This process was named “pasteurization” in his honor. Pasteur also showed that every food that is fermented, such as wine and beer, has one particular, safe, bacteria that cause the fermentation. He also found out that many diseases happen because of bacteria. This became known as the Germ Theory of Disease, or the theory that the cause of most diseases is invisible-to-the-eye micro-organisms, which are also called pathogens.

Subhas Chandra Bose: The first man to set up a government of free India

Thu, 14 May 2020 18:28:31 +0000

Subhas Chandra Bose (1867 to 1945):

Can the enemy of your enemy be your friend? Would you ask your enemy’s enemy for help even if they had done things that were terrible?

The famous Indian freedom fighter, Subhas Chandra Bose made this troubling choice in his fight to liberate India of British rule during World War II. He reached out to Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan in order to fight against British rule. He did not live to see India gain independence.

Florence Nightingale: The Lady With A Lamp

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Florence Nightingale (1820 - 1910)

Today, it is common knowledge that female nurses play an important role in treating patients. However, this was not always the case. Florence Nightingale helped build the reputation of nurses as we know it today. She was a social worker, statistician and founder of modern nursing.

Nightingale used to train nurses during the Crimean war and would often treat soldiers under the cover of darkness. This led to English society giving her the title, The Lady With A Lamp. The highest award a nurse can achieve was named in her honor and her birthday is celebrated as International Nurses Day.

Buckminster Fuller: A Scholar, a Scientist and an Inventor

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Buckminster Fuller (1895 – 1983):

Imagine if you were a scientist, working in the freezing South Pole. You would be staying in a curious, dome-like structure that must be capable of standing up to strong winds and blizzards. It is likely that you would be staying in a Geodesic dome.

The Geodesic dome is one of the many inventions of Richard Buckminster Fuller. It originated from an elegantly simple idea. Fuller understood that the triangle is an extremely stable shape. So he used a network of triangles to form a large dome that can be made large enough to cover huge distances.

What is a democracy?

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

If three friends need to decide between eating pizza or burgers, they could debate and agree or they could put it to vote and go with the majority. Since there are only two options and three people, once the votes are counted, there would be a winner. This is an example of democracy at work.

More specifically, it is an example of what is called a direct democracy. This is a democracy where the voters have a direct say in the decisions made by the group. Imagine if the entire school of 3000 kids had to choose between pizza and burgers. That would be very hard. One way out would be for each class to choose a representative who could then vote on behalf of the entire class. This would be an example of representative democracy.

Juneteenth: Celebrating End of Slavery in the United States of America

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

June + nineteenth => Juneteenth
A holiday to celebrate the end of slavery and the freeing of slaves. Also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day

Juneteenth (19th of June, 1865) is one of the most important days celebrated by the African American community in the United States of America. For it was on this day, 19th of June in the year 1865 that a majority of slaves were informed that they were free. However, they were informed two years after slavery was made illegal in the US.

The Story of Dussehra

Sun, 10 Nov 2002 05:13:15 +0000

Dussehra, also called Vijayadashmi (or Bijoya in Bengal), is the culmination of the nine-day Navaratri celebrations. It is a festival that marks the killing of Ravana, his son Meghanatha and brother Kumbhakarna, by Rama. It is seen as the vistory of good over evil

The Ramayana

The epic Ramayana, describes the story of Rama. Rama was the exiled prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya. While in exile, he lived in the forest with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. One day Sita was abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Rama, assisted by an army of monkeys and Lakshmana, attacked Lanka to rescue her.

How does a Nuclear Bomb differ from a Conventional Bomb?

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:01:30 +0000

Every now and then we hear of countries of the world carrying out heated discussions about nuclear bombs. The topics range from who has the right to own a nuclear bomb and who does not, who should use it and who must not and so on. But what exactly happens when such a bomb actually explodes? And how are nuclear bombs different from conventional bombs?

The greatest difference between the two types of bombs is the sheer scale of destruction they cause. While a conventional bomb can be targetted to damage a particular area and the people living there, nuclear bombs are weapons of mass destruction. Just consider this: a 1 megaton (million ton) nuclear bomb is enough to wipe out the largest city on Earth. (1 ton=1000 kilograms)

Michael Farday: The Self-Educated Inventor

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Michael Faraday (1791 - 1867)

Is it possible to become one of the most influential scientists in history without a formal education? In the case of Michael Faraday, the answer would be an absolute yes. Our world is full of big and small electric motors. And we owe Faraday for discovering the principles of electromagnetism that led to the first electric motor.

Faraday’s main contributions were within the study of electromagnetism and the relationship between electricity and chemical change. His work helped develop the generators we use today. He also devised the commercial process of separating elements from their ores, such as iron. Faraday named this process electrolysis. Without him, the use of electricity in technology would have been severely delayed.

Marie Stopes: A Guiding Light For The Women of England

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 10:28:31 +0000

Marie Stopes (1880 – 1958):

Nearly 100 years ago, one woman took it upon herself to help women take control of their own bodies. To decide whether they wanted children, and when they wanted children. At a time when it was looked down upon, Marie Stopes helped a generation of English women safely discuss sex, pregnancy, and birth control.

Birth control refers to methods of preventing a pregnancy. Abortion is a medical procedure that ends a pregnancy. It is estimated that one in four pregnancies a year, end in abortion. Although birth control is available today, access to safe abortion is still not available for the millions of women who need it.

Rosa Parks: The First Lady of Civil Rights

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0530

Rosa Parks (1913-2005):

It might seem alien to you today, but in 1950’s America, discrimination was protected and enforced by the state. One of the key ways this was done was by segregation. African Americans were told where they could eat, where they could go to school, where they could live, and where they could be buried. The effort and sacrifice of one young woman to fight against this injustice made her an international icon and earned her the title, “the first lady of civil rights”.

Which is the Oldest Living Creature?

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 18:30:00 +0530

The oldest living creature in the world will come as a surprise to you. Many of the animals in the seas, skies, and earth live long lives. Yet the oldest living creature in the world is an immortal jellyfish that has never died. Its family name is Turritopsis Dohrnii. It hails from a class of small animals that live mainly in saltwater.

The Dohrnii begin their life journey as larvae with a diameter of no more than 4 millimeters. The larvae have a tiny vase-shaped body with a mouth surrounded by tentacles. They come together and attach themselves to the ocean floor. Soon, they mature into jellyfish. Once they mature, they travel great distances and hunt other fish for food. The Dohrnii has currently spread across three continents by hitchhiking on the underside of cargo ships. Due to their tiny size, the countries they are invading are unaware that it is even happening.

Mother Teresa

Mon, 29 Oct 2001 13:54:24 +0000

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, the youngest of three children of an Albanian builder, on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia. She felt that August 27, 1910, the day of her baptism, was her true birthday. At the age of 18 she joined the Order of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto in Ireland. She trained in Dublin, where the motherhouse of the Loreto Sisters was located. She chose the name of Sister Teresa, in memory of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.

How did the Pineapple get its Name?

Wed, 19 Jun 2002 22:05:00 +0000

What prompted people to call banana a banana and a pineapple a pineapple and not something else?

Actually there is a reason behind the names given to each and every thing; be it a fruit, vegetable, an animal or inanimate objects like stars, planets, etc. However, sometimes the names are misleading, Take the example of pineapple: no it doesn’t come from a pine tree, nor is it an apple.

When you look at a pineapple you may think you are looking at one fruit. Actually, the pineapple is a group of tightly packed small fruits!

Bhagat Singh

Sat, 10 Mar 2001 00:01:46 +0000

March 23 is the death anniversary of one of the most heroic figures of the Indian freedom movement. Few people remembered it, though. Forget the rest of India, even the children of the village where he was born, do not know anything about him.

And to think that the young man in question, Bhagat Singh, gave up his life for the ideal of a free and better India! Today, over 50 years after Independence, the people of his village still do not have access to drinking water and a tap, writes The Indian Express newspaper.

Himalayas Have a Deep Impact on the Climate of the World

Sun, 27 Oct 2002 03:58:51 +0000

Tibet is known as the roof of the world. That is because it is on a region which has the highest altitude in the world. The Himalayan mountain range merges into the Tibetan plateau to form this region known as the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau.

Besides being the roof of the world, this plateau also has a deep impact on the climate of the world, says a report published in the May, 2001, edition of Nature, a science and environment journal. How the scientists made this connection is a very exciting story.

Where did Jazz Originate?

Fri, 20 Dec 2002 06:12:23 +0000

One has just to blow a note on a sax and your feet start tapping to the rhythm and your body starts swaying to the music. That’s Jazz for you. Ragtime, hip-hop, be bop, cool, blues – the very names make your finger snap and do a Texas two-step, no?

Jazz has often been called the only art form to originate in the United States, though even this is not exactly true. Jazz, is a kind of music that was sung or played by the African slaves in the plantations of America. In the 18th and 19th century, Africans were lured or kidnapped from their villages and sold in faraway America as slaves to work in large plantations.

Gurpurab – the birth of Guru Nanak

Sat, 16 Nov 2002 23:08:31 +0000

The Birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is traditionally celebrated on Kartik Puranmashi, or the full moon day of the month of Kartik.

According to the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Guru Nanak Sahib was born on 15th April, 1469 at Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present district of Shekhupura, now Nanakana Sahib in Pakistan. Since the birthday falls on the full moon day of the month Kartik, that is the day that Sikhs all over the world celebrate the birth of their first guru.

The Story of Diwali

Sat, 27 Jul 2002 09:34:13 +0000

Deepavali or Diwali as it has come to be known as, means many things to many people. It means holidays from school, shopping expeditions for clothes, sweets, gifts and crackers to children. To the office-goer it means an annual bonus that can make all this happen.

To the businessman Diwali means brisk business just as to the clay potter, Diwali is the occasion of the year when the bulk of his sales are made. Diwali has a special significance for the trading communities of India who usher in their new year and new accounting books (‘bahi khata’) during this time.

Who Invented the Photocopying Machine?

Sun, 28 Jan 2001 04:02:28 +0000

We have all used it at one time or another to copy our school documents, or parts of a book borrowed from the library, or just about anything we wanted a copy of. It’s just a matter of pressing a button of the xerox machine and hey Presto! a piece of paper comes out at one end, an exact duplicate of the document we needed copied!

However, when the invention was first patented, nobody wanted anything to do with it. Major corporations like IBM, Kodak and General Electric rejected the offer to develop it, perhaps regretting the decision to this day! However, the blood, sweat, and tears of its inventor, Chester F. Carlson did not go wasted, as the success of the machine proves today!

The Bittersweet Story of Chocolate

Sun, 18 Feb 2001 17:04:15 +0000

Many, many centuries ago, sometime around 400 BC, in the jungles of South and
Central America, the Cacao plant was discovered which in the ages to come would become the most desired foodstuff in the whole world.

The plant was found to have hard pods with each pod containing brown beans that later became the main ingredient in the making of chocolate. Cacao was a very important plant even then as it was actually used as money by the Mayans and later by the Aztecs.

Why do Flies have Compound Eyes?

Fri, 11 May 2001 00:04:44 +0000

Just like a man woos the woman he loves, takes her to nice restaurants, buys her presents, and courts her to impress her before marriage, animals too choose their mates through courtship.

Since animals cannot do all these, they do it differently. Some animals put up a colourful display, while others give little gifts to their beloved – a choice worm, a designer nest and so on. A few species display their love through a series of grunts and others, like the Saurus crane or the stickleback fish, perform an intricate courtship dance.

Rabindranath Tagore

Wed, 24 Oct 2001 18:09:04 +0000

Mystic, painter and Nobel laureate for literature, Rabindranath Tagore was a prolific writer (3,000 poems, 2,000 songs, 8 novels, 40 volumes of essays and short stories, 50 plays), who drew inspiration both from his native Bengal and from English literary tradition. His major theme was humanity’s search for God and truth. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his collection of well-known poems Gitanjali (Song Offerings).

Born in Calcutta on May 7, 1861, Rabindranath was the youngest of fourteen children. His father, Debendranath Tagore, was a Sanskrit scholar and a leading member of the Brahmo Samaj. Rabindranath’s early education was imparted at home. In school, while others use to learn their lessons, he would slip into more exciting world of dreams. Inspired by his older nephew, he wrote his first poem when he was hardly seven. At the age of seventeen, his first book of poems was published.

The Nine Nights of Navaratri

Tue, 27 Aug 2002 01:29:21 +0000

This year, the end of September marks the onset of Navaratri or “nine nights” in the Hindu calendar. With this begins one of the most festive phases in India, with Durga Puja in east India, Dussehra in north, central and west India, and Saraswati Puja in South India. It also sets the stage for Diwali in the near future.

Navaratri literally means ’nine nights’. This nine-day period, sacred to Durga, is celebrated sometime in the months of October and November. It is considered the most auspicious time of the Hindu calendar.

How are Earthquakes Recorded?

Wed, 13 Mar 2002 11:57:32 +0000

When an earthquake takes place, people say that it measured 6.2 or 6.5 on the scale. The scale they are referring to is the Richter Scale developed by Charles Richter in the 1930s.

The Richter Scale measures the magnitude of the seismic waves or vibrations that travels across the earth’s surface. The scale uses a logarithmic formula using high-frequency data collected from seismograph stations.

However, long before Richter developed his scale, a Chinese philosopher Chang Heng invented a device to measure earthquakes in 132 A.D. He constructed a large urn that had eight open-mouthed dragon-heads holding a ball each in their mouths, on the outside.

Ratha Yatra

Sat, 21 Nov 1998 06:25:30 +0000

Excerpts from the book “Festivals of India”
Published by National Book Trust, India.

Festivals bring large numbers of people together in a spirit of joy or devotion, or both. But there is one festival that combines joy and devotion with physical rigour. This is the Car Festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri, in Orissa, popularly known as the Rath Yatra. On this occasion devotees join hands to pull the massive chariots of their deities over a three-kilometre distance.

Why was the Berlin Wall Built?

Sat, 29 Sep 2001 00:30:39 +0000

A few tentative steps across Checkpoint Charlie and you were transported to a different world. One side had McDonalds, Coke, Toyota cars and a democratically elected government. Across the Checkpoint, was a world of state-owned factories, rows and rows of identical apartments, and a self-imposed government. This was the world of the two Berlins divided by barbed wire, watch dogs, tanks, and an imposing wall.

In 1945, following World War II, Germany was divided into two countries – East Germany and West Germany. East Germany was controlled by the communist regime of the Soviet Union while West Germany became a democracy supported by the United States. Berlin, the former capital city, although entirely within East German borders, was also split into two.

What is the Ozone Hole?

Mon, 14 Oct 2002 11:03:48 +0000

On beaches as well as on the cricket ground, it is always possible to spot people with some kind of cream on their bodies or faces. Remember the South African pace bowler Alan Donald or ‘White Lightning’ as he is called, with “war-paint” on his face? No, it is not an attempt at camouflage, simply an effort to gain protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

And therein lies a paradox – it is the light and heat of the sun that sustains life on earth, but among its many friendly rays are some harmful ones as well. These ultraviolet (UV, as they are called in all popular sunscreen lotions) rays can kill life forms, including humans, if they are exposed to it beyond a limit.

Milk! Milk! Milk!

Thu, 16 Aug 2001 04:14:26 +0000

Morning, afternoon, evening, night
Kappu wants milk all the time
He drinks six bottles in a day
And always feels contented and gay.

Bananas and biscuits mashed in milk
Are things that Kappu loves to drink
As soon as he finishes drinking a bowl
His mommy gives a kiss on his nose.

Charlie Chaplin

Thu, 13 Dec 2001 03:40:04 +0000

All of us are very familiar with the mustachioed Little Tramp with the bowler hat and cane _ Charlie Chaplin. But behind this little fellow lurked an extremely creative film maker who scripted, directed and starred in some of the best films of the century.

Charlie Chaplin was born Charles Spencer Chaplin in London, England on 16 April 1889. His parents Charles Chaplin Sr and Hannah Hill were Music Hall entertainers but separated shortly after Charlie was born, leaving Hannah to provide for her children. In 1896 when Hannah was no longer able to care for her children, Charlie and his brother were admitted to Lambeth Workhouse and later Hanwell School for orphans and destitute children. He made his debut at the age of five in Music Hall when his mother was taken unwell.

The Truth about Zoos

Fri, 03 May 2002 15:04:59 +0000

Last week we carried a piece about the relevance of zoos as the last refuge of endangered species. But in India it appears that zoos should be the last place for animals of any sort, let alone the endangered variety.

It is no secret that most Indian zoos are in a bad state. Although zoos claim to educate people and preserve species, Indian zoos do neither. Most zoo enclosures are quite small, and labels provide little information. Visitors are more interested in entertainment, often at the expense of the animals, than in educating themselves.

Nikola Tesla – Unsung Prophet of Electrical Age

Thu, 11 Apr 2002 16:57:01 +0000

If you ask anyone or check up in the encyclopaedia, who invented the radio or X-rays, chances are you will never come across the name of Nikola Tesla there.

Look up fluorescent bulb, neon lights, car ignition system, electron microscope, microwave oven and many others – you can search page after page but your search will turn up zilch on Tesla in any normal reference book.

In fact very few have heard of Nikola Tesla, a brilliant scientist who lived at the turn of the century. Those who have, considered him an eccentric, or even half-baked. He was never given the credit he deserved due to some unfortunate circumstances.

Muhammad Ali

Sat, 04 Aug 2001 06:20:14 +0000

American boxer Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, was born on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Better known as Muhammad Ali, he was perhaps the most celebrated sports figure in the world during most of the 1960s and ’70s. His rise to prominence may be attributed to a combination of circumstances his role as a spokesman for and idol of blacks; his vivacious personality; his dramatic conversion to the Black Muslim religion; and most important, his staying power as an athlete. Ali first came to world attention in 1960, when he won the Olympic light-heavyweight championship. He then won a controversial championship bout from Sonny Liston in 1964 to gain the heavyweight title. He produced a steady stream of headlines. The fight was questioned because Ali seemed to be quitting before the bout was over. After that he produced a steady stream of headlines. He then changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He was the first boxer to benefit from satellite television, making him all the more visible.

Can Two People have Identical Fingerprints?

Mon, 06 May 2002 00:19:49 +0000

I was once watching a detective serial on T.V. where the fingerprints of the suspect are required. The hero invites the villain to his home and offers him a glass of water. The bad guy takes the glass and drinks the water from it. After he leaves the hero dramatically whips out a handkerchief and picks up the glass. His expressions showed that satisfaction at a job well done.

At that time, I found it amazing – how can smudges on a glass identify people? How can my hand be different from yours – apart from the size that is? It was only after my dad explained me the reason that the mystery behind that highly dramatic scene became clear.

India's first Underwater World

Sun, 20 Jul 1997 04:22:42 +0000

June 24: If you have ever visited an aquariam you would have noticed that the fish look plain bored. Their homes are not very exciting. Nor are the visitors terribly charged up. True, some aquariums are fairly well maintained, but the fact remains that they rarely attract hordes of visitors.

The government of Maharashtra has suddenly woken up to the fact that this is a fishy state of affairs. And it wants to make amends. So it has entered into a partnership with a Singapore-based company to create India’s first underwater world, or oceanarium. The Taraporevala Aquarium, on Maine Drive, Mumbai, is all set to become a six-storied oceanarium.

What are Komodo Dragons?

Tue, 10 Sep 2002 22:40:27 +0000

European mythology abounds in stories of knights in shining armour battling fearsome dragons. Fairytale storybooks are peppered with illustrations of these huge monsters looking like crocodiles with wings and huge claws and breathing fire. Of course fire breathing dragons do not exist, but there is a tiny island, called Komodo, in Indonesia, that is home to dragons – yes, real dragons!

Unlike the dragons of yore, the Komodo dragon does not possess a fiery breath, nor can it trample hapless humans underfoot, but it does pack a mean bite. This ‘dragon’ has a forked tongue that constantly flicks in and out (just like that of a snake). And just like a snake, when provoked the Komodo dragon does administer a lethal bite.

What is Ham Radio?

Sat, 04 Oct 2003 20:40:32 +0000

Consider this, your state has been hit by a cyclone with wind speeds measuring 300 kilometres per hour. All modern means of communication – telephone, cellphone, wireless sets – lie dead as the cyclone has destroyed all connecting stations and links.

This is what happened during the Orissa cyclone. All communication links broke down as dish antennas, radio stations, telephone lines, satellite links were destroyed.

There was no way people could contact the outside world. This was when a bunch of amateurs, students and radio enthusiasts got together to set up something called an amateur radio or ham radio station.

Winter Festivals around the World

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 12:34:32 +0000

In two weeks it will be the winter solstice (literally means sun standing still) when we have the shortest day and the longest night. Because of the earth’s rotation there are two solstices, one in June and one in December. To us in the Northern Hemisphere who live above the equator, the winter solstice occurs either on the 20th, 21st or 22nd of December.

To those who live below the equator in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn and it is summer time in Brazil and Australia. So while it’s snowing heavily and people are making snowballs and snowmen in America and Europe, Australians are happily surfing the sea and Santa Claus in Sydney is perhaps sweating it out in his fur trimmed suit.

Nelson Mandela

Fri, 01 Jun 2001 04:55:26 +0000

Nelson Rohihlahla Mandela, b. July 18, 1918, was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Trained as an attorney, he helped form the Youth League of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1944. In 1961 he abandoned peaceful protest and became head of the ANC’s new military wing. Sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, Mandela came to symbolize black political aspirations and was named head of the ANC after his release on Feb. 11, 1990. He and F. W. de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating South Africa’s peaceful transition to multiracial democracy. After the ANC victory in the April 1994 elections, Mandela worked to ease racial tensions, court foreign investment, and provide services to the victims of apartheid.

Who Invented Traffic Lights?

Tue, 29 May 2001 01:06:14 +0000

Long before roads needed traffic lights, railways were using a system of signals to control train traffic. In the early railways, a single track was used for both up-going and down-going trains, and safety depended on spacing the arrival and departure of trains according to time intervals.

These signals consisted of a ball and something that looked like a kite. When the kite was raised on top it indicated danger while if the ball was raised, it indicated the all clear.

Why do Locusts Swarm?

Sat, 13 Dec 2003 15:57:51 +0000

Have you ever tried chasing a frisky grasshopper? If you have, you will definitely know that scampering after a jumpy bug is not an easy task. Most species of grasshoppers have a keen sense of hearing and the moment they sense trouble, they can hop fast and furious!

Sometimes, shortage of food turns grasshoppers into migratory insects as they venture out in search of newer pastures. This situation happens when the species begins reproducing rapidly and does not have enough food for all the members of its community.

Why are Some Reptiles Brightly Coloured?

Thu, 05 Aug 1999 11:47:40 +0000

Most animals have skin colour that makes them merge into their surroundings. They become near invisible unless you look very closely. But some reptiles such as the sea-snakes, coral snakes and frogs of Central and South America are brilliantly coloured or have bright bands like deep yellow, orange, pink on their bodies.

They are easily visible among the green leaves or brown earth. This is because these animals are poisonous. The colouring is a warning to other animals, especially their natural enemies, to avoid eating them. The frogs of Central America called the dart-poison frogs secrete a poison from their skin.

Dinosaur eggs Found in Patagonia

Mon, 11 Jun 2001 17:50:08 +0000

The film Jurassic Park is peanuts compared to this: Last month, Argentine scientists found thousands of dinosaur eggs in hundreds of nests at Patagonia. A report in the journal New Scientist says that it is the biggest nesting site of dinosaurs found thus far. Each nest contained 15 to 30 eggs the size of a grapefruit each. The eggs contained bones of titanosaurs which would have weighed about 15 tonnes when fully grown.

Close to 100 million years old dinosaur egg. Displayed at University of Zurich. bestimagesevercom / Shutterstock.com

Like several birds today, the dinosaurs also had communal nesting sites, or nests at the same place. The scientists say that the “vegetarian” dinosaurs had large families but very few of their children would have reached adulthood. The carnivorous dinosaurs would have found it easier to chase the little ones than the big plant-eating adults.

Mahavir Jayanti

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:50:43 +0000

You must have often wondered about the monks with shaven heads, a white robe and a fine muslin cloth covering their mouths and noses. They are monks who follow the Jain religion. They cover their mouths and noses to avoid any involuntary killing – even of germs.

Sometimes they also carry small brooms to remove any small creature out of their way so that they do not unknowingly tread on it. Their lifelong attempt is to live by the principle of ahimsa or non violence. So it is with Jains who lead lives like you, me and others.

Where are the Shaking Minarets?

Thu, 15 Feb 2001 22:32:46 +0000

Among the many architectural marvels of the world, like the leaning tower of Pisa, the whispering gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral at London or the musical pillars of South India, are the astonishing and historical shaking minarets of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state, India. The minarets are so unique that if one minaret in shaken, the other sympathetically shakes too!

Barely a kilometre away from the Ahmedabad city railway station is the Sidi Bashir mosque (Muslim equivalent of a temple) famed for its jhulta minars or shaking minarets (tall tower-like structures, either at the entrance gate or on the four corners).

The Yellow River

Tue, 19 Feb 2002 16:59:48 +0000

October 21: The Yellow River has been called the cradle of the Chinese civilisation, just as the Indus River made it possible for the ancient Indian civilisation of Harappa and Mohenjodaro to flourish, the Tigris and Euphrates gave birth to the Mesopotamian civilisation (now in Iraq), and the Nile gave birth to the Egyptian civilisation more than 4000 years ago.

The magnificent river runs 4345 km, and is second only to the Yangtse river. Called China’s sorrow because of its tendency to overflow and change its course, till date it has overflowed 1600 times and changed its course 26 times, affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Scientists Find More on the Eureka Man

Thu, 29 Aug 2002 17:49:51 +0000

Why do ships float on water when in fact they should sink? Why does paper float on water and a paperweight sink? The answer to these questions was accidentally discovered 2200 years ago by the Greek inventor and mathematician, Archimedes.

One day, while getting into his bath he noticed water spilling over the sides. In a flash, Archimedes realised the relation between the water that had fallen out and the weight of his body – in other words he discovered why some objects float and some sink! Archimedes was so excited with his discovery that he hopped out of the bath, and rushed naked into the street yelling triumphantly, ‘Eureka!’ ‘Eureka!’ (Greek word for ‘I have found it!).

Deepavali: Festival of Lights

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 03:10:33 +0000

Deepavali – or Diwali – as is commonly uttered – literally means rows of lamps. These lamps light up houses all over the country, but for different reasons.

In West Bengal, it is time to worship Kali, the goddess with the fearsome strength, and in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh it is time to remember Dhanvantari, the divine physician. To some, the lights are a reminder of the return of Rama to his home after 16 years of exile.

The Earthworm's Good Turn

Tue, 30 Jul 2002 10:25:21 +0000

Every day, countless dustbins are emptied in dumping grounds. A lot of this garbage ends up polluting the ground water and also the rivers and seas.

Actually, a large part of this junk, especially the biodegradable waste (waste that can be decomposed) can be disposed in a more efficient manner, without polluting water bodies. Many countries are now doing it by using a cheap and eco-friendly option – the earthworm.

Yes, earthworms have been in the business of decomposing waste and enriching the soil for thousands of years. It is only in the past few years that people have realised the importance of these little pests.

What does SOS mean?

Thu, 20 May 1999 07:42:23 +0000

Recently, sailors on the nuclear submarine that sank in the Baltic Sea were isolated from rescue workers as their radio set got damaged. Luckily their radio operators knew the Morse code and were able to communicate by knocking on the sides of the ship.

There are many explanations for what the words stand for: Save Our Souls; Save Our Ship; Send Our Succour… The meaning of all three is the same – it is a plea for help by someone in distress. That’s exactly what SOS is.

Rediscovering a Smoke-less Diwali

Fri, 18 Oct 2002 15:04:02 +0000

Think of Diwali and firecrackers start exploding in the mind – that is how strong the association of crackers is with the festival of lights.

Legend has it that on Diwali, the sound of firecrackers resounds through the universe, announcing the homecoming of Lord Rama after a long period of exile. Another legend says that people began exploding crackers to convey to the gods, their joy at being alive and well on earth.

Who is the real McCoy?

Tue, 25 Dec 2001 05:47:12 +0000

Ever heard the expression, is that the “real McCoy?” No, its not the musical group we are talking about. Real McCoy is actually a reference to one of America’s most prolific inventors, Elijah McCoy. McCoy invented and patented all kinds of mechanical things to help them work smoothly, efficiently and safely.

Over time, the expression “real McCoy” has been used for anything that means the real thing, the real solution.

Elijah McCoy

Elijah McCoy was born in 1843 at Colchester, in Ontario, Canada to George and Mildred McCoy. His parents had once been slaves at a large manor in Kentucky, America. However, they managed to escape to Canada before the American Civil War began in 1865. Following the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery and the McCoy family returned to settle at Ypsilanti, Michigan.
As a child, Elijah was fascinated with all things mechanical. Encouraged by this interest Elijah’s parents saved money and sent him to Edinburgh in Scotland to study mechanical engineering.

Jellyfish: Fragile Creature of the Sea

Mon, 14 May 2001 13:16:11 +0000

A sudden influx of jellyfish, in the Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic Ocean is worrying both scientists and fisher folk alike. The Gulf of Mexico is bordered on the north by the United States, on the east by Cuba, and on the south and west by Mexico.

Fragile Creature of the Sea [Illustration by Sudheer Nath]

Jellyfishes are invertebrates (animals without a spinal column). Some are also venomous and their sting can cause paralysis. However, the Jellyfish that have the fishermen worried are not on a stinging spree. Instead, they are clogging propellers, ripping fishing nets and eating up the sea plankton.

Lech Walesa

Wed, 17 May 2000 23:33:20 +0000

Born to a family of peasant farmers on Sept 23, 1943 in Popowo in Poland, Lech Walesa started of as an electrician at shipyard in Gdansk. A devout Roman Catholic, he was shocked by the repression of workers’ protests and made inroads with small opposition groups. Despite being sacked from his job, he climbed over the perimeter wall of the Lenin shipyard at the age of 37 to join the occupation strike. With his electrifying personality, quick wit and gift of the gab, he was soon leading it. He moved his fellow workers away from mere wage claims towards a daring political demand: free trade unions. When Polish communists agreed to this, the new union was christened Solidarnosc (solidarity). Soon it had 10 million members and he became the undisputed leader of the Solidarity. For 16 months they struggled to find a way to co-exist with the Communist state, under the constant threat of Soviet invasion. In 1981 martial law was declared and Walesa was jailed for 11 months and then released.

What is Physiotherapy?

Tue, 04 Jul 2000 15:55:06 +0000

If you’ve ever been laid up in bed because of a broken leg, or with an arm in a cast, you’ll know how limp that limb feels when it is finally out of bandages. That’s because the muscles in that particular part of the body have not been used for so long that they’ve ‘forgotten’ how to function. They need to be re-taught their work, and this is where physiotherapy comes in.

Physiotherapy is that branch of medicine, which makes use of physical agents or exercises to treat a disease or an injury. It is also called physical therapy.

What is Ribotyping?

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 20:07:16 +0000

Consider this, in a murder case, the culprit has left no clues. There are no fingerprints or eye witnesses.

A perfect crime, you would say. But on close inspection, the crime branch discovers a tiny strand of hair. Back in the forensic laboratories, scientists use this strand of hair to track down the criminal and solve the murder case.

But, how can you crack a mystery with a strand of hair, you would exclaim.

The technique used by forensic scientists to track down the culprit is called DNA-fingerprinting. DNA stands for deoxy-ribo-nucleic acid. The DNA is present in every cell of our body and contains information needed by the cell to go about its activities.

Dealing With the Potential Danger of a Meteor Hitting Earth

Sun, 01 Dec 2002 02:08:49 +0000

Our solar system is like a busy traffic round-about. The sun is at the centre of this round-about which drives a large number of heavenly bodies, including planets, comets and large and small rocks around it.

While the earth and the other planets chart fairly fixed paths around the sun, our smaller solar siblings, like rocks, do not believe in staying in their lanes. As a result, a large rock – the size of a small city – bangs into the earth every once in a while.

Ginger, the New Wonder Medicine

Sat, 20 Jan 2001 11:22:55 +0000

Ginger has always been an essential part of most Indian kitchens and grandmothers’ medicine boxes. This spice has been used to treat the feeling of vomiting and indigestion. Now the Western world has also discovered the wonderful qualities of ginger. They see it as a powerful medicine against nausea across the world.

Ginger, the new wonder medicine

In India, grandmothers have known all along that the juice squeezed from ginger mixed with lime juice can stop one from feeling like vomiting. Since the taste is not very appealing, especially to children, jaggery or gur is often used to mask the strong taste of ginger. Then it is no longer a medicine, but a sweetmeat that everyone likes to eat!

Space Tourism: Ready for a Skyrocketing Holiday

Sun, 13 May 2001 18:50:36 +0000

Do you wish for an “unearthly " vacation? American astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, famous for being the second man to land on the moon, is one of the few people working to promote tourism in space. But if the thought of a holiday in space is mind-boggling, the cost of that thought is even more so – almost $200 million for an out-of-the-world experience! Realising the need to make space travel as normal as buses or trains, an American company called the X Prize Foundation is trying to cut down the cost of space travel.

The South Indian Sikh

Tue, 18 Jun 2002 23:42:38 +0000

October 21: Sardar Bhupinder Singh is 91 years old. He is also a bit of an oddity where he lives – in Kadakarapally, Kerala. He is the only one in his area to keep his hair long, wear a turban and visit the gurudwara or Sikh temple in nearby Kochi.

Bhupinder Singh is one of the few living Malayalee Sikhs of his generation, in the south-western state of Kerala. He is known in the area as “Sikh chettan” that is, Sikh elder brother, says a recent report in The Hindustan Times.

Learning Creatively

Wed, 28 Jan 2004 14:00:46 +0000

Gijubhai Badheka was deeply influenced by ancient Indian methods of teaching and opposed the conventional schooling system. He speaks of his views on improving the education system in his books ‘Divaswapna’ or daydreaming, and ‘Education in Primary Schools’.

Gijubhai used story telling as a means to attract children to learning and listening in class.

Learning Creatively

Using story sessions as rewards and not punishment, a crowd of unruly children can be made to settle down and gradually learn to behave themselves.

What kind of Family Life did the Dinosaurs Have?

Thu, 09 Sep 1999 12:27:40 +0000

In Argentina this year, scientists digging on a site made a fantastic discovery, which made them realise that dinosaurs lived as a large family. The site consisted of many nests with each nest containing as many as 15 to 30 eggs. The eggs belonged to a plant-eating dinosaur called Titanosaurs. It is the biggest nesting site of dinosaurs found so far.

The word dinosaur is a Greek word meaning giant reptile. Most reptiles lay eggs in nests but they walk away after the young hatch to fend for themselves.

Parts of Pakistan Under Taliban Control

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:14:36 +0000

Where: Islamabad, Pakistan

February 20, 2009 : The Swat Valley, a picturesque region in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province and once a major tourist destination, is completely under Taliban control. The Taliban, the most dreaded extremist Islamic militant group in the world, is present in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. It opposes modernisation and the education of girls and women. Since January 2009, the militants have closed down 400 private schools which had 40,000 girl students. At least 10 schools which re-opened were blown up.

Asia's First Floating Museum

Sat, 26 Jan 2002 22:47:05 +0000

October 16: Wouldn’t it be exciting to visit a war museum of vintage aircraft on a huge ship floating in the ocean ? And when the ship in question happens to be INS Vikrant, the experience promises to be truly memorable.

INS Vikrant is India’s first aircraft carrier and came into service in 1961. Once the hallmark of the Indian Navy, it has been decommissioned for some time now. This means that it is no longer in use. Formerly known as HMS Hercules, the ship could carry 22 aircraft and a crew of more than 1,000 soldiers, in its heyday.

It's a Beetle's World

Fri, 11 Jun 1999 03:09:41 +0000

Have you ever had winged visitors to your room on a rainy day, that are black, shiny and button-like, and which fall to the ground with a distinct tapping sound? You might also be familiar with those cute-looking insects with bright orange bodies dotted with black, called Ladybirds, hovering over flowers and tender leaves. There also might have been times when an unlucky one splats on your windshield or gets crunched underfoot. Well, these are all different kinds of BEETLES — creatures that can be called evolution’s biggest success story.

A safety net for cheetahs, vultures, dolphins

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 13:09:03 +0000

Where: Rome, Italy

December 9, 2008 :The fastest moving mammal on earth is now moving – fast – towards extinction. The Guardian reports that cheetah is on a list of 21 names newly added to the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals List 1 of endangered species. The Egyptian vulture is on this list too, because it is affected by the excessive use of toxic pesticides.

A safety net for cheetahs, vultures, dolphins []

A species of Asian duck, which is eaten as a delicacy in its native region, three kinds of dolphins, some marine mammals and bird varieties are also on the list. These findings were aired at an international wildlife conference by the UN, which was held in Rome.

High-tech Turtle

Thu, 07 Mar 2002 03:03:55 +0000

A few months ago, a turtle in Thailand was grievously injured when it was run over by a truck. The animal hardly seemed to have any chance of survival. However, with the immediate help of the Thai Animal Guardians Association, it did survive. The Association admitted the turtle to Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University for medical treatment.

High-tech Turtle [Illustration by Anup Singh]

The plucky little survivor was named Jikko and the Bangkok Post (a local newspaper) kept readers updated on the animal’s progress. According to veterinarian Nantarika Chansue, Jikko is now quite fit and a fibre-glass shell has been placed over its broken outer shell to speed up the healing process.

A Boisterous Bedtime Read

Mon, 02 Jul 2001 13:17:05 +0000

Mister Jeejeebhoy and the Birds
Author: Anitha Balachandran
Illustrator: Anitha Balachandran
Publisher: Young Zubaan Books

Author and illustrator Anitha Balachandran’s Mister Jeejeebhoy and the Birds, just published by Young Zubaan is a delight to the ears! Hey! But it’s a book! Exactly. A book that, as soon as I opened it’s luscious orange cover, immediately let loose a cacaphony of “bustling, hustling, crinkling, crackling, creaking” sounds, and much more.

This delightful book follows two young girls, Diya and Tara, who come to live in their aunt Ninamasi’s house, and discover a world that is obviously on it’s own trip. For this reason perhaps, the neighbourhood kids don’t play with them. Outside, there’s the scrumptious world of Mister Jeejeebhoy’s sweet shop, where catastrophe is waiting round the corner. Can Diya and Tara save Mister JeeJeebhoy’s sweet shop? Do they finally make friends? Jump into this auditory delight, perfect for a bedtime read full of exaggerated sounds, and find out for yourself.

Girl Power in Gaul!

Fri, 09 May 2003 21:16:57 +0000

Girl Power in Gaul! [Illustration by Shinod AP]

March 27: Over 40 years ago, Belgian artist Alberto Uderzo and French scriptwriter Rene Goscinny, created a new comic series. It was all about the ‘mis’adventures of a diminutive warrior Asterix, his giant of a friend Obelisk, and their dog, Dogmatix as they battle the invading armies of the Romans in Gaul, as ancient France was known.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Wed, 06 Sep 2000 07:40:15 +0000

Roosevelt served longer than any other president and held office during two great crises: the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II (1939-1945). Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, New York. In 1899 he entered Harvard College, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1903. In 1904 Roosevelt moved to New York City, where he entered the Columbia University Law School. While at Columbia, Roosevelt married his distant cousin Eleanor Roosevelt. Although he attended classes until 1907, he did not stay on for his law degree after passing the state examinations allowing him to practice law. For the next three years he was a clerk in a prominent law firm in New York City.

The Earth takes a Battering

Sun, 29 Sep 2002 14:09:00 +0000

During its life span, our planet has suffered the impact of close to 30 small planets, up to 10 miles in diameter and travelling 60 times the speed of sound. Each such impact releases about a thousand times as much energy as would be released if all the nuclear powers exploded all their present weapon stocks.

About 5,000 giant meteorities with diameters of more than a kilometre have hit the Earth over the past 600 million years, with an average strike rate of one per 120,000 years. Meteorites with diameters greater than 300 metres have hit the Earth once in every 10,000 years.

A Smelly New World on the Web

Mon, 15 Oct 2001 00:46:32 +0000

Every time you blink, someone is forming an Internet company somewhere in the world. That is the pace at which the Internet fever has caught on with people. They could be young college students with dreams of making a fortune or middle-aged individuals trying to lure the goddess of wealth. Each one is searching for the one great idea that could make his web company click in a big way. And they are trying all sorts of gimmicks to attract people towards their websites.

Talkie Star from the Silent Era

Mon, 08 Oct 2001 07:03:00 +0000

Talkie Star from the Silent Era []

August 19: At times the story of an actor’s life is no less adventurous than the exciting roles he plays on the film screen. P Jairaj was such an actor, who chose to leave the comfort of an aristocratic life for the ups and downs of a career in the magical art of cinema, which was a big novelty then.

Former Child Worker Visits Clinton

Sun, 20 Jun 1999 23:48:48 +0000

Where: Washington DC, USA

September 23, 2000: A few days ago, 12-year old Kalu Kumar was a special invitee of the US President, Bill Clinton, at the White House. Kalu had been invited by the President for the launch of a book on child labour written by Kerry Kennedy, of the Kennedy family that has contributed many significant figures to American politics, including former President John F Kennedy, and his brother, Robert Kennedy.

Kalu was once a child-labourer.

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 16:00:55 +0000

Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 in Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, England. His father Randolph Churchill was the third son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough. As a young man of undistinguished academic accomplishment, he entered the army as a cavalry officer. He took enthusiastically to soldiering and managed to see three campaigns. He served as a cavalry officer in India and Sudan but resigned his commission in 1899 to become a war correspondent in the Boer war. Send to cover the South African war for the Morning Post, the Boers captured him in 1899. A daring escape from the prison made him an overnight celebrity.

The Truth about Eels

Wed, 31 Mar 1999 03:53:10 +0000

Where: Florida, USA
October 16, 2000: The recent emergence of a large number of unfamiliar eels in the waters off the coast of Florida in South-east America, is causing worry to local ecologists there. They fear that the new arrivals, eels of Asian origin, will disturb the food chain of the region with their voracious appetites.

What exactly are eels ? They are slippery serpent-like fish, inhabiting shallow coastal waters throughout the world. They are fairly common in the freshwaters of eastern and south-eastern America.

Hundreds Killed in Ethnic Violence in Nigeria

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:52:31 +0000

Where: Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

March 18, 2010 : Hundreds of people have died in ethnic and religious violence around the Nigerian city of Jos since the year 2010 began. The last such incident was an attack on three mostly Christian villages over the weekend of March 7-8, 2010. Villagers including women and children were attacked by men with machetes. More than 200 people died. Police arrested around 90 suspects.

Survivors said the attackers spoke Hausa and Fulani, two languages used mostly by Muslims. The violence was seen by some as a revenge attack for the Muslims killed in January 2010. While northern Nigeria is mostly Muslim, the south is predominantly Christian. The reasons for differences among the people extend beyond race and religion. There are political, social and economic factors which strengthen the divide between the groups. The recent bloodshed occurred in central Nigeria. Nigeria’s “middle belt” is filled with fertile lands, and war is waged over who will control them.

The Commerce of Christmas

Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:00:19 +0000

Can you imagine a Christmas without lights? And no brightly illuminated shops, their racks groaning under the weight of colourful packets of cakes, wine, dolls and every other gift item you could possibly think of? Impossible? Like imagining Diwali without the fireworks?

But isn’t it strange how festivals like Christmas and Diwali are virtually unimaginable without the accompanying glitz that goes with them? Take away the show, the giving and receiving of gifts and people’s enthusiasm about the festivals might evaporate in no time.

Olympic Games are Fair Game for TV Satire

Sat, 17 Feb 2001 20:57:04 +0000

August 5: Heard of facts imitating fiction?

Well, that’s exactly what’s happening in Australia. There’s a comedy serial on Australian television these days. It is a spoof or hilarious leg-pulling on the Australian officials who are in charge of making all the arrangements for the Olympic Games scheduled to start in the Australian capital Sydney.

The really strange part is, much of what the serial shows as fiction, ends up happening as fact some time later, says a report in ‘The Times of India’.

Pelican Trouble

Thu, 07 Jun 2001 01:33:03 +0000

Many people living in Andhra Pradesh may have escaped the wrath of the cyclone that ravaged the state last month, but the migratory pelicans, in a small costal village in northern Andhra, weren’t quite as fortunate.

Pelican Trouble [Illustration by Shiju George]

The storms’ heavy winds and rains didn’t cause as much material damage as was expected, however it proved disastrous for the pelicans as small chicks were blown out of their nests.

Cigarette Packs that Talk

Mon, 27 Nov 2000 17:32:16 +0000

Cigarette smoking is injurious to health – everyone knows that. Well, till a few decades ago, people were unaware that smoking could cause lung and heart diseases and cigarette packs never had a warning on them, like they do now.

In recent years, research has shown that smoking is dangerous and it has now been made compulsory for all cigarette manufacturers to have what is known as, a ‘statutory warning’ printed on the cover. It states that ‘cigarette smoking is injurious to health’.

Going Bananas

Mon, 11 May 1998 05:09:01 +0000

Where: Taiwan

July 7, 2000: The military force of the Asian country of Taiwan was put on a very important job last week. They were ordered by the government to eat as many bananas as possible.

The members of government did the same thing. They stood outside their parliament and munched bananas for a long time. Journalists from newspapers, radio and television were there to see their cheeks puff as they bit into one banana after another.

Barack Obama Sworn In As 44th American President

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:56:50 +0000

Where: Washington, DC, U.S.A.

January 20, 2009 : Barack Obama became the first African-American President of the U.S.A. in a year which is also the 200th birth anniversary of Abraham Lincoln, the President who abolished slavery in that country. African-Americans first went to America as slaves, and they did not have the same rights as white people even as recently as the middle years of the twentieth century.

Despite freezing weather conditions and high security, a record number of people (over a million) gathered outside Washington D.C.’s Capitol building to witness the inauguration. The President was sworn in on an outdoor platform of the Capitol, in keeping with tradition. He chose to take oath with his hand on the same Bible that President Lincoln had used on his inauguration in 1861. The crowds waved American flags and cheered wildly in a jubilant atmosphere. The American people seemed to be expressing the hope that President Obama would pull their country out of its terrible economic crisis, out of the controversial war in Iraq, and into a new era of peace and prosperity. The event was watched live by millions of television viewers all over the world.

Little Heroes

Fri, 17 Jan 2003 02:40:37 +0000

January 31: Four-year old Parul Mishra of Lucknow (right) walked over a burning bed of coal to save her little friend Priyanka, who had accidentally fallen into it. Twelve-year old Sunil Singh and 13-year old Mukesh Kumar of Doda district, Kashmir, foiled a militant attack on their village.

Two brothers, Prince and Ashish Kumar of Gaya district, Bihar, fought a dangerous gang of dacoits who had stormed into their house. Parul, Sunil, Mukesh, Prince and Ashish are ordinary children, but for one trait. They are extraordinarily courageous.

Many Ramayanas

Thu, 05 Dec 2002 00:18:49 +0000

Once, Aristotle, the famous ancient Greek philosopher, asked an old carpenter how long he had used his knife. Thirty years, the carpenter replied. He had changed a blade a few times and the handle a few times, but the knife was the same, added the carpenter.

Something similar has happened to the Indian epic, Ramayana. Writers in different places and in different languages, have composed the Ramayana down the ages. They carry with them the flavours of local cultures, and each one proudly takes its place in the gallery of Ramayanas.

To Russia with Love?

Thu, 13 Mar 2003 12:30:27 +0000

To Russia with Love? [Illustration by Shiju George]

November 25: Meet Tinky-Vinky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po. They are the Russian version of characters in Teletubbies, the British television series for toddlers. The four made an eagerly awaited debut amidst great hype and hoopla in Moscow. Their audience – 3,500 enthusiastic children.

The 365-episode series is not known as Teletubbies in Russia but by their Russian name Telepuziki or Telebellies. And they are going to be beamed into Russian homes by the state-run television, RTR, says an article in the ‘Indian Express’.

Acting Colour Blind?

Wed, 06 Mar 2002 12:09:19 +0000

October 6: England’s world-famous Royal Shakespeare Company has made a break with tradition. It has cast a black Nigerian actor, David Oyelowo, in the lead role of Henry VI, whose insanity unleashed a 30-year bloody civil war between two ruling parties, called the War of the Roses.

Acting Colour Blind? [Illustration by Anup Singh]

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is one of the oldest and most prestigious theatre companies of the world. It has been staging the plays of Shakespeare for many years now. Plays by RSC are considered the last word in Shakespeare on stage.

International Conservation Meet on Animal Trade

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 02:47:30 +0000

Where: Doha, Qatar

March 25, 2010 : The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) took place in Doha, Qatar, between March 13 and 25, 2010. The representatives of 175 member nations attended. They held discussions on several animal species that are in danger of becoming extinct because of trade, both legal and illegal.

CITES secretary-general Willem Wijnstekers said, “If we use tiger numbers as a performance indicator, then we must admit that we have failed miserably and that we are continuing to fail.” Tiger numbers have dropped because of many factors. One is human encroachment. Another is the loss of nine-tenths of their habitat. Poaching and illegal trade in tiger parts have contributed to the fall in their numbers from 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century to around 3,600 today.

The Law versus the Dhoti

Mon, 17 Mar 2003 18:08:12 +0000

February 26: It took a 25-page judgement by a judge of the Rajasthan High Court, in the state capital Jaipur, for the dhoti’s fortunes to rise. The traditional lower garment worn by men in India, can now be worn by practising lawyers to court.

It all started with lawyer Ved Pal Shastri coming to court one day, wearing a dhoti, instead of the usual white trousers that every lawyer wears. His senior, Justice Rajaram Yadav, objected to the dhoti saying it went against notions of the prescribed dress code.

No Begging for Merit

Wed, 15 Sep 2004 12:11:52 +0000

May 25: When Nagarathna, a beggar girl from Mysore, was preparing for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (Class X) examinations, she had to beg to buy books and study under street lights. She passed the exams with flying colours and the Indian Express newspaper published her success story.

After the story appeared in the paper, Nagarathna has been receiving innumerable offers from people who are keen to fund her education. A non-resident Indian, a retired statesman, actress-turned politicians, the list is endless.

Bullet Train for India

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:00:37 +0000

Where: New Delhi, India

January 19, 2009 : Mr. Lalu Prasad and his team of railway officials took a ride on one of Japan’s bullet trains, which covers the 515 kilometres between Tokyo and Kyoto in two hours and 20 minutes. Back home, the minister announced, “The day is not far off when the bullet train will run in the country.” The railway ministry is appointing international consultants to plan the project. France and Germany have expressed an interest in the project in addition to Japan.

UFO in Kolkata?

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:56:00 +0000

Where: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

October 30, 2007 : In a city as passionate about football as it is about Rabindra Sangeet and rosogollas, an unlikely visitor made a flying visit. An unidienfitied flying object or UFO was spotted in Kolkata’s skies early Monday morning. The fireball, which was filmed by a Kolkata-based executive, seemed to move very rapidly and kept changing its shape.

When the film footage was shown on television, it showed the fireball changing shape from a round object to a triangle to a straight line. It is this which has the scientists at the Birla Planetarium scratching their heads, who are fascinated by this “extremely interesting and strange object.”

Angry Little Girls

Tue, 07 Jun 2005 07:46:17 +0000

August 26: She is a cute little Korean-American girl with pigtails, and her name is Kim. Like so many others, her parents, too, went to the United States of America as immigrants and settled there. Kim, who was born in the US, is American. And anyone who gives her the feeling that she is not a true American, or makes fun of her ‘Asian’ origin, gets the sharp end of her tongue. No wonder she is called the Angry Little Asian Girl.

Shakespeare in Prison

Wed, 09 Oct 2002 16:47:11 +0000

October 6 : Hulagappa Kattimane directs plays written by the world-famous English playwright, William Shakespeare. Macbeth and Hamlet are two plays that he staged recently in the South Indian cities of Bellary and Mysore. Both were astounding successes.

There’s nothing unusual in any of this except for one thing – his actors are all prison inmates.

Hulagappa is on a mission to reform criminals and help them cope with their sentences by introducing them to Shakespeare and the art of theatre.

A World for Children

Fri, 09 Nov 2001 00:13:21 +0000

July 31: K Shankar Pillai (1902-1989) or Shankar as he was called, was one of India’s best-known and best-loved cartoonists. Besides cartooning, he had one other love – children. He was especially interested in encouraging a child’s creativity. It was lucky for children that he thought this way, and from Delhi, where he was settled he wove an amazing web of dreams for children.

He began the Shankar’s International Children’s Writing and Painting Competition in 1949 or 51 years ago. He started the Shankar’s International Dolls Museum in Delhi, which stores dolls from all over the world and even established a dolls designing and production workshop making authentic Indian dolls.

Tattoos that Talk

Wed, 31 Mar 2004 03:10:48 +0000

Where: St. Petersbug, RUssia

May 19, 2001: For more than 50 years Danzig Baldayev had been studying a unique mode of communication amongst the Russian prisoners. When he was a prison guard he discovered that the tattoo on each prisoner’s body had a message for the other inmates.

A burning cross meant the prisoner wanted revenge, a pirate with a knife between his teeth showed that the person was a sadist or one who likes to hurt others and a tattoo of the Soviet founder, Vladimir Lenin, was like a charm against execution. A tattoo of ex-Soviet President Boris Yeltsin, with a glass of vodka, meant the guy was a drunk!

Ancient Library in the Desert

Fri, 18 Apr 2003 22:15:26 +0000

Ancient Library in the Desert [Illustration by Shinod A.P.]

February 16: Ever heard of Chinguetti, a city nestling deep in the Sahara desert close to the North African country of Mauritania? No? Well, neither did most of the world, till it was discovered that this desert city that is slowly sinking in sand, could be home to the world’s oldest “living” libraries. That is to say a library with intact manuscripts.

Three Nations or One?

Tue, 06 Nov 2001 04:10:29 +0000

August 19: Tang Weijiang is an angry man. He is suing the famous Japanese company Canon for causing him mental distress! Reason – Tang, a Chinese, was furious that the company making a particular brand of printer, in its publicity video, had given the impression that China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were three separate countries.

He is demanding $12 million in compensation.

Three Nations or One? [Illustration by Sudheer Nath]

While the island of Hong Kong has come back to China after being under British control for almost 100 years, Taiwan broke away from China more than 50 years ago to declare independence. But China continues to state that Taiwan is a part of it.

Web of Financial Scandal

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 01:52:47 +0000

August 18: The recent arrest of P S Subramanyam, chairman Unit Trust of India, has sent shock waves through the country, among the 20 million people who had invested their lifetime savings in India’s oldest public mutual fund company. What exactly happened?

A mutual fund company has one main function: to take in or mobilise people’s savings and invest them on their behalf, to maximise the returns. Most of us put our savings in banks. Banks are seen to be solid and safe but they do not give more than 9 per cent returns (interest). Mutual funds, on the other hand, are attractive because they give higher returns or interest on the savings.

Violence Rocks China's Xinjian Province

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:28:42 +0000

Where: Urumqi, Xinjiang,China

July 8, 2009 : Clashes broke out between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese in Urumqi, Xinjiang’s capital, on Sunday, July 5, 2009. Over 150 people were killed in clashes, nearly 1,000 were injured, and hundreds were arrested. By Tuesday morning, it looked as if the authorities had Urumqi under control. But gangs of Han Chinese armed with sticks and bars began to form and they poured down the streets towards the Great Bazaar, the town’s Uighur trading quarter. The Han Chinese appeared angry at the failure of security forces to protect their community on Sunday.

Jumbos have some oily fun

Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:12:29 +0000

August 9: It’s a slippery situation that has officials of the Oil India Limited (OIL) in Assam religiously muttering the Ganesh Mantra. The public sector company owns and operates the world’s oldest oil producing wells here and they’re helpless against the antics of wild elephants who love the swooshing sound of oil spurting in Digboi’s oil fields.

Jumbos have some oily fun [Illustration by Shinod AP]

According to a report in The Indian Express, the wild tuskers move around freely in the oil fields, often opening crucial valves in the pipelines that connect the oil wells to the refineries.

Joining Hands for peace, at Hiroshima

Sat, 10 May 2003 14:38:29 +0000

Every year, on August 6 and 9, a peace memorial conference is held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Thousands of people from all over the world gather there to indicate their support for peace in a world that is free of nuclear weapons. Dr Srimanjari, who teaches History at Miranda House, Delhi University, took part in one such conference, in 1998. She shares her experience, saying that the visit was a real eye-opener for her.

How does one talk about peace? By sharing memories of pain with those who did not, over generations, so that the desire for peace become stronger. In the peace conference that Srimanjari attended, there were over ten thousand participants, who came from all walks of life.

Olympic Swim Against the Tide

Sat, 23 Nov 2002 14:38:21 +0000

September 23: Twelve-year-old Fatima Abdeljamid is creating waves at the Sydney Olympics and for all the right reasons. She is one of two Bahraini nationals and among the very few from the Middle East nations to compete in the Olympics.

Fatima, a swimmer, and Myriam al-Hili, an athlete, have been invited to the Sydney Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is a gesture that is meant to encourage Muslim women from Islamic nations to take part in the Games.

Iraq Celebrates As US Troops Withdraw

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:10:05 +0000

Where: Baghdad, Iraq

June 30, 2009 : A national holiday and a full military parade marked “National Sovereignty Day” as Iraq celebrated the withdrawal of American troops. USA’s troops pulled out of Iraq’s towns and cities, six years after they led coalition forces, including troops from four other countries, into Iraq. The forces invaded Iraq in 2003 to remove the dictator Saddam Hussein, and to destroy weapons of mass destruction, which the country was believed to have developed. Saddam was deposed and executed, but no weapons of mass destruction were discovered. Thousands of lives were lost, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis became refugees. The occupation of Iraq began to be opposed very strongly in the USA itself.

Testing Times for Indian Sports

Thu, 13 May 2004 20:35:03 +0000

August 6: It was the sort of news that makes everyone sit up and take notice. No wonder the Indian newspapers have been full of it. Some time ago, sportswoman Sunita Godhera submitted an explosive petition to the Delhi High Court. In it were the names of 144 sportspersons who, she says, have been found to be taking banned drugs to boost their performances. These tests were carried out at the laboratory of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in New Delhi.

Beef in McDonald's Fries

Sun, 11 May 2003 04:19:04 +0000

May 11: Fast food giant McDonald’s seems to be frying in its own fat once again – quite literally at that. Last week, an Indian-American lawyer, Harish Bharti took the fast food giant to a US court for lacing its french fries with beef flavouring, a chemical compound that mimics the taste of beef fat. Millions of Hindus from across the world freely munch its french fries believing them to be vegetarian.

Beefing up Bharti’s case is information provided in Eric Schlosser’s recently published book, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of An All-American Meal.

No Singlish, we're Singaporeans

Mon, 21 Apr 2003 00:09:16 +0000

April 21: That person is very havoc, always out late every night. If you ever hear one Singaporean telling another that, don’t rush to correct them. The two are merely having a chat about the nocturnal habits of someone else, in Singlish, the unofficial lingo of Singaporeans.

A mixture of English, Malay, Chinese and local slang, Singlish is English with a peppering of Singaporean colloquialisms. But like most hybrids, it does not get much respect, nor is it understood by non-Singaporeans. So, the government of Singapore has advised its citizens to adopt standard English.

The Nest

Thu, 29 Jul 1999 11:33:53 +0000

Common Birds
Written by Salim Ali and Laeeq Futehally
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Think of birds and you think of Dr. Salim Ali, India’s most famous ornithologist. He is the scientist who succeeded in communicating his passion for studying bird life in India to the ordinary Indian.

Generations of Indians have grown up on his wonderfully warm and crisp writings on birds and have squealed in delight on being able to distinguish a red turtle dove from a spotted dove. Those who have accepted him as a guide have been able to explore the complex societies that nature’s feathered creatures have created – as complex as human societies.

The Misfortunes of Kera..la

Mon, 25 Mar 2002 05:14:00 +0000

December 9: What are the images that come to mind when one hears the name – Kerala? Beaches, backwaters and… coconut trees. Rows and rows of coconut (kera) trees swaying in the breeze along the coastline, a picture perfect sight in this coastal state in South India.

But this image might be in danger of disappearing. A very poor demand for coconuts combined with an all time low price for the fruit, is ruining the thriving coconut business in the state.

Festive Layers

Wed, 09 Feb 2000 08:23:50 +0000

There are festivals that are built around seasonal and agrarian cycles. Then there are festivals or occasions that are built around the lives of individuals who founded major religions. And there are festivals that revolve around mythological figures of gods and goddesses.

India is one of the few countries in the world, which can boast of observing the most important festivals of major world religions within a span of just 45-60 days!

Festive Layers [Illustration by Kusum Chamoli]

Consider these fascinating facts: In most years, since Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar, in end-March or early April, Hindus celebrate the birth of Lord Rama. In the late days of winter, is Muharram. On this day the Shia Muslims especially, mourn the memory of Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the battle for succession following the Prophet’s death. The battle took place at Karbala.

IPL Cricket Out of India in Second Season

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:26:44 +0000

Where: New Delhi, India

March 24, 2009 : The second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will now be held in South Africa. IPL is a creation of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It is a Twenty20 cricket competition, in which each team plays just 20 overs in a game, and each innings takes around 75 minutes to play. The second season was to have been held at different locations in India, just like the first, hugely successful one last year.

Boyhood by the Sea

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 07:35:22 +0000

Boyhood by the Sea []

Suresh and the Sea
Written by Raghavendra Rao and Sandhya Rao
Photos by Raghavendra Rao
Published by Tulika, Chennai

This book traces the real-life story of a boy through his growing years in his native fishing village, Injambakkam. The author, Raghavendra Rao, tells of how Suresh taught him to look at the sea with new eyes and surrender to the sea’s charms. His black and white photographs make the experience come alive for his readers.

Water-Ice on the Moon?

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 01:45:30 +0000

Where: Bangalore, India

January 29, 2009 : The possibility of water-ice existing on the polar regions of the moon is one of the questions that scientists aim to discuss at a meeting to mark the first hundred days of Chandrayaan-I. The scientists include representatives from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Chandrayaan-I has so far captured the first-ever images of the dark side of the moon, detected the presence of iron and received X-ray signals from its cratered surface. Chandrayaan-I was launched on October 22, 2008, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The launch marked a major step ahead in India’s space programme, and India became the fourth country to put its flag on the moon.The unmanned craft carries on board 11 scientific instruments. Five of these were developed by Indian scientists and the rest by foreign agencies, including NASA and ESA.

Gaseous twist to the Delphic legend

Tue, 07 Jun 2005 09:31:43 +0000

August 26: In ancient Greece, like a magnet, the shrine at Mount Parnassus, in Delphi, attracted people from all over Europe. They were drawn by the prophetic powers of the Pythia, or priestess of Apollo, who was famous as the Oracle of Delphi. It was said she could foretell everything, from the result of wars to new twists in day-to-day family problems. But, from where did the Oracle get her prophetic powers?

Legend says that high priest of the shrine, Plutarch, thought that the Pythia got her prophetic powers by inhaling some special gases, which would lead her to a state of trance. Now a four-year study by geologists in areas near the shrine has found evidence of hallucinogenic gases rising from a nearby spring and preserved within the temple rock. (Hallucinogenic gases contain hallucinogen, a substance that induces hallucinations or visions and imaginary perceptions.) The scientists have smelt truth in the high priest’s claim at last! The study has been reported in the August issue of Geology.

Honduras President Deposed

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:58:30 +0000

Where: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

July 5, 2009 : President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras in Central America was removed from office on June 28, 2009. At dawn on that day, around 300 troops went to his home and asked him to surrender at gunpoint. Mr. Zelaya was sent into exile in Costa Rica. Later, Mr. Roberto Micheletti, the speaker of Congress and second in line to the presidency, was sworn in as interim leader.

President Zelaya had plans to hold a public consultation on June 28 to seek the people’s views on making changes in the constitution. His critics saw his actions as part of a move to remove the current one-term limit on a serving president, and to pave the way for his possible re-election. The ouster of President Zelaya is the biggest political crisis in Central America in years. Military takeovers (coups) and political upheaval were common in Central America for much of the 20th Century. Until the mid-1980s the military dominated political life in Honduras. Mr. Zelaya’s removal is the first in the Central American region since 1993. Recent developments have provoked worldwide condemnation. The USA has put an end to all joint military operations and the World Bank has suspended financial aid.

UFO Landing

Sat, 27 Jul 2002 13:01:24 +0000

December 9: Did ‘Unidentified Flying Objects’ (UFOs) cause life on earth? Those UFOs that are supposed to float around in space, which are more like distant dreams of an outer space enthusiast?

To test this theory, special balloons filled with neon gas (used in electric lamps) were launched into space from Hyderabad recently by a team of Indian scientists. The balloons are expected to collect air samples at different altitudes in space ranging between 10 and 35 km.

Too Much Information

Wed, 05 Jun 2002 17:18:39 +0000

October 28: Over 1400 years ago, Chinese scholar Hiuan Tsang travelled thousands of miles from his home to reach the city of Nalanda in Bihar. His objective was to study precious Buddhist manuscripts at the University of Nalanda, which was famed in those days for its library of Buddhist manuscripts. In the process, he also recorded his observations of seventh century India, and this remains one of the most valuable sources of information on the land during that age.

International Appeal to stop Iceland's Whaling for Jobs Program

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:33:19 +0000

Where: Reykjavik, Iceland

February 16, 2009 : In a letter signed by senior diplomats in Reykjavik, the governments of six countries appealed to Iceland to rethink its decision to permit the hunting of 150 fin and 100 minke whales in a year. The countries are the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Finland and Sweden. The former Iceland government took the decision before stepping down in the face of the country’s economic collapse. The letter expressed “extreme disappointment” and asked the new government to consider the long-term interests of the whaling industry.

A Soldier's Death is a Soldier's Death

Sat, 26 Apr 1997 15:37:18 +0000

Where: New Delhi, India

May 16, 2000: Today’s newspapers must have given some relief to Indian Army men. For, George Fernandes, the Defence Minister of India, has finally agreed to their demands. Their demand was that the family of every jawan, or soldier, killed in action must get the same compensation amount of Rs 1 million ($23,255) from the Government of India. It did not matter where the soldier died: Kargil, Srinagar, or the north-eastern part of India.

Thousands Protest 'Unfair' Election Result in Iran

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:08:12 +0000

Where: Tehran, Iran

June 19, 2009 : The Iranian Presidential election results were announced on June 13, 2009, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner for a second term. The popular reformist leader Mirhossein Mousavi was declared defeated. Ever since then, the country has been rocked by widespread demonstrations. Tens of thousands of angry voters took out protest rallies. They claimed the results were fake, and that their leader Mousavi had won.

In 1979, after the Islamic revolution, Iran’s government was taken over by clerics (religious authorities). Around 60 per cent of the population of Iran was born after 1979, and it appears that younger voters have sought modernisation and change. The country is going through an economic crisis, with an inflation rate of 24 percent, rising unemployment and a fall in income from crude oil exports (Iran is the world’s fifth biggest oil exporter). Iran is also caught in a tussle with the Western world over its nuclear program. Mousavi had pledged to improve relations with the West, to ease restrictions on women, and to fix Iran’s ailing economy.

No Dalmatians Please

Sun, 12 May 2002 07:11:55 +0000

Have you seen the movie ‘101 Dalmatians?’ Remember the cute cuddly spotted puppies scampering around and performing tricks? Well, if you loved the movie, here’s some news for you – Disney is coming out with yet another puppy-filled movie and it is going to be called ‘102 Dalmatians’ – a sequel to the original movie.

No Dalmatians Please [Illustration by Anup Singh]

Dalmatians are believed to have originated in Dalmatia (now in Croatia, Europe), long, long ago. While no one is quite sure when the Dalmatian first appeared, what is commonly known about the dog is, it is pure white at birth and develops black spots within a few weeks.

Finding a Match for an Elephant

Mon, 26 May 1997 06:32:27 +0000

Where: Rome, Italy

July 1, 2000 : Calimero, a twenty-year-old African elephant, who has been pining for his lost love, may soon find a new love. But romance may not come easy for this lovelorn jumbo because he will have to travel across the Alps in order to find his dream girl.

Calimero was brought to the Rome Zoo when he was barely a year old. Soon after, Carla, an African she-elephant from Gabon, joined him. The two elephants fell in love. They were inseparable and spent nine blissful years together. Calimero’s companion died in 1991 and the besotted Calimero went into a deep depression. It was only last year that the authorities finally woke up to the fact that the zoo’s star attraction was wasting away, pining for his lost love.

The Filmmaker

Tue, 04 Jun 2002 06:04:38 +0000

Shooting ‘Shores of Silence’, was probably more exciting than shooting a high-voltage action thriller for Mike Pandey and his two crewmembers. The small fishing boat that they rode the high seas in, was tossed by huge waves like a cork, threatening their life and equipment several times. But the three hung on, determined to shoot the sequence that was to be the highlight of the film – the capturing and slaughtering of giant whale sharks.

Vast Coral Reef in South-East Asia May Disappear by End of Century, Warns WWF Report

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:14:18 +0000

Where: Manado, Indonesia

May 14, 2009 : The World Ocean’s Conference, a two-day meeting of ministers and officials from more than 80 countries was held in Manado, Indonesia. Rising sea levels, warming waters and increased acidity caused by global warming were some of the major issues discussed here.

A World Wildlife Fund report released to coincide with the conference reveals that the coral reefs stretching across south-east Asia will disappear by the end of the century. This area is known as the Coral Triangle, and is home to 3,000 fish species. Deforestation, coastal reclamation, destructive fishing and the pumping of pollution and sewage into sea over the last 40 years have already destroyed about 40 per cent of these coral reefs.

The Young Tax Commandos

Wed, 17 Jul 2002 21:45:04 +0000

October 14: Every country has its heroes in every generation, and children, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, point at them. There was a time when becoming a diplomat or a cosmonaut was the most thrilling profession for Russian children. Recognition from others, glamour and adventure – these professions seemed to have it all.

But times have changed and how. Today, the ambition of most Russian children is to have an ear to the ground. They want to be tax commandos above all else today. Tax commandos are smart police officers trained to catch people who do not pay their taxes, reports ‘The Indian Express’.

Riding into a Promising Future

Mon, 21 Oct 2002 15:19:07 +0000

October 28: In Gujarat last year, thousands of girls who passed out of primary school, were given unique gifts by the Gujarat government: bicycles to ride to secondary schools.

The gifts are not meant to reward the girls for passing their examinations. They are recognised as the only way for these girls to pursue higher education in secondary school, usually situated far away from their homes.

The scheme is the brainchild of the Minister of Other Backward Castes, Gabhaji Thakore. The Indian Express has written a report on the trend.

North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:11:10 +0000

Where: Pyongyang, North Korea

May 26, 2009 : North Korea conducted a nuclear test on Monday, May 25, 2009, in the face of warnings and opposition from countries around the world. Geological sensors in South Korea detected tremors from an artificial earthquake caused by the explosion. This was followed by an official announcement by the North Korean government agencies of the successful conduct of the test. The Russian Defence Department said the bomb was probably as big as the bombs that caused such large scale destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the second World War.

More Disturbing Attacks on Indians in Australia

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 11:11:12 +0000

Where: Canberra, Australia

February 3, 2010 : A large number of Indians living in Australia have become the targets of violence in the past months*. Most of the victims are students, who have been beaten, robbed, and in some cases, murdered. The most recent case was that of Nitin Garg, who was stabbed to death on January 2, 2010.

In 2007-2008, there were almost 1500 cases of crimes against Indians in the state of Victoria alone. Most of them were in the capital Melbourne. Between 2004 and 2009, 33 Indians died in violent attacks countrywide.

Spate of Attacks on Indian Students in Australia

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:35:32 +0000

Where: Melbourne, Australia

May 31, 2009 : A number of Indian students were attacked in a series of violent incidents in Melbourne over the last few days. One of the most shocking incidents was the one in which 25-year-old Shravan Kumar was stabbed by a group of teenagers who forced their way into his house. Kumar, who almost died on the way to hospital, had to be put on life support systems. Days later he was reported to be out of danger, but doctors expressed doubts that he would ever recover fully.

India's Software Giant Satyam Computer Services in Country's Biggest Corporate Scandal

Tue, 15 May 2007 02:05:38 +0000

Where: Hyderabad, India

January 09, 2009 : Satyam, India’s fourth-largest software company, is at the centre of the country’s biggest corporate scandal. The group’s Chairman, Ramalinga Raju revealed on 7 January, 2009, that around US $1.04 billion (Rs. 5000 crore or 94% of the company’s cash assets, was non-existent, and that figures and account books had been ‘cooked’, or modified, to show profits. Raju resigned from the Board of Directors, and his location is at present unknown.

In Shakespearean Settings!

Fri, 14 Mar 2003 07:34:50 +0000

April 21: Nearly 400 years ago, the brilliant English dramatist William Shakespeare, wrote Macbeth, the story of a Scottish general who kills his monarch, King Duncan, and slowly becomes mad. The play is based on the life of a real 11th century general. It is universally accepted as a great tragedy, and is one of Shakespeare’s best plays.

It appears that all the ingredients of another bloody Shakespearean tragedy are brewing among Macbeth’s modern-day descendents. The ingredients include an ancient castle in the Scottish Highlands, sinister curses and a family feud, writes a

New Government Takes Over in Israel

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:41:15 +0000

Where: Jerusalem, Israel

April 1, 2009 : Benjamin Netanyahu became the prime minister of Israel for a second time, to head a coalition government. The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed the hope that the new government would work for peace, and towards establishing an independent Palestinian state. The United Nations is part of what is called the ‘Quartet of Middle East peace brokers’ along with the United States, Russia and the European Union.

Boys' cancer unites warring people

Wed, 08 Aug 2001 11:34:11 +0000

August 5: Thirteen-year-old Kemal Saracoglu does not have much longer to live. He suffers from leukaemia or what is commonly known as blood cancer, usually a fatal disease. There had been a brief moment of hope when it was thought that his life could be lengthened, if not saved. That moment passed as the British doctors looking after Kemal in London said that the cancer had once again started attacking the young boy’s body mercilessly.

French President Calls For Ban on Burqas For Muslim Women

Wed, 12 May 2010 08:28:50 +0000

Where: Paris, France

June 23, 2009 : A small but growing group of French women wear burqas and niqabs, while many more wear the simple Muslim headscarf. Burqas and niqabs cloak the entire body and cover everything but the eyes. Last week, President Sarkozy told Parliament he proposed banning burqas in public, calling them “a sign of debasement” for women.

“We cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity,” Sarkozy said. “It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic.” The President’s statement came after a petition demanding a parliamentary inquiry on the wearing of burqas by a group of 60 lawmakers from all political parties.

Villagers go Online

Mon, 20 May 2002 22:03:52 +0000

October 28: The internet is quietly transforming the lives of over 20,000 people in six villages around the South Indian state of Pondicherry. Whether it’s sugarcane farmers in Kizhur village using the net to consult an entomologist ( one who fights bugs ) online, to save their crops from being ravaged by bugs, or a farm-worker making incense sticks under a government-sponsored scheme about which she found out on the net, the internet has become crucial to the lives of all the villagers.

They See!

Wed, 05 Mar 2003 06:27:04 +0000

March 19: Among the relief workers who rushed to Kutch, Gujarat, to help the quake-affected people, was 26-year-old Sudha Patel. Sudha, who is the sarpanch or village head of Changa village in the Anand district of Gujarat, began by collecting woollen clothes, foodgrains, blankets and donations of food packs and mineral water.

Then she began to send “family kits” consisting of tea, sugar and other necessary items, to the quake victims.

Sudha is visually impaired.

The Empowered Woman of Nyala

Sat, 15 Jun 2002 23:59:44 +0000

September 23: For someone who has never travelled beyond the village, a trip to New York is something to be excited about. And it’s no different for Shakuntala Bai, of Nyala, in Rajasthan.

She attended a two-day conference in New York organised by the Hunger Project and in the process met US President Bill Clinton too! Representing India, she spoke on “panchayati raj and the role of women”.

The Hunger Project is a movement working to end hunger and poverty in India. It works in more than 1,200 villages across 11 states. The project aims to mobilize grass roots people to change laws, collect resources and remove obstacles to build lives free from hunger.

Pakistan's Armed Forces Take on Taliban : Civilians Flee War Zone

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:39:55 +0000

Where: Islamabad, Pakistan

May 14, 2009 : Pakistan’s government signed a peace agreement with the Taliban*, which had taken control of the country’s Swat valley region in February 2009, and allowed it to impose Islamic Sharia law there. The militants started moving towards the capital Islamabad in the following months. Pakistani forces launched a military operation against them in late April using airstrikes, artillery bombardment and rocket attacks by helicopter gunships.

On May 11, a spokesperson of the Pakistani armed forces said that 200 militants had been killed in the fighting. Around 15,000 troops are now said to be fighting 5,000 militants in the Swat valley. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani called the conflict a “fight for the survival of the country”.

Terror Attack on Touring Sri Lankan Test Cricketers in Pakistan

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:07:54 +0000

Where: Lahore, Pakistan

March 3, 2009 : In an incident that shocked the governments and the people of the cricket-loving region, visiting players became the targets of a terrorist attack. Seven members of the Sri Lankan cricket team touring Pakistan were injured and six Pakistani poicemen were killed. The players were on their way to the Gaddafi stadium on the third day of the second cricket test match against hosts Pakistan. The team bus and police escort vehicles were waylaid near the Liberty Square roundabout. They were attacked by 10 to 12 masked gunmen bearing AK-47 guns, grenades, and rocket launchers. They first hit the vehicles leading the convoy, and then opened fire on the team bus. The attackers managed to escape, leaving their weapons and ammunition behind.

Hundreds Die In Australian Bush Blaze

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:09:57 +0000

Where: Melbourne, Australia

February 9, 2009 : Australia’s worst disaster in over a century, the bushfires could claim up to 230 victims. Bush* fires are common occurrences in the hot and dry Australian summer. This summer, the country has seen a severe drought and recorded temperatures as high as 47 degrees centigrade, as well as winds at speeds of over 90 km per hour. The fires have already destroyed more than 750 homes and an area of nearly 3,500 square kilometres. Twenty towns south of Melbourne fall in the disaster area.

Cholera Epidemic Spreads Countrywide in Zimbabwe

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 13:45:23 +0000

Where: Harare, Zimbabwe

January 23, 2009 : A report that the World Health Organisation made in early January said 2,200 people had died from cholera in Zimbabwe since August 2008. One week later, the United Nations reported a 20 per cent rise in cholera cases, and the figure now stands at 2,755. Nearly 50,000 people have been infected with the disease. The humanitarian aid organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres said that the epidemic was now spreading to rural areas.

Mutiny in Dhaka: 70 People Killed by Rebels

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:51:35 +0000

Where: Dhaka, Bangladesh

February 28, 2009 : The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troops rose in revolt against their commanders on 25 February, 2009 after a dispute. The BDR is a paramilitary unit that patrols the country’s borders. There was resentment among the troops over some issues, including pay. The BDR chiefs are all officers from the regular Bangladesh Army, and this was not acceptable to the troops either.

At a meeting between troops and officers where the men are allowed to air their grievances, the rebels started spraying bullets at officers. They killed their commanding officers and then their wives and families. Over 2,000 BDR paramilitaries took control of the regiment headquarters and held 100 people hostage. Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina ordered tanks to be sent in and issued stern warnings. The rebels surrendered on the second day of the uprising. They were offered a legal pardon on surrender, but ministers in the government said the “people directly involved in the killings” would be punished. The legal penalty for mutiny is death.

Riots Rage in Greece After Cop Shoots Boy

Thu, 31 May 2007 14:43:58 +0000

Where: Athens, Greece

December 11, 2008 : The shooting took place after a verbal disagreement between two police officers and a small group of people in the Exarcheia district of Athens. Eyewitnesses said the police officer fired directly at the boy. In the riots that followed, protesters expressed their rage against the government. They set hundreds of buildings on fire, and hurled petrol bombs at police. Even the giant Christmas tree on Athens’ central Syntagma Square was torched.

First Pope To Set Foot in Mosque

Fri, 24 Jan 2003 08:57:46 +0000

May 11: Pope John Paul II created history by setting foot in the Omayyad mosque in Damascus on his historic visit to Syria recently. He is the first Pope in Christianity’s 2000 year history to enter a mosque.

First Pope To Set Foot in Mosque [Illustration by Shinod AP]

And it isn’t just some ordinary mosque that the Pope stepped into, reports the Hindu newspaper. The site of the Omayyad mosque has a religious history predating Christianity, and goes back more than 3000 years.

Where Guns rule

Sat, 19 May 2001 13:07:43 +0000

Where: The state of Texas, USA

May 19, 2001: In yet another shocking incident of firearms violence in US schools, 16-year-old student Jay Goodwin shot himself to death before the eyes of a teacher and female student, at the Ennis High School, in Goodwin, Texas.

The incident happened just two days after the march of mothers and grandmothers in the US capital, Washington DC, to demand that the government pass stricter gun control laws to protect children in the world’s most violent and gun happy society.

All the Presidential Men

Thu, 06 Jan 2000 11:17:44 +0000

Where: Washington DC, USA

December 9, 2000: Guess what the biggest mystery is nowadays that has the world in thrall? It is Who will be the next American President? Try to imagine all the big lawyers and judges in America trying to unravel this mystery, arguing with each other, jumping about and tearing their hair in frustration!!

This is one mystery that even the most powerful man on earth, Bill Clinton, the current American President, cannot solve. And this is exactly what is making the United States the butt of all jokes in smaller and less powerful countries. And if you too think about it, it is really very very funny.

Sri Lanka's Humanitarian Crisis : Thousands Trapped in War Zone

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:58:51 +0000

Where: Vavuniya, Sri Lanka

January 30, 2009 : The Sri Lankan army has been engaged in fierce fighting with the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s (LTTE) forces. In the first weeks of 2009, the army took control of the main rebel bases of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. The LTTE is a militant group that formed in 1976, and their campaign to carve out an independent state for the minority Tamil population in the country’s northern region led to a raging civil war. There was a cease fire in 2002, but fighting resumed in 2006.

Dia's Story

Thu, 23 May 2002 06:46:25 +0000

Dia, an 80-year-old labourer of Indian origin, lives in the corner of a cotton field in the western province of Kanchanaburi, Thailand. His rundown shack contains very little besides a military medal and a few clothes. The medal is a remnant of Dia’s eventful, if tragic, past.

It is a past that has included a stint at Myanmar (then Burma), as a prisoner captured by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II (1939 – 45). During this time he was made to work in the construction of a railway between Burma and Thailand.

'Rim of Fire' in Indonesian Skies: 2009's First Solar Eclipse

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:01:37 +0000

Where: Samarinda, Indonesia

January 26, 2009 : The annular eclipse of the sun on Monday, 26 January was a celestial spectacle, seen in several parts of Indonesia, and on the Cocos, a South Pacific island group. These areas fell directly in line with the alignment of the moon and sun. People cheered and banged on drums as the moon moved slowly over the sun’s surface, until only a thin, blazing rim of fire could be seen. A partial eclipse was visible in southern parts of Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Western Australia.

From Prisoners to Teachers

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 18:47:00 +0000

July 1: Life in a prison can be quite depressing. Where prisoners are kept away from their near and dear ones. But now things in Delhi’s Tihar Jail are changing. The prison authorities have decided to bring about some light into the lives of the prisoners.

True, the prisoners are here because of crimes they have committed. But, if something can help them become better human beings, there is no reason why they should not be encouraged. Why do you think?

Heads of Government to Seek Solutions to World Economic Crisis at G20 Summit

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:20:39 +0000

Where: London, United Kingdom

March 30, 2009 : The heads of the world’s 20 largest economic powers, the Group of 20 or G20, will assemble in London on April 2, 2009. The London summit will focus on finding solutions to the present global economic crisis.

The G20 is a forum that includes G-7, the world’s seven leading industrialized nations — the U.S., Japan, Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Canada — and the world’s largest developing world economies: Brazil, Russia, India and China (often referred to as BRIC). The European Union (EU), Australia, Turkey, Indonesia, South Korea, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are also members. The member countries of G20 generate 85 percent of the world’s total economic production.

General Motors Out of Bankruptcy

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Where: Detroit, Michigan, USA

July 10, 2009 : The USA’s biggest carmaker, General Motors, had declared bankruptcy on June 1, 2009. When a company is unable to repay its debts to creditors, it can seek legal protection by filing a bankruptcy plea. The action also ensures that all creditors are repaid in equal measure. The case of General Motors (GM) is the largest bankruptcy filing by an industrial company in the USA’s history. The corporation won a second chance to prove itself profitable as it came out of bankruptcy at lightning speed.

Indian elections 2009: a symbol of people power

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:05:03 +0000

Where: India

May 6, 2009 : When a nation of over one billion citizens wakes up every five years to elect its leaders, the entire world turns to watch. The “world’s largest democracy*”, India, went to the polls on April 13, 2009, to elect members of the 15th Lok Sabha (or House of Commons, in the Indian Parliament). In a one month-long process, which will end on May 13, 2009, over 714 million voters** will be eligible to vote.

How Did the Indian Postal Service Start?

Wed, 26 Dec 2001 16:41:07 +0000

Although methods of postal delivery varied from one country to another, it is believed that in India, Emperor Chandragupta Maurya who ruled the country between 321-297 BC, was the first to introduce a form of postal communication to dispatch confidential reports to distant posts in his empire.

However, the first recorded mention in history is to be found in the writings of historian Ziadduin Barni. He mentions that Ala-ud-din Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate, who ruled Delhi over 700 years ago, organized a regular horse and foot runner service called harakuras in 1296 AD. These runners carried a baton with bells and ran across the allotted territory with mail. Runners changed after each mile and the post was delivered in record time.

How does the Army Post Office System Work?

Tue, 26 Dec 2000 14:42:19 +0000

It’s the one thing every soldier away from home looks forward to: mail. So everyday it is ‘Hey, Mister Postman, look and see, if there is a letter for me’? For a solider in his outpost, the letter from a loved one is his most cherished and valued document, read and re-read a million times till the next one arrives.

The soldiers in the Indian defence forces are from every nook and cranny of India – from Kashmir in the North to Kanyakumari in the South from Tawang in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in the East, to Porbandar in the State of Gujarat in the West. And they are also posted all over the country.