World's first trip to Moon's south pole planned for 2016

WASHINGTON: The world's first mission to the south pole of the moon to install a permanent telescope on the lunar surface, to aid professional and amateur researchers, has been announced.

The private enterprise mission, announced by the International Lunar Observatory Association and Moon Express, will be both scientific and commercial, and plans to deliver the International Lunar Observatory (ILO) aboard a Moon Express robotic lander.

Moon Express will also utilise the mission to explore the moon's south pole for mineral resources and water. Lunar probes have provided compelling evidence of mineral and volatile deposits in the Moon's southern polar region where energy and resources may be abundant, Phys.org reported.

The ILO, with its 2-meter dish antenna, will be the world's first instrument to conduct international astrophysical observations and communications from the lunar surface, providing scientific research, commercial broadcasting and enabling Galaxy 21st Century education and "citizen science" on the Moon.

The announcement was made during a NASA Lunar Science Institute conference at Nasa Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California.

"The ILO will demonstrate the value of the Moon for scientific study of the galaxy, moon, earth, sun and stars," said Steve Durst, founder and director of the ILOA and Space Age Publishing Company.

"We are a global consortium of scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and visionaries who seek to establish a scientific presence on the Moon followed by human exploration and eventual settlement."

Space Age Publishing Company, ILOA's commercial affiliate, intends to broadcast its Space Calendar weekly and Lunar Enterprise Daily via the ILO. ILOA expects that the south pole mission could take place as early as 2016 and contribute to humanity's growth as a multi-world species.

Moon Express will send a series of robotic missions to the Moon in support of science, commerce and exploration starting in 2015.

"We are very excited to our announce that our second Moon mission will be to the lunar South Pole to deliver the International Lunar Observatory and to prospect for resources," said Moon Express CEO Dr Robert Richards.

"The mission will provide a historic landing in an unexplored region of the moon that may harbour some of the greatest resource deposits in the solar system," said Richards.

The ILO and its precursor will have an internet-based access and control system and will be the first private space telescope to operate from the lunar surface.

China ready to invest $160 billion in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: China is ready to invest about $160 billion in different sectors in Andhra Pradesh and improve bilateral ties with India, according to economic advisor to the President of China.

Shoosan Maa, the economic advisor to Xi Jinping and also the Member of Parliament, met Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in Hyderabad and discussed plans to invest in sectors like food processing, small-scale industries, infrastructure and education, among others, a CMO release said.

While quoting Shoosan on China's intention of pumping in $160 billion in the state, the release did not state any timeframe or phases in which such a huge investment could materialise.

"The Chief Minister invited proposals and asked Shoosan to spell out the areas in which they were interested in investing. Shoosan said he would make efforts for promoting investments and improving relations between the two countries," the release said.

Shoosan said his country would send 10,000 students to Hyderabad for education in various streams, according to the release.
PTI

Midday meal safety norms to be painted on Bihar schools walls

PATNA: Facing the ire of people over the midday meal tragedy, the Bihargovt plans to provide printed instructions to school principals about food quality and safety besides painting the norms on the schools walls.

"We are readying detailed instructions about maintaining quality and safety of food served under midday meal scheme in schools," Director midday meal scheme, R Lakshmanan said.

The instructions being prepared with the help of food experts will include giving knowledge to principals about first aid measures in cases like that of Dharmasati Gandaman primary school in Saran district.

In the wake of the tragedy, many medical experts voiced that ORS should have been provided to the ill for immediate relief. These things should be known to school principals to face challenges of such nature immediately, Lakshmanan said, explaining the need for first aid protocol being issued to the principals.

The Bihar midday meal director said that besides providing printed instructions about safety and quality of food to be served under the programme, the details would be painted on the walls of schools for everyone to see and follow.

A forensic report had yesterday confirmed the presence of poisonous pesticide in the midday meal served to the students of the school in Chhapra where 23 children died after taking the contaminated food.

The midday meal scheme, a flagship programme of the Union government, is given in 70,200 schools of Bihar covering more than 1.30 crore children.

Odisha boy addresses UN Youth Assembly

Bhubaneswar: A tribal student from Odisha left his folks proud after participating in the Malala Day United Nations Youth Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Laxman Hembram represented India at the prestigious international event held on July 12 where altogether 120 youth leaders from as many countries participated in the event, said a release from Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS).

He spoke on the topic of 'Education for All' at the Malala Day United Nations Youth Assembly, outlining quality education system and youth union.

Laxman discussed how to eradicate

poverty through education. The release said the visit gave him an opportunity to learn about education systems of other countries.

Talking about his four-day visit, Laxman said he got a chance to talk with Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai and representatives of various other countries.

Laxman's participation in the meet is a matter of great pride for KISS, tribal community and Odisha, said founder of KISS and KIIT Achyut Samanta.

PTI 

50 new ambulances flagged off in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday flagged off 50 new ambulances under the 'Free 108 National Ambulance Service' raising the strength of the fleet to 162 in the state.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh flagged off 50 ambulances, equipped and fabricated to provide emergency medical aid to patients, from the historic Ridge Maidan here.

125 more small ambulances would be purchased shortly to facilitate expectant mothers to reach hospitals and return back to their homes after delivery with new-borns, he said.

The National Ambulance Service has proved a boon for the people and benefited more than three lakh patients besides being used in 2,500 fire and 10,000 police related cases since its inception three years ago, Singh said.

The free ambulance project was a Centrally sponsored scheme but the previous BJP government claimed it as its own scheme for deriving political mileage, he said.

The state government was pursuing the matter regarding increasing 50 MBBS seats each in IGMC and Government Medical college at Tanda (Kangra) with the Union government and hoping for early nod from the Centre, the Chief Minister said.

An approval has been granted to fill 475 vacant posts of various categories in Health department to provide best health care services to the people at their door-steps, he said.

The Chief Minister also launched National Rural Health Mission website (www.Nrhmhp.Gov.In), which would provide all updated health related information to the people.


Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said 200 posts of doctors would be filled up during 2013-14 and 2014-15 and the IGMC would be developed as a Super Speciality Hospital.

He said that ECG machine and snake bite serum had also been made available besides other life saving medicines and equipments in the 108 Ambulance.

PTI

Educated youths chuck plum jobs to enter PR polls

Educated youths chuck plum jobs to enter PR polls

MAHBUBNAGAR: Elections to local bodies have acquired significance this time as quite a few members of highly educated class are throwing their hat into the electoral ring.

Nearly half a dozen youths, with B Tech, BAMS, M Sc and B Ed are contesting the elections in the district by even resigning from their cozy jobs.

M Krishna of Yelkur village of Maldhakal mandal who is contesting in the elections said he felt it was the right time to enter politics to strengthen administration at village level. Krishna who has a B Tech degree said he wants to weed out corruption.

Another B Tech graduate M Balakrishna is contesting from Mulamalla village of Atmakur mandal. "From the inception of panchayat raj system only a single family is holding power in the village. How can decentralization take place when a single family is holding on to the post? I have joined the fray to bring about a change in the village," he said.

S Radhika, a software professional with an enviable monthly salary of Rs 60,000 in Hyderabad, has now entered the electoral fray for the post of sarpanch in Marripally village of Uppunuthala mandal. She is an M Sc (Computers) from Osmania University.

"A village should be self-contained and should not depend on cities for growth. But many villages still lack basic amenities. My main goal in getting into politics is to develop the village," she said.

Another woman candidate, M Shoba Rani, who has a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Science (BAMS) degree filed nomination for the Ajilapur village of Devarkadra mandal. Shoba is presently pursuing higher studies in ayurvedic medicine and is a contestant for the sarpanch post.

"There is too much of corruption and many schemes targeted at the rural people are not being implemented properly. As Rajiv Gandhi said out of the Re 1 sanctioned from the government, only 20 paise is reaching the village for development. This has to change," she said.

All the educated lot who are in fray have clear goals and have the conviction to reach them. Rajamani with M A, B Ed degrees is contesting from Jeklaru panchayat of Makthal mandal. "More educated people should come into politics. They can bring reforms in the society. Our villages are mainly agrarian. Farmers are cheated by middle men. My focus will be to educate farmers apart from providing better education facilities, sanitation and medical facilities," she said.

It may be mentioned here that in Khammam district, an MBBS graduate, Lakki Nani Raghu, has filed nomination for ward member in Kallur village panchayat. Similarly an M SC (Organic Chemistry) graduate, M Swapna, has filed nomination for the sarpanch post at Ashwaraopet village of Khammam.

For Gundugula and Dhammapet gram panchayats, two MBA graduates have filed papers. B Krishna Kumari and A Balaji are promising to bring changes in the village and educate people about the many schemes meant for them.

Several PG and B Ed degree holders too have filed their nominations. In some areas, the educated candidates are being supported by all parties so that they can get elected unanimously.

"With educated people in fray, the local governments can only become stronger. Once elected, they should stick to their motto of developing villages," said Lok Satta party president Jayaprakash Narayan.

French Police Commissioner to train Pondy official

Puducherry: In order to check fraudulent practices by some touts and intermediaries cheating those seeking French citizenship, a Police Commissioner of France is camping here to train officials to detect and prevent such activities.

Fabrice Grossir, a Commissioner of Police in France, who is the Homeland Security Attache in the French Embassy in New Delhi, has been deputed by the French government to hold discussions with the Puducherry government and also local police on the matter.

A release from office of the French Consul General here said today the Consulate had drawn the attention of the French and Indian authorities to the "dubious practices" adopted by some intermediaries to procure French citizenship for Indian families residing in Puducherry.

The release said the French police official had been deputed by the French Ambassador to camp here for three days from today to train the officials (concerned with processing of applications for French citizenship) on the procedures and legal provisions available for detection of fraudulent practices and to prevent activities of intermediaries.

French authorities here said the Consulate would be ready to help those legitimately claiming for the citizenship in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Forgery and use of forged documents for official purposes is punishable under both Indian and French laws.

PTI