Subhaditya News Channel Present Latest News From Science , Sport , Politics, Environmental Disaster , World Economy (5)

Science News of this week:

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1) Ashoke Sen gets $3 mn, world's most lucrative academic prize

Physicists Ashoke Sen gets $3 mn

Great news of Pride Both For Indian as well as Bengali Scientists Community : Ashoke Sen gets $3 mn, world's most lucrative academic prize for His great contribution on String Theory in theoretical Physics. Physicists are rarely wealthy or famous, but a new prize rewarding research at the field's cutting edges has made nine of them instant multimillionaires.

The nine are recipients of the Fundamental Physics Prize, established by Yuri Milner, a Russian physics student who dropped out of graduate school in 1989 and later earned billions investing in Internet companies like Facebook and Groupon.

"It knocked me off my feet," said Alan H. Guth, a professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was among the winners. He came up with the idea of cosmic inflation, that there was a period of extremely rapid expansion in the first instant of the universe.

When he was told of the $3 million prize, he assumed that the money would be shared among the winners. Not so: Instead, each of this year's nine recipients will receive $3 million, the most lucrative academic prize in the world. The Nobel Prize currently comes with an award of $1.2 million, usually split by two or three people. The Templeton Prize, which honors contributions to understanding spiritual dimensions of life, has been the largest monetary award given to an individual, $1.7 million this year.

The $3 million has already appeared in Dr. Guth's bank account, one that had had a balance of $200. "Suddenly, it said, $3,000,200," he said. "The bank charged a $12 wire transfer fee, but that was easily affordable."

Mr. Milner said that he wanted to recognize advances in delving into the deepest mysteries of physics and the universe. "This intellectual quest to understand the universe really defines us as human beings," he said.

2) Did 'Solar Storms' Cause India's Massive Blackout?

Effects of Solar activity on Earth

No, we’re not wearing tinfoil hats over here at India Ink — so-called “solar storms,” or magnetic eruptions on the sun’s surface, have been known to take down electricity grids before, most notably in Quebec in 1989.

And, as it turns out, this year is a year of heightened solar activity.

“The ferocity and pace of the Sun’s flares and magnetic eruptions rise and fall on an 11-year cycle, and the Sun has only recently emerged from its slumber and started generating new solar flares,” Kenneth Chang wrote in The New York Times in March.

In fact, Mike Hapgood, a space weather scientist at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Britain, penned an article in April that warned we should “prepare for the coming space weather storm.” These storms, more precisely called “coronal mass ejections,” send charged particles into space that could hit the Earth, he told The Los Angeles Times in May, creating electromagnetic disturbances. “Think of it like a hurricane — is it headed toward us or not headed toward us? If we’re lucky, it misses us,” he said.

“A big geomagnetic storm can essentially put extra electric currents into the grid,” Mr. Hapgood added. “If it gets bad enough, you can have a complete failure of the power grid.” So, are India’s power ministers (both previous and current) and its electricity-guzzling northern states off the hook? We thought we’d call the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore to get an expert opinion.

Solar storms “have been of some concern” recently, acknowledged K. E. Rangarajan, a physicist who specializes in the Sun and magnetic fields at the institute.

But, Professor Rangarajan said, there’s no evidence to suggest Monday and Tuesday’s massive power outages were caused by such an event.

Generally, he explained, these storms affect countries in higher latitudes than India, like Canada and the Netherlands, the most. In the last few days, none of these countries have reported grid problems, he said. “Since it has not been reported in any other part of the world,” solar activity may have no relation to India’s power outages, he said.

Still, Professor  Rangarajan added kindly, “It’s always good to ask questions.”

3) Strawberry Extract Protects Against UVA Rays, Study Suggests:

 Strawberry Extract Protects Against UVA Rays

An experiment has shown that strawberry extract added to skin cell cultures acts as a protector against ultraviolet radiation as well as increasing its viability and reducing damage to DNA. Developed by a team of Italian and Spanish researchers, the study opens the door to the creation of photoprotective cream made from strawberries.

"We have verified the protecting effect of strawberry extract against damage to skins cells caused by UVA rays," as explained by Maurizio Battino, researcher at the Università Politecnica delle Marche in Italy and lead author of the jointly Spanish and Italian study. The results are published in the 'Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry'.

The team prepared human skin cell cultures (fibroblasts) and added strawberry extract in different concentrations (0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml), the only exception being the control extract. Using ultraviolet light, the samples were then exposed to a dose "equivalent to 90 minutes of midday summer sun in the French Riviera."

Data confirm that the strawberry extract, especially at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml, displays photoprotective properties in those fibroblasts exposed to UVA radiation, it increases cell survival and viability and decreases damage in the DNA when compared with control cells.

"These aspects are of great importance as they provide protection for cell lines subject to conditions that can provoke cancer and other skin-related inflammatory and degenerative illnesses," outlines Battino.The researcher recognises that this is the "first step in determining the beneficial effects of strawberries in our diet or as a possible compound source for 'food integrators' or cosmetics for instance."

4) Newest NASA Mars Mission Connects Past and Future:

 Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft places the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars next week

NASA's newest Mars mission, landing in three days, will draw on support from missions sent to Mars years ago and will contribute to missions envisioned for future decades."Curiosity is a bold step forward in learning about our neighboring planet, but this mission does not stand alone. It is part of a sustained, coordinated program of Mars exploration," said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This mission transitions the program's science emphasis from the planet's water history to its potential for past or present life."

As the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft places the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars next week, NASA will be using the Mars Odyssey orbiter, in service since 2001, as a relay for rapidly confirming the landing to Curiosity's flight team and the rest of the world. Earth will be below the Mars horizon from Curiosity's perspective, so the new rover will not be in direct radio contact with Earth. Two newer orbiters also will be recording Curiosity's transmissions, but that data will not be available on Earth until hours later.

When Curiosity lands beside a mountain inside a crater at about 10:31 p.m. PDT, Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. PDT Aug. 6), the 1-ton rover's two-year prime mission on the surface of Mars will begin. However, one of the rover's 10 science instruments, the Radiation Assessment Detector, or RAD, already has logged 221 days collecting data since the spacecraft was launched on its trip to Mars on Nov. 26, 2011.

"Our observations already are being used in planning for human missions," said Don Hassler of Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., principal investigator for Curiosity's RAD.

5) New Recruits in the Fight Against Disease: Anti-Bacterial 'Killing Machine' Deciphered

An illustration of the bacteriophage lysin Ply C.

Scientists have discovered the structure and operating procedures of a powerful anti-bacterial killing machine that could become an alternative to antibiotics.

n research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists from Monash University, The Rockefeller University and the University of Maryland detail how the bacteriophage lysin, PlyC, kills bacteria that cause infections from sore throats to pneumonia and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.

Bacteriophages, viruses that specifically infect and kill bacteria using special proteins called lysins, have been investigated as possible treatments since 1919. However, with the discovery of antibiotics in the 1940s, 'phage therapy' was generally abandoned.

In collaboration with Professor Vince Fischetti at Rockefeller and Dr Dan Nelson at Maryland, Monash researchers Professor James Whisstock, Associate Professor Ashley Buckle and Dr Sheena McGowan from the School of Biomedical Sciences, have spent the last six years deciphering the atomic structure of PlyC, to better understand its remarkable anti-bacterial properties.Dr McGowan said PlyC looked a little like a spaceship.

"PlyC is actually made from nine separate protein 'parts' that assemble to form a very effective bacterial killing machine. It actually resembles a flying saucer carrying two warheads," Dr McGowan said.

"It operates by locking onto the bacterial surface using eight separate docking sites located on one face of the saucer. The two warheads can then chew through the surface of the cell, rapidly killing the bacteria."

Associate Professor Buckle said the PlyC, which attacks the streptococci bacteria, was a very promising target for the future development of new drugs.

"PlyC, in its purified form, has been shown to be 100 times more efficient at killing certain bacteria than any other lysin to date -- even faster than household bleach," Associate Professor Buckle said.

Sport News Of This Week:

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1) Opening Ceremony of London-2012 Olympic Games:

Fireworks are set off around the Olympic Stadium.

The London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony took place at 9pm on 27 July 2012.

The Olympic Flame roars from the fiery petals .

Titled 'Isles of Wonder', the Ceremony welcomed the finest athletes from more than 200 nations for the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, marking an historic third time the capital has hosted the world’s biggest and most important sporting event.

Fireworks light up the stadium.

The Opening Ceremony reflected the key themes and priorities of the London 2012 Games, based on sport, inspiration, youth and urban transformation. It was a Ceremony 'for everyone' and celebrated contributions the UK has made to the world through innovation and revolution, as well as the creativity and exuberance of British people.

The India Olympic Team.

The spectacular finale of the event saw the Olympic Cauldron, formed of 205 copper petals representing the competing nations coming together in London for the Games, ignited by seven young Torchbearers nominated by Britain’s past and present Olympic and sporting greats.

2) Gagan Narang wins bronze, India's first medal at London Olympics

Gagan_Narang_

LONDON, JULY 30:

India began the week with its first Olympic medal of the London Games with Gagan Narang, the 29-year-old marksman, winning the bronze medal in the men’s 10-meter air rifle final.

Narang won the bronze following a tense final, in which the competitors’ rankings, including the top 3, changed by the shot. However, in the end Narang secured a comfortable third place after Alin George Moldonveanu of Romania, and Niccolo Campriani of Italy. India is now tied in 22nd place on the Olympic medal table.

Narang said the win was a “great stone” off his chest. “This is the only medal I didn’t have in my cabinet, so now I can pin it on there,” he said.However, the big shock of the day was star shooter and Beijing gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra’s failure to qualify for the final eight. “I am glad I came, I could have easily retired after Beijing,” he said at the end of the contest. “I now look forward to Rio.”

The Sports Minister, Mr Ajay Maken, said while he’d been looking forward to seeing two Indians on the winners’ podium, he was optimistic about the Indian team’s prospects. “There will be many more medals…I think this win will dramatically change the mood in the country, and the best thing is that many of our medal winners are yet to perform,” he said.

3) London Olympics 2012: Unheralded Vijay Kumar bags silver in 25m Rapid Fire Pistol

Vijay Kumar claimed silver

London, Aug 3: India won its second medal at the London Olympics 2012 when shooter Vijay Kumar claimed silver in Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol here on Friday.

Both medals for India at the London Olympics have come in shooting. First, it was Gagan Narang and now Vijay, the army man.

The 26-year-old shot a sequence of 5, 4,         4,         3,         4,         4, 4 and         2 for a total of 30 in the final which was over eight series. Narang had won bronze. Vijay took silver with a score of 30 in the final. Cuban shooter Leuris Pupo with a score of 34.

4) India cannot appeal overturned decision: AIBA

Vikas Krishan

India will appeal against the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) decision to overturn a result that cost Vikas Krishan a quarter-final spot at the London Olympics, but the organisation said they do not have grounds to do so.

World amateur bronze medallist Krishan originally won his welterweight bout against Errol Spence 13-11 but, after reviewing video footage, AIBA declared the American the winner.

The governing body said its competition jury found Spence should have been awarded four additional points for fouls committed by the Indian, handing the US men a lifeline after the original result appeared to condemn them to their worst result at an Olympic Games.

"The whole country is furious about this decision. The jury are gone back home after last night so just before the session starts today we will be meeting them to make a formal appeal," chef de mission P.K.M. Raja told Reuters in London on Saturday.

"My sports minister has contacted me, government officials, the whole country is very upset about this decision."

However AIBA said the jury's decision was final. "Under AIBA Technical & Competition Rules, the decision of the Competition Jury in relation to a protest is final, and cannot be appealed," a spokesman for AIBA told Reuters in an emailed response to the Indian team's calls.

5) Joy for Great Britain men's four as they win the gold medal ahead of Australia in Rowing:

Joy for Great Britain men's four as they win the gold medal ahead of Australia in Rowing:

6) Michael Phelps to swim last race of career today:

Michael Phelps

An era of unprecedented sporting domination comes to an end at the London Olympics on Saturday, when Michael Phelps swims his last competitive race.

Phelps is heavily favored to add one more gold to his collection of 21 Olympic medals, 17 of them gold, when he swims the butterfly leg of the 4x100 medley relay, a race the Americans have never lost.

The 27-year-old swam his first Olympics in Sydney 12 years ago and is retiring after London.

7) London, Aug 4: Saina Nehwal Won his Bronze Medal

Saina Nehwal Won his Bronze Medal

Saina Nehwal Won his Bronze Medal which is also the Third Medal for Team India At London Olympic 2012 . 

She Won This medal after having walkover from her Chinese contestant due to her leg injury during the middle of game. Her Chinese contestant got her leg injury after winning the first Game at 21-18 against Saina Nehwal . "This winning may called Luck By Chance Bronze medal".

8) India will look to continue their winning momentum

Dhoni

Having taken an unassailable 3-1 lead, India will be looking to continue their winning momentum when they take on Sri Lanka in the fifth and final ODI of the series at the Pallekele International Stadium. The hosts, meanwhile, will be eager to prevent India from finishing the series 4-1, and would be hoping for a better all-round show going into the final ODI.

Political and Other News of This Week

3D Picture of Subhaditya News Channel with Political and other News This Week

1) Taliban commander Mehsud threatens fresh attacks in Pak

mqm-jui-f-online-

In his Ramzan message, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan commander Hakimullah Mehsud has appealed to the mujahideen's to put aside their differences. Tahir Ali reports from Islamabad. The commander-in-chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban  Pakistan (TTP) Hakimullah Mehsud has warned that the Taliban has extended guerilla war to the settled areas of the country and are close to striking fresh targets. 

Mehsud's message appeared on Al-Jihad media asking fellow militants to be united and not to indulge in activities that could create rifts amongst the mujahideen.

He has also asked the Muslims Ummah to pray in the holy month of Ramadan  for the mujahideen who are fighting against the infidel forces all around the world.

"The mujahideen have started guerilla wars in the settled areas of the country like Islamabad, Lahore , Karachi and Peshawar. Pakistani and United States offices, buildings and other installations are on target while in the tribal areas the Taliban are targeting Pakistani government officials," said Hakimullah Mehsud in his Ramzan message.

2) GTA members sworn in; Shinde, Mamata assure support

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha activists celebrate their victory in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration election, in Darjeeling on Thursday

Darjeeling, Aug 4 (IANS) As the newly-elected members of the Gorkha Territorial Administration were sworn in Saturday, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured all kinds of support to the newly formed autonomous hill agency.

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) Thursday swept the polls to the newly created Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), capturing all 45 seats in the Darjeeling hills governing council.

"I congratulate the members of newly formed GTA. I assure all of you that we will extend all kinds of support. We will give you Rs.200 crore every year for next three years. If more money is needed for development, we will give you," said Shinde at the swearing-in ceremony.GJM supremo Bimal Gurung was sworn in as the chief executive of the GTA.

Shinde also assured the new administration that the youngsters of Darjeeling will get relaxations in physical norms laid down for recruitment to posts of constables in central police forces.

"We will help you in all possible ways," he said.

The long-standing agitation on the demand for forming a separate state out of the northern West Bengal hills has led to loss of many lives over the past two decades, besides hitting hard the region's economic mainstays of tea, timber and tourism.

On July 18 last year, a tripartite agreement was signed between the GJM, and the state and central governments for setting up a new autonomous, elected GTA, a hill council armed with more powers than its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) formed in the late 1980s.

3) Flash floods in Kashmir, 22 people rescued

22 people are stranded in Jammu and Kashmir flash floods.

Twenty-two people trapped in flash floods in Kathua and Jammu districts were on Saturday safely rescued by police and locals, officials said.

"After a three-hour-long operation, 22 people trapped in Kathua and Jammu have been safely rescued by police and locals," an official said.

Of the 22 people rescued, 15 were trapped in Kathua and seven in Jammu district, he said.

Meanwhile, a flash flood alert has been sounded in Jammu region, where intermittent overnight rains resulted in the flooding of rivers, officials said.

Water level in Chenab, Tawi, Ujh and Basantar rivers are nearing the danger mark, they said, adding that people living in low-lying areas have been alerted and warned of flash floods. They have also been asked to keep away from banks of the flooded rivers.

4) 'We welcome Anna Hazare's entry into politics'

Anna`s entry into politics

Welcoming Team Anna's entry into politics, Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav on Saturday refused to comment on whether the Lokpal crusader's outfit will be invited to join the National Democratic Alliance.

"It is an imaginary situation. We welcome their entry into politics. In democracy everyone has got a right to enter into active politics and launch their political parties,"

JD-U chief and NDA's convener Sharad Yadav told reporters here.

He was asked whether the NDA will invite Team Anna's yet-to-be-launched political outfit in its fold.

Supporting Anna Hazare's demand for an independent status for CBI and cleansing of the present electoral system, Yadav said, "we also support the independent status of CBI. We also welcome the fact that these people have taken up the issue for cleansing of the Parliament."

Asked why the political leaders are opposing Anna Hazare's methods for bringing in a strong Lokpal bill, he said, "the opposition will be there as their (political leaders) proposal is for forming a Lokpal through the Parliament only. How can that be possible in the federal structure and without taking the suggestions of state assemblies?"

5) Implications of India’s Power Outage

A traffic police officer directs traffic at an intersection during a power outage near Delhi University in New Delhi.

 India’s recent power outage, which affected 20 of India’s 24 states this week, has raised questions both within and beyond India’s borders about capacity to deal with growing energy demands.

As power returns to the 700 million affected, India’s population asks how such a huge blackout could happen. In other parts of the world, including China, commentators ask what lessons can be learned from a blackout affecting one tenth of humanity.

Reports of the blackout, which ran from Tuesday into Wednesday morning, have stressed just how dramatic its costs were. Alongside miners trapped underground, surgery procedures cancelled, and hundreds of trains stuck on the tracks, the economic costs are likely to be very large.

On Tuesday the central bank cut its economic growth outlook for the fiscal year ending in March from 7.3 percent to 6.5 percent.

“This is going to have a substantial adverse impact on the overall economic activity. Power failure for two consecutive days hits sentiment very badly,” said N. Bhanumurthy, senior economist at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.

The reasons are difficult to determine. Sushilkumar Shinde, the Power Minister at India’s central government, has blamed states for drawing more than their fair share of power from an overburdened grid. Uttar Pradesh’s top civil servant has pointed to outdated transmissions lines.

But the reasons may be much more systemic, including over-dependence on oil, gas and coal imports, corruption that has led to the degradation of the power network, and widespread theft of power from the national grid.

Movie Release of This week:

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Poster of Total Recall

1) TotalRecall (2012)

Starring:

Colin Farrell

Kate Beckinsale

Jessica Biel

Bryan Cranston

Bokeem Woodbine

Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid, even though he's got a beautiful wife who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police - controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen, the leader of the free world - Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter to find the head of the underground resistance and stop Cohaagen. The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate.

Poster of 360

2) 360(2012)

Starring:

Lucia Siposová

Gabriela Marcinkova

Johannes Krisch

Danica Jurcová

Jude Law

rom two acclaimed artists: director Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener) and writer Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon). With a stellar international cast that includes Rachel Weisz, Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Ben Foster, Jamel Debbouze and Moritz Bleibtreu, 360 is a moving and exciting dramatic thriller that dazzlingly weaves together the stories of an array of people from disparate social backgrounds through their intersecting relationships.

Poster of Assassin`s Bullet

3)Assassin's Bullet

Starring:

Christian Slater

Donald Sutherland

Elika Portnoy

Timothy Spall

Ivaylo Geraskov

When an unknown vigilante begins killing high-priority terrorists from America’s Most Wanted list in Europe, a former FBI field agent (Christian Slater) is brought in by the US Ambassador (Donald Sutherland) to discover the identity of the assassin.

Poster of Soldiers of Fortune

4) Soldiersof Fortune

Starring:

Christian Slater

Sean Bean

Ving Rhames

Dominic Monaghan

Colm Meaney

Captain Craig McKenzie (Christian Slater), a former US special forces soldier, is hired to protect a group of millionaires who want to experience firsthand the kicks and thrills of war. However, the mission goes horribly wrong, and the men get a lot more than they bargained for.

a) Subhaditya News Channel Present Latest News From Science , Sport , Politics, Environmental Disaster , World Economy (1)

b) Subhaditya News Channel Present Latest News From Science , Sport , Politics, Environmental Disaster , World Economy (2)

c) Subhaditya News Channel Present Latest News From Science , Sport , Politics, Environmental Disaster , World Economy (3) 

d) Subhaditya News Channel Present Latest News From Science , Sport , Politics, Environmental Disaster , World Economy (4)