News about Swine flu - the red Alert

Do You Need to be Worried

*(Collected News)

The swine flu does not have any preventive vaccine for humans, although timely medication can cure it. The medicine advised is Tamiflu and Relenza. Fortunately for India, it already has a stockpile of one million doses of Tamiflu. The government is now planning to double its buffer stock by ordering another million doses of the drug."These drugs have a shelf live of five years. So we may increase our buffer stock," said a top health official.

Alarm bells in India

There are no suspected cases of swine flu in India till now. But the govt has ordered screening of all passengers arriving from US, UK, Canada, Mexico, France and New Zealand, while advising to avoid ``non-essential travel'' to these flu-affected countries. Given that these are fairly common symptoms for all kinds of ailments, expect some confusion at the airports, especially in Delhi and Mumbai.

Why is it dangerous?

Scientists say it's a rogue form of the H1N1 virus that has mutated into a never-before-seen mixture of viruses from pigs, birds and humans. What's really worrying scientists is that the new strain has killed people, mostly young adults - the hallmark of pandemic flu. What's most worrying about the present outbreak is the swift human-to-human transmission of this virus.

'Significant' risk of pandemic

The World Health Organisation has raised its flu pandemic alert level from three to four, signalling a "significant increase in risk of a pandemic" under its criteria. The WHO's two-year-old alert system has six levels, and level four means the organisation sees a "significant increase in risk of a pandemic."

The other view

US President Barack Obama, however, said while there was cause for concern, there was no need for alarm. The decision by his administration to declare a US public health emergency was a 'precautionary tool' that would give health officials the resources needed to respond quickly and effectively to the flu threat, he said.

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UNESCO presents exhibition on reconstruction of Aksum obelisk

UNESCO presents exhibition on reconstruction of Aksum obelisk

Child Holding the model of Aksum obeliskbi hiowt gebre geziabeher (9 years Old) for UNESCO

(COllected News)An exhibition - photographs and a video installation - at UNESCO will celebrate the reinstallation of the Aksum obelisk. The show will give visitors a chance to learn about the history of the Ethiopian site and to view the key stages of reinstalling the monument, 24 metres high and weighing 150 tons. Open to the public from 4 to 15 May (9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.), the exhibition will be inaugurated on 23 April by Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of UNESCO, in the presence of the Ethiopian and Italian ambassadors to UNESCO, Adelech Haile Mikael and Giuseppe Moscato.

The artists in the show, who are from Ethiopia, Belgium, France and Italy, were invited by UNESCO to visit Aksum and to express their vision of the restoration of the obelisk, a symbol of Ethiopian culture.

Their works highlight the uniqueness and magnitude of the project. The monument's history has been eventful: erected in the 4th century then vandalized in the 7th, the obelisk was hauled off to Rome at Mussolini's orders and set up near the Circus Maximus, finally returning to Aksum in 2005.

The artists - Tito Dupret, Theo Eshetu, Hiwot Gebre Geziabeher, Michael Tsegaye and Paola Viesi - give their personal interpretations of these events. The gigantic, 15-screen video installation by Theo Eshetu benefits from the dual perspective of the artist, born in Ethiopia and living in Rome. Hiwot Gebre Geziabeher, a schoolgirl from Aksum who learned photography from Michael Tsegaye, takes the local inhabitants' point of view. Included in the show are films and photos depicting the extraordinary reinstallation work and Aksum's lifestyle and culture. For an even better sense of the project's scope, a 360°* projection offers visitors a simulated tour of the Aksum archaeological site and works. With this exhibition, UNESCO is celebrating the successful reinstallation and showing how a cultural project can help bring about reconciliation between two countries with conflict in their past.

This project and this exhibition were made possible thanks to the generous contribution of the Italian Government.

Join hands to save the Tiger

Join hands to save the Tiger

India has been home to Tigers for a very long time. If one has seen a Tiger they are just awed by the beauty, power and aura of the magnificent beast. Tigers were found all over India and still as many as 16 States of India are home to the Tigers.

The latest census report released on 12th. February, 2008 by the Government of India reports that there are only 1411 tigers left. The population of the Tiger has been reduced by nearly 50% and that too in a period of 6 to 7 years.It is time that emergency and drastic steps are taken to save the pride of jungle and pride of India from becoming extinct.

The causes of the fast decrease in the Tiger population are well known both by the government and common people. The increasing pressure on Tiger habitats due to agriculture, industrialization and degradation and fragmentation of natural habitats, forests and natural grasslands are one of the main reasons for the decrease of Tiger population and for that matter all wildlife in India. The immediate effect of this is lack of natural food and habitat causes the wild animals to come out of the forest area. This tends to increase the conflicts between the humans and animals. The other reason for the population decrease is Poaching, which has been on rise recently. There is a slogan I have been hearing for quit some time, ” If the buying stops, the selling will stop”.

I think the rich people who are the only one who can afford buying the skins for their fancies are probably deaf, as they cannot seem to hear the slogan. The poaching problem should be dealt with strictly by the Government of India and the concerned State Governments. The Forest Department of India is severely understaffed and they do not have the modern weapons and technology to protect the Forest areas. The laws for the animal protection should be revised. The poachers should be shot dead on sight. How can a forest guard armed with a stick [danda] or an outdated rifle fight the heavily armed poachers to protect the animals. It is time the Government of India acts urgently.

The people of India should also join hands to save the Tiger.