Often called 'Paintings in Embroidery', the art of Chamba rumal is losing its relevance and the skills required for it are fast disappearing.

A skilful blend of painting and embroidery, these handkerchiefs are handcrafted by artisans and are a beautiful representation of the rich art traditions of Himachal Pradesh.

Earlier, Pahari miniature artists used to draw the outlines on fine handspun and hand woven unbleached muslin. Traditionally, women of the upper classes then embroidered upon these compositions using untwisted coloured silk floss.

The double satin stitch technique used is known as do-rukha and ensures exact duplication of the image on the reverse. 

The elaborate floral borders, ornamentation, portrayal of figures and animals reflect the sophistication of these miniature paintings. 

An ongoing exhibition here infuses a fresh lease of life into this dying art.

The exhibition "Raas: Life to a Dying Art", being organised by Delhi Crafts Council, is on at the India Habitat Centre till April 8.

"It would have been a pity if this beautiful art form was left to die. In the absence of any institutional support or avenues to help them market their art form, many artisans had given up this tradition," a representative of the Delhi Crafts Council said.

"However, we decided to renew this tradition and revive it by initiating a series of measures, including training and skilling of artisans in this traditional art form, and efforts to popularize them," she added.

These rumals (handkerchiefs) are embroidered square cloths from chamba. They are generally used for covering platters, as gifts for auspicious occasions and for offerings to a deity. 

During weddings, rumals are exchanged between the families of the bride and groom as a token of goodwill. 

The exhibition here is showcasing a range of these handcrafted 'rumals' along with honouring artisans and craft persons, who have endeavoured to keep this unique art form alive.

A detailed study of old rumals in the collections of various museums across the country and abroad was undertaken for the show. 

A core collection of selected rumals was then re-created by the artisans from Chamba and exhibited at various cities across India. 

Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu jumped three places to achieve a career-best world number two ranking in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released on Thursday.

The 21-year-old shuttler from Hyderabad became only the second Indian woman after Saina Nehwal to break into the top-five of the world rankings by earning 75759 points.

She superseded Japan's Akane Yamugachi to make the number two spot.

Sindhu had recently bagged the India Open title after defeating Carolina Marin of Spain in the summit clash, but lost in the opening round of the ongoing Malaysia Open Super Series in Kuching.

Saina, who also lost in the first round of the Malaysia Open, however, lost a place to be at ninth position in the ranking table with 64279 points.

The women's singles chart is led by Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei with 87911 points.

None of the male Indian shuttler figured in the top-10 list.

NASA is preparing to launch on Saturday a super-pressure balloon about the size of a football stadium to carry a pioneering telescope designed to detect ultra-high-energy cosmic rays from near space.

The super pressure balloon (SPB) test flight is set to be launched from Wanaka Airport in New Zealand, on a potential 100-day journey.

If weather is conducive for launch, lift-off is scheduled between 8 and 11.30 a.m. locally, NASA said in a statement on Friday.

"At this time, the weather at the ground and lower levels looks very good for a Saturday launch attempt," said Gabe Garde, mission manager for the 2017 Wanaka Balloon Campaign.

"However, we continue to evaluate the forecast stratospheric winds and predicted flight trajectory to ensure conditions are acceptable before launch," Garde added.

The purpose of the flight is to test and validate the SPB technology with the goal of long-duration flight at mid-latitudes. 

In addition, the University of Chicago's Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super Pressure Balloon (EUSO-SPB) is a mission of opportunity flying on the 2017 SPB test flight.

EUSO-SPB is designed to detect high-energy cosmic rays originating from outside our galaxy as they penetrate the Earth's atmosphere. 

As these high-energy particles enter the atmosphere, they interact with nitrogen molecules in the air and create a UV fluorescence light. 

EUSO-SPB will be looking downward at a broad swathe of the Earth's atmosphere to detect the UV fluorescence from these deep space cosmic rays coming in from above.

Once launched, the 532,000-cubic-metre balloon will ascend to an operational float altitude of 33.5 kilometres. 

NASA estimates the balloon will circumnavigate the globe about the southern hemisphere's mid-latitudes once every one to three weeks, depending on wind speeds in the stratosphere.

The CBI has arrested a Telecom District Manager (TDM) and a retired junior accountant of BSNL for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district.

According to a CBI source, the accused allegedly took Rs.1 lakh from a contractor to clear his bill following which they were arrested.

"TDM had demanded the bribe from the contractor of optical fiber cable, Sukhbeer Singh Sinsinwar, to clear his bill amounting Rs.60 lakh through his middleman, a retired junior accountant.

"They were caught by the team at the TDM's residence in Bharatpur last night when they were taking the bribe amount," the CBI source said.

After initial questioning, they were on Friday placed under arrest on the charge of criminal conspiracy. They were booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

A search was launched at the office and residence of the officer, the source said, adding, they will be produced in a court later on Friday.

The death toll from the devastating mudslide in Colombia has increased to 311, according to authorities.

The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management on Thursday said about 100 children were among the 311 victims, Efe news reported.

A heavy downpour on March 31 led to the overflow of three rivers – Mocoa, Sangoyaco and Mulato – which swept through several neighbourhoods in Mocoa, the capital of the Putumayo region. 

On Monday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos declared a state of economic, social and ecological emergency to deal with the tragedy.

Every year, the first three months witness important car launches, as automakers refrain themselves from launching new models at the end of the year. This year too, we observed significant launches which included entry-level hatches, hot hatches, compact sedans, sedans, sports cars, compact SUVs and premium SUVs. Besides the cars, a premium brand, Lexus, was also introduced in these three months. Since most bestselling cars in our market fall under Rs.10 lakh, let’s take a closer look at the cars launched from January 1, 2017, that come under this slab.

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Launch date – January 13

Among the most awaited Marutis of the year, the Ignis was launched with much fanfare at Rs.4.59 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The all new Maruti Suzuki Ignis looks way different from every Maruti car on sale at present. It gets a funky styling with the LED projector headlights having DRLs, dual-tone exterior paint shades and the ‘Smart Play’ touchscreen infotainment system that support Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and navigation. There are n number of customization options that one gets with the Ignis. Powering the mini-crossover are the familiar 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel mills, generating 83PS and 75PS of power respectively. It is linked to a 5-speed manual or AMT transmission.

Nissan Sunny Facelift

Launch date – January 17

Nissan launched the facelifted version of its Sunny at Rs.7.91 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in January this year. The updated sedan gets a new body colour – Sandstone Brown, and chrome garnishing on door handles, while the interior too received cosmetic upgrades in the form of an all-black finished cabin. The Nissan Sunny facelift is available with a 1.5-litre HR15 petrol engine and a 1.5-litre DCi diesel motors. The former is now tuned to deliver an increased power figure of 99PS. The transmission options remain the same – a 5-speed manual or a CVT gearbox.

Hyundai Grand i10

Launch date – February 6

At the onset of the Valentine month, Hyundai rolled out the facelift version of its Grand i10. Launched at Rs.4.58 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Hyundai Grand i10 now looks sportier thanks to minimal yet intelligent exterior updates. For instance, there are new front and rear bumpers, boomerang-shaped fog lamp housing with integrated LED DRLs, and thick black plastic finish enveloping the license plate and extending to two big reflectors on the sides. The major update in the Grand i10 is under the hood: it gets a new 1.2-litre, U2 CRDi diesel which now pumps 75PS of max power and 190Nm of peak torque.

Honda City Facelift

Launch date – February 14

Exactly on the day of love, Honda showered its bliss on this part of the world by unleashing the Honda City facelift. At Rs.8.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the sedan now omits the previous model’s base E trim and adds a new top-of-the-line ZX variant. It now gets a larger and more aggressive grille with LED lighting on head and tail lamps, rear spoiler and fog lamps along with revamped front and rear bumpers, bigger air vents, and 16-inch diamond cut alloys. On the inside, there’s a new 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with built-in navigation, 1.5GB media memory, MirrorLink connectivity for smartphones, voice recognition and feed from the rear-view camera. The mechanicals of the Honda City facelift are exactly the same as offered in its predecessor – a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol and a 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine.

Maruti Baleno RS

Launch date – March 3

The last month of the financial year began with the launch of a hot hatch from Maruti Suzuki, the Baleno RS. Available only in the top-end Alpha trim of the Baleno, it was launched with a sticker price of Rs.8.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Baleno RS or Road Sport debuted a new family of Boosterjet petrol engines from Maruti Suzuki in the country. Under the hood, it conceals a 1.0-litre Boosterjet motor which pumps out max power of 102PS at 5,500rpm and 150Nm at 1700-4500rpm. Mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, it returns 21.1kmpl of mileage. Making it distinct from the stock Baleno are the sportier-looking redesigned front and rear bumpers along with body skirts, a new mesh grille and all black alloys.

Renault Kwid Climber

Launch date – March 9

A week post Baleno RS' debut, the French automaker launched its mesmerizing Renault Kwid Climber at Rs.4.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). First showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo, the Climber is based on the range-topping 1.0-litre RXT (O) and comes with manual as well as Easy-R AMT transmission options. For approx. Rs.25,000 more over the RXT (O) trim, you get new front bumper overriders and faux skid plates with orange highlights, glossy orange highlights on outside rear-view mirrors and roof rails, orange indicators on its front fenders, door protection cladding, new set of wheels, a new ‘Electric Blue’ shade and plenty of orange inserts in the interior.

Honda WRV

Launch date – March 16

After opening its year-account with the City facelift, Honda entered the league of compact SUVs by launching the all-new Honda WRV at Rs.7.74 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Limiting its variants to only two, Honda offered the WRV in S and VX trims. Based on the Honda Jazz, it offers dual airbags and ABS with EBD as standard. It shares powertrains with the premium hatch, however, the CVT option, offered in the Jazz, isn’t available. Borrowing a lot of features from the facelifted City, it is equipped with one-touch open and close sunroof, 7.0-inch infotainment system, passive keyless entry, 16-inch wheels and an increased 188mm of ground clearance (23mm more over the Jazz).

Nissan Terrano Facelift

Launch date – March 27

After its Sunny sedan, Nissan India launched an updated version of its Terrano SUV. Good thing is, the prices of the refreshed version remain unchanged i.e. Rs.9.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi); however, it’s also true that the vehicle features bare minimum changes. Some updates in the Nissan Terrano facelift includes a tweaked front grille, turn indicators on ORVMs (which are now electrically foldable) and a new Sandstone Brown shade. Interiors are bestowed with a new black-brown upholstery, new dual-tone fabric upholstery for the seats and a 7.0-inch touchscreen panel. It is equipped with the same set of engines as that of its predecessor – a 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel.

Tata Tigor

Launch date – March 29

The first quarter of the calendar year 2017 ended on a high note with Tata introducing the most awaited launch of the year, the Tata Tigor. Based on the Tiago hatch, the Tigor was launched at Rs.4.70 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and comes with a plethora of features. After the Tiago and the Hexa, the Tigor is the third product boasting the IMPACT design philosophy. It gets dual-barrel smoked projector lamps, dual 12V charging ports, a rear armrest with integrated cup holders and a 5.0-inch Harman touchscreen infotainment system paired with an eight-speaker (4 speakers + 4 tweeters) sound system. The touchscreen acts as the monitor for the reverse camera, supports video playback, has voice command recognition, GPS navigation via NaviMaps App and SMS readout functionality and many more features. The most surprising element in the compact sedan is the massive 419 litres of boot space.

Source: CarDekho

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan starrer Pink— which raked up discussions on crimes against women — has won the Best Film on Social Issues at 64th National Film Awards, it was announced here on Friday.

Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, the courtroom drama is a contemporary youth-centric film with a strong socially relevant message about the choices young women of today make and about respecting those. Its prime message was "no means no".

With a cast including Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Angad Bedi, Andrea Tariang, Piyush Mishra, and Dhritiman Chatterjee — the movie was lauded for its impactful performances and strong message.

It tells a story about a girl named Minal, who after being molested, along with her friends, tries to file an FIR against a politician's nephew. When the subsequent case gets rigged, Deepak, a retired lawyer, helps them to fight the case.

The powerful dialogues and strong screenplay were appreciated by the audience and the critics alike.

This apart, Sonam Kapoor starrer Neerja won the Best Hindi Film Award, while actor Akshay Kumar was chosen for the Best Actor honour for the film Rustom. 

Incessant rain and untimely snowfall in the plains on Thursday led to a flood-like situation in parts of Jammu and Kashmir Valley where many low-lying areas across the Kashmir Valley were inundated while a flood was declared in Srinagar, where the Jhelum River crossed the danger mark.

However, the Met office said there would be overall improvement in weather from Friday.

Authorities said at 6 pm, the water level at Ram Munshibagh in Srinagar city was 18 feet, against the flood alert mark of 16 feet.

Most low-lying areas in Srinagar city including Bemina, Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh, Batmaloo and others have been facing serious water-logging problems and residents complained the accumulated rain water had started entering their homes in these areas.

Traffic was adversely affected in the low-lying areas of the city including Budshah Chowk, Residency Road, and Jehangir Chowk etc as more than two feet deep rain water had blocked the roads.

Many vehicles were seen stranded on water-logged roads in the city.

The Jhelum's water level at Sangam in Anantnag diustrict, as of 5 pm was 19.7 feet, well above the flood alert mark of 18 feet.

Two passengers of a taxi that plunged into the swollen Brengi mountain stream in the district were still missing while nine others were miraculously rescued in this accident.

In Baramulla, the Ferozepur stream breached its banks and entered some villages in the area.

Tarzoo, Dangiwachi, Behrampora and some other villages had come under water in Baramulla, and police sent out rescue teams to these areas to help the marooned residents.

Some bridges and road culverts connecting higher reaches with the mainland in the Valley have been washed away by swollen seasonal streams in these areas.

Meanwhile, 40 sheep perished in a house collapse caused by incessant rain in Reasi district of Jammu region.

Faced with untimely fresh snowfall in the plains and continuous rains during the last three days, the divisional administration on Thursday ordered closure of all schools in the Kashmir Valley till Monday.

Kashmir University also ordered cancellation of all exams scheduled on Thursday.

Most water bodies in the valley including rivers, lakes and streams were swollen.

The Flood Control Department on Thursday alerted all its staff to be present at their places of posting round the clock so that the water level in local rivers, lakes and streams can be regularly monitored.

The local weather office, however, had some good news for the flood-frightened residents in the Valley.

"There would be gradual decrease in snow and rainfall activity from Thursday afternoon and improvement in weather will start from tomorrow (Friday)," Sonam Lotus, Director of the J&K Met department said.

"Therefore, there is no need to panic, but at the same time, people living in low-lying areas might face inconveniences due to water-logging and problems allied with it," he added.

Met office had issued an adverse weather advisory which ends Thursday evening.

It had also forecast the likelihood of landslides on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in addition to hailstorm and windy gales during this period.

As the English Premier League nears the finish line, the stakes go even higher as teams give it their all to end the season on a high.
 
With almost every side charged up, it can be a nightmare for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers as they rack their brains to pick the best players for their sides.
 
To ease the selection dilemma, The Statesman delivers a comprehensive article on who to buy for the coming gameweek.
 
The indicators are:

Teams in BOLD are top 4 contenders.

Prices marked with a (+) indicate an increase in Base Price.
Prices marked with a (-) indicate a decrease in Base Price.
 

Goalkeepers
Hugo Lloris
Team: Tottenham Hotspur
Fixtures: Watford (H), Bournemouth (H), Crystal Palace (A), Arsenal (H) and West Ham (A)
Price: 5.5
Score: 106
Ownership: 7.6%
Why yes: Spurs are in serious form at present and with some easy fixtures up ahead, Lloris should return from illness to keep a few clean sheets.

Why no: No official confirmation over his participation against Watford has been made, so there is a chance Michel Vorm will continue to deputise between the sticks.

Defenders
Antonio Valencia
Team: Manchester United
Fixtures: Sunderland (A), Chelsea (H), Burnley (A)-Man City (A), Swansea (H) and Arsenal (A)
Price: 6.0 (+)
Score: 106 
Ownership: 17.4%
Why yes: Among United’s finest players this season, Valencia is quite consistent when he plays. The Red Devils have a decent defence and should be able to keep a clean sheet at struggling Sunderland. Valencia has a double fixture in Gameweek 34.
 

Why no: Games after Sunderland are extremely tough and Valencia’s price point is on the higher side (All other United defenders are at least 0.5 cheaper). Should you have David de Gea as your FPL keeper, Valencia can be skipped.
 
Pablo Zabaleta
Team: Manchester City
Fixtures: Hull (H), Southampton (A), Man Utd (H), Middlesbrough (A) and Crystal Palace (H)
Price: 4.7 (-)
Score:  31
Ownership: 1.2%
Why yes: Expect City to bounce back from their defeat at Chelsea against Hull at home and with Zabaleta fit to start, the right-back is a decent option for a side that will finish in the top four. The next few games are quite easy overall (except for the United game ).
 

Why no: He certainly isn't the player he was and while City may well beat Hull at home, expecting them to keep clean sheets is like asking for trouble!
 
Midfielders
Raheem Sterling
Team: Manchester City
Fixtures: Hull (H), Southampton (A), Man Utd (H), Middlesbrough (A) and Crystal Palace (H)
Price: 7.6 (-)
Score: 126
Ownership: 11.7%
Why yes: Sterling didn't get much playing time in the last two games, which means he is guaranteed to start against lowly Hull. The young winger has been in fine form this season and alongside Leroy Sane, is an excellent mid-price option. Overall fixtures are quite decent too.
 

Why no: Sane is in better form arguably and should you already have him or Kevin De Bruyne/Sergio Aguero, picking Sterling would mean you are spending a major chunk of your budge on one team.
 
Mesut Ozil
Team: Arsenal
Fixtures: Crystal Palace (A), Middlesrbrough (A), Leicester (H), Spurs (A) and Man Utd (H)
Price: 9.4 (-)
Score: 122
Ownership: 5.8%
Why yes: Arsenal and Ozil roared back into form against West Ham and  they should continue in the same vein against Crystal Palace. When on song, as he is right now, he is a delight to watch and will definitely reward any FPL manager who picks him.
 
Why no: If you already have Alexis Sanchez or Theo Walcott ( Who is considerably cheaper than Ozil), then the German shouldn't be bought. Palace are no pushovers and Ozil is notorious for going missing when things aren't going his way.
 
Forwards
Romelu Lukaku
Team: Everton
Fixtures: Leicester (H), Burnley (H), West Ham (A), Chelsea (H) and Swansea (H)
Price: 10.4 (+)
Score: 186
Ownership: 45.5%
Why yes: Two games without scoring, the Premier League’s top-scorer is bound to score against Leicester. Is still cheaper than the likes of Sergio Aguero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the only consistent attacking player in Everton’s line-up.
 
Why no: Half of the FPL managers have him, so he has zero differential potential. His price is quite high and with Everton more or less out of the race for the Champions League spots, he may not be as motivated as before.
 

Divock Origi
Team: Liverpool
Fixtures: Stoke (A), West Brom (A), Crystal Palace (H), Watford (A) and Southampton (H)
Price: 6.2 (-)
Score: 79
Ownership: 5.7%
Why yes: The biggest gainer from Sadio Mane’s injury, the Belgian forward is on a real hot-streak at the moment. A confirmed starter till the end of the season (seems unlikely Mane will be back before May). A must-have, especially if you factor the price and Liverpool's upcoming fixtures.
 
Why no: If you already have Philippe Coutinho or Roberto Firmino, then Origi should be avoided.
 
PS: The Gameweek deadline is 11.30 am GMT/4 pm IST.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to Russia's meddling in the 2016 US presidential election as an "act of aggression", a media report said.

"I am deeply concerned about what went on with Russia," Clinton said on Thursday at the 'Women in the World' summit in New York. 

"A foreign power meddled with our election and did so in a way that we are learning more about every single day," CNN quoted Clinton as saying.

The Russian hackings, she said, appeared to be a "more effective theft than even Watergate (the major US political scandal that occurred in the 1970s)".

Accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of wanting to "sow distrust and confusion, as well as influence, our election", the former presidential hopeful also said she supports an independent investigation into whether there was collusion between Moscow and President Donald Trump's campaign.

Russians "will be back time and time again" if the United States doesn't take bipartisan "action together to hold whoever was involved accountable," Clinton warned.

Thursday's address marked Clinton's first public interview since the November 8 Election Day, reports CNN.

In front of a packed auditorium at the Lincoln Centre, Clinton spoke about her life after the Election Day.

"The past few months have been filled with long walks in the woods, spending quality time with friends and family, and at times, convincing to get out of bed," she said.

"The aftermath of the election was so devastating".

"As a person I'm OK. As an American, I'm pretty worried," the former First Lady added. 
 

Hyundai Motor India launched the updated Elite i20 at a starting price of Rs.5.37 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) on Thursday. The premium hatchback now comes with an updated list of features and choice of dual-tone body colours as well. The powertrains remain unaltered but before we get into it, let’s see what all is new.

On the outside, the 2017 Hyundai Elite i20 is offered, for the first time, with dual-tone body colour options. Customers opting for a dual-tone outlook will have to settle for a Phantom Black coloured roof. They can, however, choose between Red Passion or Polar White for the body colour. Apart from the dual-tone options, there is a new Marina Blue colour on offer as well. Inside the cabin, the car now comes with orange colour inserts in the black interior theme, which makes for a sporty aura. What’s more, the updated model now boasts a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with built-in navigation and smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link.

Like before, the 2017 Hyundai Elite i20 is available with three options each for engines and transmissions. While the 1.2-litre petrol engine produces 83PS/115Nm and comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, the 1.4-litre U2 CRDi diesel unit generates 90PS/220Nm and comes paired with a six-speed manual transmission. The third option is the 1.4-litre petrol mill that comes mated to a four-speed auto box and produces 100PS/132Nm.

Here’s the variant-wise price-list (ex-showroom Delhi):

Petrol:

ERA: Rs.5,36,624

Magna Executive: Rs.5,99,990

Sportz: Rs.6,47,209

Asta: Rs.7,00,623

Asta (Dual-Tone): Rs.7,25,624

Asta (O): Rs.7,83,065

Magna Executive (AT): Rs.9,09,064

Diesel:

ERA: Rs.6,66,629

Magna Executive: Rs.7,22,198

Sportz: Rs.7,69,197

Asta: Rs.8,26,464

Asta (Dual-Tone): Rs.8,51,465

Asta (O): Rs.9,07,235

Source: CarDekho

I just spelled a word so badly that even autocorrect was like, "Sorry, man, I got nothin'".

But at least it wasn't as bad as my friend who went on a business trip with a staff member and misspelled a postcard to his wife: "Having a lovely time, wish you were her."

The high court in Delhi a few days ago blamed "a typo" after they let a convicted murderer loose. Their judgment sentenced him to "time served" instead of the long stretch of time he should be serving. Police are looking for him, hoping no one will end up with "killed by a typo" as an epitaph.

Luckily, in most cases typos (short for "typographical errors") usually just embarrass reporters and amuse readers.

Going around the Internet this month was an apology from the Morning Sentinel, an Illinois newspaper which printed an article on a church musician: "We reported that Henninger's band mate Eric Lyday was on drugs. The story should have read that Lyday was on drums." What a difference a letter makes.

So does a comma. One of my favourite authors, Ann Patchett, wrote to the editor of the New York Times after it reviewed her book: "The review mentions topics ranging from 'her stabilising second marriage to her beloved dog' without benefit of comma, thus giving the impression that Sparky and I are hitched. While my love for my dog is deep, he married a dog named Maggie at Parnassus Books last summer."

Sometimes we journalists mess up so badly that corrections need corrections. In May, 2015, the US broadcast news station NPR printed this: "In a previous correction on this post, we corrected something that was actually correct. So we have corrected that correction."

Canada's Toronto Sun once misspelled the word "correction" in a one-word headline over a correction: "CORRERCTION".

One type of correction journalists actually like is when complainants demand changes that make them (the complainant) look worse. The Irish Times described a man named Ed Miliano as "a designer and illustrator", but he demanded a correction: "Mr Miliano is an artist."

The best errors conjure up interesting images. Like this one from New Yorker magazine which makes a writer seem like an ageless wizard: "Correction: An earlier version of this article misidentified the number of years E.B. White wrote for The New Yorker. It was five decades, not centuries."

Or this startling word-picture from the Canberra Standard: "They travelled via the Cape on the Queen Mary, with 10,000 troops and 16 officers sharing a two-berth cabin."

Asian names often puzzle English-speaking reporters, as shown by this correction in the Auckland Star: "Mai Thai Finn is one of the students in the programme and was in the centre of the photo. We incorrectly listed her name as one of the items on the menu."

In our defence, journalists work so fast that errors are inevitable. In December last year, someone at the AP newswire sent out a report on French politics that clearly wasn't ready. "Hollande will/won't seek re-election," the news flash told puzzled readers.

Meanwhile, one of my condescending colleagues always points out everyone else's spelling mistakes. And probably wouldn't like me revealing that he checks his own spelling on Google first. Heh heh heh.

Himachal Pradesh has not been able to demarcate 54 per cent of its forest area in 28 years and there are over 15,000 cases of encroachments despite high court strictures, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said.

It said there was encroachment of 9,545 hectares of forest land involving 43,086 cases in the state till March 2016.

These facts came to light in an audit of records relating to encroachment of forest land from 2013 to 2016 conducted by the CAG.

It observed that against 20.63 lakh hectares forest area targeted to be demarcated, 11.04 lakh hectares (54 per cent) had not been demarcated even after lapse of more than 28 years.

A total of 15,409 cases of forest land encroachments involving 3,572 hectares were pending in revenue and forest courts till March, 2016.

Fencing work of the vacated forest areas could not be carried out and Rs.46.76 lakh towards cost of fencing was not recovered from encroachers in accordance with directions of the state High Court, the CAG said in a report tabled in the assembly session.

Out of 35.91 lakh hectares of forest area owned by the forest department, 9,545 hectares of forest area valued Rs.640 crore involving 43,086 cases was encroached upon till March 2016.

Of this, 3,921 hectares involving 18,854 cases valued at Rs.263 crore had been evicted by the department, whereas 5,624 hectares of forest area involving 24,232 cases valued at Rs.377 crore was still in the possession of encroachers till March. 2016.

Even the CAG observed encroachments in reserved forests.

The report said 222 hectares of reserve forest land was encroached by offenders (871 cases) till March 2016. However, damage reports were issued only in 233 cases involving 83 hectares of encroached land.

It also picked holes over lapses in registration of criminal cases against the encroachers.

The high court ordered in February 2016 that FIRs (first information reports) should be registered in all cases of encroachments on forest land within eight weeks from the date of order.

In the test-checked divisions, it was noticed that FIRs were not registered in 3,872 cases involving encroachments of less than 10 bighas, measuring total 793 hectares as of June 2016.

The department attributed non-registration of FIRs to staff being busy in eviction process of encroachments.

Official sources said that expressing anguish over improper compliance of its directive about removing encroachments mostly by fruit growers' on forest land, the high court in March last year directed the state government to act in the letter and spirit of the order.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan had said any departure from the directions shall be dealt with in terms of the Contempt of Courts Act of 1971.

Observing that the orders passed by the court were not followed as expected, the judges said a specific reference was made in the order dated July 27, 2015, to prune the apple trees.

Besides clearing the encroachment by fruit growers on forest land, the high court had said electricity and water connections of encroachers should be disconnected.

The case of encroachments in forest areas is still pending in the high court.

 Researchers have found that a compound produced by a certain soil bacterium has unusual properties that may help address neurologic damage such as Alzheimer's disease.

The natural compound, called Rapamycin, was first discovered in the soil of Easter Island in the South Pacific Ocean. 

"It's possible this could provide a new therapeutic approach to neurologic disease," said Viviana Perez, Assistant Professor at Oregon State University in the US. 

Scientists have now identified two mechanisms of action of rapamycin. One was already known. 

The newly discovered mechanism, detailed in the journal Aging Cell, is what researchers said might help prevent neurologic damage and some related diseases.

"The value of rapamycin is clearly linked to the issue of cellular senescence, a stage cells reach where they get old, stop proliferating and begin to secrete damaging substances that lead to inflammation," Perez said. 

"Rapamycin appears to help stop that process," Perez added.

This secretion of the damaging compounds, researchers said, creates a toxic environment called senescence-associated secretory phenotype, or SASP. 

It is believed this disrupts the cellular microenvironment and alters the ability of adjacent cells to function properly, compromising their tissue structure and function.

This broad process is ultimately linked to ageing.

"The increase in cellular senescence associated with ageing, and the inflammation associated with that, can help set the stage for a wide variety of degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and neurologic disease, such as dementia or Alzheimer's," Perez said.

"In laboratory animals when we clear out senescent cells, they live longer and have fewer diseases. And rapamycin can have similar effects," Perez added.

The use of rapamycin in humans has so far been constrained by an important side effect, an increase in insulin resistance that may raise the risk of diabetes.

That concern still exists, limiting the use of rapamycin to help address degenerative disease until ways can be found to address that problem.

Scientists are searching for rapamycin analogs that may have similar biological impact but do not cause that unwanted side effect.

Audi has detailed the chassis of the upcoming all-new India-bound A8 ahead of its reveal in the coming months. The Ingolstadt-based automaker has used multi-material construction in the new A8 in conjunction with its renowned Audi Space Frame (ASF). The 2018 A8 is expected to make its world premiere at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Audi has incorporated aluminium, steel, magnesium and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) in the chassis of the new A8. Its arch rival, the BMW 7-Series, is also based on a similar architecture. Manufacturers use multi-material construction nowadays because it helps in keeping the overall weight in check, while providing improved torsional rigidity and strength in a vehicle, which results in better handling and rideability.

For the uninitiated, the Audi Space Frame (ASF) was introduced for the first time in the first-generation A8 in the year 1994. With its aluminium intensive architecture in the ASF, the original A8 became the first mass market car to extensively use aluminium. Since then, Audi has built more than one million production cars based on its ASF.

Now, with the upcoming fourth-gen model, the ASF has been modded to incorporate a mix of four materials. Like always, Audi’s Neckarsulm facility will be the new A8's production hub, and it has been transformed for the development of the new flagship saloon.

Starting with the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) material, the rear section of the occupant cell in the new A8 is made up of CFRP. Audi says it is the largest component in the occupant cell and contributes about 33 per cent to the torsional rigidity of the total vehicle. Further, around 58 per cent of its body is made up of aluminium (largest share).

The front strut brace is carved of magnesium, which, in comparison to its predecessor, results in 28 per cent weight savings. The magnesium strut brace features aluminium bolts at both the strut tower domes. Rest of the components of the occupant cell are made up of hot-formed steel.

Speaking of its platform, the 2018 A8 is expected to be based on VW Group’s MLB EVO platform, which made its debut with the second-generation Q7. The outgoing model is based on the MLB platform. Stay tuned to CarDekho for more updates on the upcoming A8.

Source: CarDekho

The 64th National Film Award was announced in the national capital on Friday. Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar bagged the Best Actor award for his performance in Rustom, while the movie Pink won the Best Film on social issue.

The film Rustom is based on the Commander KM Nanavati case. The film earned a lot of praise for a distinct portrayal of a character "caught in personal and social turmoil".

The National Film Awards is the most prestigious film award in India. Owing to the national scale of the National Film Awards, it is considered the Indian equivalent of the American Academy Awards. This year the award ceremony was held at the National Media Center in New Delhi on April 7.

Here is the list of winners:-

•    Best Debut Film of a Director – Deep Chaudari (Alifa)
•    Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Sathamanam Bhavathi
•    Best stunt choreoraphy – Peter Hein (Pulimurugan)
•    Best Children's Film – Dhanak (Hindi)
•    Best Film on social issue – Pink
•    Best Direction – Rajesh (Ventilator)
•    Best Actor – Akhay Kumar (Rustom)
•    Best Actress – Surabhi Lakshmi (Minnaminungu)
•    Best Supporting Actress – Zaira Wasim (Dangal)
•    Best Child Artist – Adhish Praveen (Kunju Daivam), Saj (Noor Islam), Manohara (Railway Children)
•    Best Male Playback Singer – Sundara Iyer (Joker)
•    Best Female Playback Singer – Thume jaake
•    Best Screenplay (original) – Syam Pushkaran (Maheshinte Prathikaram)
•    Best Screenplay (adapted) – Sanjay Krishnaji Patel (Dashakriya)
•    Best Editing – Rameshwar (Ventilator)
•    Sound designer – Jayadevan (Kaadu Pookunna Neram)
•    Best production design – 24
•    Best Costume Designer – Sachin (Marathi film)
•    Best Environmental film including agriculture – The Tiger who crossed the line
•    Best Make-up Artist – MK Ramakrishna
•    Best Music Direction – Babu Padmanabha (Kannada _ ALama)
•    Special Mention – Kadvi Hawa
•    Mukthi bhava (Hindi)
•    Majirathi Keki (Assamese)
•    Neerja – Sonam Kapoor
•    Special Jury award for Mohanlal for Pulimurugan, Janatha Garage and Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol

Filmmaker Priyadarshan was the chairperson of the jury in feature films category, while nationally acclaimed cinematographer and writer Raju Misra was the chairperson in the non-feature category.

After a severely disrupted first practice session at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Friday, things went downhill in FP2 as no team was able to take to the track even once over the course of the 90-minute long second practice session.

In FP1, drivers combined for for a total of 124 laps in between red flags stoppages but FP2 was never started, with race control monitoring conditions and hoping for a window in which to open proceedings.

With the medical helicopter unable to land at the hospital, it looked unlikely that the session would start until it could and after waiting for some time, the session was finally called off.

Sadly for teams, drivers and fans, a break in the weather never arrived, meaning the medical helicopter was unable to operate – something which is imperative for every F1 session on safety grounds.

It means the teams and drivers head into Saturday having done none of the set-up, qualifying or race simulation work they’d usually do on a Friday, raising the prospect of an extremely busy final practice session – and a mixed up and unpredictable qualifying.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton took advantage of the lull in racing and had an impromptu signing session with fans, bringing cheer on a day which had many complaining at the lack of action.

Earlier in the day, 15 drivers had done flying laps with big names such as Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton only able to complete formation laps.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen had topped the leaderboard, followed by the Williams duo of Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll, respectively.