India, Pak DGMOs meet at Wagah-Attari border

24122013

The much anticipated meeting between Director Generals Military Operations of India and Pakistan began on Tuesday along the Wagah-Attari border to work out a mechanism to ease tension and ensure peace at the Line of Control.

The Indian side is led by Lt General Vinod Bhatia while Major Gen Aamer Riaz is heading the Pakistani side.  A Brigadier and three Lieutenant Colonels from each side are also participating in the talks.  Official sources Islamabad said that the meeting was scheduled to take place on the ‘No Man’s Land’ at the Wagah-Attari border.  Pakistan military in a statement said that the decision for holding meeting between Pakistan and Indian DGMOs was taken on political level.  The DGMOs will discuss issues pertaining to tension on LoC and other related issues on the working boundary with a focus to maintain ceasefire and bring normalcy.  The DGMOs of the two nations are meeting for the first time in 14 years.  They last met in 1999 after the Kargil war.  India is expected to forcefully convey to Pakistan the importance of maintaining ceasefire at the LoC.  Pakistani media reports have said Islamabad is expected to seek a bigger role for UN military observers deployed along the Line of Control.  UNMOGIP was established in 1949 under the resolution passed by the world bodys Security Council to supervise ceasefire along the LoC.  The meeting comes three months after Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif proposed this meeting to defuse tensions. Pakistan had initially proposed to include the Foreign Ministry officials in the meeting of senior military officials but India had rejected it.  However, Pakistan Foreign Office had said last week, “For the time being, this meeting will be between the DGMOs but our proposal is still on the table”.

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News dose around the globe

24122013

Thai opposition party plans to continue protests

24122013

Thailand’s main opposition Democrat Party plans to boycott a lower house election and continue its anti-government protests. Attention is now on whether the election will be held as scheduled.

Candidacy registration for the February poll began on Monday. 34 parties have filed their candidates.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered around the registration site to try to block the election. Some of them sat in front of the entrance and others voiced protests.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra decided to dissolve the lower house for an election in response to anti-government demonstrations.

Protestors have been demanding Yingluck’s resignation and an end to the influence of her brother, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Demonstrators say they will continue their protests on Tuesday.

Explosives found near road to court, Musharraf trial delayed

 

The start of the trial of former Pakistani leader, Pervez Musharraf, for treason was delayed on Tuesday over security fears after explosives were found near the road he was to take to court. Musharraf, 70, is expected to appear in person before a special court in the capital, Islamabad, AFP reported. The allegations relate to the imposition of emergency rule in November 2007. Musharraf and his lawyers have dismissed the case as politically-motivated.

 

 

Central African Rep. militia ‘hack to death’ UN peacekeeper from Congo

 

A United Nations peacekeeper from the Republic of Congo has been killed in the Central African Republic by militia. The soldier, stationed in the town of Bossangoa, was killed by the anti-balaka group late on Sunday,“with an unprecedented level of barbarity,” an official told AP, adding that they “hacked his head”. Bossangoa has recently been the epicenter of fighting between the country’s Muslim minority and Christian majority. French and UN forces, deployed to the CAR earlier this month to combat the violence between both groups, have been criticized for taking sides in the conflict.

 

 

Former Pakistani president Musharraf to be tried for treason

 

Pakistan’s ex-ruler, Pervez Musharraf, is set to go on trial on treason charges. Apart from a number of other charges, General Musharraf will be tried for suspending the constitution and imposing emergency rule in 2007. Musharraf will be the first military ruler to go on trial for treason. His petition to be tried by a military court has been rejected. Pervez Musharraf seized power in 1999 after a military coup and remained president till 2008, when the democratically elected government forced him to quit.

 

 

 

Judge rules that same-sex mariage can continue in Utah

 

A federal judge has denied the Utah state government’s request to put a hold on same-sex marriage in the state, meaning the unions may continue. The issue has been particularly divisive in Utah, a traditionally red state with a sizable Mormon population. Yet US district judge Robert J. Shelby ordered that Utah begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples immediately, writing that “the state’s current laws deny its gay and lesbian citizens their fundamental right to marry and, in doing so, demean the dignity of these same-sex couples for no rational reason.”

 

White House castigates Syrian government for recent bombings

 

The White House criticized Monday recently reported missile and bomb attacks on civilians by the Syrian government, saying Damascus must honor its commitment to allow delivery of humanitarian aid. ”The attacks over the weekend killed more than 300 people, many of them children,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement. “The Syrian government must fulfill its November commitment to do more to facilitate the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, so that millions of Syrian men, women, and children have access to urgently needed services.”

Iraqi military forces eliminate camps of Al-Qaeda-linked militant group

 

The Iraqi military forces have destroyed two of Al-Qaeda-linked militant group’s camps in Anbar province, the country’s Defense Ministry said. Aerial photographs of the camps and intelligence information indicated“the arrival of weapons and advanced equipment from Syria to the desert of western Anbar and the border of Nineveh province,” the ministry’s spokesman said. Military forces located 11 militant camps near the border with Syria.

 

 

 

Syria National Coalition threatens to boycott Geneva-2 peace talks if bombings continue

 

Syria National Coalition says it will not attend planned peace talks in Geneva if bombings “the Assad regime is carrying” out continue. The statement follows an aerial attack that killed more than 300 people in an eight-day bombing campaign on Aleppo. The so-called Geneva 2 talks, slated for January 22, 2014, are aimed at ending the 33-months long civil war that, according to UN estimates, has claimed lives of 126,000 people.

 

 

 

Iraqi gunmen kill four in attack on TV station

 

Iraqi gunmen besieged the local government television station, Salahuddin, in the northern city of Tikrit on Monday, killing four of its employees. The gunmen, who were wearing explosive vests, stormed the premises after detonating a car bomb near the entrance, according to Reuters’ sources. The confrontation ended when a firefight with security forces at the channel killed the militants responsible for the attack. “Two of the attackers blew themselves up when security forces raided the station and the others were killed in the clashes,”said a senior police officer.

 

 

 

New round of Turkey and Israel talks for Gaza flotilla raid

 

A senior Turkish diplomat met with an Israeli delegation in Istanbul last week to discuss compensation for the victims of the Mavi Marmara raid. “The talks did not stop. The recent meeting is a part of the ongoing process,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told Hurriyet Daily News. The Israeli delegation was headed by National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen, and the group met with Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, Feridun Sinirlioğlu. Israel made a deadly raid on the Gaza-strip bound and Turkish-owned flotilla in 2010, leading to the deaths of nine. Dozens were also wounded. Compensation talks after Israel’s prime minister issued an apology to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The process has been on hiatus for several months. “There are still differences regarding the amounts, but they have narrowed,” Haaretz quoted a senior Israeli official.

 

 

 

450 Muslim Brotherhood inmates go on hunger strike in Egypt 

 

More than 450 jailed Muslim Brotherhood members have launched a hunger strike over their “inhuman treatment” by the Egyptian prison system, Lebanese website Naharnet reports. The prisoners have been “banned from family visits, legal counseling, medical care and (live in) overcrowded and unhygienic cells,” the organization said on its twitter page. Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members were arrested by the Egyptian security forces following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi on July 3 and violent Islamist protests across the country.

 

 

 

13 hurt as tour bus crashes off Freeway 10 in Baldwin Park, Calif.

 

Los Angeles County Fire has transported 13 people after a bus crashed off the westbound 10 Freeway in Baldwin Park on Monday. Two people suffered moderate injuries, while the rest had minor injuries, KABC reported. Shortly after 4:30am the bus, believed to be coming from a casino in Palm Springs, went off the road and into a small drainage canal. It then reportedly hit a light pole and came to lean on a fence. Crews had to force entry into the bus.

 

 

Dubai police seize $31mn worth of drugs

 

Police in Dubai have made a record drug seizure of some 4.6 million Captagon pills, an amphetamine-like stimulant, worth more than $31 million, AFP said. Five people of different Arab nationalities were implicated in the shipment, three of whom have been arrested. The operation codenamed “Nine Ball” dealt a major blow to drug trafficking in the United Arab Emirates, the Khaleej Times reported, citing Dubai’s police chief, Major General Khamis Mattar al-Mazeina.

 

 

At least 20 killed in Iraq attacks

 

A new wave of attacks across Iraq has killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens, AP reported. The government earlier pressed on with its offensive to hunt down Al-Qaeda-linked militants in the country’s volatile western desert. On Monday, in an attack near Baghdad’s western suburb of Abu Ghraib, militants fired mortar rounds into a military base, killing three officers and three soldiers, a police officer said. Seven soldiers were wounded. Hours later, a bomb went off next to a passing military patrol in the same area, killing two, and two other soldiers were wounded.

 

 

Philippines police ban caps, sunglasses to fight crime at Manila malls

 

Police in the Philippine capital have banned the wearing of caps and sunglasses in shopping malls. The move is aimed at stopping criminals concealing their identity from security cameras, AFP reported. The ban was imposed after a gang looted a jewelry store at a popular suburban Manila shopping mall on December 15. The suspects used baseball caps to hide their identities. Those wearing caps and sunglasses will not be allowed into malls and will be stopped by security guards.

 

 

1 dead as African peacekeepers fire on C. Africa protesters

 

African peacekeepers shot dead a protester in the capital of the Central African Republic on Monday, AFP reported. The Chadian soldiers opened fire on stone-throwing protesters who accused them of complicity with rebels, witnesses say. Several hundred Christian demonstrators had massed outside Bangui airport to call for the departure of President Michel Djotodia. The former rebel became the first Muslim leader of the majority Christian nation after a March coup. The protesters were also demanding the departure of Chadian troops within the African Union’s MISCA force.

 

 

300 killed in 8 days of Syria’s air raids on Aleppo – monitoring group

 

Syrian warplanes have killed more than 300 people in an eight-day bombing campaign against rebel-held parts of the northern city of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday. “From December 15 to 22, 301 people have been killed, including 87 children, 30 women and 30 rebels,” said the monitoring group, which relies on activists and witnesses on the ground. The army adopted the tactic because of a lack of ground forces, AFP quoted a security source as saying. He said the heavy civilian toll was because the rebels were in residential areas.

 

 

8 troops killed in attacks west of Baghdad

 

Attacks in and near a western Baghdad suburb have killed four officers, Iraqi officials said. Militants fired mortar rounds into a military base in Abu Ghraib, west of the Iraqi capital, killing three officers. The attack also wounded seven soldiers. In the same area, a bomb went off next to a military patrol, killing a soldier. Two other soldiers were wounded.

 

 

Communist Party tells China media not to report ‘wrong points of view’

 

China’s ruling Communist Party told the state media on Monday that they should not be reporting on wrong points of view. New guidelines adopted to enforce “core socialist values” suggest that the media must“steadfastly uphold the correct guidance of public opinion.” The rules, published by Xinhua news agency, said the media should “not provide channels for the propagation of the wrong points of view.” Core socialist values include “ideals like democracy, equality and rule of law, but also the guiding position of Marxism in today’s China,” according to the guidelines.

 

 

Kuwait’s Cabinet ministers resign en masse

 

Kuwait’s entire Cabinet submitted their resignations Monday to the prime minister, parliament speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim said. The move could pave the way for a cabinet reshuffle, Reuters reported. “I hope… that Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah will succeed in reshuffling the government,” the speaker said.

 

 

EU bans arms exports to Central African Republic

 

The EU on Monday banned the export of arms and sending mercenaries to the Central African Republic. The ban follows a UN Security Council resolution this month requiring all countries to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of arms to the country, which remains wracked by sectarian violence, Reuters said. The ban covers financial and technical assistance, including mercenary personnel. French President Francois Hollande said earlier the 28-nation EU would decide next month on a joint operation in the republic to support a French military intervention.

 

 

Yemen reopens international airports after closure

 

Yemen has reopened its international airports after a brief closure Monday due to a strike by workers at the civil aviation authority, the transport minister said. Earlier in the day, workers went on strike after a dispute with the Finance Ministry over the aviation authority’s independence. The finance ministry froze the authority’s funds, Reuters reported. Transport Minister Waed Batheeb promised the workers that he would help to resolve the issue.

 

 

Al-Qaeda in Yemen offers rare apology over hospital attack

 

In a rare public apology, Al-Qaeda’s branch in Yemen has said that one of its fighters disobeyed orders and attacked a hospital during a December assault that killed 52 people, AP reported. In a video posted on militant websites, Qassim al-Rimi, commander of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, said that the attackers were warned in advance not to enter the hospital within the complex. “Now we acknowledge our mistake and guilt,” Al-Rimi said. “We accept full responsibility for what happened,” he said, adding he was ready to “pay blood money for the victims’ families.”

 

 

China says aircraft carrier tests in South China Sea successful

 

China’s first and only aircraft carrier has successfully carried out a series of tests during a training mission in the disputed South China Sea, Reuters reported, citing state media. The drills this month off the coast of Hainan Island mark the first time China has sent a carrier into the South China Sea. This was also the first time it has maneuvered with the kind of strike group of escort ships US carriers deploy, analysts say. “The Liaoning successfully performed several tests of the combat system… and organized for the first time comprehensive combat training,” China Daily reported.

 

 

Civilians killed as Pakistan launches offensive against Taliban – witnesses

 

Residents of Pakistan’s ethnic Pashtun region of North Waziristan accused government troops on Monday of killing dozens of civilians after military launched an operation against Taliban insurgents, Reuters reported. The operation started after a December 18 suicide bomb attack on a checkpoint in North Waziristan. Officials said at least 23 militants had been killed in clashes with security forces in the Mir Ali region of North Waziristan following the attack. Authorities imposed a curfew across the lawless region and residents said many people had fled from their homes after days of shelling and helicopter raids.

 

 

Yemen shuts airports due to strike

 

Yemen shut its international airports on Monday after workers at its civil aviation authority went on strike, officials said. The strike was due to a dispute with the finance ministry over the independence of the civil aviation authority, Reuters reported. The Finance Ministry froze the authority’s funds, according to an official at the Transport Ministry. Officials at Sanaa, Aden and Mukalla airports confirmed the shutdown.

 

 

NATO soldier killed in eastern Afghanistan

 

NATO has said one of its service members was killed in attack in eastern Afghanistan. The soldier died after coming under direct fire by enemy forces on Monday, AP reported, citing a statement from the US-led International Security Assistance Force. The coalition provided no other details or the nationality of the killed soldier. The death brings to eight the number of coalition deaths so far this month.

 

 

US will reimpose sanctions if Iran breaks a nuclear deal – Rice

 

The US and the West will find ways to to reimpose sanctions on Iran if Tehran violates the recent nuclear P5 + 1 agreement. “We will not construct a deal or accept a deal in which we cannot verify exactly what they are doing,” national security adviser Susan Rice told CBS. “And if they’re caught, we will ensure that the pressure is reimposed on them.” Under November’s deal, Iran agreed to halt its nuclear program for six months in exchange for limited relief from sanctions. media agencies 

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Blast rocks Cairo

24122013

A powerful car bomb explosion has rocked a police headquarters in an Egyptian city north of Cairo, killing at least 14 people and injuring 120, officials said.

An interim government spokesman accused the Muslim Brotherhood of orchestrating the attack and branded it a “terrorist organisation.” The Brotherhood then quickly condemned the blast in an emailed statement.

The Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi described the attack as a “terrorist incident,” and vowed that the perpetrators “will not escape justice.”
The explosion was so strong that parts of the gate surrounding the directorate are demolished.  Rescue teams are pulling people from under rubble.

“The Muslim Brotherhood considers this act as a direct attack on the unity of the Egyptian people and demands an enquiry forthwith so that the perpetrators of this crime may be  brought to justice,” the statement said.

The Middle East News Agency quoted Cabinet spokesman Sherif Shawki as saying that the Muslim Brotherhood showed its “ugly face as a terrorist organisation shedding blood and messing with Egypt’s security.”

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Ban Ki-moon: Double peacekeeping force in South Sudan

24122013

 Ban Ki-moon advised the UN Security Council  5,500 additional soldiers and over 400 more police should be sent to South Sudan to reinforce the current UN mission there amid increasing violence in the fledgling nation.

Additional security forces would add to the nearly 7,000 soldiers that currently make up the UN mission in South Sudan. The reinforcements would come from other UN missions in Africa, according to a letter from Ban to the Security Council, AFP reported.

The Secretary-General said earlier Monday from UN headquarters in New York that allegations of rights violations in South Sudan will be investigated.

“The UN Mission in South Sudan is protecting civilians at its bases, supporting humanitarian deliveries, monitoring the human rights situation and investigating reports of abuses,” he said. “We have lost two peacekeepers in the past week and one was wounded. I commend our brave peacekeepers, as well as the mission’s staff and leaders.“

Two Indian peacekeepers were killed last week during an alleged rebel ambush on a UN compound.

Tens of thousands of people have fled the country amid fighting between rebels supporting former Vice President Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir’s forces. Last week, Machar denied he was preparing a coup, as alleged by Kiir.

Fighting began last week in the capital of Juba, then spread to other cities in South Sudan, the youngest country in Africa since breaking from Sudan in 2011.

Hundreds of people have been killed as a result of the dispute, according to reports. UN compounds are housing over 40,000 civilians, the Secretary-General said Sunday.

Machar is of the Nuer community while Kiir is of the majority Dinka ethnic group. Their rivalry is feared to be fuel for further conflict between the groups.

“Let me be absolutely clear,” the Secretary-General said Monday. “The world is watching all sides in South Sudan. Attacks on civilians and the UN peacekeepers deployed to protect them must cease immediately. The United Nations will investigate reports of grave human rights violations and crimes against humanity. Those responsible at the senior level will be held personally accountable and face the consequences – even if they claim they had no knowledge of the attacks.”

United States President Barack Obama told members of Congress on Sunday that American efforts in South Sudan could be ramped up in the coming days as the security of US citizens and others in the East African nation are increasingly put at risk.

An attempted rescue mission by the US on Saturday to try and remove Americans currently residing in South Sudan was aborted after rebel fighters reportedly aligned with former Vice President Machar opened fire on US planes, injuring four.

Around 380 American citizens and around 300 others have been evacuated by the US from Juba so far, but on Sunday the President sent a letter to select congressional leaders informing them that he may advise the military to increase its efforts.

“As I monitor the situation in South Sudan, I may take further action to support the security of US citizens, personnel, and property, including our embassy, in South Sudan,” Obama wrote on Sunday. 150 US Marines are making their way to the Horn of Africa in the likelihood that they will be ultimately sent to South Sudan in order to evacuate Americans and protect the US Embassy in the war-torn nation, according to various reports.

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Inventor of AK-47 rifle Mikhail Kalashnikov dies

24122013

Mikhail Kalashnikov holds the first manufactured model of AK-47 assault rifle. He died at the age of 94, he had been in intensive care in Izhevsk since November 17.

Kalashnikov, who was famous for his frugal lifestyle, was feted as a straightforward hero.

The self-taught peasant turned tank mechanic who never finished high school, but achieved a remarkable and lasting feat of engineering while still in his twenties.

He was forever asked if he regretted engineering the weapon that probably killed more than any other in the last fifty years.

“I invented it for the protection of the Motherland. I have no regrets and bear no responsibility for how politicians have used it,” he told them.

Senior Sergeant Mikhail Kalashnikov as he designed his AK-47 assault rifle. (RIA Novosti)

“Mikhail Kalashnikov’s entire life is a shining example of dedication to serving your country,” said a statement from Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed “deep condolences” over the death of the engineer.

Kalashnikov who continued working well into his nineties, had been suffering from heart and intestinal problems, and on November 17 was admitted into intensive care in Izhevsk in central Russia – where the plant that produces the eponymous rifles is located. The official cause of death will be revealed following a mandatory autopsy.

A public funeral will be organized by the regional administration, in consultation with surviving relatives, though no date has been named so far.RT news

 

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Arvind Kejriwal invited to be CM of Delhi

24122013

President has given nod to the Aam Admi Party and its leader Arvind Kejriwal to form government in Delhi thus given seven days time to prove the majority on the floor of assembly. He-becomes the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi, likely to take oath on Thursday at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. Prashant Bhushan has clarified that AAP government may not last longer keeping in view of track record of Congress in this arena. Activist turn organisation makes their foray into political outfit with their trump on people participation but people at large still doubt  on their perfect integrity and in whisper rumour mills of gathering honey go around at various occasion first at time of Annas protest on Lokpal, during the making of party AAP NRI donation collection, Leader former colleagues do not have words of praise of his integrity. Arvind to be elevated from IRS to activist to Politician is in itself a robin-hood story of today’s times. But people fed up with monotonous politics wanted badly a change and AAP foot the bill. Kejriwal on conveyed to the Leutinent Governor of Delhi, the decision of his party to form the government with the Outside support of the Congress Party.The 45 year old former Indian Revenue Service Officer and social activist, Arvind Kejriwal stormed into the political scene of the Capital only a year ago, when he formed his political party, called Aam Admi Party.Kejriwal himself and all the other MLAs of his party are the first time MLAs. Soon after he was invited by the Leutinent Governor to be the Chief Minister, Kejriwal declined official security cover.

Recent tweet on face book of Arvind kejriwal explains his fans following

Arvind Kejriwal

With regards government formation in Delhi, we want reiterate few things below. Please watch and share the video below. (available in 5 languages)

1. It is only outside support, not an alliance, which means that it will be AAP Government, AAP agenda/manifesto that will be implemented.

2. Decision is based on overwhelming wish of people of Delhi that AAP should form government

3. AAP will not make any compromises and pursue its agenda of anti-corruption. AAP plans to pass Delhi Lokayukta bill in first 2 weeks of Jan and go after the corrupt.

4. AAP fully intends to deliver on the 18 point agenda that brings power back to the people and addresses their needs

5. If Congress withdraws its support and the government falls, then AAP will go back to the people. AAP will not make compromises with the Congress just to stay in the government.

Arvind Kejriwal

The opinion of the people who participated in the referendum process was overwhelming in favour of formation of the government in Delhi. Respecting this message, AAP has decided to form the govt. AAP leaders met the Lt. Governor of Delhi and conveyed this decision. We thank the people for their faith & support. We look forward to your continued support. Thank you.

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‘Mobile Seva’ Launched

24122013

IT Signals the Beginning of a Nationwide Initiative Aimed at Providing Government Services Through Mobile Devices

The ‘Mobile Seva’ (the national mobile-governance initiative of DeitY) was dedicated to the citizens here today by Shri J. Satyanarayana, Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), at a function organized at DeitY, Electronics Niketan. The logo for ‘Mobile Seva’ too was unveiled at the function.  Mobile Seva aims to provide government services to the people through mobile phones and tablets. It has been developed as the core infrastructure for enabling the availability of public services through mobile devices. Mobile Seva enables the integration of the mobile platform with the common e-Governance infrastructure consisting of State Data Centers (SDCs), State Wide Area Networks (SWANs), State and National Service Delivery Gateways (SSDGs/NSDG). It enables a government department to integrate both web and mobile based services seamlessly and enhances the access to electronic services tremendously leveraging the very high penetration of mobile phones, especially in rural areas. Availability of government‐wide shared infrastructure and services enables rapid development and reduced costs for the departments in rolling out mobile based services.  As on date, 833 Central and State Govt. Departments are using Mobile Seva for providing SMS-based services, and over 55.25 Crore SMS notifications have been sent to citizens for various mobile based services. Citizens can now directly interact with Government Departments through SMS. As on date, 254 public services have been made available to the citizens. A Mobile Applications Store (m-App Store) has also been developed by DeitY as part of Mobile Seva. The Mobile Governance Portal and the m-App Store can be accessed at http://mgov.gov.in/. The m-Appstore currently hosts over 240 live mobile applications. The live applications can be downloaded and installed free of cost on a mobile phone by any person.  A Mobile Applications Store (m-App Store) has also been developed by DeitY as part of Mobile Seva. The Mobile Governance Portal and the m-App Store can be accessed at http://mgov.gov.in/. The m-Appstore currently hosts over 240 live mobile applications. The live applications can be downloaded and installed free of cost on a mobile phone by any person. Citizens can visit http://mgov.gov.in/ for more information.

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Ghulam Nabi Azad Launches ‘AV Magni-Visualiser’ Screening Device for Cervical Cancer

24122013

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad launched screening device for cervical cancer, called ‘AV Magni-Visualiser’, here today. The device has been designed and developed at Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology (ICPO), NOIDA which is one of the premier Institutes of ICMR and is involved in epidemiology and development of indigenous HPV vaccine. 

Speaking at the launch function, Shri Azad congratulated the scientists at ICMR and ICPO for designing and developing this cost-effective and affordable device for screening cervical cancer in its early stages. He stated that cervical cancer is still the number one killer cancer in several parts of rural and semi-urban India. It has been estimated that about 1 lakh 32 thousand cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed every year and 74, 000 deaths occur due to it every year. It accounted for 9% of total deaths due to cancer in 2010. He further said that many of the cases may still be going unreported in many rural areas taking the number even higher. 

The Health Minister stated that with this device it will be easy to screen and detect cervical cancer in its early stages thus making treatment more effective. He stated that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the “National Programme on Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, CVDs, and Stroke” in 2010 in 100 selected districts taken up initially as pilot project across 21 States to address the challenges posed by the rapidly increasing burden of NCDs, particularly Cancer, Diabetes and CVDs. 

Sh Azad said that presently screening for cervical cancer is available only in the regional cancer institutes and medical colleges. He added that the equipment presently being used is expensive, as a result of which not many medical colleges can afford this equipment. This device, which will be much cost effective, will be first rolled out in the district and sub-district community health centres (CMCs) and subsequently in the primary health centres (PHCs), he noted. As not all PHCs have lady doctors and nurses, staffing and training will form an important part of roll out paln, he stated. 

Dr. V M Katoch, DG, ICMR said that this will benefit a large number of women in the country and bring down the rates of morbidity and mortality due to cervical cancer, which is high at present as it is not detected in the early stages. Cervical cancer does not occur de-novo. It starts from certain pre-cancerous states/lesions called dysplasias and it takes about a decade for cancer to develop from pre-cancerous lesions. Detection and appropriate treatment of pre-cancerous lesions will halt their progression to invasive cancers. He further stated that the accuracy and efficacy of the device has been evaluated through tests in five regions during the past two years. He also said that this device has a white light source with variable interchangeable magnification and it can be operated on 12 Volt battery in rural and semi urban areas where electric supply is not regular. Magnivisualizer has been found to pick up 1.5 times more High grade pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions than the ordinary tungsten light. 

Also present at the launch function were Smt. Santosh Chowdhary, MoS (Health), Shri A. H. Khan Chowdhury, MoS (Health), Shri K Desiraju, Secy (Health), Sh Lov Verma, Secy (DAC), and senior officers of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and scientists. 

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