Court orders Karnataka to produce V K Sasikala on December 13
TNN | Dec 8, 2018, 06.27 AM IST

CHENNAI: A special Enforcement Directorate cases court in the city on Friday directed the Karnataka prison authorities to produce ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala on December 13 in connection with Foreign Exchange Regulation Act violation cases.

The issue pertains to payments in US and Singapore dollars to foreign firms for hiring transponders and uplink facilities for Jaya TV in 1995-96.

In July 2017, the court allowed Sasikala to appear through video conferencing from Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru. With her personal appearance required to sign documents and complete framing of charges, the authorities were asked to produce her on November 30. Since the prison authorities failed to produce her due to health reasons, the court issued the order on Friday.

Why are men more hurt by breakups than women?

times of India  09.12.2018

The end of a relationship is never easy. Both men and women hurt when the familiar feeling of happiness is suddenly snatched away due to a breakup. Now, a British study has claimed that men suffer more long-lasting pain from breakups than women. The question is: why is this so? How and why are men hurting more when it is they who usually seem to move on from breakups faster and more painlessly? According to a previous study, men struggle more after a breakup than women because emotionally, men often react badly to major life upheavals. Moreover, men’s methods for dealing with changed circumstances are not always helpful. Researchers found out that going to the pub was named the best way to ‘get over’ a split while one third of those polled said the jilted party would be better off if he acts unbothered. Right there, is one of the reasons why men suffer — the unwillingness to face what happened and come to terms with reality. On the other hand, women are more comfortable finding a shoulder to cry on and letting it all out. Women also have a wider circle of friends and will confide to family in a way most men wouldn’t countenance. That explains why they come to grips with reality and find the strength to close a chapter and move on.

Another reason why women don’t suffer as much as men after a breakup is because they do the breaking up more times than men. What this means is that, women have more time to start processing the pain ahead. By the time they are done with that phase, the man may just be beginning his.

— Agencies

This is how many French fries you should be eating

Chelsea Ritschel  TOI 09.12.2018

A Harvard professor said it would be “nice” if an order of fries only contained six — to which people have reacted with outrage and disbelief.

Despite being one of the most delicious foods, French fries are understandably frowned upon by doctors and nutritionists - who are keen to make people aware of the health risks associated with consuming sliced, fried potatoes.

And in a recent New York Times article, Professor Eric Rimm, a nutrition professor in Harvard University’s School of Public Health, who described potatoes as “starch bombs,” suggested it would be better if people ate them in six-fry increments — as higher consumption is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Apart from heart disease, obesity and diabetes, the study referenced by the New York Times also found people who ate fries didn’t live as long as people who didn’t indulge.

Currently, Americans are consuming potatoes more than any other vegetable, with two-thirds in the form of French fries, chips, or other processed potatoes, according to the Agriculture Department.

The ever-increasing portions of food are also the problem — with an order of French fries now averaging just under 200 grams, according to Beth Fontenot, MS, RD, LDN.

According to Dr Rimm, portion control could help.

“There aren’t a lot of people who are sending back three-quarters of an order of French fries,” he said in the article, which describes the country’s voracious appetite for potatoes, especially fried ones, and the health risks associated. “I think it would be nice if your meal came with a side salad and six French fries.”

The advice, if realistic, would be beneficial — but on social media, Dr Rimm’s suggestion was jokingly ridiculed.

“Who is this hostile alien they are interviewing?” one person asked.

Another said: “What kind of MAD MAN would want six French fries? I get it, they are bad for you, but eating SIX sounds like torture. I’d rather not have them at all. But we all know that’s not going to happen.”

If you are going to exercise control when it comes to French fries, Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, a registered dietician in New York City, told The Independent that you should avoid “french fries that are doused in toppings like gravies, cheese, aiolis or heavy, salty seasoning” in favour of baked fries, and “as a rule of thumb, regardless of the type of potato, ask for the fries without salt and if you wish, salt them yourself at the table.”

She advises pouring the salt in your hand “before sprinkling them onto your fries to prevent oversaturating your meal with salt.”

And while Beckerman “generally recommends consuming fried foods as seldom as possible,” if you do eat the fries, “Try extra hard at your next meal to eat an arrangement of antiinflammatory foods like lean proteins, cruciferous vegetables and beans.” THE INDEPENDENT


SMALL FRY: Professor Eric Rimm was mocked on social media for suggesting a healthy serving should only contain six fries

3,474 varsity students to earn credits on e-platform
92 Universities OK Credit Transfers From Swayam

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:09.12.2018

In a first, 3,474 regular students across 20 universities are set to to earn credits through the online-learning platform Swayam. With 92 universities, including some of India’s best like University of Hyderabad, Central Universities of Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, besides Jamia Millia Islamia and Anna University having approved credit transfers, scholars of these universities can now learn from home and earn as much as 20% of the total credit through this online-learning-platform.

Swayam offers courses from class 9th to post graduate level where regular school or university students can register and learn online. Students can earn credits for some of the Swayam’s UG/PG level courses by taking the credit test conducted by NTA. This credit will get added to the total credits needed by a student to complete his course in his parent university. This is convenient and allows the scholar flexibility both in terms of time as he can pace his study and also provides a wider choice in terms of subjects.

According to R Subrahmanyam, secretary, higher education, ministry of human resource development, the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted computer-based tests for 90 Massive Open Online Courses of undergraduate and post graduate courses for Swayam candidates on December 1 and 2. The tests were conducted at 87 centers in 61cities and 3,474 candidates were in attendance.

“As many as 92 universities, which includes central, state, deemed and private universities, have come on board in accepting credit transfer for courses done through Swayam platform. It’s an encouraging beginning with over 3,800 students registering for the credit exams. More universities are to come on board,” said Subrahmanyam. So far majority of the credit courses accepted by the universities are for the optional papers, while a few are also accepting core papers for credit transfer. “In sync with the semester system, the credit exams are to be conducted by the NTA and certificates of credit will be issued. Students then will submit the certificate of credits to their parent universities,” added the secretary.

2 poll officials suspended for misplacing EVM

Jaipur/Kota:09.12.2018

Two polling officials were suspended on Friday night by the returning officer of Kishanganj in Baran district for “negligence”. Of the 12 machines the two were ferrying from the store to the warehouse, one fell off on the way, the Baran collector said. It was, officials say, an “unpolled” back-up unit-.The machine was later found on NH-27 near Mugawali Road in Shahabad area of Kishanganj assembly constituency.

The two officials suspended are Abdul Rafique and Naval Singh Patwari, said Kishanganj returning officer Chandan Dubey.

“It was an unpolled ballot unit, which is kept in the reserved category. They (officials) were bringing 12 machines from the store to the warehouse for submission. One of those fell off from their vehicle and they did not realise it and are suspended with immediate effect for negligence,” said Baran collector Satyapal Singh Bhadia.

Rafique, ILR employee at Shahabad tehsil, and Singh, will report at the district headquarters during the suspension period, said the order issued by the collector late on Friday night. TNN

PhD scholar in MKU files complaint against guide

Madurai:09.12.2018

A full-time PhD scholar of Madurai Kamaraj University has lodged a complaint of harassment against her guide with the registrar of the university. Apart from harassment, she has claimed that the guide took her as a full-time research scholar after obtaining 2 lakh from her.

However, K Karnamaharajan, the guide and head of the department of the centre for film and electronic media studies, rubbished the complaint as “absolutely false and fabricated”. He suspected that it was a motivated complaint at a time when he had issued a showcause notice to her for taking unauthorized leave. “I am planning to meet the registrar to seek his permission to conduct a press meet, where I will come out with the evidences,” he said. TNN

SCHOLARSHIP ISSUE

SC/ST students to get ₹984cr in arrears  HC Order To Benefit 1.4L TN Students
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 09.12.2018

In a reprieve to more than 1.4 lakh SC/ST students who were denied the central government scholarship, the Madras high court has directed the Centre to release scholarship arrears to the tune of ₹984 crore in two months.

A division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad passed the order while allowing a PIL moved by advocate D Ashokkumar based on a news report — 1.4 lakh students denied hall ticket over unpaid fees — published in TOI on December 18, 2017.

“Though the Centre’s department of finance is not a party to this lis, allocation of funds has to be made as per the scheme, promptly. Therefore, the director of the department is directed to disburse the arrears of ₹822.91 crore, representing the postmatric scholarship to SC students up to 2016-17, within two months, along with ₹162 crore, for the 2017-18 year,” said the bench.

According to the petitioner, students from SC/ST communities whose family income is below ₹2 lakh per annum are eligible for scholarships to pursue higher education. As per the scheme,

which was introduced in 2012, tuition fees for higher education including in self-financing colleges, would be borne by the state under the central government post-matric scholarship programme.

While so, on August 11, 2017 the state issued a GO reducing the scholarship amount provided for students studying in self-financing colleges. As per the new GO, students who joined courses under the management quota in self-financing colleges, could get scholarship amount only as much being charged for the students under the government quota fixed tuition fees.

“Now, for the academic year 2017-18, for which fees has been fixed as ₹85,000 for engineering courses, only ₹50,000 will be borne by the government under the scheme. Remaining ₹35,000 has to be paid by the students. Earlier, medical students from SC/ST communities, can get up to ₹12.5 lakh as scholarship. Now, as per the new GO, they can get only a meagre amount of ₹4 lakh and the remaining ₹8 lakh should be paid by the students. Similarly, for BDS course students have to pay up to ₹3.5 lakh from their own funds,” the petitioner said.

The petitioner also referred to a media statement released by the state government in which it had claimed that the central government had not released ₹1,546 crore meant for distribution of postmatric scholarship and the situation was cited as the reason for reduction of scholarship provided for such students. In its response, the state government submitted that due to the delayed and inadequate release of central assistance, a burden is caused on the state's exchequer.