UN condemns collapse of truce between Israel, Palestinians

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the collapse of a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, asking Israel and

the Palestinians factions to reach an immediate understanding on a durable truce.

A statement issued by Ban's spokesman said he is "gravely disappointed" by the return to hostilities by both sides and condemns "in the strongest terms" the breach of the Egyptian brokered humanitarian ceasefire which was to expire at midnight local time.

The Secretary-General reminds both sides of their responsibility not to let the situation escalate.

(Courtessy:Deccan Herald dt. 20 Aug 2014)

 
    A Thousand Splendid Sunsns


A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.

Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-born American novelist .After graduating from college, he worked as a doctor in California. He has published three novels, most notably his 2003 debut The Kite Runner, all of which are at least partially set in Afghanistan and feature an Afghan as the protagonist. Following the success of The Kite Runner, he decided to stop practicing medicine and became a full-time writer.
A Thousand Splendid Suns, was published in 2007, and is also set in Afghanistan. The story addresses many of the same issues as Hosseini's first, but takes a more feminine perspective. It follows the story of two women, Mariam and Laila, whose lives become entwined. The story is set during Afghanistan's tumultuous thirty-year transition from Soviet occupation to Taliban control and post-Taliban rebuilding. 

EBOLA

 With over 1,700 people suspected to have been infected so far, nations across the globe are  witnessing the spread of the serious disease Ebola

 Since its outbreak in Guinea last December, the Ebola virus has spread to adjoining West African countries — Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

The disease referred to as  Ebola hemorrhagic fever  is caused by Ebola virus. 

Fruit bats and monkeys are believed to be the original carriers of the virus; however, the carriers are supposedly unaffected by the organism. The virus spreads through the blood or body fluids of the carrier. It can also spread to any human who comes into contact with the blood or body fluids of the infected person.

 One can contract the virus by just wearing the clothes worn by an infected person.

But Ebola is not a wholly unknown quantity; it was first identified in Sudan as early as 1976. In 2007, there was a minor outbreak of Ebola in Congo and Uganda.

Its symptoms are quite similar to that of other flu— fatigue, fever, headaches, joint, muscle and abdominal pain. From the time one contracts the virus, it may take eight to 10 days on an average for the symptoms to become apparent. Until such time, though the infected person may not show symptoms, he still carries a very high risk of transmitting it to others.

At present there is neither a drug to cure Ebola nor vaccines to prevent contraction of the disease. Antibiotics to treat the symptoms have been the only life-line for infected patients till date. Patients are also being administered anti-coagulants to avert blood-clotting and given adequate fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration.

PM

Independence Day Announcements

  Prime Minister Narendra  Modi on Tuesday invited suggestions on the new institution that would replace Planning Commission through a special “Open Forum” that has been created by the government.

“Inviting you to share your ideas on what shape the new institution to replace the Planning Commission can take. A special Open Forum has been created on my government for suggestions on the new Institution.

Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech announced that the 64-year-old Planning Commission would be replaced by a new institution.