Daily Newscap

Background and status The Conference of the Parties (COP) addressed Article 13 for the first time at its fourth meeting, under the agenda item Measures for Implementing the Convention. Public education and awareness is addressed in Part B of  decision IV/10  and subsequently in  decision V/17 . At its fourth meeting the COP decided that public education and awareness issues will be integrated into and become an integral component of all sectoral and thematic items under the programme of work of the Convention. ( decision IV/10 , Part B, paragraph 5) This approach was reiterated at COP 5 ( decision V/17 , paragraph 5). COP 4 invited UNESCO to consider launching a global initiative on biodiversity education, training and public awareness, and requested the Executive Secretary to explore the feasibility of such an initiative and report to COP 5 on progress. ( decision IV/10 , Part B, paragraph 6). At its fifth meeting, the COP requested the Executive Secretary, in ...

Awareness programme held to mark International Noise Awareness Day “Waiting, not honking, will make traffic move,” said one of the posters displayed by a volunteer during the No Honking campaign at Bashyam Circle here on Thursday. The campaign was held as part of an awareness programme to mark International Noise Awareness Day, organised by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Samvaad Institute of Speech and Hearing (SISH), Hebbal, and the Police Department. People were told about the dangers of long-term exposure to noise. Vaman Acharya, Chairman, KSPCB, said that noise pollution was the bane of Bangalore. “We have been conducting the No Honking Mondays campaign for the last six months and have seen a significant decrease of nearly 4.5 per cent on those days,” he said. He said that abroad people honked at a vehicle to express displeasure about the person’s driving. “But in India, we not only honk out of anger, we just honk randomly. We hope that small ef...

ALLAHABAD: In an effort to cover more children during ongoing  measles  catch-up programme, the district health authorities have roped in educational institutions, both government and non-government. The department has set a target to cover 11 lakh children in the district. Dr SAM Meesum, pediatrician and senior medical officer,  community health  told TOI that around 1,500 children of Bethany Convent School, Naini, were vaccinated on Thursday. He added that principal Sister Oliva inaugurated the vaccination camp. Similarly, 1,200 children of  Unity Public School , Kareli were also administered the vaccine on Thursday. District immunisation officer Dr Ashutosh Kumar told TOI that as per fixed schedule, children of St. Joseph School and St. Mary's Convent School would be administered vaccine on April 29 and 30. Similarly, the drive would be carried out at Boys' High School & College and Girls High School & College on May 1 and 4 respectively. He added th...

Scientists have subjected Albert Einstein's famous theory of gravity to its toughest real-world test so far—and it has prevailed. The theory, which was published nearly a century ago, had already passed every test it was subjected to. But scientists have been trying to pin down precisely at what point Einstein's theory breaks down, and where an alternative explanation would have to be devised. Einstein's framework for his theory of gravity, for example, is incompatible with quantum theory, which explains how nature works at an atomic and subatomic level. Consider that for a black hole, Einstein's theory "predicts infinitely strong gravitational fields and density. That's nonsensical," said Paulo Freire, an astrophysicist at the Max Planck Institute for Radioastronomy in Germany and co-author of the study, which appears in the journal Science. And so scientists are testing the general theory not because they think it is wrong but because they a...

Psychopaths lack basic hard-wiring in the brain that enables most people to be compassionate and caring, a new US study conducted on prisoners has found. "A marked lack of empathy is a hallmark characteristic of individuals with psychopathy," said Professor Jean Decety, lead author of the study, from the University of Chicago and the University of New Mexico.        Relative to non-psychopathic criminals, psychopaths are responsible for a disproportionate amount of repetitive crime and violence in society, researchers said. "This is the first time that neural processes associated with empathic processing have been directly examined in individuals with psychopathy, especially in response to the perception of other people in pain or distress," Decety added.       The results of the study, which could help clinical psychologists design better treatment programmes for psychopaths, are published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. Researchers tes...

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal today blamed the contentious line call that went against her in the deciding game for her shock defeat to Yui Hashimoto of Japan today, saying that it had upset her rhythm greatly and led to her crashing out of India Open Super Series here. Saina was leading 20-17 in the decider and was serving for the match when a line call, which looked clearly out, went in Hashimoto's favour, and the world number two and top seed Indian squarely laid the blame for here defeat to the controversial decision. "I was really upset with line call and could not focus after that. It was quite bad as I failed to find my rhythm after that. I just could not control after that and it was totally my mistake," she said after losing her second round match. "I was match point 17-20 up and I thought that the match was almost over but I had to play those points (after that line call) but I was totally not able to focus," a disappointed Saina said. The ...

New Delhi:  President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to a bill under which cases of sexual harassment at workplace, including against domestic help, will have to be disposed of by in-house committees within 90 days failing which a penalty will be imposed. Repeated non-compliance of the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) law, can lead to higher penalties and even cancellation of licence or registration to conduct business. The bill was cleared by Parliament in February this year. The new law brings in its ambit even domestic workers and agriculture labour, both organised and unorganised sectors. As per the act, sexual harassment includes any one or more of unwelcome acts or behaviour like physical contact and advances, a demand or request for sexual favours or making sexually coloured remarks or showing pornography. Non-compliance with the provisions of the act shall be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 50...