Dec/12/2011

Japan launches spy satellite

Japan successfully put a spy satellite into orbit on Monday and expects to complete its network of intelligence-gathering satellites with another launch next year.

Japan’s space agency, JAXA, said the launch from the remote southern island of Tanegashima went off without a hitch and the radar-equipped satellite is functioning properly. It was the second launch of the year, following a successful liftoff in September.

Officials refused to provide details of the satellite’s capabilities.

Japanese media reports say it will augment the optical satellites Japan has already launched by providing data of what is happening on the ground at night or through cloud cover.

Japan launched its first pair of spy satellites in 2003, prompted by concerns over North Korea’s missile program. It currently has four optical information-gathering satellites in orbit, though the latest of those is not fully operational yet.

It previously launched two radar intelligence satellites, but both malfunctioned.

The satellite launched Monday is expected to begin gathering intelligence in a few months, an official with the Cabinet Satellite Information Centre told The Associated Press. He requested anonymity because details of the program are classified.

Another radar satellite launch is planned next year, the official said.

That would give Japan the combination of two optical and two radar satellites that it wants to complete its network. Tokyo is seeking to use the satellites to provide information on any given spot on the planet at least once a day.

IEA hopes climate pact won't delay greenhouse cuts

The chief economist of the International Energy Agency said Monday he welcomes a new U.N. climate change agreement but hopes it will not cause countries to put off action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the next decade.

A 194-party climate change conference in Durban reached a hard-fought agreement on Sunday to start negotiations on a new accord under which countries would be legally bound to carry out any pledges they make. It would take effect by 2020 at the latest.

“The good news is for the first time we have a roadmap that is supported and signed by all the governments that need to be involved,” IEA chief economist Fatih Birol told an energy conference in Canberra.

“However the question mark I have in my mind is I hope that this roadmap wouldn’t lead some of the countries not to act for the next 10 years,” he added.

The 28-nation IEA seeks to ensure stable, affordable and clean energy. It warned last month that the world is hurtling toward irreversible climate change and will lose the chance to limit global warming if it doesn’t take bold action in the next five years.

In its annual World Energy Outlook, the agency spelled out the consequences if those steps aren’t taken and what needs to be done to cap global temperature increases at 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. That’s the threshold beyond which some scientists have said catastrophic changes could be triggered.

‘Drink enough water to prevent kidney stones'

The capital and other Telangana districts including Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Medak and Ranga Reddy districts have high incidence of kidney stone cases compared to other parts. In fact, among doctors, the region has earned the sobriquet ‘stone belt' due to high incidence of kidney stone cases.

Physicians argue that this unique pattern is due to the typical tropical climatic conditions prevalent in the region. And despite high incidence, awareness levels on treatment and preventive steps are less among public. “Public have to take simple measures to easily manage and avoid such a condition. Spreading awareness is important,” feels associate professor, Nephrology Department, NIMS, Dr. R. Ram.

Kidney stones are formed when urine contains too much of substances like calcium and oxalates. These substances combine to form crystals in kidneys. The small crystals, over a period of time, will form kidney stones, leading to complications like blocking the flow of urine from kidneys.

The common symptoms of kidney stones include sudden severe pain in the groin and abdomen area, change in the urine colour and even blood in urine. “Kidney stone patients should have strict control of diet. Public will have to make sure that they take adequate amount of water daily,” Dr. Ram Suggests.

Roughly, per day, physicians suggest, public should take more than one litre of water to keep the body hydrated and kidney stones at bay. Doctors also assert that food items, having high concentration of oxalates, must be avoided because they mix with calcium to form crystals.

Foods like spinach, cabbage and tomato are rich in oxalates and they should be avoided by patients. General public should make sure that the urine colour is always white, advises senior Nephrologist, Dr. Pradeeep Deshpande.

On most occasions, small kidney stones will pass through urine. “Stones of less than one cm usually pass through urine.

For bigger size stones, simple procedures like shock waves to break the stones are employed and for even bigger stones, endoscopy is performed.

The bottom line is public should drink water adequately,” suggests Dr. Ram

Jayalalithaa presents Rs. one crore to Chennai Open

Tamil Nadu government on Monday gave Rs. one crore as its contribution for organising the 17th ATP Aircel Chennai Open tennis tournament, starting on January 2 next year.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa presented the cheque to Tamil Nadu Tennis Association’s Honorary Secretary CBN Reddy at the Secretariat here, a government release said.

Ms. Jayalalithaa had sanctioned Rs. one crore as government contribution in 2005 also towards the same event, the release added.

Chennai Open is a popular tennis event where international players like Rafael Nadal, Carlos Moya, Ivan Ljubicic, Marcos Baghdatis and Indian pair Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes have participated in the past.

Martyrs of the Endosulfan tragedy

The people of the Kasaragod district are not just the victims of the endosulfan tragedy, they are also the martyrs,” said activist Medha Patkar here on Monday.

She was inaugurating the protest by the Endosulfan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnani (a front of endosulfan victims) before the Secretariat.

Upholding the demands raised by the victims, including rehabilitation, and setting up of a tribunal to determine the compensation, she said, “A tribunal set up for the endosulfan issue should not end up like the Plachimada Tribunal.” The legislation to ensure compensation to victims in Plachimada– the Plachimada Coca Cola Victims Relief and Compensation Claims Special Tribunal Bill was yet to get the President’s assent.

Ms. Patkar said that the sufferings of the endosulfan victims spoke about the carelessness of the State towards the victims. She added that the people of Kerala should get together to create awareness about the harmful effects of endosulfan.

“The wrong policies of the Government lead to corporatisation, destructive development, and the corruption of nature and life,” Ms. Patkar said. She added that the politicians, bureaucrats and the self-righteous corporate were responsible for the never ending sufferings of the victims of endosulfan tragedy.

“The actions taken by the State leaders in the issue of endosulfan have not been effective because they were not based on comprehensive studies,” said activist B. R. P. Bhaskar.

R. V. G. Menon, C.R. Neelakantan, Vilayadi Venugopal and Ambikasutan Mangad also addressed the gathering.

The sculptures made by artist Vinod Ambalathara were exhibited along with the photographs of the victims of endosulfan.