Three new species of legless amphibians found in northeast

Three new species of legless amphibians have been discovered from forests in Manipur and Nagaland by researchers led by Delhi University Associate Professor S.D. Biju.
The team’s find, published in the latest issue of Zootaxa (an international journal of zoological taxonomy), is unique as two of the new species have moustache-like stripes on the upper lip not found in caecilians reported from any part of the world before, a university release said on Tuesday.
Worldwide more than 170 species of caecilians (which are one among the three orders of amphibians known as Gymnophiona) have been reported so far. In northeast India, only four of these species were known to exist. The new find takes the number of known legless amphibians in this region to seven.

Three new species of legless amphibians found in northeast

Three new species of legless amphibians have been discovered from forests in Manipur and Nagaland by researchers led by Delhi University Associate Professor S.D. Biju.
The team’s find, published in the latest issue of Zootaxa (an international journal of zoological taxonomy), is unique as two of the new species have moustache-like stripes on the upper lip not found in caecilians reported from any part of the world before, a university release said on Tuesday.
Worldwide more than 170 species of caecilians (which are one among the three orders of amphibians known as Gymnophiona) have been reported so far. In northeast India, only four of these species were known to exist. The new find takes the number of known legless amphibians in this region to seven.

IIT aspirants must get 80% in Class XII

The eligibility for appearing in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) entrance test could be raised from 60 per cent marks secured in the Class XII Board examination.
It will be applicable from 2011.Addressing reporters after a meeting of the IIT Council — the highest decision making body of the institution — Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said this was done to ensure that students took their Class XII exams seriously and also to check the growth of coaching centres, which were thriving on imparting coaching to IIT aspirants.
Mr. Sibal said the present eligibility of 60 per cent marks for appearing in the IIT-JEE was not acceptable. “The minimum marks required could be raised up to 80 per cent,” he said.

Australia conveys to India concerns over security for CWG

Australia on Wednesday said it has apprehensions over security arrangements for the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi next year, but maintained that India has assured that all precautions will be taken.
"We share the concerns on security arrangements. We have to be very cautious about extremists' activities. We don't want any innocent athlete to face any problem," Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters in the Capital.
Smith spoke to reporters after visiting Major Dhyan Chand and Talkatora stadiums.
He said he met his Indian counterpart S M Krishna on Tuesday and discussed the security arrangements for the games.
"It is a reality of modern world that you have to take precautions against these things. That is what the Indian government is doing. We always have to worry about terrorist activities. We are conscious of that and so also is India," he said.
Krishna briefed him about the security arrangements being made for the sporting event and has assured him thatthere would be foolproof arrangements.
"But whatever discussions we had, we are confident that all necessary precautions have been taken. But no one can guarantee, the Indian government cannot guarantee, Australian government cannot guarantee if terrorists will not cause attacks on people. But every precaution has to be taken," he stressed.

Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism. The peace prize was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts but Mr. Obama’s efforts are at far earlier stages than past winners’ The Nobel committee acknowledged that they may not bear fruit at all.
“He got the prize because he has been able to change the international climate,” Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said. “Some people say, and I understand it, isn’t it premature? Too early? Well, I’d say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond — all of us''.

Ramakrishnan ninth Nobel winner of Indian origin

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan becomes the ninth person of Indian origin or connection to win the coveted Nobel Prize.
Two Americans and an Israeli scientist won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for atom-by-atom mapping of the protein-making factories within cells.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Americans Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas Steitz and Israeli Ada Yonath's work on ribosomes has been fundamental to the scientific understanding of life and has helped researchers develop antibiotics

Floods kill 200 in Andhra, Karnataka; thousands affected

Floods triggered by heavy rains have killed at least 200 people in the past five days in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, and have An Indian Air Force helicopter rescues a man from a flood hit area in Raichur, Karnataka. Flash floods and landslides reportedly killed 200 people in south India.
At least 167 people have been killed in Karnataka, where several rivers burst their mud embankments following heavy rains and swept away houses.
In the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, at least 33 people have died and more than 1.8 million people have been affected by the floods.