CAIRO, July 4: Egyptian security forces have dispersed a number of demonstrations around the country as pro-Brotherhood protesters organised scattered marches in nine cities to mark the first anniversary of the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi.
The Anti-Coup Alliance claimed yesterday that three protesters were shot dead in Giza’s Al-Haram district when security forces dispersed protests, while a security source told the state-run Al-Ahram Arabic newspaper that one was killed and others were injured in clashes with security forces in Al-Haram district.
Authorities have reportedly arrested more than 150 supporters of ousted Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi yesterday during the protests, according to a security source.
The official said 157 people were arrested in the capital and eight other cities.
Authorities said they arrested another 39 people, linked to the Muslim Brotherhood wanted on previous charges.
The security forces had closed several squares in Cairo and Giza in anticipation of the demonstrations that was called for by The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy (NASL) to end what they described as a military coup that toppled the Islamist president from power.
On July 3 last year, Abdul Fatah el-Sisi, the leader of the army at that times with the participation of religious and political forces following a wide range of popular protests, removed President Morsi in an action considered by Morsi’s supporters as a ‘military coup’ and his opponents as a ‘popular revolution’.
The protests, called by a Muslim Brotherhood-led coalition as a “day of rage”.
A number of political and revolutionary powers, parties and movements refused to participate in today’s protests including el-Nour Party and April 6 Youth Movement.
Meanwhile, a series of homemade bombs went off throughout the day in Cairo, with two killed in the village of Keradasa, village in Giza governorate near Cairo.
In Alexandria, seven people have been injured in a massive explosion in Sidi Gaber train station. (PTI)
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Egyptian security forces disperse pro-Morsi protests
Overpass collapse kills two in Brazil World Cup city
BELO HORIZONTE (Brazil) July 4: An unfinished overpass collapsed on vehicles in Brazil’s southeastern World Cup city of Belo Horizonte, killing at least two people and injuring 19, officials said.
Globo television images showed the front of a yellow bus crushed under a large stretch of the fallen highway yesterday, which is about five kilometers from the World Cup stadium.
The health agency of the state of Minas Gerais said two people were killed and 19 injured, up from an earlier toll of one dead and 10 hurt.
A firefighters’ spokesman said 13 people were rescued from the bus unscathed but the woman driver was killed.
A car was also crushed but it was not immediately known how many people were inside and what their condition was, firefighter spokesman Edgard Estevo da Silva told reporters.
“The vehicle is completely under” the overpass, he said, adding that the cause of the collapse was not immediately known.
Two trucks belonging to the construction company were also hit but the firm said nobody was inside them at the time, Silva said.
Belo Horizonte’s nearby Mineirao Stadium has hosted five World Cup matches and is due to stage a semi-final on Tuesday. (AGENCIES)
Bolivia congress allows child labour from age 10
LA PAZ, July 4: Bolivian lawmakers have approved child workers as young as 10 years old, under a new law that lays out specific conditions for employing children.
Congress passed the measure by consensus on Wednesday, requiring employers to follow certain criteria to ensure the physical and mental health of employed children, and to prevent child exploitation.
“The age limit, as defined formally by the Code for Children and Adolescents, is 14 years old,” Senator Adolfo Mendoza said after the enactment of the bill, which he co-sponsored.
But the new code allows exceptions, when specific legal criteria have been met, so that children may begin “working for others from age 12, which is allowed by international conventions, and self-employment from age 10.”
The senator stressed that required factors include a voluntary decision from the child to work, consent from the parent or guardian and permission from the public ombudsman.
“The request is then filed with the Labour Ministry,” Mendoza said.
The previous code, which allowed no exceptions to the 14-year-old minimum, had prompted protests from critics who stressed that, in Bolivia, children must work from an early age out of necessity.
By reducing the legal limit, lawmakers hope to help eradicate extreme poverty from the South American country by 2025, said bill co-sponsor Deputy Javier Zavaleta.
“Extreme poverty is of of the causes, not the main one, of child labour,” he told AFP.
“So our goal is to eliminate child labour by 2020. While it is ambitious, it is possible.”
The measure also establishes policies for adopting children, care and education of children with physical disabilities, and a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail for violent infanticides.
It was sent to President Evo Morales to be signed into law. (AGENCIES)
Steel prices remain steady in thin trade
NEW DELHIi, July 4: Steady conditions persisted at the local steel market today as prices of saria and other steels continued to move in a tight range in limited deals and settled around previous levels.
Traders said negligible enquiries from construction and engineering units mainly kept steel prices steady.
Following are today’s quotations (in Rs per tonne):
Saria Kamdhenu: 8-mm 50,400, 10-mm 49,900, 12-mm 47,500, 16-25 mm 48,200.
Saria Jai Bharat (TMT): 8-mm 44,700, 10 mm 43,200, 12-mm 41,700, 16-25 mm 45,100.
Amba shakti (TMT): 8-mm 45,700, 10-mm 43,400, 12-mm 42,400, 16-25 mm 42,500.
MS Angle: (50×5) (50×6) 42,000, (40×5) (40×6) 42,800.
Angle Capital (ISI) (40X5) (40×6) 44,100, (35X5)(65X6) 44,600. Girder 125X65 41,000. (PTI)
Lead weakens in futures trade on global trend, subdued demand
NEW DELHI, July 4: Taking weak cues from the global market and sluggish domestic demand, lead fell by 0.38 per cent to Rs 129.65 per kg in futures trade today as speculators trimmed positions.
At the Multi Commodity exchange, lead for delivery in July down by 50 paise, or 0.38 per cent, to Rs 129.65 per kg in business turnover of 595 lots.
Metal prices for delivery in August also fell by a similar margin to Rs 130.90 per kg in 7 lots.
Market analysts said apart from slackened demand from battery-makers in the domestic spot market, a weak trend in base metals overseas, attributed fall in lead futures prices here. (PTI)
Nickel futures weaken on global cues, sluggish demand
NEW DELHI, July 4: Nickel prices moved down by 0.62 per cent to Rs 1,180.80 per kg in futures trade today as participants reduced their exposures, tracking a weak trend overseas and sluggish demand from alloy-makers in the spot market.
At the Multi Commodity Exchange, nickel for delivery in August month declined by Rs 7.40, or 0.62 per cent, to Rs 1,180.80 per kg in a turnover of 42 lots.
Similarly, the metal for delivery in July traded lower by Rs 8.60, or 0.56 per cent, to Rs 1,175.20 per kg in 1,517 lots.
Analysts attributed the fall in nickel prices at futures trade to a weak trend in metal at the London Metal Exchange (LME) as some investors viewed the recent price surge as excessive amid rising stockpiles.
Besides, low demand from alloy-makers at domestic spot markets also influenced prices, they said.
Market analysts said besides subdued demand from alloy-makers at domestic markets, a weak trend overseas also weighed on nickel futures prices here.
At the LME, nickel for delivery in three months contract retreated as much as 1.1 per cent to USD 19,649 a metric tonne. It had touched USD 19,990 in yesterday’s trade, the highest since May 20.
Meanwhile, LME-tracked inventories reached a record 305,970 tonnes on June 18. (PTI)
Sugar remains weak on ample supply
NEW DELHI, July 4: Sugar prices fell further at the wholesale market today owing to slackened demand from bulk consumers and retailers against ample supplies from millers.
Traders said increased supplies against low demand from bulk consumers and retailers, mainly kept pressure on sugar prices.
Tracking wholesale market, sugar prices in the retail market also showed a downward trend, they said.
Sugar ready M-30 and S-30 slipped to Rs 34.20-35.00 and Rs 34.10-35.80 against last close of Rs 34.40-35.70 and Rs 34.30-36.00 per kg, respectively.
Similarly, sugar mill delivery M-30 and S-30 traded lower at Rs 32.60-33.50 and Rs 32.40-33.50 per kg, respectively.
In the mill gate section, Mawana, Kinnoni and Asmoli remained under some pressure and eased to Rs 33.25, Rs 33.50 and Rs 33.15 from Rs 33.30, Rs 33.70 and Rs 33.50 per kg, respectively.
Dorala, Budhana and Thanabhavan followed suit and enquired lower at Rs 33.40, Rs 33.00 and Rs 32.80 against last close of Rs 33.45, Rs 33.20 and Rs 33.10 per kg, respectively.
In the retail market, sugar prices were weakened by 50 paise to Rs 38.00-39.00 per kg.
Following are today’s quotations (in Rs per kg)
Sugar retail markets – Rs 38.00-39.00 per kg.
Sugar ready: M-30 (Rs 34.20-35.00); S-30(Rs 34.10-35.80).
Mill delivery: M-30 (Rs 32.60-33.50); S-30 (Rs 32.40-33.50).
Sugar mill gate (including duty): Mawana (Rs 33.25); Kinnoni (Rs 33.50); Asmoli (Rs 33.15); Dorala (Rs 33.40); Budhana (Rs 33.00); Thanabhavan (Rs 32.80); Dhanora (Rs 32.80); Simbholi (Rs 33.80); Modi Nagar (Rs 32.90); Khatuli (Rs 33.80); Dhampur (Rs 32.60); Ramala (Rs 32.80); Bulandshahr (Rs 32.60); Anupshahr (Rs 32.60); Baghpat (Rs 33.00); Morna (Rs 32.90); Sakoti (Rs 32.50); Chandpur (Rs 32.50) and Nazibabad (Rs 32.80). (PTI)
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Teachers and election duty
Sir,
It has been observed that whenever the census process or any election is announced, a huge number of the teachers, lecturers even the principals are deputed and forced to fulfill the task. With the result the academic syllabi remains totally untouched and ultimately the innocent students have to suffer whereas it is the violation of the “Right to Education” also.
On the other hand it is the main cause of the low result percentage in the Boards exams. Moreover, it has been witnessed, that, very often, the students from Government schools are forced by the administration to take out the rallies of different nature in order to the awareness among the common public about the certain matters. Whereas the common public is itself supposed to participate in such rallies. So it is all exploitation of the minor and the students.
The District Election Officer Reasi and the Deputy Commissioner Reasi must follow the positive steps taken by the DC Leh and immediately should remove all the teachers from the duty of BLO ship in the District. Moreover keeping in view the academic problems of the innocent students the teaching staff from the Government schools should not be deputed and forced for the election duty in the forth-coming Assembly election. Otherwise the problem shall be taken to the Hon’ble court in the shape of PIL for justice in favour of the innocent students.
Yours etc…
Gopal Singh
on e-mail
Checking excessive medical investigations
Sir,
This is a welcome step that cardiologists of AIIMS are going to start a movement against excessive and expensive medical investigations to get a cut on referring patients. The Society for Less Investigative Medicine (SLIM) will draw up guidelines for investigations and procedures related to cardiology and will sensitise doctors from other disciplines to draw up similar guidelines from their own fields to frame a readily available checklist for different kinds of diagnostic tests and procedures.
It has been reported that researchers in Europe and USA have concluded that General health checkups have no effect on total mortality due to cardiovascular diseases and cancer . In UK such dubious practices invite action from the General Medical Council but Medical Council of India has taken no action in this regard so far. Of late conscientious doctors have risen to the occasion to discharge their responsibility to the society and the patients so that they are not taken for a ride by greedy members of their own fraternity who want to make easy money at the cost of helpless patients.
Yours etc…
Pragya Mahajan
On e-mail
India has potential to become top chemical exporter: Official
VADODARA, July 4: India’s chemical industry has an immense potential to become a reliable exporter of quality products, a top government official said as he stressed on the need for companies in the sector to comply with environmental norms for sustainable growth.
Inderjit Pal, Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, appreciated the contribution of the chemical industry to the Indian economy and at the same time also emphasised the need to ensure that companies grow in a sustainable manner with due regard to environmental concerns.
Pal was speaking at a meeting here last evening organised by industry representatives, who will be holding their mega event “India Chem 2014” in Mumbai in October. The meet was called to take stock of preparations for the largest event of chemicals and petrochemical industry in India.
The chemicals industry is expected to grow at 11 per cent per annum and reach a size of USD 224 billion by 2017 from the current USD 108.4 billion, the representatives said.
Speciality chemicals is the fastest growing segment in the industry. These are high value, low-volume chemicals known for their end-use applications and performance enhancing properties, the senior IAS officer said.
There is an immense potential for increasing consumption within the country and make India a reliable exporter of quality chemicals, he added.
“India Chem is an important platform for networking, exchange of ideas, creation of awareness of new products & technologies, and exploration of possibilities for enhancement of trade,” Pal said.
The event provides an excellent opportunity for the industry to showcase its capabilities and strengths to the world. “The focus for this year’s event will be on growth with emphasis on sustainability and green chemistry,” he said.
Speaking to PTI on margins of the meeting, Pal said the work on setting up a Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) at Dahej in adjoining Bharuch district, about 90km from Vadodara, is in the final stages of implementation.
The project, approved in 2009, seeks to attract investments worth Rs 70,000 crore, he added.
Addressing the gathering, Deepak Mehta, Chairman of FICCI Committee on Chemicals Industry, spoke about delay in getting approval from environmental authorities for setting up units. (PTI)