ABRACADABRA
Indian jailed for biting man’s ear off
Singapore: An Indian-origin man was sentenced by a Singapore court to seven years in corrective training and eight strokes of the cane for biting off the ear of his girlfriend’s husband. Anpazhakan Raghavan (42) and his girlfriend Magesh Eyamalai (28) were drunk after a night out in the city’s riverside clubbing street of Boat Quay on November 13 last year. But Raghavan was berated by the woman’s then 40-year-old husband Ramachandran Sitarenchan. The husband and wife were then going through a divorce proceeding. A fight broke out between the two men with Raghavan biting and ripping off part of Sitarenchan’s left ear. The court also ruled that Raghavan would not be eligible for early release.
Singapore: An Indian-origin man was sentenced by a Singapore court to seven years in corrective training and eight strokes of the cane for biting off the ear of his girlfriend’s husband. Anpazhakan Raghavan (42) and his girlfriend Magesh Eyamalai (28) were drunk after a night out in the city’s riverside clubbing street of Boat Quay on November 13 last year. But Raghavan was berated by the woman’s then 40-year-old husband Ramachandran Sitarenchan. The husband and wife were then going through a divorce proceeding. A fight broke out between the two men with Raghavan biting and ripping off part of Sitarenchan’s left ear. The court also ruled that Raghavan would not be eligible for early release.
5th standard kids can’t read
New Delhi: Portraying a poor picture of the quality of elementary education in the country, India’s annual Economic Survey said that over 47 percent children studying in Class 5 cannot even read 2nd std. textbooks and the trend has worsened in the last two years.
There was a decline in the number of Class 5 students who could read Class 2 books last year, from that in 2008-09. "The all-India figure for the percentage of all rural children in standard 5 asked to read standard 2 level text books shows a decline from 56.2 percent in 2008 to 52.8 percent in 2009," the survey tabled in parliament, said.
"This means that well over 40 percent of all rural children in standard 5 in India are at least three grade level behind," it added.
The survey quoting a human resource development ministry-funded study said that in Tamil Nadu there is an eight percent increase in the level of reading capability among students of class 5. Both Punjab and Karnataka too have shown some improvement in this fiscal from the previous one.
"There is hardly any change in other states in reading as compared to 2008," the survey underlined. In mathematics, the ability to do division problems has hardly improved among Class 5 children across India. Only seven states show increase of five to seven percent. These states are Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
It said the number of schools with toilets has increased and the enrolment ration too is on an upward swing.
New Delhi: Portraying a poor picture of the quality of elementary education in the country, India’s annual Economic Survey said that over 47 percent children studying in Class 5 cannot even read 2nd std. textbooks and the trend has worsened in the last two years.
There was a decline in the number of Class 5 students who could read Class 2 books last year, from that in 2008-09. "The all-India figure for the percentage of all rural children in standard 5 asked to read standard 2 level text books shows a decline from 56.2 percent in 2008 to 52.8 percent in 2009," the survey tabled in parliament, said.
"This means that well over 40 percent of all rural children in standard 5 in India are at least three grade level behind," it added.
The survey quoting a human resource development ministry-funded study said that in Tamil Nadu there is an eight percent increase in the level of reading capability among students of class 5. Both Punjab and Karnataka too have shown some improvement in this fiscal from the previous one.
"There is hardly any change in other states in reading as compared to 2008," the survey underlined. In mathematics, the ability to do division problems has hardly improved among Class 5 children across India. Only seven states show increase of five to seven percent. These states are Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
It said the number of schools with toilets has increased and the enrolment ration too is on an upward swing.
561 caught cheating in China
Beijing: Exam supervisors in China caught 561 cheats in China’s national civil service exam last year. This was 43.9 percent lower compared to 2008 during which about 1,000 offenders were caught. A statement released by the State Administration of Civil Service said, most of last year’s cheating comprised the use of wireless earphones and mobile phones to obtain answers during the exam, sitting in the exam with fake identify cards and hiring proxy exam-takers.
Cases of identical answers fell 76 per cent from 635 in 2008 to 152 last year, and cases of cheating with wireless equipment plummeted from 34 to three, with only five exam-takers involved, down from 59 in 2008, ‘Global Times’ reported. Also authorities found only 12 cases of cheating with high-tech equipment, in last year’s exam, down from 38 such cases in 2008.
Cases of identical answers fell 76 per cent from 635 in 2008 to 152 last year, and cases of cheating with wireless equipment plummeted from 34 to three, with only five exam-takers involved, down from 59 in 2008, ‘Global Times’ reported. Also authorities found only 12 cases of cheating with high-tech equipment, in last year’s exam, down from 38 such cases in 2008.
Porn magazine for the blind!
London: A pornographic magazine for the blind, complete with saucy text and raised pictures of naked men and women, has been launched probably for the first time in the world. The book, the brainchild of Lisa Murphy and called ‘Tactile Minds’, is designed to be "enjoyed" by the blind and visually impaired-and is on sale for 150 pounds.
Among the 17 raised images include a naked woman in a "disco pose", a woman with "perfect breasts" and a "male love robot", The Daily Telegraph reported. According to Lisa, she made the book to fill a gap in the market. The Canadian said she made the book after realising that the "blind have been left out in a culture saturated with sexual images".
Between 1970 and 1985, ‘playboy’ printed copies of its famous magazine in Braille-but without raised pictures.
Among the 17 raised images include a naked woman in a "disco pose", a woman with "perfect breasts" and a "male love robot", The Daily Telegraph reported. According to Lisa, she made the book to fill a gap in the market. The Canadian said she made the book after realising that the "blind have been left out in a culture saturated with sexual images".
Between 1970 and 1985, ‘playboy’ printed copies of its famous magazine in Braille-but without raised pictures.
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