Book Launch

Invitation to attend the launch of the book "India After Gandhi"


Hello Readers,

We would like to invite you all for the launch of a book titled "India After Gandhi" written by Ramachandra Guha on 8th May, 2007 at 7.15 pm at the Regency-Lobby level.

The book will be released by Shri Nandan Nilekani, CEO - Infosys.

This will be followed by a talk by the author.

Hope to see all of you there.

With best regards,
CISED

UN selects 3 Special Envoys to work on climate change

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the selection of three Special Envoys to work on climate change.

The people chosen for this special mission are:

Norway’s first woman Prime Minister: Ms Gro Harlem Brundtland

The former President of Chile: Mr Ricardo Lagos Escobar

The President of the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly : Mr Han Seung-soo

A spokesperson from the UN said, “the Special Envoys will assist the Secretary-General in his consultations with Governments and other key stakeholders on how he might facilitate progress in the multilateral climate change negotiations within the UN,”

Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22410&Cr=climate&Cr1=change

image source: IMSI Clip Art

Study shows blood vessel cells alone can grow back whole sea squirts

A few cells drawn from the blood vessels are enough to help a marine sea squirt regenerate a whole, new body. A team of researchers from Stanford University have recently published a paper about the marine sea squirt in the The May issue of the FASEB Journal.

Reporting on their observations, Dr Ayelet Voskoboynik and co-investigators writer, “Regeneration occurs over multiple generations of individuals that are initially abnormal, but gradually regain normal patterns, and eventually converge (within a few generations) into a completely normal animal”.

Want to discuss the paper; you can email Dr Ayelet Voskoboynik at ayeletv@stanford.edu

Source: http://www.fasebj.org/Press_Room/FASEBJournalMAY07FactSheet.pdf

image source: http://keiths-diving.co.uk/diving/BO38.jpg

IBM dives in to save world’s rivers with a Big Green Wave

Software giant IBM has teamed up with Nature Conservancy to give IT consultancy to protect the world’s rivers. Folks at IBM call it the Big Green Innovation.

Talking about the initiative Nicholas M. Donofrio, IBM executive vice president, innovation and technology says, "Informed, environmentally sound management of the world's freshwater systems is a growing challenge for society, and if this challenge is left unaddressed, it could have a lasting impact on future generations".

Using powerful technology driven tools like ultra-fast supercomputers, powerful software and management expertise, IBM’s superstars will brainstorm, analyze and work towards saving the world's rivers.

Working one river at a time, the Big Green river savior’s first project will be the Paraguay-Parana river system in Brazil. Later, over the next two years solutions will be worked out for China’s Yangtze River and the Mississippi.

Source: http://www.ibm.com/news/us/en/2007/04/2007_04_24.html

image source: IMSI Clip Art

UNFF seals 15 year debate on forests with fresh, new Agreement

After 11 grueling days of heated debates and discussion, participants at the United Nation’s Forum on Forests have finally got it worked out.

The new agreement outlines a strategy to reduce and prevent forest destruction while at the same time promoting sustainable livelihoods and reducing poverty.

The agreement also plans to implement a voluntary global financing mechanism for forest management.

According to the World Bank, more than 1.6 billion people are employed in forest based industries while global trade in forest products works out to 270 billion dollars. Experts from the FAO state that 13 million hectares of forests are lost every year due to deforestation which in turn causes 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions.

Want to get more information about the meeting? You can check out http://www.un.org/esa/forests/session.html

Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22389&Cr=forests&Cr1=

image source: IMSI Clip Art

20 000 Strong, Bird Loving Public to Visit Caribbean Bird Festival

The 6th Annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival started on April 22nd and will continue till May 22nd, International Biodiversity Day.

The festival has been organized by the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB). You may be delighted to know that a 20 000 strong, bird loving crowd will be visiting this special event.

For one whole month, folks and especially young people in the Caribbean islands are going to have a great time! They are going to be busy attending lectures, visiting photo galleries and enjoying some delightful bird-watching excursions.


Many art competitions have been organized to give young people a memorable experience.

Want to know more about the festival? You can write to Sheylda Díaz Méndez, CEBF Coordinator at otoarina77@yahoo.com

Source: http://www.scscb.org/programs/program_caribbeanendemicbirdfestival.htm

image source: www.cepolina.com

National RTI Helpline Launched

The National RTI (Right to Information) helpline launched by Parivartan and The Manjunath Shanmugam Trust (MST) and supported by IT major, Mphasis has moved to Bangalore. The new number of the helpline is (080) 666-00-999.

The Helpline offers information in three languages: English, Hindi and Tamil. It is open 7 days a week, from 8 am – 8 pm.

The RTI helpline will:

• provide information about the RTI Act


• guide you about how the Act can help resolve specific issues


• walk you through the application, first and second appeal process


• provide list of Public Information Officers and APIOs


• provide contacts of RTI Activists across the country.

Till date, the Helpline has received over 7500 calls to from all over the country.

You can find out more about the Right to Information Act at http://persmin.nic.in/RTI/WelcomeRTI.htm

Source: email communication from Shri Jaishankar, Trustee, Manjunath Shanmugam Trust to Dr Harini Nagendra, Adjunct Fellow, ATREE

About the NGOs
Parivartan is a Delhi based citizens' movement trying to ensure a just, transparent and accountable governance started in January 2000 by Arvind Kejriwal, 2006 Magsaysay Award winner and IIT Kharagpur alumnus. You can find out more about Parivartan at http://www.parivartan.com

MST is an international IIM alumni initiative set up to improve governance in Indian public life. Manjunath Shanmugam, a sales officer with Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and an IIM-Lucknow alumnus, was murdered on November 19th 2005 in Lakhimpur Khiri, UP, following his efforts to curb oil adulteration. A petrol pump dealer and seven accomplices were found guilty by the Lakhimpur Khiri Sessions court on 23 March 2007.The prime accused has been awarded the death sentence, and the others life imprisonment. You can access the Manjunath Shanmugam Trust at www.manjunathshanmugamtrust.org or call #+9199805-57735

image source: www.cepolina.com