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Neomi Jehangir Rao is an American attorney, law professor, academic, and federal government official who currently serves as the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

international, News 6 February 2019

Trump nominee Neomi Rao faces scrutiny over past writing about rape

Washington, Feb 6. The judicial wars returned to Washington on Tuesday as the Senate Judiciary Committee met to consider Neomi Rao, President Donald Trump’s nominee for newest Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh‘s now-vacant seat on a powerful appellate court in Washington. Neomi Rao is Indian-American woman Neomi Jehangir Rao is an American attorney, law professor, academic, and federal government official who currently serves as the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Indian-American woman, Rao, who serves as Trump’s “czar” overseeing regulatory rollbacks, faced fierce questioning from Democrats not just for her work in the Trump administration but for commentary she wrote decades ago as a Yale University student suggesting women should change their behaviour to avoid date rape. “I cringe” at some of the language, Rao told the senators during her testimony on Tuesday. As most every Democratic senator on the dais mentioned her early writings, Rao stressed that they occurred nearly “two decades” ago at a “time of exploration” in college. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who recently publicly disclosed she had been a victim of sexual assault, said Rao’s columns gave her “pause”, CNN reported. In one piece for the Yale Herald written in 1994 titled “Shades of Gray,” Rao responded to an alleged date rape incident on campus by writing: “It has always seemed self-evident to me that even if I drank a lot, I would still be responsible for my actions.” She added: “A man who rapes a drunk girl should be prosecuted. At the same time, a good way to avoid a potential date rape is to stay reasonably sober.” On Tuesday, Rao said that when she was writing about the incident she emphasised that rape is a crime and no one should “blame the victim” but that she had attempted to make a “common-sense observation” that there were some actions a woman could take so it would be less likely she would become a victim. Rao said she hoped she has “matured” as a writer and a person. Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont seized on her comments and said that as…

World Health Organization

Health, international, News 5 February 2019

WHO warns of increasing attacks on health facilities in Libya

5 February 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of increasing attacks on health facilities and workers in both frequency and scale. WHO has documented more than 41 attacks targeting health workers and facilities throughout 2018–2019 across the country. These attacks resulted in 6 health workers and patients killed and 25 health workers injured. An additional seven health workers were also assaulted during this period. According to a Press release, “As the fighting across the country continues, the number of health facilities destroyed or damaged by attacks is increasing, depriving thousands of people in need of urgent and essential health care. In Libya, almost 75% of health facilities are closed or only partially functioning due to the ongoing political crisis, and there is a severe shortage of health staff. Increasing attacks on health care deprive thousands of people of health services and further weaken the health system.” “WHO once again demands that all parties in the conflict respect the safety of health workers, health facilities and medical supplies, and the overall sanctity of health care. The pattern of attacks indicates that health care is being deliberately targeted in the conflict area – this is a major violation of International Humanitarian Law and a tragic disregard of our common humanity. Such attacks are an outrage that put many more lives in danger in Libya and deprive the most vulnerable, including children and pregnant women, of their right to health services, just at the time when they need them most,” Dr Jaffar Hussein, WHO Representative and head of the mission said. क्या यह ख़बर/ लेख आपको पसंद आया ? कृपया कमेंट बॉक्स में कमेंट भी करें और शेयर भी करें ताकि ज्यादा लोगों तक बात पहुंचे कृपया हमारा यूट्यूब चैनल सब्सक्राइब करें

Karl Marx

international, News 5 February 2019

Talibans in London ! Karl Marx’s grave attacked ‘with hammer’

London, Feb 5. The grave of German political philosopher and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx at Highgate Cemetery in London has been vandalized. “Karl Marx’s memorial has been vandalized! It looks like someone has had a go at it with a hammer,” said a tweet by Highgate Cemetery. “It’s a Grade I-listed monument; this is no way to treat our heritage,” the cemetery said, adding that it will repair the memorial “as far as possible” after the incident. Marx, who lived from 1818 to 1883, wrote about revolutionary ideas related to class struggles, the flaws of capitalism and human labour. Ian Dungavell, Chief Executive of the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust, told CNN that attacks on Marx’s memorial were regular but not frequent. According to him, the worst incident was in 1970 when an attempt was made to destroy the memorial using a pipe bomb. Dungavell called the latest incident more upsetting because chunks of the white marble panel on the memorial were lost and the lead lettering was smashed.

Study links psoriasis treatment and improvement in heart artery disease

Health, international, News 5 February 2019

New study Links to psoriasis treatment and improvement in heart artery disease

Study links psoriasis treatment and improvement in heart artery disease Washington, 05 Feb. Researchers have found that treating psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, with biologic drugs that target immune system activity can reduce the early plaque buildup that clogs arteries, restricts blood flow, and leads to heart attacks and stroke. The findings highlight how immunotherapies that treat inflammatory conditions might play a role in the reduction of cardiovascular disease risks. The study, funded by the United States’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, appears online today in the journal Cardiovascular Research. “Classically a heart attack is caused by one of five risk factors: diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, family history, or smoking,” said Nehal N. Mehta, M.D., head of the Lab of Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases at NHLBI. “Our study presents evidence that there is a sixth factor, inflammation; and that it is critical to both the development and the progression of atherosclerosis to heart attack.” Now researchers provided first in-human evidence that treatment of a known inflammatory condition with biologic therapy, a type of drugs that suppresses the immune system, was associated with a reduction in coronary artery disease, in particular of rupture prone plaque which often leads to a heart attack. Psoriasis : a common skin disease in U.S. Psoriasis, a common skin disease affecting 3-5 percent of the U.S. population, is associated with heightened systemic inflammation, which elevates risk of blood vessel disease and diabetes. Inflammation occurs when the body’s defensive mechanism kicks in to ward off infection or disease, but this mechanism can turn against itself when triggered, for instance, by excess low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) that seep into the lining of the arteries. The resulting inflammatory response can cause blood clots, which block arteries and can lead to heart attack and stroke. Inflammation puts 20-30 percent of the U.S. population at risk for these kinds of events. People with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and psoriasis have a much higher rate of cardiovascular events. Those high rates make worse already troubling numbers: More than…

Prince Albert II of Monaco calls on the President Shri Ram Nath Kovind

businesses, Climate Environment and Science, India, international, News 5 February 2019

Climate change, renewable energy priorities in India-Monaco ties: President Ram Nath Kovind

New Delhi, Feb 5. India and Monaco can further augment their ties by focusing on areas such as environment and climate change and renewable energy where they have a “strong meeting of minds”, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Tuesday. Welcoming Monaco’s ruler, Prince Albert II, who is on a week-long visit to India, he said that the two countries have always enjoyed a relationship of trust, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation. “India-Monaco ties are doing well. However, there is scope to do a lot more together. On issues such as renewable energy, climate change and the environment, there is a strong meeting of minds between us. We must prioritise these areas for bilateral cooperation,” the President said. “India is the fastest growing major economy in the world, and Monaco’s technology and investment companies can significantly benefit from the Indian growth story.” President Ram Nath Kovind and Prince Albert also discussed various issues like trade and energy. On Monday, Prince Albert had attended the India-Monaco Business Forum. On the same day, The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation – founded by the Prince himself with an aim to protect the environment – had also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to support work in areas of priority which include energy, environment, climate, resource efficiency and sustainable agriculture. According to a statement released by TERI, both organisations will work towards information exchange on the strategies and programmes implemented in their countries, including sectoral policies, and priority actions to promote in those countries and the conditions for their implementation. President Kovind presented Prince Albert II of Monaco a photograph of his visit to the Indian Research Station ‘Maitri’ in Antarctica in 2009 pic.twitter.com/fDFm7xklPZ — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) February 5, 2019 “They will also aim to implement joint projects in these areas. A committee will also be set up under the agreement in order to facilitate the exchange of technical and scientific knowledge to benefit the common areas of work,” it said. The Prince will proceed on a private tour of India after his official…

Environment and climate change

Climate Environment and Science, India, News 5 February 2019

Scientists to study impact of fog on Bengaluru airport

Bengaluru, Feb 05. A team of scientists from the state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research will conduct a 40-month atmospheric study on the impact of fog on the Bengaluru airport operations, said its operator on Monday. “The study will enable the airport to predict fog conditions more accurately, minimising air traffic congestion,” said operator Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) in a statement here. The research centre and BIAL signed an agreement to conduct the study with joint funding on atmospheric conditions in the vicinity of the airport at Devanahalli, about 40 km northeast of Bengaluru. Bharat Ratna, eminent scientist and research centre founder C.N.R. Rao was present on the occasion. Fog and poor visibility in the morning hours disrupt arrivals and departures of about 200 domestic and overseas flights at the country’s third busiest airport during the winter, causing delays, diversions and re-schedules. “The outcome will be a relief for passengers, flying in and out of Bengaluru during the winter months, when fog is at its peak,” said the statement. The team, led by Professor Sreenivas, will develop a numerical simulation tool capable of predicting onset, intensity and dissipation of fog. “Factors influencing the occurrence of fog, such as atmospheric variability, ground temperature, atmospheric aerosol loading, radiative fluxes, water vapour and energy transport in the surface layer will be monitored during the fog season and the preceding months,” said the statement. To ensure accuracy of the study, specific instruments, including a wind cube, humidity temperature profiler, net radiation meters, total sky scanner, data acquisition switches and velocity and temperature probes will be set up at designated areas in the vicinity of the airport runway. “We pursue scientific research and have capabilities to support the airport operator in this exercise to benefit air travellers and airlines,” said the Centre’s President Nagaraja. Fog-related delays and diversions inconvenience passengers during the fall season and cause financial losses to the stake holders. “We believe the study will generate data to facilitate flight planning and scheduling, bringing relief to passengers,” said BIAL Chief Executive Hari Marar. The greenfield airport will open its second…