Intelligence Leaders Urge Congress to Act on Cyber Laws

By Lisa Daniel American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2012 - The threat to U.S.-based computer networks is one of the country's most pressing security problems, and Congress needs to act on it soon, the director of national intelligence told a congressional panel today. James R. Clapper Jr. said he and all of the U.S. intelligence leadership agree the United States is in a type of cyber Cold War, losing some $300 billion annually to cyber-based corporate espionage, and sustaining daily intrusions against public systems controlling everything from major defense weapons systems and public air traffic to electricity and banking. Clapper was joined by CIA Director David H. Petraeus, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Army Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess Jr. and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller for a House Select Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats. He urged lawmakers to pass a bill that forces intelligence sharing between the government and the private sector, such as the Defense Industrial Base pilot program that then-Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III launched last year. "It's clear from all that we've said – and I hope predications about mass attacks don't become a self-fulfilling prophesy – but we all recognize we need to do something," he said. Clapper also urged Congress to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which he called crucial to intelligence gathering. It expires this year. The director said he foresees a cyber environment in which technologies continue to be fielded before effective security can be put in place. Among the greatest challenges in cyber security, he added, are knowing the perpetrator of a cyber attack in real time and capabilities gaps in the cyber supply chain – the entire set of key actors involved in the cyber infrastructure. Mueller noted that the National Cyber Task Force includes 20 U.S. agencies, "so when a major intrusion happens, we're all at the table." The "breaking down of stovepipes" and sharing information in cyber security "is as important now as it was before 9/11," he added. The FBI director told the panel that 47 states have different reporting requirements for cyber attacks, and the private sector doesn't have to report them at all. "If they're not reported, we can't prevent the next one from happening," he said. Mueller said the cyber threat is growing and is important to address. "I do believe cyber threats will equal or surpass the threat from terrorism in the near future," he said. Clapper agreed. "We all recognize this as a profound threat to this country, to its future, to its economy, to its very being," he said. "We all recognize it, and we are committed to doing our best in defending the country."

Biographies: James R. Clapper Jr.  Related Sites: Special Report: Defense Department Cyber Strategy Related Articles: Sharing Intelligence Helps Contractors Strengthen Cyber Defenses  Lynn Outlines New Cybersecurity Effort

Dr. Neeta D Kang has been sanctioned funds

DBT grant for BCRIC to study the early onset of brain tumours

Ludhiana, February 3rd, 2012 (Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria)

Dr. Neeta D Kang, Head of Innovation at Betty Cowan Research and Innovation Center, Christian Medical College and Hospital, has been sanctioned funds by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT, Govt. of India) to study proteins involved in the early onset of brain tumours. As the Principal Investigator on the project, Dr. Kang said “We were granted funding in 2009 to study cancer stem cells and microRNAs in brain tumors by DBT. MicroRNAs are short non-coding nucleotides of 18 to 22 basepairs in length, which have been found to control many genes in the body. Their deregulation causes diseases. This new grant will help us investigate the early onset of brain tumors from “health cells”. We are hopeful that by studying select proteins that are involved in DNA replication and the levels to which these proteins are deregulated in cancer cells, we would be able to merge these data into our clinical bioinformatics database and develop a predictive model towards ‘personalized medicine’.”

Dr. Kang added, “Many times, in vitro and animal model studies do not translate well into clinical trials and fail. We are using patient samples which would give us “real-patient” information and results that are representing the molecular ‘make-up’ of the patients’ tumour.”

She is collaborating with Dr. Roma Isaacs, who is the Co-PI (Pathology, CMCH, Ludhiana), Dr. RK Gupta (Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi PGI, Lucknow), Dr. Nuzhat Husain (Pathology, RMLIMS, Lucknow), Dr. Yashbir Dewan (Neurosurgery, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi) and Dr. Ramandeep Dang (Neurosurgery, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot). Science is about working in a multidisciplinary collaborative effort. Dr. Kang is very grateful for her collaborators.

PM at the 12th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh at the 12th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, in New Delhi on February 02, 2012. The President of Finland, Ms. Tarja Halonen, the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, and the Chairman IPCC &. Director General TERI, Dr R.K. Pachauri are also seen.(Photo PIB)
 02-February-2012                                                                                             

India, Sri Lanka hold Inaugural Defence Dialogue

The Defence Secretary, Shri Shashikant Sharma meeting the Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka, Shri Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, in New Delhi on January 31, 2012.  (PIB photo)
The inaugural defence dialogue between the Defence Secretaries of India and Sri Lanka was held here yesterday. Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma and the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Shri Gotabhaya Rajapaksa co-chaired the meeting alongwith their delegations, comprising the officers of the Defence Ministries and the Armed Forces of the respective countries. Regional security situation including issues of maritime security in the Indian Ocean region dominated the inaugural Annual Defence Dialogue.

The Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mr. Gotabhaya also called on the Defence Minsiter Shri AK Antony in South Block. Various issues relating to bilateral defence interactions came up for discussion at the meeting. (PIB)

First newborn with permanent pacemaker in Punjab

Ludhiana// 31st Jan, 2012//Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria: 

Baby with parents and Dr Gurmeet Kaur and Dr Harinder Singh Bedi in CMC

A young innocent baby boy was born to Mrs Monica and S Amit Singh   of Jammu. Unfortunately before birth they were told that the baby had a complete heart block. In this condition the electrical system of the heart is underdeveloped - so that the baby’s heart was beating at 40 beats per minute instead of the normal of 130 / min. The baby was born in Iqbal Nursing home.  Dr Iqbal S Ahuja realized that time was of essence as the condition could be fatal if untreated. He immediately referred the baby to Dr Harinder Singh Bedi – Head of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery at the prestigious Christian Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana.  Detailed examination by the Head of Paediatrics –Prof Gurmeet Kaur - confirmed the diagnosis and therapy was immediately instituted. An immediate permanent pacemaker was inserted in the tiny baby via a minimally invasive approach.
Dr Bedi explained that pacemakers are routinely put in adult patients by the venous route – but in a newborn the veins are too small and so a direct approach to the heart is made by a small incision and the pacemaker is attached to the delicate heart by a screw-in mechanism. The pacemaker was kept below the skin in a pouch specially created in the abdominal wall. The baby immediately improved. The other members of the surgical and anesthesia team were Dr A Joseph, Dr Paul, Dr S Garg, Dr Melchi, Dr Udeyana, Dr Marina and Dr Vaishu.

However because of the initial low heart rate the rest of the body was still damaged and took time to recover. The baby was kept in a special ICU called a Paediatric ICU where under the guidance of Dr Gurmeet Kaur highly trained ICU nurses and doctors slowly healed the baby and got her over the crisis. Dr Gurmeet Kaur said that such newborns need a very specialized environment and trained personnel. CMC is one of the few Institutes in India to have this service.  The other members of the Paediatric team are G Dhar, Dr A Mathew, Dr K Abraham, Dr K Sharma, Dr Tejmeet , and Dr Jaskaran.
The baby is now well and is a bouncy joy to the parents and doctors. Dr Bedi told that the pacemaker is a special one which will respond to the metabolic needs of the baby as he grows. A long length of the wire has been left so that it does not pull out with growth. The battery should last 10 – 12 years. The company has a lifelong free battery replacement warranty. Dr Bedi also said that the battery can be easily changed without disturbing the heart. Dr Gurmeet Kaur explained that the baby can develop to a normal potential in life and need not be limited in any profession he chooses to follow. According to the makers of the pacemaker (St Jude - an International company based in USA) this is the first such implantation in a neonate – a newborn baby – in Punjab    .

Dr Abraham G Thomas – Director of CMC& H - reiterated the commitment of CMC & H to deliver the best services for the betterment of people of this region.

Names of 159 voters deleted illegally

Conspirators remained active to kill the democracy

Sh. Dharam Pal Maur who represent non teaching employees of PAU for six consecutive terms, for a total period of twelve years, have a considerable vote bank in the campus of PAU was shocked to see that the BLO Mehal Singh Sidhu, who affiliated to a particular political party, committed a corrupt practice and by ignoring all the directions of the election commission illegally deleted the names of 159 voters. The total numbers of the voters which were caste the votes pooling station no.26 was 724. Large number of voters whose names were deleted came present to caste their votes. Out of them some were renewed agricultural scientists. They were having valid election voter identity cards with them. The strongly protested against the corrupt practice of the BLO. 
Dharam Pal Maur also felt shocked and expressed grief that for narrow purposes of Sh.Mehal Singh Sidhu interfered in the pious act of exercise of franchise. This illegal act of the BLO has caused irrepairable loss to his win ability. He has requested the Chief Election Commission of India, Chief Election Officer Punjab and Returning officer to cancel the pooling in pooling station no.26 and to order to re-pole after correcting the voters list.

Another story from  a free lance journalist Manmeet Kaur conveys the same complaint.She and her mother were not allowed to cast their votes. she reports,"I left home to vote at 9:30 and got home at noon--in 24 years of voting, I've never seen this. I had to park way down the road from my polling place, which had 4 long lines that filled the building when I arrived and stretched outside by the time I left. The polls were well staffed and running smoothly. . Several neighbors waved from other lines, and a couple of them came up to chat. I could've voted absentee, but how many opportunities are there to participate publicly in our  democracy? And due to the government apathy i missed my right to vote but then I came to know that I was not only me who could not cast her vote. There were some 150 more voters in Kitchlu Nagar B block who could not cast their respective votes. Dr. Balwinder B O who was there in the sraff informed this,"when our employee go for the survey then there was lock or  some thing else so we delete the voter from the list. Frustrated voters were not satisfied with this cover up reply.