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Gangnam Style, taekwando and more
Gangnam, taekwando at Korea-Arab caravan in Dubai Staff Reporter / 14 October 2013 Korea-Arab Friendship Caravan aims to promote Korean culture in Arab world Apart from the graceful Bu Chae Chum or ‘fan dance’, and the modern B-Boy dance routines, the most spectacular sight at the sixth Korea-Arab Friendship Caravan in Dubai would have been the Kukkiwon team’s taekwando demonstration. From smashing thin pieces of wood and exploding flowers and fruits; the taekwando presentation was something out of the movies. About 20 taekwando black belts showcased stunts that combined combat, self- defense, acrobatics and a display of strength and inner peace. The friendship caravan was organised on October 7 at the Dubai Centrepoint Theatre, Mall of the Emirates, and it was the third time that the caravan made its way to Dubai. “This is our third visit to Dubai,” said Chung Yong-chil, Secretary General of Korea-Arab Society. The caravan began its journey in Kuwait and their third and final destination is Algeria. The team comprised the Kukkiwon Taekwondo demonstration team; the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre that performed Korean traditional dances; and the Gamblerz, a Korean break dancer’s crew. The taekwando demonstration, towards the end of their performance broke into a dance routine of songs Gangnam Style and Gentleman, popularised by Psy, Korea’s biggest pop-sensation. “Since the beginning of the caravan, there has been a rich exchange of cultural dialogue between Koreans and Arab nationals, and vice versa,” added Chung Yong-chil. The friendship caravan was established in 2008 and its aim is to promote Korean cultural programmes which combine tradition and modernity to effectively promote Korean culture and arts in the Arab region. Currently, there are about 11,000 South Koreans living in the UAE. Kukkiwon is the world’s headquarter of taekwondo. It is also the symbol of taekwondo spirit, skill and education. Lee Jung A (28) one of the Kukkiwon Taekwando demonstrators told Khaleej Times : “I am really proud to be representing Korea and spreading our culture.” This is Lee’s first time in the Middle East. “I have been doing Taekwando since the age of 11 and I’ve travelled to over 20 countries,” she added. “Dubai is a very big metropolis, just like Seoul.” Chung Yong-chil said: “Korea and the Arab world have strong trade relations at the moment. There are several Korean companies operating out of the UAE, and we want to strengthen these ties by showing Arab nations the cultural side of Korea.” dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Phailin leaves trail of destruction
Phailin leaves trail of destruction (Agencies) / 14 October 2013 Massive evacuation of one million people reduces number of casualties; cyclone death toll in Odisha 15. Daybreak revealed a trail of destruction across coastal areas of eastern India on Sunday after the strongest storm to hit the country in 14 years, but the loss of life appeared limited as more than half a million people had taken cover in shelters. “Damage to property is extensive,” said Amitabh Thakur, the top police officer in Odisha’s Ganjam district worst-hit by the cyclone. “But few lives have been lost,” he said, crediting the mass evacuations. Cyclone Phailin packed winds of more than 200 kmph as it made landfall from the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, tearing apart dwellings and uprooting trees, but it lost momentum as it headed inland and was expected to dissipate with about 36 hours. The government of the state of Odisha said the death toll stood at 15. Eight bodies were on Sunday found from Ganjam district, the worst-hit from Phailin in Odisha. Police said two bodies each were found in Berhampur town, Purosottampur, Ganjam town and Rangelilunda areas. Besides, a large number of people have been injured in Ganjam district. Seven people were killed on Sunday due to heavy rains and high-velocity winds in Odisha before the cyclone made landfall last night, including two at Polasara and Khalikote areas of Ganjam district. The cyclone was one of three major storms over Asia on Sunday. The smaller Typhoon Nari was approaching Vietnam and Typhoon Wipha loomed over the Pacific. At least 550,000 people in the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh spent the night in shelters, some of which were built after a storm killed 10,000 in the same area in 1999. Others took refuge in schools or temples, in what the National Disaster Management Authority called one of India’s largest evacuations. Truck driver Jayaram Yadav, who had been transporting eight cars halfway across India, huddled in the cab of his 28-tonne vehicle as wind howled around him on Saturday night. “I was just thinking: it’s going to topple over — and then it did,” said Yadav, who survived unscathed as his cargo of vehicles was scattered across a coastal highway. Television images showed cars flipped on their sides and debris-strewn streets in the silk-producing city of Brahmapur, one of the hardest hit areas. A few trucks and motorbikes returned to city streets as residents emerged to survey the damage. Winds slowed to 90 km per hour early on Sunday and the rain eased. But large swathes of Odisha, including its capital, Bhubaneshwar, were without electricity for a second day after the storm pulled down power cables. Officials said it was too early to give an accurate damage assessment. Soldiers and rescue workers in helicopters, boats and trucks fanned out across the two states. Airlines changed flight paths on the route between Mumbai and Bangkok, and between Bangkok and the Middle East, the Business Standard reported yesterday, citing an air traffic controller it didn’t identify. Indigo, India’s biggest domestic carrier by market share, canceled some flights to and from Bhubaneshwar in Odisha, the company’s external communications agency said in an e-mailed response to questions yesterday. Ragini Chopra, a spokeswoman for Jet Airways (India) Ltd., didn’t respond to an e-mail. All train services between Howrah and Visakhapatnam remained cancelled on Sunday for the second day in view of cyclone Phailin which hit Odisha coast Saturday night. East Coast Railway and South Central Railway have cancelled more than 70 train services, including express and passenger trains, due to the damage to railway tracks in coastal Odisha and also in parts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh. All trains between Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar and Puri were cancelled. An official of East Coast Railways said all trains originating and terminating at Bhubaneswar and Puri stood cancelled. Many long distance trains from Chennai and Mumbai heading towards Howrah were either cancelled or diverted. Major trains which have been cancelled include Bhubaneswar-Tirupati, Puri-Tirupati, Bhubaneswar-Secunderabad, Tirupati-Bilaspur, Bhubaneswar-Mumbai and Tirupati-Bhubaneswar express trains. The authorities have also cancelled Vijayawada-Raigadh, Machilipatnam-Visakha, Vijayawada-Visakha and Kakinada-Visakha passenger trains. In Mogadhalupadu, a fishing village in Andhra Pradesh, where some people had refused to leave their boats and nets, the damage was less than feared. Seawater surged into huts made from coconut palms near the beach. “People have come back to the village now,” said village chief Jagdesh Dasari, saying winds that gusted through the night had dropped off and the rain was light. Phailin caused widespread damage to infrastructure and crops in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh and claimed one life. People in north coastal Andhra heaved a sigh of relief with the cyclone turning weak and the intensity of rains and winds also coming down since Sunday morning. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has withdrawn its cyclone warning for Andhra Pradesh. Srikakulam district remained without electricity on Sunday as a number of electricity towers were toppled by the strong winds. Communication towers were also damaged in large numbers while fallen trees on the roads cut off access to many towns and villages. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the national highway connecting Srikakulam to Odisha. The commissioner said electricity supply in Srikakulam district would be restored in two days. Coconut trees standing on hundreds of acres of land were uprooted while other crops were also damaged. Officials said enumeration of damage to houses, crops, roads and railway tracks was on. The district authorities, however, remained on alert against floods due to heavy rains in the catchment areas of Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers. The Met Office has forecast more rainfall during the next 24 hours. Continue reading
Temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh kills 105
Temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh kills 105 (IANS) / 14 October 2013 More than 100 people injured in the tragedy at the Ratangarh temple, located in a forested part of Datia district. In one of the worst tragedies of its kind, a horrific stampede at a Durga temple in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday left at least 105 people dead, Chief Secretary Anthony Disa said on Sunday. Witnesses and officials said more than 100 others were injured in the tragedy at the Ratangarh temple, located in a forested part of Datia district, 390km north of the state capital and 55km from Datia town. Officials admitted that the death toll could rise as many of the injured were in critical condition. Most of the dead were women and children, crushed by an army of pilgrims who began to flee a bridge over the river Sindh following a rumour that it was collapsing. Some pilgrims, however, contended that the tragedy happened after police used batons to regulate the tens of thousands who had gathered on the last day of Navaratri festival. An estimated 2.5 lakh people had massed all around the Maa Ratangarh Wali temple, a police officer said. About 35,000 people were at the site of the tragedy alone. Just how the stampede happened was in dispute. But once it happened, the religious event turned bloody. A large number of people jumped in panic into the Sindh river from the bridge to escape getting stampeded. Survivors complained that it took three to four hours for any help to reach the temple area. Thick crowds all around the temple made the task of transporting the injured to hospitals difficult. Some were rushed to a hospital at Datia and others to Gwalior. Deputy Inspector General of Police D.K. Arya told IANS that many pilgrims were critically injured. He added that some were missing after falling off the bridge. Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Antony Disa pledged to take action against those responsible for the stampede. He said more than 20 bodies had been flushed out of the river. A judicial enquiry has been ordered into the disaster. Some devotees complained that the number of policemen deployed to control the crowds was grossly inadequate. One account put the number of policemen at less than 10. But after the disaster, more police personnel were rushed to the temple area, partly to tackle the mob ire. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a compensation of Rs1.5 lakh to the kin of each of those killed. Datia legislator Narottam Mishra, who is also the state government spokesman, blamed the stampede on a rumour that the bridge on the river near the temple was collapsing. An angry crowd later stoned police personnel, injuring 12 men, including two officers. Congress leader Ajay Singh alleged that many of the victims died because they remained without medical help for a long time. A near similar tragedy in 2006 left 49 people dead in the temple area. It was then that authorities built a bridge over the Sindh river. Ironically, that bridge was involved in Sunday’s stampede. Continue reading
