Bearys Institute of Technology organizes student interactive session on social responders in M'luru
Mangaluru: Bearys Institute of Technology organized a student interactive session on "Social Responders for a Better Tomorrow!" in collaboration with the ISTE Chapter, on Thursday at the International Seminar Hall.
The event aimed at highlighting the invaluable efforts of individuals and organizations dedicated to creating a positive impact on society. The interactive session commenced with invoking the blessings of the Almighty, followed by a welcome address by Dr. SI Manjur Basha, Principal of BIT.
Misbah Shahid, who has worked for more than 15 years in the field of education and development, including teacher training, spoke on self-awareness as a fundamental aspect of becoming a social responder. She emphasized the significance of understanding oneself, including one's strengths, weaknesses and values, in order to effectively contribute to the betterment of society.
Mohammed Ali Shariff, Director of Rehbar, a firm that has innovated ethically compliant structures to provide equipment and funds for the growth of SMEs, spoke next, about the initiative to serve all levels of society and the importance of inclusivity and reaching out to marginalized communities. He stressed on the need for social responders to extend their support beyond superficial boundaries and make a genuine difference in the lives of those in need.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Aziz Mustafa, Principal of BIES. Prof. Joyson of Basic Science was the Master of Ceremony. The faculty members and students of various institutes attended the session.
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Explosive device kills 13, injures 38 on bus in southwestern Colombia as violence persists
Bogota (Colombia) (PTI): An explosive device killed 13 people travelling on a bus in southwestern Colombia on Saturday, an attack the country's army chief described as a “terrorist act" that also left at least 38 injured as violence linked to drug trafficking in the region escalates.
Octavio Guzman, the governor of the region of Cauca, said on X that the device was set off while the bus was travelling along the Panamerican Highway in the municipality of Cajibio. Five children were among the injured, Cauca Health Secretary Carolina Camargo told Noticias Caracol, a TV news program.
Gen. Hugo Lopez, commander of Colombia's Armed Forces, told a news conference that it was a “terrorist act" and blamed the network of a man known as “Ivan Mordisco” — one of Colombia's most wanted figures — and the Jaime Martínez faction. Both are dissidents of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia that operate in the region.
Neither Ivan Mordisco nor the Jaime Martínez faction abide by the peace agreement signed with the state in 2016.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack on X.
“Those who carried out the attack and killed seven civilians — and wounded 17 others — in Cajibío — many of them Indigenous people — are terrorists, fascists, and drug traffickers,” he wrote.
The attack is the latest in a spate of explosions that have attempted to target public infrastructure. At least 26 incidents have taken place in the past two days in southwestern Colombia, which Lopez said have only affected civilians.
They included a shooting at a police station in the rural area of Jamundi, and an attack on a Civil Aviation radar facility in El Tambo, where authorities took down three explosives-laden drones earlier on Saturday. No one was hurt.
On Friday, two vehicles rigged with explosives were detonated near military units in Cali and Palmira, causing material damage.
The escalation of violence in that region — a territory contested by illegal armed groups linked to drug trafficking — prompted the mobilisation of high-ranking officials on Saturday. Led by Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez, the delegation that includes regional governors and local authorities, was meeting in Palmira when the deadly explosion occurred.
“These criminals seek to instil fear, but we will respond with firmness,” Sanchez said on X.
Meanwhile, Francisca Toro, governor of Valle del Cauca, has called upon the national government to provide “immediate support.” In a message on X, Toro called for a reinforcement of public security forces, enhanced intelligence operations and “decisive actions” against crime in the face of a “terrorist-level escalation.”
According to authorities, Cauca and Valle del Cauca serve as a critical hub for illicit activities of illegal armed groups vying for control over sea and river access routes leading to the port of Buenaventura — a key transit point used to traffic drugs to Central America and Europe.
The government has also offered a reward of more than 1 million dollars for information leading to the capture of “Marlon,” who is identified as the leader of the region's dissident group. On Friday, local authorities offered more than USD 14,000 for information leading to the identification and location of those behind the attacks in Cali and Palmira.
