Strong magnitude-6.4 quake hits Philippines' Mindanao
Manila: A strong and shallow 6.4-magnitude quake hit the southern Philippines on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, sending hundreds rushing out of a shopping mall where local television said an elderly man was injured.
The man received treatment after being struck by a falling object during the early evening quake, ABS-CBN television reported from the scene.
The quake, which was 14 kilometres deep, was centred around 7.7 kilometres from the city of Columbio on Mindanao island at 7:37 pm (1137 GMT), according to the US monitor.
Chief Philippine government seismologist Renato Solidum advised residents to check their homes for possible damage. He said there was no risk of a tsunami because it occurred inland, and there were no immediate reports of serious damage.
The Philippines is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
