The People's Party of Arunachal (PPA)  on Saturday accused the BJP of hijacking its MLAs to install its government in the state, after Chief Minister Pema Khandu joined the saffron party with 32 MLAs.

Addressing media persons at Arunachal Press Club (APC) here, PPA President Kahfa Bengia criticised North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma for remaining a silent spectator during the political crisis.

PPA is a partner of NEDA.

"The NEDA convenor instead of coming to the state to resolve the ongoing crisis went to Kenya. He should have deputed somebody to sort out the differences between the MLAs of the party," Bengia said.

"The PPA is not comfortable with NEDA in the state and we are going to discuss the issue with other constituent members of the alliance soon," PPA central working committee (CWC) Chairman Kamen Ringu said while supporting Bengia.

Criticising the BJP for its "conspiracy" to dislodge the PPA-led NEDA government in state and to install a full-fledged BJP government, Bengia alleged that the party even hijacked the PPA candidate for the November 19 by-poll to Hayuliang Assembly constituency and forced her to contest from a BJP ticket.

"Most of the MLAs treat PPA as a "transit camp". We'll not allow it any more. We'll try to strengthen the lone regional party of the state and will come out strong in the 2019 elections," Bengia said.

"Most of the leaders are not to lead the state but to loot," Bengia said, adding that the party had enough legal aspects to teach lessons to those who had been maintaining equal relation with PPA as well as the BJP.

Scientists have identified a signalling circuit in cells that can be targeted to treat advanced prostate cancer in patients who are resistant to existing therapies.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of death after lung cancer in American men, researchers said.

Currently, the most effective treatment for advanced prostate cancer is to deprive the cancer of what feeds it – androgen hormones, such as testosterone.

However, almost all patients eventually develop resistance to this therapy, leaving doctors with no options to counteract the inevitable.

The study at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the US shows that a "constitutively active" signalling circuit can trigger cells to grow into tumours and drive therapy resistance in advanced prostate cancer.

A cell signal pathway with constitutive activity requires no binding partner (ligand) to activate; instead, the signalling circuit continually activates itself.

This signalling circuit, which is composed of a protein complex IkBa/NF-kB (p65) and several other molecules, controls the expression of stem cell transcription factors (proteins that guide the conversion of genetic information from DNA to RNA) that fuel the aggressive growth of these resistant cancer cells.

"The fact that the constitutive activation of NF-kB in the circuit is independent of traditional activation opens the door for potential treatment options," said Jun-Li Luo, associate professor at TSRI.

NF-kB plays important roles in cancer development, and it is regarded as one of the most important targets for cancer therapy.

However, the use of NF-kB inhibitors in treating cancer is complicated by severe side effects related to immunosuppression caused by indiscriminate inhibition of NF-kB in normal immune cells.

Luo noted that targeting the other non-IkBa/NF-kB components in this signalling circuit would avoid the suppression of NF-?B in normal immune cells while keeping the potent anti-cancer efficacy.

In addition to IkBa/NF-kB, the signalling circuit includes the microRNA miR-196b-3p, Meis2 and PPP3CC. While miR-196b-3p promotes tumour development, Meis2, which is an essential developmental gene in mammals, can disrupt the circuit when overexpressed.

The protein PPP3CC can inhibit NF-kB activity in prostate cancer cells.

"Disrupting this circuit by targeting any of its individual components blocks the expression of these transcription factors and significantly impairs therapy-resistant prostate cancer," said Ji-Hak Jeong, research associate at TSRI.

The study was published in the journal Molecular Cell.

For the first time, Twitter will live stream the New Year Eve's scintillating fireworks display at the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa in Dubai to a global audience.

Emaar Properties, developer of Burj Khalifa which stands at 828 metres, said it has partnered with Twitter to live stream the New Year's Eve fireworks display in Dubai.

This is the first live streaming deal Twitter has signed with a partner based in the the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the real estate company said in a statement.

The live show will air on New Year's Eve, from Downtown Dubai at 7:30 PM GMT (0100 AM IST) and will be available worldwide to Twitter's logged-in and logged-out audience on Twitter and connected devices.

A series of fireworks crescendos will extend across the 500-acre Downtown Dubai and can be viewed from key locations across the city.

Choreographed to a customised soundtrack, the pyrotechnics display will bring to life several milestone moments and artistic interpretations in fireworks of a falcon flying high, swirling comets, and Arabian dance forms.

In specialised red and white comet shows and LED shows, the pyrotechnics will be displayed from Burj Khalifa, Dubai Opera and various landmarks.

The finale of the event will feature a display in pyrotechnics celebrating Dubai's current and future icons.

"The first-of-its-kind live streaming partnership with Twitter for the much-awaited New Year's Eve gala in Dubai will offer audiences across the world a real-time experience of the spectacle," Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director of Emaar Properties, said.

"The New Year's Eve celebrations by Emaar is a tribute to the positive spirit of our city, and the live streaming will define it further as a true global celebration from Dubai," Al Matrooshi said.

"We are excited to announce our first live streaming partner event in the MENA region. Live streaming the firework displays, combined with the live conversation on Twitter, will allow people across the world to view and Tweet about the festivities as they happen, creating a truly global celebration," said Kinda Ibrahim, Director of Media Partnerships, Middle East and North Africa, Twitter.

The stream will be available globally at DubaiNYE.twitter.com and on @MyDowntownDubai. The hashtag will be #MyDubaiNewYear.

Mocking the Samajwadi Party's decision to revoke expulsion of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the BJP on Saturday said he may have returned to the party but will not return to power after the assembly polls as his five-year report card is rife with "failures".

Whatever attempts and "drama" SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh do, they won't cut any ice with people, it said, claiming that voters have made up their mind to vote BJP to power after a gap of 15 years for the state's development.

"There can be a comeback of the chief minister to his party which had expelled him but not to power as his government's report card is full of failures. People have made up their mind to get rid of him and SP. His government encouraged only corruption and crime, and did nothing for the common man," BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

Faced with an imminent split which could have drastically reduced his clout, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today revoked the expulsion Akhilesh and his uncle Ramgopal, just a day after they were sacked for 'indiscipline'.

Citing incidents like Jawahar Bagh violence in Mathura in which close to 30 people died and Bulandshahr gang rape, he alleged people remember Akhilesh Yadav's rule for such incidents besides SP governments' failures on health, education and infrastructure development fronts.

Sharma claimed there is a Tsunami in the BJP's favour.

The state government could not buy rice and wheat from farmers, causing them a lot of distress, he alleged.

Akhilesh Yadav has insisted that the state has seen unprecedented development under his government and he will lead his party to victory.

The Odisha government on Saturday sought suggestions from the public for the preparation of the annual budget for FY 2017-18, said a statement.

The finance department has invited suggestions from people in a structured format for the preparation of the annual budget.

This facility will be available for a fortnight from January 1, 2017, said the finance department statement.

"Members of the public, civil society organisation, advocacy groups and other stakeholders are requested to make use of this unique opportunity to participate in the budget making process of the state government," it said.

The department has developed a web page budget.odisha.gov.in where suggestions can be submitted.

The page would host budget documents and suggestions.

The suggestions can also be mailed at odisha.budget@gov.in. Similarly, suggestions for the budget are also invited through Whatsapp, Telegram and SMS to Mobile number (+91)9438161111.

In order to make the budgetary process more open and participative using Information and Communication Technology, the Odisha government has sought public opinion for the last financial year.

The finance department has been holding pre-budget consultations with a cross section of society.

The year 2016 has been a prominent year for India. Women have reached heights and raised the bar higher than ever. Their achievements have become a benchmark for generations to come and have added to the pride of our nation.

Here are the 10 iconic Indian women who made it big in the year 2016.

1. Late J Jayalalithaa

Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa, a veteran actress and an everloved politician, fondly called Amma was elected as Chief Minister in May, 2016 and her sudden demise on December 5 left a void in the Indian politics and Tamil Nadu lost one of the best leaders.

2. Irom Sharmila

In the month of July, she ended her 16 years long fast to oppose AFSPA and decided to fight for her state by contesting in elections. The 44 years old is called the iron lady of Northeast.

3. Dipa Karmakar

Rio Olympics 2016 has been a shining affair in the history of sports for India. The country shone at an international level because of the amazing performance of the Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar. She is the first Indian gymnast to qualify for Olympics.

4. Sakshi Malik

Indian weight- lifter marked her presence at the Rio Olympics this year and won a Bronze for the nation.

5. PV Sindhu

Winner of the first ever medal in Olympics for Badminton, PV Sindhu played tough and scored a silver medal.

6. Dipa Malik

Paralympics 2016 was a milestone for the country as Dipa Malik won a silver medal. The brave-hearted athlete has been an icon for previous years as well and inspiration to many.

7. Sushma Swaraj

External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj has been trending on social media for her consistent help and assistance to all those in need. Be it a passport issue, NRIs stuck abroad or a fellow patient in the hospital, she has been a support and a savior to them.

8. Sania Mirza

The Tennis sensation Sania Mirza has retained her world number 1 rank this year by becoming Australian Open Champion in 2016.

9. Deepika Padukone

This Indian beauty became part of an international project and will soon be seen sharing the big screen with Vin Diesel in 2017.

10. Priyanka Chopra

The Desi Girl not only became an international face but also was chosen as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for stellar work in child rights.

Scientists have found that the rise in oxygen levels is linked to a rapid increase in the burial of sediment containing large amounts of carbon-rich organic matter – a process that leads to the formation of fossil fuels.

Oxygen enables the chemical reactions that animals use to get energy from stored carbohydrates in food.

So it may be no coincidence that animals appeared and evolved during the "Cambrian explosion," which coincided with a spike in atmospheric oxygen roughly 500 million years ago, researchers said.

It was during the Cambrian explosion that most of the current animal designs appeared.

In green plants, photosynthesis separates carbon dioxide into molecular oxygen and carbon.

However, photosynthesis had already been around for at least 2.5 billion years.

Researchers wondered what accounted for the sudden spike in oxygen during the Cambrian.

The key is to recognise that sediment storage blocks the oxidation of carbon, said Shanan Peters, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US.

Without burial, this oxidation reaction causes dead plant material on Earth's surface to burn. That causes the carbon it contains, which originated in the atmosphere, to bond with oxygen to form carbon dioxide.

For oxygen to build up in our atmosphere, plant organic matter must be protected from oxidation.

That is exactly what happens when organic matter – the raw material of coal, oil and natural gas – is buried through geologic processes, researchers said.

To make this case, researchers mined a unique data set called Macrostrat, an accumulation of geologic information on North America.

The parallel graphs of oxygen in the atmosphere and sediment burial, based on the formation of sedimentary rock, indicate a relationship between oxygen and sediment.

Both graphs show a smaller peak at 2.3 billion years ago and a larger one about 500 million years ago.

"It's a correlation, but our argument is that there are mechanistic connections between geology and the history of atmospheric oxygen," said postdoctoral fellow Jon Husson.

"When you store sediment, it contains organic matter that was formed by photosynthesis, which converted carbon dioxide into biomass and released oxygen into the atmosphere," Husson said.

"Burial removes the carbon from Earth's surface, preventing it from bonding molecular oxygen pulled from the atmosphere," he added.

Some of the surges in sediment burial that researchers identified coincided with the formation of vast fields of fossil fuel that are still mined on Saturday, including the oil-rich Permian Basin in Texas and the Pennsylvania coal fields of Appalachia.

"Burying the sediments that became fossil fuels was the key to advanced animal life on Earth," Peters said.

The study was published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

Former Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal on Saturday took over as the new Lt Governor of Delhi.

Baijal was administered the oath of office by Delhi High Court Chief Justice G Rohini at the Lt Governor's Office here.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet colleagues and senior officers of the Union and Delhi governments were present at the ceremony.

Soon after, Kejriwal took to Twitter to welcome Baijal's appointment.

"We welcome you sir. We look forward to work together for Delhi's development," Kejriwal tweeted.

Jung, who resigned on December 22 was at loggerheads with Kejriwal and his ministers ever since the Aam Aadmi Party swept to power in the national capital in February 2015.

In his first message to Delhi residents soon after taking charge as Delhi's Lt Governor, Baijal extended his greetings to the people for the New Year.

"On New Year Eve, Lt Governor Anil Baijal extends his warmest greetings to all the residents of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the citizens of India," a statement said.

Baijal, a 1969-batch Indian Administrative Service officer, retired from service in 2006.

In his 37-year-long career as a top bureaucrat, Baijal held several posts, including those of the Union Home Secretary, Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Airlines, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Joint Secretary and Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Assailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation, the Congress on Saturday said the "disastrous" currency ban decision will lead to a drop in every economic indicator.

Claiming that nothing has changed even after the end of the self imposed 50 day deadline by Modi, Congress leader and MP Rajeev Gowda said the November 8 decision to spike Rs.1000 and Rs.500 notes has "decimated" the institution of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). 

"Fifty days after Modi made disaster of demonetisation, nothing is changing for better. In times of recession, the government pumps in money to revive the economy, but Modi did exactly the opposite and unleashed a disaster on the otherwise growing economy," said Gowda. 

"Because of this disaster, 2017 is going to see a drop in every economic indicator that matters to India.No new jobs will be created, sectors like agriculture, construction, real estate, all of which are huge employers, are going to see a downturn.

"Rather than creating jobs, Modi has destroyed jobs," he said. 

Pointing to the regular change and reversal of rules concerning demonetisation, Godwa said: "We have seen a mockery of governance in every sense".

"We have seen the institution of RBI being decimated in terms of its autonomy, respectability, authority and its role in monetary policy and cash management. 

"People have died in queues and otherwise and the Prime Minister and his cabinet has been callous in not even acknowledging the tragedy of monumental failure in implementing the idea that was not appropriate for India," added Gowda. 

The party on the occasion unveiled a book providing a "detailed analysis of everything that has gone wrong in implementing demonetisation". 

"This book will expose the fraud that has been done in the name of demonetisation," said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

The Union Home Ministry has cleared a proposal to add 15,000 more personnel to the Delhi Police and it awaits the Finance Ministry's nod, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said terming its strength as "inadequate".

Singh made the announcement at a mega police event here where ranks were awarded to 24 personnel out of the 27,000 promoted this year.

The expansion, if effected, will make the force nearly one lakh strong.

"I feel Delhi Police strength is not adequate. It has to increase. The proposal pertaining to recruitment of 15,000 personnel have been sent to the Finance Ministry by the Home Ministry. I hope the approval will be received soon," he said.

The event also saw the presence of Ministers of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Verma and a bevy of senior officials, inspectors, constables and their family members.

Singh said it was "raining promotions" in Delhi Police as "no where" have so many personnel been promoted together. He lauded Verma's efforts toward removing the stagnation in promotion.

"Promotions are in short supply in Police as well as in paramilitary forces and when it happens the person is on the last leg of his career. I had told the police commissioner to promote personnel when it is due without any hesitation," Singh said.

According to official data, Delhi Police at present has a total sanctioned strength of around 82,242, of which 77,083 are filled.

Singh said policing the national capital was a difficult and challenging task as it has a large floating population and a character quite different from other cities. He said there are many who do not acknowledge these difficulties.

The Home Minister said there will be no political pressure on police to release any criminal and that police should not succumb to any such pressure.

"I had told former police commissioner BS Bassi to ensure that no person has to go back from a police station without filing FIR if he wants to. I told him to go ahead knowing well that it paints a bad picture of law and order situation," Singh said.

He asked police to develop rapport with the public which he said would help it get crucial leads and inspire confidence instead of a "sense of fear".

"During the demonetisation drive, people acted as whistle blowers and enabled police to track down those indulging in unfair means. Police should ensure that these whistle blowers are not troubled," he said.

Referring to his Shanghai trip and state of policing there, Singh stressed the need to develop a strong command control centre and the necessity to install CCTV cameras.

In his speech, Verma claimed that crime, including against women, has "come down" in the city mainly due to strengthening of basic policing.

Underlining the role of constables and head constables in maintaining law and order, he said the promotions would boost their morale and inspire them to do more.

"The promotion scene was not good. In many cases, people were stuck even after serving for 28 years," he said.