Grieving relatives are angry at the school authorities

Meena Kumari had been sought since the tragedy in eastern Bihar state. She handed herself in on Wednesday.

Police believe she can help explain how the deadly insecticide monocrotophos ended up in the free school lunch.

In all, 47 primary school children fell ill after consuming the meal of rice and soybeans.

The Mid-Day meal scheme, introduced to combat hunger and boost school attendance, provides free food for 120 million children in 1.2 million schools across India.

It often suffers from poor hygiene, and poisoning outbreaks occur from time to time, although rarely if ever with such deadly results.

All of the teachers in Bihar's state-run primary schools have vowed not to participate in the scheme from Friday.

"Teachers and the headmasters have to manage the scheme with little help, low-quality food and corruption at every level," said B Sharma, head of the primary school teachers' association.

"But when such an incident happens, a teacher or the principal is held responsible."

Earlier, police said scientific tests had detected "very toxic" levels of the pesticide monocrotophos in the deadly meals.

Vegetable oil used to prepare the food was revealed to be highly contaminated.

"It was the high quantity of monocrotophos insecticide found in the food which proved fatal for the schoolchildren," said Ravindra Kumar, a top police official in Bihar state capital Patna.

The school's cook, Manju Devi, had earlier accused the school principal, Meena Kumari, of forcing her to use the oil, despite the cook complaining that it "smelled strongly" and looked "dodgy". She said she was told the oil was "home-made and safe to use".

State Education Minister, PK Shahi, said it had been bought from the grocery store run by the teacher's husband.

Police have also been investigating whether the oil was kept in a container previously used to store pesticide.

Reports say Meena Kumari was on her way to the court to hand herself in on Wednesday, but officers stopped her and arrested her before she could go inside.

She faces charges of murder and gross negligence, according to police.

"We have arrested her for questioning," said Sujeet Kumar, the police chief of Saran district, where the children died.

He told the AFP news agency "we need to talk to her first" before bringing charges.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other state officials have been criticised for being slow to respond to the tragedy.

"I assure you, those found guilty will be taken to court and punished," he told a news conference shortly after the arrest.

Locals complained that it took days for any top-level official to visit the village of Dharmasati Gandaman, where the poisoning occurred on 16 July.

There have been widespread protests following the deaths and children across India have reportedly been refusing school meals.

GROS ISLET: After ensuring that their unbeaten run in head-to-head series in the West Indies since the 1988 tour will be extended, Pakistan are in no mood to relax when the final One-Day International of the five-match series against West Indies is played at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia on Wednesday.

Following a six-wicket win in the rain-affected fourth match at the same venue on Sunday, the tourists enjoy an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series and the hosts are under increasing pressure to get the win that will square the rubber and at least reassure Caribbean fans that the regional team is steadily improving in the countdown to the next World Cup.

The third fixture, also played at Beausejour, finished in a tie.

“We're looking forward to winning again. We gained a lot from that win (on Sunday) and confidence will be high for this final game,” said Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq in anticipating the final challenge.

He was full of praise for left-arm seamer Junaid Khan. Together with Mohammad Irfan, they have been the most effective spearheads for Pakistan.

However their third left-armer, Wahab Riaz, has found the going tough in the last two matches and may be forced to make way for Asad Ali, who opened the bowling in the first two matches in Guyana.

Despite proving to be extremely expensive in the final overs of their opponents' innings so far in the series, West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo has continued to opt for his medium-pacers at the death, often resulting in a significant acceleration of the Pakistani scoring.

He finally admitted in the aftermath of defeat on Sunday that those tactics will have to be revisited.

Yet it remains to be seen what he will choose to do on the day given the reluctance to utilise Darren Sammy when the late charge is on, despite the fact that the former ODI captain has been consistently one of the most economical bowlers with his medium-pacers.

Following Wednesday's series finale, the teams travel to St Vincent for back-to-back T20 Internationals at the weekend, which will conclude Pakistan's short tour.

KIRKUK: Bombs targeting worshippers gathered for evening prayers at four Sunni mosques in Iraq killed 12 people on Tuesday, officials said.

A bomb exploded in the Omar bin Abdulaziz Mosqe in the northern city of Kiruk, while another blast struck near Al-Salihin Mosque close by, killing a total of seven people and wounding 31.

Two bombs exploded near Ahmed al-Mukhtar Mosque in the Dura area of south Baghdad, killing at least three people and wounding at least nine.

And a car bomb exploded near Al-Imam Ali Mosque in Kut, southeast of Baghdad, killing two people and wounding nine.

Both Sunni and Shia places of worship have been attacked in recent months, raising fears of a return to the all-out sectarian conflict that killed tens of thousands of people in past years.

With the latest attacks, more than 630 people have been killed in violence so far this month, making July the deadliest month in a year marked by spiraling violence.

Months after promising peace talks with insurgents, Pakistan's new prime minister appears to be backing down and accepting that the use of military force may be unavoidable in the face of escalating violence across the South Asian country.

Almost 200 people have been killed in rebel attacks in Pakistan since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif came to power last month, advocating peace talks with the Pakistani branch of the Taliban.

Sharif's tougher line signals that Pakistan's powerful military still has the upper hand in policy-making, despite hopes that the government would have a larger say after he came to power in the country's first transition between civilian administrations.

"Of course we want to try talks but they are a far off possibility," said a government official, who has knowledge of discussions between civilian and military leaders on how to tackle the Taliban.

"There is so much ground work that needs to be done. And when you are dealing with a group as diverse and internally divided as the Pakistani Taliban, then you can never be sure that every sub-group would honour talks."

The military has ruled Pakistan for more than half the 66 years it has been independent.

Seeking to dispel a view that he is losing the momentum, Sharif, who once said that "guns and bullets are not always the answer", has promised to come up with a new security strategy.

But progress has been painfully slow, blighted by infighting and the army's long-standing contempt for the civilian leadership.

An official report into the killing of Osama bin Laden by US forces in Pakistan in 2011, leaked this month, offered striking insights into just how deep this distrust runs.

In the document, the former chief of the ISI intelligence agency, which is dominated by the military, was quoted as saying bluntly that the country's political leadership was "unable to formulate any policy".

In the meantime, attacks continue unabated.

A bomb ripped through a busy street in Lahore on July 7, striking in the heart of Sharif's otherwise relatively peaceful home city. President Asif Ali Zardari's security chief was killed in a suicide bomb in Karachi on July 10.

"They (the Pakistani Taliban) see this as an opportunity. They want to send a message to Nawaz Sharif of their strength and his relative weakness," said Ahmed Rashid, an author and expert on the Taliban.

"The army is against the talks right now. They want to hammer these guys a little bit more."

Yet, the military and the ISI are in favour of talks involving the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan. Although the Pakistani Taliban accepts the leader of the Afghan faction as its own leader, the two groups operate separately.

ISLAMABAD: The stage will be set for next month’s presidential election on Wednesday, with the deadline for submission of nomination papers for the top slot expiring at 12 noon.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has officially nominated Mamnoon Hussain for the post of presidential candidate. Later, he submitted his nomination papers in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Pakistan Peoples Party's candidate Senator Raza Rabbani has also submitted his nomination papers. Earlier, Awami National Party (ANP) and BNP-Awami have declared senior PPP leader Senator Raza Rabbani as their joint presidential candidate.

The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) candidate Justice Wajhiuddin has also submitted his nomination papers in the Sindh High Court (SHC).

According to DawnNews, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) decided not to contest for the elections and will be supporting another party's candidate for the post of president.

As per the schedule, the scrutiny process will take place on July 26. The candidates will have the option of withdrawal of nomination papers on July 27 and the final list of candidates will also be issued on the same day. Polling for the presidential office is scheduled to be held on July 30.

Senior PML-N leaders had earlier told Dawn that the former governor of Sindh was the front-runner among the party’s shortlisted candidates, followed by PM’s adviser on foreign affairs and national security Sartaj Aziz and former chief justice of Pakistan Justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui.

Keeping in view the position of the electoral college, the ruling party’s nominee is expected to emerge as the winner.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered for the presidential election to be held on July 30, following the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that it would not give a new date for the polls.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered for the presidential election to be held on July 30, following the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that it would not give a new date for the polls.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry also instructed Director General (DG) of the election commission to execute the court's order and to complete the scrutiny process by tomorrow.

Earlier, the ECP announced that it was leaving the matter in the hands of the SC.

The commission's view came after the SC gave it until 11 am to convey its stance on an application submitted by Senator Raja Zafarul Haq of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) seeking to hold the upcoming presidential election before the announced date of Aug 6.

Haq had submitted his petition in the SC after the ECP had turned down a request made by the federal government to change the date for presidential election, saying that polls would be held on Aug 6 as announced.

Earlier, a three-member of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar, heard Zafarul Haq’s petition.

The PML-N senator, in his request, asked the apex court not to hold the presidential election during the last Ashra (ten days) of Ramazan.

He further gave the reference of various reports published in the media, according to which more than a hundred lawmakers would not be available on Aug 6 to participate in the presidential election, as they would be engaged in Aitekaf, Umrah and other religious duties.

Haq's petition sought to hold the presidential election on July 30.

During the hearing, Attorney General Munir A. Malik informed the court that the federal government supported Haq’s petition. Moreover, he said it was the constitutional right of every member of the Parliament to vote in the presidential polls.

Chief Justice Iftikhar asked as to what would be the constitutional barriers in preponing the election, adding that the participation of every parliamentarian in the polls would permit constitutional requirements to be better fulfilled.

He remarked that the ECP should consider holding the election on the date requested by Haq.

Extroverts, those outgoing, gregarious types who wear their personalities on their sleeve, are generally happier, studies show. Some research also has found that introverts, who are more withdrawn in nature, will feel a greater sense of happiness if they act extroverted.

Experts aren't entirely sure why behaving like an extrovert makes people feel better. One theory is that being talkative and engaging influences how people respond to you, especially if that response is positive. Others speculate that people get more satisfaction when they express their core self and opinions. Another possibility: Happiness might come simply from having successfully completed a goal, such as giving a speech.

"If you're introverted and act extroverted, you will be happier. It doesn't matter who you are, it's all about what you do," said William Fleeson, a psychology professor at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Other studies have shown that extroverts are more motivated than introverts. Researchers believe this is due in part to extroverts' greater sensitivity to dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a big role in behavior driven by rewards.

Clark Powell considers himself an introvert, but his job as vice president of a media relations and multimedia production firm means he often must act out of character. "My job requires me to be on TV…and to do media training and presentations in front of large groups of people, as painful as that can be sometimes," said the 46-year-old in Columbia, Ohio. Though he may dread making a presentation, he says he is exhilarated afterward. "I do feel a sense of relief and elation, but I don't know if that's because of the experience or because the experience is over," he said.

Mr. Powell disagrees with research findings that extroverts are happier and more motivated. While extroverts might derive happiness through feedback from others, Mr. Powell says his sources of pleasure include learning new things and reading a good book. "I may not share my happiness as willingly as other people…but I consider myself just as happy and I'm extremely motivated to learn and grow as an individual."

Whether a person is an extrovert or introvert is one of the big five traits commonly used by psychologists to classify personalities. (The others are openness to experience, conscientiousness, agreeableness and neuroticism.) Researchers say people generally fall somewhere in the middle, with attributes of both types. Extroverts tend to thrive off of interaction with other people. Introverts are typically more reserved, but not necessarily shy. They prefer solitary behavior or engaging in small groups.

Researchers say genetics may play a large role in whether we are more extroverted or introverted. Social experiences, especially those outside of the family environment, are also important, particularly as a child and young adult when the connectivity between neurons is being established.

Dr. Fleeson, of Wake Forest University, reported in a 2012 article in the Journal of Personality the results of an experiment that found introverts experience greater levels of happiness when they act more extroverted. In the weeklong study, researchers followed 85 people who recorded on Palm Pilots how extroverted they were acting and how happy they were feeling. Other studies of introvert behavior have reached similar conclusions.

So why don't introverts act like extroverts more often? John Zelenski, a psychologist at Carleton University in Ottawa, and fellow researchers probed that question in an April article in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

A series of studies, which included more than 600 college students, found that introverts misjudge how they would feel after acting extroverted. They often predicted feelings of anxiety and embarrassment, which never transpired.

"Introverts kind of underestimate how much fun it will be to act extroverted," said Dr. Zelenski. "You don't think you want to go to a party and then go and have a great time." Dr. Zelenski and other researchers also considered whether people acting in a way that goes against their natural disposition might wear themselves out. In two studies, a total of about 150 college students were instructed to behave in an extroverted or introverted manner during a group activity. Questionnaires and cognitive tests measured how much mental energy was depleted.

"We didn't find a lot of evidence for…the idea that acting like an extrovert would wear out introverts," said Dr. Zelenski. However, he said: "We found acting like an introvert tended to wear out extroverts," who performed worse on cognitive tests.

Still, Brian Little a psychology professor at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, believes that acting out of character can take a physiological toll on the nervous and immune systems. Dr. Little says he's an introvert who often has to engage in extroverted behavior, such as making speeches, in order to advance his work. Afterward, Dr. Little says he often needs to emotionally recharge.

While extroverts might benefit from interacting with others during a break at a conference, Dr. Little prefers to go for walk if he has time. If not, he might hide in the restroom. "As an introvert acting as an extrovert I need to escape from the vicissitudes of overstimulating colleagues," he said.

Dr. Little says some of his students are starting a study to explore the cost of acting out of character. "I'm quite confident that we can show that going against your traits is going to use up resources," such as glucose, he said. "Anything that requires concentration is going to deplete glucose resources," he said.

Researchers say genetic differences also can account for why introverts don't seek to act extroverted. That's because introverts don't get the payoff for that behavior that extroverts do, in the form of heightened sensitivity to the neurotransmitter dopamine. The reasons this occurs aren't fully understood, says Richard Depue, a professor of neuroscience in the department of human development at Cornell University. The bottom line: Extroverts are wired to act more motivated to get that reward.

Luke Smillie, a senior lecturer of psychology at the University of Melbourne in Australia, notes that most studies of introverts and extroverts take place in the U.S. and other western countries where extroversion is often perceived to be more valuable. "The question is, would you observe the same effects in cultures that didn't have this sort of value placed on being outgoing and assertive and so forth?" he said.

"We live in a culture that very much subscribes to the extrovert ideal of being bold and assertive," said Susan Cain, a former corporate lawyer who wrote a book last year called "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking," which argues that introverts are unfairly maligned. Rather than trying to get introverts to act more extroverted, she argues that society should be drawing on their natural strengths, which can include being a good listener and working creatively.