Finnish police have confirmed they have found the body of a gunman responsible for killing five people in a shooting rampage in the southern city of Espoo.
Investigators said 43-year-old Ibrahim Shkupolli shot dead three men and a woman with a 9mm pistol at a grocery shop inside the Sello shopping centre.
The body of Shkupolli's ex-girlfriend, who also worked at the shop, was later found dead at a flat in the city.
Sean Crowley reports.
WORLD NEWS :- Hundreds Demonstrate on Border With Gaza
WORLD NEWS - JERUSALEM — Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on both sides of the Israeli-Gazan border on Thursday to mark a year since Israel’s three-week war in Gaza, and to call for an end to the blockade of the area imposed by Israel and Egypt.
TECHNOLOGY NEWSAbout 85 of the several hundred demonstrators inside Gaza were foreigners, part of a group of more than 1,000 who arrived in Cairo in hopes of entering the territory but who were stopped by the Egyptian authorities. After days of negotiation, Egypt permitted a small delegation to cross the normally closed border at the southern Gazan city of Rafah.
On the Israeli side, about 1,000 people rallied in protest as well, most of them Israeli Arabs but some of them Israeli Jews who object to the blockade. They carried banners with pictures of children in destroyed buildings. Through the cellphone of an Arab member of the Israeli Parliament, Talab el-Sana, the Hamas prime minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, addressed the Israelis and thanked them.
The Gaza marchers waved Palestinian flags and held banners that called for a lifting of the closure, imposed after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. The marchers chanted “Free Palestine!” and “No to the siege!”
A Hamas spokesman in Gaza, Taher al-Nunu, welcomed the foreigners and said at their rally: “We are not alone in Gaza. We have many friends outside Palestine who came to protest the siege and the Israeli occupation.”
One of the visiting demonstrators, Julia Harley, 26, of New Jersey, said she and her fellow marchers “want the American people to understand what is happening here, and to pay attention.”
A year ago, Israel fought for three weeks in Gaza to stop the shooting of thousands of rockets from there into its southern communities, like Sderot. About 1,300 people were killed and 4,000 homes destroyed. Reconstruction material remains barred from entering Gaza. The rockets, however, have essentially been stilled.
In Sderot on Thursday, about 200 children holding Israeli flags attached letters of peace to white balloons and sent them aloft on a hillside toward Gaza. But the wind was unfavorable and the balloons flew in the opposite direction.
TECHNOLOGY NEWSAbout 85 of the several hundred demonstrators inside Gaza were foreigners, part of a group of more than 1,000 who arrived in Cairo in hopes of entering the territory but who were stopped by the Egyptian authorities. After days of negotiation, Egypt permitted a small delegation to cross the normally closed border at the southern Gazan city of Rafah.
On the Israeli side, about 1,000 people rallied in protest as well, most of them Israeli Arabs but some of them Israeli Jews who object to the blockade. They carried banners with pictures of children in destroyed buildings. Through the cellphone of an Arab member of the Israeli Parliament, Talab el-Sana, the Hamas prime minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, addressed the Israelis and thanked them.
The Gaza marchers waved Palestinian flags and held banners that called for a lifting of the closure, imposed after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. The marchers chanted “Free Palestine!” and “No to the siege!”
A Hamas spokesman in Gaza, Taher al-Nunu, welcomed the foreigners and said at their rally: “We are not alone in Gaza. We have many friends outside Palestine who came to protest the siege and the Israeli occupation.”
One of the visiting demonstrators, Julia Harley, 26, of New Jersey, said she and her fellow marchers “want the American people to understand what is happening here, and to pay attention.”
A year ago, Israel fought for three weeks in Gaza to stop the shooting of thousands of rockets from there into its southern communities, like Sderot. About 1,300 people were killed and 4,000 homes destroyed. Reconstruction material remains barred from entering Gaza. The rockets, however, have essentially been stilled.
In Sderot on Thursday, about 200 children holding Israeli flags attached letters of peace to white balloons and sent them aloft on a hillside toward Gaza. But the wind was unfavorable and the balloons flew in the opposite direction.
TECHNOLOGY NEWS :- Fly C250 CDMA Phone Lands in India
Fly Mobiles has announced the launch of its latest CDMA mobile phone, the C-250, in India. The phone, based on the 800Mhz CDMA frequency, is being touted as an entry level device with a decent array of features.
The phone uses Qualcomm's QC1110 chipset which, the company claims, will offer longer talk times and an overall better power management
. In fact, the phone touts a talk time of 8 hours, which sounds good and is more than adequate. The C-250 also happens to be the first phone to be announced that is based on the aforementioned chipset. It is a BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless) capable phone and for the same reason, supports the application development platform created by Qualcomm that can download and run small programs for playing games, sending messages, sharing photos etc.
The device comes in a candy bar form factor and sports a 2-inch QVGA display that can display 65k colors. The 176x200 resolution might be inadequate but should do the job. At the rear, there is the 2 megapixel camera with basic features like digital zoom and a self timer.
The phone can be charged with the help of USB cable and the USB connectivity also allows the users to use it as a flash drive for data storage as and when required. The expandable memory with the help of mini-SD card is 4GB. Bluetooth too makes its way in.
The C-250 also possesses decent multimedia prowess and hence, the phone supports polyphonic and true ring tones in MP3, MIDI, AMR, AAC and AAC+ format. It has a full track MP3 player with play, pause, stop, back, mute etc. functions. Other notable features include FM Radio, calendar, alarms, world clock, voice recorder, speed dial, network information and time zone, currency converter etc.
The C-250 boasts of a standby battery life of 7 days and at a price of Rs. 4,490, it might not be a bad buy at all.
The phone uses Qualcomm's QC1110 chipset which, the company claims, will offer longer talk times and an overall better power management
. In fact, the phone touts a talk time of 8 hours, which sounds good and is more than adequate. The C-250 also happens to be the first phone to be announced that is based on the aforementioned chipset. It is a BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless) capable phone and for the same reason, supports the application development platform created by Qualcomm that can download and run small programs for playing games, sending messages, sharing photos etc.
The device comes in a candy bar form factor and sports a 2-inch QVGA display that can display 65k colors. The 176x200 resolution might be inadequate but should do the job. At the rear, there is the 2 megapixel camera with basic features like digital zoom and a self timer.
The phone can be charged with the help of USB cable and the USB connectivity also allows the users to use it as a flash drive for data storage as and when required. The expandable memory with the help of mini-SD card is 4GB. Bluetooth too makes its way in.
The C-250 also possesses decent multimedia prowess and hence, the phone supports polyphonic and true ring tones in MP3, MIDI, AMR, AAC and AAC+ format. It has a full track MP3 player with play, pause, stop, back, mute etc. functions. Other notable features include FM Radio, calendar, alarms, world clock, voice recorder, speed dial, network information and time zone, currency converter etc.
The C-250 boasts of a standby battery life of 7 days and at a price of Rs. 4,490, it might not be a bad buy at all.
TECHNOLOGY NEWS :- Mozilla to launch web browser for cellphones
Mozilla, the world’s second-largest Internet browser firm, is all set to release its Firefox web browser Fennec for mobile phones next
year, in order to compete with existing rivals including Opera Mini, Safari, Chrome, Nokia, Netfront and Internet Explorer for mobile. The war for browser market share is set to be shifted to the mobile market, experts say.
Globally, on the mobile front, Opera commands the largest market share—about 26%, followed by Safari (22%), Nokia web browser (19%) and iTouch (10%). Other web browsers which may face competition from Fennec will be Netfront, Android, Blackberry and Sony PSP.
However, on desktops Mozilla’s Firefox browser commands a global market share of about 25%. Internet Explorer, commands a majority share of almost 63% while Safari has a market share of about 5%. In India, however, Opera is the clear leader on the mobile with a market share of 63%, followed by Nokia at 26%.
The statistics may change next year as Firefox launches Fennec. On the desktop side Firefox has already captured a market share of 30% in India after Microsoft’s Internet explorer which has a market share of 50%.
Indian market is also quick to adopt new technologies. It’s evident from the fact that relatively new Chrome already has a share of about 11% in India, compared to 5%, globally.
Firefox mobile is expected to be available for most open environments like Android, Nokia’s Maemo, Symbian and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile. Apple’s Safari for iPhones will however be in safe territory as Fennec may not be available on iPhone.
Fennec is expected to include touchscreen support, pop-up blockers with a tabbrowsing interface. Mozilla’s Fennec may also be available for desktops based on Windows and Linux, but the prime focus of it will be the mobile phone, for which it will be optimised.
The earlier browser wars were fought from 1995 onwards when Internet Explorer made Netscape vanish from the marketplace by its sheer dominance in operating systems. The years following 2000 saw erosion of IE’s market share by Google, Opera and Firefox and extinction of Netscape Navigator.
Microsoft has still got the largest market share on desktops. But mobile phones being a generally non monopolistic environment may see more upheaval.
year, in order to compete with existing rivals including Opera Mini, Safari, Chrome, Nokia, Netfront and Internet Explorer for mobile. The war for browser market share is set to be shifted to the mobile market, experts say.
Globally, on the mobile front, Opera commands the largest market share—about 26%, followed by Safari (22%), Nokia web browser (19%) and iTouch (10%). Other web browsers which may face competition from Fennec will be Netfront, Android, Blackberry and Sony PSP.
However, on desktops Mozilla’s Firefox browser commands a global market share of about 25%. Internet Explorer, commands a majority share of almost 63% while Safari has a market share of about 5%. In India, however, Opera is the clear leader on the mobile with a market share of 63%, followed by Nokia at 26%.
The statistics may change next year as Firefox launches Fennec. On the desktop side Firefox has already captured a market share of 30% in India after Microsoft’s Internet explorer which has a market share of 50%.
Indian market is also quick to adopt new technologies. It’s evident from the fact that relatively new Chrome already has a share of about 11% in India, compared to 5%, globally.
Firefox mobile is expected to be available for most open environments like Android, Nokia’s Maemo, Symbian and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile. Apple’s Safari for iPhones will however be in safe territory as Fennec may not be available on iPhone.
Fennec is expected to include touchscreen support, pop-up blockers with a tabbrowsing interface. Mozilla’s Fennec may also be available for desktops based on Windows and Linux, but the prime focus of it will be the mobile phone, for which it will be optimised.
The earlier browser wars were fought from 1995 onwards when Internet Explorer made Netscape vanish from the marketplace by its sheer dominance in operating systems. The years following 2000 saw erosion of IE’s market share by Google, Opera and Firefox and extinction of Netscape Navigator.
Microsoft has still got the largest market share on desktops. But mobile phones being a generally non monopolistic environment may see more upheaval.
TECHNOLOGY NEWS:- City greets 2010 with blue moon
TECHNOLOGY NEWS :- The lunar eclipse that coincided with the New Year blast failed to dampen the spirit of revellers in the city. In sync with the festive
tune, people thronged hotels, lounges and restaurants to party and welcome the New Year.
“There was no effect of lunar eclipse on the New Year celebrations. We were almost full by 9pm with a large crowd waiting outside for its turn,” said Anand Verma, manager of a restaurant in Hazratganj. “For once it appeared that many people weren’t aware of the lunar eclipse. And of those who knew, few cared for it,” he added.
For aspiring designer Priya Jha, the lunar eclipse was of no importance. When informed about the eclipse falling on this date after a century, she said: “what difference does that make?”
But astrologers took the eclipse seriously. “Eclipses do influence people’s lives just the way stars do. Those who came in direct contact of the eclipse between 12.22am and 1.24am should have been careful. But since most of the New Year parties were planned indoors due to the cold weather, there was not much reason to worry,” said Vinay Kumar Dubey, a city based astrologer.
Temples in the city, however, closed early in wake of the eclipse. Mythology says that a lunar eclipse generates negative energy. “It is inauspicious to invoke the deities during an eclipse. The idols are covered by organic materials like grass, neem leaves, vila trees or raw silk shroud to prevent the natural aura from being destroyed,” said a priest at the Hanuman temple on the University Road.
Astronomers and star-gazers, however, celebrated the New Year looking at the sky. In-charge, Indira Gandhi Planetarium, Anil Yadav informed that a lunar eclipse occurs whenever the moon passes through some portion of the earth’s shadow. This can occur only when the sun, earth and moon are aligned exactly or very closely aligned with earth in the middle.
“It is a pleasure to watch this celestial phenomenon,” he said, adding that it was unfortunate that many people did not watch it due to superstition. But, the astro-lovers spent the New Year with stars and the moon. “I completely enjoyed it. I have seen a lunar eclipse before but this one was special as it coincided with the New Year. Also, it was a blue moon (second full moon in a calender month) that braved the eclipse,” said Anupam Kumar, an amateur astronomer.
tune, people thronged hotels, lounges and restaurants to party and welcome the New Year.
“There was no effect of lunar eclipse on the New Year celebrations. We were almost full by 9pm with a large crowd waiting outside for its turn,” said Anand Verma, manager of a restaurant in Hazratganj. “For once it appeared that many people weren’t aware of the lunar eclipse. And of those who knew, few cared for it,” he added.
For aspiring designer Priya Jha, the lunar eclipse was of no importance. When informed about the eclipse falling on this date after a century, she said: “what difference does that make?”
But astrologers took the eclipse seriously. “Eclipses do influence people’s lives just the way stars do. Those who came in direct contact of the eclipse between 12.22am and 1.24am should have been careful. But since most of the New Year parties were planned indoors due to the cold weather, there was not much reason to worry,” said Vinay Kumar Dubey, a city based astrologer.
Temples in the city, however, closed early in wake of the eclipse. Mythology says that a lunar eclipse generates negative energy. “It is inauspicious to invoke the deities during an eclipse. The idols are covered by organic materials like grass, neem leaves, vila trees or raw silk shroud to prevent the natural aura from being destroyed,” said a priest at the Hanuman temple on the University Road.
Astronomers and star-gazers, however, celebrated the New Year looking at the sky. In-charge, Indira Gandhi Planetarium, Anil Yadav informed that a lunar eclipse occurs whenever the moon passes through some portion of the earth’s shadow. This can occur only when the sun, earth and moon are aligned exactly or very closely aligned with earth in the middle.
“It is a pleasure to watch this celestial phenomenon,” he said, adding that it was unfortunate that many people did not watch it due to superstition. But, the astro-lovers spent the New Year with stars and the moon. “I completely enjoyed it. I have seen a lunar eclipse before but this one was special as it coincided with the New Year. Also, it was a blue moon (second full moon in a calender month) that braved the eclipse,” said Anupam Kumar, an amateur astronomer.
BUSINESS NEWS :- India to overtake China in 2020: Swaminathan Aiyar
n the past decades, India has been world number one in starvation deaths, foreign aid and bribery. In the 2000s, it was transformed from a
India and China flags
What is IIP?
Know what is monetary policy
India's road to economic reform
India a safe bet
chronic under-performer to a potential superpower. Here are eight predictions of what it will look like in 2020:
India will overtake China as the fastest-growing economy in the world. China will start ageing and suffering from a declining workforce, and will be forced to revalue its currency. So its growth will decelerate, just as Japan decelerated in the 1990s after looking unstoppable in the 1980s. Having become the world’s second-biggest economy, China’s export-oriented model will erode sharply — the world will no longer be able to absorb its exports at the earlier pace. Meanwhile, India will gain demographically with a growing workforce that is more literate than ever before. The poorer Indian states will start catching up with the richer ones. This will take India’s GDP growth to 10% by 2020, while China’s growth will dip to 7-8%.
India will become the largest English-speaking nation in the world, overtaking the US. So, the global publishing industry will shift in a big way to India. Rupert Murdoch’s heirs will sell his collapsing media empire to Indian buyers. The New York Times will become a subsidiary of an Indian publishing giant.
In the 2000s, India finally gained entry into the nuclear club, and sanctions against it were lifted. By 2020, Indian companies will be major exporters of nuclear equipment, a vital link in the global supply chain. So, India will be in a position to impose nuclear sanctions on others.
India, along with the US and Canada, will develop new technology to extract natural gas from gas hydrates — a solidified form of gas lying on ocean floors. India has the largest gas hydrate deposits in the world, and so will become the biggest global producer. This will enable India to substitute gas for coal in power generation, hugely reducing carbon emissions and making Jairam Ramesh look saintly.
India will also discover enormous deposits of shale gas in its vast shale formations running through the Gangetic plain, Assam, Rajasthan and Gujarat. New technology has made the extraction of shale gas economic, so India will become a major gas producer and exporter. Meanwhile, Iran’s mullahs will be overthrown, and a new democratic regime will usher in rapid economic growth that creates a shortage of gas in Iran by 2020. So, the Iran-India pipeline will be recast, but in reverse form: India will now export gas to Iran.
More and more regions of India will demand separate statehood. By 2020, India will have 50 states instead of the current 28. The new states will not exactly be small. With 50 states and a population of almost 1.5 billion, India will average 30 million people per state, far higher than the current US average of 6 million per state.
China, alarmed at India’s rise, will raise tensions along the Himalayan border. China will threaten to divert the waters of the Brahmaputra from Tibet to water-scarce northern China. India will threaten to bomb any such project. The issue will go to the Security Council.
Islamic fundamentalists will take over in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The US will withdraw from the region, leaving India to bear the brunt of consequences. Terrorism will rise in India, but the economy will still keep growing. How so? Well, 3000 people die every year falling off Mumbai’s suburban trains, and that does not stop Mumbai’s growth. Terrorism will bruise India, but not halt its growth. Z
India and China flags
What is IIP?
Know what is monetary policy
India's road to economic reform
India a safe bet
chronic under-performer to a potential superpower. Here are eight predictions of what it will look like in 2020:
India will overtake China as the fastest-growing economy in the world. China will start ageing and suffering from a declining workforce, and will be forced to revalue its currency. So its growth will decelerate, just as Japan decelerated in the 1990s after looking unstoppable in the 1980s. Having become the world’s second-biggest economy, China’s export-oriented model will erode sharply — the world will no longer be able to absorb its exports at the earlier pace. Meanwhile, India will gain demographically with a growing workforce that is more literate than ever before. The poorer Indian states will start catching up with the richer ones. This will take India’s GDP growth to 10% by 2020, while China’s growth will dip to 7-8%.
India will become the largest English-speaking nation in the world, overtaking the US. So, the global publishing industry will shift in a big way to India. Rupert Murdoch’s heirs will sell his collapsing media empire to Indian buyers. The New York Times will become a subsidiary of an Indian publishing giant.
In the 2000s, India finally gained entry into the nuclear club, and sanctions against it were lifted. By 2020, Indian companies will be major exporters of nuclear equipment, a vital link in the global supply chain. So, India will be in a position to impose nuclear sanctions on others.
India, along with the US and Canada, will develop new technology to extract natural gas from gas hydrates — a solidified form of gas lying on ocean floors. India has the largest gas hydrate deposits in the world, and so will become the biggest global producer. This will enable India to substitute gas for coal in power generation, hugely reducing carbon emissions and making Jairam Ramesh look saintly.
India will also discover enormous deposits of shale gas in its vast shale formations running through the Gangetic plain, Assam, Rajasthan and Gujarat. New technology has made the extraction of shale gas economic, so India will become a major gas producer and exporter. Meanwhile, Iran’s mullahs will be overthrown, and a new democratic regime will usher in rapid economic growth that creates a shortage of gas in Iran by 2020. So, the Iran-India pipeline will be recast, but in reverse form: India will now export gas to Iran.
More and more regions of India will demand separate statehood. By 2020, India will have 50 states instead of the current 28. The new states will not exactly be small. With 50 states and a population of almost 1.5 billion, India will average 30 million people per state, far higher than the current US average of 6 million per state.
China, alarmed at India’s rise, will raise tensions along the Himalayan border. China will threaten to divert the waters of the Brahmaputra from Tibet to water-scarce northern China. India will threaten to bomb any such project. The issue will go to the Security Council.
Islamic fundamentalists will take over in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The US will withdraw from the region, leaving India to bear the brunt of consequences. Terrorism will rise in India, but the economy will still keep growing. How so? Well, 3000 people die every year falling off Mumbai’s suburban trains, and that does not stop Mumbai’s growth. Terrorism will bruise India, but not halt its growth. Z
BUSINESS NEWS :- India is world’s third best performing market in 2009
Mumbai: India was the third best performing market in the world in 2009 just behind Russia and Brazil.
While the BSE Sensex returned 81%, the Brazilian market gave investors a slightly higher return of 82.7% and the Russian market offered investors a handsome return of 111.6%. During 2009, Indian markets were buoyant on FII buying and the rally across the global markets. Metal, oil & gas, power and capital goods stocks led the rally throughout 2009. The broad market as measured by the movement of BSE Sensex, gained by 81% from December 31,2008 to December 31, 2009.This return was higher than the eleven major world indices such as Nasdaq Composite Index, S&P 500 Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nikkei 225.
Mehul Dedhia, associate vice-president at Sharekhan said, “There are three major reasons for such a surge in the markets. Firstly, the condition of global markets has improved and we are also witnessing huge inflows from foreign funds. Apart from that in the last two quarters, we also saw strong earnings growth. The major game changer was the general elections in which Congress-led UPA government came with the clean majority.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended higher by 1772.11 points (20.2%) at 10548.50 on December 30, 2009. Recently, the US Federal Reserve plans to offer term deposits to banks as part of its “ exit strategy” from the exceptionally loose monetary policy used to fight recession. Better-than-expected report on Midwest manufacturing helped sentiment. Nasdaq composite index ended higher by 714.25 points at 2291.28. S&P 500 also ended higher by 223.17 points at 1126.42 on Decemeber 30, 2009. The Nikkei 225 of Japan appreciated by 19% during 2009, buoyed by trading firms such as Mitsui & Co after gains in oil & metals prices, while automakers also edged up. Shanghai SE Composite Index gave 79.2% return in 2009 which is next to India despite higher GDP growth. According to Bloomberge UTV Stock Market News, Beijing will stick to its loose monetary stance, but will try to be more flexible in implementing its policies, People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said recently.
From the above analysis, one thing is clear that emerging market economies are outpacing developed countries in global economic recovery and may continue to do so for some time.
D R Dogra, deputy managing director,CARE, said, “ The effect of economic slowdown on India was significantly lower as compared to other markets.”
While the BSE Sensex returned 81%, the Brazilian market gave investors a slightly higher return of 82.7% and the Russian market offered investors a handsome return of 111.6%. During 2009, Indian markets were buoyant on FII buying and the rally across the global markets. Metal, oil & gas, power and capital goods stocks led the rally throughout 2009. The broad market as measured by the movement of BSE Sensex, gained by 81% from December 31,2008 to December 31, 2009.This return was higher than the eleven major world indices such as Nasdaq Composite Index, S&P 500 Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nikkei 225.
Mehul Dedhia, associate vice-president at Sharekhan said, “There are three major reasons for such a surge in the markets. Firstly, the condition of global markets has improved and we are also witnessing huge inflows from foreign funds. Apart from that in the last two quarters, we also saw strong earnings growth. The major game changer was the general elections in which Congress-led UPA government came with the clean majority.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended higher by 1772.11 points (20.2%) at 10548.50 on December 30, 2009. Recently, the US Federal Reserve plans to offer term deposits to banks as part of its “ exit strategy” from the exceptionally loose monetary policy used to fight recession. Better-than-expected report on Midwest manufacturing helped sentiment. Nasdaq composite index ended higher by 714.25 points at 2291.28. S&P 500 also ended higher by 223.17 points at 1126.42 on Decemeber 30, 2009. The Nikkei 225 of Japan appreciated by 19% during 2009, buoyed by trading firms such as Mitsui & Co after gains in oil & metals prices, while automakers also edged up. Shanghai SE Composite Index gave 79.2% return in 2009 which is next to India despite higher GDP growth. According to Bloomberge UTV Stock Market News, Beijing will stick to its loose monetary stance, but will try to be more flexible in implementing its policies, People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said recently.
From the above analysis, one thing is clear that emerging market economies are outpacing developed countries in global economic recovery and may continue to do so for some time.
D R Dogra, deputy managing director,CARE, said, “ The effect of economic slowdown on India was significantly lower as compared to other markets.”
BUSINESS NEWS :- Rupee falls by 7 paise in opening trade
The rupee depreciated by 7 paise against the dollar on the first day of New Year on Friday due to firm demand for the US currency which
rose to three-month high against other major currencies.
At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the domestic unit traded 7 paise down at 46.60 a dollar. The rupee had ended 21 paise higher at 46.53/54 a dollar in the previous trading.
Dealers said the dollar rose to a three-month high against Japanese yen after reports that US jobless claims fell to the lowest since 2008 putting pressure on the Indian rupee.
Demand for the dollar from oil refiners and importers also weighed on rupee sentiment, they said.
rose to three-month high against other major currencies.
At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the domestic unit traded 7 paise down at 46.60 a dollar. The rupee had ended 21 paise higher at 46.53/54 a dollar in the previous trading.
Dealers said the dollar rose to a three-month high against Japanese yen after reports that US jobless claims fell to the lowest since 2008 putting pressure on the Indian rupee.
Demand for the dollar from oil refiners and importers also weighed on rupee sentiment, they said.
TOP NEWS :-Suicide bomber entered US base as potential CIA informant
WASHINGTON: A breach of security procedure at a heavily guarded CIA base in Afghanistan allowed a lone Taliban suicide bomber, who was posing as
an informant, to inflict one of the deadliest blows ever on the US spy agency.
The bomber, who killed seven CIA officials and injured six others, was allowed to enter the compound without the mandatory security screening and search, the ABC news said on Friday based on information received from CIA officers.
It said the bomber, invited to the Forward Operating Base in the Khost province as a possible informant, was escorted to the gym at the fortified complex for a meeting with a senior CIA debriefer.
"When the bomber, who was dressed in an Afghan military uniform, arrived in the gym, he blew himself up, killing seven and seriously injuring an additional six officers who had gathered there to wait for him," the news channel said.
The second-largest single-day loss for America's premier spy agency, reports said, has devastated the critical hub of CIA activities.
The US embassy bombing in Beirut that killed eight CIA officers in 1983 is considered to be the deadliest attack so far on the agency.
US President Barack Obama and CIA Director Leon E Panetta, have mourned the death of the CIA employees and wrote personal messages.
an informant, to inflict one of the deadliest blows ever on the US spy agency.
The bomber, who killed seven CIA officials and injured six others, was allowed to enter the compound without the mandatory security screening and search, the ABC news said on Friday based on information received from CIA officers.
It said the bomber, invited to the Forward Operating Base in the Khost province as a possible informant, was escorted to the gym at the fortified complex for a meeting with a senior CIA debriefer.
"When the bomber, who was dressed in an Afghan military uniform, arrived in the gym, he blew himself up, killing seven and seriously injuring an additional six officers who had gathered there to wait for him," the news channel said.
The second-largest single-day loss for America's premier spy agency, reports said, has devastated the critical hub of CIA activities.
The US embassy bombing in Beirut that killed eight CIA officers in 1983 is considered to be the deadliest attack so far on the agency.
US President Barack Obama and CIA Director Leon E Panetta, have mourned the death of the CIA employees and wrote personal messages.
TOP NEWS :- CBI gets nod to prosecute Sajjan Kumar in '84 anti-Sikh riots cases
Nudged by Home Minister P Chidambaram to expedite sanction of prosecution against the accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna has set the ball rolling to begin judicial proceedings against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar.
Khanna is understood to have accorded sanction on Wednesday for prosecuting Kumar for spreading enmity between two communities.
The CBI had asked for prosecution sanction for four cases of rioting in Sultanpuri and Mongolpuri on November1, 1984.
The CBI had registered the case against Kumar after the G.T. Nanavati Commission report of February 2005, which called for fresh examination of complaints where he had been named but no chargesheet was filed.
Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said, “Law will take its own course. Congress does not interfere in legal matters.”
Khanna is understood to have accorded sanction on Wednesday for prosecuting Kumar for spreading enmity between two communities.
The CBI had asked for prosecution sanction for four cases of rioting in Sultanpuri and Mongolpuri on November1, 1984.
The CBI had registered the case against Kumar after the G.T. Nanavati Commission report of February 2005, which called for fresh examination of complaints where he had been named but no chargesheet was filed.
Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said, “Law will take its own course. Congress does not interfere in legal matters.”
TOP NEWS :- Rathore bail hearing adjourned till 12.30 pm
PANCHKULA (HARYANA): The hearing of the anticipatory bail plea by disgraced former Haryana police chief S P S Rathore, convicted of molesting
teenager Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago, was adjourned by a court here till Friday afternoon.
District sessions judge S P Singh, after hearing Rathore's counsel and wife Abha Rathore and Ruchika's family lawyer Pankaj Bhardwaj, asked the state government counsel to provide details of the case at the hearing slated to take place at 12.30 pm.
Rathore did not come to the court on Friday.
His counsel -- wife Abha Rathore -- told the court that Section 306 of Indian Penal Code (IPC - abetment to suicide) could not be imposed on Rathore since the matter had been dealt with and quashed by the Supreme Court.
She also said that fresh cases registered against Rathore were due to media pressure. The fresh charges being made now, she added, had not been raised in the last 19 years.
The counsel also said that a woman called Veena Girhotra, who was Ruchika's stepmother, had forced the girl to commit suicide.
However, Bhardwaj countered the arguments saying that there was enough evidence to book Rathore under Section 306 and also for the torture of Ruchika's brother, Ashu. He said that Ruchika did not have any stepmother.
Rathore was on Tuesday booked by Panchkula police in two fresh cases, including the non-bailable attempt to murder charge, after Ruchika's family filed fresh complaints.
Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested by Rathore in Panchkula on August 12, 1990. She committed suicide three years later (1993), unable to cope with the harassment of her family and torture of her brother by the Haryana police, which slapped false car theft cases on him.
Rathore was on December 21 convicted by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in Chandigarh. He was sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000.
teenager Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago, was adjourned by a court here till Friday afternoon.
District sessions judge S P Singh, after hearing Rathore's counsel and wife Abha Rathore and Ruchika's family lawyer Pankaj Bhardwaj, asked the state government counsel to provide details of the case at the hearing slated to take place at 12.30 pm.
Rathore did not come to the court on Friday.
His counsel -- wife Abha Rathore -- told the court that Section 306 of Indian Penal Code (IPC - abetment to suicide) could not be imposed on Rathore since the matter had been dealt with and quashed by the Supreme Court.
She also said that fresh cases registered against Rathore were due to media pressure. The fresh charges being made now, she added, had not been raised in the last 19 years.
The counsel also said that a woman called Veena Girhotra, who was Ruchika's stepmother, had forced the girl to commit suicide.
However, Bhardwaj countered the arguments saying that there was enough evidence to book Rathore under Section 306 and also for the torture of Ruchika's brother, Ashu. He said that Ruchika did not have any stepmother.
Rathore was on Tuesday booked by Panchkula police in two fresh cases, including the non-bailable attempt to murder charge, after Ruchika's family filed fresh complaints.
Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested by Rathore in Panchkula on August 12, 1990. She committed suicide three years later (1993), unable to cope with the harassment of her family and torture of her brother by the Haryana police, which slapped false car theft cases on him.
Rathore was on December 21 convicted by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in Chandigarh. He was sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000.
NAGPUR :- Grim realty: State hikes stamp duty
The new year is unlikely to bring a smile on the faces of prospective flat buyers across the state in view of the steep hike in the stamp
duty, which has come into force with immediate effect.
In Mumbai, the increase will be between 10% and 20%, while in other parts of the state, including Pune, Konkan, Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik, it will be more than 20%. “We have issued a new notification for the revised stamp duty. It’s based on the actual market prices in the real estate. The new stamp study structure has come into force with immediate effect. Following the upward revision, we expect to mobilise additional Rs 2,000 crore in the next financial year,’’ a senior revenue official told TOI on Thursday.
The stamp duty is based on the actual market prices of real estate. Owing to the dismal financial situation in 2008, it was not revised in 2009. However, the rate was revised as 2009 witnessed massive transactions in the real estate sector. “It’s based on actual market prices. In 2009, not only the metropolis but all over the state, there was an upward trend in property transactions,’’ he said.
About the stamp duty structure in Mumbai, the official said there were a total of 709 zones, which were taken into consideration before the ready reckoner rates were decided. Of the 709 zones, 530 will witness a 10% rise in stamp duty, while in the remaining 164 zones, it will be between 11% and 20%. In Pune, of the 1,730 zones, there will be a hike of up to 10% in 1,129 zones, while the remaining 601 will witness an increase of an amount between 11% and 20%.
In Konkan, Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik, the rise will be even more, while in Nagpur, all the 694 zones will have a 20% rise. In rural parts of Maharashtra, the rates will be increased by 10%, in municipal council areas, it will be 12%, while in municipal corporation areas, it will be 10% to 20%.
duty, which has come into force with immediate effect.
In Mumbai, the increase will be between 10% and 20%, while in other parts of the state, including Pune, Konkan, Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik, it will be more than 20%. “We have issued a new notification for the revised stamp duty. It’s based on the actual market prices in the real estate. The new stamp study structure has come into force with immediate effect. Following the upward revision, we expect to mobilise additional Rs 2,000 crore in the next financial year,’’ a senior revenue official told TOI on Thursday.
The stamp duty is based on the actual market prices of real estate. Owing to the dismal financial situation in 2008, it was not revised in 2009. However, the rate was revised as 2009 witnessed massive transactions in the real estate sector. “It’s based on actual market prices. In 2009, not only the metropolis but all over the state, there was an upward trend in property transactions,’’ he said.
About the stamp duty structure in Mumbai, the official said there were a total of 709 zones, which were taken into consideration before the ready reckoner rates were decided. Of the 709 zones, 530 will witness a 10% rise in stamp duty, while in the remaining 164 zones, it will be between 11% and 20%. In Pune, of the 1,730 zones, there will be a hike of up to 10% in 1,129 zones, while the remaining 601 will witness an increase of an amount between 11% and 20%.
In Konkan, Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik, the rise will be even more, while in Nagpur, all the 694 zones will have a 20% rise. In rural parts of Maharashtra, the rates will be increased by 10%, in municipal council areas, it will be 12%, while in municipal corporation areas, it will be 10% to 20%.
NAGPUR :- DNA nails bro-in-law for raping minor
DNA fingerprinting has revealed that a minor girl,who was pregnant, had been raped by not one but two of her close relatives. The girl’s
uncle had been arrested for raping her after she told the police that she had physical relations with him. However, DNA fingerprinting revealed that the father of her unborn child was some other man.
The Hudkeshwar police have now arrested the girl’s brother-in-law too for raping her. Sunita (name changed) had been admitted to a government orphanage after losing her parents.However, she had been abused by relatives from time to time.
The exploitation had remained under wraps until she became pregnant. The government home authorities, who had permitted Sunita to visit her kin, were baffled to discover the girl was expecting, some time after she returned to the home.
Upon questioning, Sunita revealed that her maternal uncle was responsible for the pregnancy. Acting upon a complaint by the government home authorities, Hudkeshwar police had arrested the uncle in August on the grounds of having a sexual relationship with a minor that led to her pregnancy. Police said that the culprit had brought Sunita out of the home claiming that her presence was needed at a relative’s marriage ceremony. While his wife was busy elsewhere, he had entered into a physical relationship with the girl by promising her a secured life in future and all possible help to set up a family. However, the police were sent into a tizzy after the DNA test results came back.
The test had been conducted on the samples collected from Sunita, her aborted foetus and her uncle, who was already behind bars. The results said that the foetus had been conceived with a man other than the jailed uncle. On the ground of this DNA test result, the uncle had been released on bail. However, a new probe had been launched by the police to search for the man who fathered Sunita’s child. It took the police more than a couple of months before the truth came to fore. Hudkeshwar police led by senior inspector Prakash Bele, assistant police inspector Vijay Akot and others took help of some devious methods to zero down upon the other rapist. The cops, who had been questioning Sunita,were not able to get her to tell the truth.
So, the cops then urged Sunita to speak to her brother on a cop’s cellphone. The police had rigged a system on the phone that ensured the complete conversation was recorded. The cops got a hint from the conversation that the girl’s brother-in-law was also having sexual relations with her. On further questioning and investigations, the police learnt that Sunita had been exploited a number of times by her brother-in-law too. However, Sunita had opted to keep this to herself and implicate only her uncle, since she wanted to protect her elder sister’s family. The brother-in-law, Lalit Bhangade, a farmer by profession at Jalgaon, has now been arrested by the cops.
uncle had been arrested for raping her after she told the police that she had physical relations with him. However, DNA fingerprinting revealed that the father of her unborn child was some other man.
The Hudkeshwar police have now arrested the girl’s brother-in-law too for raping her. Sunita (name changed) had been admitted to a government orphanage after losing her parents.However, she had been abused by relatives from time to time.
The exploitation had remained under wraps until she became pregnant. The government home authorities, who had permitted Sunita to visit her kin, were baffled to discover the girl was expecting, some time after she returned to the home.
Upon questioning, Sunita revealed that her maternal uncle was responsible for the pregnancy. Acting upon a complaint by the government home authorities, Hudkeshwar police had arrested the uncle in August on the grounds of having a sexual relationship with a minor that led to her pregnancy. Police said that the culprit had brought Sunita out of the home claiming that her presence was needed at a relative’s marriage ceremony. While his wife was busy elsewhere, he had entered into a physical relationship with the girl by promising her a secured life in future and all possible help to set up a family. However, the police were sent into a tizzy after the DNA test results came back.
The test had been conducted on the samples collected from Sunita, her aborted foetus and her uncle, who was already behind bars. The results said that the foetus had been conceived with a man other than the jailed uncle. On the ground of this DNA test result, the uncle had been released on bail. However, a new probe had been launched by the police to search for the man who fathered Sunita’s child. It took the police more than a couple of months before the truth came to fore. Hudkeshwar police led by senior inspector Prakash Bele, assistant police inspector Vijay Akot and others took help of some devious methods to zero down upon the other rapist. The cops, who had been questioning Sunita,were not able to get her to tell the truth.
So, the cops then urged Sunita to speak to her brother on a cop’s cellphone. The police had rigged a system on the phone that ensured the complete conversation was recorded. The cops got a hint from the conversation that the girl’s brother-in-law was also having sexual relations with her. On further questioning and investigations, the police learnt that Sunita had been exploited a number of times by her brother-in-law too. However, Sunita had opted to keep this to herself and implicate only her uncle, since she wanted to protect her elder sister’s family. The brother-in-law, Lalit Bhangade, a farmer by profession at Jalgaon, has now been arrested by the cops.
NAGPUR :- Intelligence Alerts Treated Casually: Pradhan Panel
NAGPUR - The Ram Pradhan Commission which probed the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks has found that the intelligence alerts provided by Central agencies were treated “casually” and “mechanically forwarded” to operational units by the DGP office, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Home Department.
The Commission’s report, which was tabled in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Dec. 21, said the intelligence alerts were forwarded by DGP office, sometimes with a semi-official letter.
It also noted that there was a total confusion in the processing of intelligence alert at the state government level.
The Chief Secretary normally passes the alerts from the Intelligence Bureau or Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to the state Home Department.
Both Additional Chief Secretaries (Home) and Principal Secretary (Home) initially deposed before the panel that they had not received any intelligence inputs from the MHA.
However, the Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) had furnished copies of several important intelligence inputs issued by MHA addressed to the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary.
The panel noted a serious lapse that the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) was not handling the sensitive communications and intelligence inputs directly but entrusted the job to a junior-level officer. (PTI)
The Commission’s report, which was tabled in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Dec. 21, said the intelligence alerts were forwarded by DGP office, sometimes with a semi-official letter.
It also noted that there was a total confusion in the processing of intelligence alert at the state government level.
The Chief Secretary normally passes the alerts from the Intelligence Bureau or Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to the state Home Department.
Both Additional Chief Secretaries (Home) and Principal Secretary (Home) initially deposed before the panel that they had not received any intelligence inputs from the MHA.
However, the Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) had furnished copies of several important intelligence inputs issued by MHA addressed to the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary.
The panel noted a serious lapse that the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) was not handling the sensitive communications and intelligence inputs directly but entrusted the job to a junior-level officer. (PTI)
NAGPUR :-Stars to shine on city, region this year
Stars to shine on city, region this year
“Rejoice Nagpurians, good luck will be smiling on your city in 2010,” said astrologer-author Vijaykumar Telwale. Not just Telwale, but
other astrologers like the father-son duo of Pandit Trilokchand and Hiralal Sharma, and numerologist-cum-tarot-card reader Ashwin Rewatkar too are upbeat about the city and region for the coming year.
According to Telwale, Vidarbha is on the verge of entering a prosperous phase after nearly six decades. He suggests that Nagpurians should go green by planting trees.
“Ensure you have a garden, irrespective of the size, to spread the fragrance in the air for a better tomorrow,” he says. Telwale said that Nagpur, by name, is a Scorpio and is slated to gain from the benefiting influence of Saturn-Jupiter combination in 2010.
“This Saturn-Jupiter combination for Nagpur has returned after a period of 60 years. Taurean Vidarbha too is likely to benefit from planetary combinations and movements. The passage of Saturn in Virgo and presence of Jupiter in Aquarius shall bring positive results for the region which will also get better benefits from the government. The people of Vidarbha too shall shine through 2010,” said the 66-year-old Telwale.
“Virgo’s colour is green where Saturn is treading. So increase greenery and, to benefit from Jupiter, spread fragrance in air through gardening,” said Telwale who feels that the eclipse at the beginning of the year is auspicious.
NAGPUR :- Gadchiroli dist gets RR Patil, Nagpur Moghe
It may have taken more than a month to finalise it, but the list of guardian ministers released on new year’s eve shows that home
minister R R Patil has kept his word.
Accepting the challenge to make a difference in the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district, he has taken upon himself to be the guardian minister of arguably the most underdeveloped district of the state. Shivajirao Moghe, the seniormost member in the Ashok Chavan cabinet, has been given charge of Nagpur.
Moghe for Nagpur is a good news as he is seen a leader with clean and noncontroversial image. He was the district’s in-charge minister in the DF government’s first term too in 1999 and has a feel of things.
Moreover, given the nature of factional feuds between Congress leaders of the city which has shown no signs of receding in last one decade, Moghe could act a neutral umpire to oversee developmental needs of the district. As a social justice minister,Moghe is keen on taking up an effective statewide campaign to wean away youth and farmers from addiction of liquor and tobacco playing havoc in the countryside.
Of the eleven Vidarbha districts, the NCP has got four districts of Gadchiroli (R R Patil), Gondia (Vijaykumar Gavit), Washim (Anil Deshmukh) and Buldhana (Manohar Naik). The seven districts with the Congress are – Nagpur (Moghe), Yavatmal (Nitin Raut), Bhandara (Vijay Wadettiwar), Chandrapur (Ramesh Bagwe), Amravati (Rajendra Darda), Akola (Subhash Zanak) and Wardha (Ranjit Kamble). Significantly, a couple of weeks ago, R R Patil, known as aaba, had shown his keenness to be the Gadchiroli guardian minister.
“I am serious. This is not a gimmick. I want to bring about proper development of the district. We have seen that use of force against Naxalites may not solve the problem there. Without all-round development, any anti-Naxal operation can only be counterproductive as people there are craving for development. The situation should be made conducive for government staff to function there. Posting in the district should no longer be seen as a punishment,” he told TOI.
The delay in finalizing the list is attributed to differences between the ruling partners on whether to have a minister belonging to the same district as in-charge or get an outsider. Finally the ‘outsider’ camp prevailed with only one exception. Ranjit Kamble, minister of state for rural development and MLA from Deoli in Wardha, has got the chance to head the same district. Kamble is a kin of Himachal Pradesh governor Prabha Rau who seems to have prevailed in the district’s traditional party rivalry. The guardian minister plays a key role in development planning of the district and works as a link between the government and the bureaucracy.
minister R R Patil has kept his word.
Accepting the challenge to make a difference in the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district, he has taken upon himself to be the guardian minister of arguably the most underdeveloped district of the state. Shivajirao Moghe, the seniormost member in the Ashok Chavan cabinet, has been given charge of Nagpur.
Moghe for Nagpur is a good news as he is seen a leader with clean and noncontroversial image. He was the district’s in-charge minister in the DF government’s first term too in 1999 and has a feel of things.
Moreover, given the nature of factional feuds between Congress leaders of the city which has shown no signs of receding in last one decade, Moghe could act a neutral umpire to oversee developmental needs of the district. As a social justice minister,Moghe is keen on taking up an effective statewide campaign to wean away youth and farmers from addiction of liquor and tobacco playing havoc in the countryside.
Of the eleven Vidarbha districts, the NCP has got four districts of Gadchiroli (R R Patil), Gondia (Vijaykumar Gavit), Washim (Anil Deshmukh) and Buldhana (Manohar Naik). The seven districts with the Congress are – Nagpur (Moghe), Yavatmal (Nitin Raut), Bhandara (Vijay Wadettiwar), Chandrapur (Ramesh Bagwe), Amravati (Rajendra Darda), Akola (Subhash Zanak) and Wardha (Ranjit Kamble). Significantly, a couple of weeks ago, R R Patil, known as aaba, had shown his keenness to be the Gadchiroli guardian minister.
“I am serious. This is not a gimmick. I want to bring about proper development of the district. We have seen that use of force against Naxalites may not solve the problem there. Without all-round development, any anti-Naxal operation can only be counterproductive as people there are craving for development. The situation should be made conducive for government staff to function there. Posting in the district should no longer be seen as a punishment,” he told TOI.
The delay in finalizing the list is attributed to differences between the ruling partners on whether to have a minister belonging to the same district as in-charge or get an outsider. Finally the ‘outsider’ camp prevailed with only one exception. Ranjit Kamble, minister of state for rural development and MLA from Deoli in Wardha, has got the chance to head the same district. Kamble is a kin of Himachal Pradesh governor Prabha Rau who seems to have prevailed in the district’s traditional party rivalry. The guardian minister plays a key role in development planning of the district and works as a link between the government and the bureaucracy.
NAGPUR :- Muttemwar takes fresh initiative on Vidarbha
On a day when Union home minister P Chidambaram announced that the UPA government would no longer flip-flop on Telangana statehood and
try to work out a mechanism in the January 5 all-party meeting, pro-Vidarbha Congress leaders in the city decided to revive the Vidarbha agitation in the right earnest.
On Sunday, party leaders led by city MP Vilas Muttemwar will sit on a ‘dharna’ in front of the Gandhi statue at Variety Square in a peaceful agitation to demand that Vidarbha statehood demand should be considered along with Telangana. “The demand for Vidarbha is much older and stronger than that of Telangana and in the Fazal ali Commission had classified Vidarbha as “viable, stable and suplus,’when rejecting proposals for Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,” said an appeal signed by Nagpur (south) MLA Dinanath Padole, former mayors Vikas Thakre, Naresh Gawande and Kishore Dorle and Bijju Pande.
“For last 50 years, people of Vidarbha waited in vain to see development of the region remaining in Maharashtra. But this never happened and the region remains most under-develooed in the country,” the statement read.
They have appealed to all pro-Vidarbha activists to join the peaceful agitation on Sunday. Meanwhile, in an emotionally charged letter written to all 24 Congress MLAs from the region, Muttemwar has appealed to them to rise to the occasion and get active to pursue the separate state demand. “Had the 54 MLAs elected from Vidarbha taken a different view in 1954, Mumbai would not have remained in Maharashtra and Yeshwantrao Chavan would not become the first CM of a Marathi speaking state,” the veteran Congress MP rote in the letter.
“Time and again, it was on the strength of Vidarbha’s Congress MLAs that the party has come to power in Maharashtra. It was not the idea of a Marathi speaking state but the appeal of the then prime minister Pandit Jawharlal Nehru in national interest that moved leaders of Vidarbha to accept to be part of Maharashtra,” Muttemwar stressed.
In the fervent appeal, Muttemwar said, “Now the time has come for a separate state.
The next generation and history will not forgive you if you fail to meet the aspirations and developmental dream of the people who see the separate state as the only solution now,” said Muttemwar. Rven Father of Constitution Dr B R Ambedkar supported the idea of Vidarbha state, the MP reminded his party legislators.
try to work out a mechanism in the January 5 all-party meeting, pro-Vidarbha Congress leaders in the city decided to revive the Vidarbha agitation in the right earnest.
On Sunday, party leaders led by city MP Vilas Muttemwar will sit on a ‘dharna’ in front of the Gandhi statue at Variety Square in a peaceful agitation to demand that Vidarbha statehood demand should be considered along with Telangana. “The demand for Vidarbha is much older and stronger than that of Telangana and in the Fazal ali Commission had classified Vidarbha as “viable, stable and suplus,’when rejecting proposals for Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,” said an appeal signed by Nagpur (south) MLA Dinanath Padole, former mayors Vikas Thakre, Naresh Gawande and Kishore Dorle and Bijju Pande.
“For last 50 years, people of Vidarbha waited in vain to see development of the region remaining in Maharashtra. But this never happened and the region remains most under-develooed in the country,” the statement read.
They have appealed to all pro-Vidarbha activists to join the peaceful agitation on Sunday. Meanwhile, in an emotionally charged letter written to all 24 Congress MLAs from the region, Muttemwar has appealed to them to rise to the occasion and get active to pursue the separate state demand. “Had the 54 MLAs elected from Vidarbha taken a different view in 1954, Mumbai would not have remained in Maharashtra and Yeshwantrao Chavan would not become the first CM of a Marathi speaking state,” the veteran Congress MP rote in the letter.
“Time and again, it was on the strength of Vidarbha’s Congress MLAs that the party has come to power in Maharashtra. It was not the idea of a Marathi speaking state but the appeal of the then prime minister Pandit Jawharlal Nehru in national interest that moved leaders of Vidarbha to accept to be part of Maharashtra,” Muttemwar stressed.
In the fervent appeal, Muttemwar said, “Now the time has come for a separate state.
The next generation and history will not forgive you if you fail to meet the aspirations and developmental dream of the people who see the separate state as the only solution now,” said Muttemwar. Rven Father of Constitution Dr B R Ambedkar supported the idea of Vidarbha state, the MP reminded his party legislators.
BUSINESS NEWS :- Sical Logistics spurts on new order win
Sical Logistics jumped 7.20% to Rs 73.70 at 10:59 IST on BSE, after a unit of the company secured a multimodal contract worth Rs 163 crore.
The company announced the new order win during trading hours today, 31 December 2009.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 169.16 points, or 0.97%, to 17,512.98.
On BSE, 2.73 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against an average daily volume of 83,675 shares in the past one quarter.
The stock hit a high of Rs 75.60 and a low of Rs 69.10 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 79.45 on 9 October 2009 and a 52-week low of Rs 19.10 on 12 March 2009.
The small-cap stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 30 December 2009, rising 13.54% as compared to the Sensex's 2.47% rise. It had underperformed the market in the past one quarter, gaining 0.29% as compared to the Sensex's return of 0.29%.
The company's equity capital is Rs 39.52 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.
The current price of Rs 73.70 discounts the company's Q2 September 2009 annualized EPS of Rs 2.47, by a PE multiple of 29.84.
Sical Multimodal & Rail Transport (SMRTL), a step down subsidiary of Sical Logistics has secured the latest order from state-run Hindustan Copper
The contract is for a term of two years beginning 1 January 2010 and it can be extended by one more year.
SMRTL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sical Infra Assets (SIAL), which in turn is a subsidiary of Sical Logistics. Sical Logistics holds 74% stake in SIAL, whereas the balance 26% held by Old Lane Mauritius.
Sical Logistics had on 17 December 2009 said it had bought back foreign currency convertible bonds aggregating $38.25 million. The buyback of foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) will help reduce liabilities and interest costs.
Sical Logistics reported a net profit of Rs 2.44 crore in Q2 September 2009 as compared to net loss of Rs 41.93 crore in Q2 September 2008. Net sales rose 3.2% to Rs 126.46 crore in Q2 September 2009 over Q2 September 2008.
Sical Logistics is an integrated solutions provider for the offshore logistics and the multi-modal logistics for bulk and containerized cargo.
The company announced the new order win during trading hours today, 31 December 2009.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 169.16 points, or 0.97%, to 17,512.98.
On BSE, 2.73 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against an average daily volume of 83,675 shares in the past one quarter.
The stock hit a high of Rs 75.60 and a low of Rs 69.10 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 79.45 on 9 October 2009 and a 52-week low of Rs 19.10 on 12 March 2009.
The small-cap stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 30 December 2009, rising 13.54% as compared to the Sensex's 2.47% rise. It had underperformed the market in the past one quarter, gaining 0.29% as compared to the Sensex's return of 0.29%.
The company's equity capital is Rs 39.52 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.
The current price of Rs 73.70 discounts the company's Q2 September 2009 annualized EPS of Rs 2.47, by a PE multiple of 29.84.
Sical Multimodal & Rail Transport (SMRTL), a step down subsidiary of Sical Logistics has secured the latest order from state-run Hindustan Copper
The contract is for a term of two years beginning 1 January 2010 and it can be extended by one more year.
SMRTL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sical Infra Assets (SIAL), which in turn is a subsidiary of Sical Logistics. Sical Logistics holds 74% stake in SIAL, whereas the balance 26% held by Old Lane Mauritius.
Sical Logistics had on 17 December 2009 said it had bought back foreign currency convertible bonds aggregating $38.25 million. The buyback of foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) will help reduce liabilities and interest costs.
Sical Logistics reported a net profit of Rs 2.44 crore in Q2 September 2009 as compared to net loss of Rs 41.93 crore in Q2 September 2008. Net sales rose 3.2% to Rs 126.46 crore in Q2 September 2009 over Q2 September 2008.
Sical Logistics is an integrated solutions provider for the offshore logistics and the multi-modal logistics for bulk and containerized cargo.
BUSINESS NEWS :- Sensex, Nifty hit new 2009 highs; NTPC, RIL up
BUSINESS NEWS :- Sen sex, Nifty hit new 2009 highs; NTPC, RIL up
MUMBAI: Indian markets seem set to end 2009 on a high note. Positive global markets and encouraging comments from the finance minister Pranab Mukherjee that the stimulus package may not be withdrawn in a hurry helped the benchmarks hit new highs of the year. However, trade may turn volatile later in the day due to December F&O series expiry.
"Today India is the preferred destination for equity investors across the world as is evidenced by the FII & FDI inflows into our markets which has crossed USD35bn in this financial year.
Going forward, the VIX having dropped from 80 a year ago to 20 now is indicative of growing confidence in the markets and thus strong flows would be expected to continue. Our own people, particularly retail investors could also recognize this and reap the long term benefits of investing in an economy which is expected to grow at the rate of at least 7.5-8% p.a. for the next many years. We should take care not to lose this opportunity out of a case of "ghar ki murgi dal baraabar," said Ms Madhabi Puri Buch, MD & CEO, ICICI Securities.
At 10:31 am, Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex was at 52-week high of 17503.06, up 159.24 points or 0.92 per cent. The index touched a low of 17365.37 in early trade.
National Stock Exchange’s Nifty was also at a fresh 52-week high of 5215.80, up 45.45 points or 0.88 per cent. The index touched a high of 5215.80 and low of 5168.75.
“Indices are likely to open with an upside gap sustainability of which will lead to further rally. Today’s session might be a little more volatile with the F&O settlement and quarter/month/year end. A close below the breakout point of 5182 will take Nifty back into the range of 4940-5180 and will keep the range intact on monthly and weekly charts,” said Edelweiss report.
BSE Midcap Index was 0.86 per cent and BSE Smallcap Index moved 1.16 per cent higher.
Amognst the sectoral indices, BSE Oil&gas Index advanced 1.39 per cent, BSE Power Index gained 1.15 per cent and BSE PSU Index moved 0.93 per cent higher.
NTPC (2.40%), Jaiprakash Associates (2.35%0, Mahindra & Mahindra (1.75%), Reliance Industries (1.69%) and Reliance Communications (1.01%) were amongst the top Sensex gainers.
The government plans to allow NTPC to sell around 10% capacity at market-determined prices, a move expected to boost the power utility’s profit by up to 40% and spiff up its valuation as it braces for disinvestment.
Maruti Suzuki (-0.16%) was the only index loser.
Market breadth was positive on the BSE with 1719 advances and 540 declines.
MUMBAI: Indian markets seem set to end 2009 on a high note. Positive global markets and encouraging comments from the finance minister Pranab Mukherjee that the stimulus package may not be withdrawn in a hurry helped the benchmarks hit new highs of the year. However, trade may turn volatile later in the day due to December F&O series expiry.
"Today India is the preferred destination for equity investors across the world as is evidenced by the FII & FDI inflows into our markets which has crossed USD35bn in this financial year.
Going forward, the VIX having dropped from 80 a year ago to 20 now is indicative of growing confidence in the markets and thus strong flows would be expected to continue. Our own people, particularly retail investors could also recognize this and reap the long term benefits of investing in an economy which is expected to grow at the rate of at least 7.5-8% p.a. for the next many years. We should take care not to lose this opportunity out of a case of "ghar ki murgi dal baraabar," said Ms Madhabi Puri Buch, MD & CEO, ICICI Securities.
At 10:31 am, Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex was at 52-week high of 17503.06, up 159.24 points or 0.92 per cent. The index touched a low of 17365.37 in early trade.
National Stock Exchange’s Nifty was also at a fresh 52-week high of 5215.80, up 45.45 points or 0.88 per cent. The index touched a high of 5215.80 and low of 5168.75.
“Indices are likely to open with an upside gap sustainability of which will lead to further rally. Today’s session might be a little more volatile with the F&O settlement and quarter/month/year end. A close below the breakout point of 5182 will take Nifty back into the range of 4940-5180 and will keep the range intact on monthly and weekly charts,” said Edelweiss report.
BSE Midcap Index was 0.86 per cent and BSE Smallcap Index moved 1.16 per cent higher.
Amognst the sectoral indices, BSE Oil&gas Index advanced 1.39 per cent, BSE Power Index gained 1.15 per cent and BSE PSU Index moved 0.93 per cent higher.
NTPC (2.40%), Jaiprakash Associates (2.35%0, Mahindra & Mahindra (1.75%), Reliance Industries (1.69%) and Reliance Communications (1.01%) were amongst the top Sensex gainers.
The government plans to allow NTPC to sell around 10% capacity at market-determined prices, a move expected to boost the power utility’s profit by up to 40% and spiff up its valuation as it braces for disinvestment.
Maruti Suzuki (-0.16%) was the only index loser.
Market breadth was positive on the BSE with 1719 advances and 540 declines.
BUSINESS NEWS :- Great decade, but what after Ratan says tata?
The world sat up and took notice of the Tata Group in the first decade of the 21st century. How? A string of prestigious acquisitions
abroad and an unimaginably cheap car, transformed the 140-year-old Indian business house into a global conglomerate. However, it will be interesting to see where the group heads for in the next decade when its charismatic chairman Ratan Tata makes way for a younger person to take over the reins.
Just imagine, at the beginning of the millennium, the Tata group was staring at two disappointments — a huge loss of Rs 550 crore at its flagship company Telco (now Tata Motors) and the financial mess at Tata Finance. However, after a decade, the group is a name to reckon with in the international corporate scene on the basis of Ratan Tata's daring acquisitions of coveted global assets, starting with Tetley in the fall of 2000 and moving to top gear with Jaguar Land Rover in June 2008.
Tata Steel's $13 billion Corus acquisition is the largest overseas deal by an Indian firm. The group's revenues have jumped nine times from Rs 35,937 crore in the late 90's to Rs 3,25,334 crore in 2008-09, with 65% of the revenues coming from overseas.
But apart from these big-ticket deals, what made the group tick was the creation of a business model that will tap the masses — a model that was inspired by the bottom of the pyramid theme. And here's where the Nano drives in — an almost impossible feat, a people's car with a Rs 1 lakh tag.
It was the brainchild of Ratan Tata, a Capricorn, who turned 72 a couple of days ago, became the group's chairman in 1991. According to a a Tata veteran, the group has gone through three phases since then. One, he established control over the group, which was then tightly managed by a few people. Two, he kicked off the restructuring and restrategising programme: He set a goal to be among the top three players in the businesses the group has a presence in, to increase the group's minuscule holding to a comfortable position; and formation of a common brand identity in the two-dimensional Tata blue logo.
Third, perhaps the most ambitious, was building a global empire. The group had some setbacks too during the decade. For example, the abandonment of the $3 billion investment in Bangladesh, pulling out the Nano project from West Bengal, the terror attacks on its hotel, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, and the financial stress it experienced as a result of the global meltdown.
However, the next decade would see a major change in the Tata group. Ratan Tata would retire from Tata Sons in 2012, when he turns 75, to make way for a successor. However, he may continue to be the chairman of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Trust — the two charitable trusts that hold a major stake in Tata Sons — a position his predecessor JRD Tata held till his death. He has built a global business empire. What's next for the Tata Group?
abroad and an unimaginably cheap car, transformed the 140-year-old Indian business house into a global conglomerate. However, it will be interesting to see where the group heads for in the next decade when its charismatic chairman Ratan Tata makes way for a younger person to take over the reins.
Just imagine, at the beginning of the millennium, the Tata group was staring at two disappointments — a huge loss of Rs 550 crore at its flagship company Telco (now Tata Motors) and the financial mess at Tata Finance. However, after a decade, the group is a name to reckon with in the international corporate scene on the basis of Ratan Tata's daring acquisitions of coveted global assets, starting with Tetley in the fall of 2000 and moving to top gear with Jaguar Land Rover in June 2008.
Tata Steel's $13 billion Corus acquisition is the largest overseas deal by an Indian firm. The group's revenues have jumped nine times from Rs 35,937 crore in the late 90's to Rs 3,25,334 crore in 2008-09, with 65% of the revenues coming from overseas.
But apart from these big-ticket deals, what made the group tick was the creation of a business model that will tap the masses — a model that was inspired by the bottom of the pyramid theme. And here's where the Nano drives in — an almost impossible feat, a people's car with a Rs 1 lakh tag.
It was the brainchild of Ratan Tata, a Capricorn, who turned 72 a couple of days ago, became the group's chairman in 1991. According to a a Tata veteran, the group has gone through three phases since then. One, he established control over the group, which was then tightly managed by a few people. Two, he kicked off the restructuring and restrategising programme: He set a goal to be among the top three players in the businesses the group has a presence in, to increase the group's minuscule holding to a comfortable position; and formation of a common brand identity in the two-dimensional Tata blue logo.
Third, perhaps the most ambitious, was building a global empire. The group had some setbacks too during the decade. For example, the abandonment of the $3 billion investment in Bangladesh, pulling out the Nano project from West Bengal, the terror attacks on its hotel, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, and the financial stress it experienced as a result of the global meltdown.
However, the next decade would see a major change in the Tata group. Ratan Tata would retire from Tata Sons in 2012, when he turns 75, to make way for a successor. However, he may continue to be the chairman of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Trust — the two charitable trusts that hold a major stake in Tata Sons — a position his predecessor JRD Tata held till his death. He has built a global business empire. What's next for the Tata Group?
TOP NEWS :- Spy Agencies Failed to Collate Clues on Terror
WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency four months ago intercepted conversations among leaders of Al Qaeda in Yemen discussing a plot to use a Nigerian man for a coming terrorist attack, but American spy agencies later failed to combine the intercepts with other information that might have disrupted last week’s attempted airline bombing.
The electronic intercepts were translated and disseminated across classified computer networks, government officials said on Wednesday, but analysts at the National Counterterrorism Center in Washington did not synthesize the eavesdropping intelligence with information gathered in November when the father of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, now accused of the attempted bombing, visited the United States Embassy in Nigeria to express concerns about his son’s radicalization.
The father, a wealthy Nigerian businessman named Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, had urgently sought help from American and Nigerian security officials when cellphone text messages from his son revealed that he was in Yemen and had become a fervent radical.
A family cousin quoted the father as warning officials from the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency in Nigeria: “Look at the texts he’s sending. He’s a security threat.”
The cousin said: “They promised to look into it. They didn’t take him seriously.”
The new details help fill in the portrait of an intelligence breakdown in the months before Mr. Abdulmutallab boarded a plane in Amsterdam with the intent of blowing it up before landing in Detroit.
In some ways, the portrait bears a striking resemblance to the failures before the Sept. 11 attacks, despite the billions of dollars spent over the last eight years to improve the intelligence flow and secret communications across the United States’ national security apparatus.
One day after President Obama delivered a blistering indictment of “human and systemic failures” leading up to the foiled attack, the battle to assign blame for these failures escalated on Wednesday.
Some government officials blamed the National Counterterrorism Center, created in 2004 to foster intelligence sharing and to serve as a clearinghouse for terrorism threats, as failing to piece together information about an impending attack.
Others defended the center, saying that analysts there did not have enough information at their disposal to prompt a broad investigation into Mr. Abdulmutallab. They pointed the finger at the C.I.A., which in November compiled biographical data about Mr. Abdulmutallab — including his plans to study Islamic law in Yemen — but did not broadly share the information with other security agencies.
The environment in Washington was further charged by a barrage of partisan attacks revolving around whether Mr. Obama bears ultimate responsibility for the security lapse, including a statement by former Vice President Dick Cheney that Mr. Obama “pretends” that the United States is not at war against terrorists.
A White House official fired back, blaming the Bush administration as having allowed Al Qaeda to thrive while it focused on the Iraq war.
A White House review into the episode is finding that agencies were looking at information without adequately checking other available databases — not because they were reluctant to share, as was the case before Sept. 11, but out of oversight or human error, said a senior administration official familiar with the review.
In interviews Wednesday, government officials and others provided an account of how various agencies had gleaned bits and pieces of information about the young Nigerian, but failed to pull them together to disrupt his plot. Most of the officials spoke only on the condition that they not be quoted by name.
The first sign of a threat came in August, when the National Security Agency, responsible for electronic eavesdropping around the world, intercepted the Qaeda conversations about the mysterious, unidentified Nigerian. That same month, Mr. Abdulmutallab arrived in Yemen and apparently soon began preparing for the Christmas Day attack.
Three months later, in November, Mr. Abdulmutallab’s father, a former senior Nigerian government official and a prominent banker, became panicked about his son’s turn to radicalism, according to an interview with a family cousin. The father beseeched Nigerian and American officials to intervene before his son did harm, said the cousin, who declined to be identified by name, citing the family’s desire for privacy.
The cousin, who attended a gathering of the family on Sunday, said that what alarmed Mr. Mutallab were the text messages his son had sent from Yemen. He said the son told the father that “he had found a new religion, the real Islam.” The son also texted that his family “should just forget about him; he’s never coming back,” the cousin recounted.
The electronic intercepts were translated and disseminated across classified computer networks, government officials said on Wednesday, but analysts at the National Counterterrorism Center in Washington did not synthesize the eavesdropping intelligence with information gathered in November when the father of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, now accused of the attempted bombing, visited the United States Embassy in Nigeria to express concerns about his son’s radicalization.
The father, a wealthy Nigerian businessman named Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, had urgently sought help from American and Nigerian security officials when cellphone text messages from his son revealed that he was in Yemen and had become a fervent radical.
A family cousin quoted the father as warning officials from the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency in Nigeria: “Look at the texts he’s sending. He’s a security threat.”
The cousin said: “They promised to look into it. They didn’t take him seriously.”
The new details help fill in the portrait of an intelligence breakdown in the months before Mr. Abdulmutallab boarded a plane in Amsterdam with the intent of blowing it up before landing in Detroit.
In some ways, the portrait bears a striking resemblance to the failures before the Sept. 11 attacks, despite the billions of dollars spent over the last eight years to improve the intelligence flow and secret communications across the United States’ national security apparatus.
One day after President Obama delivered a blistering indictment of “human and systemic failures” leading up to the foiled attack, the battle to assign blame for these failures escalated on Wednesday.
Some government officials blamed the National Counterterrorism Center, created in 2004 to foster intelligence sharing and to serve as a clearinghouse for terrorism threats, as failing to piece together information about an impending attack.
Others defended the center, saying that analysts there did not have enough information at their disposal to prompt a broad investigation into Mr. Abdulmutallab. They pointed the finger at the C.I.A., which in November compiled biographical data about Mr. Abdulmutallab — including his plans to study Islamic law in Yemen — but did not broadly share the information with other security agencies.
The environment in Washington was further charged by a barrage of partisan attacks revolving around whether Mr. Obama bears ultimate responsibility for the security lapse, including a statement by former Vice President Dick Cheney that Mr. Obama “pretends” that the United States is not at war against terrorists.
A White House official fired back, blaming the Bush administration as having allowed Al Qaeda to thrive while it focused on the Iraq war.
A White House review into the episode is finding that agencies were looking at information without adequately checking other available databases — not because they were reluctant to share, as was the case before Sept. 11, but out of oversight or human error, said a senior administration official familiar with the review.
In interviews Wednesday, government officials and others provided an account of how various agencies had gleaned bits and pieces of information about the young Nigerian, but failed to pull them together to disrupt his plot. Most of the officials spoke only on the condition that they not be quoted by name.
The first sign of a threat came in August, when the National Security Agency, responsible for electronic eavesdropping around the world, intercepted the Qaeda conversations about the mysterious, unidentified Nigerian. That same month, Mr. Abdulmutallab arrived in Yemen and apparently soon began preparing for the Christmas Day attack.
Three months later, in November, Mr. Abdulmutallab’s father, a former senior Nigerian government official and a prominent banker, became panicked about his son’s turn to radicalism, according to an interview with a family cousin. The father beseeched Nigerian and American officials to intervene before his son did harm, said the cousin, who declined to be identified by name, citing the family’s desire for privacy.
The cousin, who attended a gathering of the family on Sunday, said that what alarmed Mr. Mutallab were the text messages his son had sent from Yemen. He said the son told the father that “he had found a new religion, the real Islam.” The son also texted that his family “should just forget about him; he’s never coming back,” the cousin recounted.
TOP NEWS :- Israel's 10 worst errors of the decade
In the Mideast, dreams can only end badly. Not because messianic messages are, in and of themselves, bad dreams, but because of the nature of this place, the history which is as much imagination as it is record, as much sacred hallucination as it is shared memory. And because the dreamers of this place fail again and again because they are under the illusion that they are realists.
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The decade just passing is one in which Middle East dreams came to die. It began, appropriately, with an Israeli leader who saw his place in history as dependent on imposing a peace plan on the entire Arab world, and a Palestinian icon who saw his place in history as dependent on saying no.
In no decade of the modern Middle East has the roll of failure been so democratic. The titans Arafat and Sharon fought their battle to the death, and both lost. Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, Hassan Nasrallah, Ahmed Yassin, hilltop youth, Al Aqsa Martyrs, Yossi Beilin, the Yesha Council, even Jimmy Carter - all dreamed Icarus dreams and realized, only too late, that in the brilliant sun of the Holy Land, wings of feathers and wax reveal their true selves, which is to say, nothing more than feathers and wax.
It was a decade framed by a fundamentalist Palestinian belief in salvation through suicide and a fundamentalist Israeli belief in salvation through brutality.
The decade ends as it began, clueless, hopeless, exhausted. For having lived through this, we are, all of us, somehow much more than 10 years older, yet none the wiser. In fact, what passed for our wisdom had died with our dreams. Socialist collectivism, rabid Revisionism, Reagan-Thatcher neo-conservatism, none of them has anything to teach us.
The Palestinians are ideological orphans as well. Ten years ago, they were promised that the armed struggle would cause the Jewish state to collapse like a spider's web. Ten years ago, they might have had a state of their own. Now they can barely breathe.
For both peoples, the lessons of this decade are unbearable. No Greater Israel, no Peace Now, no Wholly Palestinian Palestine, no Two State solution. Perhaps this is truly what the messiah has decided to settle for: a situation in which every single inhabitant of the land is unhappy to the same extent.
In this regard, there is perhaps no better time than this to review Israel's 10 Worst Mistakes of the Last 10 Years:
1. The Siege of Gaza - The stated goal of the siege was to undermine Hamas and to goad Gazans into rejecting Hamas rule. The effect of the siege has been to focus and intensify Palestinian anger against Israel, increase Gazans' dependency on Hamas social welfare arms, enrich Hamas coffers through tunnel taxation and foreign donations, and sap Palestinian support for Fatah, which, through its back-channel encouragement for the siege, is seen as a betrayer and a boot-licker in the eyes of many Palestinians.
2. The Siege of Gaza - The blockade was ostensibly a means to stem the influx of weaponry into Gaza. In practice, with shipments the size of automobiles flowing through the tunnels, the Hamas arsenal has grown ever more sophisticated, now believed to include Iranian-manufactured rockets capable of striking Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion Airport from the Strip.
3. The Siege of Gaza - In the eyes of the world community, the overwhelming collective punishment - and the relative silence of Israelis in response - has gutted Israeli claims to the moral high ground. It has undercut sympathy for Israelis living within Qassam range. It has kept open the moral wounds of the Gaza War, cramping rebuilding efforts, enshrining universal unemployment, and ensuring agonizing homelessness as the coastal winter gathers full force. Israeli officials have quietly take steps of astounding insensitivity, arbitrarily barring such goods as school supplies.
4. The Siege of Gaza - The siege has been presented in the past as a means of pressing Hamas to release Gilad Shalit. Not only does he remain captive, the terms of a prospective deal appear not to include lifting the siege. The siege has been presented in the past as a means of pressuring Gazans to end rocket fire. But rocket fire only increased after the siege was put in place. Finally, Cast Lead, the Gaza war a year ago, might have been prevented altogether, had Israel adhered more closely to the Egyptian-brokered Hamas-Israel truce agreement of June, 2008, and lifted the siege more completely in response to a drop in rocket fire.
5. The Siege of Gaza - The siege works to the detriment of U.S. support for Israel. In February, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled anger at Israel over obstacles to humanitarian aid entering the strip. The message came soon after Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, visiting Gaza, learned that Israel had blocked shipments of pasta, ruling it off the list of permitted humanitarian aid items.
6. The Siege of Gaza - The fact that the siege has failed so completely in achieving its stated aims, reinforces the impression that its real purpose is punitive.
7. The Siege of Gaza - The siege places Israeli officials in jeopardy of being charged with violating the Fourth Geneva Convention and other international codes, as outlined in detail in the Goldstone Report. Referring to the siege, paragraph 1335 of the report states that: "From the facts available to it, the Mission is of the view that some of the actions of the Government of Israel might justify a competent court finding that crimes against humanity have been committed."
8. The Siege of Gaza - With the siege under the direct aegis of Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his deputy, Matan Vilnai, the moral failings of the siege could prove the coup de grace to an already foundering Labor Party.
9. The Siege of Gaza - The siege threatens to destabilize the rule of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, posing a potential threat to Israeli-Egyptian peace and Israeli security.
10. The Siege of Gaza - The siege corrupts the moral values of all Israelis, who, whether or not they are aware of what is being done to the people of Gaza, bear ultimate responsibility for all acts being carried out in their name.
Advertisement
The decade just passing is one in which Middle East dreams came to die. It began, appropriately, with an Israeli leader who saw his place in history as dependent on imposing a peace plan on the entire Arab world, and a Palestinian icon who saw his place in history as dependent on saying no.
In no decade of the modern Middle East has the roll of failure been so democratic. The titans Arafat and Sharon fought their battle to the death, and both lost. Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, Hassan Nasrallah, Ahmed Yassin, hilltop youth, Al Aqsa Martyrs, Yossi Beilin, the Yesha Council, even Jimmy Carter - all dreamed Icarus dreams and realized, only too late, that in the brilliant sun of the Holy Land, wings of feathers and wax reveal their true selves, which is to say, nothing more than feathers and wax.
It was a decade framed by a fundamentalist Palestinian belief in salvation through suicide and a fundamentalist Israeli belief in salvation through brutality.
The decade ends as it began, clueless, hopeless, exhausted. For having lived through this, we are, all of us, somehow much more than 10 years older, yet none the wiser. In fact, what passed for our wisdom had died with our dreams. Socialist collectivism, rabid Revisionism, Reagan-Thatcher neo-conservatism, none of them has anything to teach us.
The Palestinians are ideological orphans as well. Ten years ago, they were promised that the armed struggle would cause the Jewish state to collapse like a spider's web. Ten years ago, they might have had a state of their own. Now they can barely breathe.
For both peoples, the lessons of this decade are unbearable. No Greater Israel, no Peace Now, no Wholly Palestinian Palestine, no Two State solution. Perhaps this is truly what the messiah has decided to settle for: a situation in which every single inhabitant of the land is unhappy to the same extent.
In this regard, there is perhaps no better time than this to review Israel's 10 Worst Mistakes of the Last 10 Years:
1. The Siege of Gaza - The stated goal of the siege was to undermine Hamas and to goad Gazans into rejecting Hamas rule. The effect of the siege has been to focus and intensify Palestinian anger against Israel, increase Gazans' dependency on Hamas social welfare arms, enrich Hamas coffers through tunnel taxation and foreign donations, and sap Palestinian support for Fatah, which, through its back-channel encouragement for the siege, is seen as a betrayer and a boot-licker in the eyes of many Palestinians.
2. The Siege of Gaza - The blockade was ostensibly a means to stem the influx of weaponry into Gaza. In practice, with shipments the size of automobiles flowing through the tunnels, the Hamas arsenal has grown ever more sophisticated, now believed to include Iranian-manufactured rockets capable of striking Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion Airport from the Strip.
3. The Siege of Gaza - In the eyes of the world community, the overwhelming collective punishment - and the relative silence of Israelis in response - has gutted Israeli claims to the moral high ground. It has undercut sympathy for Israelis living within Qassam range. It has kept open the moral wounds of the Gaza War, cramping rebuilding efforts, enshrining universal unemployment, and ensuring agonizing homelessness as the coastal winter gathers full force. Israeli officials have quietly take steps of astounding insensitivity, arbitrarily barring such goods as school supplies.
4. The Siege of Gaza - The siege has been presented in the past as a means of pressing Hamas to release Gilad Shalit. Not only does he remain captive, the terms of a prospective deal appear not to include lifting the siege. The siege has been presented in the past as a means of pressuring Gazans to end rocket fire. But rocket fire only increased after the siege was put in place. Finally, Cast Lead, the Gaza war a year ago, might have been prevented altogether, had Israel adhered more closely to the Egyptian-brokered Hamas-Israel truce agreement of June, 2008, and lifted the siege more completely in response to a drop in rocket fire.
5. The Siege of Gaza - The siege works to the detriment of U.S. support for Israel. In February, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled anger at Israel over obstacles to humanitarian aid entering the strip. The message came soon after Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, visiting Gaza, learned that Israel had blocked shipments of pasta, ruling it off the list of permitted humanitarian aid items.
6. The Siege of Gaza - The fact that the siege has failed so completely in achieving its stated aims, reinforces the impression that its real purpose is punitive.
7. The Siege of Gaza - The siege places Israeli officials in jeopardy of being charged with violating the Fourth Geneva Convention and other international codes, as outlined in detail in the Goldstone Report. Referring to the siege, paragraph 1335 of the report states that: "From the facts available to it, the Mission is of the view that some of the actions of the Government of Israel might justify a competent court finding that crimes against humanity have been committed."
8. The Siege of Gaza - With the siege under the direct aegis of Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his deputy, Matan Vilnai, the moral failings of the siege could prove the coup de grace to an already foundering Labor Party.
9. The Siege of Gaza - The siege threatens to destabilize the rule of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, posing a potential threat to Israeli-Egyptian peace and Israeli security.
10. The Siege of Gaza - The siege corrupts the moral values of all Israelis, who, whether or not they are aware of what is being done to the people of Gaza, bear ultimate responsibility for all acts being carried out in their name.
TOP NEWS :- Foreigners killed in Afghan attacks
Five Canadians and eight Americans have been killed in two separate attacks in Afghanistan, with officials saying that the Americans were working for the CIA, the US intelligence agency.
The Taliban on Thursday claimed responsibility for the attack on the Americans, who were killed in a suicide attack on a US base in the eastern province of Khost.
A suicide bomber reportedly evaded security at the base and detonated an explosive belt in a room used as a fitness centre on Wednesday.
A former senior CIA officer who was stationed at the base said a combination of agency officers and contractors operated out of the remote outpost with the military and other agencies.
Initial reports suggested the men killed had been soldiers.
'Reconstruction staff'
"There has been a great deal of confusion when the reports emerged yesterday," Hashem Ahelbarra, Al Jazeera's correspondent reporting from the Afghan capital, Kabul, said.
"We contacted the spokesperson of Isaf [the International Security Assistance Force] to confirm to us that US soldiers were killed. "Then he came back to us in half an hour and said there had been a great deal of confusion and actually 'no, these are not US soldiers but civilians'. They are members of the PRT, which is the provincial reconstruction team."
The PRT was established in Afghanistan in 2002 by the US to assist in reconstruction efforts at district and provincial levels.
US media reports said the Americans killed were employed by the CIA.
The Washington Post newspaper, citing US officials, said the eight killed were working for the CIA, while the Associated Press cited an unnamed US official as saying CIA employees were believed to be among the dead.
According to The Washington Post report, the CIA has been bolstering its ranks in Afghanistan in recent weeks, mirroring the increase in troops.
The CIA has not yet commented or confirmed the deaths.
The base in Khost, known as Forward Operating Base Chapman, is a centre for personnel working on reconstruction projects in the country.
The US has committed to send hundreds of civilians to support work on development projects that aim to undermine support for the Taliban and other fighters.
But as the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated, many of the civilians working outside Kabul have retreated to army bases.
Several other people, none of them US or Nato troops, were wounded in the explosion, US defence officials said.
Canadians killed
The five Canadians were killed in a attack in the southern province of Kandahar just hours later.
The group, made up of four Canadian soldiers and a journalist accompanying them, were visiting community reconstruction projects and were killed when their armoured vehicle was hit by a bomb, the Canadian defence ministry said.
The journalist, Michelle Lang, was with The Calgary Herald.
The paper said Lang had been in the country since December 11 and was the first Canadian journalist to die in Afghanistan since Canada joined the international mission there in 2002.
The attack was the worst against Canada's military in the country in two years and brought its military deaths in Afghanistan to 138.
The Taliban on Thursday claimed responsibility for the attack on the Americans, who were killed in a suicide attack on a US base in the eastern province of Khost.
A suicide bomber reportedly evaded security at the base and detonated an explosive belt in a room used as a fitness centre on Wednesday.
A former senior CIA officer who was stationed at the base said a combination of agency officers and contractors operated out of the remote outpost with the military and other agencies.
Initial reports suggested the men killed had been soldiers.
'Reconstruction staff'
"There has been a great deal of confusion when the reports emerged yesterday," Hashem Ahelbarra, Al Jazeera's correspondent reporting from the Afghan capital, Kabul, said.
"We contacted the spokesperson of Isaf [the International Security Assistance Force] to confirm to us that US soldiers were killed. "Then he came back to us in half an hour and said there had been a great deal of confusion and actually 'no, these are not US soldiers but civilians'. They are members of the PRT, which is the provincial reconstruction team."
The PRT was established in Afghanistan in 2002 by the US to assist in reconstruction efforts at district and provincial levels.
US media reports said the Americans killed were employed by the CIA.
The Washington Post newspaper, citing US officials, said the eight killed were working for the CIA, while the Associated Press cited an unnamed US official as saying CIA employees were believed to be among the dead.
According to The Washington Post report, the CIA has been bolstering its ranks in Afghanistan in recent weeks, mirroring the increase in troops.
The CIA has not yet commented or confirmed the deaths.
The base in Khost, known as Forward Operating Base Chapman, is a centre for personnel working on reconstruction projects in the country.
The US has committed to send hundreds of civilians to support work on development projects that aim to undermine support for the Taliban and other fighters.
But as the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated, many of the civilians working outside Kabul have retreated to army bases.
Several other people, none of them US or Nato troops, were wounded in the explosion, US defence officials said.
Canadians killed
The five Canadians were killed in a attack in the southern province of Kandahar just hours later.
The group, made up of four Canadian soldiers and a journalist accompanying them, were visiting community reconstruction projects and were killed when their armoured vehicle was hit by a bomb, the Canadian defence ministry said.
The journalist, Michelle Lang, was with The Calgary Herald.
The paper said Lang had been in the country since December 11 and was the first Canadian journalist to die in Afghanistan since Canada joined the international mission there in 2002.
The attack was the worst against Canada's military in the country in two years and brought its military deaths in Afghanistan to 138.
TOP NEWS :- Nigeria to Use Full-Body Scanners to Improve Security at its Airports
Dutch and Nigerian officials say the two countries will begin using full-body scanners to tighten airport security after a Nigerian passenger – Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab -- tried to blow up a U.S. airliner heading from Amsterdam to the Midwestern U.S. city of Detroit.
The scanners, unlike metal detectors, produce a whole-body image of a passenger and can reveal plastic or chemical explosives hidden in clothing.
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Director Harold Demuren said his government wants to make it impossible for terrorists to pass through all Nigerian airports.
“In combating the new trend of terrorism as unfolded recently, Nigerian government has approved that we upgrade our security screening system to 3-D total body imaging scanners,” he said.
Demuren rejected any suggestion that his government’s promise to upgrade its airport security was a smoke screen to avoid international criticism.
“I beg your pardon, we don’t make fake promises here. We mean business here. After the events that just unfolded, we don’t want Nigeria to be used as a transit for any mad terrorist…we want to make our airports so impossible to pass through,” Demuren said.
He said Nigerian airports are safe, having gone through a number of international inspections.
“Let me tell you this, Nigeria as a state has passed through International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) security audit of our airports successfully two times. Nigeria has passed through successfully American Transportation Security Administration audit twice for Lagos and Abuja airports,” he said.
Demuren also said would-be terror bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab also went through Amsterdam Airport undetected, even with that city’s advanced technology.
The 3-D full-body security scanners are controversial because they display a detailed image of a passenger's body on a computer screen.
Demuren said passengers should put their lives first before privacy.
“I can understand about privacy, but you must have your life first before you talk about privacy. If you are dead, even dogs will look at you and walk across you. So it’s important that you have to be alive, and to be alive, we must stop these terrorists before they kill us,” he said.
Demuren assured air travelers through Nigeria that the country’s security system is solid.
“We have zero tolerance when it comes aviation security and that’s we are upgrading our system to meet the latest challenges,” Demuren said.
He said Nigeria does not breed terrorists and it does not want terrorists to pass through its territory.
The scanners, unlike metal detectors, produce a whole-body image of a passenger and can reveal plastic or chemical explosives hidden in clothing.
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Director Harold Demuren said his government wants to make it impossible for terrorists to pass through all Nigerian airports.
“In combating the new trend of terrorism as unfolded recently, Nigerian government has approved that we upgrade our security screening system to 3-D total body imaging scanners,” he said.
Demuren rejected any suggestion that his government’s promise to upgrade its airport security was a smoke screen to avoid international criticism.
“I beg your pardon, we don’t make fake promises here. We mean business here. After the events that just unfolded, we don’t want Nigeria to be used as a transit for any mad terrorist…we want to make our airports so impossible to pass through,” Demuren said.
He said Nigerian airports are safe, having gone through a number of international inspections.
“Let me tell you this, Nigeria as a state has passed through International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) security audit of our airports successfully two times. Nigeria has passed through successfully American Transportation Security Administration audit twice for Lagos and Abuja airports,” he said.
Demuren also said would-be terror bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab also went through Amsterdam Airport undetected, even with that city’s advanced technology.
The 3-D full-body security scanners are controversial because they display a detailed image of a passenger's body on a computer screen.
Demuren said passengers should put their lives first before privacy.
“I can understand about privacy, but you must have your life first before you talk about privacy. If you are dead, even dogs will look at you and walk across you. So it’s important that you have to be alive, and to be alive, we must stop these terrorists before they kill us,” he said.
Demuren assured air travelers through Nigeria that the country’s security system is solid.
“We have zero tolerance when it comes aviation security and that’s we are upgrading our system to meet the latest challenges,” Demuren said.
He said Nigeria does not breed terrorists and it does not want terrorists to pass through its territory.
TOP NEWS :- Ruchika's school faces the heat over her expulsion
Chandigarh: Ruchika Girhotra's school Sacred Heart Convent will have to explain on Wednesday why they expelled her in 1990 on the grounds of non payment of fee.
The Principal of Sacred Heart Sister Sebastina will be questioned by Chandigarh administration officials led by inquiry officer Prerna Puri in the case.
Chandigarh administration has already ordered an inquiry into the school's role in the expulsion of Ruchika.
Sister Sebastina was the principal when Ruchika was expelled from school in September 1990, a month after she was molested by former Haryana director general of police SPS Rathore on August 12, 1990.
The school had claimed that Ruchika defaulted in paying the fees and expelled her.
The Principal of Sacred Heart Sister Sebastina will be questioned by Chandigarh administration officials led by inquiry officer Prerna Puri in the case.
Chandigarh administration has already ordered an inquiry into the school's role in the expulsion of Ruchika.
Sister Sebastina was the principal when Ruchika was expelled from school in September 1990, a month after she was molested by former Haryana director general of police SPS Rathore on August 12, 1990.
The school had claimed that Ruchika defaulted in paying the fees and expelled her.
Nagpur:- 3 IDIOTS and education system in the country
Had Raju Hirani not left his engineering midway at the Nagpur Engineering College, the telling expose of our educational system would not have been done in as delightful a manner as it was reemphasized in 3 IDIOTS. The metropolitan cities may have responded to 3 IDIOTS in a different manner but the real success for it has emerged from the mofussil towns of the country.
Dharwad is one such town in Karnataka, which is considered as the cultural capital of Karnataka, boasting of the likes of Bhim Sen Joshi, Gangu Bai Hangal, as also Nanadan Nilekani as its illustrious residents apart from the fact that it is one of the most sought after educational centres in South India. No wonder, it is thronged by students from all over the country and these students have laid siege to 3 IDIOTS. Show after show is populated by the students from various engineering, medical and management institutes who are soaking in the mockery of the educational system of the country deliriously enjoying the gags of the film. There would hardly be a viewer in the crowd who has not crammed dialogues of the film by heart. Talking to one of the patrons of the cinema hall, it was revealed that it has happened after a long time that students are coming back as a repeat audience to view 3 IDIOTS.
It is the students who have really made 3 IDIOTS the phenomenal success that it has become. In fact talking to one of the professors in one of the engineering colleges, it was revealed that they are also happy that 3 IDIOTS has brought out the rot that has set into the system in such a delightful manner.
The phenomenal success that 3 IDIOTS has attained among the students is owing to the imposition of the career on them by their parents and the students are able to identify the existentialist dilemma that they have been besotted with. The parents need to understand what Khalil Gibran had said that "they can only give love to their children and not burden them with their THOUGHTS as their souls are going to dwell in the house of tomorrow which the parents would not be there to see".
It is the same trend all over the country and it indeed begs a question whether there indeed is a reason to have a relook into the functioning of our educational institutions as also in the manner in which the parents deal with their children in the present times. The dialogue of the film "chase excellence and success would follow", indeed needs to become the reference point for the educational institutions as also the parents who should instill in the parents the notion of excellence in the area that they wish to choose.
When the government is indeed giving a serious thought to overhaul the educational system of the country 3 IDIOTS indeed needs to serve as one of the reference points. May be, as it happened with LAGE RAHO MUNNA BHAI, when a special screening was done for the Prime Minister of the country at his request, this time around, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Raju Hirani should take the initiative and facilitate it for the Prime Minister If it is done, the real purpose of 3 IDIOTS would indeed be achieved.
Dharwad is one such town in Karnataka, which is considered as the cultural capital of Karnataka, boasting of the likes of Bhim Sen Joshi, Gangu Bai Hangal, as also Nanadan Nilekani as its illustrious residents apart from the fact that it is one of the most sought after educational centres in South India. No wonder, it is thronged by students from all over the country and these students have laid siege to 3 IDIOTS. Show after show is populated by the students from various engineering, medical and management institutes who are soaking in the mockery of the educational system of the country deliriously enjoying the gags of the film. There would hardly be a viewer in the crowd who has not crammed dialogues of the film by heart. Talking to one of the patrons of the cinema hall, it was revealed that it has happened after a long time that students are coming back as a repeat audience to view 3 IDIOTS.
It is the students who have really made 3 IDIOTS the phenomenal success that it has become. In fact talking to one of the professors in one of the engineering colleges, it was revealed that they are also happy that 3 IDIOTS has brought out the rot that has set into the system in such a delightful manner.
The phenomenal success that 3 IDIOTS has attained among the students is owing to the imposition of the career on them by their parents and the students are able to identify the existentialist dilemma that they have been besotted with. The parents need to understand what Khalil Gibran had said that "they can only give love to their children and not burden them with their THOUGHTS as their souls are going to dwell in the house of tomorrow which the parents would not be there to see".
It is the same trend all over the country and it indeed begs a question whether there indeed is a reason to have a relook into the functioning of our educational institutions as also in the manner in which the parents deal with their children in the present times. The dialogue of the film "chase excellence and success would follow", indeed needs to become the reference point for the educational institutions as also the parents who should instill in the parents the notion of excellence in the area that they wish to choose.
When the government is indeed giving a serious thought to overhaul the educational system of the country 3 IDIOTS indeed needs to serve as one of the reference points. May be, as it happened with LAGE RAHO MUNNA BHAI, when a special screening was done for the Prime Minister of the country at his request, this time around, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Raju Hirani should take the initiative and facilitate it for the Prime Minister If it is done, the real purpose of 3 IDIOTS would indeed be achieved.
One booked in fraud case
A 36-year-old person has been booked for fraud of Rs 7,99,000 in a jewellery shop located at Telephone Exchange Square. The jewellery
shop is owned by Pramod Agrawal (52), a resident of Sudan Gali, Itwari.
According to the cops, the accused Mahesh Gandi (36), a resident of Chandrapur, was working in the jewellery shop. Following a reference from relatives the accused had been employed at the shop in February. It was learnt that Pramod used to be out of town for business most of the time. At such times, the shop's management was looked after by the accused.
Over a period of five months, Mahesh kept with himself jewellery worth Rs 3,99,000. However, Pramod detected the fraud and threatened Mahesh to return the jewellery or he would be handed over to the police. Mahesh promised to return his money and Pramod allowed him to continue on the job. Mahesh also handed over a cheque for the amount to Pramod, however the cheque bounced. Later, it came to light that Mahesh had also stolen valuables worth Rs 4,00,000 before fleeing, leaving Pramod with a loss of Rs 7,99,000.
Lakadganj police have registered a case against the accused and are further investigating the matter.
shop is owned by Pramod Agrawal (52), a resident of Sudan Gali, Itwari.
According to the cops, the accused Mahesh Gandi (36), a resident of Chandrapur, was working in the jewellery shop. Following a reference from relatives the accused had been employed at the shop in February. It was learnt that Pramod used to be out of town for business most of the time. At such times, the shop's management was looked after by the accused.
Over a period of five months, Mahesh kept with himself jewellery worth Rs 3,99,000. However, Pramod detected the fraud and threatened Mahesh to return the jewellery or he would be handed over to the police. Mahesh promised to return his money and Pramod allowed him to continue on the job. Mahesh also handed over a cheque for the amount to Pramod, however the cheque bounced. Later, it came to light that Mahesh had also stolen valuables worth Rs 4,00,000 before fleeing, leaving Pramod with a loss of Rs 7,99,000.
Lakadganj police have registered a case against the accused and are further investigating the matter.
Delhi-bound trains via AP late due to Telangana stir
Nagpur, Dec 30 (PTI) Several trains passing from Hyderabad/Secunderabad towards Delhi were runing late due to ongoing Telangana agitation.
Trains like Hyderabad-New Delhi AP Express, Secunderabad-Hazarat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express and Thiruvanatpuram-New Delhi Kerala Express were behind schedule by several hours, a press release from Central Railway Nagpur Division said today.
Trains like Hyderabad-New Delhi AP Express, Secunderabad-Hazarat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express and Thiruvanatpuram-New Delhi Kerala Express were behind schedule by several hours, a press release from Central Railway Nagpur Division said today.
MSEDCL wants change in power purchase mode
MSEDCL has filed a petition before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), seeking to purchase power on round the clock
(RTC) basis for implementing zero load shedding (ZLS) in six cities. Currently, MSEDCL is purchasing power for the six cities for twelve hours. The MERC has scheduled a hearing on this petition on January 7 in Mumbai at 12 noon. MSEDCL officials says that if the petition is given the green signal then it would reduce ZLS surcharge substantially.
MSEDCL managing director Ajoy Mehta told TOI that the distribution company had tied up power for ZLS at Rs 6.26 per unit for twelve hours between 6am to 6pm for twelve months. However, power sellers told MSEDCL that if it purchased power round the clock then the average cost of power would be Rs 5.50 per unit. Mehta said that if MERC approved MSEDCL's proposal, then ZLS surcharge would go down by 10 to 15 paise per unit.
Mehta said that MSEDCL had told MERC that whenever there was a shortfall in the grid, MSEDCL would supply this power to the entire state. "Currently, the costliest power we are purchasing is from Dabhol at Rs 4.40 per unit. The power traders are ready to provide power at Rs 5.50 per unit."
MSEDCL has urged MERC to approve the compensation to the extent of excess power that would be available to the grid at the highest rate of long term power purchase of MSEDCL through tariff. This means that if power at night is available at more than Rs 5.50 per unit then it would not be bought for the state and instead the RTC power for ZLS would be used.
The company has also urged MERC to allow it to hold another public hearing in Nashik. The consumers of Nashik had rejected the ZLS proposal in the public hearing held in early November while consumers of Pune, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Amravati had overwhelmingly supported it. However, now some consumer organisations have approached MSEDCL claiming that the city's consumers have changed their minds.
(RTC) basis for implementing zero load shedding (ZLS) in six cities. Currently, MSEDCL is purchasing power for the six cities for twelve hours. The MERC has scheduled a hearing on this petition on January 7 in Mumbai at 12 noon. MSEDCL officials says that if the petition is given the green signal then it would reduce ZLS surcharge substantially.
MSEDCL managing director Ajoy Mehta told TOI that the distribution company had tied up power for ZLS at Rs 6.26 per unit for twelve hours between 6am to 6pm for twelve months. However, power sellers told MSEDCL that if it purchased power round the clock then the average cost of power would be Rs 5.50 per unit. Mehta said that if MERC approved MSEDCL's proposal, then ZLS surcharge would go down by 10 to 15 paise per unit.
Mehta said that MSEDCL had told MERC that whenever there was a shortfall in the grid, MSEDCL would supply this power to the entire state. "Currently, the costliest power we are purchasing is from Dabhol at Rs 4.40 per unit. The power traders are ready to provide power at Rs 5.50 per unit."
MSEDCL has urged MERC to approve the compensation to the extent of excess power that would be available to the grid at the highest rate of long term power purchase of MSEDCL through tariff. This means that if power at night is available at more than Rs 5.50 per unit then it would not be bought for the state and instead the RTC power for ZLS would be used.
The company has also urged MERC to allow it to hold another public hearing in Nashik. The consumers of Nashik had rejected the ZLS proposal in the public hearing held in early November while consumers of Pune, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Amravati had overwhelmingly supported it. However, now some consumer organisations have approached MSEDCL claiming that the city's consumers have changed their minds.
NAAC nod must for colleges to start new courses, sections
In a significant decision, the Nagpur University has decided to give permission for new sections or subjects in colleges, only if the
colleges have accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and the requisite full time teachers. The decision was taken by the management council in its meeting on Wednesday, which considered proposals of new colleges, along with those of new sections and subjects, to be sent to the government. The deadline for sending all these proposals is Thursday.
Like every year, the proposals for new colleges, subjects and sections, have been marred with controversy, as only 98 out of 378 were cleared for the academic session 2010-11. The scrutiny panel under senior management council member Balraj Aher had cleared them on the basis of a September 25 GR. As per the new GR, new colleges should fulfil some conditions like having NAAC/NBA accreditation, sufficient number of regular teachers with necessary qualifications, requisite infrastructure and facilities like building and classrooms among others.
However, this decision had come under sharp criticism and all proposals were referred back to the Board of University and College Development (BCUD) for reconsideration, but it too maintained the same stand. Following this, a meeting of the management council was convened where another senior member Dr Ved Prakash Mishra had presented a four point agenda which was accepted.
Mishra proposed that colleges which had applied for the principal's appointment but their files are pending with VC's office should be cleared, as it was not their fault. Secondly, some colleges had reappointed principals after their superannuation and therefore their proposals should also be allowed. He further proposed that big educational societies like Raisoni or Meghe Group with most of their colleges having regular principals should be given the go-ahead. He also said that minority institutes should be given a breather on this count, sources informed. Following this formula, nearly 100 proposals were given the go ahead.
colleges have accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and the requisite full time teachers. The decision was taken by the management council in its meeting on Wednesday, which considered proposals of new colleges, along with those of new sections and subjects, to be sent to the government. The deadline for sending all these proposals is Thursday.
Like every year, the proposals for new colleges, subjects and sections, have been marred with controversy, as only 98 out of 378 were cleared for the academic session 2010-11. The scrutiny panel under senior management council member Balraj Aher had cleared them on the basis of a September 25 GR. As per the new GR, new colleges should fulfil some conditions like having NAAC/NBA accreditation, sufficient number of regular teachers with necessary qualifications, requisite infrastructure and facilities like building and classrooms among others.
However, this decision had come under sharp criticism and all proposals were referred back to the Board of University and College Development (BCUD) for reconsideration, but it too maintained the same stand. Following this, a meeting of the management council was convened where another senior member Dr Ved Prakash Mishra had presented a four point agenda which was accepted.
Mishra proposed that colleges which had applied for the principal's appointment but their files are pending with VC's office should be cleared, as it was not their fault. Secondly, some colleges had reappointed principals after their superannuation and therefore their proposals should also be allowed. He further proposed that big educational societies like Raisoni or Meghe Group with most of their colleges having regular principals should be given the go-ahead. He also said that minority institutes should be given a breather on this count, sources informed. Following this formula, nearly 100 proposals were given the go ahead.
Mayor plans dept-wise meetings to review work
Oh my Dear, Forget ur Fear,
Let all ur Dreams be Clear,
Never put Tear, Please Hear,
I want to tell one thing in ur Ear
Wishing u NEW YEAR"!The new mayor has decided to hold review meetings of each municipal department starting January 1, in a bid to streamline the working of
Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Mayor Archana Dehankar announced this at a meeting of all department heads, deputy commissioners and ward officers to review the working of the water supply, education, encroachment, garden, transport and general administration department.
Taking the water department to task on Wednesday, the mayor directed officials to bring down increasing complaints of water leakage and contaminated water supply and improve the water distribution network across the city. Dehankar told TOI that directions have been issued to the water works department to repair water leaks and cases of polluted water supply within 24 hours of receiving a complaint and submit details to the mayor's office. The mayor has also asked officials to personally visit areas to solve the people's problems.
Dehankar further stated that at a time when other municipal corporations like Mumbai, Nashik and Thane are facing severe potable water shortage in the winter season, and implementing water cuts too, Nagpur has sufficient water till at least July 15.
As against a demand of 370 MLD water per day in the city, NMC is supplying almost 530 MLD these days, she said. However, almost 225 to 250 MLD water has been going waste due to leakages - man-made or technical. "We have directed officials to first streamline the water distribution network and check leakages. We plan to have a time-bound programme, including setting up monitoring system at all pumping stations to enable the corporation to ascertain exact quantity of water supplied to a zone and the quantity residents get from water tanks," she said.
Admitting that the corporation is going slack on leakage and other maladies, Dehankar accepted that most areas in east, north and central Nagpur get water on alternate days or no water for many days, while other areas get regular water supply. "We will ensure that there is regular and equitable distribution of water in all areas of the city throughout the year soon," she said.
Despite the civic house having unanimously passed a proposal to rationalise general taxes and give 10% rebate to new constructions having facilities of rainwater harvesting and solar heaters, the property tax department is still issuing demand notes as per old norms, Dehankar has said. She said that municipal commissioner Asseem Gupta has failed to implement the civic house's decision regarding rationalisation of property tax rates. "The civic house had also announced a few concessions for senior citizens, handicapped persons and women. But these too were not included in the demand notes issued to property owners," she alleged.
NMC has also begun an exercise to revaluate or reassess tax on 1.80 lakh properties in 23 of the 75 wards across 10 zones in the city. As per the new policy, property tax is being calculated on the basis of rental value or the annual letting value of the property. Thus the revaluation exercise essentially involves the revision of standard rent of properties in a particular area. Dehankar said, "I have issued directions to provide details regarding methods of property tax collection, how much revenue has been generated till date and whether the decisions of the civic house were being implemented or not, within the next seven days to the mayors office."
Municipal commissioner Asseem Gupta was on leave, and could not be contacted despite many attempts.
Let all ur Dreams be Clear,
Never put Tear, Please Hear,
I want to tell one thing in ur Ear
Wishing u NEW YEAR"!The new mayor has decided to hold review meetings of each municipal department starting January 1, in a bid to streamline the working of
Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Mayor Archana Dehankar announced this at a meeting of all department heads, deputy commissioners and ward officers to review the working of the water supply, education, encroachment, garden, transport and general administration department.
Taking the water department to task on Wednesday, the mayor directed officials to bring down increasing complaints of water leakage and contaminated water supply and improve the water distribution network across the city. Dehankar told TOI that directions have been issued to the water works department to repair water leaks and cases of polluted water supply within 24 hours of receiving a complaint and submit details to the mayor's office. The mayor has also asked officials to personally visit areas to solve the people's problems.
Dehankar further stated that at a time when other municipal corporations like Mumbai, Nashik and Thane are facing severe potable water shortage in the winter season, and implementing water cuts too, Nagpur has sufficient water till at least July 15.
As against a demand of 370 MLD water per day in the city, NMC is supplying almost 530 MLD these days, she said. However, almost 225 to 250 MLD water has been going waste due to leakages - man-made or technical. "We have directed officials to first streamline the water distribution network and check leakages. We plan to have a time-bound programme, including setting up monitoring system at all pumping stations to enable the corporation to ascertain exact quantity of water supplied to a zone and the quantity residents get from water tanks," she said.
Admitting that the corporation is going slack on leakage and other maladies, Dehankar accepted that most areas in east, north and central Nagpur get water on alternate days or no water for many days, while other areas get regular water supply. "We will ensure that there is regular and equitable distribution of water in all areas of the city throughout the year soon," she said.
Despite the civic house having unanimously passed a proposal to rationalise general taxes and give 10% rebate to new constructions having facilities of rainwater harvesting and solar heaters, the property tax department is still issuing demand notes as per old norms, Dehankar has said. She said that municipal commissioner Asseem Gupta has failed to implement the civic house's decision regarding rationalisation of property tax rates. "The civic house had also announced a few concessions for senior citizens, handicapped persons and women. But these too were not included in the demand notes issued to property owners," she alleged.
NMC has also begun an exercise to revaluate or reassess tax on 1.80 lakh properties in 23 of the 75 wards across 10 zones in the city. As per the new policy, property tax is being calculated on the basis of rental value or the annual letting value of the property. Thus the revaluation exercise essentially involves the revision of standard rent of properties in a particular area. Dehankar said, "I have issued directions to provide details regarding methods of property tax collection, how much revenue has been generated till date and whether the decisions of the civic house were being implemented or not, within the next seven days to the mayors office."
Municipal commissioner Asseem Gupta was on leave, and could not be contacted despite many attempts.
NIT ayes project to develop Sakkardara lake
The board of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) on Wednesday cleared the proposal to award the contract for an amusement park on the bank of
Sakkardara lake to M/s Amardeep Resorts Ltd, a subsidiary of Centre Point group of hotels. The project will be executed on public private partnership (PPP) basis. It is expected to be complete in three months.
NIT chairman Sanjay Mukherjee said that the NIT has constructed 63 huts on two acre land opposite the ten acre Sakkardara garden. It has also done some landscaping around the huts. The operator has to develop multi-cuisine restaurant, shops selling antiques, artefacts, jewellery, gems, etc and a fun zone with Bollywood as theme. The operator will have co-branding rights for the fun zone.
Mukherjee said that NIT already has a toy train, horse and camel rides, shooting zone and an open air restaurant in the garden. Boating facilities are available in the lake. "Once the amusement park is complete, Sakkardara lake will become the most happening spot of the city. A family can spend the entire day on a picnic."
The civic agency is also doing beautification of Telangkhedi lake. It has already expanded the promenade along the lake.
Meanwhile, the tender for upgradation of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) was to be opened on December 30 but had to be postponed due to the board meeting. As chairman Mukherjee is on leave on Thursday, the tender would be opened on Friday, NIT sources said.
Sakkardara lake to M/s Amardeep Resorts Ltd, a subsidiary of Centre Point group of hotels. The project will be executed on public private partnership (PPP) basis. It is expected to be complete in three months.
NIT chairman Sanjay Mukherjee said that the NIT has constructed 63 huts on two acre land opposite the ten acre Sakkardara garden. It has also done some landscaping around the huts. The operator has to develop multi-cuisine restaurant, shops selling antiques, artefacts, jewellery, gems, etc and a fun zone with Bollywood as theme. The operator will have co-branding rights for the fun zone.
Mukherjee said that NIT already has a toy train, horse and camel rides, shooting zone and an open air restaurant in the garden. Boating facilities are available in the lake. "Once the amusement park is complete, Sakkardara lake will become the most happening spot of the city. A family can spend the entire day on a picnic."
The civic agency is also doing beautification of Telangkhedi lake. It has already expanded the promenade along the lake.
Meanwhile, the tender for upgradation of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) was to be opened on December 30 but had to be postponed due to the board meeting. As chairman Mukherjee is on leave on Thursday, the tender would be opened on Friday, NIT sources said.
Osmania University campus turns violent
Osmania University turned into a war zone on Thursday with thousands of students flooding its roads pelting stones at the police,
damaging property and even attacking Telugu Desam Party (TDP) senior leaders who turned up on campus to express solidarity.
The students who had at first quietly assembled at the Arts College building at around 10 am, soon after turned violent and pelted stones at police injuring senior police officials, including DIG R S Praveen Kumar.
The students also turned their ire at TDP leaders who had come to the campus to support them at 4 pm. The worst hit was TDP MLA Nagam Janardhan Reddy who was dragged out of his vehicle and beaten for over ten minutes near OU Arts College, till a bystander came to his rescue and took him to safety on a bike.
In the melee, Nagam's gunman dropped his 9 mm pistol, which a mediaperson later handed over to the Osmania University police. It was suspected that, not having a weapon could be one of the reasons why the gunman did not open fire in the air. OU inspector Anjaiah said that they have booked a case in this regard and are yet to hand over the weapon to the gunman.
TDP leader Devender Goud, was also roughed up but he managed to escape. Other TDP leaders, Erraballi Dayakar Rao, R Revanth Reddy and Kadiyam Srihari, managed to leave unharmed.
The students broke the windshields of several vehicles, including that of media personnel's. The violence took place in spite of the police cordoning off all the entrances to the campus with barbed wires.
The scene heated up at 11.15 am when over 1,500 students tried holding rallies at the various exit points of the campus. While their move to get to Tarnaka crossroads was prevented by police, they were almost successful in getting close enough to one of the exit point on the Tarnaka stretch, near Aradhana theatre, to pelt stones at nearby shops whose shutters were already down. As the mob advanced further, police chased them back and students retaliated by pelting stones back at them. To disperse the mob police fired two rounds of tear gas shells in the air. A lathicharge followed to which the students retaliated by pelting stones further in which police personnel, including DIG R S Praveen Kumar, sustained minor injuries.
Though the situation came under control by afternoon, the scene turned volatile as members of political parties including Congress and TRS started trickling in around 1.30 pm. The students who were visibly uninterested in the political banter started booing most of the Congress leaders. The situation became worse when TDP leaders came to the campus in five vehicles and violence against them ensued.
Later, police identified two persons who attacked Janardhan Reddy as Srikanth Raju of Nalgonda and Rajeev Reddy, an advocate from city.
Meanwhile, IG, A R Anuradha warned general public about the volatile situation on OU campus and said it could turn serious anytime. Speaking at a media conference Anuradha appealed to parents to take appropriate action to restrain the students. "I also urge 'outsiders' not to enter the OU campus even though they might have good intention," she said, hinting at the presence of Joint Action Committee of High Court Lawyers who had come to the campus in the afternoon.
The university has postponed all its examinations till January 2, 2010.
damaging property and even attacking Telugu Desam Party (TDP) senior leaders who turned up on campus to express solidarity.
The students who had at first quietly assembled at the Arts College building at around 10 am, soon after turned violent and pelted stones at police injuring senior police officials, including DIG R S Praveen Kumar.
The students also turned their ire at TDP leaders who had come to the campus to support them at 4 pm. The worst hit was TDP MLA Nagam Janardhan Reddy who was dragged out of his vehicle and beaten for over ten minutes near OU Arts College, till a bystander came to his rescue and took him to safety on a bike.
In the melee, Nagam's gunman dropped his 9 mm pistol, which a mediaperson later handed over to the Osmania University police. It was suspected that, not having a weapon could be one of the reasons why the gunman did not open fire in the air. OU inspector Anjaiah said that they have booked a case in this regard and are yet to hand over the weapon to the gunman.
TDP leader Devender Goud, was also roughed up but he managed to escape. Other TDP leaders, Erraballi Dayakar Rao, R Revanth Reddy and Kadiyam Srihari, managed to leave unharmed.
The students broke the windshields of several vehicles, including that of media personnel's. The violence took place in spite of the police cordoning off all the entrances to the campus with barbed wires.
The scene heated up at 11.15 am when over 1,500 students tried holding rallies at the various exit points of the campus. While their move to get to Tarnaka crossroads was prevented by police, they were almost successful in getting close enough to one of the exit point on the Tarnaka stretch, near Aradhana theatre, to pelt stones at nearby shops whose shutters were already down. As the mob advanced further, police chased them back and students retaliated by pelting stones back at them. To disperse the mob police fired two rounds of tear gas shells in the air. A lathicharge followed to which the students retaliated by pelting stones further in which police personnel, including DIG R S Praveen Kumar, sustained minor injuries.
Though the situation came under control by afternoon, the scene turned volatile as members of political parties including Congress and TRS started trickling in around 1.30 pm. The students who were visibly uninterested in the political banter started booing most of the Congress leaders. The situation became worse when TDP leaders came to the campus in five vehicles and violence against them ensued.
Later, police identified two persons who attacked Janardhan Reddy as Srikanth Raju of Nalgonda and Rajeev Reddy, an advocate from city.
Meanwhile, IG, A R Anuradha warned general public about the volatile situation on OU campus and said it could turn serious anytime. Speaking at a media conference Anuradha appealed to parents to take appropriate action to restrain the students. "I also urge 'outsiders' not to enter the OU campus even though they might have good intention," she said, hinting at the presence of Joint Action Committee of High Court Lawyers who had come to the campus in the afternoon.
The university has postponed all its examinations till January 2, 2010.
3 Idiots, satisfying but not the best
Going home after watching 3 Idiots I felt like I'd just been to my favorite restaurant only to be a tad under-whelmed by their signature dish. It was a satisfying meal, don't get me wrong, but not the best meal I'd been expecting.
3 Idiots, starring Aamir Khan, produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and written and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, is a film of impeccable pedigree. It's a breezy entertainer and it's got its heart in the right place, but it appears to be lacking in the naiive idealism and old-fashioned sincerity that propelled Hirani's two Munnabhai films to cult status.
Loosely based on Chetan Bhagat's pulpy bestseller Five Point Someone, 3 Idiots takes light-hearted but pointed jabs at the Indian education system, raising pertinent questions about the relevance of learning by rote, the obsession with high grades, and the dangerous repercussions of parental pressure to pursue traditional streams.
Set on an engineering campus in Delhi modeled after the IIT, the film features Aamir Khan as free-spirited student Rancho who dishes out important life lessons to his roommates Farhan and Raju (played by R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi), even as Naziesque campus director Viru Sahastrabuddhe (played by Boman Irani) clashes with him for brazenly rejecting conventional wisdom.
Rancho, as it turns out, can do just about anything. From empowering Farhan to convince his family he wants to be a photographer not an engineer, to nursing another friend back to health after a failed suicide attempt, Rancho even helps an unsuspecting girl open her eyes to the superficial jerk she's about to marry, and believe it or not, at one point he even delivers a baby on the college ping-pong table following instructions from a doctor on webcam.
But soon after teaching them these valuable lessons and touching their lives in some way or the other, Rancho vanishes. The film is told mostly in flashback, with Farhan and Raju setting off to find their buddy a few years later.
And because no Hindi film can be complete without a romance, Hirani and his co-writer Abhijat Joshi also manage to squeeze in a love track between Rancho and the college director's daughter Pia (played by Kareena Kapoor).
The film's first half breezes by effortlessly between Hirani's trademark comic flourishes including a hilarious ragging scene, two witty confrontations with teachers, and even an uproarious Farrelly Brothers-style gag involving a rolling pin and a paralysed man. Expectedly, the humor is alternated with moments of poignancy like that delicate scene in which the group first discovers a fellow student's suicide.
Problem is, the genuine lump-in-your-throat moments are few and far between, the screenplay populated instead by a batch of scenes calling for push-button emotions. Where the Munnabhai films cunningly tricked you into shedding an unexpected tear, 3 Idiots goes for full-throttle melodrama.
The film's second half in particular, is a tiring mess of ridiculous back-stories, convenient coincidences and sappy sentimentality.
Despite these hiccups, the film still works to a fair extent because of the inherent optimism in the plot and the sheer good-naturedness of its characters. It's hard to resist Rancho's cheery "All izz well" chant even if Hirani does push it a little too far when he ties it to a baby's first in-womb kick, and the scene I mentioned earlier involving a delivery on a ping-pong table.
Of the cast, Sharman Joshi has a meatier role than R Madhavan, hence succeeds in fleshing him out more competently. Kareena Kapoor makes her presence felt despite the small role, and Boman Irani - although he's trapped in a caricature - inspires hearty laughs.
But for me, the performance that stood out in this film belongs to lesser-known LA-based actor Omi Vaidya who stars as the Hindi-challenged Chatur Ramalingam, who deserves credit for turning an old childish gag into what is one of the film's funniest scenes on the strength of his pitch-perfect expressions and delivery.
And then of course, there's Aamir Khan as Rancho. Who never quite passes off as a 20-something-year-old, but remains the heart and soul of 3 Idiots with his spot-on comedy, his measured histrionics, and his immense likeability.
The film, in the end, is a broad entertainer that plays to the gallery, well-intentioned but sadly muddled. However it's warmer than any other comedy this year - think Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, All The Best or De Dana Dan - and hence it's unquestionably an enjoyable watch.
From the man behind those decade-defining Munnabhai films, however, it is far from his best work. I'm going with three out of five for director Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots, an earnest but calculated effort that runs, but never flies. Watch it anyway, because it's the season to be jolly, and good laughs are guaranteed.
Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
Rajeev Masand says 3 Idiots is a satisfying meal but not the best meal that he'd been expecting. What do you think? Tell us and win exciting prizes.
3 Idiots, starring Aamir Khan, produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and written and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, is a film of impeccable pedigree. It's a breezy entertainer and it's got its heart in the right place, but it appears to be lacking in the naiive idealism and old-fashioned sincerity that propelled Hirani's two Munnabhai films to cult status.
Loosely based on Chetan Bhagat's pulpy bestseller Five Point Someone, 3 Idiots takes light-hearted but pointed jabs at the Indian education system, raising pertinent questions about the relevance of learning by rote, the obsession with high grades, and the dangerous repercussions of parental pressure to pursue traditional streams.
Set on an engineering campus in Delhi modeled after the IIT, the film features Aamir Khan as free-spirited student Rancho who dishes out important life lessons to his roommates Farhan and Raju (played by R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi), even as Naziesque campus director Viru Sahastrabuddhe (played by Boman Irani) clashes with him for brazenly rejecting conventional wisdom.
Rancho, as it turns out, can do just about anything. From empowering Farhan to convince his family he wants to be a photographer not an engineer, to nursing another friend back to health after a failed suicide attempt, Rancho even helps an unsuspecting girl open her eyes to the superficial jerk she's about to marry, and believe it or not, at one point he even delivers a baby on the college ping-pong table following instructions from a doctor on webcam.
But soon after teaching them these valuable lessons and touching their lives in some way or the other, Rancho vanishes. The film is told mostly in flashback, with Farhan and Raju setting off to find their buddy a few years later.
And because no Hindi film can be complete without a romance, Hirani and his co-writer Abhijat Joshi also manage to squeeze in a love track between Rancho and the college director's daughter Pia (played by Kareena Kapoor).
The film's first half breezes by effortlessly between Hirani's trademark comic flourishes including a hilarious ragging scene, two witty confrontations with teachers, and even an uproarious Farrelly Brothers-style gag involving a rolling pin and a paralysed man. Expectedly, the humor is alternated with moments of poignancy like that delicate scene in which the group first discovers a fellow student's suicide.
Problem is, the genuine lump-in-your-throat moments are few and far between, the screenplay populated instead by a batch of scenes calling for push-button emotions. Where the Munnabhai films cunningly tricked you into shedding an unexpected tear, 3 Idiots goes for full-throttle melodrama.
The film's second half in particular, is a tiring mess of ridiculous back-stories, convenient coincidences and sappy sentimentality.
Despite these hiccups, the film still works to a fair extent because of the inherent optimism in the plot and the sheer good-naturedness of its characters. It's hard to resist Rancho's cheery "All izz well" chant even if Hirani does push it a little too far when he ties it to a baby's first in-womb kick, and the scene I mentioned earlier involving a delivery on a ping-pong table.
Of the cast, Sharman Joshi has a meatier role than R Madhavan, hence succeeds in fleshing him out more competently. Kareena Kapoor makes her presence felt despite the small role, and Boman Irani - although he's trapped in a caricature - inspires hearty laughs.
But for me, the performance that stood out in this film belongs to lesser-known LA-based actor Omi Vaidya who stars as the Hindi-challenged Chatur Ramalingam, who deserves credit for turning an old childish gag into what is one of the film's funniest scenes on the strength of his pitch-perfect expressions and delivery.
And then of course, there's Aamir Khan as Rancho. Who never quite passes off as a 20-something-year-old, but remains the heart and soul of 3 Idiots with his spot-on comedy, his measured histrionics, and his immense likeability.
The film, in the end, is a broad entertainer that plays to the gallery, well-intentioned but sadly muddled. However it's warmer than any other comedy this year - think Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, All The Best or De Dana Dan - and hence it's unquestionably an enjoyable watch.
From the man behind those decade-defining Munnabhai films, however, it is far from his best work. I'm going with three out of five for director Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots, an earnest but calculated effort that runs, but never flies. Watch it anyway, because it's the season to be jolly, and good laughs are guaranteed.
Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
Rajeev Masand says 3 Idiots is a satisfying meal but not the best meal that he'd been expecting. What do you think? Tell us and win exciting prizes.
Pollution in 10 industrial hubs alarming: Study
With India aiming to emulate China in taking aggressive domestic measures to control emissions, the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB) on Thursday released a study ranking the environmental pollution in 88 industrial clusters across the country.
The study formulates a comprehensive environment pollution index (CEPI) on the basis of water, land and air pollution. All available data on water and air pollution, biodiversity conservation, land degradation, ecological damage and waste management has been used to make this assessment. The exercise would be undertaken once in two years.
The study, Comprehensive environmental assessment of industrial clusters, undertaken by IIT Delhi and the CPCB, found that the environmental pollution levels in 10 major industrial hubs had reached a “very alarmingly high” level. This list includes Ankleshwar and Vapi in Gujarat , Ghaziabad and Singrauli in Uttar Pradesh, Korba (Chhattisgarh), Chandrapur (Maharashtra), Ludhiana (Punjab), Vellore (Tamil Nadu), Bhiwadi (Rajasthan) and Angul Talcher (Orissa).
“Many of these areas have already exhausted their capacity . We might put on hold new approvals in these 10 polluted hotspots till their environmental health is restored,” said environment minister Jairam Ramesh said.
The clusters have been ranked on a scale of 0-100 , based on their sensitivity towards the environment with ten of them topping the infamous list by scoring above 80 indicating the high level of metals and effluent discharged by them in the nearby rivers and region. Thirty-three industrial hubs have scored between 70 and 80 and categorised as "critically" polluted, at least 32 others scored between 60 and 70 and tagged as "seriously" polluted clusters while 10 in the score of 50-60 are in the "warning" zones.
The CPCB along with state PCBs have been asked to prepare an action plan for 43 industrial clusters including ten "very alarmingly" and 33 "most severely" polluted areas within next three months.
“The idea is to identify them in order to take concerted action and to centrally monitor them at the national level to improve the current status of their environmental components such as air and water quality. I will soon approach the Finance Commission for fund for clean-up programmes in these clusters,” Mr Ramesh said.
(CPCB) on Thursday released a study ranking the environmental pollution in 88 industrial clusters across the country.
The study formulates a comprehensive environment pollution index (CEPI) on the basis of water, land and air pollution. All available data on water and air pollution, biodiversity conservation, land degradation, ecological damage and waste management has been used to make this assessment. The exercise would be undertaken once in two years.
The study, Comprehensive environmental assessment of industrial clusters, undertaken by IIT Delhi and the CPCB, found that the environmental pollution levels in 10 major industrial hubs had reached a “very alarmingly high” level. This list includes Ankleshwar and Vapi in Gujarat , Ghaziabad and Singrauli in Uttar Pradesh, Korba (Chhattisgarh), Chandrapur (Maharashtra), Ludhiana (Punjab), Vellore (Tamil Nadu), Bhiwadi (Rajasthan) and Angul Talcher (Orissa).
“Many of these areas have already exhausted their capacity . We might put on hold new approvals in these 10 polluted hotspots till their environmental health is restored,” said environment minister Jairam Ramesh said.
The clusters have been ranked on a scale of 0-100 , based on their sensitivity towards the environment with ten of them topping the infamous list by scoring above 80 indicating the high level of metals and effluent discharged by them in the nearby rivers and region. Thirty-three industrial hubs have scored between 70 and 80 and categorised as "critically" polluted, at least 32 others scored between 60 and 70 and tagged as "seriously" polluted clusters while 10 in the score of 50-60 are in the "warning" zones.
The CPCB along with state PCBs have been asked to prepare an action plan for 43 industrial clusters including ten "very alarmingly" and 33 "most severely" polluted areas within next three months.
“The idea is to identify them in order to take concerted action and to centrally monitor them at the national level to improve the current status of their environmental components such as air and water quality. I will soon approach the Finance Commission for fund for clean-up programmes in these clusters,” Mr Ramesh said.
Facebook habituation plaguing Indian Firms
Working or Facebooking (Accessing Facebook)? The social networking sites are on everyone’s mind nowadays. Everybody wants to stay connected with their friends. Not only stay connected but also wants to let them know about their status too. Well this is giving a tough time to the employers, as many employees while away their time accessing social networking sties such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Orkut etc.
A new survey has divulged that close to 12.5 percent of the productivity of employees in India is lost each day as the majority of them while away their time on social networks. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) have found in their survey that employees on an average spend an hour of his working time a day on sites like Facebook leading in a loss of productivity that measures 12.5 per cent. Its Social Development Fund carried on a random survey of close to 4,000 employees in big cities and towns in India including Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai (Bombay), Pune, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Kanpur were called into question.
According to ASSOCHAM, the survey conducted also found that 19 percent of companies permit social networking use only for business aims, while 16 percent permit limited personal use. 40 per cent of the employees questioned said that their companies permit employees full access to social networks during working hours.
ASSOCHAM secretary general DS Rawat stated, actually, [the] growing use of browsing sites can be hazardous for overall productivity and IT companies have already installed software to curb its use.
Almost half of office employees accessed Facebook during work time. Furthermore, four in every 10 workers created their entire Orkut or Facebook profile at office.
83 per cent of the employees think there is no harm surfing at work during office hours.
The survey did also divulge that some 84 per cent of the respondents showed signs of Internet addiction.
Maharatna status for mega PSUs gets nod
Mega PSUs ONGC, SAIL and NTPC will get greater financial and operational autonomy with the government on Thursday approving a policy
for creating a `Maharatna' category of top performing state-owned firms to enable them become global giants.
The decision to grant top performing PSUs the `Maharatna' status was taken at the meeting of the Union Cabinet. "The main objective of the Maharatna scheme is to empower mega CPSEs to expand their operations and emerge as global giants", I&B minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the meeting.
Of the 18 Navaratnas, SAIL, ONGC and NTPC met the stiff criteria set by the government, including a three-year track record of annual net profit of over Rs 5,000 crore, net worth of Rs 15,000 crore and turnover of Rs 25,000 crore, besides being listed entities in the bourses.
The coveted status empowers the boards of these firms to take investment decisions up to Rs 5,000 crore as against the present Rs 1,000 crore limit without seeking government approval.
The Maharatna firms would now be free to decide on investments up to 15% of their net worth in a project, limited to an absolute ceiling of Rs 5,000 crore.
Earlier, the Navaratna companies could invest up to Rs 1,000 crore without government approval.
"However, the overall ceiling on such equity investments and mergers and acquisitions in all projects put together will not exceed 30% of net worth of the CPSE," Soni said.
for creating a `Maharatna' category of top performing state-owned firms to enable them become global giants.
The decision to grant top performing PSUs the `Maharatna' status was taken at the meeting of the Union Cabinet. "The main objective of the Maharatna scheme is to empower mega CPSEs to expand their operations and emerge as global giants", I&B minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the meeting.
Of the 18 Navaratnas, SAIL, ONGC and NTPC met the stiff criteria set by the government, including a three-year track record of annual net profit of over Rs 5,000 crore, net worth of Rs 15,000 crore and turnover of Rs 25,000 crore, besides being listed entities in the bourses.
The coveted status empowers the boards of these firms to take investment decisions up to Rs 5,000 crore as against the present Rs 1,000 crore limit without seeking government approval.
The Maharatna firms would now be free to decide on investments up to 15% of their net worth in a project, limited to an absolute ceiling of Rs 5,000 crore.
Earlier, the Navaratna companies could invest up to Rs 1,000 crore without government approval.
"However, the overall ceiling on such equity investments and mergers and acquisitions in all projects put together will not exceed 30% of net worth of the CPSE," Soni said.
Spice Mobile has unveiled the new Spice M-7070
Spice Mobile has unveiled the new Spice M-7070. This phone has amazing clarity, contrast and outs images of maximum limit up to 9” x 6”. This festive season capture those treasured moments with various functionalities of the phone. The M-7070 is loaded with a 5 mega pixel camera and 8x Digital Zoom. Spice M-7070 is a Multi SIM (GSM+GSM) handset. To capture blur-free photos, the handset comes equipped with Anti-Shake and Auto-Focus functionalities. The device supports 30 fps video recording, so now you can record videos and make mini-movies. The Face Detection locates human faces and automatically adjusts the focus and picture. Users can shoot in the several modes i.e. Normal, Best Shot, Continue Shot, and Burst Shot.
Spice M - 7070 also allows you click picture in low light with its Dual LED Flash. Spice M-7070 features FM recording, up to 16GB expandable memory, Music & Video Player and supports EDGE & JAVA.
You can gift your loved ones this Christmas the all new Spice M-7070 Camera phone at Rs. 7999.
Now on, FDI policy to be updated every six months
The government on Thursday promised to bring out an updated foreign direct Investment (FDI) policy every six months as it unveiled a
comprehensive press note consolidating the entire regime for foreign investments in one place for easy reference.
Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma released the first draft of the consolidated policy FDI policy on Thursday. He also released the latest FDI numbers, which show a 60% increase in November to $1.74 billion.
"As far as FDI policy is concerned, it has been felt, through interaction with various investors, counterpart government organisations and other stakeholders, that there is a need for further simplification and consolidation of the FDI policy framework, so as to make it more comprehensible to all investors and stakeholders", Mr Sharma said.
The draft consolidated document released would be open for comments until January 31,2010 and a final document will be released by April 1st 2010.
This comprehensive press note will have a sunset clause of six months and will automatically lapse on 30th September, 2010. A new press would be issued every six months, incorporating and reflecting all the changes in the regulations during intervening period of six months.
"The current foreign investments policy is spread all over, in foreign exchange management act (FEMA), RBI guidelines and press notes. It is cumbersome and difficult to understand," a government official told ET, explaining the rationale of the exercise.
Since 1991, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has issued about 177 Press Notes, covering various aspects of FDI policy, including cross border investment, policy liberalisation, policy rationalisation and foreign technology collaborations, Industrial Policy.
The consolidation would ensure the availability of all information on FDI policy at one place, and is expected to lead to: simplification of the policy; greater clarity of understanding of foreign investment rules among foreign investors and sectoral regulators, as also predictability of policy, Mr Sharma said.
The government has, however, clarified that the new draft framework is just a consolidation of previous FDI policy regulations and reflects the current regulatory framework. DIPP has not made changes in the extant regulations.
The government would continue to make changes to the policy through press notes whenever required. However, at the time of the six-monthly revision such changes would be incorporated in the compendium.
FDI inflows for November 2009 have been $1.74 billion which an increase of almost 60% over $1.08 billion in November last year. FDI equity inflows, as a percentage of GDP, have grown from 0.75% in 2005-06 to nearly 2.49% in 2008-09.
 |
Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma released the first draft of the consolidated policy FDI policy on Thursday. He also released the latest FDI numbers, which show a 60% increase in November to $1.74 billion.
"As far as FDI policy is concerned, it has been felt, through interaction with various investors, counterpart government organisations and other stakeholders, that there is a need for further simplification and consolidation of the FDI policy framework, so as to make it more comprehensible to all investors and stakeholders", Mr Sharma said.
The draft consolidated document released would be open for comments until January 31,2010 and a final document will be released by April 1st 2010.
This comprehensive press note will have a sunset clause of six months and will automatically lapse on 30th September, 2010. A new press would be issued every six months, incorporating and reflecting all the changes in the regulations during intervening period of six months.
"The current foreign investments policy is spread all over, in foreign exchange management act (FEMA), RBI guidelines and press notes. It is cumbersome and difficult to understand," a government official told ET, explaining the rationale of the exercise.
Since 1991, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has issued about 177 Press Notes, covering various aspects of FDI policy, including cross border investment, policy liberalisation, policy rationalisation and foreign technology collaborations, Industrial Policy.
The consolidation would ensure the availability of all information on FDI policy at one place, and is expected to lead to: simplification of the policy; greater clarity of understanding of foreign investment rules among foreign investors and sectoral regulators, as also predictability of policy, Mr Sharma said.
The government has, however, clarified that the new draft framework is just a consolidation of previous FDI policy regulations and reflects the current regulatory framework. DIPP has not made changes in the extant regulations.
The government would continue to make changes to the policy through press notes whenever required. However, at the time of the six-monthly revision such changes would be incorporated in the compendium.
FDI inflows for November 2009 have been $1.74 billion which an increase of almost 60% over $1.08 billion in November last year. FDI equity inflows, as a percentage of GDP, have grown from 0.75% in 2005-06 to nearly 2.49% in 2008-09.
Firefox 'Fennec' Launch Imminent
Firefox 'Fennec' Launch Imminent
We have been hearing about the mobile version of Firefox, the Fennec for quite a while now. While Beta versions of the browser, (For Windows Mobile and older N800 Series Internet tablets) have been around for quite some time now, it is only now that a version of the product for the Maemo5 based N900 would be made available to users out in the open.
So, what we now learn is that the Fennec will be launched before the end of the year for the Nokia N900 Internet Tablet. Fennec has been under development for over an year and half and will try to wean you away from the quite capable N900 Browser. It boasts of an intelligent syncing feature that will allow users to see the same content you see on the web version of Firefox on your mobile. Say you re-reading some page on your PC and for some reason, you would want to switch to your mobile. If the Syncing is on, when you initiate the browsing session the mobile will start from the same page that you were on your PC. Then, there are add-ons (first time on mobile phones?) and the awesome bar as well which makes an appearance.
N900 users might want to brace themselves and wait for this one to arrive VERY soon.
Tightening Credit May Not Slow Inflation in India, Times Says
Mukherjee called for a balanced approach to fight inflation as it has been substantially caused by supply side problems, the newspaper reported today.
The finance minister hasn’t set a timeframe for withdrawing the fiscal-stimulus policy and the government is trying to keep the fiscal deficit within the targeted level, according to the report.
India’s benchmark wholesale-price inflation more than tripled in November to 4.78 percent from 1.34 percent in October. An index of food articles rose 19.95 percent in the week ended Dec. 5, the most since 1998, the commerce ministry said Dec. 17.
H1N1 flu claims 27-yr-old woman
H1N1 claimed a 27-year-old woman on Wednesday evening, at Sassoon Hospital. The name of the deceased in Shobha Kunjir from Nanded Phata on Sinhagad Road.
This was the second death reported in Pune in less than 12 hours on Wednesday after a 42-year-old woman died at YCM Hospital in Pimpri. Another 33-year old woman died in Nagpur on Wednesday, the state health department records show. The virus so far has claimed over 250 lives in the state.
Meanwhile, 30 patients were admitted at ICUs of hospitals and nine are on ventilators.Temperatures set to drop below 10
The city shivered itself awake on Thursday morning as the minimum temperature recorded teetered on going single figure.
The minimum temperature recorded between Wednesday night and Thursday morning was 10 degrees Celsius. This equals the lowest minimum temperature recorded in the month of December last year, and is actually a good 1.6 degrees lower than the minimum temperature of the month in 2007!
And the forecast is not too warm either. The cold conditions are expected to continue at least for the next 24 hours and the temperature is expected to fall by five to six degrees during this period. This will only be at isolated places. The only consolation here is that the weather is expected to be dry on the whole and there is little or no chance of rainfall.
The summary of observations recorded on December 24 by the regional meteorological centre in Nagpur states, "The maximum temperatures changed little over the region. They were appreciably below normal over south Chhattisgarh, below normal over north Chhattisgarh, south western Madhya Pradesh, south eastern Madhya Pradesh and western Vidarbha."
It adds, "(The maximum temperatures) were normal over eastern Vidarbha, north eastern Madhya Pradesh and north western Madhya Pradesh. Minimum temperatures rose over southern Madhya Pradesh and changed little over rest of the region. They were appreciably below normal over Chhattisgarh, below normal over Vidarbha, and normal over eastern Madhya Pradesh, north western Madhya Pradesh and above normal over south western Madhya Pradesh."
The minimum temperature recorded between Wednesday night and Thursday morning was 10 degrees Celsius. This equals the lowest minimum temperature recorded in the month of December last year, and is actually a good 1.6 degrees lower than the minimum temperature of the month in 2007!
And the forecast is not too warm either. The cold conditions are expected to continue at least for the next 24 hours and the temperature is expected to fall by five to six degrees during this period. This will only be at isolated places. The only consolation here is that the weather is expected to be dry on the whole and there is little or no chance of rainfall.
The summary of observations recorded on December 24 by the regional meteorological centre in Nagpur states, "The maximum temperatures changed little over the region. They were appreciably below normal over south Chhattisgarh, below normal over north Chhattisgarh, south western Madhya Pradesh, south eastern Madhya Pradesh and western Vidarbha."
It adds, "(The maximum temperatures) were normal over eastern Vidarbha, north eastern Madhya Pradesh and north western Madhya Pradesh. Minimum temperatures rose over southern Madhya Pradesh and changed little over rest of the region. They were appreciably below normal over Chhattisgarh, below normal over Vidarbha, and normal over eastern Madhya Pradesh, north western Madhya Pradesh and above normal over south western Madhya Pradesh."
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