The Congress on Monday released a book on the multi-crore mining scam in Orissa. Titled Satabdira Mahadurniti (The greatest scam of
the century), the 40-page makes a graphic presentation of several irregularities that have reportedly taken place during the present state government headed by Naveen Patnaik.
The book says the Naveen Patnaik government has “plundered” mineral wealth of Orissa to the tune of Rs three lakh crore and seeks a CBI probe into the scam.
Releasing the report of the fact finding team constituted by the Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee to probe the alleged scandal, the OPCC general secretary Naba Kishore Das claimed the scam might cross Rs three lakh crore mark, if taken into account all the irregularities in mining and trading of the minerals. He said this fact has been admitted by various departments of the Orissa government in last ten years.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Taxi driver of Indian origin roam around the city with child's body in Boot of his car- Oz Police
Part-time taxi driver Gursewak Dhillon apparently ran out of fuel and was helped by a woman in this Australian city while he was driving around with three-year-old Gurshan Singh Channa in the boot of his car, the police said.
Police intend to speak with the woman they believe stopped to help Dhillon between 12 pm and 3 pm on Thursday, Australian news agency AAP reported.
Dhillon is alleged to have placed the child in the boot of his car unconscious, but still alive.
Gurshan's body was found on Wildwood Road on Thursday night after a massive search following a complaint by his parents who were staying in Lalor, over 20 km away.
Police intend to speak with the woman they believe stopped to help Dhillon between 12 pm and 3 pm on Thursday, Australian news agency AAP reported.
Dhillon is alleged to have placed the child in the boot of his car unconscious, but still alive.
Gurshan's body was found on Wildwood Road on Thursday night after a massive search following a complaint by his parents who were staying in Lalor, over 20 km away.
Diabetes & Coffee at lunch
Drinking coffee cuts diabetes risk, but you may need to enjoy your java with lunch if you want to get any benefit.
Over a dozen studies have linked coffee drinking to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes - the type closely linked to obesity. But the mechanism behind the relationship hasn't been established and no studies have looked at whether the timing of coffee drinking influences this effect.
To investigate, researchers looked at 69,532 French women participating in a large European nutrition study. The women ranged in age from 41 to 72 years when they were enrolled in the study, and were followed for 11 years, on average.
Over a dozen studies have linked coffee drinking to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes - the type closely linked to obesity. But the mechanism behind the relationship hasn't been established and no studies have looked at whether the timing of coffee drinking influences this effect.
To investigate, researchers looked at 69,532 French women participating in a large European nutrition study. The women ranged in age from 41 to 72 years when they were enrolled in the study, and were followed for 11 years, on average.
Govt to review guidelines for Tourist & Conference Visas - Home Secretary
Home Secretary G.K. Pillai Tuesday indicated the government was agreeable to re-examine the new guidelines issued for granting tourist and conference visas if there were real grievances and said the ministry has received a number of representations.
'The government makes rules and regulations which may not be correct. But in a democracy there is a system, we correct ourselves if a mistake is made. If an error is made, we correct it,' he said here addressing a seminar, 'Thought Policing or Fighting Terror?'.
Tightening up visa procedures, the union home ministry last month asked all central ministries and state chief secretaries to strictly adhere to the revised procedure for grant of visas to foreigners coming to India to attend international conferences and seminars.
According to the new guidelines, security clearance for grant of conference visa would be required for participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and in respect of foreigners of Pakistani-origin and stateless persons.
'The government makes rules and regulations which may not be correct. But in a democracy there is a system, we correct ourselves if a mistake is made. If an error is made, we correct it,' he said here addressing a seminar, 'Thought Policing or Fighting Terror?'.
Tightening up visa procedures, the union home ministry last month asked all central ministries and state chief secretaries to strictly adhere to the revised procedure for grant of visas to foreigners coming to India to attend international conferences and seminars.
According to the new guidelines, security clearance for grant of conference visa would be required for participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and in respect of foreigners of Pakistani-origin and stateless persons.
Journey of Women's Bill dates back to 1996
The 14 years journey of the Women’s Reservation Bill was marked by high drama and hit roadblocks in each of its outings in Parliament before the historic measure cleared the first legislative hurdle on Tuesday.
The battle for greater representation to women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies was routinely punctuated by frayed tempers and war of words which sometimes got physical, as different governments since 1996 tried to get the Women’s Reservation Bill passed in Parliament without success.
The Bill also lapsed each time the House was dissolved and was re-introduced by the Government of the day.
The battle for greater representation to women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies was routinely punctuated by frayed tempers and war of words which sometimes got physical, as different governments since 1996 tried to get the Women’s Reservation Bill passed in Parliament without success.
The Bill also lapsed each time the House was dissolved and was re-introduced by the Government of the day.
Chinese investors prefer Baidu for Google as it lost its Market in China
When Google, owner of the most popular Internet search engine, said on January 12 it may close its website in China, Edinburgh money man
ager James Anderson sold the stock and bought Beijing-based rival Baidu Inc.
Since then, Baidu has risen 34% and Google has lost 8.5%. That kind of call helped propel Anderson’s closed- end fund, Baillie Gifford & Co’s £1.87 billion ($2.8 billion) Scottish Mortgage Trust Plc, to the best performance among its UK peers over the past year.
“Google was admitting they had lost in China,” said Anderson, who is Baillie Gifford’s chief investment officer and responsible for £56 billion in total. “It was revealing and added to the imputed value of Baidu.”
ager James Anderson sold the stock and bought Beijing-based rival Baidu Inc.
Since then, Baidu has risen 34% and Google has lost 8.5%. That kind of call helped propel Anderson’s closed- end fund, Baillie Gifford & Co’s £1.87 billion ($2.8 billion) Scottish Mortgage Trust Plc, to the best performance among its UK peers over the past year.
“Google was admitting they had lost in China,” said Anderson, who is Baillie Gifford’s chief investment officer and responsible for £56 billion in total. “It was revealing and added to the imputed value of Baidu.”
TCS VC Ramadorai to head BSE - Board Members
The Bombay Stock Exchange has appointed TCS vice-chairman S Ramadorai as the chairman of the bourse.
The decision to appoint Ramadorai as chairman was taken at a BSE board meeting held here. Currently, the BSE board has 10 members, including managing director Madhu Kannan.
Serving as the vice-chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Ramadorai has been associated with the IT major for the past 37 years.
Last week, Jagdish Capoor resigned from the post of non-executive chairman as well as from the board of BSE on health grounds.
Ramadorai took over as the CEO of TCS in 1996 and has been instrumental in building TCS to a $6-billion company.
The decision to appoint Ramadorai as chairman was taken at a BSE board meeting held here. Currently, the BSE board has 10 members, including managing director Madhu Kannan.
Serving as the vice-chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Ramadorai has been associated with the IT major for the past 37 years.
Last week, Jagdish Capoor resigned from the post of non-executive chairman as well as from the board of BSE on health grounds.
Ramadorai took over as the CEO of TCS in 1996 and has been instrumental in building TCS to a $6-billion company.
Daimler AG sells its shares in TATA Motors
German auto major Daimler, which holds a 5.34% stake in Indian automobile giant Tata Motors, is soon expected to sell its entire stake, consisting of nearly 2.56 crore shares. At the current market price, Daimler's stake is valued at about Rs 2,050 crore (nearly $450 million).
However, institutional broking sources said Daimler is planning to sell the shares at some discount to the current market price. On Monday, Tata Motors shares on the BSE ended at Rs 797, marginally up 0.2% over Friday's closing price.
Market sources pegged the price discount between 4-7%, i.e. in a range of Rs 737 and Rs 761 per share. At the upper end of the price band, the total deal could be worth nearly Rs 1,950 crore (about $427 million). Citigroup was handling the issue. A Daimler official declined to comment on the reported share sale and a Tata Motors spokeswoman did not offer any comment.
However, institutional broking sources said Daimler is planning to sell the shares at some discount to the current market price. On Monday, Tata Motors shares on the BSE ended at Rs 797, marginally up 0.2% over Friday's closing price.
Market sources pegged the price discount between 4-7%, i.e. in a range of Rs 737 and Rs 761 per share. At the upper end of the price band, the total deal could be worth nearly Rs 1,950 crore (about $427 million). Citigroup was handling the issue. A Daimler official declined to comment on the reported share sale and a Tata Motors spokeswoman did not offer any comment.
UN appoints Marie Orler as Police advisor for peacekeeping Ops
Marking International Women's Day, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon has appointed Ann-Marie Orler as Police Adviser for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which makes her the first woman to hold the top rank.
"Now, the United Nation's top cop is a woman. That is a wonderful way to celebrate International Women's Day," Ban told journalists here yesterday.
"Gender equality and women's empowerment are among my top priorities. Women are central to the Millennium Development Goals and all our hopes for progress and peace and stability and human rights," he noted.
Orler worked with the Swedish National Police for almost 20 years before joining the United Nations, and has served as UN's Deputy Police Adviser since 2008.
"Now, the United Nation's top cop is a woman. That is a wonderful way to celebrate International Women's Day," Ban told journalists here yesterday.
"Gender equality and women's empowerment are among my top priorities. Women are central to the Millennium Development Goals and all our hopes for progress and peace and stability and human rights," he noted.
Orler worked with the Swedish National Police for almost 20 years before joining the United Nations, and has served as UN's Deputy Police Adviser since 2008.
Reliance Mobile lauches 3G ready app 'Socially' .
Reliance has launched a 3G ready application called "Socially" for phones using its network. The application, now accessible via Reliance's RWorld portal, allows users to post simultaneous status updates over multiple social networks. The "supported networks" include Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Socially also shows up-to-date social information of the caller during an incoming call and collates significant events across social networks and pushes them as alerts on select smartphones supporting the application, enabling users to have better conversations.
Socially also shows up-to-date social information of the caller during an incoming call and collates significant events across social networks and pushes them as alerts on select smartphones supporting the application, enabling users to have better conversations.
Nexus One sales forecast down
Google's plan to release its own mobile phone - the Nexus One - seems to have backfired as sales estimates have been slashed.
Such was the hype around the search giant's own phone that some analysts predicted that the Nexus One would sell 3.5m units in its first year.
But the lack of marketing around the phone (coupled with the fact the HTC Desire is essentially the same device with greater functionality) means that investment bank Goldman Sachs has dramatically reduced its estimates.
"We previously estimated that Google might sell 3.5 million Nexus One units in 2010," said the firm, according to ZDNet.
Such was the hype around the search giant's own phone that some analysts predicted that the Nexus One would sell 3.5m units in its first year.
But the lack of marketing around the phone (coupled with the fact the HTC Desire is essentially the same device with greater functionality) means that investment bank Goldman Sachs has dramatically reduced its estimates.
"We previously estimated that Google might sell 3.5 million Nexus One units in 2010," said the firm, according to ZDNet.
MNS workers Vandalised Airtel showrooms in Mumbai
Some might find it an odd sort of commemoration, but vandalizing two Airtel showrooms is what Raj Thackeray's men did on Tuesday, on the fourth birthday of their party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
Raj Thackeray addressed MNS workers on Tuesday morning. Hours later, they attacked Airtel showrooms in Mumbai and Thane because Airtel does not use Marathi in its pre-recorded messages for customers.
Thackeray, in his speech, said Airtel had been warned to switch to Marathi for their Interactive Voice Reponse (IVR) messages - the pre-recorded messages customers hear e.g. Dial 1 for Account Update.
Raj Thackeray addressed MNS workers on Tuesday morning. Hours later, they attacked Airtel showrooms in Mumbai and Thane because Airtel does not use Marathi in its pre-recorded messages for customers.
Thackeray, in his speech, said Airtel had been warned to switch to Marathi for their Interactive Voice Reponse (IVR) messages - the pre-recorded messages customers hear e.g. Dial 1 for Account Update.
Women's bill - most wanted , PM thank Oppn gor supporting the bill
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during the debate on the Women's Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the bill "is a historic and giant step towards empowering women and a celebration of their rights."
He added, "Women are facing discrimination at home, there's domestic violence, unequal access to health and education. This has to end."
Manmohan Singh congratulated the Opposition for supporting the Bill.
The Prime Minister also apologised to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, Hamid Ansari, for the unruly behaviour on Monday of MPs from parties opposed to the bill. They had grabbed mics, and torn up copies of the bill which they threw at Ansari. Seven MPs were suspended on Tuesday for this, but said they are not sorry.
He added, "Women are facing discrimination at home, there's domestic violence, unequal access to health and education. This has to end."
Manmohan Singh congratulated the Opposition for supporting the Bill.
The Prime Minister also apologised to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, Hamid Ansari, for the unruly behaviour on Monday of MPs from parties opposed to the bill. They had grabbed mics, and torn up copies of the bill which they threw at Ansari. Seven MPs were suspended on Tuesday for this, but said they are not sorry.
Pak sponsored 26/11 mumbai attacks - Nikam
Describing the 26/11 attacks as a “classic case of state-sponsored terrorism”, the prosecution on Tuesday opened its final arguments and pin-pointed the role of Pakistani Army establishment behind the November 26-29, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and revealed that the Lashkar-e-Toiba fidayeens were taught the al-Qaeda manual.
“State actors from the security apparatus of Pakistan were behind the attacks,” Nikam told Additional Sessions Judge M L Tahaliyani in presence of Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil and Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe, who had come down to the Arthur Road Jail especially to witness the opening address of the prosecutor. The statement of Nikam assumes importance in the wake of the fact that Pakistan has denied involvement of “state actors” and have refused to arrest LeT founder and Jamaat-ud-Dawa boss Hafeez Saeed.
“State actors from the security apparatus of Pakistan were behind the attacks,” Nikam told Additional Sessions Judge M L Tahaliyani in presence of Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil and Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe, who had come down to the Arthur Road Jail especially to witness the opening address of the prosecutor. The statement of Nikam assumes importance in the wake of the fact that Pakistan has denied involvement of “state actors” and have refused to arrest LeT founder and Jamaat-ud-Dawa boss Hafeez Saeed.
Google tests its new engine to Search Tv progrmmes
Internet search giant Google is testing a new TV programming search service with satellite television operator Dish Network Corp, a move
that would allow users to find content from television and the Web.
Attributing to people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported Google is testing a new TV programming search service with Dish Network Corp.
The report said the service, which runs on TV set-top boxes containing Google software, allows users to find shows on the satellite TV service as well as video from websites like YouTube.
It also allow users to personalise the line-up of shows.
that would allow users to find content from television and the Web.
Attributing to people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported Google is testing a new TV programming search service with Dish Network Corp.
The report said the service, which runs on TV set-top boxes containing Google software, allows users to find shows on the satellite TV service as well as video from websites like YouTube.
It also allow users to personalise the line-up of shows.
Self charging Handsets to be real in Future - Nokia
Experts have come up with a cellphone that can recharge its own battery by harvesting energy from the owner's motion.
The self-charging handset by Nokia, who has already filed for a US patent, was predicted to work with heavier components, such as the radio transmitter circuit and battery, supported on a sturdy frame.
The frame apparently could shift along two sets of rails, allowing it travel up and down and side to side, New Scientist reported.
Each rail apparently hosted strips of piezoelectric crystals at its end, capable of generating a current when compressed by the frame such that motion, by the user or the movement of the phone, generates electricity.
That in turn charged a capacitor and subsequently the battery, boosting the charge.
The self-charging handset by Nokia, who has already filed for a US patent, was predicted to work with heavier components, such as the radio transmitter circuit and battery, supported on a sturdy frame.
The frame apparently could shift along two sets of rails, allowing it travel up and down and side to side, New Scientist reported.
Each rail apparently hosted strips of piezoelectric crystals at its end, capable of generating a current when compressed by the frame such that motion, by the user or the movement of the phone, generates electricity.
That in turn charged a capacitor and subsequently the battery, boosting the charge.
Telangana delay - a reason for suicides in Andhra
Desperate over the delay in formation of a Telangana state, another student of the Osmania University committed suicide on Tuesday.
Sai Kumar, a second year B. Tech student, ended his life by hanging in his hostel room in the campus. A suicide note purported to have been written by him said he was taking the extreme step as he was upset over the delay.
Police said some hostel inmates saw Sai Kumar hanging from the ceiling fan. Kumar, who hailed from Nalgonda district, was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
Sai Kumar, a second year B. Tech student, ended his life by hanging in his hostel room in the campus. A suicide note purported to have been written by him said he was taking the extreme step as he was upset over the delay.
Police said some hostel inmates saw Sai Kumar hanging from the ceiling fan. Kumar, who hailed from Nalgonda district, was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
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