Sixth Pay Commission: News, Views, reports, allowances, pension etc: October 2008

Friday, October 17, 2008

Obama drops two points, but still holds six-point lead over McCain

WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (KUNA) -- Senator Barack Obama has dropped two percentage points to Senator John McCain in their battle for the White House, but Obama still holds a six-point lead, according to an average of the most recent national polls released on Friday.

The CNN Poll of Polls found that 49 percent of Americans back Democrat Obama for president, 43 percent support Republican McCain, and eight percent were undecided.

The previous Poll of Polls, from earlier this week, showed Illinois Senator Obama with an 8-point lead over Arizona Senator McCain, 50 percent to 42 percent.

The Poll of Polls averaged an American Research Group poll conducted Oct. 11-13; a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby survey from Oct. 13-16; a Gallup poll from Oct. 13-15; and a Diageo/Hotline survey from Oct. 13-15.
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Sachin Tendulkar: Making of a legend

By Khabrein.Info News Desk,

Mumbai, Oct 17, 2008: Sachin Tendulkar was born to be a legend. There is no doubt about it. But today when he broke Brian Lara’s test record for highest runs, he created a history that will be hard for cricketers to break in the days to come.

Sachin’s awestruck admirers and cricket specialists, both have rated Sachin as the greatest ever batsman ever born. He has left all his contemporaries behind.

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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17755&Itemid=60

Amitabh Bachchan reaches home safe and sound

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

Mumbai, Oct 17, 2008: Amitabh Bachchan was discharged today from his hospital and reached home safe and sound. His health had created tremors in the film industry as he is a big name in the industry despite being 66 years.

At an age when most people including actors in Bollywood prefer to play with their grandchildren at home, he is the ‘youngest’ actor still experimenting with new and newer roles.

Big B was admitted to Lilavati Hospital on October 11 following severe abdominal pain. He spent almost a weak in the hospital giving some tough moments to his fans and industry wallahs.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17756&Itemid=70

Thursday, October 16, 2008

2 Muslim drivers’ omission from Advani cavalcade embarrasses BJP

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 17, 2008: The controversy over the two Muslim drivers being omitted from LK Advani cavalcade duty in Kerala looks set to embarrass BJP further. The two drivers have said that they were dropped from the duty for being Muslims.

Though the Bhartiya Janta Party has denied that it had any knowledge about the two Muslim drivers being omitted from the duty by NSG, several Muslim organizations as well as Left Front outfits have demanded a probe into the incidents.

India’s minister of state for external affairs and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) president E Ahmed has criticized the move. His party is all set to make it a big issue in the days to come.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17743&Itemid=88

Goyal under pressure, Jet Airways reinstates sacked employees

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

Mumbai, Oct 17, 2008: Under immense pressure from political parties as well as the government Naresh Goyal of Jet Airways reinstated 1900 sacked employees.

This must come a big relief to the Jet Airways employees who were sacked without prior notice. But the employees should not be complacent as Goyal gave enough hints that they may negotiate lower salaries with the sacked employees.

Earlier labour ministry had spoken against the retrenchment, though it had said that most of the employees sacked were on probation for les than one year.

But the biggest pressure came from political parties like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Samjwadi Party that said that he decision was unjustified and that they may not allow Jet airplanes from landing and taking off from Mumbai airports.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17741&Itemid=59

Monday, October 13, 2008

Tata’s Nano has a competitor in Ajanta’s Oreva E

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

ImageAhmedabad, Oct 13, 2008: Ajanta’s electric car Oreva E is all set to give serious competition to Tata’s Nano car. The company that mainly built wall clocks besides some other electronic item has displayed a demo model of the product at one of its showrooms in Rajkot, Gujarat.

The news must come as big disappointment to Tatas who have been struggling hard to keep up with the tentative launch date as well as keep the promised Rs 1 lakh price of their car intact.

Tatas are already late for Nano as they had said that they will launch the lakhtakia car (Rs 1 lakh car) in October. Singur gave them some very tough moments and they were forced to settle for another site in Gujarat’s Sadanand.

This must have stressed up the company management and would have put on extra load over Tatas who were already complaining about the shooting costs for the yet to be launched car.

Ajanta’a Oreva Super is an electric car which could just be the country's first one lakh car, made by the Ajanta Group, a Saurashtra-based clockmaker.

Though the Oreva Super was in the pipeline for a while, sources say production at its plant in Kutch recently moved into top gear.

Oreva Automobile’s Yogesh Tank says, “This is the first model out on display. I can't share any more details about it as we have been asked to be tight-lipped for sometime. It is just a fabulous car and very economic in these days of rocketing fuel prices”.

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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17599&Itemid=59

Andhra government places massive contract with Ncomputing

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 14, 2008: Andhra Pradesh (AP) government has placed a massive contract with Ncomputing to supply 5,000-school educational computing initiatives Per VentureBeat. The government in this South Indian state aims to provide computing access to a mammoth 1.8 million kids across the state.

NComputing is a US-based company that sells terminal workstations that run Ubuntu and Windows Server 2003 applications off the host PC. Their products have proved especially useful in schools in developing and developed nations alike. In some cases these products compete with alternatives such as One Laptop per Child's X-O and Intel Corporation's Classmate PC, while in other cases these products can coexist in the same market. These products have also been used in businesses and hospitals. NComputing is very rapidly growing company. As of Q3, 2008, the company has sold more than one million terminals across the globe. NComputing has deployments in more than 90 countries. The companies success is based upon the ability to provide an alternative to costly, power hungry computers. NComputing’s access terminals consume 1-5 Watts of power, compared to the average 120W's of a desktop computer. The power savings alone is so substantial that the upfront cost of the terminals will likely be offset off in 1-2 years of use.

It is estimated that by leveraging NComputing, the government expects to save $20 million in up-front and ongoing costs. The government will also use 90% less electricity compared to a traditional all-PC solution.

The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing technology creates multiple virtual desktops on a single PC so that many users can tap the unused capacity and share it as if each person had their own computer. Andhra Pradesh chose the NComputing X300 solution, which enables up to seven users to simultaneously share one PC.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17616&Itemid=62

Is Shahrukh Khan shifting to Dubai?

Khabrein.Info News Desk,

Mumbai, Oct 14, 2008: Is Shah Rukh Khan shifting to Mumbai?, te question has started cropping every now and then. Last month Shah Rukh Khan announced to launch a mega real state project in UAE and since then rumours have started doing the rounds that the actor is looking for a career past Bollywood.

There are people who say that superstar Shahrukh Khan is ready to retire from the film industry within the next three years.

A source says, “Shahrukh knows that his time in Bollywood as an actor is limited. An actor can only go on for so long and with the kind of roles he plays as young romantic, he will not be able to do that any longer. He is already getting old. Shahrukh hopes to retire from movies with the next 3 years after which he will concentrate on production business. Shahrukh will not make a complete exit from acting but intends to star in at least one movie per year, but this will be for his own banner and the role will be of a supporting actor”.

Source continues, “Shahrukh has already started looking - and it has just been announced that he intends to build housing and shopping complexes. It is on this patch of land that Shahrukh will build his much famous abode Mannat. He has already told his wife Gauri to make plans and get the ideal design created. It has to be identical to Mannat in Mumbai. The Khans are much fond of this house”.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17617&Itemid=70

Sunday, October 12, 2008

SRK earns Malay title

Bollywood idol Shah Rukh Khan will now flaunt the prefix "Datuk", a traditional title conferred by the Malaysian royalty and akin to the British knighthood.

The Indian heartthrob will receive his Datukship from the Malacca head, Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob. He has been listed as an artiste from Dreamz Unlimited, his filmmaking company, in the list of recipients. Shah Rukh will receive the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM), the third highest title. He is among 77 recipients of the title.

Khan, 43, is a highly acclaimed Indian actor who works in Bollywood films, as well as a film producer and television host. He has starred in several box office movies and won awards throughout his career, The New Straits Times said.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17564&Itemid=70

Govt says no to judicial probe in Jamia Nagar encounter

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 12, 2008: The government has refused to give in demands of judicial probe in Jamia Nagar encounter. Despite an overwhelming demands of judicial probe in the encounter where two Muslim youth were killed by Delhi police in an alleged encounter, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has refused the probe.

Not only Muslim leaders, several UPA constituents including Samajwadi Party have demanded judicial probe with Samajwadi party claiming that it may pull out of the government on the issue.

National Security Asvisor MK Narayanan said yesterday that it was impossible to hold judicial probe into the Batla House shoot out as it would demoralize the anti-terrorism fight.

His comments came on the heal of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refusing the probe altogether.

Sources in the Congress party say that Manmohan Singh conveyed to Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh and informed Congress president Sonia Gandhi about it — that the UP leader’s demand for a judicial probe would be counter-productive. He reportedly said that it was felt, this would demoralise the police force and lead to accusations by the Opposition that the UPA was soft-pedalling on terror.

Six members of Muslim family burnt alive in Adilabad

Hyderabad, Oct 12, 2008: Six members of a Muslim family were burnt alive in Andhra Pradesh’s Adilabad district Sunday. Adilabad lies some 275 kilometers from Hyderabad, the state capital.

Rioters who had earlier killed four people in nearby Bhainsa town Friday swooped down on the village and burnt several houses.

The six people of a single family were burnt alive by menacing Hindu mob that had attacked Muslim families in Vatoli village in Andhra Pradesh’s Adilabad district.

Despite the curfew in place since Friday how arsonists who roamed freely on roads across villages were able to torch the houses and set innocent people on fire is a mystery that police can answer better.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17561&Itemid=88

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

UGC Pay Panel: widespread discontent among readers

Page 1 of 2

New Delhi, Oct 7, 2008: Though UGC Pay Panel recommendations have been welcomed, there is widespread discontent among readers for being placed in the same pay band as lecturers.

A large number of readers have been writing condemning the University grants Commissions’ move, many of the university teachers have called it unfortunate while others have used stronger language against the committee.

Government gives its nod to UGC Pay Panel recommendations

Teachers welcome 70% pay hike by UGC’s Pay Review Committee

The UGC Pay review committee has proposed more than 70 percent increase in the salary of university and college teachers and other staff.

Here are some views of teachers on the issue.

Dr R Ravichandran
Associate Professors, in college or in university should be placed in PB-4. How can you differentiate persons of same cadre in different places of education?. Who is superior?. Associte Prof. in a college or in university?. College is part of a university after all. UGC should remove this anomoly and both should be placed in PB-4 along with professors with differential Grade pay and academic pay. HRD should be told about this anomoly.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17398&Itemid=88

Sambhavna Seth in reveal all mood

By Khabrein.Info Corespondent,

ImageMumbai, Oct 7, 2008: Sambhavna Seth seems to be in reveal all mood. She does not want to hide anything that happened in celebrated Big Boss 2 house.

She is not in a mood to not talk about the moments that were not splashed on your television screen, the intimate mood. And if we go by her version there were many such occasions.

And when she talks of Rahul Mahajan sleeping on the same bed with Payal Rohatgi and washing cloths in the same bathroom behind the closed door she still does not want to leave anything to imagination saying, “Parde ke peeche kya horaha hai, kise pata?”.

She seemed to have singled out Payal for her attack, a fellow Bollywood starlet calling her cheap and everything that you and me may not like to hear.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17399&Itemid=70

Nano to be parked in Gujarat, car may not be out in October

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 7, 2008: Nano plant is all set to be parked in Gujarat and the fear that Nano car may not be out in October seems real. After more than two year’s wrangling, protests, street battles, political bickering and politically motivated fasting, Tatas have finally decided to shift to Modiland.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi who has tried to give his image as a no nonsense leader when it comes to economic reforms has extended all possible sops to Tatas. The Tata’s shift to Modi’s Gujarat will give a big boost to Modi’s image and will definitely tarnish the image of Left ruled West Bengal.

Though Tata’s exit from Singur is nothing to do with left front. All leaders of left Front were with West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who has desperately tried to attract industries to his state. Tata’s peoples’ car would have been a big boost to the image makeover of the state.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17401&Itemid=59

Black September of Malegaon

By Mustfa Khan

Modasa (Gujarat) and Malegaon (Maharashtra) blasts are first interstate simultaneous terrorist attacks coming as they did at 9.30 p.m. on Monday September 29, 2008 when Muslim crowds were milling out of the nearby mosques and by lanes for shopping and for refreshment. There is more to it than meets the eye. Both the towns have sizable concentration of Muslims. Modasa has the dubious distinction of being a safe haven for the banned SIMI activists and the blast in Malegaon took place in the leeward of the first floor SIMI office in Bhiku chowk adjoining the sprawling Noorani mosque. The epicenters were the nonvegeterian eateries bristling with usual fasting crowds. The timing was also like what happened two years back in Malegaon, floodgate of worshippers pouring into the lanes and streets after special prayers.

But Malegaon's cup of misery and painful suffering has already been brimming. The town has a lacerating tryst with September. This September was the second anniversary of the first ever bomb blasts. Now the town would be marred by two anniversaries every year henceforward. The much-flaunted emporium known as the Manchester of India is reeling under the scourge of bombings. The wounds of the September 8, 2006 were not healed when another bloodbath had a fiery visitation. [Is it a reminder or reprisal of the Indian Mujahideen email?]

First report put out by the inefficient police had it that literal fire was caused by a gas cylinder blast. Certainly a ploy to downplay the gravity of the situation. However, it backfired as the inferno set off by low intensity bomb sparked off protest by the incensed mob that could not brook the presence of police on the scene. There is, in fact, a police chowki duly staffed with regular police and along with special reservists hardly fifty feet away from the blast spot.

Most eerie is the coincidence of timing that obviates the immediacy of the police in space. In 2006 the bombs exploded puzzlingly sans police on the scene but this time their presence with their vehicle and chowki was a chilly reminder of the state power. What more could be the visible symbol of the ineffectiveness of the government organ?
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17402&Itemid=58

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Thompson: Bailout an imperfect but necessary choice

LAKE COUNTY – On Saturday, the day after he voted along with the majority of the House of Representatives to pass a massive bailout bill, Congressman Mike Thompson was back in his district, fielding questions about his decision to change his vote and what the bailout itself will possibly offer America.

Last Monday, Thompson cast a no vote, along with 227 other House members, to defeat the first version of the proposed bailout bill, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, HR 3997. The vote was 228 to 205.

The House followed that with a Friday vote for a different version of the bill that the Senate had passed two days earlier. Thompson voted yes on that bill.

“This wasn't just about Wall Street, it was about Main Street,” Thompson said during a Saturday interview with Lake County News.

The first version of the bill, which Thompson called “the Bush bill,” would have given Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson $700 billion “with no questions asked,” he explained.

It was a bill, he added, that nobody really liked.

The push for that bailout bill came days earlier, said Thompson.

He and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi were flying home to California from Washington. First, however, Pelosi had a meeting with Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
read more:
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5828/764/

McCain campaign targets Obama as too risky

Associated Press
2008-10-05 03:45 PM

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Falling behind in the polls one month before Election Day, Republican John McCain stepped up efforts to portray Barack Obama as too unacceptable for American voters. His vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin accused the Democratic nominee of "palling around with terrorists."

The onus is on McCain to turn the race around under exceptionally challenging circumstances. With the economic crisis working to Obama's advantage, the Democratic nominee has surged into the lead in both national polls and surveys of key battleground states, including Republican-leaning Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.

Palin's attack on Saturday came after McCain's advisers indicated the Arizona senator's campaign will ramp up his attacks in the coming days with a tougher, more focused message describing "who Obama is," including questioning his character, "liberal" record and "too risky" proposals.

Obama's advisers, in turn, say he will argue in the campaign's closing weeks that McCain is unable to articulate an economic vision that is different from President George W. Bush's unpopular policies.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigned for the Demcoratic ticket on Saturday, calling McCain not a maverick but a "mimic" of Bush and saying the Arizona senator offered voters "more of the same."

Obama sharply criticized McCain's health care proposals Saturday as "radical," saying they could force millions of Americans to struggle to buy medical insurance. Republican officials accused Obama of lying as the campaign took an ever nastier tone.

Read more:

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=755690

25 people killed in anti-Muslim violence in Assam

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

Guwahati, Oct 5, 2008: Around 25 people have been killed in anti-Muslim violence in Assam’s north eastern districts. More than fifty thousands people have left their homes to seek safety in safer areas. Amy has been called in and shoot at sight orders issued.

Four of these were deaths in police firing. More than 50 others were critically wounded in mob violence and arson. Security sources said that among those killed, 19 belonged to the Muslim community and six were Bodos.

Mangaldoi district deputy commissioner Dhruba Hazarika confirmed that four persons were killed in police firing after a mob killed two persons. “There was also some arson. The situation is tense, but under control,” he said

Violence against Muslims broke out when Bodo tribesmen attacked Muslim villages on Friday, when they were celebrating Eidul Fitr in Udalguri district’s Rowta area in Assam. The area is just around 100 kilometers from Assam capital Dispur.
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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17355&Itemid=88

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Nano project likely to shift to Gujarat

Gandhinagar, Oct. 4: The Nano project is likely to find a place at Sanghan village in Abdasa taluka of Kutch district and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is likely to make an announcement confirming this on October 7. Two other locations have also been offered to Mr Ratan Tata. This includes locations near Sanand near Ahmedabad and Halol in central Gujarat. However, sources said Kutch stood better chances of bagging the project. A General Motors project is already functional at Halol. A package of freebies has been offered to Tata to bring Nano to Gujarat.

Though officials refrained from making comments, sources in the Gujarat government claimed that it is almost certain that Nano will roll out of Gujarat. However an official announcement is likely only on October 7. Mr Modi, will be completing seven years in office as the chief minister and he will welcome Nano to Gujarat. Mr Modi is the only chief minister in Gujarat to complete seven years as a chief minister at a stretch.

Nano’s coming to Gujarat will further augment the industry-friendly and pro-development and progressive image of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.
Read more:
http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17346&Itemid=59

Malegaon blast: changing horses in the mid stream

By Mustafa Khan

Malegaon, Oct 5, 2008: In the bomb blast at Bhiku chowk on September 29 2008 more than five people died including a ten-year-old girl, Farheen. The people around were very much angered by the inaction of the police and resorted to protesting and pelting the police as a result the police opened fire and a man lost his life and some others received bullet injury. In all some hundred people were injured.

The cause of the anger of the people is central to the whole drama that turned it into a grim Greek tragedy. The residents and shopkeepers of the chowk had discovered an abandoned motor bike and reported the matter to the police at the police chowki located cheek by jowl from the blast site. The cops dilly-dallied and told the people that the handle was locked albeit they tried to move and shake the bike. But they left it there. It was the tragic flaw. That was early evening of Monday. After sunset crowd swelled around for shopping and refreshment. At 9.30 the special prayers of the recital of the holy book that had attracted huge crowd was over. The worshippers as usual were moving to the chowk. That was when the bomb was set to go off. It went off with a big bang and the nearby hotel stove caught fire, as the balls from the improvised explosive device must have pierced the gas cylinder.

The tragic realization that the police did not seriously take their concern for the abandoned vehicle produced a chemistry of change as their blood boiled at the preventable terrific murder and mayhem. This much is not to say that the people are justified to take the law in their hand. There were sane people among the crowd. Faheem Siddiqui, the local reporter of Urdu Times along with the SP Sanjay Patil tried to reason with the crowd. He was overwhelmed and fell down and was trampled under feet and injured.

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http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17350&Itemid=88

Teachers welcome 70% pay hike by UGC’s Pay Review Committee

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 5, 2008: Teaching bodies have welcomed the 70% pay hike as suggested by UGC’s Pay Review Committee. The University Grants Commission (UGC) that had formed a committee to look into the university teachers and staff’s pay had submitted its report two days ago recommending across the board pay hike of approximately 75 percent.

Earlier he teachers were up in arms against the Chaddha Committee as the committee is called for the delay in submitting the report. The teachers say that when everyone was getting pay hikes they were left in lurch due to the delay caused by the inability of the committee to submit its report.

But the actual submission of the report has made teachers more than happy. Many said that they had expected the same pay hike as recommended by Sixth Pay Commission.

Sixth Pay Commission had recommended almost 30 percent pay hike for the Central government employees. The almost 70 percent pay hike makes a professor’s salary at par with that of IAS officers.
Read more:
http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17351&Itemid=88

Anti-Christian Violence Unparalleled, say Christian leaders

Anti-Christian Violence Unparalleled, say Christian leaders

NEW DELHI, Oct 5,2008: Despite the deployment of thousands of central and state law enforcement troops, the violence in Orissa continues to inflict daily casualties and massive damage to Christian properties.

Rev. Madhu Chandra, All India Christian Council (aicc) Regional Secretary, said, "The death tolls are climbing, but less than a hundred are confirmed. Perhaps this is why the Orissa attacks haven't gained international attention the worst violation of the freedom of religion in any democracy in recent history. What most people don't realize is the goal of the attackers is to inspire fear. The attackers believe India is only for Hindus and their stated purpose is to convert people to Hinduism or force them to leave. To accomplish this, they only need to kill one or two people in each village or church. This is clearly terrorism and ethnic cleansing, but few Indian leaders are admitting it." Most of the victims are Dalits, formerly known as untouchables, from a tribe called Pano.

Dr. Joseph D'souza, aicc president, said, "The events of the last month, not only the attacks but the negligence of government, would be sad if it happened in a dictatorship or a totalitarian regime. The fact that it's happening in the world's largest democracy makes it infinitely sadder."

Some police, mostly in rural areas, are neglecting their duties. For example, a Roman Catholic nun was raped amidst mob violence on Aug. 25, 2008, in Kanjemandi village between Raikia and Balliguda, Kandhamal District, Orissa. A medical examination of the nun conducted that night at the Balliguda Hospital confirmed rape. Both the victim and a priest, who tried to defend her and was severely beaten, tried to file cases in the Nuagaon police station. Their "First Information Reports" (FIR) were rejected. Eventually, the same FIR was accepted at the Balliguda police station. But, in spite of numerous eye witnesses, police didn't investigate until 38 days after the attack and made four arrests yesterday.
Read more:
http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17352&Itemid=88

US adopts $700bn bailout plan

Aljazeera

The revised bill was passed by the House after it rejected an earlier version [AFP]

George Bush, the US president, has signed into law a $700bn rescue plan for troubled financial institutions in an attempt to deal with the global credit crisis.

Bush signed the bill on Friday, just 90 minutes after the House of Representatives had passed the bill by 263 votes to 171.

"We have shown the world that the United States of America will stabilise our financial markets and maintain a leading role in the global economy," Bush said in the White House Rose Garden.

The new legislation allows Henry Paulson, the US treasury secretary, to buy up billions of dollars in bad mortgage debts which have frozen up the financial system.

The House had sparked market and political turmoil by rejecting an earlier version of the bailout on Monday by 228 votes to 205.

Bipartisan effort

But on Friday, Bush hailed the bipartisan effort to get the bill passed despite concerns over handing that much power to one man and the idea of using taxpayer money to bail out Wall Street firms.

Bailout plan

The US treasury will borrow $700bn from the international money markets by selling bonds to foreign countries.

The treasury will then use the money to buy back mortgage backed-securities from US banks and institutions.

It can use only $250bn immediately, although it does have access to another $100bn if required.

Access the final $350bn is subject to congressional approval.

The treasury can also use that money to save those banks on the verge of collapsing – although it would be entitled to a majority stake in the bank.

If the government takes on a debt and it's still making a loss after five years – the bank will have to pay compensation.

There plan also includes tighter controls over large payments to bank executives.

"By coming together on this legislation, we have acted boldly to help prevent the crisis on Wall Street from becoming a crisis in communities across our country," he said.

Congressional leaders had been optimistic the bill would be approved after several senior politicians said they would drop their opposition to it. The bill had been amended by the senate to attract more Republican votes.
Read more:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/10/20081046306214567.html

UGC Pay Review Committee report is out

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 4, 2008: Finally after much delay and heartburns among teaching fraternity the UGC Pay Review Committee report is out. The report is not just out it has given a high to teaching fraternity in universities and UGC affiliated colleges.

The Chaddha Committee report as UGC Pay Review Committee is commonly known submitted its report Friday recommending almost 70 percent pay hikes to professors, lecturers, university librarians and other support staff working in universities and UGC affiliated colleges.

The University Grants Commission’s report also makes some very welcome recommendations including changing the names of teaching staff in the universities.

A lecturer will be called an assistant Professor while there will be new positions like senior associate professor, senior professor and professor of eminence.

The Chaddha Committee recommendations are being seen as a quantum jump for teachers in terms of pay and working conditions and to be submitted to the Union ministry of human resource development soon, is also going to be strict on non-performing teachers who would be assessed by a selection committee and students every year. The appraisal report would be used as a reference at the time of promotions. For greater involvement, teachers would be required to spend at least 5 hours per day for five days a week in college/university.
Read more:
http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17328&Itemid=88

Deep flaws in security of apple iPhones

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 4, 2008: An Israeli researcher has found deep flaws in the security of much admired apple iPhones.

The researcher says that he was fed up with the Apple officials for the lack of their response and so he brought the issue to the common people.

He says that the iPhone officials had not taken the security issue of the admired iPhone very seriously.

He also alleged that he was aghast to know that the leading mobile manufacturing company had not updated the apple iPhone’s security system for the last two and a half months.
Read more:
http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17332&Itemid=70

Friday, October 3, 2008

High Court asks police to allow legal access to serial blast accused

High Court asks police to allow legal access to serial blast accused
By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 3, 2008: Delhi High Court Friday directed Delhi police to allow legal access to serial blast accused in Delhi. Delhi police has arrested an unspecified number of Muslim youth following the serial bomb blasts that hit the national capital on September 13.

This is a major relief to accused arrested by police in serial bomb blasts case and later after the alleged encounter in South Delhi’s Batla House area a week later.

Serial bomb blasts that struck five places in Delhi killed 25 people and injured more than 100 others, many of them seriously. A week later the police killed two alleged Indian Mujahidin members for their role in Delhi serial blasts claiming that it had cracked the case and the mastermind was killed in the blast.

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Pay Review Committee of UGC submits its report

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 3, 2008: Finally the Pay Review Committee of UGC submitted its report ending months of uncertainty.

University teachers and other staff were disappointed when the Chadha committee did not submit its report last month prompting teachers union to organize large scale protests against the delay of sixth pay commission for professors, lecturers and other university and college employees.

But the submission of report will certainly give a boost to sagging morale of university teachers who were feeling neglected and let down by the University Grant Commission.

A dejected Delhi University professor in a response wrote, “Dear Prof. Chaddha, Rather than promising too much, please announce your recommendations as soon as possible. It is mental bankruptcy on the part of the UGC to refer so many complicated issues of the higher education to the Committee. They should have created two committees with some kind of coordination. It would have hastened the process”.

But as the report of Pay Review Committee of UGC is finally out, teachers should have a sigh of relief.
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Tata bids adieu to Singur

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

Kolkata, Oct 3, 2008: Tata finally bids adieu to Singur as Ratan Tata finally announced after meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that he will stick to his plans of exiting Nano car plant there.

There was some anticipation in the air that Tatas may decide to stay put in Singur when the news of impending meeting of Ratan Tata and West Bengal chief minister was made.

Ratan Tata in the meantime accused Trinamool Congress chief Mamta Banerjee for being responsible for Tata’s exit from Singur plant.

Tatas have already invested more than 1500 crore rupees on acquiring land and constructing the plant at Singur on more than 900 acres of land. They were planning to roll out their first Nano car known more as lakhtakia car (Rs one lakh car) from this very same plant.

Palin-Biden debate: Some smoke, little fire

Aljazeera

During the debate Palin, right, avoided the mistakes that have blighted recent media appearances

So, after days of media build-up and breathless punditry, the vice-presidential debate between Joe Biden, the Democratic senator from Delaware, and his Republican rival, Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, went ahead in St Louis, Missouri, on Thursday night.

And it was not what some expected.

There were no fireworks or major flubs; instead it was a respectful, often passionate and even, at times, emotional conversation between two people who faced unprecedented interest for an event often viewed almost as an afterthought in the US election.

Compared to the visible chill between the presidential running mates, the atmosphere in the sports complex in Washington University, where the debate took place, was warmer, even convivial.

The audience at times even chuckled at asides made by both candidates and there was a heartwarming tableau at the end, so loved in US politics. Both candidates' families joined them on stage after the debate, Palin cradling her infant son while chatting affably to Biden's daughter.

Strong domestic ground

Many Republicans have recently eyed with alarm their party's battering in recent polls, amid perception that Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate for president, is stronger on the economy.

In focus

In-depth coverage of the US presidential election

Consequently, they were hoping for a morale boost from the vice-presidential debate.

Analysts on both sides expressed concerns - both in public and reportedly in private - that Palin, governor of a sparsely populated state and who is reviled by many for her perceived inexperience, would prove an embarrassment.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/10/20081034940934641.html

Sarah Palin's was a superior performance

Sarah Palin's was a superior performance

By Kaleem Kawaja

In the last 2 weeks most of the US media and many a misogynists in US condemned Gov Sarah Palin of Alaska and the Republican VP nominee in most derogatory terms. In fact many men even used comments and expressions in describing her than can not be printed. Almost 95% plus of these critics including all the Pundits and Talking heads on the media and columnists were unanimous that she was a disgrace to the ticket who should immediately step down. All these folks were sure that in the debate tonight she was going to collapse in disgrace and become a national embarassment for America.

But almost all who watched the Palin-Biden VP debate tonight saw her put up a superior performance. Palin a much younger woman who has been governor for 2 years and was unknown outside Alaska just 5 weeks ago, was pitted against Biden, an important senator for 36 years and a nationally known figure. She came on strong, crisp, forthright and convincing and demonstrated very good understanding of issues of importance. A large number of Pundits and Talking heads in the media, except the die hard critics, agreed that she put up a superior performance in the debate.
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Obama still finding his feet, says British envoy

LONDON, Oct 3 (KUNA) -- Barack Obama is a "decidedly liberal" senator "who was finding his feet, and then got diverted by his presidential ambitions", according to a frank verdict delivered to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown by the British ambassador to the United States.

Sir Nigel Sheinwald, ambassador in Washington since last year, delivered his unvarnished assessment of the White House front runner in a seven-page letter Brown, obtained by The Daily Telegraph newspaper here, just before the Democratic nominee's visit to Downing Street just over two months ago, the paper said Friday.

The candid letter, marked as containing "sensitive judgments" and requesting officials to "protect the contents carefully" gives a remarkable insight into how the British Foreign Office views the political phenomenon who stunned Brown's inner circle by defeating their favourite, Hillary Clinton, in the Democratic primaries.

Although the picture Sir Nigel paints is a highly complimentary one, Obama's speeches are "elegant" and "mesmerising", he is "highly intelligent" and has "star quality", he also judges that his "policies are still evolving" and that if elected he will "have less of a track record than any recent president".
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Palin and Biden go head-to-head

Aljazeera

The debate focused heavily on foreign
policy issues [Reuters]

The US vice-presidential candidates have clashed on foreign policy, the economy and energy in their only face-to-face debate of the US election campaign.

Sarah Palin, the Republican governor of Alaska, met Joe Biden, the experienced Democrat senator from Delaware, for the televised showdown in the city of St Louis on Thursday.

The early exchanges between the two were dominated by the recent global turmoil on the financial markets.

Biden attacked John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, accusing him of being "out of touch" when he described the US economy as fundamentally strong.

Palin described herself as being part of a "team of mavericks" led by McCain who would bring change to the White House.

Many critics had expected Palin to fumble the debate, after she faced ridicule over a series of interviews.

However Rob Reynolds, Al Jazeera's senior Washington correspondent, said Palin did not put in a poor performance and didn't make any major mistakes.

Iraq issue

Biden and Palin also clashed on tax policies with both claiming that they would cut tax, and energy, with Palin calling for more drilling to utilise US energy resources.

In focus

In-depth coverage of the US presidential election

Palin later accused Biden of raising "the white of flag of surrender" in Iraq over the Democrat policy of withdrawing US forces from the country.

Biden said the Republicans were not offering a plan to end the conflict, triggered by the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, in which tens of thousands of Iraqis and more than 4,000 US troops have been killed.

"I didn't hear a plan," Biden responded. "Barack Obama offered a clear plan. Ship responsibility to Iraqis over the next 16 months. Draw down our combat troops."

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said that was where the contrast between the two was most clear and that Palin did not define what a US victory would mean.

The debate focused heavily on foreign policy, considered by many analysts to be a weak point for Palin.

Both candidates discussed Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran as well as pledging their support for Israel.

Robert Fisk, the author and Middle East correspondent of the UK's Independent newspaper, said the debate showed how both campaigns ignored the plight of the Palestinians.

"The Palestinians were deleted from the narrative. There was no reference to Jewish settlements, built illegally on Arab land. There was not the slightest reference to the Israeli occupation on the West Bank."

Biden later also lashed out at Dick Cheney, the current vice-president, calling him "the most dangerous vice-president in American history".

Republicans falter

Thursday's debate came after a poll found that most US voters have huge doubts about Palin's experience and her ability to lead.

Millions of Americans watched the debate
on television [AFP]

"Six in 10 voters see her as lacking the experience to be an effective president, and a third are now less likely to vote for McCain because of her," the Washington Post said of its joint poll with ABC News.

And McCain's campaign, which has stalled in the wake of the global financial crisis, said on Thursday that he had conceded the battleground state of Michigan in order to focus on states where he has a better chance of beating Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate.

"It's been the worst state of all the states that are in play and it's an obvious one from my perspective to come off the list," said Greg Strimple, a senior McCain adviser.

Concerns over Palin's experience have increased since she gave a series of interviews on foreign policy, the economy and the US supreme court.

She has faced ridicule for some of her answers, including citing Alaska's proximity to Canada and Russia as valid foreign policy experience.

Strike in Bollywood is giving sleepless nights to producers

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 3, 2008: The strike in Bollywood that entered third day is giving sleepless nights to producers and directors whose films were underway. It has thrown their schedules haywire.

It is not just escalating costs that is giving the Bollywood producers a sleepless nights, getting alternate dates from all the stars of the films underway will be a big problem if the strike gets prolonged.

Bollywood producers fear that the leading actors who they pay anything between 30 to 100 million rupees for a single film may also revise their agreed payment for the particular film they are shooting now as they will have to give extra time to the film.

In the meantime the segment that seems most affected by he strike is reality show. Every entertainment channel has some reality show going on and they have very tight schedule. This requires daily shoots. Their schedules too have been severely affected by the ongoing strikes.

India has a vibrant movie industry not just in the Hindi language but also regional languages like Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. In 2006 the estimated size of Bollywood was around US $ 1.8 billion.

But during he last two years lots of things have changed and for the better. A chain of multiplexes has come up in big and small cities and the Bollywood’s film making business has become almost corporate like.
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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Indian Muslims not to celebrate Eid with fervor

Indian Muslims not to celebrate Eid with fervor
By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

New Delhi, Oct 1, 2008: Tomorrow’s Eid may not see the fervor with which Indian Muslims celebrate the festival. Eid is the main festival of the Muslims celebrated at the end of the Holy month of Ramadan, and Muslims in India always celebrate the festival with great fervor.

But it seems that this time Muslims may not celebrate their main festival with the same zeal that is the hallmark of the annual festival.

Muslims have been facing the police harassment for the last several weeks after serial bomb blasts in New Delhi almost three weeks ago. The feeling of insecurity crossed every limit when two Muslim youth were killed in an alleged ‘encounter’ with the police. A celebrated police inspector was also killed. National Human Rights Commission has asked the government to present the facts about the alleged encounter.
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Wall Street: Nervous markets await bailout vote

Aljazeera

Wall Street is anxiously awaiting a senate
vote on the $700bn rescue plan [AFP]

Shares on Wall Street's main Dow Jones index fell around 1.5 per cent in early trading ahead of a United States senate vote on a revised financial rescue plan.

The senate is to vote on Wednesday night on a new version of the $700bn bailout package that was rejected by the House of Representatives on Monday.

The amended bill includes an increase in the amount of bank deposits protected by the government's insurance programme.

Earlier, Asian financial markets recorded gains amid renewed hope that the plan to save America's ailing banks would be adopted.

European markets were mixed by Wednesday afternoon.

London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares was up 0.22 per cent at 4,913 points.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 was down 0.95 per cent to 5,775 points while in Paris the CAC 40 fell by 0.45 per cent to 4,013 points.

Bourses steady

In Asia, markets regained some of the ground they lost on the previous day.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei index closed up 0.96% on Wednesday, despite the Bank of Japan's Tankan corporate survey indicating that Japanese business sentiment had turned pessimistic for the first time in five years.

IN DEPTH

What now after bailout shock?

Economic analysis of bailout rejection

Fighting against US foreclosures

Markets in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore were closed for holidays on Wednesday but share prices in Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand climbed.

But Song Seng Wun, a regional economist with CIMB-GK Research in Singapore, said that a rebound in stock markets was "not really" the best measure of financial health.

Investors were "taking things day by day" and taking their lead from Wall Street, waiting to see whether help was on the way for the US economy, he told Al Jazeera.

Song said that liquidity was still an issue as until there was greater clarity on a financial plan or on the health of the global financial system, financial institutions were essentially "hoarding cash", lending only to their "most trusted friends".

Modified bill

Republican and Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives have expressed hope that the revised bill will be passed on Wednesday.

IN VIDEO

Americans' economic concerns

Effects of bailout snub

Republican house members voted against the rescue package on Monday by a more than 2-to-1 margin. A majority of Democrats voted in favour.

Speaking to Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Allister Heath, editor of City AM, a London-based business publication, said: "I think the only good news is that even if the rescue package does not go through, it is not the end of the world.

"All over the world, governments have been taking their own action; banks have been sold and bought, sometimes nationalised. There have also been private-sector solutions.

"Optimism has returned to the trading floors here in London and also on Wall Street, but it is very hard to predict whether a plan will be passed by both houses of the US congress.

"The problem is that the left and the right tend to disagree [on the rescue package] The left think it is bailing out big banks while the right see it as a form of socialism."

Heath said even if the rescue plan goes through, the problem of the credit crunch will not go away.

"It is merely another weapon to tackle the problem," he said.

"Basically, the credit crunch is getting worse; many more banks will have to be rescued and hundreds of billions of bad debt is going to have to be written off.

"Stock markets will continue to fall, property prices will continue to fall. All over the world, consumers and savers will suffer."

Bollywood strike cripples work at film studios in Mumbai.

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

Mumbai, Oct 1, 2008: Federation of Western India Cine Employees, the main union of Bollywood workers has gone on strike from today and it has completely crippled the work at film studios in Mumbai.

The Federation has the support of leading actors including Bollywood biggies like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh besides many other actors and actresses.

It is amazing to see Shah Rukh Khan joining the strike as he is also a producer and has one of the best equipped studios in Mumbai’s filmdom.

His Red Chillies Entertainment is a major motion picture production and distribution company, based in Mumbai. SRK founded the company in 2004. Apart from production, the company also has a state-of-art visual effects studio known as Red Chillies VFX.

It is being reported that more than one hundred thousand people attached with the industry have gone on an indefinite strike on the issue of facilities and pay in the industry.
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Sunday, October 19, 2008

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