SRINAGAR (TIP):The ruling National Conference legislators moved privilege motions in both Houses of the state legislature against the former Army Chief Gen (Retd) V K Singh for his comments about making payments to ministers of Jammu and Kashmir. Contrary to the rules and convention, the obituary references on the opening day of the Assembly session turned into debate and discussion on the remarks of the former Army Chief and the recent incidents of violence across the state. Gen (retd) VK Singh had recently alleged that payments have been made by the Army to state ministers for “winning people’s hearts” adding that the agriculture minister and Congress leader Ghulam Hassan Mir had received Rs 1.19 crore from the Army. As the MLAs, cutting across the party lines, expressed concern over the killings, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mir Saifulla intervened, saying that it was in violation of the rules and convention. He urged Speaker Mubarak Gul to ask the members to restrict their speeches to the obituary references. While the Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Tara Chand concluded the discussion on the obituary references, senior NC leader and Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather informed the House that a privilege motion against the former Army Chief had been submitted to the Speaker.
Year: 2013
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CONGRESS SLAMS BJP OVER MODI’S ‘TOILETS FIRST, TEMPLES LATER’ REMARK
October 3 accused the BJP of double standards after its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said toilets had to be a greater priority than temples in India. Addressing college students on Wednesday, the Gujarat chief minister rued that many Indians still do not have access to basic sanitation. “My image is that of Hindutva but I’ll tell you my real thinking. I have said in my state: pehle shauchalaya, phir devalaya (toilets first, temples later),” Modi said. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said this was another example of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s double standards. Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh had drawn flak from the BJP in April when he said that toilets are more important than temples. “No matter how many temples we go to, we are not going to get salvation. We need to give priority to toilets and cleanliness,” Jairam Ramesh had said. The BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy had said then that such comments would “destroy the fine fabric of religion and faith”. Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists had even protested outside the minister’s residence.
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JUDGE CALLS CORRUPTION OMNIPRESENT
RANCHI (TIP): CBI special judge Pravas Kumar Sinha, who delivered the verdict in the fodder scam, described corruption as omnipresent and a great threat to the society. He said corruption was growing menacingly even as the concerned agencies have taken constructive measures against it in his landmark 568- page judgment. “Corruption… has spread like cancer, which, if not detected in time, is sure to (make the country’s polity) malignant,” the judgment said. “… political corruption increases when control on the activities of the public administrators is fragile and the division of power between political actors and the bureaucrats as well as between the government and the middle men is not clear.” The judge referred to the 45 accused in the case, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad convicted on September 30, and said high level politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen “connived and entered into a criminal conspiracy for fraudulent withdrawal of public money.” He said they forged several documents “in virtually making a loot of public money with only one hidden agenda of siphoning the public money from government treasury by fraudulent withdrawal.”
The judge said those at the helm forget the popular saying “dharmo rakshati rakshitaha (if we protect dharma, dharma will protect us).” “If we protect law, law will protect us. To put differently, if we do not protect law, law will not protect us.” The judgment referred to Jurassic Park, saying if it is allowed to grow further, lawlessness will be the law. The judge praised CBI DSP AK Jha and special CBI public prosecutor B M P Singh for the collection of evidence, which required “patience, vision and a volume of courage during the investigation”. It said the prosecution was required to move diligently in the course of the trial and in preparation of the judgment of about 568 pages. “… the entire team of my court worked day and night … we came on every Sunday and holidays for arranging the exhibits, so I cannot depart with the judgment without giving special appreciation to them.”
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TIMELINE
JANUARY 1996: Fodder scam surfaces after Deputy Commissioner Amit Khare raids offices of animal husbandry department, seizing documents showing syphoning of funds by non-existent companies in the name of supplying fodder.
MARCH 11, 1996: Patna High Court directs CBI to probe the scam. Supreme Court upholds the order.
MARCH 27, 1996: CBI registers FIR in Chaibasa treasury case.
JUNE 23, 1997: CBI files charge sheet and makes Lalu Prasad accused.
JULY 30, 1997: RJD chief Lalu Prasad surrenders before CBI court, sent to judicial custody.
APRIL 5, 2000: Charges framed before special CBI court.
OCTOBER 5, 2001: Supreme Court transfers fodderscam cases to Jharkhand after the creation of new state.
FEBRUARY, 2002: Trial begins in Ranchi special CBI court.
AUGUST 13, 2013: Supreme Court rejects Lalu Prasad’s plea seeking transfer of the trial court judge hearing the case.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2013: Special CBI court reserves judgement.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2013: Two former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra along with 43 others convicted by special CBI judge Pravas Kumar Singh.
OCTOBER 3, 2013: Lalu Prasad sentenced to five years in jail, fined Rs. 25 lakh. Jagannath Mishra gets four years in jail.BJP WELCOMES SENTENCING OF LALU
The BJP welcomed the sentencing of Lalu Prasad and others in the fodder scam. “BJP feels this is a very important milestone in the fight against corruption. The whole country was up against corruption and wanted results,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.Lalu is a hero: Rabri Devi
Lalu Prasad is a hero and will remain a hero in future too, says his wife Rabri Devi.When I have not done any crime, how have I been punished, asks Lalu Prasad Yadav
Reacting to the jail term of five years in fodder scam, Lalu’s instant reaction was – “When I have not done any crime, how have I been punished?” The RJD chief asked the question at the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi over video conferencing facility. Judge Pravas Kumar Singh retorted: “You can appeal in the higher court.”Will appeal in High Court, says Rabri Devi
Talking to a news channel, Lalu’s wife, Rabri Devi said that the RJD chief did not get justice. She also said that they will appeal in the High Court against the verdict and also go before the people.Ex-CBI chief demands life term for Lalu
An agitated former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Joginder Singh says RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav should have been given a life term in jail. He adds that the VIP culture in jails should be curbed -
NHPC to invest Rs 20,000 crore in private hydropower projects in next five years
NEW DELHI (TIP): In an attempt to revive the struggling hydropower sector in the country, state-run NHPC has decided to take over private hydropower projects and is ready to invest equity worth Rs 20,000 crore in the next five years. The country’s largest hydropower producer with an installed capacity of 5,702 mw, NHPC is eyeing to add another 4,000 mw through equity investments. “We want more projects on nomination basis. We aren’t getting projects compatible to our capabilities,” said ABL Srivastava, director ( finance), NHPC. Company officials said that NHPC currently has enough cash reserves for the proposed equity investments. “State governments have lately preferred private players for harnessing hydro power. But most of them have not taken off. Given the amount of equity with us, we are in a good position to form joint venture with private power companies and may even take over the project in many cases,” said Srivastava. NHPC officials also said that several private companies, especially with projects in the north and northeastern parts of the country, have approached the company to form a joint venture involving the state government as well.
“We are still planning our partnership model with state governments and private players for future projects,” Srivastava told reporters. NHPC has projects totalling 12,240 mw in the pipeline, out of which around 8,000 mw worth of projects are awaiting clearances from the central government. Some of its key projects such as Subahsiri (2,000 mw) and Dibang (3,000 mw) in Arunanchal Pradesh are awaiting clearances from the ministry of environment and forests. The PSU recently commissioned 160 mw Teesta Lower Dam Power project, phase 3 (TLDP 3) project in Sikkim after a hiatus of six years due to geological challenges. It is building six hydropower projects in Sikkim totalling 4,000 mw. The phase four of TLDP, with capacity of 132 mw, is slated for commissioning in October 2014. Phase five of TLDP (512 mw) was commissioned in March 2008. The upstream Teesta-3 power project in the state is being constructed by a private entity and is supposed to be commissioned by the end of this year in December but NHPC officials in the Teesta region said that no major work has progressed in it.
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RBI relaxes norms to raise funds from abroad
NEW DELHI (TIP): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has relaxed norms to raise funds from abroad. All types of companies are now allowed to avail trade credit facility from overseas for import of capital goods. “On a review, it has been decided to allow companies in all sectors to avail of trade credit not exceeding US$ 20 million up to a maximum period of five years for import of capital goods as classified by Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT),” according to RBI. The amended policy has come into force with immediate effect. Earlier, only companies in the infrastructure sector were allowed to raise such trade credits. The ab initio contract period of 15 months for all trade credits has also been relaxed to 6 months by the RBI. All other aspects of trade credit policy will remain unchanged and should be complied with, as per RBI.
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The AIA-NY DEEPAVALI is on 6th October at South Street Seaport
NEW YORK (TIP): The Association of Indians in America, NY Chapter (AIA-NY) hosts its 26th Annual Deepavali at South Street Seaport on October 6th, 2013 from 12 noon till 8pm (Fireworks at 7pm). Generally this event attracts 75,000 – 100,000 people from all corners of the tristate area. The weather forecast for Sunday October 6 is sunny 65 to 80 degrees, winds 9 mph. Given all the new things AIA has added to their event this year (see below), nice weather and the newly renovated pier 16 and a brand new pier 15, the turnout could easily go into 100,000 to 150,000 people. The Hindu Festival of Deepavali meaning ‘A row of lamps’ is also popularly known as Diwali, or ‘Festival of Lights’. It signifies the triumph of ‘Good over Evil’. The festival is a full day celebration with numerous booths, vendors, performances and activities for the whole family including a live grand display of fireworks.
At the Oct 6 event the Ambassador of Bhangra, DJ Rekha will lead the audience at 5 PM into an official Guinness World Record breaking attempt for the largest Bhangra party ever. With the ‘Main Bhi Star’ contest, participants get a chance to act on the big screen as they audition with leading lady Pankhuri (Disha Parmar) of popular Star Plus soap, Pyaar Ka Dard Hai…Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara. Another attraction this year is Omi Vaidya (Chatur from 3 Idiots) who will be entertaining the masses with an exclusive comedy act at 4 PM. Live Ramleela is on at 2:00 PM on the main stage. Famous singer Sharada is unveiling an exciting “Masti Ho” to curb childhood obesity with her live entertainment for children and then later a few melodies like “Jab bhi ye dil udaas hota hai”, and “Duniya ki sair karlo” for grown up audiences.
Health fair booth shall have free screenings and free give aways. Mouth-watering delicacies from India, a designated area for Children, a holistic Health Fair, breath-taking performances in addition to a splendor showcase of Indian culture, arts and crafts, jewelry, traditional clothes and an evening of music and dance are some of the highlights that AIA-NY’s 26th Deepavali brings this year. The grand finale of the evening is the display of live Fireworks at 7:15 igniting the East River which is witnessed by over a million New Yorkers.
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IT SECTOR REVENUE TO CROSS $225 B BY 2020
NEW DELHI (TIP): Newer technologies such as social media, analytics and cloud computing (SMAC) will help India’s IT-BPO industry cross $225-billion-mark in revenues by 2020, according to a CII report. These technologies have opened new avenues for the Indian IT-BPO vendors. Since globally companies are adopting SMAC technologies for operational efficiency, Indian IT-BPO vendors can develop their SMAC strategies, according to CII Report – ‘The SMAC Code – Embracing New Technologies for Future Business’ released at CII Connect 2013. SMAC enables companies leverage the cloud for storing huge volumes of multi-structured customer data, generated over mobile devices and social media and analyze these data sets for business advantage. Industry estimates suggest that the global ICT spending will reach the $5-trillion mark by 2020 driven by the combination of social media, mobility, analytics and cloud. In 2012, SMAC approximately contributed about 20 per cent of the total ICT spending and they are collectively, growing at about 18 per cent year-on-year. At this rate, it is expected that these technologies will become 80 per cent of the total spending by 2020, the report said. The Indian IT industry expanded from an $8 billion in 2000 to an estimated $ 108 billion in 2013. The industry took advantage of the vast pool of highly skilled resources available at low cost, and rode on the wave of application development and BPM services to spread its wings. However, going forward, the vendors should seek to work closely with their customers to stay abreast of the latest technological developments, and come up with solutions that can take advantage of SMAC, the report said
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HYUNDAI-ROTEM SUPPLIES FIRST COACH TO L&T HYDERABAD METRO
HYDERABAD (TIP): L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd put on display the first rail coach it received from the Hyundai-Rotem consortium. It announced that the elevated rail system would be fully managed remotely. These trains will have no drivers and run from a central control system. And the ‘driver’ in the metro train coach will only help facilitate entry and exit of passengers and ensure their safety. This coach is part of the large order the metro project placed on the consortium for supply of rail coaches for the 72-km elevated metro rail project being developed by L&T. The coach was formally unveiled here today by the Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, in the presence of officials of L&T and metro rail officials. Each air-conditioned coach will have capacity to seat about 330 people and a train of six coaches is expected to carry about 2000 passengers. While these trains have the capability to manage a top speed of 80 km per hour, the average speed is likely to be 38-40 km per hour.
Initially, 171 coaches for 57 trains will be supplied by Hyundai-Rotem and the rest in a phased manner, said N.V.S. Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd. L&T had placed the Rs 1800-crore order with Hyundai-Rotem last year. V.B.Gadgil, Chief Executive and Managing Director of L&THMRL, said that the coaches will be run on centralised radio frequency from a central operational control system. “We have made good progress so far, but the pace of work can get better,” he felt. Initially, it is proposed to run each train with three coaches and later this will be ramped up to six coaches for one train. The gap between each train will be 90 seconds. All the trains will have CCTV cameras in and outside of the cars, mobile and laptop charging sockets inside the cars. The supply of coaches will be in a phased manner as the project is ready for commissioning.
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UK, AP to share tech, work on energy conservation
HYDERABAD (TIP): The UK Government has agreed to collaborate with Andhra Pradesh in sharing latest technologies and best practices in energy conservation and efficiency, according to a statement from the State Energy Conservation Cell. The State has set up an internal target of achieving energy savings of around 15,000 million units per annum worth about Rs 7,500 crore. Andrew McAllister, British Deputy High Commissioner at Hyderabad, along with his team, met P.K. Mohanty, State Chief Secretary and assured him that the UK is willing to extend technical support to the State in bringing best practices in energy efficiency and energy conservation.Mohanty said the Bureau of Energy Efficiency has identified Andhra Pradesh as high potential State for energy conservation and the Central Electricity Authority has recognised the recent energy conservation initiatives across various sectors including industry, agriculture and Government.
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Sri Srinivasan takes oath holding Gita in hand
WASHINGTON (TIP): Sri Srinivasan, 46, was sworn in an overflowing court room by retired Supreme Court judge Sandra Day O’Connor, in the presence of legal luminaries, friends and families as his mother Saroja Srinivasan held the Gita, the sacred book of Hinduism, before him. Gursharan Kaur literally rushed from the airport with just a short halt at the hotel to watch the investiture of Srinivasan on the bench of the US Courts of Appeal for the District of Columbia Circuit. O’Connor, for whom Srinivasan once clerked, called him “fair, faultless and fabulous”. Confirmed by the US Senate in May by a 97 to 0 vote, Srinivasan was earlier principal deputy solicitor general of the US to which job he succeeded another Indian American, Neal Kumar Katyal, in August last year.
Srinivasan came to the US with his parents in the 1970s at the age of four. His family settled in Lawrence, Kansas, where his father was a mathematics professor at the University of Kansas, and his mother taught at the Kansas City Art Institute. He received his BA with honors and distinction in 1989 from Stanford University and his JD with distinction in 1995 from Stanford Law School, where he was elected to Order of the Coif and served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review. Addressing the gathering, Srinivasan acknowledged the contribution of his parents and family on his achievements. Srinivasan was first nominated by Obama on June 11, 2012. On January 2, his nomination was returned to the President, due to the sine die adjournment of the Senate. On January 3, 2013, Obama re-nominated him for the same office. His appointment is a testimony to his credibility and caliber as a brilliant legal luminary of the US. Srinivasan was previously the Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States. He is a highly respected appellate advocate who has spent a distinguished career litigating before the US Supreme Court and the US Courts of Appeals, both on behalf of the United States and in private practice.
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California to grant driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants
SACRAMENTO (TIP): California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill adding California to a growing list of states that will grant driver’s licenses to immigrants in the country illegally. Brown signed the legislation at a Los Angeles City Hall ceremony October 3 morning. Immigrant advocates have long lobbied for the change in California so immigrants in the country illegally can drive without fear of being pulled over for a ticket, which could wind up getting them deported. Department of Homeland Security estimated 2830,000 illegal immigrants in California in 2011. The new licenses will not be considered valid federal identification and will be marked differently from other licenses. The licenses are expected to be issued starting Jan. 1, 2015.
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President Obama Launches Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee ‘2.0
WASHINGTON, DC (TIP): President Obama launched, September 26, the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee “2.0,” part of a continuing effort to maintain U.S. leadership in the emerging technologies that will create highquality manufacturing jobs and enhance America’s global competitiveness. The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) was created by the President in 2011 with the recognition that industry, academia, and government must work in partnership to revitalize our manufacturing sector. The new Steering Committee comprises leaders in industry, academia, and labor, will build on progress made by the inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee, created by the President. As outlined in its report released last year, Capturing Domestic Competitive Advantage in Advanced Manufacturing, that group called for a national effort to strengthen the U.S. advanced manufacturing sector.
Most importantly, the inaugural Steering Committee called for sustaining U.S. investments in science, technology, and innovation; establishing a National Network of Manufacturing Innovation Institutes-a set of public-private partnerships to build shared high-tech facilities and advance U.S. leadership in emerging technologies; upgrading communitycollege workforce training programs and deploying the talent of returning veterans to meet critical manufacturing skills needs; and improving the business climate for manufacturing investment through tax, regulatory, energy, and trade reform. The new Steering Committee will build on the progress made over the last several years and continue to make America a magnet for jobs and manufacturing so we continue to manufacture things the rest of the world buys. Through Administrative action, bipartisan legislative proposals, and private-sector initiatives, several of the Steering Committee’s original recommendations are now well underway. For example, this fall, three new manufacturing-innovation institutes will join the pilot institute created last year in Youngstown, Ohio, as a down payment on the formation of a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation.
Also in response to the initial Steering Committee, the Administration has made investing in community colleges an important focus, proposing an $8 billion fund to help community colleges work with industry on new workforce development and training collaborations. The Administration continues to make investment in advanced manufacturing research and development a sustained priority, with a focus on accelerating the launch of technologies from lab to market. The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee 2.0 will function as a working group of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). In addition, it will work closely with the White House’s National Economic Council and Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Department of Commerce, to fully implement the initial Steering Committee’s previous recommendations, scale promising manufacturing workforce innovations and partnerships, and identify new, concrete strategies for securing the Nation’s competitive advantage in transformative early-stage technologies. In addition, the Advanced Manufacturing Steering Committee 2.0 will engage the broader manufacturing community through regional working sessions and forums designed to surface examples of innovative strategies to build US manufacturing competitiveness. Recognizing that the U.S. manufacturing sector draws its strength from a multitude of tightly linked capabilities contributed by the private sector, academia, and labor, the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership and its second-generation Steering Committee will draw upon leadership from across manufacturers of all sizes, leading universities, and labor.
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Obama cancels trip to Asia
WASHINGTON (TIP): The White House announced October 3 late night that President Obama’s upcoming trip to Asia has been canceled. “Due to the government shutdown, President Obama’s travel to Indonesia and Brunei has been cancelled,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement. “The President made this decision based on the difficulty in moving forward with foreign travel in the face of a shutdown, and his determination to continue pressing his case that Republicans should immediately allow a vote to reopen the government. Secretary (of State John) Kerry will lead delegations to both countries in place of the President.” Earlier this week, the White House announced Obama’s trip has been scaled back, canceling stops in Malaysia and the Philippines.Carney added that: “The cancellation of this trip is another consequence of the House Republicans forcing a shutdown of the government.”The trip was scheduled to begin on Saturday.The White House said Obama will schedule the trip for another date. “The President looks forward to continuing his work with our allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific and to returning to the region at a later date,” Carney said.
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Suicide car bombing kills 15 people in Pakistan
PARACHINAR (TIP): A suicide bomber rammed a car packed with explosives into the compound of a rival militant commander in northwest Pakistan on October 3, killing 15 people, a government official said. The commander, Nabi Hanfi, was not present at the time of the attack, said Wajid Khan, a local government administrator. Hanfi has been battling the Pakistani Taliban in the Orakzai tribal area where the bombing occurred. Gunmen first fired shots at Hanfi’s compound in Balandkhel village, and then the suicide bomber detonated his vehicle, said Khan. The blast killed 15 people and wounded six others, he said. No one has claimed responsibility, but suspicion will likely fall on the Pakistani Taliban. A local tribal leader, Malik Nek Marjaan, said the Pakistani government has been supporting Hanfi’s group in its battle against the Pakistani Taliban. On Wednesday, suspected separatists killed two Pakistani soldiers, in a wave of attacks targeting troops doing relief work in a remote region of the country’s southwest where a major earthquake killed at least 376 people last week, military officials said. Also in southwestern Balochistan province on Wednesday but far from the earthquake zone, a bomb went off at the Pakistan-Afghan border, killing six people and wounding 11 others, said Pakistani security officials.
The attacks on soldiers providing earthquake assistance highlight the difficulty and danger involved in doing such work in an area where separatists have been battling the army for years. In the first attack, a bomb blast hit a military vehicle, killing the two soldiers, the officials said. The explosion near Mashkay, a village in the province’s southwest, also wounded three soldiers. Their unit had been dispatched to the disaster zone after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake rocked the province on September 24. Later in the day, gunmen carried out four separate attacks against troops delivering relief supplies in the same area and a checkpoint established as part of the effort, said Pakistani military officials. No one was hurt in those attacks, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. There was no claim of responsibility for the attacks but suspicion fell on Baloch separatists who have been battling the Pakistani military for years and have claimed responsibility for similar attacks in recent days.
The military has been ferrying aid into the region by helicopter and evacuating the injured, but their increased presence in a particularly contested area at the earthquake’s epicentre has led to renewed clashes. Awaran district where the quake was centred has been a stronghold of the separatists. Even among Balochistan residents who aren’t part of the armed conflict, there is strong resentment against the central government, which many residents contend exploits the southwestern province’s oil, natural gas and mineral deposits. On Saturday, gunmen killed four Pakistani troops carrying rations for earthquake victims. Last week, militants fired on two helicopters, including one carrying top government officials surveying the damage. No one was wounded in the incidents. Wednesday’s bombing at the Pakistan-Afghan border took place at a land crossing located in the Pakistani town of Chaman, some 480 kilometres (300 miles) south of the earthquake zone, security officials said. The six people who were killed were civilians. The wounded included six Pakistani border guards and five civilians, said the officials, also speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
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Mentor of 9/11 kingpin joins president race in Afghanistan
KABUL (TIP): A former Islamist warlord who is said to be responsible for bringing al-Qaida to Afghanistan and who trained the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, announced he was running for president on October 3, a move likely to be greeted with apprehension by the international community. A conservative Islamic scholar, Abdul Rasul Sayyaf ran paramilitary training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the 1980s and 1990s, and it was there he meet al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden . In 1996, Sayyaf helped Laden return to Afghanistan after he was ejected from Sudan . Laden stayed in the country under the protection of the Taliban until the Americanled invasion of late 2001. Sayyaf was named in the 9/11 commission report as the “mentor” of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the key plotter of the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. Mohammed attended the military camps organized by Sayyaf in Pakistan and from which several of the 2002 Bali bombers graduated. “Today I nominate myself in order to serve my countrymen and my nation — I want to stand alongside the true servants of Afghanistan,” Abdul Rassoul Sayyaf said before he registered at the offices of Kabul’s Independent Election Commission. Western diplomats have previously talked of their concerns regarding Sayyaf ‘s nomination, given his deeply conservative views regarding women’s rights and social freedoms, and his deep ties to militant Islam. Sayyaf ‘s nominee for first vice president, Ismail Khan, will also worry the country’s Western backers.
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After YouTube, Pak targets more sites
NEW DELHI (TIP): It’s been a year since YouTube was banned in Pakistan last September. But that’s not a stray case of online censorship in the strife-torn country. Activists say that several other websites such as those highlighting human rights violation in Balochistan have also been blocked in Pakistan. “We have what you can best describe as ‘covert censorship’. A significant number of websites covering Balochistan human rights violations have reportedly been blocked. Similarly, a website on the genocide of Shias in Pakistan was blocked and later unblocked,” says Sana Saleem of activist group, Bolo Bhi. The YouTube block was prompted by an Islamophobic film, Innocence of Muslims, which had found its way to the video-sharing website. Authorities justified the online jamming saying that the film could cause widespread violence. But activists point out that authorities have resorted to online censorship to stop people from watching politically inconvenient videos as well. One of them is a three-year-old video of former Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari pausing mid-speech at a public rally to say “Shut up!” to someone off-camera that prompted a YouTube block back then. Similarly, Dhinak dhinak, a song of the irreverent satirical band Beyghairat Brigade, has also been blocked on Vimeo, another video-sharing website.
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2 killed in Nepal ultra-light aircraft crash
KATHMANDU: Two people, including a Chinese tourist, were killed on Thursday when an ultra-light aircraft crashed in bad weather in Nepal’s resort town of Pokhara. Pilot Stephen Shrestha and a Chinese national died when the ultra-light aircraft crashed after slamming into a hill near the Shanti Stupa in Pumdibhumdi village in Pokhara, 210 kilometres west from here, according to police. Ultra-light aircraft is popular among tourists for sightseeing in the Pokhara Valley and the Annapurna mountain range. The bodies have been sent for postmortem. It was raining and the sky was cloudy when the accident took place, eyewitnesses said. The ultra-light aircraft belongs to Avia Club Nepal, which has started the flight since 1997. Over 5,00,000 tourists visit Nepal every year, mostly from neighbouring India and China, and tourism is one of the major contributors to the economy of the impoverished Himalayan nation.
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Pakistani passport among worst for travel: Survey
ISLAMABAD (TIP): A Pakistani passport is among the worst to travel on as the country’s citizens can only enter 32 countries without a visa, according to a survey. Pakistan shared its ranking with Somalia in the list of some 200 countries surveyed by Henley & Partners, beating only Iraq which ranked 92nd and Afghanistan, which came in last. India ranked higher than all three countries at 74. Many intervening positions were shared by several countries, showing India ranked much higher than other nations. The report said Pakistanis had access to only 32 countries without a visa, while Afghans could access just 28. The Visa Restriction Index 2013 was released by Henley & Partners to rank countries based on the visafree entry enjoyed by their citizens. The firm analysed visa regulations around the globe to determine the results. “Pakistan, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan remain in the bottom four places of the ranking, which means that citizens of these countries enjoy the least freedom of travel,” the firm said in a statement.
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Russian embassy in Libya evacuated after attack
MOSCOW (TIP): Russia on October 3 evacuated all of its diplomats and their families from Libya, the day after a mob attack on the Russian embassy, and issued a warning to its citizens against visiting the country. The Russian foreign ministry said none of the embassy staff was hurt in Wednesday’s attack, which came in response to the death of a Libyan air force officer, who was allegedly killed by a Russian woman. An armed mob broke into the embassy compound in the Libyan capital Tripoli, climbing over walls, breaking down a metal gate and shooting in the air. One of the attackers was killed by the gunfire, and four more were wounded, Libyan officials said. Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in Thursday’s statement that Moscow decided to evacuate the embassy after Libya’s foreign inister Mohamed Abdelaziz visited its grounds and told the Russian ambassador that Libya was unable to protect the personnel.
Lukashevich added that all the embassy workers and their families safely crossed the border into Tunisia on Thursday. He said that the Libyan authorities had promised to protect Russian assets and try to quickly restore conditions for the safe operations of the embassy. Several senior diplomats will stay in Tunisia to maintain contacts with Libya, while the rest of the embassy workers will be flown to Moscow on Friday, Lukashevich said. He added that the foreign ministry recommends Russian citizens should refrain from visiting Libya. Wednesday’s violence briefly raised fears of a repeat of last year’s deadly attack on a US compound in the eastern city of Benghazi, in which the US ambassador and three other Americans were killed. In that instance, on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attack, militants fired mortars at the consulate, surrounded it and set it on fire. A Libyan official said Wednesday’s attackers took down the Russian flag that was hanging from the balcony of one of the buildings. But they did not enter the embassy buildings, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
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Another Tipu Sultan sword surfaces, to be auctioned
LONDON (TIP): A new sword belonging to Tipu Sultan has been discovered. Decorated with Tipu’s personal emblem, the bubri or tigerstripe motif, the sword will be sold by Sotheby’s in London on October 9. This comes nearly a decade after liquor baron Vijay Mallya bought Tipu Sultan’s sword and brought it back to India. The sword is fitted with an English blade and was taken as booty during the storming of the fortress of Seringapatam by the British in May 1799. It is estimated that the sword will fetch around £1,20,000. The sword is among the 11 works relating to Tipu Sultan including weaponry, prints, watercolours and portraits that is up for sale. Another of Tipu’s assets up for grabs is an 11-bore silver-mounted flintlock duck gun from the personal armoury of Tipu Sultan signed Sayyid Masum belonging to 1789. This is expected to fetch £80,000-1 ,00,000. A gem-studded gold dagger and scabbard belonging to the year 1700 will also be auctioned on October 9 and expected to fetch around £1,00,000. This dagger, overlaid with gold and set with rubies, emeralds and turquoise, embodies the prestige accorded to such weapons and the message of power that they conveyed as presentation pieces. To go along with it is a diamond-set and enamelled gold tray and casket from North India from the 18th Century. Sothebys said, “Covered with bright green enamel and set throughout with diamonds in the kundan technique , the creator of the present box and tray has conceived a masterful combination . The diamonds are carefully faceted to bring out the brilliance of each. Whereas jewelled examples exist, it is incredibly rare to find this shape. It is expected to fetch around £30,0,000.”
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Malala is among top Nobel peace contenders
Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who took on the Taliban , and Russian human rights activists are seen as top contenders for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the International Peace Research Institute said. Sister Mary Tarcisia Lakot is also a potential winner for her work promoting peace in Uganda, Kristian Berg Harpviken, head of the Oslo-based institute that ranks potential winners each year, said in a statement. Russians that may win include the “formidable , female, three-generation trio” of Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Svetlana Gannushkina and Lilya Shibanova, he said. Yousafzai, 16, was shot in the head in Pakistan’s Swat Valley in retaliation for her campaign for girls to be given equal rights to schooling, defying threats from Taliban militants in her hometown of Mingora. She now lives in the United Kingdom and has since then gained global recognition for her promises to continue her struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism.
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Indian-origin scientist develops ‘brain’ for robots
WASHINGTON (TIP): Robot brain! An Indian-origin scientist in US has developed a new feedback system that allows robots to operate with minimal supervision and could eventually lead to autonomous machines. The system may lead to robots that think for themselves, learn, adapt and use active critique to work unsupervised. Developed by Dr Jagannathan Sarangapani, from Missouri University of Science and Technology, the system makes use of current formation moving robots and introduces a fault-tolerant control design to improve the probability of completing a set task. The new feedback system will allow a “follower” robot to take over as the “leader” robot if the original leader has a system or mechanical failure. In a leader/follower formation, the lead robot is controlled through a nonholonomic system, meaning that the trajectory is set in advance, and the followers are tracing the same pattern that the leader takes by using sonar. When a problem occurs and roles need to change to continue, the fault tolerant control system comes into use.
It uses reinforcement learning and active critique, both inspired by behaviourist psychology to show how machines act in environments to maximise work rate, to help the new, unmanned robot to estimate its new course. Without this, the follower wouldn’t have a path to follow and the task would fail. “Imagine you have one operator in an office controlling 10 bulldozers remotely,” said Sarangapani, the William A Rutledge – Emerson Electric Company’s distinguished professor in Electrical Engineering at S&T. “In the event that the lead one suffers a mechanical problem, this hardware allows the work to continue,” said Sarangapani. The innovative research can be applied to robotic security surveillance, mining and even aerial manoeuvring. Sarangapani believes that the research is most important for aerial vehicles. When a helicopter is in flight, faults can now be detected and accommodated. This means that instead of a catastrophic failure resulting in a potentially fatal crash, the system can allow for a better chance for an emergency landing instead. The fault tolerance would notice a problem and essentially shut down that malfunctioning part while maintaining slight control of the overall vehicle. “The end goal is to push robotics to the next level,” said Sarangapani. “I want robots to think for themselves, to learn, adapt and use active critique to work unsupervised. A self-aware robot will eventually be here, it is just a matter of time, he said.
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Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce Hosts Successful Franchise Seminar
EDISON, NJ (TIP): The Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Franchise Seminar and Show September 22 at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison, NJ. Several franchise companies specializing in food, child-care centers, tutoring centers, computer IT services, senior care, financial planning and staffing and employment services participated. The event was co-chaired by AICC board members Nandini Menon and Rajeev Krishna. According to AICC Chairman Anil Bansal, the event was held to understand franchising from a franchisee’s point of view. “The event was a perfect opportunity for people to meet franchisees and franchisors and to facilitate a better understanding of the business process and business opportunities in one’s area of interest,” he said. Franchising can be an effective option for midsize to large companies seeking to enter new markets nationally and internationally, Bansal said. AICC has plans to make this an annual event. Based on feedback from attendees, sponsors and exhibitors, this event fulfills an important need of the Asian Indian Community which had not been addressed till now.
For prospective franchisees the seminar offered advice and guidelines in financial and marketing resources and panel discussions with existing franchisees; while for existing franchisees the seminar offered alternative financial resources and introduction to marketing companies. Some of the participants at the daylong event included Action Coach, Rainbow Academy, Benetrends, Tutor Doctor., Global Life Enterprises LLC., Frannet, Vocelli Pizza, Rock ‘n Joe coffee and others. Other activities of the AICC include Networking Nights held every fourth Wednesday of each month to provide a networking forum for exchange of business ideas, referrals and business contracts for the mutual benefit of members; develop international connections to promote business growth, via trade missions & trade delegations, to and from India and other countries; strengthen commercial, social and political relationships between United States and India; provide a forum for the Promotion and Enhancement of Businesses, to showcase products and services; enhance education, knowledge and interact with keynote speakers and industry leaders and advocate and lobby the business concerns to political leaders at State and National levels, participate in political forums & meetings Delegation to Washington DC to meet with political leaders and policy decision makers. AICC is led by Anil Bansal, president; along with Vice President Priti Pandya- Patel.
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Fighting Corruption: Rahul Gandhi takes a stand
Indian National Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the controversial ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers is refreshing and gives us hope in putting the party on sound footing as it faces general election in 2014. Mr. Gandhi’s statement simply reflects the values and principles on which the party was founded upon. Mistakes are often made in the policymaking arena; however, realizing the ramifications of those decisions and rectifying the errors in a timely manner certainly takes courage. Mr. Rahul Gandhi has indeed risen to that challenge and for which he is widely applauded by the NRIs in USA. Corruption, the abuse of public office for private gain, is endemic in India and it transcends all sectors in every region. Though it is not limited to any political party, there is a general agreement to the fact that it is a cancer that is debilitating the soul of the nation. It is indeed a serious issue that is facing the nation; however, there is very little consensus as to how to deal with it or arrest its onslaught especially in the public arena.
The recent mass movements have not gotten any tracking because they were hijacked by vested interests for political gains. Corruption is likely to occur when there are restrictions and government interventions where there is potential for excessive profits. General evidence based on cross country comparisons suggests that corruption has large and adverse effects on private investment and economic growth. Corruption is also most prevalent where there are political instability, bureaucratic red tape and weakening of legislative and judicial systems. Government with the help of the legislatures needs to create laws that would seriously clamp down on these mushrooming activities that are having a detrimental effect on the development of the nation and the safety of its citizens. The UPA Government has taken a number of steps to fight corruption by introducing several bills before the parliament such as Public procurement Bill, whistle blower’s protection bill, foreign bribery bill and prevention of money laundering and so on. However, what is required is courageous leadership along with strong and unambiguous stand that would create an environment that would seriously discourage people from engaging in corrupt activities. It is a known fact that once a corrupt system is in place, majority of the people operate within that system.
What is required then is fundamental change to the very culture of corruption we tend to tolerate. Everyone in society might not have received a payoff; however, most folks may have paid here of there to get things done thereby contributing to the process. Mr. Rahul Gandhi has indeed taken a strong stand against ordinance prepared by India’s governing coalition to allow Indian lawmakers convicted of a crime to contest election while appeals against their conviction are pending in higher courts. He said the following at a press conference “My opinion of this ordinance is that it is a complete nonsense. It should be torn up and thrown out. This is the time to stop this nonsense. If we want to actually fight corruption in this country, whether it is my party or the B.J.P., we can’t continue making these small compromises,” Although the timing of his announcement when the Prime Minister was on a foreign trip may have received some criticism, people in general are impressed by the objective assessment of the issue and the courageous and principled stand he has taken. The time has come to define concrete results that might appear to be a tall order. Yet, this incident could well be a turning point in making a difference in fighting the corruption. I hope in the coming days, the Lokpal bill could become law and the Parliament will allow Lokpal to function as a constitutional body, as Mr. Rahul Gandhi has proposed.