The Indian Panorama

Year: 2014

  • HIGH-RISE BUILDING FIRE SAFETY

    HIGH-RISE BUILDING FIRE SAFETY

    NEW YORK , NY (TIP): On the outside of the high-rise Strand apartment building on 43 Street and 10th Avenue Monday, January 6, crews replaced soot-covered and broken windows from Sunday’s deadly 3- alarm fire. An electrical fire was contained on the 20th floor of the high rise but smoke permeated the building because the apartment door was left open and did not close on its own, the FDNY said. Daniel McClung and his husband, Michael Todd Cohen, lived on the 38th floor and walked down a stairwell to escape the fire.

    But they chose a stairwell opened by firefighters to fight the blaze and it was filled with smoke. The smoke killed McClung. Cohen was in critical condition but is expected to survive. Chief James Esposito of the FDNY said that had McClung stayed in his apartment he would have survived. He said that generally you are better off staying in your own apartment unless a major fire is sweeping through the high rise. That is because residential buildings seven stories and above in New York City are constructed with fireproof material. So if there is a fire you should stay in your apartment unless the fire is in your apartment.

    If you live in an older tenementstyle building with fire escapes you should try to leave any apartment during a fire because the building itself will burn and not just the contents of an apartment. Fire safety experts say that if a fire breaks out in any building you should touch the door to see if it’s hot before opening and put wet towels on the floor is smoke is seeping in. But first you should call the FDNY to say where you are and stay there, said Prof. Glenn Corbett of John Jay College. Firefighters will come get you when safe. Unless you have fire sprinklers in each room, the fire department recommends smoke detectors and staying put unless the fire is right next to you. Daniel McClung lived on the 38th floor. Families living on the 20th floor, the same floor as this fire, stayed in their apartment after calling 911 and survived unscathed.

  • Taxi driver dies in Richmond Hill accident

    Taxi driver dies in Richmond Hill accident

    RICHMOND HILL, NY (TIP): A Kew Gardens man was killed Friday, January 3 afternoon after crashing his yellow taxi into two parked cars, police said. Ved Wadhwa, 56, was driving down 118th Street near 95th Avenue about 3:40 p.m. when he veered to the left striking a parked vehicle, and then to the right, into another parked vehicle, according to the NYPD. He was taken to Jamaica Hospital where he was pronounced dead. There were no passengers in the taxi at the time of the accident, police said. There investigation is ongoing.

  • Four Years after the Devastating Earthquake, Haiti Still Needs Help

    Four Years after the Devastating Earthquake, Haiti Still Needs Help

    4th Anniversary of Haiti’s Devastating Earthquake
    MINEOLA, NY (TIP): On the 4th Anniversary of Haiti’s devastating earthquake, it is important not to forget the 316,000 victims that tragically lost their lives. Men, women and children’s lives were abruptly terminated due to this massive earthquake. Haitian families around the world were impacted as they mourned the loss of loved ones. An already fragile economy was brought to a standstill as the country fought for its very survival.

    “Four years later, the Haitian people continue to heal and are working to rebuild from this catastrophic event. In remembrance of the victims and Haiti’s postearthquake era, I encourage the world community to continue its efforts to mobilize support to address the economic, social and cultural needs of the Haitian community’, Nassau County legislator Carrie Solages appealed. For those who want to offer donations or support, there are a number of non-profit organizations currently providing humanitarian services. Please take a moment to select an organization you are willing to support. Haiti still needs help!

  • Bangladeshi Hindu, Budhist & Christian Unity Council, USA organizes Protest Rally against Pakistan

    Bangladeshi Hindu, Budhist & Christian Unity Council, USA organizes Protest Rally against Pakistan

    NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist & Christian Unity Council, USA organized a ‘Protest Rally’ in front of Pakistan Consulate in NY on Monday, 30th December 2013 from 2 to 4 PM. Despite chilling cold, a few dozen protesters gathered and raised slogans against Pakistan and Pakistani Taliban.

    The slogans included: who created Taliban? Pakistan, Pakistan; Go back Pakistani Taliban etc. They were supported by Indian American Hindus led by Narain Kataria and Arish Sahani, President and Vice President respectively of Indian American Intellectuals Forum. The protesters handed over a memorandum to the Pakistani Consulate during the rally, which was accepted by Mr. Mohammed Neyaz, Consul & Visa officer on behalf of the Consul General of Pakistan.

  • UK working on idea to sell visas to highest bidder

    UK working on idea to sell visas to highest bidder

    LONDON (TIP): Overseas millionaires may soon be able to buy or bid for UK visas in exchange of donations to hospitals and universities. The British government’s proposal in this regard says donors willing to help schools, universities or hospitals in the UK with much needed funds should be ‘let in’. Reported Migration Advisory Committee chairman Sir David Metcalf has told MPs to explore new innovative ways to attract wealthy investors to the country. “It may very well be that we should be auctioning some of these slots. There should be proper discussion about it. Equally it may very well be that we should be letting people in if they endow a Cambridge college, a major teaching hospital or the London School of Economics with £10 million.”

    British home secretary Theresa May has asked the committee to look at whether auctioning visas or making it available in exchange of donations can be a plausible option. Officials said though a screening process will ensure criminals aren’t let in through the process; it will also help reduce strain on public financing and funds. The Committee is expected to submit a report in February. Metcalf has spelled ways by which the new plan could be introduced. He said one option would see wealthy foreigners making investments in government bonds or UK businesses. In return, wealthy foreigners would be allowed to live and settle in the UK with their families indefinitely. Metcalf said the first preference would be to those, who donate for a noble cause like backing universities with funds or helping set up a hospital.

  • Chemical spill brings US city to standstil

    Chemical spill brings US city to standstil

    CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA (TIP): A chemical spill left the water for 300,000 people in and around West Virginia’s capital city stained blue-green and smelling like licorice, with officials saying January 16 it was unclear when it might be safe again for even mundane activities like showers and laundry. Federal authorities began investigating how the foaming agent escaped a chemical plant and seeped into the Elk River. Just how much of the chemical leaked into the river was not yet known.

    Officials are working with the company that makes the chemical to determine how much can be in the water without it posing harm to residents, said West Virginia American Water president Jeff McIntyre. “We don’t know that the water’s not safe. But I can’t say that it is safe,” McIntyre said Friday. For now, there is no way to treat the tainted water aside from flushing the system until it’s in low enough concentrations to be safe, a process that could take days. Officials and experts said the chemical, even in its most concentrated form, isn’t deadly. However, people across nine counties were told not to so much as wash their clothes in water affected, as the compound can cause symptoms ranging from skin irritation and rashes to vomiting and diarrhea.

    No more than six people have been brought into emergency rooms with symptoms that may stem from the chemical, and none were in serious or critical condition, said State Department of Health & Human Resources Secretary Karen L. Bowling. The company where the leak occurred, Freedom Industries, discovered Thursday morning around 10:30 a.m. that the chemical was leaking from the bottom of a storage tank, said its president Gary Southern. Southern said the company worked all day and through the night to remove the chemical from the site and take it elsewhere. Vacuum trucks were used to remove the chemical from the ground at the site. The spill brought West Virginia’s most populous city and nearby areas to a virtual standstill, closing schools and offices and even forcing the Legislature to cancel its business for the day. Officials focused on getting water to people who needed it, particularly the elderly and disabled.

  • Night fire destroys ancient Tibetan town in China

    Night fire destroys ancient Tibetan town in China

    BEIJING (TIP): A 10-hour inferno has razed an ancient Tibetan town in China’s southwest Yunnan province that’s popular with tourists. There is no immediate report of casualties, and the cause of the fire is unclear. The Deqen prefecture government said the fire broke out at 1.27am on Saturday in the ancient Tibetan town of Dukezong.

    It says more than 1,000 firefighters responded to the blaze and brought it under control after 11am. The official Xinhua News Agency says more than 100 houses were destroyed. The state-run China Central Television says most structures in Dukezong are made of wood and the fire spread easily because of dry weather. Photos and video footage show the town engulfed in a sea of fire that turned the night sky red.

  • KEJRIWAL HOLDS ‘JANATA DARBAR’ AT DELHI SECRETARIAT

    KEJRIWAL HOLDS ‘JANATA DARBAR’ AT DELHI SECRETARIAT

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his entire cabinet held a ‘janata darbar’ at the the Delhi Secretariat on January 11 to hear the complaints of the people and tried to redress them immediately. This is being termed as Kejriwal’s attempt at what many are terming ‘street governance’. According to TV reports, hundreds turned up at the meet as Delhi’s newest CM lend an ear to the complaints of the aam admi.

    The nature of complaints varied at the gathering, with some members of the civil society raising their voice against loss of jobs. As the crowd swelled, many tried to jostle their way in, in order to have a word with Delhi’s CM. The placards on display at the meeting hinted at the immediate problems that Kejriwal is faced with. On Friday, the chief minister had announced that the entire cabinet will sit in front of the Delhi Secretariat on Saturdays to receive grievances from people and efforts will be made to solve them immediately. On weekdays, one minister will receive grievances from the public. “Public grievance is another major issue. It is a major issue for any government. It is the duty of every government to resolve those grievances. Public grievance is just a symptom, the disease lies somewhere else,” said Kejriwal.

    Grievances will be segregated into five categories depending upon their urgencies. “The urgent cases related to school admission or admission to a hospital will be resolved on the spot. In the next category, ministers will mention the time frame to resolve the grievance. “Those related to policy matters will require time. They will be forwarded to the respective ministers for their considerations, he said. The next category will be for taking suggestions from the public. A team will be formed to look into them and regularly put up best of the suggestions to the chief minister. Another is miscellaneous category and the last is for those which are not related to the government, he added. Kejriwal had said that unlike previous governments, he will not go by the compliance reports filed by the officials but will ensure that the complainant is absolutely satisfied.

  • Vasundhara Raje’s austerity measures to give competition to AAP govt

    Vasundhara Raje’s austerity measures to give competition to AAP govt

    JAIPUR (TIP): Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party government’s roadside public hearings, austerity drive and brushing aside VIP culture has some serious competition coming from neighbouring Rajasthan’s Vasundhara Raje government. After deciding to cut down her security detail by half, not moving to the designated chief minister’s house and stopping at traffic lights, Vasundhara Raje now wants ministers and officials to go down the same route. District collectors, SPs and ministers have been directed accordingly at the Collectors and SP’s conference in Jaipur.

    State Health Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore said, “Definitely these are the times of the ‘aam aadmi’ and he has contributed in a big way in getting the Rajasthan government such a huge majority which is why its an ‘aam aadmi’ government.” The officials have been asked not to use police escort, not to keep a second official car, not to use the services of office staff, cooks etc at their homes and stay away from hosting meals at five star hotels at government expense. Most importantly miniaters are asked to listen to the ‘aam aadmi’ and redress their issues on priority.

    Not just officials but two Cabinet ministers have been directed to hold public hearing at the BJP office on a daily basis. Even though the BJP government is working on the lines of AAP, they have dismissed the charge that its working under AAP’s pressure. State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Hem Singh Bhadana, who took oath two weeks before AAP government, said, “AAP is following us and its not the other way round.” The AAP factor’s effect in the Vasundhara government’s governance is only obvious in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls but the aam aadmi is asking is if this is just a seasonal symbolism or is the government genuinely looking to cleanse the system.

  • 2013: DEFINING EVENTS IN SPORTS

    2013: DEFINING EVENTS IN SPORTS

    When it did finally happen, there was a sense of relief — not just for one man but an entire nation. After a successful 2012, Andy Murray broke one of the biggest hoodoos in sport by ending Britain’s 77-year wait to become the first male to win the Wimbledon title this year, beating the then World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets. The satisfaction and sheer joy on the Scot’s face was palpable.

    Murder mystery
    How does the story of the first double amputee athlete to compete in Olympics go on from being inspiration to a murder mystery? On the cold morning of Valetnine’s Day, South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius allegedly shot his girl friend Reeva Steenkamp dead in Pretoria. She was found dead in the bathroom with bullet wounds. Oscar says he mistook her to be an intruder. Police cry murder. The case is on.

    Wonder boy
    11

    Two days after Tendulkar played his last Test, Mumbai’s Prithvi Shaw was labelled the next Sachin. And why not, for his achievement was beyond imagination. The 15-year-old entered records books scoring 546 in a Harris Shield game. It is the third highest score going by all the registered scorecards available worldwide.

    Achtung Munchen
    Amidst all the hullabaloo over the English and Spanish league, it was Bayern Munich who kept the fabled German consistency going with their astounding treble. The Bundesliga, German Cup and the UEFA Champions League trophies now sit pretty in the office of the Munich club. The team has a registered fan club in India. And surely in that corner of the country, this was celebrated.

    World at sindhu’s feet
    While Indian badminton was obsessed with Saina Nehwal’s show on the field (and Jwala Gutta’s off it), an 18-year-old Hyderabad girl went on to become the first Indian female to win a singles medal at the World Championships. PV Sindhu was the toast of 2013 in many ways, for she also broke into the top-10. Now, India’s not just about Saina and Sania as far as sportswomen are concerned.

    Champions one last time
    12
    Before departing to England, India’s press conference was quite a scene. MS Dhoni faced questions on IPL spot-fixing, and hardly any on the Champions Trophy. And as Dhoni most often does, he merely grinned. Maybe, the grin signified confidence, as the Men in Blue went on to bag the final edition of the ‘mini World Cup’ being undefeated.

    Spot-Fixing
    If you don’t see bowlers with towels tucked in trousers anymore, blame it on S Sreesanth. The harmless piece of cloth was allegedly used by the pacer as a signal to the bookies during IPL-6. Kerala’s maverick athlete has since has been slapped with life ban for spot-fixing. Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila too have been punished and a horde of bookies arrested. Cricketers now blame Sree for sweaty days.

    Dhawan’s Dabangg act
    13

    Indians fans did not miss Virender Sehwag, not least on that day. Shikhar Dhawan produced one of the most swashbuckling innings to hit the fastest ton on debut against a hapless Aussie attack that could just stand, watch and admire. He finished with 187, and has since gone on to score many a century this year in the shorter format, but that one knock stamped his arrival in world cricket, along with his moustache.

    Fall of the legend
    14

    An inspiration, a champion survivor, author of one of the most amazing book on sports and life. And what a let down. Seven straight Tour de France title winning cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and was stripped of his titles. The survivor of testicular cancer continues with his fund-raising activities. The America’s global hero proved that at the end of the day, it wasn’t about his bike after all.

    Goodbye, Sir Alex
    So United fans, how does life feel without Sir Alex? In one of the most shocking retirements of the year (Graeme Swann can wait), Sir Alex Ferguson ended his 26-year-old love affair with Manchester United to hang up his boots in May. More than his 13 English League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League trophies whilst at Old Trafford, the world would miss some of his oh-so-memorable quotes. Have you grabbed his autobiography yet?

    Jacques in the box
    15

    The South African will possibly be one of those greats who will be unsung in their lifetime. Or hopefully, not. As he puts his white flannels away permanently after the ongoing Durban Test, there would be or at least there should be a debate on whether he is the greatest all-rounder. We have had enough of Bradman vs Tendulkar, Lara vs Tendulkar etc, there is room for more debates and Kallis surely deserves it.

    Bale’s €100mn bonanza
    16

    Real Madrid, known as the ‘Galacticos’ in the footballing world, broke their bank once again this summer. This time for 26-year-old Welshman, Gareth Bale who’d lit up the Premier League on fire. And boy did they do it in style. Signed from Tottenham Hotspurs for a staggering 100 million euros, the winger pipped Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer fee by six million euros.

  • Person not named in FIR, charge sheet can be tried: SC

    Person not named in FIR, charge sheet can be tried: SC

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court said on January 10that someone whose name does not figure either in an FIR or a charge sheet but whose role in an alleged crime surfaces during the course of a trial would be subject to the same trial too. A constitution bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice B.S Chauhan, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S.A. Bobde said: “A person not named in the FIR or a person though named in the FIR but has not been charge sheeted or a person who has been discharged can be summoned under Section 319 Cr.P.C. (Criminal Procedure Code) provided from the evidence it appears that such person can be tried along with the accused already facing trial.” Pronouncing the judgment, Justice Chauhan said, “Insofar as an accused who has been discharged is concerned, the requirement of Sections 300 and 398 Cr.P.C. has to be complied with before he can be summoned afresh.”

    It said that under section 319, a person against whom material is disclosed is only summoned to face the trial and in such an event under Section 319(4), the proceeding against such person must begin from the stage of taking of cognizance, and the court need not wait for the evidence against the accused proposed to be summoned to be tested by crossexamination. The degree of satisfaction for summoning the subsequent accused has to be different from the court’s satisfaction while proceeding against the original accused, it said. “Fresh summoning of an accused will result in delay of the trial – therefore the degree of satisfaction for summoning the accused (original and subsequent) has to be different,” the court ruled. It said that the difference in the degree of satisfaction is due to the fact that the trial may have already commenced against the original accused and it is in the course of such trial that materials are disclosed against the newly summoned accused.

    On the degree of satisfaction of trial court on the framing of charges, the bench said that though under Section 319(4)(b), the accused subsequently impleaded is to be treated as if he had been an accused when the court took cognizance of the offence, the degree of satisfaction that will be required for summoning a person would be the same as for framing a charge. On the questions that on what stage the powers under section 319 could be exercised and the nature of the evidence to satisfy the trial court to summon subsequent or new accused, the court said that materials coming before the court in course of such enquiries can be used for corroboration of the evidence recorded in the court after the trial commences for the purpose. “In view of the above position, the word ‘evidence’ in Section 319 Cr.P.C. has to be broadly understood and not literally i.e. as evidence brought during a trial,” the bench said answering five questions framed by a three judge bench Dec 8, 2008, for its consideration.

    Section 319 of the CrPC spells out the proviso for the joint trial of a person, who though not been named as an accused, appears, during the course of investigation or trial, to have committed a crime. The five questions addressed by the constitution bench included at what stage the power under section 319 could be be exercised, and did “evidence” as used in section 319 (1) only mean that tested by crossexamination or could the court exercise this power on the basis of the statement made in the examination-in-chief of the witness concerned. It was also asked whether “evidence” was used in a comprehensive sense and did it include the evidence collected during the investigation or was limited to the evidence recorded during the trial? The constitution bench was also asked to spell out the nature of satisfaction required to invoke the section to arraign an accused, and could the power be exercised only if the court was satisfied that the accused summoned as likely to be convicted; and whether the power extended to people not named in the FIR or named but not charged or those discharged.

  • Man beheads woman in MP, walks into police station with severed head

    Man beheads woman in MP, walks into police station with severed head

    INDORE (TIP): A man beheaded an elderly woman and walked into the police station with the severed head in one hand and an axe in the other at a village in Madhya Pradesh. Hari Shank Gond alias Jhurru (30) decapitated a 62-year-old woman on January 10 afternoon for taking away a log from a Mahua tree he had felled in his field at Pand village in Bundelkhand region. After hacking her with his axe, Jhurru picked up the head along with the weapon. He walked 4 kilometres to Majhauli police station in order to confess. Eyewitnesses said a couple of women passing by on the road fainted after seeing the head in Jhurru’s hands.

    “The accused walked around 4 kilometres with the head of the deceased. When he was about to reach the police station, we were informed and he was arrested,” said AN Jharia, station house officer, Majhauli police station. Jhurru told police that he had got into a brawl with the woman, called Meerawati Gond, over the log. Had he not murdered her, she would have killed him by witchcraft, Jhurru said. “The accused appeared mentally stable but had no regrets about the crime. He alleged that the woman had killed his family members in the past couple of years with her witchcraft,” the officer said.

  • US deploys small team of military advisers to Somalia

    US deploys small team of military advisers to Somalia

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The United States has sent a handful of military advisers to Somalia in recent months to help bolster an African Union force fighting Islamist militants there, officials said on January 10. The deployment marks the first stationing of US troops in the troubled country since 1993, when two Blackhawk helicopters were shot down and 18 Americans were killed in a disastrous operation. “The US has established a military coordination cell in Somalia to provide planning and advisory support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali security forces to increase their capabilities and promote peace and security throughout Somalia and the region,” US Africa Command spokesman Colonel Tom Davis said in a statement.

    The small team, which was launched in October and became fully operational last month, numbers “fewer than five” troops, a defence official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The troops will be based at Mogadishu airport, working alongside the AU mission to confront resurgent extremist militants, the official said, confirming the previously undisclosed deployment. The African Union mission supports Somali government forces, which have rolled back Shebab fighters out of key cities over the past 18 months. The US move comes as Washington steps up military assistance across Africa amid growing concern over Al-Qaida-linked militants in Libya, Mali, Somalia and other countries. The Pentagon has provided cargo aircraft and intelligence to French forces battling Islamists in Mali and uses airfields in Djibouti, Ethiopia and elsewhere to fly US drone aircraft.

    In October, Navy SEAL commandos carried out a raid on the seaside home of a al-Shabaab militant but the operation had to be aborted and the operative was not captured. Although the al-Shabaab militia has suffered battlefield setbacks in Somalia, it has orchestrated a number of attacks in other East African countries, including a bloody four-day siege of a shopping centre in Nairobi in September that killed dozens. The UN security council in November approved an increase of 4,400 troops to the African Union mission in Somalia, expanding it from 17,700 to more than 22,100. The force is comprised of troops from Burundi, Djibouti,Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda. For the United States, the deployment of a handful of advisers reflects a gradual shift in approach as previously any boots on the ground were considered out of the question given the 1993 debacle in Somalia,which later became the subject of a best-selling book and film, “Blackhawk Down.”

  • Top US leadership feels diplomat row ‘most stupid thing to do’

    Top US leadership feels diplomat row ‘most stupid thing to do’

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Recognizing the damage that the diplomat row has done to the India-US relationship, there is a realisation in the top American leadership that “it was the most stupid thing to do” on their part and that they would now have to “work overtime” to bring back the ties on track. As Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade landed in New Delhi last night, there was a sense of relief in the US government, with officials expressing their determination to move forward the relationship, which President Barack Obama has described as the defining partnership of the 21st century. “The US and India enjoy a broad and deep friendship, and this isolated episode is not indicative of the close and mutually respectful ties that we share,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said.

    Obama, sources said, was regularly updated on the development and National Security Advisor Susan Rice too was monitoring the situation; so was Secretary of State John Kerry, it is believed. “This has clearly been a challenging time in the US-India relationship. We expect and hope that this will now come to closure and the Indians will now take significant steps with us to improve our relationship and return it to a more constructive place,” State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters. Arrested on December 12, Khobragade, 39, was strip- searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two countries with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats among other steps.

    Now that the Khobragade has returned to India, sources told that there was “furious” reaction in the top American leadership when this was first brought to their notice on December 12, the day Khobragade was arrested in New York on charges of visa fraud and misrepresentation of facts. “It was one of the most stupid thing to do,” a top American leadership is learnt to have said, referring to the damage the diplomat case has done to the India-US ties. In fact a source pointed that the level of “furious reaction” in the top American leadership was similar to that of India. “If the Indians were furious, so were we.” It is one of the reasons why, Kerry in the middle of his overseas trip, made it a point to reach out to external affairs minister Salman Khurshid and since he could not be available at that time, he spoke with National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. During the conversation, Kerry is believed to have apologised for the incident, sources said. But the public statement issued by the State Department noted that Kerry expressed his regret to Menon.

  • US court upholds approval of BP oil spill settlement

    US court upholds approval of BP oil spill settlement

    NEW ORLEANS (TIP): Over BP’s objections, a federal appeals court on January 10 upheld a judge’s approval of the company’s multibillion-dollar settlement with lawyers for businesses and residents who claim the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost them money. BP has argued that US district judge Carl Barbier and court-appointed claims administrator Patrick Juneau have misinterpreted settlement terms in ways that would force the London-based oil giant to pay for billions of dollars in inflated or bogus claims by businesses.

    During a hearing in November before a three-judge panel of the 5th US circuit court of Appeals, a BP lawyer argued that Barbier’s December 2012 approval of the deal shouldn’t stand unless the company ultimately prevails in its ongoing dispute over business payments. But the divided panel on Friday ruled that Barbier did not err by failing to determine more than a year ago whether the class of eligible claimants included individuals who haven’t actually suffered any injury related to the spill. Affirming Barbier’s initial ruling in 2012, the court said in its 48-page majority opinion that it can’t agree with arguments raised by BP and others who separately objected to the settlement.

    “No case cited by BP or the Objectors suggests that a district court must also safeguard the interests of the defendant, which in most settlements can protect its own interests at the negotiating table,” the ruling says. The majority rejected BP’s request for the panel to “find an intraclass conflict of interest because the claimants allegedly include persons and entities that have suffered no injury.” “In support of this allegation, BP presents us with a series of economists’ declarations that had not been provided to the district court when the class was certified,” the ruling says. One of the three appellate judges, Emilio M. Garza, disagreed with the majority in a 14-page dissent. Garza said the “attempted global settlement fails in a narrow, but significant, regard” and should be vacated so it can be fixed.

    Plaintiffs’ lawyers have argued that BP simply undervalued the settlement and underestimated how many claimants would be eligible for payments. “Today’s ruling is an enormous victory for the Gulf, and an important step forward in ensuring that every eligible claimant is fully compensated according to the objective, transparent formulas spelled out in the settlement agreement that BP co-authored and agreed to,” said plaintiffs’ attorneys Steve Herman and Jim Roy, who negotiated the settlement and urged the 5th Circuit to uphold it. BP didn’t immediately comment on Friday’s decision. In October, a different 5th Circuit panel threw out Barbier’s rulings on the dispute over business payments and ordered him to change the calculation of some damages. Last month, Barbier rejected BP’s argument that the settlement shouldn’t compensate businesses if they can’t directly trace their losses to the spill. BP has asked the other panel to overturn that ruling. The settlement doesn’t have a cap, but BP initially estimated that it would pay roughly $7.8 billion to resolve the claims. Later, as it started to challenge the business payouts, the company said it no longer could give a reliable estimate for how much the deal will cost.

  • 2013: ENTERTAINMENT ROUNDUP

    2013: ENTERTAINMENT ROUNDUP

    2013 has been an eventfull year for the entertainment industry whether it be for our own Bollywood or all the way to Hollywood. From Shah Rukh Khan-Salman Khan hug to Miley Cyrus turning all wacky, from Ranbir-Katrina’s trip to Ibiza to Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy, the year was full of such events. We take a look at a few controversies, celebs, films and all things that made 2013 the year that it was.

    This year has been a blockbuster year for Bollywood. While 8 films entered Rs.100 crore club this year and 3 amongst them made it to Rs.200 crore club. It was a record breaking year, Chennai Express became the biggest grosser of all time leaving behind 3 Idiots, but soon Krrish 3 was the one to mint maximum money and then came the Hurricane Dhoom 3 which is still going strong. Adult film like Grand Masti also made it to Rs.100 crore club.

    Shah Rukh Khan-Salman Khan hug
    5

    It was a Kodak moment for Bollywood, infact for India when Bollywood’s arch rival superstars hugged each other and apparently patched up. Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, who had fallen out over some unknown issue during Katrina Kaif’s birthday party five years back, hugged each other at the Iftar party hosted by Congress leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai on July 21. But the question was is that hug really a patch-up or was just a compulsion out of courtesy. And soon the answer was clear for world to see, both the stars on separate occasion made it clear that they can never be friends again. Sigh!

    Miley Cyrus and her wacky antics
    6

    This year was clearly of pop sensation Miley Cyrus, who shook off that Disney princess image and became the pop phenomenon. She started making news in 2012 after she chopped her hair and in 2013 the series of Miley’s antics started with the infamous appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Dressed in a bear-inspired leotard, Miley not only stripped down to latex lingerie, she also gyrated, showed the middle finger, and stuck out her tongue (a lot) and twerked with Robin Thicke.

    Then came the video of her music video Wrecking Ball. Miley wore just her favourite boots and climbed atop a wrecking ball. She also licked a sledgehammer. If that was not all she also smoked weed at MTV EMAs. Apart from all these antics, sticking out her toungue, twerking, spanking became a regular part of her performances throughout the year. Well, all her moves paid off as she became the most searched celebrity of the year and her singles Wrecking Ball and Bangerz did extremly well. Lets see how she will shock or surprise us on 2013.

    Ranbir-Katrina’s trip to Spain
    Their relationship was a secret that everybody knew but was still under the wrap till the pictures of Katrina in a white and red bikini and Ranbir in a pair of bermuda holidaying together on a beach in Ibiza went viral. Later, Katrina wrote an open letter to the media stating that she felt upset, distressed and this was an invasion of her privacy. But after that the couple became a little less and were spotted together many times in parties, movie dates etc.

    A year of controversies
    From weeing in a bucket while yelling “F**k Bill Clinton!” to becoming a wanted criminal for vandalism in Australia, it seems the pop star did everything wrong this year. The singer has been though a break-up, been criticised for his poor performances, had more than a few run-ins with the paparazzi. He was snapped coming out from a brothel in Rio de Janeiro, he was photographed spitting over a Toronto hotel balcony onto besotted fans waiting below the list goes on. And then he broke hearts of many Beliebers when he announced his retirement from music. Bieber told in an interview: “Um, I’m actually retiring man. I’m just gonna take some time. I think I’m probably gonna quit music, I’m quitting everything.” His manager then did a damage control and confirmed that his ‘artist’ was “just kidding”. Not letting the fiasco die down, Justin Bieber tweeted “My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring” on Christmas Eve. Followed by a tweet: The media talks a lot about me.They make a up a lot of lies and want me to fail but I’m never leaving you, being a belieber is a lifestyle. We can’t wait to see what Justin will be upto in 2014.

    Clebrities breakup
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    The year 2013 saw a number of relationships coming to its end. The most shocking was Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Roshan’s seperation. The two couples decided to part ways and instead of allowing nasty speculation about their relationships, they chose to make dignified announcements. Hrithik Roshan sent out a statement to all the media houses about how his wife Sussane and he have mutually decided to part ways; pleading for “some privacy”. Kalki Koechlin and Anurag Kashyap too officially announced about their seperation.

    “We are not filing for divorce, we are taking time off from each other to sort our issues,” she announced. Among Hollywood celebs the most prominent splits were of Justin Bieber- Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus-Liam Hemsworth. Selena Gomez confirmed her split from Justin Bieber to friends at the Golden Globes this year. Miley and Liam finally called their relationship off after being engaged for a year in September. It was long rumoured, but Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom parted ways in October officially. Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton ended their five year on-off romance in July this year. On and off couple Rihanna and Chris Brown finally parted ways in April.

    According to reports the split was Rihanna’s choice, as the 25-year-old singer wanted to focus on her business and career opportunities. Rihanna had given Brown, 23, a second chance despite fears among fans that he could mistreat her again after he battered her in a pre-Grammy row in 2009.

    Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy
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    In an op-ed in the New York Times, Angelina Jolie revealed about the preventive double mastectomy she had undergone. Her decision to go public about her medical treatment was brave, bold and appreciated by everyone. Angelina Jolie was talked and wrote about a loty for her decision to go public with her medical decisions and to create awareness among women.

    Sanjay Dutt behind bars
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    Sanjay Dutt was sentenced to five years imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case in May this year. Sanjay had already spent 18 months behind bars and was ordered to surrender within four weeks to serve the remaining sentence. Dutt is currently out on parole as her wife Manyata Dutt has a tumour in her liver. Dutt was granted parole earlier also on medical grounds for himself.

    SRK’s baby AbRam and other celebs parents of 2013
    Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan confirmed the arrival of their third child AbRam in July this year. AbRam was born through surrogacy and prematurely by several months. A complaint was also filed against SRK and his wife Gauri for allegedly having a pre-natal sex determination test done on their unborn child. The couple wasl later given a clean chit by BMC. Other celebs who became proud parents this year are: Kim Kardashian gave birth to a baby girl on June 15.

    Kanye West and Kim named their daugther North West. Prince William and Kate Middleton became parents to a baby boy, weighing 8lbs 6oz. The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the royal couple’s first child at St Mary’s Hospital in London on July 22. Halle Berry is officially on diaper duty again. The Oscar winning actress gave birth to a baby boy in Los Angeles in October Bollywood actor Fardeen Khan and wife Natasha Madhwani have been blessed with a baby girl, Diani Isabella Khan this month.

    Ayesha Takia who made her debut with Bollywood film Tarzan recently delivered a baby boy in December. Colombian singer Shakira gave birth to her first child – a boy – in a Barcelona hospital on Jan 22.

    Nigella Lawson
    Nigella, famous TV celebrity chef, known for her show by her name became a big example of what is wrong with being a silent victim in a marriage. Her husband and advertising tycoon Charles Saatchi of Saatchi & Saatchi was seen grabbing her neck in public during a casual lunch.

  • KERALA: A PARADISE ON EARTH

    KERALA: A PARADISE ON EARTH

    Kerala is magical. Every corner and every turn of this magnetic state has a visual wonder tucked away. So pack your bags and get ready; a travel across paradise awaits you A vacation to the south of India ensures more than just a magnificent visual treat and the skipping of a heartbeat. Kerala’s breathtaking views and natural splendors pull aside their green curtains to greet every traveller.

    The friendly locals are helpful and join their hands together to welcome all avid travelers with platters of appam and puttu and a shy namaskaram. Away from all strains and burdens of a city life, this year, do take the time to visit the surreal state of Kerala. Kerala is a place resplendent with natural beauty. Named as one of the ‘ten paradises of the world’ by the National Geographic Traveler, Kerala is famous especially for its ecotourism initiatives. The states name, in fact, originates from two words- ‘kera’ and ‘alam’, where ‘kera’ means coconut and ‘alam’ means land or location.

    Apart from the food, pristine rain forests, beguiling beaches, the one feature that’s exclusive to Kerala are the backwaters. These waters are marked by a unique ecosystem wherein lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas of several rivers meet the Arabian Sea. If you are looking for a quiet, rejuvenating and peaceful getaway, then look around no more. The quaint and peaceful backwaters prove to be the perfect dose for your restless soul. Here’s a look at some of the prime spots where one can visit the backwaters.

    Kumarakom
    The village of Kumarakom is situated 16 km away from Kottayam town, Central Kerala. One can reach this place either by the train – 16 kms from Kottayam; or by air – 76 kms from Cochin International Airport. As one enters Kumarakom, the environment seems almost freshlylaundered and the serenity of the place takes one by surprise. The chirping of wild birds peeking from an unknown distance helps break the mysteriously silent ambience of the backwaters.

    A bed of clay sand and a slippery inlet leads one towards a colony of the most exquisite and extremely beautiful houseboats. Some houseboats have an open wide front, designed for some lazy bachelors who want to lounge around with a small TV, food and drinks and watch the calm water. Some house boats have the capacity to carry almost 5 families. The land on both sides is dotted with gangling palm trees. As one looks ahead, one sees a vast stretch of nothingness; only the silent water.

    Thiruvallam
    The friendly, popular and crowded Thiruvallam is 10 kms from Thiruvananthapuram. One can reach this place by road or rail. This specific location is famous for its canoe rides, kayaking and cruises in kettuvalloms (house boats). The Boat Club here organises tours to the nearby islands of Pozhikara and Edayar as well as visits to coir manufacturing units.

    While sailing, hear the peaceful chorus of the rippling water alongside your houseboat cruise as you float on the breathtaking Kerala backwaters with palm fringed golden beaches on both sides. What is also truly magical about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched and inaccessible rural Kerala while you float! Seeing bobbing heads of locals swimming alongside your boat isn’t uncommon. Nor is it rare to see small thatch-roofed huts on the banks of the waters with locals watching you sail by.


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    Ashtamudi
    Located in Kollam district of Kerala in southern India, Ashtamudi is one of the major centres of backwater tourism. One can reach this place by rail; Kollam being the nearest rail head. One can also reach this place by bus. Both luxury as well as semi deluxe buses are available from Kollam to Ashtamundi. Ashtamudi means ‘eight coned’. This name is indicative of the lake’s topography. Thevally lake, Kandachira lake, Kureepuzha lake, Kallada lake, Perumon lake, Kumbalath lake, Kanjirottu lake and Thekkumbhagam lake form the eight branchs of Ashtamudi lake.

    Apart from enjoying a peaceful backwater ride, one can also truly witness the culture and traditions of Kerala here. One can participate in the festivals at the Sreekrishna Swamy Temple, Asramam, Thrikkadavoor Mahadeva Temple and Kottamkulangara temple. The various islands that make a semicircular cover around the backwaters are converted into the most breath-taking and luxurious resorts. Long, comfortable benches are spread along the banks of these islands where happy and relaxed bones find peace and tranquility. At night, the backwaters light up and look like a picture post card.

    Emerald green hills and mists slip over the hills in the aqueous light, passing through the ululating hills. So get ready, pack your bags, and look up ahead. A fulfilling vacation and a soulful journey is waiting for you along the cost of the Arabian Sea. Do take the time to visit this paradise – one that is God’s calls His Own.

  • ECONOMY ENDS 2013 ON SLUGGISH NOTE

    ECONOMY ENDS 2013 ON SLUGGISH NOTE

    NEW DELHI (TIP): There was no respite from sluggish data in 2013. Two sets of data released on December 31, the last day of 2013, showed the health of the economy still remained fragile. During April-November, the fiscal deficit was estimated at nearly Rs 5.1 lakh crore, or 94% of the full-year, estimate of Rs 5.42 lakh crore as revenues remained sluggish and total spending touched 61% of the budget estimate of Rs 16.6 lakh crore. Separate data showed the core sector grew 1.7% in November 2013 compared to an expansion of 5.8% in the year earlier period.

    The November data showed some signs of improvement from the previous month when the sector had contracted 0.6%. The core sector accounts for nearly 38% of the index of industrial production and any sign of improvement in this vital segment augurs well for industrial output. Factory output had contracted 1.8% in October while retail inflation shot up above 11% in November, raising fresh doubts about the health of the economy.

    “The sub-2% core sector growth combined with the moderation in the growth of merchandise exports, prevailing issues in the sugar and gems and jewellery sectors, and an uneven uptick in domestic consumption led by rural demand, suggest that industrial growth remained muted in November 2013,” ICRA economist Aditi Nayar said in a statement. But economists cautioned that fiscal situation was a bigger concern. “It will be difficult to meet the target on a business as usual basis,” said D K Joshi, chief economist at ratings agency Crisil.

    “The government will have to resort to expenditure cuts, rollover expenditure to next year and speed up divestments and finally they will have to dig into dividends from public sector units to keep the fiscal deficit within the target of 4.8% of gross domestic product,” said Joshi. Finance minister P Chidambaram has said the government will not breach the red line on the fiscal deficit and will keep it within the target of 4.8% of GDP. The core sector, which spans coal, steel, cement, fertilizers, crude oil, natural gas, petroleum refinery products and electricity, has remained volatile in the past few months making it difficult to derive a trend.

    But overall, the industrial sector has remained under stress, hit by stubborn inflation, high interest rates, high input costs and rising wage pressures. Investment has remained sluggish as demand remains muted. Economic growth slowed to a decade low of 5% in 2012-13 and is expected to be on similar lines in the current fiscal year. Two sectors, natural gas and petroleum refinery products, remained laggards. Coal production grew by 2.3% in November from a year earlier, crude oil production increased by 1.1% in November.

    Natural Gas production declined by 11.3% in November compared to contraction of 15.1% in November, 2012. Petroleum refinery products fell 5% in November compared with a growth of 29.9% in the year earlier month. Fertilizer production posted a growth of 0.6% while steel production recorded a growth of 3.9%. Cement production rose 4.2% in November compared to a decline of 0.2% in November 2012. Electricity generation increased by 5.9% in November compared with a growth 2.9% in the year earlier month.

  • $20BN INFLOWS HELP VOLATILE MARKETS

    $20BN INFLOWS HELP VOLATILE MARKETS

    MUMBAI (TIP): Boosted by a $20-billion foreign fund inflow and strong gains in exporters like software and pharma sectors, which benefited from a weak rupee, the sensex closed nearly 9% up in 2013, ending a volatile year on a positive note. This was the second-highest yearly FII flow for the Indian market, Sebi data showed. The year that just ended could be described as the year of software stocks with sector leader TCS gaining 73%, Wipro 61% and Infosys 50%, which took the BSE IT index up by 60%.

    The year also witnessed strong gains for a host of pharma stocks with Sun Pharma rallying over 54% and Dr Reddy’s Labs closing with a gain of nearly 39%. Boosted by such strong performance, the healthcare index closed 22.6% higher. Among the laggards, real estate stocks continued their weak performance with the realty index on BSE sliding 32% on the year. It was also a bad year for PSU stocks with SBI, BHEL, Coal India and NTPC among the top five sensex laggards.

    During the year, for a couple of months, the Indian market was out of the elite club of countries with $1- trillion market capitalization when in July-August the rupee was falling sharply but it ended the year at about $1.13 trillion (nearly Rs 70 lakh crore). With a general election round the corner and global uncertainties continuing, 2014 could be even more volatile, but there is strong hope that markets are going to rally, brokers said. According to Anup Bagchi, MD & CEO, ICICI Securities, agri and rural consumption will occupy centre stage, and the robust exports by IT, pharma, commodity exporters and companies with global footprints would continue their strong showing.

    “High cost of funds, sluggish demand for corporate credit and elevated NPA levels will impact banks. Due to favourable regulations and easing competition in certain sectors like oil & gas, mainly the private sector companies and telecom are expected to benefit,” Bagchi said. According to Arun Kejriwal, director, KRIS, an investment research and advisory firm, so far, despite the US Fed announcing a tapering of its easy liquidity policy, FIIs have not turned negative on the Indian market, which is a very positive sign. “Till FIIs turn negative, there is no problem,” Kejriwal said.

  • BOMBARDIER SAID TO WIN ORDER FOR $2.2BN IN JETS

    BOMBARDIER SAID TO WIN ORDER FOR $2.2BN IN JETS

    NEW YORK (TIP): Bombardier Inc said it has received a firm order for 38 business jets with a combined list price of about $2.2 billion. Bombardier didn’t disclose the precise value of the deal – customers such as airlines routinely get discounts from plane manufacturers – and didn’t identify the buyer. The Canadian plane maker said the order covered 28 Global jets and 10 Challenger 605 aircraft.

    The Global line includes four models capable of carrying up to 19 passengers on flights as long as 7,900 nautical miles. The Challenger jet can carry 12 passengers and a crew of three up to 4,000 nautical miles. Separately, Bombardier announced that its transportation division ended a contract for new signaling equipment for the London Underground.

    The subway system said it would re-bid a contract that was awarded to Bombardier in 2011 and valued at $577 million at the time. The company didn’t provide a detailed explanation, but The Telegraph of London reported that Bombardier determined that its signaling system wasn’t compatible with the Underground’s old infrastructure.

  • INDIA BIGGER MARKET THAN CHINA FOR LE CIRQUE

    INDIA BIGGER MARKET THAN CHINA FOR LE CIRQUE

    MUMBAI (TIP): For New York’s legendary restaurant chain, Le Cirque, India, and not China, is the largest Asian market. With the country’s old and nouveau rich warming up to luxe fine dining, Le Cirque’s scion Mario Maccioni has set his eyes on the Indian shores and has brought the culinary experience from Manhattan to Mumbai. As part of the chain’s fresh expansion push, Maccioni plans to make open more outlets in this part of the region. “India is culturally stronger than other nations and is financially growing.

    The rising income of people here demands that we bring up the nation’s dining experience,” says the restaurateur, who after testing waters in New Delhi, has opened Le Cirque in Mumbai and is set to open in Chennai and Bangalore. “We are not looking at China at the moment. We first want to get a footing in India, which is our entry into the Asian market.”

    The Indian presence will up the chain’s global presence from the current 12. Though the chain entered India with Le Cirque, it has chosen the Le Cirque Signature brand, which is a little easier on the pocket, for Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. “The crowd in these three cities is casual unlike Delhi where it is formal,” says Maccioni. A meal at Le Cirque Signature will cost Rs 6,000-Rs 7,000 per person.

    Le Cirque has stepped up its operations at a time when several other luxury fine dining chains are jostling for space in India. However, the 48-year-old seems unfazed. “When there are 10 icecream shops on a street, you should go ahead and open the 11th one. The more the merrier.” Several other storied restaurants like London’s San Lorenzo, Spainsh-themed Arola and Japan’s Akira Back too have marked their presence at the country’s top five-star hotels like Taj and JW Marriott.

    The journey began in 1974, when Maccioni’s father Sirio Maccioni opened Le Cirque in New York, which went on to become a landmark. The success of Le Cirque gave birth to Circo and Sirio Restaurante. The Sirio restaurant, for instance, is housed at the Taj Pierre hotel in New York. Sirio’s sons Mario, Marco and Mauro followed in his steps, taking over the reins of the family-owned business. “There came a point when we decided that we should look beyond US. At that time, we had our ears and eyes open and an opportunity came knocking in the form of The Leela’s.

    We met Leela hotels president Rajeev Kaul and materialized the restaurant in New Delhi,” Maccioni says. Le Cirque has an exclusive arrangement with the Leela group of hotels. The owner of the illustrious brand, however, maintains that he does not want to go over the board by opening a number of restaurants across the world. “We do not want to be a large chain. We want to run a handful of restaurants where we can control quality and focus better,” he says. Well, that’s how most legendary chains want to be.

  • Salman Khurshid’s Call to Expatriates to Help Build India’s Brand Image

    Salman Khurshid’s Call to Expatriates to Help Build India’s Brand Image

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Minister of External Affairs Sh. Salman Khurshid, has exhorted the overseas Indians to become India’s best ambassadors to spread and popularize the country’s values, beliefs, culture and heritage overseas. Presiding over the session on ‘India Soft Power’ on Day-2 of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2014, Khurshid called upon the delegates to be active in social networking to enable India to build its brand name and image so that deeper economic engagements are concluded with overseas economies, irrespective of their size.

    Addressing the session, Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communication & Information Technology and Law & Justice said, the present aspirational India will begin to inspire the remaining part of the globe by 2025, as it will have 90 crore people in the working age population, throwing a lone challenge for successive governments to provide infrastructure and growth opportunities for the people to realize their collective potential. Sibal said that by 2020, 60 crore Indians would have migrated to large cities, embracing latest technologies with the best of education at their command.

    This would create windows for them to unleash their potential and make India a hub to interact and interconnect with the rest of the world. The revenue generated in 2006 through IT &ITEs was estimated at $40 billion which has gone up to $100 billion now. Of this, $75 billion was contributed by export earnings. This was indicative of the strides made by the Indian economy, he added. Sibal complimented the diaspora present at the convention, saying that it epitomized India’s soft power and has done India proud and hoped that it continued to serve India. Minister of Culture, Smt Chandresh Kumari Katoch in her presentation, stated that the Indian diaspora should actively spread its civilization, heritage and cultural ethos in their host countries and organize promotional events.

    Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards Winners
    The President of India Sh. Pranab Mukherjee has conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards to thirteen NRIs, PIOs and Organisations for their outstanding and illustrious contribution in the country of their residence as well as to India in different spheres of their activity.

    Sr. No Name Country Description
    1 Ms Lisa Maria Singh Australia Public service and fostering friendly relations between India and Australia.
    2 Mr. Kurian Varghese Bahrain Business for enhancing India’s image and for
    Promotion better understanding of India abroad.
    3 Mr Vasdev Chanchlani Canada Community service and fostering ties between India and
    Canada.
    4 Ramakrishna Mission Fiji Community service and philanthropic activity and
    enhancing India’s prestige abroad.
    5 Satnarainsing Baldewsingh Netherlands Public service and developing closer ties
    between India and South Africa.
    6 Bikas Chandra Sanyal France Education and culture and enhancing India’s image.
    7 Sasindran Muthuvel Papua New Guinea In the field of Public service.
    8 Shihabudeen Vava Kunju Saudi Arabia Community service and promoting ties between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
    9 Ela Gandhi South Africa Public service, enhancing India’s image and promoting ties between India and South Africa.
    10 Dr. Shamsheer Parambath United Arab Health business and in promoting Better understanding of India
    11 Shailesh Lakhman Vara United Kingdom Public service and in promoting ties between India and the people of U.K.
    12 Dr. Parthasarathy Pillai USA Science and for fostering closer relations between India and USA.
    13 Renu Khator USA Education and enhancing India’s prestige abroad.
  • GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES ‘KNOW INDIA PROGRAMME’ FOR NRI AND PIO YOUTH

    GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES ‘KNOW INDIA PROGRAMME’ FOR NRI AND PIO YOUTH

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Government has introduced a programme named “Know India Programme” for young persons of Overseas Indians with a view to provide them an exposure to the country of their origin so that they can understand it better and more intimately. Addressing a press conference on the 2nd day of PBD -2014, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi said that under the Programme, 20 young persons of Indian origin in the age group of 18 to 24 from different countries visit India extensively every year, which will provide them an opportunity to have a deeper insight into Indian people and society.

    Ravi said more than 900 delegates of Overseas Indians from about 50 countries have participated in this PBD and the highest number of 200 delegates are from Malaysia only. The Pravasi Bharatiya Centre in Delhi which was scheduled to be completed in September last year, will be completed very soon, he added.

  • Improving travel experience of NRI youth is high on Civil Aviation Ministry’s agenda: KC Venugopal

    Improving travel experience of NRI youth is high on Civil Aviation Ministry’s agenda: KC Venugopal

    New Delhi (TIP): K.C. Venugopal, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, has underlined the Govrnment’s commitment to improve the travel experience of the youth who search for greener pastures across the world. Addressing a session on ‘Young Achievers’ at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the Minister said, “Air India as the National Carrier is indebted to the Overseas Indians and always offers you the opportunity to fly you around. Air India had a bad time combating with debts. Now we are regaining the ground. We are happy that the improved customer confidence is being reflected in the bookings as well.

    There were certain issues and concerns about the performance of Air India Express, the low cost carrier from Air India Group. Air India Express is specially designed for Gulf sector services. The process of empowering Air India Express as an independent business entity is progressing. We have rolled out many initiatives to make Air India Express complaint free. We have also increased our services to Gulf Sector, and on time performance is monitored at the apex level to ensure customer satisfaction. To hear from the NRIs personally about their concerns about Air India Express, I started a mail service too”, he said. The Minister said that every generation of NRIs has its own specific opportunities and challenges.

    The long cultural exchange and bartering between the countries have set the soil ready for larger acceptance of young Indians. He said, “The second generation NRIs are the ambassadors of a resurgent India, which has opened its doors for the world. Ambition, innovation and management expertise in international trade are the trademarks of a successful Young Indian. They have enhanced footsteps of Indian business across the world. Even in Kerala, we have many such young investors who ventured to go out from their middle class houses in small towns to international business hotspots. However, the expectation levels and competencies of new generation NRIs are manifold compared to their predecessors. They deserve more handholding and enabling policies by the Indian Government.

    It is a fact that there are initiatives to motivate the young investors back home in India. But I do believe that we have to expand our net so that a government umbrella for Young Overseas Indians can be set up. Such a body will have to extract data regarding investment potential in each sector, may tie up prospective cash flow for various PPP models, may ensure single window clearance for NRI investments etc.” “As a country and a responsible government we are committed to provide young Indians similar opportunities elsewhere, so that they can confidently invest in India. It is high time that we need to develop our own engineering research and reduce dependence on the borrowed technologies. In this liberalized economy now we can afford to integrate R&D into the prime business of Indian companies. The companies also need to promote the synergy between industries & education,” said Shri Venugopal.

  • Inauguration of Melinda Katz

    Inauguration of Melinda Katz

    Melinda Katz was sworn in as the 19th President of the Borough of Queens. The ceremony was held Thursday, January 9, in the LeFrak Concert Hall at Queens College. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio administered the oath of office to Melinda Katz during Katz’s inauguration as the 19th President of the Borough of Queens..


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    Melinda Katz made her way to become the President of Borough of Queens, one of the most diverse Boroughs in the country. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio administered her the oath of office. Seen holding the Bible is U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley

    Holding the Old Testament used for the swearing-in was U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, the chairman of the Queens County Democratic Organization. The copy of the Old Testament they used had been given to Katz’s late father David (the founder of the Queens Symphony Orchestra) by Frank O’Connor, a former Queens County District Attorney.