Spare the freshers, target them in second year

If you are first year student in a college, not ragged by your seniors this year, chances are they are waiting to target you next year. This is an alarming trend that has come to the notice of authorities.Some students in Coimbatore medical college with multiple fractures are victims of ragging in their second year. Their seniors assaulted them using hockey sticks.A worrying trend is emerging in professional colleges - spare the freshers and target them the second year.Recently more than 20 senior students from various colleges across Tamil Nadu were put behind bars for this. Police say there's a misconception that anti-ragging laws are limited to harassment of freshers."This should be a pointer to all students indulging in this. Anti-ragging law will be applied to all students, irrespective of the year of study of victims," said K Radhakrishnan, ADGP, Law and Order.Colleges are stepping up monitoring and want victims to report such violations. Even judges are now raising awareness on the tough punishments for ragging."They are mainly explaining about the Supreme Court's guidelines and the implications, to try and end ragging," said V Kumaran, dean, Coimbatore Medical College.Victims are scared to speak on camera. While torturing of freshers in the name of ragging still keep coming in, this is a yet another challenge for authorities.

Narendra Modi gets swine flu

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been diagnosed with swine flu. A panel of doctors has been formed to treat him. A spokesperson for the Gujarat government says Modi will be kept in isolation for seven days.

UP villager files complaint against Amitabh Bachchan

A written complaint has been lodged against actor Amitabh Bachchan. by a resident of Daulatpur village in Uttar Pradesh.accusing him of committing fraud."A written complaint was received by Mohammadpur Khala police station against Bachchan from Avnindra Singh, son of village head of Daulatpur village Rajkumari Singh last (Tuesday) night, which is being examinaed," said Superintendent of Police Alok Singh.Efforts to reach Bachchan for his comments did not fructify.The complainant alleged that on July 5, 2007, one Vinay Shukla, the then representative of Bachchan, gave a letter to the village head stating that the actor was willing to donate land in Daulatpur village to the gram samaj.He, however, alleged that instead of donating the land to gram samaj, Bachchan transferred it to Nishtha Foundation run by actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada to construct a college.On October 23, one Rajesh Rishikesh Yadav, to whom Bachchan had given power of attorney, executed a gift deed of the controversial 1.383 hectares of farmland in Daultapur village in favour of Nishtha Foundation for construction of the college in the name of Bachchan's daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.Avnindra alleged that the land donated to the Foundation included plots, which Bachchan promised to donate to the gram samaj.The SSP said the police was investigating the matter."A committee will soon be constituted with the consent of District Magistrate Vikas Gothwal which will examine the land records and based on its report further action will be taken,

Historic railway link in Kashmir inaugurated

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday flagged off a new train service on the 18-km track linking south Kashmir with Srinagar and other places in the north of the valley. With this, the 129-km railway line in the Kashmir Valley is complete.
The 18-km stretch, not so long in terms of geographical distance, will be of huge socio-economic and political significance to the militancy-affected Kashmir Valley. The stretch is part of the government's Kashmir rail link, which has been declared a project of national importance.
The new train service will reduce by one hour the otherwise three-hour travel between north Kashmir's Baramulla and Qazigund.
Qazigund, about 80 km from Srinagar, is also significant as it will be the highest broad-gauge rail station in the country at a height of 1,722 metres.

BHEL sets up instrument calibration centre in Noida

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) today said it has set up an instrument calibration centre in Noida as part of its ongoing capability upgradation and capacity expansion programme. The centre, established at a cost of nearly Rs 3.2 crore as part of its MoU with Indian government. BHEL, the power equipment manufacturer, said the centre would help in enhancing the accuracy of Performance Guarantee Test of Thermal Sets of various ratings and would help in meeting the capacity addition target of the 11th Five Year Plan. The company conducts Performance Guarantee (PG) Tests on thermal sets ranging from 60 MW to 500 MW to prove the equipment's capacity and efficiency. This facility would also reduce the turn around time for calibration of precision PG Test Instrumentation and enable PG testing of more projects.

Sony partners with Netflix to stream movies on PS3

Sony Corp said on Monday it is partnering with Netflix Inc to provide access to the online movie rental company's library throughSony's PlayStation 3 video game console. PS3 users in the United States who are also Netflix subscribers will be able to instantly stream movies from the Netflix catalog at no extra cost. Sony's move is just the latest salvo in its battle with Microsoft Corp and its Xbox 360 console as the two heavyweights vie to become the so-called "digital hub" of the living room. Both companies are using their consoles to provide content beyond games. "While gaming is clearly our core DNA I think we felt very confident three years ago when we debuted PlayStation 3 that this was going to be a device that was going to mean much more than gaming," said Jack Tretton, chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment America.

The Xbox already offers Netflix access, but users must pay $50 a year for Xbox Live Gold membership to use it.

Although Netflix offers thousands of movies and TV episodes for instant streaming, it does not make its entire catalog available. Netflix will be up and running on the PS3 in November, Sony said. Initially PS3 users will utilize a Blu-ray disc to access Netflix, but it will eventually be available through a software update on the PS3.

The PS3's installed base numbers close to 9 million units in the United States, and Netflix has a US subscriber base of 11.1 million. The PS3, long the No. 3 console in the United States, is generating sales momentum following a recent price cut.

In September, the PS3 was the top-selling home console in the United States for the first time, according to industry tracker NPD, dethroning long-running champion Nintendo Co. Tretton said the PS3's strength has continued into October. "A lot of consumers were waiting for this price point .... The numbers are extremely good."

Manmohan, Wen agree to build India-China trust

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao met for nearly an 
hour in Thailand on Saturday and
agreed to build "trust and understanding" in their bilateral relationship.  
The two leaders had "good discussions" and "a productive meeting" at Hotel Dusit Thani, the venue of the Asean and East Asia summits, official sources said. 
Wen said: "We want to have a healthy and steady relationship with India. I hope we can use this opportunity to exchange our views on all related issues." 
The much awaited meeting was aimed at easing tensions between the two countries centred on their unresolved border dispute. Official sources, however, said Arunachal Pradesh and Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama did not figure in the discussions. 
The two countries also agreed to beef up their strategic and cooperative partnership. 
Manmohan Singh told Wen: "I am excited to see you." He said the Chinese people have had a number of achievements "and we share their sense of accomplishment". He said this in the context of the 60th anniversary of the founding of modern China. 
Manmohan Singh also recalled his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Russia in June this year. 
Earlier, the Chinese premier received Manmohan Singh like an old friend and spoke of the meetings they have had in the past.

Three GSM service providers seek additional spectrum

Three major GSM telecom operators — Tata DoCoMo, Reliance Communications and Idea Cellular — have sought additional wireless spectrum to support their increasing subscriber base.
The companies have moved the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), seeking an additional total of 1.8 MHz spectrum. While Tata DoCoMo has sought additional spectrum for all 10 circles (where it has launched GSM services), RCom has sought it for a few circles and Idea Cellular for two circles.

Sensex dips below 17,000-level

MUMBAI: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Thursday dipped below 17,000 points level losing
over 101 points in opening trade on
selling by foreign funds amid weak global trends.
The 30-share index fell by 101.83 points to 16,907.34 points. The Sensex had lost over 315 points in the past two sessions.
The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell by 32.20 points to 5,031.40 points.
Brokers said stock markets fell due to continued profit-taking by funds and general investors following weak trend in other Asian bourses.
Heavy selling by domestic mutual funds also impacted the sentiment, they said.
Shares of Reliance Industries fell by 1.73 per cent to Rs 2,144.70, ICICI Bank by 1.81 per cent to Rs 912.70, State Bank of India by 0.69 per cent to Rs 2,368.90 and Tata Steel lost one per cent at Rs 546.95.
However, software major Infosys Technologies found some support and rose by 2.84 per cent to Rs 2,227.
The Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 1.20 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei shed 1.57 per cent in them morning trade.
The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.92 per cent down yesterday.

Windows 7 and Google Chrome, comes together!

As all of you know Microsoft windows 7 is going to launch on this thursday world wide. Google and microsoft planned to integrate Google Chrome web browser in windows 7 operating system. By this users get Google chrome web browser in the operating system by default.
No need to install the Google chrome web browser manually. But it was not sure that Google chrome will be available by default. May all have to wait till thursday to have a look into the new and exclusive operating system windows 7 by microsoft.
After windows vista release, this is the big software product that microsoft release. May be windows 7 is the successful microsoft operating system after windows XP professional. But all have to wait until the release.

Galleon Clients Abandon Ship

Hedge-fund giant Galleon Group, facing heavy investor withdrawal requests after Friday's arrest of co-founder Raj Rajaratnam, moved to unload some of its technology stocks and other holdings to raise cash. Investors have sought to withdraw about $1.3 billion of the $3.7 billion in assets Galleon manages, traders say. Moreover, two of the brokerage firms Galleon normally deals with,Bank of America Merrill Lynch and BarclaysPLC, have told Galleon they will no longer trade securities positions with the fund firm, according to a person close to the situation.

Woman wins Economics Nobal

Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson of the united states won the Nobal Economics Prize for their work on economic governance and the organisation of cooperation making ostrom the first woman to win the prize.they got 1.4 million dollar as prize money.

woman wins Economics

Sensex soars, ruling 2.21 percent up

A key index of Indian equities markets shot up during afternoon trade Monday and was ruling 2.21 percent higher than its previous close.

Around 2.15 p.m., the 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, Sensex, which opened at 16,687.32 points, was ruling at 17,015.18 points, up 372.52 points or 2.24 percent.


The S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also climbed up to 5,044.75 points, up 2.01 percent.


Broader market indices were also in the green, with the BSE midcap index ruling 1.19 percent higher and the BSE smallcap index up 0.99 percent.

Four killed as gunbattle ends at Pakistan army HQ

SLAMABAD: Heavily-armed unidentified gunmen on Saturday made an audacious bid to force their way into the Pakistan army's headquarters in

Rawalpindi, sparking a raging gunbattle which left all four attackers and some soldiers dead.

The brazen attempt by the gunmen shortly before noon was foiled as the army brought in commandos and helicopters to overpower the attackers, who drove up in a white van to the entrance of the general headquarters.

An intense shootout broke out as troops tried to stop the attackers from entering the complex, TV news channels reported.

"All four terrorists who were trying to enter (the general headquarters) have been killed," chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told reporters, adding the situation is fully under control now.

Abbas said some soldiers were also killed in the gun battle with the terrorists, but did not give the figure.

"They (attackers) came out of the van and ran towards another check post, where the exchange of fire continued for some time. We are ascertaining how many security personnel were killed in the incident,"

The heavily-armed terrorists, who were in a white van, opened fire when they were challenged by soldiers at a check post near a cricket stadium outside the general headquarters at 11.30am, Abbas said.

The terrorists tried to gain entry to the fortified military facility by using a street that connects the Mall Road, one of Rawalpindi's main thoroughfares, to the general headquarters.

"There was some confusion as the attackers were wearing camouflage uniforms but they were all killed and the situation was brought under control," Abbas said.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack but observers said it appeared to be the handiwork of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has vowed to target the Pakistani security forces to avenge the killing of its chief Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone attack in August.

Earlier, witnesses told TV news channels that the terrorists had lobbed about five grenades at the headquarters.

Dozens of army commandos in black uniforms and wearing body armour cordoned off the area, where traffic was stopped as several army helicopters hovered over the area to keep vigil.

The audacious attack was the third major assault in a week that came a day after a blast in NWFP capital Peshawar that left 50 people dead and over 120 injured.

Several top army officers were trapped in the compound during the 45-minute long gunfight, TV channels reported.

All roads leading to general headquarters were blocked and only ambulances and vehicles of rescue services were allowed to enter the area.

A witness told a news channel that the firing occurred in front of the office of the inter-services public relations, located within the general headquarters.

TV channels said they were beaming deferred footage from the scene of the incident as the aides of the terrorists could be monitoring the coverage.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack in Rawalpindi, which is close to Islamabad.

Security has been tightened across the country, especially in the federal capital, and for dignitaries like president, prime minister and federal ministers.

Advani will not be BJP leader in 2014 polls: Naidu

NEW DELHI: Former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu has said the party will not contest the next Lok Sabha

elections under the leadership of LK
Advani and agreed that it would be logical for the party to get a new leadership
at that juncture.

"Advani is not going to contest the next elections. We are not going to fight the next elections under his leadership. Next general elections are going to happen when... you know (2014)," Naidu told a news channel.

He was replying to a question on whether BJP would contest the next general elections under Advani's leadership, who would be 87 years old in 2014.

He agreed it sounded logical that in such a scenario BJP would need a new leader and for this the change of guard would have to take place couple of years before the polls.

Asked who would be the next leader, Naidu said, "Political parties discuss issues and then come to conclusions according to the need of the hour and by consensus".

The Rajya Sabha MP said Advani had been chosen as the Leader of Opposition by BJP for the 15th Lok Sabha and it was for him to decide when to step down.

"Whenever he (Advani) wants to make way for others, it is his choice. Nobody has given him any deadline....," Naidu said.

Naidu justified the continuation of Advani as head of the BJP Parliamentary Party, though the latter was "reluctant to accept" and had to be "persuaded".

"When you lose an election that to for the second time, there will be certain amount of demoralisation, so we wanted him (Advani) to guide....The process of leadership change is a normal process...when he wants to choose a new leader, it will be announced by Advani," Naidu said.

On the recent controversy created by Advani's statement that he did not want expulsion of Jaswant Singh, Naidu said, "Initially, yes, he was opposed to expulsion.... He said in place of expulsion can we think of any other alternative."

However, Naidu maintained the final decision was unanimous. "Jaswant Singh's book contains many objectionable references," he said, adding that everybody in the meeting agreed action had to be taken and Advani, being a "democratic person" agreed.

Naidu said the decision to expel Jaswant Singh was a "painful decision" as he had been with the party for 25-30 years but there was no other way.

The veteran leader said Advani had not "suffered any image loss at all" in the last few months which have witnessed several controversies within the BJP.

On Arun Shourie's recent outburst against Advani and party president Rajnath Singh, Naidu hinted action may be taken after the forthcoming assembly polls while he was confident Vasundhara Raje would abide by party decision.

BHEL looking at Africa for first factory abroad

Government-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) is looking at Africa for setting up its first manufacturing facility abroad. The company had earlier zeroed in on the UAE, but decided to locate the plant in Africa.
 
A senior company executive said the location has not been finalised but it would cater to the company’s business in Africa and the West Asia. Africa, West Asia and Central Asia are the primary foreign markets for BHEL, dominant player in the power and heavy equipment business in India. It plans to increase its export revenue to Rs 10,300 crore by 2012.

The aim behind the new facility is that it would open the entire African and the West Asian market for the company. At present, BHEL has Rs 1,000 crore worth of business in Africa alone. “If we focus, we can get better access,” said the executive. BHEL earns about 15 per cent of its revenue from abroad. It recorded a net profit of Rs 3,039 crore on a revenue of Rs 27,505 crore in 2008-09. It aims to become a $10 billion (around Rs 47,200 crore) company by 2012.

The proposed overseas plant would manufacture switchgear and transformers. “We have been holding preliminary talks with various countries in Africa,” said the executive, without divulging names. The plans are in a discussion stage and nothing has been finalised till now, said another.

At present, BHEL’s international business is supported from India, with its presence overseas being limited to regional offices in Dubai and Jakarta. Its product profile for the international market ranges from thermal, gas and hydro generation to the transmission business. Though its products and services have been exported to over 70 countries, it has not established any production base outside India.

BHEL had earlier made plans for acquisitions abroad, including that of Czech power company Skoda Power AS’ turbine manufacturing facility and units for manufacturing boilers and railway coaches, among others. But these plans could never take off and now it appears to be focusing on putting up its own facility.

Porsche drives in its sedan, Panamera

NEW DELHI: Luxury car maker Porsche launched its solitary sedan offering,

Panamera, in the Indian market on Tuesday. Priced at Rs 1.4 crore
to Rs 2.05 crore
(ex-showroom Delhi), Panamera will be one of the fastest cars on Indian roads, with a top
speed of 282 km per hour. The car will be available in three versions — S, 4S and the top-of-the-range Turbo. ( Watch )

Precision Cars India, the official distributor of Porsche cars in the country, plans to sell 50 Panameras in the first year. It has already received bookings for 13 cars, mostly from Mumbai. The 4.8-litre eight-cylinder engine delivers 400 horse power and consumes 11.1 litre of fuel for travelling 100 km.

Porsche currently sells four other cars in India, sportscars 911 and Boxster and Cayman and Cayenne sports utility vehicles. It expects 20% increase in sales in the local market, despite sales dipping in most parts of the world.

Rod Wallace, managing director of Precision Cars India, said, “We have had a tough time in India, too, but now sales are revving up. There is strong demand for high-end products. So we have brought Panamera just after a month of its launch in Europe.”

The company aims to sell 200 cars this year against 168 cars in 2008. Globally, Porsche is expecting to sell 75,000 cars in 2009, down from 98,000 vehicles last year.