Dozens of lawmakers have drawn scrutiny from their ethics monitor this year for everything from financial dealings to travel and campaign donations, according to a leaked account showing an active House panel secretly at work.
Seven of the lawmakers—four not previously known—serve on a defense appropriations subcommittee that divvies up money for Pentagon contractors.
Most of the names and investigative subjects, mentioned in a summary of the ethics committee's work last July, were known. But the summary—obtained by The Washington Post—shows the widespread scope of preliminary reviews and investigations the panel can have before it at any one time.
If anything, the document rebuts arguments of some watchdog groups that members of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct—the ethics committee—do little to investigate their colleagues.
The document shows the scrutiny involved some 30 members last summer, but it lumps together lawmakers who are subjects of a complete investigation with subpoena powers with those who may simply have asked for a ruling on a proposed trip to be financed by a private sponsor. Full investigations by an investigative subcommittee are announced publicly.
Committee Chairman Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and ranking Republican Jo Bonner of Alabama, went further than usual on June 11 by announcing they were examining the conduct of some lawmakers on the defense panel even though no investigative panel was formed.
Members of the House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee had steered targeted appropriations called earmarks to clients of a now-defunct lobbying firm—PMA—and received contributions from the firm and its clients.
The names of defense subcommittee chairman John Murtha, D-Pa., and Democratic members Jim Moran of Virginia and Peter Visclosky of Indiana had previously surfaced in connection with the inquiry.
The document adds the names of Norm Dicks, D-Wash.; Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio; ranking subcommittee Republican C.W. Bill Young of Florida and Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan.
All four have received campaign contributions from PMA's political action committee and employees. Donation figures compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics show that:
_PMA's PAC and employees together were the single biggest source of political money to Dicks in each election cycle from 2003 through 2008 when donations are analyzed by the givers' employers. Dicks received roughly $89,500 from them during that period.
_The lobbying firm's PAC and staff also were Kaptur's top single source of donations by employer during the 2008 election cycle. Collectively, they gave her about $28,500 for the last election and $12,500 for the 2006 election, a total of about $41,000. They gave her nothing in 2003-04.
_Tiahrt raised roughly $19,750 from PMA's PAC and employees from 2003 through 2008.
_Young collected about $9,250 from the 2003-04 election cycle through last year.
The Pentagon budget panel had such an allure for Kaptur—who represents a Toledo-anchored Rust Belt district—that in 2005 she gave up her party's top seat on the agriculture subcommittee to claim a rare open seat on Murtha's subcommittee. She would have become one of a dozen Appropriations subcommittee chairmen had she stayed put.
A spokesman for Kaptur, Steve Fought, said she expected to be cleared.
"The congresswoman has always emphasized openness and transparency, and it almost goes without saying she will continue to cooperate," he said. "She's saying there was no quid pro quo."
Dicks said, "I can assure you that I have always conducted myself appropriately and in accordance with all applicable House rules and statutes. I am confident that all of my actions as a member of the House have been appropriate, and I expect that when all the inquiries are concluded, I will be completely exonerated."
The document was leaked to The Washington Post after a junior ethics staff member saved it on the hard drive of a home computer. The staff member, who had information sharing software, didn't realize that someone could download the file but was subsequently fired anyway.
A House staff member, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said the committee employee's actions were inadvertent but violated House rules requiring the safeguarding of official documents.
The Recording Industry Association of America said the disclosure was evidence of a need for controls on peer-to-peer software to block the improper or illegal exchange of music. Some lawmakers have tried for years to bring this about.
Mitch Bainwol, the group's chairman and chief executive officer, said, "It's now happening (in) Congress' backyard, and that should be a powerful catalyst to enact real reforms to protect consumers."
The most prominent lawmaker under investigation, House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., has been interviewed about his personal finances, the document showed.
However, it revealed less than the committee's public announcements about the ever-expanding investigation of Rangel's travel, financial deals, fundraising and financial disclosures.
Earlier this month, the committee announced it authorized nearly 150 subpoenas in the Rangel investigation, interviewed 34 witnesses, produced 2,100 pages of transcripts, reviewed and analyzed more than 12,000 pages of documents and held more than 30 meetings.
The Justice Department often asks the committee to suspend its work when prosecutors are looking at the same allegations. The document said this occurred in the case of Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., whose finances came under scrutiny some three years ago.
Subpoenas were authorized to the Justice Department and National Security Agency for intercepted communications in an inquiry involving Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif. News stories have reported she was heard in a 2005 conversation agreeing to a request to seek lenient treatment for two pro-Israel lobbyists accused of illegally disclosing national defense secrets.
Charges were dismissed against the lobbyists at the request of prosecutors.
Harman has denied she had contacted anyone seeking favorable treatment for the lobbyists, and she has asked the Justice Department to release any transcripts of her recorded conversations
Angelina Jolie slept with mum's lover at 16
Actress Angelina Jolie's new biography by Andrew Morton alleges that the actress slept with her mum's boyfriend when she was 16. According to Now mag, Jolie and her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, could not come to terms with each other after the Tomb Raider star confessed to the act.
"Marcheline had a live-in boyfriend whom she was very much in love with, but Ange slept with him when she was 16 and barely out of school," the Sun quoted a source, as saying.
"Her mother found out and ended her relationship with the man. When Ange admitted the story to her brother James just a few weeks ago, even he turned on her. She has hardly anyone left in life who likes or trusts her."
"Marcheline had a live-in boyfriend whom she was very much in love with, but Ange slept with him when she was 16 and barely out of school," the Sun quoted a source, as saying.
"Her mother found out and ended her relationship with the man. When Ange admitted the story to her brother James just a few weeks ago, even he turned on her. She has hardly anyone left in life who likes or trusts her."
How To Handle Recession Job Stress
The office grapevine is rife with rumors of yet more layoffs. Your workload has increased exponentially. Since your office confidante got axed in the last bloodbath, you can't call her up and complain. And your new supervisor expects you to meet a crushing deadline by month's end.
American workers have never had to cope with so much anxiety and confusion on the job. "Everybody is as stressed as I've ever seen," reports Joan Kane, a Manhattan psychologist who has worked as a therapist for 22 years. "The stress level is off the charts."
Is there any way to stay calm amid the chaos?
According to Kane, the usual therapeutic approaches do not apply right now. "In therapy, we try to help patients discover who they really are," she explains. "In this environment, it's more helpful to not necessarily be your authentic self." Instead, she says, you need to show that you can adapt. "Even if things are horrible and morale is low, you do not want to go in and say so to your boss. Instead you want to describe how what you're doing is positive and talk about what you've created and why you're successful."
An added challenge is wondering whether your boss will survive the next round of cuts. "You have to try to be strategic about whom you please," Kane says.
Many workers whose central focus in life was their job have had to set their sights elsewhere. Patients who complained about their work for years are suddenly clamming up. "They feel they have no right to complain, because they've got a job," says Paul Browde, a New York psychiatrist. "Underneath, they are more stressed than ever before. It's like living with a continual chronic stress disorder." Many shift their conflicts to the home front. "People are starting to have marital and health issues," Browde observes.
Browde encourages his patients to be aware of their anxiety. Know that eventually this phase must pass. Meanwhile, find time for relaxation and exercise, even if you must engage in a shorter than optimal routine. "Even if it's just five minutes of relaxation exercises a day, it's important," he counsels.
Billie A. Pivnick, a psychologist who teaches in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Columbia University's Teachers College, breaks stress responses into categories, depending on personality type. There are people who get overwhelmed and then withdraw, logging multiple sick days and absences. There are others who manically dive into workaholic mode while displaying irritability and picking fights with their colleagues.
Some freeze as though caught between the impulses of fight and flight. "Those are the folks who wind up getting into trouble with substance abuse, sex on the job or other inappropriate things that make them less functional," says Pivnick, who designed a pioneering stress management program for cardiac rehab patients back in the 1970s.
A fourth category includes the most well-adjusted people, who exhibit what Pivnick calls a "secure response." They hang back for a moment and assess the situation before moving forward in a judicious way.
Pivnick suggests different coping techniques for each personality type. People with a tendency to withdraw should find an exercise routine that keeps them active. For manic workaholics, Pivnick prescribes deep breathing, meditation and diverting their attention from work by socializing or going to movies. "Those people need a life," she says. For those who freeze, it's important to find a mentor or attachment figure at work who can help them move forward.
Dorothy Cantor, a psychologist in Westfield, N.J., says that beleaguered workers should realize that it's normal to feel anxious at times like these. "Don't add to your own discomfort and anxiety by being self-critical," says Cantor. "Too many people pathologize what they're feeling. You just have to tolerate it. Time will heal it."
American workers have never had to cope with so much anxiety and confusion on the job. "Everybody is as stressed as I've ever seen," reports Joan Kane, a Manhattan psychologist who has worked as a therapist for 22 years. "The stress level is off the charts."
Is there any way to stay calm amid the chaos?
According to Kane, the usual therapeutic approaches do not apply right now. "In therapy, we try to help patients discover who they really are," she explains. "In this environment, it's more helpful to not necessarily be your authentic self." Instead, she says, you need to show that you can adapt. "Even if things are horrible and morale is low, you do not want to go in and say so to your boss. Instead you want to describe how what you're doing is positive and talk about what you've created and why you're successful."
An added challenge is wondering whether your boss will survive the next round of cuts. "You have to try to be strategic about whom you please," Kane says.
Many workers whose central focus in life was their job have had to set their sights elsewhere. Patients who complained about their work for years are suddenly clamming up. "They feel they have no right to complain, because they've got a job," says Paul Browde, a New York psychiatrist. "Underneath, they are more stressed than ever before. It's like living with a continual chronic stress disorder." Many shift their conflicts to the home front. "People are starting to have marital and health issues," Browde observes.
Browde encourages his patients to be aware of their anxiety. Know that eventually this phase must pass. Meanwhile, find time for relaxation and exercise, even if you must engage in a shorter than optimal routine. "Even if it's just five minutes of relaxation exercises a day, it's important," he counsels.
Billie A. Pivnick, a psychologist who teaches in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Columbia University's Teachers College, breaks stress responses into categories, depending on personality type. There are people who get overwhelmed and then withdraw, logging multiple sick days and absences. There are others who manically dive into workaholic mode while displaying irritability and picking fights with their colleagues.
Some freeze as though caught between the impulses of fight and flight. "Those are the folks who wind up getting into trouble with substance abuse, sex on the job or other inappropriate things that make them less functional," says Pivnick, who designed a pioneering stress management program for cardiac rehab patients back in the 1970s.
A fourth category includes the most well-adjusted people, who exhibit what Pivnick calls a "secure response." They hang back for a moment and assess the situation before moving forward in a judicious way.
Pivnick suggests different coping techniques for each personality type. People with a tendency to withdraw should find an exercise routine that keeps them active. For manic workaholics, Pivnick prescribes deep breathing, meditation and diverting their attention from work by socializing or going to movies. "Those people need a life," she says. For those who freeze, it's important to find a mentor or attachment figure at work who can help them move forward.
Dorothy Cantor, a psychologist in Westfield, N.J., says that beleaguered workers should realize that it's normal to feel anxious at times like these. "Don't add to your own discomfort and anxiety by being self-critical," says Cantor. "Too many people pathologize what they're feeling. You just have to tolerate it. Time will heal it."
Vipul Shah: Unlike MAMK, Salman is the hero of LONDON DREAMS
Vipul Shah is least perturbed about the downright pathetic box office response that MAIN AURR MRS KHANNA has generated. Though there have been murmurs once again around the box office pull of Salman Khan (considering the fact that his latest film couldn't even garner a face saving initial), Vipul Shah comes up with a strong reasoning in defense of his leading man from LONDON DREAMS.
"Audiences have smartened up today and they know what they would get to see in the film. In case of MAIN AURR MRS KHANNA, they could sense from the very beginning that Salman was only in an extended special appearance. Now they all want to see him in a full fledged role and this is why they made beelines for WANTED that has enjoyed such a terrific run ever since it's release. They want their stars to have the movie rest on their shoulders and when a movie gives them anything lesser, they look for other options", argues Vipul who is quick to confirm that Salman is the hero of the film, just like Ajay Devgan, and has a full fledged role in LONDON DREAMS.
Another example that he shares is that of BILLU where Irrfan Khan was the central protagonist instead of Shahrukh Khan.
"Salman fans had all the right reasons to believe that MAIN AURR MRS KHANNA was akin to BILLU as far as the screen space given to their favourite hero was concerned", says Vipul, "Otherwise how else can one explain the fate of BILLU which didn't open well in spite of Shah Rukh having a song and dance routine with as many as four gorgeous actresses? The movie had such brilliant music but still it failed to bring in audiences."
"This is the reason why I am not at all worried about LONDON DREAMS since from day one, the right perception has been created for audiences that Salman is a key protagonist in the film", says Vipul, "He is one man who can get audiences if they smell from distance that what is he going to give them. I hope that the right messaging has gone to the audiences already."
"Audiences have smartened up today and they know what they would get to see in the film. In case of MAIN AURR MRS KHANNA, they could sense from the very beginning that Salman was only in an extended special appearance. Now they all want to see him in a full fledged role and this is why they made beelines for WANTED that has enjoyed such a terrific run ever since it's release. They want their stars to have the movie rest on their shoulders and when a movie gives them anything lesser, they look for other options", argues Vipul who is quick to confirm that Salman is the hero of the film, just like Ajay Devgan, and has a full fledged role in LONDON DREAMS.
Another example that he shares is that of BILLU where Irrfan Khan was the central protagonist instead of Shahrukh Khan.
"Salman fans had all the right reasons to believe that MAIN AURR MRS KHANNA was akin to BILLU as far as the screen space given to their favourite hero was concerned", says Vipul, "Otherwise how else can one explain the fate of BILLU which didn't open well in spite of Shah Rukh having a song and dance routine with as many as four gorgeous actresses? The movie had such brilliant music but still it failed to bring in audiences."
"This is the reason why I am not at all worried about LONDON DREAMS since from day one, the right perception has been created for audiences that Salman is a key protagonist in the film", says Vipul, "He is one man who can get audiences if they smell from distance that what is he going to give them. I hope that the right messaging has gone to the audiences already."
Salman-Ajay to sell LONDON DREAMS tickets
LONDON DREAMS is going to be released all over India but sparks are expected to fly especially in Delhi and UP territories. LONDON DREAMS is being distributed in these territories by Kapoor Films of Manmohan Kapoor, who had produced memorable films like SITAPUR KI GEETA.
Manmohan Kapoor is very optimistic distributing LONDON DREAMS for release to 165 theatres of Delhi and UP simultaneously.
And the leading actors of the film Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn are coming to Delhi for the promotion of their film and will sell tickets themselves at the Delite cinema on 26th October 2009.
Hope the film will be a super hit!
Manmohan Kapoor is very optimistic distributing LONDON DREAMS for release to 165 theatres of Delhi and UP simultaneously.
And the leading actors of the film Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn are coming to Delhi for the promotion of their film and will sell tickets themselves at the Delite cinema on 26th October 2009.
Hope the film will be a super hit!
Kareena has no qualms working with Shahid
The fans of Shahid-Kareena jodi might be in for some pleasant surprise if the latest comments of Kareena Kapoor are taken into account. Kareena has recently said that she doesn't mind working with Shahid again if the script is right.
This statement comes after reports that Shahid's dad Pankaj Kapoor is writing his forthcoming film with Kareena and Shahid in mind.
Now, will Pankaj Kapoor manage to bring back the ex-lovers on a common platform or not remains one of the most cherished fantasy for the fans of the couple. Well, let's hope he manages to do the impossible.
This statement comes after reports that Shahid's dad Pankaj Kapoor is writing his forthcoming film with Kareena and Shahid in mind.
Now, will Pankaj Kapoor manage to bring back the ex-lovers on a common platform or not remains one of the most cherished fantasy for the fans of the couple. Well, let's hope he manages to do the impossible.
It is official — after much speculation Shilpa is finally engaged to beau Raj Kundra. www.sabkush.com
It is official — after much speculation Shilpa is finally engaged to beau Raj Kundra.
www.sabkush.com
www.sabkush.com
Assembly polls results extend Congress' Diwali celebrations, BJP's vacation www.sabkush.com
Thursday appeared as an extended Diwali celebration for the Congress leaders, who burst firecrackers and distributed sweets to rejoice in the victory of the party in the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh and, to some extent, in Haryana.
State party president Siddharth Patel and senior leader Shaktisinh Gohil, in a statement, said the victory indicated the growing confidence of the electorates in the UPA government's policies and leadership of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"The results of the elections in the three states will have far reaching effect on the politics of the country," they said.
Former Union textile minister Shankersinh Vaghela said the results "are proof of the fact that younger electorates are getting attracted towards the Congress", while state party chief spokesperson Arjun Modhwadia opined the results will also have impact on Gujarat politics.
He said the results have proved that the voters would go with the party that takes care of their interests. "The Congress had been in power in Arunachal for 15 years, and for 10 years each in Maharashtra and Haryana, yet people voted for the Congress and its allies again," he added.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) office was opened specially to celebrate the victory in Maharashtra.
Party leaders, including its state unit president Jayant Patel, were seen bursting crackers at the party head office on the Ashram Road.
BJP office wears deserted lookIn contrast, the day looked as an extended Diwali vacation at the BJP office, which wore a deserted look soon after news channels started flashing the poll results. This gelled well with closed shops around the office in the Khanpur area in the evening. Even no lights were on in the rooms.
While no spokesman was seen around, a media relations person said the result was below expectations. He blamed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MSN) throwing a spanner in the BJP-Shiv Sena works.
"MNS is a Congress creation and it played a big role in its gaining an upper hand in the elections," he said.
State party president Siddharth Patel and senior leader Shaktisinh Gohil, in a statement, said the victory indicated the growing confidence of the electorates in the UPA government's policies and leadership of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"The results of the elections in the three states will have far reaching effect on the politics of the country," they said.
Former Union textile minister Shankersinh Vaghela said the results "are proof of the fact that younger electorates are getting attracted towards the Congress", while state party chief spokesperson Arjun Modhwadia opined the results will also have impact on Gujarat politics.
He said the results have proved that the voters would go with the party that takes care of their interests. "The Congress had been in power in Arunachal for 15 years, and for 10 years each in Maharashtra and Haryana, yet people voted for the Congress and its allies again," he added.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) office was opened specially to celebrate the victory in Maharashtra.
Party leaders, including its state unit president Jayant Patel, were seen bursting crackers at the party head office on the Ashram Road.
BJP office wears deserted lookIn contrast, the day looked as an extended Diwali vacation at the BJP office, which wore a deserted look soon after news channels started flashing the poll results. This gelled well with closed shops around the office in the Khanpur area in the evening. Even no lights were on in the rooms.
While no spokesman was seen around, a media relations person said the result was below expectations. He blamed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MSN) throwing a spanner in the BJP-Shiv Sena works.
"MNS is a Congress creation and it played a big role in its gaining an upper hand in the elections," he said.
An interview with Asin
How did LONDON DREAMS happen?
I was still shooting for GHAJINI but Vipul had seen some of my South Indian films. So I got a call from him and he said he had a role of a headstrong talented girl in his next directorial venture after NAMASTEY LONDON. Obviously I was excited at the sound of it! (Laughs) I love Vipul's cinema, he showcases emotions really well and his films always have strong music. So it was actually a no-brainer that I wanted to be a part of this project immediately on hearing its script. In a way, this is my first authentic Bollywood film even though GHAJINI released first. That's because I had already played Kalpana in the south version of GHAJINI before doing the Hindi remake with Aamir (Khan).
Tell us the experience of working with Vipul Shah!
Fabulous! Vipul is very organized, he does his homework really well so when you reach the sets the shot break downs are done, he knows exactly how he wants the scene done. And I am a complete Director's actor. It's important for me to understand my director's vision and in that sense Vipul is very giving. I've been spoilt by him because now I think I will always want all shoots to be as planned! (Smiles)
Tell us something about your character in LONDON DREAMS?
I play a south Indian girl, Priya, who is emotional but strong willed and ambitious at the same time. And she has two radically different sides to her. At home she's a traditional girl clad in Indian outfits but the minute she's out with friends, she's a fire brand, and that shows in the way she dresses. And she's also partly responsible for the conflict between Salman and Ajay's characters. So it was a wholesome character to play.
This is the first time you're working with big names like Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. What was that like?
When I came on to the sets of LONDON DREAMS I didn't know them. I knew they were way senior and was anxious just like any newcomer would understandably be. And then I'd heard so much about them from different people. Salman has a 'bad boy' image. Many told me that he was very temperamental and erratic! Having worked with him I dispelled all those myths. I got to see a sensitive actor who had an absolute ball on the sets and went out of his way to make everyone comfortable. Both Ajay and Salman are also great off-screen friends and that shows on celluloid. Ajay, contrary to popular belief, was not reticent at all. He was very helpful and friendly! I realized that you find out the truth about people only when you work with them and get to know them better.
Tell us about the music of LONDON DREAMS
Oh! There's so much that I can say! (Smiles) LONDON DREAMS has a backdrop of a rock band so it's only right that the music should be an arterial part of the film. And I think that Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have done complete justice to the film in that sense. The music is melodious but remains true to the essence of the film. It's a very holistic album - there's the masti of Punjab and the edge of contemporary music. I personally love 'Man Ko Ati Bhaave' and 'Tapke Masti; they're fun songs!
Everyone is waiting for LONDON DREAMS with bated breath. Tell us why we should watch it?
It's an absolutely stunning looking commercial entertainer with emotions, humour, music and drama! It's a big one for the families! We had a blast shooting it in the UK and I took back some really fond memories with me. The fantastic time we had on the sets and the chemistry between all of us will show on screen!
I was still shooting for GHAJINI but Vipul had seen some of my South Indian films. So I got a call from him and he said he had a role of a headstrong talented girl in his next directorial venture after NAMASTEY LONDON. Obviously I was excited at the sound of it! (Laughs) I love Vipul's cinema, he showcases emotions really well and his films always have strong music. So it was actually a no-brainer that I wanted to be a part of this project immediately on hearing its script. In a way, this is my first authentic Bollywood film even though GHAJINI released first. That's because I had already played Kalpana in the south version of GHAJINI before doing the Hindi remake with Aamir (Khan).
Tell us the experience of working with Vipul Shah!
Fabulous! Vipul is very organized, he does his homework really well so when you reach the sets the shot break downs are done, he knows exactly how he wants the scene done. And I am a complete Director's actor. It's important for me to understand my director's vision and in that sense Vipul is very giving. I've been spoilt by him because now I think I will always want all shoots to be as planned! (Smiles)
Tell us something about your character in LONDON DREAMS?
I play a south Indian girl, Priya, who is emotional but strong willed and ambitious at the same time. And she has two radically different sides to her. At home she's a traditional girl clad in Indian outfits but the minute she's out with friends, she's a fire brand, and that shows in the way she dresses. And she's also partly responsible for the conflict between Salman and Ajay's characters. So it was a wholesome character to play.
This is the first time you're working with big names like Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. What was that like?
When I came on to the sets of LONDON DREAMS I didn't know them. I knew they were way senior and was anxious just like any newcomer would understandably be. And then I'd heard so much about them from different people. Salman has a 'bad boy' image. Many told me that he was very temperamental and erratic! Having worked with him I dispelled all those myths. I got to see a sensitive actor who had an absolute ball on the sets and went out of his way to make everyone comfortable. Both Ajay and Salman are also great off-screen friends and that shows on celluloid. Ajay, contrary to popular belief, was not reticent at all. He was very helpful and friendly! I realized that you find out the truth about people only when you work with them and get to know them better.
Tell us about the music of LONDON DREAMS
Oh! There's so much that I can say! (Smiles) LONDON DREAMS has a backdrop of a rock band so it's only right that the music should be an arterial part of the film. And I think that Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have done complete justice to the film in that sense. The music is melodious but remains true to the essence of the film. It's a very holistic album - there's the masti of Punjab and the edge of contemporary music. I personally love 'Man Ko Ati Bhaave' and 'Tapke Masti; they're fun songs!
Everyone is waiting for LONDON DREAMS with bated breath. Tell us why we should watch it?
It's an absolutely stunning looking commercial entertainer with emotions, humour, music and drama! It's a big one for the families! We had a blast shooting it in the UK and I took back some really fond memories with me. The fantastic time we had on the sets and the chemistry between all of us will show on screen!
After the Moon, India eyeing human space flight
After the success of its first Chandrayaan moon mission, India is now looking at exploration of outer space using planetary missions including a human space flight programme, a UN panel was told.
'Having achieved self-reliance in end-to-end space programme, the Indian space programme is entering into space exploration phase mainly to explore inner solar system and build such capabilities for exploring outer solar system,' a member of the Indian parliament said Wednesday.
'Exploration of outer space using planetary missions will be furthered with Chandrayaan-2 and its follow on missions,' said Ali Anwar Ansari participating in a debate of the special political and decolonisation committee on 'International Cooperation In The Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.'
'India has also been discussing at various levels the need for embarking on a human space flight programme,' he said noting that during the last one year, India made a significant stride in space exploration through the Chandrayaan mission.
India's first Chandrayaan-1 mission intended to study the Moon using eleven scientific instruments built in India and five other countries, Ansari said noting that 'within a short time, Chandrayaan-1 has achieved its mission objective to the satisfaction of global scientific community.'
With this, preparation of a 3-dimensional atlas of the lunar surface and chemical and mineralogical mapping of entire lunar surface has been undertaken by scientists from India and abroad, he said.
Expressing India's support for the United Nations' efforts to increase the awareness of space-based benefits, Ansari invited developing countries to take advantage of India's expertise in the space field.
'India takes special interest in capacity building and services for enabling the developing countries in the application of Space technology,' he said pointing at the UN affiliated Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Asia and Pacific Region operating from India.
So far 824 scholars from 31 countries from the Asia-Pacific region and 27 scholars from 17 countries outside the Asia-pacific region have benefited from the educational activities of this Centre, Ansari said adding, 'India would like to request more participation from the member countries.'
'Having achieved self-reliance in end-to-end space programme, the Indian space programme is entering into space exploration phase mainly to explore inner solar system and build such capabilities for exploring outer solar system,' a member of the Indian parliament said Wednesday.
'Exploration of outer space using planetary missions will be furthered with Chandrayaan-2 and its follow on missions,' said Ali Anwar Ansari participating in a debate of the special political and decolonisation committee on 'International Cooperation In The Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.'
'India has also been discussing at various levels the need for embarking on a human space flight programme,' he said noting that during the last one year, India made a significant stride in space exploration through the Chandrayaan mission.
India's first Chandrayaan-1 mission intended to study the Moon using eleven scientific instruments built in India and five other countries, Ansari said noting that 'within a short time, Chandrayaan-1 has achieved its mission objective to the satisfaction of global scientific community.'
With this, preparation of a 3-dimensional atlas of the lunar surface and chemical and mineralogical mapping of entire lunar surface has been undertaken by scientists from India and abroad, he said.
Expressing India's support for the United Nations' efforts to increase the awareness of space-based benefits, Ansari invited developing countries to take advantage of India's expertise in the space field.
'India takes special interest in capacity building and services for enabling the developing countries in the application of Space technology,' he said pointing at the UN affiliated Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Asia and Pacific Region operating from India.
So far 824 scholars from 31 countries from the Asia-Pacific region and 27 scholars from 17 countries outside the Asia-pacific region have benefited from the educational activities of this Centre, Ansari said adding, 'India would like to request more participation from the member countries.'
Beware Superstar CEOs
Americans love stars. Celebrities, athletes, politicians and, yes, corporate executives.
Nearly 20% of the 3,000 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. change their CEO or CFO in a typical year, and the chance to put a big name in the C-suite is alluring to corporate boards, says Renny Ponvert, the founder and chief executive of Management CV, a firm that analyzes management teams and executive changes for a client base of institutional investors. One of the biggest mistakes boards can make is reaching outside company ranks for a big-name executive who turns out to be a poor fit.
Nearly 20% of the 3,000 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. change their CEO or CFO in a typical year, and the chance to put a big name in the C-suite is alluring to corporate boards, says Renny Ponvert, the founder and chief executive of Management CV, a firm that analyzes management teams and executive changes for a client base of institutional investors. One of the biggest mistakes boards can make is reaching outside company ranks for a big-name executive who turns out to be a poor fit.
Executive hiring in Asia improves sharply - Hudson
Job prospects for executives at multinationals in Greater China and Singapore have improved sharply in the past three months amid growing optimism that Asia's recovery from the global recession will be sustainable, a quarterly survey showed on Thursday.
"Asia is the first region to emerge from the global recession, causing employers to revise their hiring expectations sharply upwards," said Mike Game, chief executive of executive recruiters Hudson Asia.
In China, hiring prospects picked up for the first time in more than a year. The proportion of employers in China, Hong Kong and Singapore who plan to cut headcounts within three months is less than half that in a similar survey taken in May. The latest survey was taken in August.
Hiring expectations have increased most in Hong Kong, where 35 percent of companies say they expect to recruit staff within three months, up from 22 percent in May. In media, public relations and advertising, 69 percent of companies said they would be hiring, compared with 28 percent in the previous survey.
In China, 39 percent of employers said they planned to add staff, up from 27 percent in the May survey, with companies in banking and finance most bullish about hiring.
Hong Kong and Singapore pulled out of recession in the second quarter while China on Thursday announced an 8.9 percent surge in third-quarter GDP, putting it easily within reach of its 8 percent growth target for this year, economists say.
WAGE GROWTH
Salaries are set to accelerate across Asia next year as business conditions improve: a survey by U.S. HR consultants Hewitt Consultants forecasts salaries in China will jump 6.7 percent next year after rising only 4.5 percent this year. Pay rises in Hong Kong and Singapore will be more modest at just under 3 percent.
In Singapore, 34 percent of companies in the Hudson survey said they would be hiring soon, up from 26 percent in the May survey, and only 5 percent said they would cut staff, compared with 14 percent in May. The healthcare and life sciences sector continues to offer the best hiring opportunities in Singapore with 44 percent of companies preparing to add headcount, while the consumer sector has seen a slight fall in hiring expectations since May.
Singapore employers were most willing to hire candidates who had been unemployed for more than a year, or an extended period of time, while employers in China were least willing to do so, according to Hudson, part of Chicago-based Hudson Highland Group Inc.
Previous experience and specialist skills were cited as the main reasons to hire the long-term unemployed across the region but, in China, stopping work to obtain a higher qualification was also seen as a valid reason.
The quarterly survey covered responses from nearly 2,000 managers at multinational companies across industries in the three markets.
"Asia is the first region to emerge from the global recession, causing employers to revise their hiring expectations sharply upwards," said Mike Game, chief executive of executive recruiters Hudson Asia.
In China, hiring prospects picked up for the first time in more than a year. The proportion of employers in China, Hong Kong and Singapore who plan to cut headcounts within three months is less than half that in a similar survey taken in May. The latest survey was taken in August.
Hiring expectations have increased most in Hong Kong, where 35 percent of companies say they expect to recruit staff within three months, up from 22 percent in May. In media, public relations and advertising, 69 percent of companies said they would be hiring, compared with 28 percent in the previous survey.
In China, 39 percent of employers said they planned to add staff, up from 27 percent in the May survey, with companies in banking and finance most bullish about hiring.
Hong Kong and Singapore pulled out of recession in the second quarter while China on Thursday announced an 8.9 percent surge in third-quarter GDP, putting it easily within reach of its 8 percent growth target for this year, economists say.
WAGE GROWTH
Salaries are set to accelerate across Asia next year as business conditions improve: a survey by U.S. HR consultants Hewitt Consultants forecasts salaries in China will jump 6.7 percent next year after rising only 4.5 percent this year. Pay rises in Hong Kong and Singapore will be more modest at just under 3 percent.
In Singapore, 34 percent of companies in the Hudson survey said they would be hiring soon, up from 26 percent in the May survey, and only 5 percent said they would cut staff, compared with 14 percent in May. The healthcare and life sciences sector continues to offer the best hiring opportunities in Singapore with 44 percent of companies preparing to add headcount, while the consumer sector has seen a slight fall in hiring expectations since May.
Singapore employers were most willing to hire candidates who had been unemployed for more than a year, or an extended period of time, while employers in China were least willing to do so, according to Hudson, part of Chicago-based Hudson Highland Group Inc.
Previous experience and specialist skills were cited as the main reasons to hire the long-term unemployed across the region but, in China, stopping work to obtain a higher qualification was also seen as a valid reason.
The quarterly survey covered responses from nearly 2,000 managers at multinational companies across industries in the three markets.
Tax breaks for foreign earnings of actress
Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be given a tax exemption for income earned from stage performances abroad and modelling, as an actor, for an international watch company.
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in Mumbai passed the detailed order, which is likely to benefit many actors and sportspersons, this week. The tribunal accepted that while performing in stage shows abroad and modelling, Rai, as an actor, is entitled to benefits under section 80 RR of the Income Tax Act.
The section allows a certain percentage of tax exemption to authors, playwrights, artists, musicians, actors and sportspersons on income derived from practicing their profession abroad. Rai had claimed a tax exemption of Rs 54.9 lakh on the Rs 1.85 crore she earned abroad in the assessment year 2003-2004.
The earnings were from stage shows and endorsement of watches made by Swiss company Longines Francillon. Rai was first denied the exemptions.
The assessment officer had noted that she participated in the stage shows and advertisements not as an actor or artiste, but as "Aishwarya Rai", a popular figure. A bench of ITAT members A.L. Gehlot and R.S. Padvekar ruled, "An actor does not mean only acting in films.
It can be even on stage." It further ruled that though every appearance of a film star on stage may not be acting, if an actor is a professional, engaged by a party, wherein the assessee (actor) has to give a photo session or participate in video shoots, it amounts to acting.
Rai had appealed to the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeal) who allowed her tax exemption for stage shows but not for endorsing the watch brand. The department appealed against the actor being granted an exemption for stage shows.
Rai, in turn, appealed against the decision to disallow her exemption for endorsing the watch brand. The tribunal also relied upon its earlier ruling of 2006 when actor Amitabh Bachchan - now Rai's father-in-law - had claimed tax exemption under section 80 RR for earnings from anchoring television show Kaun Banega Crorepati.
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in Mumbai passed the detailed order, which is likely to benefit many actors and sportspersons, this week. The tribunal accepted that while performing in stage shows abroad and modelling, Rai, as an actor, is entitled to benefits under section 80 RR of the Income Tax Act.
The section allows a certain percentage of tax exemption to authors, playwrights, artists, musicians, actors and sportspersons on income derived from practicing their profession abroad. Rai had claimed a tax exemption of Rs 54.9 lakh on the Rs 1.85 crore she earned abroad in the assessment year 2003-2004.
The earnings were from stage shows and endorsement of watches made by Swiss company Longines Francillon. Rai was first denied the exemptions.
The assessment officer had noted that she participated in the stage shows and advertisements not as an actor or artiste, but as "Aishwarya Rai", a popular figure. A bench of ITAT members A.L. Gehlot and R.S. Padvekar ruled, "An actor does not mean only acting in films.
It can be even on stage." It further ruled that though every appearance of a film star on stage may not be acting, if an actor is a professional, engaged by a party, wherein the assessee (actor) has to give a photo session or participate in video shoots, it amounts to acting.
Rai had appealed to the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeal) who allowed her tax exemption for stage shows but not for endorsing the watch brand. The department appealed against the actor being granted an exemption for stage shows.
Rai, in turn, appealed against the decision to disallow her exemption for endorsing the watch brand. The tribunal also relied upon its earlier ruling of 2006 when actor Amitabh Bachchan - now Rai's father-in-law - had claimed tax exemption under section 80 RR for earnings from anchoring television show Kaun Banega Crorepati.
Nayantara in TV interview: I like Prabhu Deva www.sabkush.com
Controversy queen Nayantara agreed during a television interview that she likes Prabhu Deva. A popular Tamil satellite channel had an exclusive interview with Nayantara as part of their Deepavali special programmes. When the interviewer asked her why she had a tattoo design on her arm which said 'PDeva', she honestly said that she had the name tattooed because she liked the person, meaning Prabhu Deva. She also told viewers that she received quite a number of love letters right from her school days but never reciprocated to any of them! The 'PDeva' tattoo on her arm has created a lot of controversy and the relationship she shares with Prabhu Deva is already the talk of the town. The tattoo design on her arm has also appeared all over the media, confirming her liking for Prabhu Deva.
A cup of coffee may help banish wrinkles
Want to get rid of those pesky wrinkles? Well, then forget trying lotions and grab a cup of coffee.
Nescafe, brand of instant coffee made by Swiss-based manufacturer Nestle, has started selling a version aimed at women, and it comes with the beauty-enhancing ingredient collagen.
So, instead of applying lotions to smooth out wrinkles, users can simply rely on a cup of coffee.
Sachets contain coffee, skimmed milk and 200mg of collagen - a protein found naturally in body tissue.
The precise beauty benefits of mixing collagen with coffee are unclear, byt this product is part of a much wider trend known as "nutri-cosmetics".
This is where food and drink manufacturers promote new products by emphasising the positive effect they can have on the hair, eyes, skin or general appearance.
"Collagen is just one popular ingredient used to lend a more skin/beauty-friendly image to a product, and is increasingly found not just in beauty products but also in food and drink products - including coffee," the Daily Express quoted David Jago, director of trends and innovation at market analysts Mintel, as saying.
The drink has so far made its debut only in Singapore.
India Inc's CEO's salary increased 9.9% in FY09
Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries took a salary of Rs 15 crore during 2008-09, which is 65.9% less compared to the previous year. However, most of the CEOs have seen a hike in their salaries during 2008-09. The Companies Act, 1956 sets a ceiling on managerial remuneration, and says that it must not be more than 11% of the net profits of the company for that financial year.
A study by FE Research Bureau reveals that in 323 companies, 27 CEOs get more than 11% of their companies' net profits. Vinod Juneja of Binani Metals, P Nataraj of KPR Mills, Shravan Shroff Of Fame India and Subhash Ghai Of Mukta Arts are a few names that come to mind. The study also reveals that the total salary of top 323 companies' executives (chairman and MD) increased by 9.96% to Rs 1,104 crore during 2008-09 from Rs 1,004 crore during 2007-08. Sales of the companies increased by 19.5% to Rs 10.10 lakh crore during 2008-09.
However, net profits of these companies decreased by 8.3% to Rs 1.12 lakh crore during 2008-09, while the staff cost of these companies increased by 21.5% to Rs 81,873 crore during 2008-09 from Rs 67,400 crore during 2007-08. The average share of total CEOs' salaries in the total net profit of 323 companies marginally increased from 0.82% during 2007-08 to 0.98% during 2008-09.
The salaries of some major companies' CEOs, in percentage terms, has grown at a higher rate between 2008-09 and 2007-08 compared to an increase in net profit during the same period. Naveen Jindal (exec vice-chairman and MD of Jindal Steel), Vivek Jain (MD of Gujarat Fluorochem), HK Mittal (chairman and MD of Mercator Lines) and S Ramadorai (MD and CEO of TCS) are a few such CEOs. Naveen Jindal's salary increased by 67% to Rs 28.28 crore during 2008-09 from Rs 16.93 crore during 2007-08. This, while the sales and net profit of Jindal Steel increased by only 43.3% and 24.2%, respectively, during the same period. The share of salary to net profit also increased from 1.37% to 1.84%, while the staff cost of Jindal Steel increased by 16.8% during the above period.
A trend, quite opposite in nature, was seen in the case of Brijmohan Lall Munjal Of Hero Honda Motor, Gautam S Adani of Mundra Port, Reji Abraham of Aban Offshore and H M Bangur of Shree Cement. The salary of Brijmohan Lall Munjal increased by only 18.3%, as against an increase of 32.4% in the net profit of Hero Honda Motors. So, the salary to net profit decreased from 1.73% to 1.54%. The staff cost of Hero Honda Motors has increased by 15.4% to Rs 371 crore during 2008-09.
The top five CEOs during 2008-09, according to pay packages, are Kalanithi Maran (chairman andMD of Sun TV Network), Anil D Ambani (chairman of Reliance Communications, R Ramasubrahmaneya Rajha (chairman andMD of Madras Cement), Naveen Jindal (exec vice-chairman andMD of Jindal Steel) and Vivek Jain (MD of Gujarat Fluoruchem).Among them, the highest increase in pay package during 2008-09 was seen in the case of Naveen Jindal.
An interesting feature is that the salaries of some CEOs have increased significantly despite a decline in their net profit. Onkar S Kanwar (chairman andMD of Apollo Tyres, Bhagirath Arya of JBF Industries, Arun Mehta, chairman andMD of Varun Shipping and R C Mansukhani, chairman of Man Industries may be cited as examples.
Dreams do come true. Salman Khan www.sabkush.com
Dreams do come true.
And if your dreams have to do with Salman Khan, chances of them turning into reality are not far-fetched. After all, ‘Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di, phir main apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta’ Salman had delivered in his recent release, Wanted. Being a man of words, Salman is all set to make Kolkata’s dream of catching him live and
uninterrupted on October 23.
S Chakravarty, the CMD of the company that is marketing Wanted and London Dreams, says, “Not only do we want to give Kolkata a peek into Salman’s latest outing, this would be the best opportunity to celebrate the success of Wanted.”
Incidentally, the earlier football match event at the Mohammedan Sporting Club on September 26 had to be cancelled for security reasons. “The entire Wanted team had entered the football ground in their jerseys. But the crowd went berserk with enthusiasm. Instead of the 20,000 capacity, the turnout was nearly 40,000. Salman and the rest of the team had to be whisked away for security reasons. There was no question of him returning to the grounds,” reminisces Chakravarty.
Later, he convinced Salman about the commitment he had made to his Kolkata fans and the actor readily consented. The expected turnout, this time around, would be close to 90,000. “Salman and Asin will be coming to the city. Ajay Devgn was also expected, but nothing has been finalised yet,” reveals Chakravarty. Meanwhile, Salman will also be dressed keeping in mind the look of his character in LD.
In keeping with the theme of LD, which is about what the protagonist faces in order to fulfil his dreams, the promoters have zeroed in on a local talent, who will get to perform in front of the stars. “There is a surprise performance of a young Kolkata guy with a rock
band of his own,” Chakravarty says.
If Salman is in town, can his fans not expect a performance from the star? “It’s a two-hour long show. Of course, Salman will be performing and we also have dancers accompanying him. In fact, don’t be surprised if you catch Salman breaking into a jig to a medley of Wanted tracks,” continues Chakravarty, adding that Salman will be interacting with the audience during the course of the show too.
More surprises are in store what with the Wanted star planning to deliver his opening greeting in Bangla apart from using a couple of Banglia words during his interactions. The grand finale will have the LD artistes on stage. They’ll field questions from the audience and finally, break into a jig.
It’s about time for Kolkata to start dreaming too!
And if your dreams have to do with Salman Khan, chances of them turning into reality are not far-fetched. After all, ‘Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di, phir main apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta’ Salman had delivered in his recent release, Wanted. Being a man of words, Salman is all set to make Kolkata’s dream of catching him live and
uninterrupted on October 23.
S Chakravarty, the CMD of the company that is marketing Wanted and London Dreams, says, “Not only do we want to give Kolkata a peek into Salman’s latest outing, this would be the best opportunity to celebrate the success of Wanted.”
Incidentally, the earlier football match event at the Mohammedan Sporting Club on September 26 had to be cancelled for security reasons. “The entire Wanted team had entered the football ground in their jerseys. But the crowd went berserk with enthusiasm. Instead of the 20,000 capacity, the turnout was nearly 40,000. Salman and the rest of the team had to be whisked away for security reasons. There was no question of him returning to the grounds,” reminisces Chakravarty.
Later, he convinced Salman about the commitment he had made to his Kolkata fans and the actor readily consented. The expected turnout, this time around, would be close to 90,000. “Salman and Asin will be coming to the city. Ajay Devgn was also expected, but nothing has been finalised yet,” reveals Chakravarty. Meanwhile, Salman will also be dressed keeping in mind the look of his character in LD.
In keeping with the theme of LD, which is about what the protagonist faces in order to fulfil his dreams, the promoters have zeroed in on a local talent, who will get to perform in front of the stars. “There is a surprise performance of a young Kolkata guy with a rock
band of his own,” Chakravarty says.
If Salman is in town, can his fans not expect a performance from the star? “It’s a two-hour long show. Of course, Salman will be performing and we also have dancers accompanying him. In fact, don’t be surprised if you catch Salman breaking into a jig to a medley of Wanted tracks,” continues Chakravarty, adding that Salman will be interacting with the audience during the course of the show too.
More surprises are in store what with the Wanted star planning to deliver his opening greeting in Bangla apart from using a couple of Banglia words during his interactions. The grand finale will have the LD artistes on stage. They’ll field questions from the audience and finally, break into a jig.
It’s about time for Kolkata to start dreaming too!
Katrina: Priyan's film got completed 'dana dan'!
We have constantly been bringing you exclusive details about Priyadrashan's DE DANA DAN. From Katrina's Amrapali look, to the reunion of the HERA PHERI team in Singapore, and right down to why Katrina signed the film. And here is more!
The good news that we bring to our patrons is that the first situational comedy packed promo of the film, featuring all the top stars like Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Katrina Kaif, Sameera Reddy and Archana Puran Singh, was unveiled across all leading channels and web portals a couple of days back. From the first teaser itself one can get a fair idea of what fun lies ahead, and is evident by the headlines: The greatest entertainers are back!
Another good news is that DE DANA DAN is complete and Katrina has confirmed that her part of the shooting is over. The numero uno actress now accepts that she was scared of not getting her due in the film, because the famous trio of Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar and Sunil Shetty, always overshadow other artists connected with their films. But this fear was unfounded and Katrina was more than happy to be a part of the team. The camaraderie that the team shared on the sets was absolutely crackling, and it resulted in the film getting completed within a very short span of time, such was the co-operation between the artists. As per Katrina, like the title of the film, the shooting too got completed 'dana dan' (very quickly!)
It will be interesting to see if DE DANA DAN makes some 'dhana dhan' money at the ticket window as well, and whether Katrina's pairing with Akshay proves lucky yet again.
Aamir, Tabu to pair up for the first time?
National award winning director Priyadarshan wants to bring together his favourite actress Tabu and Aamir Khan in his upcoming film on AIDS. It will be the first time the duo will be seen opposite each together. The actors however starred in Fanaa, but didn't have any scene together. While Aamir played a terrorist, Tabu portrayed an intelligence official.
Priyan confirms Aamir's presence in the 95-minute realistic, yet-untitled film on AIDS.
Priyadarshan tells a daily that he'd love to have Tabu on board and sees no hitch in the pairing. "I wanted to make this film a year back. But I wanted to see the reaction to my other realistic film Kanchivaram. Now that I know my audience is as open to watching my more realistic films as my comedies, I've approached Aamir for my film on AIDS."
Priyan says it would take him three months to write the script. "A lot of research is involved. Making a film on AIDS is not the same thing as making a comedy. Both require different kinds of discipline."
US allows Sikh security officers to wear turban and beard
WASHINGTON: Sikhs in US will be allowed to serve in uniform with their beards and turbans under a legal settlement reached with the US Department
of Homeland Security, a Sikh advocacy group claimed on Wednesday.
In a statement, Sikh Coalition said the Department of Homeland Security has agreed to pay Raghbir Singh, a Sikh who wears a beard and turban in accordance with his religious beliefs, monetary damages for his wrongful termination in 2005.
"Holding the federal government accountable for discriminating against Sikhs sends a strong message to private employers. If the government includes Sikh-Americans in its workforce, it should encourage other employers to do the same," said Harsimran Kaur, legal director, Sikh Coalition.
"Beyond monetary recognition, we're pleased the government recognised the need to edit its policies to accommodate for religious differences," said Khari Tillery, who represented Singh along with the Sikh Coalition and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.
"Singh's turban and beard did not affect his ability to perform his job duties and he was an exemplary employee," he argued.
Singh is a former contracted federal security guard who was fired from his Fresno post in 2005 when his supervisors reported that his beard and religious turban failed to comply with homeland security uniform.
of Homeland Security, a Sikh advocacy group claimed on Wednesday.
In a statement, Sikh Coalition said the Department of Homeland Security has agreed to pay Raghbir Singh, a Sikh who wears a beard and turban in accordance with his religious beliefs, monetary damages for his wrongful termination in 2005.
"Holding the federal government accountable for discriminating against Sikhs sends a strong message to private employers. If the government includes Sikh-Americans in its workforce, it should encourage other employers to do the same," said Harsimran Kaur, legal director, Sikh Coalition.
"Beyond monetary recognition, we're pleased the government recognised the need to edit its policies to accommodate for religious differences," said Khari Tillery, who represented Singh along with the Sikh Coalition and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.
"Singh's turban and beard did not affect his ability to perform his job duties and he was an exemplary employee," he argued.
Singh is a former contracted federal security guard who was fired from his Fresno post in 2005 when his supervisors reported that his beard and religious turban failed to comply with homeland security uniform.
At least 21 people were killed and over a dozen injured after two trains collided early this morning near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh
Onlookers stand at the site of a train accident on the outskirts of the northern... Wed, Oct 21 02:11 PM
A speeding passenger train rammed into another waiting near Mathura city station early on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people and injuring several others, officials said.
The impact of the collision left a couple of compartments of the trains mangled, and rescue workers used cutting machines to reach passengers trapped inside.
The accident occurred when a speeding Goa Sampark Kranti Express rammed into the Mewar Express waiting near the Mathura city station. Both trains were headed to New Delhi.
A local government official said 21 bodies had been recovered.
"Over 20 people who were critically injured have been admitted in different hospitals," D.C. Shukla told Reuters.
It was not immediately clear how the two trains came to be on the same tracks.
Fourth swine flu death in Karnataka, India's toll mounts to 26
BANGALORE: A 27-year-old woman died of swine flu in the city taking the toll in Karnataka to four, an official said on Sunday.
Shamshad Begum died late last night at Baptist Hospital. Begum, who was admitted to the hospital on August 10, had been suffering from breathlessness for past three months and from cough, fever and cold lately, Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Chandy Abraham said.
"When she came in she was diagnosed as patient with cardiovascular problem and signs of early pneumonia," he said.
Her X-ray also showed signs of pneumonia and sputum culture showed bacteria. "She showed signs of a patient with cardiac problems with bacterial pneumonia information, who usually responds with antibiotics if they are young patients," he said.
Though Shamshad initially showed some signs of improvement, in last three days her conditioned worsened, Abraham said, adding she later showed signs of H1N1 and was put on Tamiflu tablets on August 14. She had been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) since her admission, he said.
Begum's throat swabs which were sent for tests were found positive. Her report came in late last night, a health official said.
He said they were pursuing her case history to find out her other health complications.
Abraham said all staff members who came in contact with her and her relatives have been put on Tamiflu tablets.
Shamshad Begum died late last night at Baptist Hospital. Begum, who was admitted to the hospital on August 10, had been suffering from breathlessness for past three months and from cough, fever and cold lately, Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Chandy Abraham said.
"When she came in she was diagnosed as patient with cardiovascular problem and signs of early pneumonia," he said.
Her X-ray also showed signs of pneumonia and sputum culture showed bacteria. "She showed signs of a patient with cardiac problems with bacterial pneumonia information, who usually responds with antibiotics if they are young patients," he said.
Though Shamshad initially showed some signs of improvement, in last three days her conditioned worsened, Abraham said, adding she later showed signs of H1N1 and was put on Tamiflu tablets on August 14. She had been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) since her admission, he said.
Begum's throat swabs which were sent for tests were found positive. Her report came in late last night, a health official said.
He said they were pursuing her case history to find out her other health complications.
Abraham said all staff members who came in contact with her and her relatives have been put on Tamiflu tablets.
Now, Twitter won't suggest who to follow! www.sabkush.com
If you're trying to figure out who to follow on Twitter, you might soon be turning to fellow users for help, rather than the company itself.
Evan Williams, the CEO and co-founder of the short-messaging site, said Tuesday that he "desperately" wants to retire or evolve the company's "suggested user" list, which offers suggestions on people to follow.
The list, which was launched early this year and is available to anyone logged in to Twitter, includes people and companies ranging from the actress Kirstie Alley to musician John Mayer to Southwest Airlines.
Just being on the list can provide an enormous boost to the number of followers a Twitter user has.
Williams, who was speaking at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, said the feature was initially rolled out as a way to help new Twitter users find people to connect with on the site. It has been controversial for a while, though, he said. He hopes that it can be eliminated when Twitter rolls out an upcoming feature that will let people build their own lists of suggested users to follow.
According to a company blog post written in late September, the feature is being tested with a small group of users and is meant to allow the creation of lists of friends, businesses, and more. There will be an option to make the lists private, but they will be visible to other Twitter users by default. It is unknown when the feature will launch publicly.
If Twitter does get rid of the "suggested user" list, it could be eliminating a potential moneymaking tool.
Jason Calacanis, who runs search engine Mahalo.com, wrote in a March post on his blog that he offered Twitter $250,000 to add him to the roster. Twitter has yet to generate any meaningful revenue, and has largely kept quiet about how it may eventually do so.
Fashions meets the glitterati as Amitabh, Aamir, SRK, Salman and many more walk the ramp at the India Couture Week
As people wait for swine flu vaccine, here are some answers about flu symptoms and what you should do if you have them.
2 NASA spacecrafts crashed into the moon in search of water but scientists say it is early to say if it was successful.
Obama's Nobel Peace Prize, Deepika's internet connection, here are the events that shaped the world last week.
Clinical Delhi Daredevils outclassed Wayamba by 50 runs in a Champions League Twenty20 match at Feroz Shah Kotla
A race to seek out the best mileage proves that when it comes to frugal driving, a 50cc motorcycle engine can go a long way
Deepika is ready to shed her girl-next-door image on screen for a bold new look in a new flick opposite Farhan Akhtar
Anil Ambani sends a conciliatory message to Mukesh Ambani saying there was ample scope to end their long-drawn dispute
Iran has renewed its effort to fight Barbie dolls with an Islamic model and avoid a 'cultural invasion', media reports said Friday.
In 1996, Iran branded the highly popular Barbie dolls a 'cultural invasion' against Iranian children and announced the production of an Islamic toy to counter the threat.
The Islamic 'Barbie' dolls known as 'Sara' and her brother 'Dara' arrived on the market in 1999 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution but found little resonance among Iranian children.
According to toyshop owners, the Iranian dolls were not only expensive but also too heavy for children.
Ten years later, the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IDCYA) started another effort by producing a new version of the Islamic dolls.
IDSYA head Majid Qaderi, the creator of 'Dara' and 'Sara', told ISNA news agency that the new versions of dolls are smaller, lighter and cheaper than the initial models and would hit the market at the beginning of November this year.
Qaderi had in the past compared the Barbie dolls with the 'Trojan Horse, with many cultural invading soldiers inside it'.
The Iranian clergy have constantly warned of 'irreparable (cultural) damage' toys such as Barbie, Batman, Harry Potter and Spiderman could have for Iranian children.
The warnings in the last three decades of a 'Western cultural invasion', also regarding Western films, music and fashion, have so far had little impact and the illegal articles are still purchased by Iranians on the black market.
Can’t wait for ‘Blue’ to release on the big screen? Here’s what you can expect when Lara sets the water on fire.
Now iPhone applications can help students, doctors and patients study the human body, evaluate problems and analyse 3-D images
Cristiano Ronaldo has replaced English star David Beckham again - this time modelling underwear for Giorgio Armani
Get a feel of Ranbir-Katrina's awesome on-screen chemistry, off screen, as they celebrate 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani'
Salman Khursheed warns firms on "vulgar" top pay
Mon, Oct 5 11:04 AM
India's corporate affairs minister has warned firms against paying huge salaries to top company brass and said the government would keep a watch on executive compensation.
India's left-of-centre Congress-led government is on an austerity drive to shore up public finances as the country's population reels under economic slowdown and the worst drought in decades.
Ministers and some lawmakers have taken salary cuts in solidarity, a sign of political pressure the Congress party faces before three state elections in October. Those polls will be the first test of the government's popularity since its May general election win.
"I think when we are working on this (austerity), we can hardly say that we (will) shut our eyes on what salary the CEOs are going to take," news agency Press Trust of India quoted Salman Khursheed as saying.
"I don't think anyone in India today, in politics or outside politics ... has reached the level of liberalism where vulgarity is also a fundamental right."
Excessive compensation has sparked outrage across the developed world after years of multi-million dollar bonuses paid out to executives, even at money-losing firms.
Politicians and policy makers have advocated curbs on these salaries, a theme echoed at the Group of 20 meeting in September.
In 2007, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told a business lobby to avoid "excessive remuneration" and to "discourage conspicuous consumption," warning widening inequalities could lead to social unrest.
The Mail Today newspaper quoted Sajjan Jindal, managing director of JSW Steel as saying Indian firms had already reduced pay at senior levels and "vulgar salaries" did not exist.
Floods displace over 18 lakh people
Flood situation in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh continues to be grim with over 50 villages in Andhra Pradesh submerged in water following unprecedented flooding of the Krishna River in a century.
The death toll in the two states devastated by the unseasonal rains in northern Karnataka and floods downstream crossed the 200 mark.
Flood situation in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh improved Monday as water levels receded substantially, state Chief Minister K Rosaiah said.
Rosaiah said the outflow of water in Tungabhadra, Sunkesula, Narayanpur and Jurala projects came down substantially. At 5 pm on Oct 5, the outflows were 1.18 lakh cusecs in Tungabhdara, where the highest in the last five days was 1.96 lakh cusecs.
In Sunkesula, the outflow was 0.75 lakh cusecs, where the highest in five days was 9.80 lakh cusecs. In Srisailam dam, present inflow and outflow were 5.38 lakh cusecs and 10 lakh cusecs.
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi undertook an aerial survey of the ravaged areas in Bellary district and Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who accompanied her, said the state suffered an unprecedented damage exceeding Rs 20,000 crore. Torrential rains left a trail of death and destruction in 15 districts of Karnataka damaging over two lakh houses in 1,467 villages subsided since.
Over 4.53 lakh people have been sheltered in 13,330 relief camps. A 500 m-long bridge across Tungabhadra river, 32 km from Raichur, was washed away in flood waters, officials said.
Some more facts:
- The Krishna river experienced the heaviest flood since 1903, when it had 10.30 lakh cusecs of flood waters.
- About 18 lakh people in nearly 400 villages of Andhra Pradesh have been affected by the floods.
- Economictimes.com reported that Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have reported damages of a staggering Rs 32,000 crore following unprecedented floods.
- Estimates indicate that over 1.5 lakh hectares of farmland in northern Karnataka are lying submerged, and close to 1.12 lakh hectares are marooned in Kurnool, Guntur, Cuddapah and Mehboobnagar districts in AP.
- Commodity prices may see a steep hike. The crops worst affected are chilli, cotton, paddy, maize, groundnut, jowar besides pulses like tur.
Floods are an every-year phenomenon for India. Government seems to take a reactionary approach rather than a pro-active disaster management.
Is govt's 'only relief effort approach' to tackle calamities good enough? Have your say
Is govt’s ‘only relief effort approach’ to tackle calamities good enough?
India sees a typical situation of two extremes every year - drought and floods. Both equally deadly and taking thousands of lives. The government gears up for relief work after the situation becomes really grim. With India almost used to battling the two calamities every year, but the approach of authorities remains more reactionary than proactive. Should the govt work on means to predict such calamities? Is govt's job limited just to relief work? Tell us
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bollywood
Bollywood is abuzz with rumours that golden couple Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have charged a whopping Rs 25 crore to appear in an ad for a beauty soap that Ash already endorses.
Father-daughter duo Anil and Sonam Kapoor have apparently charged Rs 15 crore for their very first ad together for a pen brand. Advertising gurus, however, have shot down the figures as "impossible" in the current economic situation.Adman Prahlad Kakkar says, "25 crore! Ash charges Rs 4.5 crore for international brands and Rs 2 crore for Indian ones." He adds, "If they're getting Rs 25 crore for an ad, it better be steamy - both need to be in the same bath tub, minimally dressed, and Abhishek needs to wax his chest.
The ad should lead to a debate in Parliament and the country should come to halt for a month." Celeb manager Sonu Lakhwani says, "This figure is exaggerated given the state of the ad industry.
For a one minute ad, no brand would pay such an amount, no matter who the celebrity is." Though Anil is basking in the glory of Slumdog Millionaire, experts say he still can't get Rs 15 or even 10 crore for an ad, even if paired with his daughter.
Lakhwani says, "Sonam charges around Rs 1.5 crore for an ad and even if we add Anil's Slumdog charm, it still wouldn't touch 10 crore."
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Claire Taylor wins ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2009
Claire Taylor wins ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2009
England batter Claire Taylor has been named Women's Cricketer of the Year at the LG ICC Awards ceremony in Johannesburg.
Mitchell Johnson wins the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year 2009
Mitchell Johnson wins the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year 2009
Australia's Mitchell Johnson has become the sixth player to win the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy after being named as the 2009 ICC Cricketer of the Year at the LG ICC Awards ceremony in Johannesburg.
Mitchell Johnson takes top honours at glittering ICC Awards night
Mitchell Johnson takes top honours at glittering ICC Awards night
Gambhir, Dhoni, Siddle, Porterfield, Taylor, Dar and Dilshan among the other recipients.
Dhoni, Gambhir steal top honours at ICC Awards
Dhoni, Gambhir steal top honours at ICC Awards
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named ODI player of the year while his teammate Gautam Gambhir was adjudged as the Test player of the year at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Awards here on Thursday night
England are out to settle a score with Australia
England are out to settle a score with Australia
Defending champions Australia would be looking to assert their superiority over an inspired England side when they take them on in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final at the SuperSport Park here on Friday.
Pakistan still uncertain over playing eleven against NZ
Pakistan still uncertain over playing eleven against NZ
Mohammad Asif's impressive comeback against Australia has left the Pakistan team management in a fix over the playing eleven for their semi-final clash against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy on Saturday.
M.S Dhoni
i m shocked that ur poor hero is captain of world X1. today india is out of champion league just bcoz of MSD DHONI . we should try to analysis that how cleverly Mr Dhoni is manupulating his batting order just to hide his poor batting. moreover somegood player like sehwag are out of team. now it has been proved by dhobi himself that he dont have capacity to make run under pressure and he cant hit ball to boundary like sehwag, yuvi , raina, gamber
M.S Dhoni
i m shocked that ur poor hero is captain of world X1. today india is out of champion league just bcoz of MSD DHONI . we should try to analysis that how cleverly Mr Dhoni is manupulating his batting order just to hide his poor batting. moreover somegood player like sehwag are out of team. now it has been proved by dhobi himself that he dont have capacity to make run under pressure and he cant hit ball to boundary like sehwag, yuvi , raina, gamber
ICC World ODI Team of the Year announced
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ICC World ODI Team of the Year announced
Dhoni named as captain for second year runningThe ICC today announced its ODI Team of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by West Indian batting legend Clive Lloyd.
The announcement was made at the LG ICC Awards celebration at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. Presented in association with FICA, the ICC Awards recognise the best international players of the past 12 months.
The ICC World ODI Team of the Year is (in batting order):
Virender Sehwag (Ind)
Chris Gayle (WI)
Kevin Pietersen (Eng)
Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL)
Yuvraj Singh (Ind)
Martin Guptill (NZ)
MS Dhoni (Ind, captain, WK)
Andrew Flintoff (Eng)
Nuwan Kulasekara (SL)
Ajantha Mendis (SL)
Umar Gul (Pak)
12th man: Thilan Thushara (SL)
Six countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and just one player - Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India - also appeared in the World ODI Team of the Year in 2008. Dhoni is named as captain of the team for the second year running.
Chairman of the LG ICC Awards selection panel, Clive Lloyd said: "It was a very difficult task in selecting this year's ODI team but looking at the line-up I feel it has great balance and depth. It would be a formidable team."
Lloyd was joined on the panel by former India captain Anil Kumble, former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar, former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming and ex-England wicketkeeper Bob Taylor. Statistics were available as a guide but were not necessarily the overwhelming factor in the choices made.
The ICC ODI Team of the Year was one of two teams selected by the ICC selection panel along with the Test line-up. There were also eight individual prizes given at this year's LG ICC Awards.
The Selection Panel
The LG ICC Awards selection panel was charged with two main tasks: providing a long-list of nominations to the 25 members of the voting academy to cast their votes in the individual player award categories and, using their experience, knowledge and appreciation of the game, select the ICC World Test and ODI teams.
Clive Lloyd (chairman)
One of the most recognisable and respected figures in world cricket, Lloyd captained the West Indies to the first two ICC Cricket World Cups (in 1975 and 1979) and played a crucial role in the overall success of the team during the 1970s and early 1980s. As a big, hard-hitting, left-handed batsman he scored more than 7,500 runs in 110 Tests, including 19 centuries, and was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1971. When he retired from playing, he remained involved as a coach, manager and ICC match referee and is currently the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee.
Anil Kumble
Regarded as one of India's greatest wrist-spinners, Anil Kumble took 619 Test wickets in his career, to stand behind only Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan in the all-time list. Kumble played in 132 Test matches and in 1999, in New Delhi, he took all 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan. In December 2001 in Bangalore, he became India's first spinner to take 300 Test wickets and in August 2007 in England he gained his first Test century that had taken him 17 years and 118 matches to achieve. Kumble captained India in its first home series victory over Pakistan in 27 years at the end of 2007 and retired from international cricket in October.
Mudassar Nazar
Former Pakistan opening batsman, Mudassar played in three consecutive ICC Cricket World Cups and is one of only seven Pakistan players to have done the ODI double of scoring 1,000 runs and taking 100 wickets. He also holds the record, alongside Javed Miandad, for the highest Test partnership for any wicket for Pakistan - 451 against India at Hyderabad (Sind) in 1982, and sits seventh in the all-time Test run-scorers' list for Pakistan. Mudassar has served as director of the Nairobi Cricket Academy as well as Pakistan's National Cricket Academy. His experience with academy cricketers has now brought him into his newest role as one of the coaches at the ICC's Global Cricket Academy in Dubai.
Stephen Fleming
Former New Zealand captain, Fleming represented his country for 15 years and was one of the Black Caps' most successful leaders. He was the first New Zealander to pass 7,000 Test runs, a landmark reached during his final series against England in 2008. During his last innings, in Napier, he did just enough to lift his career average over 40. Fleming captained New Zealand for 80 Test matches and is second only to Australia's Allan Border in the record books for the most matches as captain for Tests, while he still maintains the record for the most amount of one-day internationals captained, with a success rate of 48 per cent. He retired from international cricket in 2008.
Bob Taylor
England's wicketkeeper for 57 Test matches, Taylor amassed a total of 174 dismissals in his career under the leadership of Ray Illingworth. He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1977 and represented England between 1971 and 1984, Taylor played his first-class cricket with English county side Derbyshire for 28 years and earlier this year was appointed as president of the club.
Based on the period between 13 August 2008 and 24 August 2009, the LG ICC Awards 2009 - presented in association with FICA - take into account performances by players and officials. The LG ICC Awards ceremony is now in its sixth year and this year it is being held in Johannesburg to coincide with the ICC Champions Trophy 2009. Previous ceremonies were held in London (2004), Sydney (2005), Mumbai (2006), Johannesburg (2007) and Dubai (2008)www.sabkush.com