SantaBanta Forums - General Discussion http://forum.santabanta.com/ Talk about everything from your favorite books and funniest jokes to politics and current events. en Thu, 23 May 2013 11:54:25 GMT vBulletin 60 http://media.santabanta.com/forumimages/misc/rss.png SantaBanta Forums - General Discussion http://forum.santabanta.com/ Notes http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322042-Notes&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 08:18:53 GMT *Notes* Image: http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r526/hotfuntalk/securedownload1_zps7823014e.jpg (http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/hotfuntalk/media/securedownload1_zps7823014e.jpg.html)
Notes

]]> General Discussion hotfuntalk http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322042-Notes London man Hacked to Death by Religious Fanatic http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322018-London-man-Hacked-to-Death-by-Religious-Fanatic&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 20:26:36 GMT We swear by Allah: Eye for an eye, we will never stop fighting. Two people have been shot in Woolwich, south east London, after armed police were called to an incident in which a man was attacked with a machete-style knife and dumped in the street, eyewitnesses said. One man was confirmed...
We swear by Allah: Eye for an eye,
we will never stop fighting.



Two people have been shot in Woolwich, south east London, after armed police were called to an incident in which a man was attacked with a machete-style knife and dumped in the street, eyewitnesses said.

One man was confirmed dead at the scene and two other men were taken to hospital, one of them in a serious condition,
a London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said.




]]> General Discussion Intricate Prophet http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322018-London-man-Hacked-to-Death-by-Religious-Fanatic US immigration bill passed by Senate Judiciary Committee http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322005-US-immigration-bill-passed-by-Senate-Judiciary-Committee&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:28:38 GMT Adding to the hopes of millions of illegal immigrants in US, the significant immigration bill inched closer to reality when a Senate panel approved it on Tuesday evening. The legislation which has been one of the top priorities of President Barack Obama, paves way to citizenship for 11.5... Adding to the hopes of millions of illegal immigrants in US, the significant immigration bill inched closer to reality when a Senate panel approved it on Tuesday evening.

The legislation which has been one of the top priorities of President Barack Obama, paves way to citizenship for 11.5 million immigrants, including 260, 000 Indians in America, and is the biggest immigration policy overhaul in a generation.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on the fifth day of its deliberations that included 300 amendments to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill - Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act - passed it by 13-5 votes.

The bill passed through the key Senate committee only after lawmakers reached a deal on H-1B visa expansion plan.

The bill is now slated to be taken up for debate in the full Senate next month, where it would require 60 votes to pass the 100-seat Senate.

The centerpiece provision of the legislation allows the millions of people living in the US illegally to obtain "registered provisional immigrant status" six months after enactment if certain conditions are also met.

Applicants must have arrived in the United States before Dec. 31, 2011, and maintained continuous physical presence, must not have a felony conviction of more than two misdemeanors on their record, and pay a $500 fine.

The registered provisional immigrant status lasts six years and is renewable for another $500. After a decade, though, individuals could seek a green card and lawful permanent resident status if they are up to date on their taxes and pay a $1,000 fine and meet other conditions.

Individuals brought to the country as youths would be able to apply for green cards in five years.

Hailing the approval, Obama said in a statement that the measure is "largely consistent with the principles of common-sense reform I have proposed and meets the challenge of fixing our broken immigration system."

"I encourage the full Senate to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor at the earliest possible opportunity and remain hopeful that the amendment process will lead to further improvements," Obama said in a statement.

The legislation creates a new program for low-skilled foreign labor and would permit highly skilled workers into the country at far higher levels than is currently the case.
At the same time, it requires the government to take costly new steps to guard against future illegal immigration.

In the hours leading to a final vote, the Senate panel agreed to a last-minute compromise covering an increase in the visa program for high-tech workers, a deal that brought Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah over to the ranks of supporters.

Under the compromise, the number of highly skilled workers admitted to the country would rise from 65,000 annually to 110,000, with the possibility of a further increase to 180,000, depending in part on unemployment levels.

Firms where foreign labor accounts for at least 15 percent of the skilled work force would be subjected to tighter conditions than companies less dependent on H-IB visa holders.

The issue of same-sex spouses hovered in the background from the start, and as the committee neared the end of its work, officials said Leahy had been informed that both the White House and Senate Democrats hoped he would not risk the destruction of months of painstaking work by putting the issue to a vote.
 ]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322005-US-immigration-bill-passed-by-Senate-Judiciary-Committee Israel’s second president earned less than his driver http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322004-Israel’s-second-president-earned-less-than-his-driver&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:27:55 GMT Israel's second President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi had earned 40 per cent less than his driver, according to just-released state archives.

The documents reveal that in 1962 Israeli Parliament (Knesset) Finance Committee held a special session to discuss how to raise President Ben-Zvi's salary against his wishes.

Special session was commenced as Ben-Zvi's salary had not been increased since he took office 10 years earlier. Ben-Zvi was earning 40 per cent less than his driver.

He opposed any hikes in his salary as his contribution in the nation building process.

The committee voted to triple Ben-Zvi's salary despite his opposition, state archives documents published recently to commemorate the Israeli leader's 50th death anniversary say.

"This case well reflects the personality of this special man a symbol of modesty and personal and public integrity," said the archives' website.

In December 1962, Ben-Zvi wrote to the committee's chairman, Israel Guri decrying the raise, Ha'aretz reported.

"In my opinion, as long as we are required to fulfill two important commandments bringing in our brethren and absorbing them here, and increasing our security independence given the external threats we face we dare not get dragged into raising our standard of living.

I have therefore opposed, in principle, a rise in my salary, in the hope that I would serve as an example to others," Ben-Zvi wrote.

But when the committee ignored his wishes, he donated part of his salary to a research fund that help "prepare original historic manuscripts on the history of the Jewish people," the report said.

"He was known for his humility and distaste for the pursuit of riches and extravagance. His associates reported that they have to persuade him to buy a new suit or a pair of shoes," it noted.

"I have too many clothes and I can distribute them to the poor," Ben-Zvi was quoted as saying.

"I have two pairs of shoes, and the second pair is unnecessary," the documents quote him as saying.

The Israeli leader also rejected the proposal to live in a luxurious official residence in Jerusalem. He said a modest home is sufficient when tens of thousands of Israelis are living in transit camps, tents and shacks.

Ben-Zvi pursued his modesty also in death by refusing to be buried in the section for Israel's greats on Mount Herzl.

He was buried instead in a regular plot in the Har Hamenuhot cemetery in 1963, though his tomb was fenced off.
Two years ago his family was shocked to find that the burial society had destroyed the compound in an attempt to prepare the space for new graves, Ha'aretz reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared it a heritage site after documents proved that the grave site had been specially designated "the President's plot".
]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322004-Israel’s-second-president-earned-less-than-his-driver Britain to have 8 new Sikh, Muslim schools http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322003-Britain-to-have-8-new-Sikh-Muslim-schools&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:27:02 GMT The British government has approved applications for 15 new faith schools, including two Sikh and six Muslim schools.

UK education secretary Michael Gove cleared the applications as part of 102 new "free schools" which are to be opened from 2014 and beyond.

Free schools are state-funded schools, independent of local authority control and as part of the rules, faith schools under the category are able to select a maximum of 50 per cent of pupils on the basis of religion.

"Free schools are extremely popular with parents and are delivering strong discipline and teaching excellence across the country. There are many innovators in local communities set on raising standards of education for their children," said Gove today.

Fewer schools are approved this year with a faith designation or ethos, including Church of England schools ? 15 faith designated, compared with 20 last year, and 10 with a faith ethos, compared with 13 last year.

Seva School, based at Coventry in the West Midlands region of England, will be a co-educational Sikh designated faith school set up by the Sevak Educational Trust.

The second Sikh school 'Falcons Primary School' is planned in Leicester, East Midlands, and will broadly follow the national curriculum with a focus on personalisation and a learning environment influenced by religious ethos.

The Muslim faith schools include a mix of boys and girls schools across London, Bolton, Slough and Birmingham.

Free schools in the UK are run by teachers rather than a local or central government authority and have the freedom to decide the length of the school day and term, the curriculum, and how they reward their teachers and spend their money.

Among the new schools there will be a Family school in London for children with complex psychological and mental-health problems. Two schools under the aegis of the National Autistic Society, in east Cheshire and Lambeth will also be there.

All groups involved will now finalise their plans to open from September 2014. Chief task will be to secure a site for the school and changes to the planning laws at the end of May 2013 will make it easier for free schools to move into their preferred site.

However, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) general secretary, Christine Blower, has warned that the free schools risked squandering resources.
The NUT's analysis claims that the Department for Education (DfE) has already spent more than 200 million euros on free schools.

"It is time for the government to change tack and allow local authorities to open new schools in areas where there is a genuine need for new places," she said
 ]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?322003-Britain-to-have-8-new-Sikh-Muslim-schools 4,195 Maharashtra villages depend on tankers for water http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321996-4-195-Maharashtra-villages-depend-on-tankers-for-water&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:16:37 GMT The water stock in irrigation reservoirs across Maharashtra has gone down to 17 per cent and the number of villages being supplied water through tankers has risen, the state cabinet was informed on Wednesday. As many as 4,195 villages and 10,570 hamlets in the state are being supplied... The water stock in irrigation reservoirs across Maharashtra has gone down to 17 per cent and the number of villages being supplied water through tankers has risen, the state cabinet was informed on Wednesday.

As many as 4,195 villages and 10,570 hamlets in the state are being supplied water by tankers, officials told the cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.
A total of 5,171 water tankers are supplying water to drought-hit areas. Last year, the number of tankers at this time was 2,111, an official statement said.
Several villages in central and western Maharashtra are facing severe water scarcity. The backward region of Marathwada is the worst-affected.
Water stock in dams in Marathwada has fallen to five per cent of the total storage capacity compared to 29 per cent in 2011 and eight per cent last year.
Marathwada region, comprising eight districts including Aurangabad, Nanded, Latur, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani, Osmanabad, and Hingoli, has 803 major, medium and small sized dams.
 ]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321996-4-195-Maharashtra-villages-depend-on-tankers-for-water BrahMos missile successfully test-fired from ship http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321995-BrahMos-missile-successfully-test-fired-from-ship&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:16:05 GMT India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the 290km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Navy's latest guided missile frigate INS Tarkash off the coast of Goa.

The missile performed the high-level 'C' manoeuvre in the pre-determined flight path and successfully hit the target.
The missile was launched from the Russian-built warship at 1100 hours, BrahMos Aerospace chief A Sivathanu Pillai said here.
"The launch was carried out by the Navy as part of Acceptance Test Firing (ATF) of the ship," he said.
INS Tarkash, which is an advanced Talwar Class frigate, was commissioned on November 9, last year.
The warship, along with two other frigates of the class - INS Teg and INS Trikand, have been built as part of an over Rs 8,000 crore contract signed between India and Russia in July 2006.
INS Teg was commissioned on April 27, 2012 and the commissioning of INS Trikand is expected soon.
The weapons suite of INS Tarkash includes surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile systems, 100 mm medium-range gun, close-in weapon system, torpedo tubes and anti-submarine rockets.
All the three ships will be equipped with 8 vertical- launched BrahMos missile systems as the prime strike weapon.
The new missile frigates are designed to accomplish a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.
BrahMos officials said the vertical launch configuration of the supersonic missile enhances the stealth capabilities of the ship as the missiles are under the deck and not exposed.
Jointly developed by India and Russia, the BrahMos is capable of carrying a conventional warhead of 300 kg. The missile can cruise at a maximum speed of 2.8 Mach (or 2.8 times the speed of sound).
India is readying several different versions of the missile which includes land attack, anti-ship and submarine- launched versions.
 ]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321995-BrahMos-missile-successfully-test-fired-from-ship Delhi lokayukta indicts Sheila Dikshit for misuse of public money http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321994-Delhi-lokayukta-indicts-Sheila-Dikshit-for-misuse-of-public-money&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:15:23 GMT Delhi lokayukta indicted chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday for misusing government funds for carrying out an advertisement campaign with a "political purpose" ahead of assembly elections in 2008.

Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin recommended to President Pranab Mukherjee to caution Dikshit for the alleged misuse of public funds.

He also recommended to the President to "advise" Dikshit to reimburse either herself or through her party a sum of Rs 11 crore as half the cost of the advertisements in 2008 or any amount the President finds adequate. The lokayukta had initiated an inquiry into the matter following a complaint filed by Vijender Gupta, former Delhi BJP president.

In his complaint, Gupta had charged Dikshit with abusing her position as chief minister by carrying out an advertisement campaign with a view to gaining political mileage in the assembly election in 2008.

He had alleged the government machinery, particularly the department of information and publicity, was instructed to make an elaborate plan to project the chief minister in a positive light to gain advantage during election and overcome the anti-incumbency factor. "The pattern of advertisements published by the government of Delhi and the Congress Party clearly establishes a proximate and inextricable nexus between the two," said the lokayukta.

An article authored by Uday Sahay, the then director of information and publicity department, had disclosed the strategy devised by chief minister, and her department to make an elaborate campaign to overcome the anti-incumbency factor for her and to project the chief minister, and help her win the election in 2008, the lokayukta said in the order.

The chief minister was holding charge of the department of information and publicity at that time.

"Besides being chief minister and minister in charge of information and publicity, the respondent kept a strict control over all the advertisements issued by various departments/ministries of government of Delhi and was thus directly responsible therefor," the lokayukta said.
]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321994-Delhi-lokayukta-indicts-Sheila-Dikshit-for-misuse-of-public-money <![CDATA[World's Friendliest Countries For Tourists]]> http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321990-World-s-Friendliest-Countries-For-Tourists&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 14:57:27 GMT



It is impossible to not fall in love with Iceland once you've been there.
From Europe's largest waterfalls to barren highlands and the continent's largest desert to blazing volcanoes and geysers and glaciers, Iceland was probably Europe's best kept secret till about 20 years ago.
Today as it recovers from the 2008's global meltdown, you can make the best of low prices and also experience warm hospitality of its people who are working hard to make it back to the top.
Iceland topped the list of the countries friendliest to tourists in the world.


 ]]> General Discussion sheikh http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321990-World-s-Friendliest-Countries-For-Tourists Swami Aseemanand, Col Purohit not named in Malegaon blasts chargesheet http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321987-Swami-Aseemanand-Col-Purohit-not-named-in-Malegaon-blasts-chargesheet&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 14:47:05 GMT Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case and named four accused, but importantly did not mention the names of Swami Aseemanand and former Lt Col Srikant Purohit. The development comes as a reprieve for the RSS which had... Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case and named four accused, but importantly did not mention the names of Swami Aseemanand and former Lt Col Srikant Purohit.

The development comes as a reprieve for the RSS which had come under attack after Swami Aseemanand and Col Purohit were named as accused in the case. Both had links to the Hindu organisation.

The four accused named in the chargesheet include Lokesh Sharma, Dhan Singh, Manohar Singh and Rajendra Choudhary.

The chargesheet, running into five volumes, was filed in a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (Mcoca) Court of Special Judge Prithviraj Chavan.

Ramji Kalsangra has been shown as absconding accused in the chargesheet.

Sadhvi Pragya Singh and Col Purohit were also arrested in connection with the attack.

The NIA chargesheet shows the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in poor light as the latter had blamed members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) for the attack.


The blasts that rocked Malegaon on September 8, 2006, at the time when people had gathered to observe the Shab-e-Baraat, had claimed 37 lives while leaving nearly 300 others injured.

After the blasts, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad had arrested nine suspects. However, the MCOCA court had granted bail to all of them in November 2012.

The probe into the blast was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation which endorsed the ATS findings. The case then went to the NIA, which came into existence in 2009.:winke::thumbsup: ]]> General Discussion dr genius http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321987-Swami-Aseemanand-Col-Purohit-not-named-in-Malegaon-blasts-chargesheet Goa girl develops touch-free phone technology http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321971-Goa-girl-develops-touch-free-phone-technology&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 08:01:24 GMT The next 'in' feature for your smart phone might very well be gesture-recognition and it is a young Goan who is behind the innovation. The creation is set to make touchscreen technology passe and would allow users to interact with their devices through thin air.

Native of South Goa's Velim, Andrea Colaco, has not only earned a graduate and master's degree, and later earned one of the most-sought after doctorate seats at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute Technology (MIT), but has earlier this month won the MIT $100K entrepreneurship competition for her innovation which provides real-time, millimetre accurate 3D gesture sensing on devices like mobile phones.

"What is the next interface for cellphone devices? It is gesture recognition. Every cellphone-device manufacturer is scrambling to bring gesture-recognition into their devices. This is an immediate and unaddressed market," Andrea said.

The innovation was presented at the competition as '3dim' solution, set up by Andrea with co-founder Ahmed Kirmani. It achieves high-quality 3D sensing by employing patented signal processing methods invented at MIT by the co-founders.

The Goan's business idea made the most financial sense for the panel of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, scientists and industry professionals judging the eight finalists of the over 3,000 participants.
 ]]> General Discussion gunsnroses1979 http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321971-Goa-girl-develops-touch-free-phone-technology <![CDATA[Mahatma Gandhi's blood to be auctioned in London today]]> http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321939-Mahatma-Gandhi-s-blood-to-be-auctioned-in-London-today&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 15:32:06 GMT London-based global auctioneers Mullocks is set to auction a large collection of Mahatma Gandhi's memorabilia on Tuesday increasing pressure on the Congress-led UPA government to either purchase the items being auctioned or postpone the bidding for the time being.

The priceless items belonging to Mahatma Gandhi that will go under hammer include a copy of a will, a pair of worn out sandals, a shawl woven by the Father of the Nation himself, recordings of his speeches and a microscope slide with a drop of his blood.

The auction house, located at Ludlow Racecourse in London, has faced intense criticism for selling the priceless belongings of the Mahatma.

According to reports, some close admirers of Gandhi, including Antony Chittattukara- a retired teacher, have offered these items for auction in the first place.
The auction date was announced after completing all formalities like furnishing clarifications for the authenticity of the articles and the circumstances under which they came into Chittattukara’s possession.

Chittattukara had kept these items in bank lockers for nearly 20 years.

According to Chittattukara, the soil soaked with the Mahatma's blood was collected by one Subedar P P Nambiar, who was one of the security guards posted outside the Birla House before Gandhi was shot dead.

Nambiar had kept it with him for a long time.

Some time ago, he issued an advertisement in newspapers in Kerala that he was willing to hand it over to the person who was ready to preserve it. Chittattukara then approached Nambiar and got a pinch of it from him for his collection.

Meanwhile, some items of Adolf Hitler will also be put on auction.
]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321939-Mahatma-Gandhi-s-blood-to-be-auctioned-in-London-today First Indian amputee scales Mount Everest http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321938-First-Indian-amputee-scales-Mount-Everest&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 15:31:31 GMT Arunima Sinha, a former national level volleyball player, who had lost her right leg after thrown off a moving train by some hoodlums, created history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian amputee to conquer Mount Everest. 25-year-old Sinha reached the summit of the highest peak in the... Arunima Sinha, a former national level volleyball player, who had lost her right leg after thrown off a moving train by some hoodlums, created history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian amputee to conquer Mount Everest.

25-year-old Sinha reached the summit of the highest peak in the world at 10.55 am today, as a member of the Eco Everest Expedition from the Tata Group, an official of the Tourism Ministry of Nepal said.

Sinha, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, was pushed out of the general compartment of Padmawati Express for resisting a chain-snatching attempt by some criminals, while travelling from Lucknow to Delhi on April 12, 2011.

She was hit by a passing train and was seriously injured. She was hospitalised with serious leg and pelvic injuries and in a bid to save her life, doctors had to amputate her left leg below the knee.

In an interview to an Indian TV channel before leaving for her expedition, Sinha recollected how she had decided to get her life back right in the hospital when she was recovering.
"At that time everyone was worried for me. I then realised I had to do something in my life so that people stop looking at me with pity. I read about people scaling the Mt Everest. I spoke to my older brother and my coach who only encouraged me," she had told a news channel.

Arunima joined the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) camp in Uttarkashi last year, where she trained by Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to conquer Mt Everest.
]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321938-First-Indian-amputee-scales-Mount-Everest iGate sacks CEO Phaneesh Murthy after sexual harassment charge http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321937-iGate-sacks-CEO-Phaneesh-Murthy-after-sexual-harassment-charge&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 15:30:56 GMT US-based outsourcing firm iGate Corp on Tuesday sacked the company's Chief Executive Phaneesh Murthy, one of India's best-known IT leaders, for not disclosing a relationship with a subordinate.

Murthy, who was replaced with immediate effect by interim CEO Gerhard Watzinger, denied charges of sexual harassment but admitted of being in relationship with a colleague for "few months." Its a case of extortion, he claimed.

In 2004, Murthy was forced to quit India's second biggest software exporter Infosys Ltd following a sexual harassment lawsuit, which was settled out of court.

IGate, which in its annual report stated that the exit of CEO would impact business, in a statement today said its board engaged outside legal counsel to investigate and found Murthy's failure to disclose relationship with a subordinate.

The probe, which is continuing, has not found any violation of the company's harassment policy, the Fremont, California-based company said.

Murthy, who holds over 6.55 lakh shares in iGate, in a conference call named the woman with whom he said he had a relationship "over the last few months" but claimed he had informed the firm about it and there was no violation of any policy.

"I do believe the charges (of sexual harassment) are incorrect and pursuant to the relationship I had with her over the past few months. I do not believe, I have violated any company policy... I had spoken to the Chairman (iGate) about it," he said. "It was not sexual harassment, it was a few months of relationship."

IGate said the investigation has reached the finding that Murthy's failure to report this relationship violated the company's policy, as well as Murthy's employment contract.

"The board deliberated extensively on this matter," iGate co-founder and co-chairman Sunil Wadhwani said.

"We recognise the significant contributions Murthy has provided over the past ten years in helping to establish iGate as a leader in the IT industry... However, as a result of this violation of iGate policy, we asked Murthy to step down."

"Everything is a regret," Murthy said of the iGate situation. "The entire ordeal is a regret."

US-based iGate in a statement said: "The Board's decision was made as a result of an investigation by outside legal counsel, engaged by the Board, of the facts and circumstances surrounding a relationship Mr Murthy had with a subordinate employee and a claim of sexual harassment.

"The investigation, which is ongoing, has reached the finding that Mr. Murthy's failure to report this relationship violated iGATE's policy, as well as Mr. Murthy's employment contract. The investigation has not uncovered any violation of iGATE's harassment policy."

In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission in March, iGate had said "Our success is highly dependent on the efforts and abilities of our Chief Executive Officer, Phaneesh Murthy and our senior management team. These personnel possess business and technical capabilities that are difficult to replace."

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in a concall, Murthy said "It was not sexual harassment, it was a few months of relationship."

Murthy, however, he did not disclose any details about the relationship.

"I learnt that she filed charges claiming sexual harassment, which was sent to the company. I do believe the charges are incorrect and pursuant to the relationship I had with her over the past few months. I do not believe, I have violated any company policy...I had spoken to the Chairman (iGate) about it," he said.

On being asked if he is being targeted, he said "without question, it is a case of extortion. Ever since, the first case was made public, people feel it is an easy way of making money."

Murthy said that the woman is being advised by the same lawyer and law firm, which handled the earlier sexual harassment case against him in 2002-03.

On company's statement of conducting a probe and he being asked to present his case, Murthy said "I have not been charged in anyway and I have not received any letter yet."

However, Murthy added that he was not given a chance to represent his case before the company board.

When asked about his future course of action, he said "I don't know exactly what I will do. If the matter is taken to the count, I will definetely contest it. We will defend vigorously if a lawsuit is filed."

On the issue of contesting his termination, Murthy said he will talk to his advisors and lawyers before making a final decision.

On Murthy's sacking and the future course of the company, iGate Co-Founder Ashok Trivedi said "Mr Murthy's departure was not related in any way to the company's operational or financial performance, both of which remain strong."
 ]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321937-iGate-sacks-CEO-Phaneesh-Murthy-after-sexual-harassment-charge Now, ATM-like device for hassle-free visa submission http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321935-Now-ATM-like-device-for-hassle-free-visa-submission&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 15:27:01 GMT In recognition of the Indian traveler's wanderlust, visa outsourcing major VFS Global is planning to roll out an ATM-like application submission system which will make it unnecessary for a Bareilly, Surat or Indore resident to travel to a consulate to apply for a visa.

The ViKi — a smart application submission system — enables visa applicants and travel agents to submit applications on a self-service basis, without any staff involvement. The company that provides consular and biometric enrolment services to governments across the world has already conducted test runs in Mumbai.

"The ViKi works like an ATM. You can submit your visa or passport application, fees, biometrics and receive papers at home. There is no need to go to a consulate or embassy," Zubin Karkaria, VFS Global CEO said.

The ViKi is equipped with a string of security controls such as 360 degree CCTV monitoring, including automatic intrusion detection and shutdown. It is designed to supports the application submission lifecycle by accepting payments, printing receipts and refunding the balance unspent amount. It is also capable of handling biometric enrolment and digital signatures with a touch screen menu driven, and users can choose their desired function and follow simple on screen instructions.

When asked about the company's roll out plans, Karkaria said," We have already been running a pilot of ViKi in Mumbai, and are in discussions with various client governments for roll-out across India and other countries depending on their requirements and application counts."

The company, part of the Kouni Travel group, plans to use the machine in multiple ways not only as a temporary mobile service in remote locations but also as permanent service to increase the number of application submission locations in a flexible manner. "It can be used within diplomatic missions and within visa application centres to extend submission timings and is expected to enhance convenience for visa applicants. ViKi can be used for visa application submission, or passport application submission, or for any other type of application submission," Karkaria said.

VFS is considered a significant presence in outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and governments worldwide. It serves 44 governments in 87 countries with 875 visa application centres. Speaking on the future prospect of visa out-sourcing Kuoni Travel Holding CEO Peter Rothwell said,

"About 25% of all visas outsourced today. One third of our profitability comes from VFS and we think this will grow strongly in the coming years."
]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321935-Now-ATM-like-device-for-hassle-free-visa-submission Deadliest tornado in US in two years, frenetic search for survivors as 91 feared dead http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321934-Deadliest-tornado-in-US-in-two-years-frenetic-search-for-survivors-as-91-feared-dead&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 15:26:22 GMT Pre-dawn emergency workers searched feverishly for survivors in the rubble of homes, primary schools and an hospital in an Oklahoma City suburb ravaged by a massive Monday afternoon tornado feared to have killed up to 91 people and injured well over 200 residents. The 3-km wide tornado tore... Pre-dawn emergency workers searched feverishly for survivors in the rubble of homes, primary schools and an hospital in an Oklahoma City suburb ravaged by a massive Monday afternoon tornado feared to have killed up to 91 people and injured well over 200 residents.

The 3-km wide tornado tore through town of Moore outside Oklahoma City, trapping victims beneath the rubble as one elementary school took a direct hit and another was destroyed.

Reporters were cleared back from Plaza Towers Elementary School, which sustained a direct hit Oklahoma lieutenant governor Todd Lamb told CNN. But television pictures showed firefighters from more than a dozen fire departments working under bright spotlights to find survivors.

President Barack Obama declared a major disaster area in Oklahoma, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local efforts in Moore after the deadliest U.S. tornado since one killed 161 people in Joplin, Missouri, two years ago.

The White House said Obama would make a statement on the Oklahoma tornado at 10 am EDT (1400 GMT). It said the president was brieved overnight on the tornado tragedy.

There was an outpouring of grief on Plaza Towers' Facebook page, with messages from around the country including one pleading simply: "Please find those little children."

A separate Facebook page set up to reunite people in the area hit by a tornado on Sunday with their belongings and pets also showed entries for Moore residents overnight.

Another elementary school, homes and a hospital were among the buildings leveled in Moore, leaving residents of the town of about 50,000 people stunned at the devastation and loss of life. Many residents were left without power and water.

The Oklahoma medical examiner said 20 of the 91 expected to have been killed were children. The office had already confirmed 51 dead and had been told during the night by emergency services to expect 40 more bodies found in the debris, but had not yet received them.

At least 60 of the 240 people injured were children, area hospitals said.

The National Weather Service assigned the twister a preliminary ranking of EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, meaning the second most powerful category of tornado with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph).

Witnesses said Monday's tornado appeared more fierce than the giant twister that was among the dozens that tore up the area on May 3, 1999, killing more than 40 people and destroying thousands of homes. That tornado ranked as an EF5, meaning it had winds over 200 mph.

The 1999 event in Oklahoma ranks as the third-costliest tornado in US history, having caused more than $1 billion in damage at the time, or more than $1.3 billion in today's dollars. Only the devastating Joplin and Tuscaloosa tornadoes in 2011 were more costly.

"I am close to the families of all who died in the Oklahoma tornado, especially those who lost young children. Join me in praying for them," Pope Francis said in a Twitter message.

Jeff Alger, 34, who works in the Kansas oil fields on a fracking crew, said his wife Sophia took their children out of school when she heard a tornado was coming and then fled Moore and watched it flatten the town from a few miles away.

"They didn't even have time to grab their shoes," said Alger, who has five children aged four to 11. The storm tore part of the roof off of his home. He was with his wife at Norman Regional Hospital to have glass and other debris removed from his wife's bare feet.

Moore was devastated with debris everywhere, street signs gone, lights out, houses destroyed and vehicles tossed about as if they were toys.

The dangerous storm system threatened several southern Plains states with more twisters. The area around Moore faces the risk of severe thunderstorms on Tuesday, which could hamper rescue efforts.

Storm alerts

Speaking outside Norman Regional Hospital Ninia Lay, 48, said she huddled in a closet through two storm alerts and the tornado hit on the third.

"I was hiding in the closet and I heard something like a train coming," she said under skies still flashing with lightning. The house was flattened and Lay was buried in the rubble for two hours until her husband Kevin, 50, and rescuers dug her out.

"I thank God for my cell phone, I called me husband for help."

Her daughter Catherine, seven, a first-grader at Plaza Towers Elementary School, took shelter with classmates and teachers in a bathroom when the tornado hit and destroyed the school. She escaped with scrapes and cuts.

School destroyed

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center provided the town with a warning 16 minutes before the tornado touched down at 3:01 p.m. (2001 GMT), which is greater than the average eight to 10 minutes of warning, said Keli Pirtle, a spokeswoman for the center in Norman, Oklahoma.

The notice was upgraded to emergency warning with "heightened language" at 2:56 p.m., or five minutes before the tornado touched down, Pirtle said.

Television media measured the tornado at more than 2 miles (3 km) wide, with images showing entire neighborhoods flattened.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a temporary flight restriction that allowed only relief aircraft in the area, saying it was at the request of police who needed quiet to search for buried survivors.

Oklahoma activated the National Guard, and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency activated teams to support recovery operations and coordinate responses for multiple agencies.

Briarwood Elementary School, which also stood in the storm's path, was all but destroyed. On the first floor, sections of walls had been peeled away, giving clear views into the building; while in other areas, cars hurled by the storm winds were lodged in the walls.

The number of injured as reported by several hospitals rose rapidly throughout the afternoon.

"The whole city looks like a debris field," Glenn Lewis, the mayor of Moore, told NBC.

"It looks like we have lost our hospital. I drove by there a while ago and it's pretty much destroyed," Lewis said.

The massive twister struck at the height of tornado season, and more were forecast. On Sunday, tornadoes killed two people and injured 39 in Oklahoma.
]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321934-Deadliest-tornado-in-US-in-two-years-frenetic-search-for-survivors-as-91-feared-dead I-T dept sends letters to 70K high spenders to pay tax http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321933-I-T-dept-sends-letters-to-70K-high-spenders-to-pay-tax&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 15:17:04 GMT


The government said on Tuesday it would send letters to 70,000 'high priority' assessees this month asking them to disclose their true income and pay taxes in the current financial year.
". . .70,000 letters are being sent in two batches to other high priority cases in this month.
"Of these, the first batch of 35,000 letters has been dispatched on May 20, 2013," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.
It said that based on the data analysis, tax department has identified 12.19 lakh (1.29 million) persons who have not filed tax returns.
 ]]> General Discussion rishabhd http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?321933-I-T-dept-sends-letters-to-70K-high-spenders-to-pay-tax