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Vol.5 No. 23 September 22-28, 2012 60 Cents
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Romney tries to sidestep remark disparaging 47% Americans amid eroding support
By Parveen Chopra New York: For Mitt Romney, September has caught the October chill. Usually, a presidential candidate is felled by a mis-step or scandal breaking out in October. For the Republican nominee 2012, this month may yet put paid to his long cherished dream to enter the White House. Romney’s remarks dismissing 47% of Americans as parasites dependent on government in a surreptitiously recorded video from a May fundraiser have not gone down well with anybody. Add to that his foreign policy gaffes on Israel-Palestine peace or US ambassador’s killing in Libya and the inevitable political fallout had begun. Some of Romney’s own party leaders (like Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown who is fighting to retain his seat) have expressed disagreement with Romney’s view of Americans or the world. New polls suggesting that there was a narrow path to victory for the former Massachusetts governor is all the more unfortunate for the party which had a good shot at presidency in a year when economic uncertainly and high unemployment persisted. The point is lost on nobody that President Barack Obama has opened an eight percentage-point lead in Iowa and maintains a fivepoint edge in Colorado and Wisconsin, according to Wall Street Journal/NBC News/Marist Poll surveys of the three presidential battlegrounds released Thursday. The results are significant because the Romney campaign considers these three states as steppingstones to an Electoral College majority, given that Romney is lagging behind in two of the largest battlegrounds, Ohio and Virginia. Given the challenges when Romney should have been out campaigning vigorously and refocusing on federal spending and slow economic recovery, he was embroiled this week trying to explain away his 47% remark or state it more elegantly. A poll released Wednesday indicated that the video’s release Monday has had a moderately negative effect on registered voters. The poll, taken Tuesday, showed 36% of registered voters indicating they would be less likely to vote for Romney after the tapes were released by Mother Jones magazine. Twenty percent said they were more likely to vote for Romney, and 43% said the tapes made no difference. Continued on page 4

On Thursday the blogosphere was abuzz with speculation that Mitt Romney dyed his face brown for his appearance on Spanish language TV network Univision Wednesday to appeal to Latino voters.

India allows FDI in multi-brand retail amid opposition
Trinamool pullout threatens UPA govt; Congress unfazed
New Delhi: On a day when parts of India shut down in response to an opposition-sponsored strike against economic reforms, a determined government Thursday night announced it was operationalizing FDI in multi-brand trade. "The government today notified the cabinet/CCEA decisions on FDI in single brand retail, multi brand retail, civil aviation, broadcasting sector and power exchanges," an official statement said. The unexpected announcement came a day before the Trinamool Congress was set to quit the Congress-led UPA in protest against economic measures the government says are vital for the economy. It capped a day of nationwide protests against FDI in multibrand retail, a hike in diesel prices, and cap on cooking gas cylinders that evoked a mixed response across the country. The general strike crippled normal life in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Tripura. Shops and businesses in these states were universally shut. Rail and road transport was also badly hit, inconveniencing millions. Thursday's protest was sponsored by the Samajwadi Party, the Left and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies barring the Shiv Sena. In Tamil Nadu, even Congress ally DMK joined the show. In West Bengal, where the ruling Trinamool Congress opposed the strike, the shutdown called by the Left and BJP virtually paralyzed life. Against the backdrop of widespread uproar over decision on FDI, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to explain to the nation on Friday the reason behind the step and the benefits it would entail. The thrust of the Prime Continued on page 4

An activist shouted slogans in Allahabad Thursday during a daylong strike in India to protest rising diesel prices and allowing foreign capital in multibrand retail.

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September 22-28, 2012

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September 22-28, 2012

Carnatic-Hindustani jugalbandi for a cause
By Jinal Shah New York: It is rare to see two world renowned classical musicians performing together. However, on Saturday a fundraiser organized by Vidya Daanam, an organization focused on educating underprivileged students especially girls in southern India, featured violinists Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi and Kala Ramnath together. The Hindustani-Carnatic jugalbandi titled Raaga Rendezvous had accompanists Bangalore Praveen and Abhijit Banerjee on mridangam and tabla respectively. Attended by classical music enthusiasts, it was held in Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center in New York. Started seven years ago, Vidya Daanam is supporting scores of underprivileged children, especially in southern India - Chikmagalur, Coimbatore and Tondavali - through its supplementary education program. “Some of the programs and initiatives engineered and supported by Vidya Daanam include non-formal education centers for over 35 Tsunami affected villages in Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam districts in Tamil Nadu. We support children with nutrition and stable residential environment. Along with partner Bharat Heritage Foundation, we have adopted panchayats and trained teachers to give extra coaching to children. We have also set up six computer

Indian American named Newsweek/Daily Beast's CEO
New York: Baba Shetty has been named Newsweek/Daily Beast's new CEO. Currently the chief of strategy and media at the advertising agency Hill Holliday, he starts his new role in October. The company made the announcement Wednesday. "We collaborated on our very successful Newsweek Mad Men issue together and forged a terrific creative relationship," editor-in-chief Tina Brown said in a statement. "He is extremely gifted at brand and digital strategy, is a strong leader, and is the perfect partner for the next phase of The Newsweek Daily Beast Company and our expanding live events business." Shetty will take over from Stephen Colvin, who was president of the Daily Beast and later became CEO when the site merged with Newsweek. Newsweek/Daily Beast is trying to chart a new course. The

Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi (Carnatic) and Kala Ramnath (Hindustani) at the concert to raise funds for Vidya Daanam. centers to support them,” said Chitra Bhaskar, director of Vidya Daanam. Chitra added, “Vidya Daanam also gives special attention to girl child, educating and helping in issues including hygiene. We are trying to lower number of girls dropping out of schools and give them special coaching, especially during 10th and 12th grade exams.” Swami Dayananda Saraswati is the guiding force behind Vidya Daanam.

The India-born’s full name is Baba Shivaram Shetty Harman family, which previously owned a 50 percent stake in the two publications, withdrew much of its funding earlier this year. Shetty’s career has included a stint at BMW as manager, marketing communications (1993-2000).

Mukherjee NOT to address GIBM via satellite

MTA could not stop this anti-Jihad ad from running
New York: After months of court battles, a heavily debated anti-Jihad ad, sponsored by The American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) is scheduled to run in 10 subway stations throughout the New York City Metro Area starting next week. The ad is emblazoned with the Ayn Rand quote: "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man." The ad was initially rejected by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in July based on the MTA's claim that it was Pamela Geller, the executive director for the AFDI, sued on the grounds that the rejection violated the first amendment rights of the organization -- and prevailed. Geller’s views are highly regarded by the Indian American Intellectuals Forum President Narain Kataria. The timing of the ad release could not be worse—the violence in the Arab world inspired by the US produced anti-Islam film is just about dying down. Aaron Donovan, a spokesperson for the MTA, said "our hands are tied."

Bad timing for the controversial ad to run soon on subway trains

A screen shot of the GIBM website Thursday before President Pranab Mukherjee’s name was taken down. New York: Till Thursday noon, President Pranab Mukherjee was listed as confirmed to address the Global Indian Business Meet (GIBM) via satellite on the website of the conference being held in New York starting Friday. Canceled. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to address the meet also through video conferencing? Indian federal minister Subodh Kant Sahay coming down? Canceled too most likely. No matter that their names stayed ‘confirmed’ on the website till press time. “We are still trying”, a GIBM spokesperson told SATimes when contacted. GIBM organizers had initially flaunted names of quite a few other Indian ministers and business tycoons like Mukesh Ambani and Lakshmi Mittal as well. No show again. "It is our first conference," justified the spokesperson. Smacks of a ploy to hoodwink the public and stakeholders. Name dropping to enroll gettable speakers and secure sponsors?

defamatory and violated MTA's advertising standards. But, fiery anti-Islam blogger

Sale of large sugary drinks banned in city
New York: Thirsty for a huge bottle of soda? Then skip New York City. The city's Board of Health last week passed a rule banning sale of big sodas and other sugary drinks at restaurants, concession stands, and other eateries. The regulation, which was proposed in the spring by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and approved by panel of health experts after several months of review, puts a 16ounce size limit on cups and bottles of non-diet soda, sweetened teas, and other calorie-packed beverages. The ban is supposed to go into effect mid-March. The ban will apply in fast-food joints, movie houses and Broadway theaters, workplace cafeterias, and most other places selling prepared food.It doesn't cover beverages sold in supermarkets or most convenience stores. The rule wouldn't apply to lower-calorie drinks, such as water or diet soda, or to alcoholic beverages or drinks that are more than half milk or 70 percent juice. Enforcement would be conducted by an existing corps of city restaurant inspectors. A violation would lead to a $200 fine.

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September 22-28, 2012

Indus American Bank reaches out to the community
Iselin, NJ: Indus American Bank has embarked on a major out-reach program into the community. It recently unveiled a “Community Rewards Program”, which reflects the Bank’s philosophy to reinvest in the communities in which it operates. This program is designed to support 501 (C) 3 non-profit organizations to raise more funds. This is accomplished by Indus American Bank making quarterly contribuThe bank’s Iselin branch personnel Renu tions to such an organization based on the number of its members and Gandhi, Rekha Sarathy and Jitendra Rathod at the booth in Sai Mandir, Edison. supporters banking with Indus American Bank. “This is a great way partnered with the Sai Mandir in Edison, for our Bank and employees to make a NJ by bringing its services to the temple’s difference in the community,” said Anil worshippers. More such events are Bansal, Executive Chairman of the Bank. planned for both New York and New As part of this effort, the Bank recently Jersey. Romney story Continued from page 1 Here is Romney’s controversial remark repeated ad nauseam by the pro-Obama media: “There are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. There are 47% who are with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing." When asked about Romney’s remark, Obama said, "When you express an attitude that half the country considers itself victims, that somehow they want to be dependent on government, my thinking is that maybe you haven't gotten around a lot." "We have gone through a challenging time," Obama said. "People want a hand up not a handout. Are there people who abuse the system? Yes, both at the bottom and the top. Because there are a whole bunch of millionaires who aren't paying taxes at all either." Conservative blogger and Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, who had earlier this week called Romney campaign 'incompetent,' and needing 'intervention', agrees that the pendulum has swung toward Obama. Now, she says, for Romney, the debates are critical. If Romney clearly wins the first debate Oct. 3, he has a good chance of reversing the trajectory of the last three weeks. India allows FDI story Continued from page 1 Minister's message is expected to be that the step was taken in national interest.

Lohan arrested over hit and run in Manhattan
New York: Actress Lindsay Lohan was arrested and then released for allegedly clipping a pedestrian with her car and fleeing the scene. The 26-year-old was detained by police officers after the low-speed accident in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, reports contactmusic.com. Lohan was pulling her Porsche Cayenne into a parking space in downtown Manhattan when she collided with a man standing nearby, hitting his knee, reports tmz.com. As a passenger in the car checked the damage, Lohan is alleged to have walked to her nearby hotel, prompting a witness to call cops. Officers arrived at the location and arrested Lohan outside the hotel, and she was later booked for leaving the scene of an accident.

Actress Lindsay Lohan has had many brushes with law nomic move, saying it was for the common man. Law Minister Salman Khurshid said: "We have done the reforms with a humane face. This is an 'aam aadmi' reform." Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said: "There was no other way than this decision to keep the economy on track." She also claimed the government had the support of over 300 MPs. Khurshid denied the government could topple because of the exit of the Trinamool Congress, which has 19 MPs in the 545-seat Lok Sabha and is the second largest constituent in the ruling UPA. He said the UPA has "enough support from MPs and friendly parties." Finance Minister P. Chidambaram echoed the theme

After the Cabinet decision on September 14, Singh had said the step was intended to "bolster economic growth and make India a more attractive destination" for foreign investment. Showing resolve for reforms, the government on Thursday notified its decision to allow global retail giants like Walmart to open stores in India. With this notification, multinational retailers can invest up to 51 per cent to open stores in 10 states and UTs which, till date, have agreed to implement the decision (implementation happens to be the states’ prerogative). Also, 49% FDI by foreign airlines in the domestic carriers will be allowed. Meanwhile, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) estimated that the Indian economy lost Rs.12,500 crore ($2.25 billion) Thursday because of pan-India work stop-

page. On their part, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said the strike was "very successful" and that an estimated 50 million shopkeepers across India took part. In the heart of the capital, leaders of traders' bodies joined hands with political veterans to denounce the FDI in retail trade which they say will ruin India's mammoth retail sector. Attacking the government, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "This is not a UPA government anymore. It is a Congress government only." Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav courted arrest in Delhi along with Left leaders A.B. Bardhan, Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury, and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu. The government backed its eco-

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September 22-28, 2012

Washington, DC: A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) panel will look into demands to track hate crimes against Sikhs motivated by religious bias in the wake of the Aug 5 shooting at a Wisconsin gurdwara. The FBI's Advisory Policy Board will be asked to look into expansion of current hate crime reporting categories to include hate crimes motivated by anti-Sikh bias, Deputy Attorney General James M Cole told a Senate panel Wednesday. The official made the announcement as Harpreet Singh Saini, whose mother was one of six killed by a white supremacist in the attack on the Oak Creek temple in August and several other witnesses asked the panel to urge the FBI to track hate crimes against Sikhs. More than 400 people packed Wednesday's nearly two-hour hearing on "Hate Crimes and The Threat

FBI asked to track anti-Sikh hate crimes
of Domestic Extremism" before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. The hearing was convened by the subcommittee's Democratic chairman, Senator Dick Durbin in response to the Oak Creek gurdwara shooting at the request of more than 150 organizations, led by the Sikh Coalition. "I just had my first day of college, and my mother wasn't there to send me off," Saini said. "She won't be there at my graduation or my wedding day. I want to tell the gunman you may be full of hate but my mother was full of love." Saini pointed out that the FBI does not count the number of hate crimes against Sikhs specifically, instead lumping those attacks in the anti-Muslim hate-crime category. "I came here today to ask the government to give my mother the dignity of being a statistic," he said. "We cannot solve a problem we refuse to recognize." As many as 81 members of Congress have also introduced a resolution asking the FBI to track antiSikh hate crimes. Michael A. Clancy, a counterterrorism official at the FBI, testified that while the agency was aware that the Wisconsin shooter Wade Michael Page was a white supremacist, the FBI "never had any information that he posed a threat to any group, particularly the Sikhs." Herb Kohl, a Democratic senator from Wisconsin, who is not a member of the committee, told the panel: "August 5th was a tragic day not only for Sikh Americans but for all Americans, as is any day extremist hate groups target people of faith

Son of a Wisconsin gurdwara shooting victim, Harpreet Saini gave testimony in the US Senate. (Photo: Russell Brammer/Sikh Coalition) with harassment and violence." Earlier, in his opening remarks, Durbin with moving words about the Sikh victims and law enforcement officers who were killed or injured at Oak Creek, made a plea to stand together against hate as hate crimes affect all communities.

AAHOA hosts Congressional Day and Capitol Hill reception
Atlanta: The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), one of the leading forces in the hospitality industry, hosted its annual Congressional Day & Capitol Hill Reception on Wednesday, September 12, 2012. The AAHOA delegation to Washington, D.C., which included more than 175 AAHOA leaders from throughout the United States, met with 135 Congressional offices to promote AAHOA legislative initiatives. The first legislative priority that the AAHOA delegates presented to members of Congress involved reauthorizing and modernizing SBA loan programs, including reauthorizing the temporary SBA 504 refinancing and FMLP programs that are set to expire September 27, 2012. Second, the delegates promoted the “Jobs Originated through the Launching of Travel” (JOLT) Act. This program, among other things, would reform visa processing standards and expand the Visa Waiver Program to increase international tourism to the United States. Finally, the delegates supported the proposed “Pool Safety and Accessibility for Everyone” (Pool SAFE) Act. This legislation currently has versions proposed in both the House and Senate that would help hotel owners reasonably comply with mandates arising from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for swimming pool lifts. years to come.” “Organizations with the size and reach of AAHOA have a responsibility to speak up for the thousands of businesses across the country that will be affected by issues addressed by our legislative priorities,” said AAHOA President Fred Schwartz. “Our leaders and members stepped up and presented a unified front that will impact policymakers on Capitol Hill.”

Law student’s suit against Bharara dismissed
New York: A U.S. court here has dismissed a lawsuit filed by an Indian American law student against Manhattan's federal prosecutor Preet Bharara and the Justice Department for unlawfully questioning her and seizing her cell phone during Rajat Gupta's insider trading trial. Benula Bensam, 24, had filed a lawsuit against Bharara, federal prosecutors Reed Brodsky, Richard Tarlowe and the U.S. Marshals Service in U.S. District Court in July. U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter, however, dismissed the claims Bensam had filed "for failure to state a claim on which relief can be granted." The law student had got into trouble during the Gupta trial in June after she sent three letters to presiding Judge Jed Rakoff on the case. During one of the court proceedings in the trial, Bensam was escorted out of the courtroom by U.S. Marshals and questioned over the letters she had sent to the judge. She said in the lawsuit that the marshals questioned her at length and refused to return her cell phone, saying she could get it back only after she had answered all their questions. The marshals also attempted to take her picture with a mobile phone. Bensam also alleged that her phone had been tampered with by the court security. In the lawsuit, Bensam had alleged she was subject to "unreasonable search and seizure for unlawful stop, detention, interrogation, seizure of property, search of property, search of communications and demand for identification." She is representing herself. Carter said Bensam's only allegations against Brodsky and Tarlow are that they "knew of the letters [she] had written to Judge Rakoff" and "may have instigated the involvement of the U.S. Marshals." Similarly, Bensam's allegations that Bharara "may have instigated the involvement of the U.S. Marshals," and "has advocated the use of intrusive surveillance" fail to state a claim that he failed to do anything that violated Bensam's rights, the judge ruled.

AAHOA members outside the Capitol Hill The Capitol Hill Reception held later that evening at the United Way Worldwide facility in Alexandria, Va., included keynote speaker Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; special guest speakers U.S. Representative Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), Jim Bridenstine, a Republican candidate for Congress from Oklahoma, and Tulsi Gabbard, a Democratic candidate from Hawaii running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives who has been reported by some to be a virtual lock to win; as well as guest speakers Sherrie Brach, Executive Vice President of Investor Relations for United Way Worldwide, Diane Farrell, senior director and executive vice president, US India Business Council (USIBC), and Roma Bose, Director of Organizational Development for United Way Worldwide. “As the voice of hotel owners in this country, our members each have a unique story to tell when it comes to informing members of Congress about how certain legislation affects our industry and small business owners in general,” said AAHOA Chairman Alkesh Patel. “When we arrive on the Hill with such a strong showing of AAHOA leaders, our message is clearly heard, and we create long-lasting relationships with elected officials that will benefit the industry for

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September 22-28, 2012

IN BRIEF

Swami Bodhananda to give discourse on Gita
he Saibaba temple, FlushCalifornia. After that visit the ing, Queens is organizing swami and his disciples incorpothis weekend a program rated The Sabodh Society, a nonon the Bhagavad-Gita. Swami profit and religious, charitable Bodhananda Saraswati, the spiriorganization to teach meditation tual founder-director of the Samand vedanta to Indian-Ameriboth Society, which is incorpocans and Americans at large. rated in the US, will give a disSince that first visit to the US, course on Gita and answer the swami has visited the counqueries of devotees with his entry every year. Aside from his gaging conversation laced with teachings to the public, the swalively humor. He will also talk Swami Bodhananda mi taught himself about the culabout applying the age-old tenets ture and traditions of different in the holy book to the modern-day context. peoples of the New World through reading The swami is popular both in the US and and observing. India, and wrote commentaries and spiritual The year 2000 was a turning point when work focusing on the Gita and other holy the swami made his most extensive tour of texts. He was born in Mattatur, Kerala, about the US and Canada visiting devotees in more 50 kilometers from Kalady village, the birth- than 25 cities. In November a 32-acre parcel place of Adi Sankaracharya—the great Indi- of land near Kalamazoo, Michigan, was an philosopher of the Eighth Century and the bought on which the swami's first center and best-known exponent of the Advaita philos- headquarter in the US was set up. ophy. The swami has been spiritually inSwami gave discourses not only in Hindu clined since his childhood and decided to temples but also in Christian churches. Lilead a life of sanyasi in later years. He earned braries, homes, workplaces and educational his bachelor's degree in economics from institutions have also played host to his spirChrist College, Irinjalkuda, Kerala. It was itual talks, which generally focus on the Gita during the time when he was studying for his and the Upanishads. master's, the swami decided to take the spirThe program at the Saibaba temple in itual plunge. Flushing is scheduled for Saturday, SeptemThe swami began his spiritual journey to ber 22 in the afternoon/evening. The twothe US in 1997. New York was one of his session program begins at 4:30PM with a first stops, along with Michigan, Illinois and half-hour break at 6:30PM.

ZEE TV says ‘kem chho’ to Gujaratis in its own style
ee TV HD joined hands with the Chaalo Gujarat event at Raritan Center, NJ on Aug 31, Sep 1 and Sep 2. The 3 day event saw a turnout of close to 35,000 attendees. After the successful launch announcement of Zee TV HD at the India Day Parade, HD seemed to be a hit among the attendees of Chaalo Gujarat as well. Zee TV HD created a major buzz and attracted 1000s to the booth each day. Raffle gifts such as Apple iPads, Exclusive gifts from SAHIL Exclusive boutique, dinner coupons from legendary Moti Mahal Delux and one year subscription to ZEE TV HD were given out to attendees. Raffle winner Varsha D Shah said “Zee TV programs are great! My family is really excited with the new iPad, thank you Zee!” Dr.Pankaj Naram, host of ‘Yoga for You’ on Zee TV shared his expertise at the Zee TV HD booth through all three days and interacted

T

Z

People thronged Zee TV booth at Chaalo Gujarat event with the attendees who flocked to him for advice.

Mindy Kaling on cover of New York magazine
ndian-American actress, comedian, writer and producer Mindy Kaling graced the cover of the Sept. 17 issue of New York magazine. The 33-year-old spoke about her new series “The Mindy Project,” which airs on Fox beginning Sept. 25. Kaling plays Dr. Mindy Lahiri, a competent OB/GYN, disastrous but still hopeful at love. The debut this month will make Kaling one of the only women of color to be both the face of and the creative force behind a network TV show, the magazine said. “Every detail of this set, not to mention every word of every script, has had to pass through Kaling’s brain and reflect her unique worldview as a self-described ‘chubby’ 33-year-old Indian-American female comic by way of Cambridge, Massachusetts; Dartmouth College; and eight

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Dr. Anita Bist’s book “Masala for Retirement” released

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r. Anita Bist announced the release of her book “Masala for Retirement: How to Add ZEST to the Rest of Your Life”. The author uses the Indian word “masala” which means spices, as a colorful metaphor for all the important life areas that make up a successful retirement lifestyle. “There are over 30 million Indians living abroad according to Census Bureaus worldwide,” says author Dr. Anita Bist. “In the United States alone, there are approximately 3 million NRIs. Also, there are over 1 million NRIs each in Canada, Great Britain, South Africa and the Middle East according to their statistics agencies.” “Indians living abroad have always faced East-West conflicts when adjusting to a new life in a different culture. In most cases, these immigrants arrived looking for economic opportunity but when it is time for retirement, many of them are torn between wanting to return to their native land or to continue staying in their adopted countries with their children and grandchildren,” continues Dr. Anita Bist, a first-generation im-

migrant herself. “They have nostalgic memories of their younger days and seek to recapture those feelings in the land of their birth during their older age.” Her book Masala for Retirement speaks of the “where to retire?” conflict NRIs face when planning their retirement as well as other important issues such as filling your retirement time, staying healthy, supplementing your retirement income and finding a sense of purpose. The author shares client stories, self-assessments and practical steps to plan your successful and meaningful retirement. A retirement life consultant, naturopath, spiritual teacher and entrepreneur, she has a Ph.D. in Natural Health, an MBA degree in Marketing and Certifications in Retirement Coaching.

years as both a writer and a cast member on NBC’s “The Office,” the magazine said.

Indian American director's thriller wins another US award
9 Eleven", a Bollywood-style thriller by Indian American director Manan Singh Katohara, has won the Best Narrative Feature Award at the 2012 Third World Independent Film Festival (TWIFF). The San Francisco festival celebrates established and emerging filmmakers from third world countries and filmmakers from developed countries whose topics deal with issues of the developing world. The film, which earlier won the Best Feature and Best Director awards at the 2012 World Music & Independent Film Festival

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(WMIFF) in Washington, is set for its West coast premiere Sep 22. Written and directed by Katohora, who also won the 2012 Rising Star Award for the film at Canada International Film Festival, the fast paced thriller with undertones of terrorism, poses the question how does one survive collectively in meeting the growing phenomenon of terrorism head on. Earlier "9 Eleven" won the Best Feature Film award at the Peoples Film Festival (TPFF) in New York showcasing extraordinary films using different media formats.

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September 22-28, 2012

Five Indian Americans among Forbes 400 richest
Washington, DC: Five Indian-Americans figure in the Forbes magazine's annual list of the richest people in America with Microsoft Corp chairman Bill Gates retaining his top spot with $66 billion, up $7 billion from 2011. He is followed by Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s Warren Buffett (No. 2) with $46 billion, also up $7 billion from last year and Oracle Corp's Larry Ellison (No. 3) with $41 billion, up $8 billion - and the biggest dollar gainer this year. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been pushed down in the rankings to the no. 36 spot with his estimated net worth falling by about $8 billion to $9.4 billion since Facebook went public in May. The Indian-Americans' list is topped by Bharat Desai and family with a net worth of $2 billion in the 239th place. Kenya-born Bharat Desai started as a programmer for Tata Consultancy Services, only to leave the company four years later to start Syntel with his wife. Next comes Romesh T. Wadhwani (No. 250), Founder and Chairman, Symphony Technology Group, with a net worth of $1.9 billion. Landing in the US with only a few dollars in his pocket, he developed business software firm Aspect Development. Today his portfolio includes more than 10 different enterprise software companies. Third on the Indian-American list is Kavitark Ram Shriram (No. 298), Managing Partner, Sherpalo Ventures, with a net worth of $1.6 billion. He was one of the first people to write a check to Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page in 1998. Next comes Indian-born Manoj Bhargava (No. 311) with a net worth of $1.5 billion. His two-ounce caffeine and vitamin elixir, 5-Hour Energy, promises to keep users alert without crashing -- and claims a 90 percent-plus market share in the energy shot sector Last on the Indian-American list is Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla (No. 328) with a net worth of $1.4 billion. With a firm belief that the future lies in developing cleaner energy sources, the Khosla Ventures founder was a big backer of biofuel producers Kior and Gevo, both of which went public in 2011, according to Forbes.

Indiana doctor sentenced for health care fraud
Bloomington: An Indian shared the same office American anesthesiologist suite. from Bloomington, Indiana He had a federal Drug was sentenced September E n f o r c e m e n t 18, to 42 months in prison Administration license to by a judge in Indianapolis, prescribe controlled subIndiana. stances and in the late Dr. Kamal Tiwari, 60, was 1990s, he began to focus sentenced by District Court his medical practice in Judge Sarah Evans Barker to “interventional pain manthree and a half years in fedagement,” a specialty of eral prison, and ordered to medicine which includes a pay close to $1.3 million, wide variety of therapies, the amount he made from often involving combinaDr.Kamal Tiwari prescribing unnecessary tions of injection proceprocedures and drugs, the U.S. Attorney for dures and opioids, the release said. the Southern District of Indiana announced From January 2007 through December in a press release. This March, Tiwari 2007, Dr. Tiwari admitted he engaged in a pleaded guilty to charges of health care scheme to defraud Medicaid, Medicare, fraud and unlawful drug distribution. and Anthem to increase revenues, by perProsecutors wanted a stiffer sentence forming numerous medical procedures on U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Hogsett indicated. patients that were not medically necessary, “While we argued this morning in favor of including such injection procedures as facet a sentence that we believe was befitting of blocks, epidurals, and radiofrequency ablathe crimes committed, we respect the Judge tions. The doctor also admitted to providing Barker’s decision and will continue to work certain patients opioid prescriptions that with our law enforcement partners to make exceeded any legitimate purpose. These whole the victims of Mr. Tiwari’s actions,” prescriptions included such drugs as Hogsett is quoted saying in the release. Percocet, Oxycontin, oxycodone, and Tiwari specialized in anesthesiology and methadone. These drugs, along with the ran two clinics in the Bloomington area, excess steroids from the unnecessary proPain Management and Surgery Center of cedures, caused some patients serious bodiSouthern Indiana, Inc. Both businesses ly injury, the release said.

Sunita Williams takes over space station command
Washington, DC: IndianAmerican astronaut Sunita Williams has taken over command of the International Space Station (ISS), yet another feather in her cap as she already holds three records for female space travelers. Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka ceremonially handed over control of the space station to Expedition 33 Commander Sunita Williams in the Destiny laboratory Saturday afternoon during the traditional Change-of-Command Ceremony, NASA reported. NASA astronaut Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and Japan's Akihiko Hoshide remain on the ISS, reported RIA Novosti. On Sep 6, Williams set the new record for total cumula-

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams (front left) takes command of the International Space Station from cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (front right) during a ceremony marking the start of the Expedition 33 increment aboard the space station on Sept. 15, 2012. (Credit: NASA TV) tive spacewalk time by a power to the International female astronaut with her Space Station. The spacewalk lasted 6 sixth space walk to repair a faulty power distribution unit. hours 28 minutes. Williams Williams surpassed Peggy has now worked outside the Whitson's record during her station for a total of 44 hours excursion as she and her and 2 minutes, overtaking Japanese counterpart Akihiko Whitson who worked outside Hoshide used a toothbrush for 39 hours and 46 minutes and a wire brush fashioned over the course of six spaceout of a spare cable to restore walks.

TCS opens new center in Minneapolis
New Delhi: Tata Consultancy Services has opened a new facility in Minnesota, which will serve as a hub for delivering technology services to customers in the region. The 50,000-square foot facility will house roughly 300 employees. “The decision to open a new TCS facility in the Minneapolis region is part of our company’s on-going commitment to grow our presence in each and every market we serve,” said N. Chandrasekaran, TCS’ Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. “Over the past few years, Minnesota has put an emphasis on technological innovation that aligns with TCS’ breadth of industry expertise, innovative engineering strength and commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions, and will only enhance the scope and scale of our customer offerings in North America,” he added. TCS, which had set up operations in New York City in 1979, now has 18 offices in the US.

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National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Author Siddhartha Deb wins PEN Award
New York: Indian American writer Siddhartha Deb was named the winner of the prestigious PEN Open Book Award Aug. 28. The award carries a $5,000 prize and honors “an exceptional work of literature by a writer of color published in 2011,” said a press release from PEN, an international professional writers’ association based in New York City. Deb took the prize for his nonfiction book “The Beautiful and the Damned: A Portrait of the New India” (Faber & Faber). Born in Meghalaya and brought up in Shillong, Deb has witnessed the growing unrest in Northeastern India and focuses on the tumult there in his writings. “This is an obscure and turbulent area, and it has informed much of my work, including my two novels, ‘The Point of

Anil Revri's ‘Wall for Peace’ installed at Dulles airport
Washington, DC: A compelling art installation at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., urges visitors to consider messages of peace. Created by Indian American artist Anil Revri, the “Wall for Peace” is a seven-foot-tall and six-footlong block decorated by a ticker-tape-like stream of LED messages of peace taken from the holy books of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. It was presented to the public Aug. 23. According to Art News, the artwork was procured by Dulles Airport in the wake of the shootings at the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin Aug. 5, which highlighted America’s need for ethnic and religious tolerance. “Rays of light emanating from the unit are projected on to the viewers as they walk around the work,” Revri said in a statement, “in a symbolic act of cleansing of religious

The artist and his creation and racial prejudices.” The Wall for Peace will remain on the airport’s Concourse A/B until next March, after which Revri hopes to take it to sites that have seen violent episodes, including the Taj or Oberoi in Mumbai, where the 26/11 terror attacks unfolded. The Wall for Peace, he said, “can bring about interfaith dialogue by clearly stating to those who come from [the six] religions that it is their own religions that talk about peace.” “I have incorporated themes related to peace, desire, lust and greed, and renunciation from all six religions to visually illustrate how similar values have been interpreted by peoples of different faiths in the course of history,” he said. Revri’s works are included in the art collections of Air India, Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. New Delhi native Revri holds a degree in interior design from the Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai, and a bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design from the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, D.C.

Author Siddhartha Deb and his book that won the award Return’ and ‘An Outline of the Republic,’” he states in his official biography on the website of The New School’s Eugene Lang College for Liberal Arts, where he serves as an assistant professor. “It has also given me a certain nomadic tendency, so that in spite of living in cities for the last two decades — in Calcutta, Delhi, and New York — I continue to travel to farflung places. The Guardian praised “The Beautiful and the Damned” and Deb for evoking an “extraordinary feeling for the texture of lower middle-class life, as well as his unerring sensitivity to the way a country yet again transforms itself.” PEN was founded in 1921 in direct response to the ethnic and national divisions that contributed to the First World War, said a spokesperson.

US Elections TheSouthAsianTimes.info

9

September 22-28, 2012

Romney blooper has Republicans scrambling for damage control
Washington: As Democrats pounced on a Mitt Romney blooper suggesting that nearly half the Americans were "moochers" or dependants, Republicans went into damage control mode, but their presidential contender himself stood by his gaffe. In the controversial secretly recorded video from a May fundraiser published by the liberalleaning ‘Mother Jones’, Romney is heard describing "47 percent of the people who will vote (for Obama) no matter what" as being dependent on government. Commenting on the video, President Barack Obama Tuesday suggested that Romney was "writing off a big chunk of the country." In an interview taped for The Letterman Show, he said, "One of the things I learned as president is you represent the entire country. If you want to be president, you have to work for everyone." Amid the political furor, Romney acknowledged that his remarks were "not elegantly stated" but asserted "This is a message I'm carrying day and day out and will carry over the coming months." "This is a decision about the course of America, where we're going to head. We've seen the president's policies play out over the last four years," he said on pro-Republican Fox News. Romney said he was making a political analysis in the remarks, not a broader assessment of

Damaging to Romney campaign, the ‘47% video' was shot on a cellphone at a fundraiser in May and released Monday by Mother Jones magazine. Americans who rely on government-funded programs. His running mate Paul Ryan too suggested that "He (Romney) was obviously inarticulate in making this point." But the point the Republicans are making is that, under the Obama economy, government dependency is up and economic stagnation is up. Meanwhile, two Republican Senate candidates locked in tight election battles in Democrat leaning states sought to distance themselves from Romney's controversial remarks. "That's not the way I view the world," said Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts. "As someone who grew up in tough circumstances, I know that being on public assistance is not a spot that anyone wants to be in." "I disagree with Governor Romney's insinuation that 47 percent of Americans believe they are victims who must depend on the

Republican nominee for President, Mitt Romney clarifying his ‘47%’ remark Tuesday. government for their care," said Linda McMahon of Connecticut recounting how she and her husband Vince McMahon struggled financially when they were younger.

Romney campaign trying to fix lack of specifics
By Vikas Girdhar New York: Ed Gillespie, a top strategist and veteran Republican operative for presidential candidate Mitt Romney, has conceded that their campaign has so far been short on specifics. He believes that Romney’s claims have not exactly detailed important plans for improving the condition of the nation and that lack of communication has left him short of reaching many voters. In this crucial stretch of the last seven weeks before the November 6 election, Romney still finds himself behind on the count. Gillespie believes that the people’s concerns about the economy, energy and foreign policy have not been addressed. “We are not rolling out new policy so much as we are making sure people understand that when we say we can do these things, here’s how we are going to get them done and these are the specifics,” said Gillespie. For the past few months, much of Romney’s campaign has focused more on criticizing the way Obama has handled the nation in its economic crisis and less on his own plans. Many of Romney’s aides have been banking on winning over voters who are dissatisfied enough with Obama to vote for a fresh change. The recent polls that indicated Obama ahead of Romney reflect the theory that voters are now tuning into the campaign much more and are eager to hear details.

Obama leads Romney nationally: Poll
Washington: Amid a political row caused by Mitt Romney's controversial remarks that 47 percent of Americans looked themselves as victims, a new poll showed President Obama leading his Republican challenger nationally by 5 points. While a NBC/WSJ survey released Tuesday showed Obama leading Romney by 50 percent to 45 percent among Americans judged "likely" to vote nationally, a Washington Post poll indicated he had an eight point lead over Romney in the crucial battleground state of Virginia. According to the latest NBC/WSJ poll, fuelled by increased optimism about the economy and nation's direction, Obama now sees his job-approval rating reaching the 50 percent threshold for the first time since March. Among a wider sample of registered voters, the president's lead is 6 points, 50 percent to 44 percent - up from Obama's 4-point edge last month, 48 percent to 44 percent. "It's clear to me that Barack Obama has moved a step ahead," Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff, was quoted as saying by NBC. For his part, McInturff added that the presidential race may very well have seen an inflection point. "The president is in a stronger position than he was before the convention." But noting similarities between the current numbers and those from the 2004 George W. Bush vs. John Kerry race, he suggested that this contest could be just as competitive. "If you look at '04 as a model, '04 was really close. And that's how we should continue to think about the campaign." The NBC News/Wall Street poll also

Obama plays China card against Romney
Washington: With just weeks to go for what is expected to be a close presidential race, President Barack Obama played the China card against his Republican challenger Mitt Romney with another outsourcing jab. "I like to walk the walk, not just talk the talk," said Obama Monday at a campaign event in Cincinnati, Ohio, a crucial swing state, announcing his administration's new trade enforcement case against China in the World Trade Organization. Obama's re-election campaign also released a new television ad criticizing Romney for opposing his tough stance on China while renewing Obama's charge that as head of investment firm Bain Capital, Romney was an "outsourcing pioneer" who shipped American jobs to countries like India and China. "You can't stand up to China when all you've done is sent them our jobs. You can talk a good game, but I like to walk the walk, not just talk the talk," Obama said. "And my experience has been waking up every single day and doing everything I can to make sure American workers get a fair shot in the global economy.""We don't need folks who during election time suddenly are worrying about trade practices, but before the election are taking advantage of unfair trading practices," Obama says. In the new Obama ad, following a clip of Mitt Romney promising to crack down on China's trade policies, the ad's narrator says, "Tough on China? Not Mitt Romney." Then citing a 2009 US International Trade Commission Federal Register Notice, the ad narrator says, "When a flood of Chinese tires threatened a thousand American jobs it was President Obama who stood up to China and protected American workers." Pointing to media reports about Obama imposing stiff tariffs on Chinesemade tires to protect America jobs, he continues: "Mitt Romney attacked Obama's decision. He said standing up to China was 'bad for the nation and our workers'." The ad concludes by questioning whose side Romney is on pointing to an excerpt from Romney's book "No Apologies" where he criticizes the trade case filed on behalf of US tire manufacturers saying it could spark a trade war. The Romney camp earlier dismissed Obama's latest trade challenge to China as "politically motivated" and "too little, too late".

Reacting to Romney remarks on the secret video, Barack Obama said on the Letterman Show that “as president you represent the entire country”. shows 38 percent believing the country is better off than it was when Obama became president, which is a 7-point increase from August. But a plurality of voters - 41 percent - maintain that the country is worse off; 21 percent say it's in the same place. Obama's eight point lead among likely voters in Virginia in the Washington Post survey compares to a five point advantage he held over Romney in an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist survey in Virginia that was released last week. Then Sen. Obama won Virginia by two percentage points in the 2008 election, becoming the first Democrat to carry the state in a presidential contest since 1964. Both Obama and Romney have made eight swings through the crucial battleground state with their campaigns flooding the state's airwaves with campaign commercials.

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US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

In the age of online shopping, it’s Amazon vs Google
By Vikas Girdhar New York: These days, it seems as if Google is involved with anything and everything: search engine, maps, phones, e-mail server and now, shopping. That’s right. Google Shopping has been created and taken the gigantic online mall known as Amazon by the horns. But it’s much more complicated than that. Behind the scenes, there are a myriad of factors in play here, namely, the selective inclusion of products on both respective mega sites. Google was predominantly a search engine and made it foray into online shopping business. Amazon, on the other hand, was a shopping site all its own until more and more people started using it to search for products. Google has taken it a step further by requiring the e-commerce companies that list their products in Google Shopping to pay for it. Google justifies the requirement by saying that such companies will be posting up-to-date products because they are paying. Basically, product listings have become ads but there is a curveball in all of this; while the payment of services Google now do not include Amazon, as the latter has made sure not to include itself. Take, for example, the former Amazonexclusive product popularized by the popular site, Kindle. Search ‘Kindle’ on Google Shopping and Best Buy will come up, along with a couple of other smaller sites, but not Amazon. Experts are predicting the lines of Amazon versus Google to be drawn much bolder because of the inclusion fee implemented by Google. The reason? Small businesses, or rather those that do not have the budget of megastores such as WalMart or Best Buy are going to think twice about forking over money to be included in search results. Many small retailers are echoing the same sentiments: doing everything by the book before could guarantee a listing, but now that the fee is in place, doing everything by the book means nothing without a budget. Google is pushing the envelope from several seams. With the fee, it risks driving people not only to Amazon but away from Google Shopping because what seems “listing” on the surface is ads. They may be right. But for now, the battle continues.

from e-commerce sites to Google is lucrative for the latter, there is still the issue of keeping shoppers from going to Amazon instead. Google’s responsibility here is to improve product listings for shoppers. Of course, the war has reached personal levels as well. Listings on

Streamlined visa process draws more tourists to US

Back to school in Chicago as teachers' strike ends
Chicago: Chicago students return to school on Wednesday after a teachers' strike ended, thrilling parents who had to stay home from work to care for their kids, pay for alternative childcare or leave them with friends and relatives for more than a week. Representatives of the 29,000 striking Chicago public school teachers and support staff voted on Tuesday to suspend their strike and accept a compromise agreement on a new three-year contract with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Some 350,000 kindergarten, elementary and high school students returned to classes after missing seven school days in the thirdlargest US school district after New York and Los Angeles. It was the first time since 1987 Lewis, the outspoken former high school chemistry teacher who heads the union. Lewis led the teachers out of the classroom over Emanuel Rahm's demand for sweeping education reforms that the union believed were misguided. While the strike ended, some of the issues that spawned it remain. Most Chicago public schools are struggling academically, the high school graduation rate lags the national average substantially and the school district is in dire financial straits. The teacher evaluation system was a key demand of Emanuel, along with a longer school day. But the union won partial guarantees of job security and fought off Emanuel's attempt to link pay to merit.

Washington: Mexico, China and Brazil, along with other countries, are contributing more to the US tourism industry thanks to a streamlined visa process and reduced wait time, the White House said Wednesday. The White House released a progress report saying the Departments of State and Homeland Security were surpassing the goals set by President Obama in January in terms of visa interview time and visa processing capacity to boost the tourism industry in the country. The report said 88 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants worldwide are interviewed within three weeks of submitting their applications, as against the goal of 80 percent envisioned by Obama, reported Xinhua. "In key markets such as China, consular officers are keeping interview wait times to an average of five days in 2012 while managing a year-onyear 37 percent increase in visa demand," the report said. Like Mexico and Brazil, China has passed the 1-million-visa milestone, the report noted.

As of June, the US mission in Brazil has boosted processing capacity by 40 percent as directed by Obama, while the goal will be met in China by December, the State Department said. The agency said it will open a new consulate building in China's Guangzhou in the 2013 fiscal year and a consular section in Wuhan in the 2014 fiscal year, as part of the ongoing efforts to upgrade and expand its existing consular facilities and build new consulates. "These investments in infrastructure will increase visa processing capacity in Brazil by 140 percent and in China by 120 percent over 2011 levels," the report said. In addition, US consular officers have waived in-person interviews for more than 120,000 low-risk visa applicants under a pilot program in 28 countries. According to the US Department of Commerce, international travel resulted in $153 billion in US exports in 2011, up 8.1 percent over the previous year, becoming the country's largest service export industry.

The problem remains that most Chicago public schools are struggling academically that Chicago teachers had walked off the job and nearly everyone in the city seemed relieved that it was over. "All our members are glad to be back with their kids," said Karen

14 censured in ‘Fast and Furious’ operation probe
Washington: The US Justice Department's inspector general found 14 employees of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Justice Department responsible for management failures in the botched "Fast and Furious" gun-trafficking operation, according to a The inspector general's report referred the 14 for possible disciplinary action, but did not recommend criminal sanctions. The report found that Attorney General Eric Holder was not informed of the controversial ATF operation until 2011, after the death of a Border Patrol agent ratcheted up the political ramifications of the program. The botched investigation was designed to expose the illicit networks responsible for illegal gunrunning to Mexico. The ATF launched the Fast and Furious program in Arizona to track weapons purchases, but lost track of nearly 2,000 firearms, two of which turned up in the 2010 killing of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.Moments after the report was released, the Justice Department announced the departure of two employees who were faulted in the report. ATF acting head B. Todd Jones said in a statement that his agency accepted the report's findings and that ATF would determine what disciplinary action may by handed down.

Richest Americans' net worth jumps to $1.7 trln: Forbes
New York: The net worth of the richest Americans grew by 13 percent in the past year to $1.7 trillion, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday, and a familiar cast populated the top of the annual list, including Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Larry Ellison and the Koch brothers. The average net worth of the 400 wealthiest Americans rose to a record $4.2 billion, up more than 10 percent from a year ago, while the lowest net worth came in at $1.1 billion versus $1.05 billion last year, the magazine said. Seven in ten of the list's members made their fortunes from scratch. It was a bad year, however, for social media moguls, whose net worth fell by a combined $11 billion. On the heels of Facebook Inc's rocky IPO in May, the No. 1 social network's chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, was the year's biggest dollar loser: his net worth fell by nearly half to $9.4 billion from $17.5 billion. He also slid to the No. 36 slot from No. 14 a year ago, Forbes said. Facebook shares have fallen 40 percent from their IPO price of $38 a share in May. Dismal performances by other social media stocks dropped some executives from the list altogether, including Groupon Inc Chairman Eric Lefkofsky, No. 293 on last year's list, and Zynga Inc Chairman and CEO Mark Pincus, No. 212 on the 2011 list. "The gap between the very rich and merely rich increased and helped drive up the average net worth of The Forbes 400 members to an all-time record $4.2 billion," said Forbes Senior Wealth Editor Luisa Kroll. Collectively, this group's net worth is the equivalent of one-eighth of the entire U.S. economy, which stood at $13.56 trillion in real terms according to the latest government data. But the 13 percent growth in the wealth of the richest Americans far outpaced that of the economy overall, helping widen the chasm between rich and poor. Forbes attributed the growth in net worth in part to the performance of the stock market and a recovering real estate market.

India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

11

September 22-28, 2012

Mamata quits UPA, Congress unfazed

UPA still has substantial majority: Congress
New Delhi: The Congress said that the UPA had "substantial majority" in the Lok Sabha despite the Trinamool Congress deciding to withdraw support, but hoped that the party "will see reason in national interest" and not pull out. "If 19 (Trinamool Congress MPs in the Lok Sabha) go away, we still have substantial majority. No cause of worry on that count," Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh told NDTV. The Congress leader said that a number of political parties in the Lok Sabha had given let-

With both sides declining to relent, a UPA-Trinamool divorce set for September 21 was expected to go ahead New Delhi/Kolkata: The Congressled government has refused to roll back its big ticket economic reforms, even as a belligerent Trinamool Congress remained adamant on quitting the ruling UPA. With both sides declining to relent, a UPA-Trinamool divorce set for September 21 was expected to go ahead. All Trinamool ministers in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government will resign that evening. Amid political fireworks, India Inc told the government not to take back its decisions to hike diesel prices, allow FDI in multi-brand retail trade and cap the supply of subsidized cooking gas cylinders. The government was, meanwhile, bracing for a nationwide shutdown called by the opposition Thursday. Even the DMK, a UPA ally, has thrown its weight behind the strike. Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata that her party was firm on leaving the UPA. "We will not budge from our stand no matter what," she said at Writers's Building. Minus her party's 19 MPs, the Congress-led government has been reduced to a working minority in the 545-seat Lok Sabha, increasing its dependence on the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Despite Banerjee's unyielding stance, the Congress remained unfazed. "These decisions were taken after the most careful consid-

eration… They stand," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma echoed the view. "We are not going to go back on the decision as we do not believe in the word 'rollback', and this decision was taken after consultation with each and every state," he said in Ahmedabad. Along with party colleagues Ambika Soni and Digvijay Singh, he expressed confidence that the UPA government will last its full term -- till 2014. Ambika Soni said: "The UPA government is not in any danger." Digvijay Singh told NDTV: "(We) will carry on till 2014." Congress sources admitted that its emissaries were in touch with Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati, who command 22 and 21 MPs respectively and give legislative support to the government. The Samajwadi Party is bitterly opposed to FDI in multi-brand retail. The Left asked the government to roll back its economic decisions -- or quit. "FDI in multi-brand retail trade is opposed by the majority in parliament," Communist Party of IndiaMarxist leader Prakash Karat said in New Delhi. "So the government should not proceed with (these measures). If the government does not roll back these measures, it has no right to continue in office," he added.

Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav can play an important role

ters of support to the UPA whose strength stood around 324, well above the half-way mark in the majority in the 545-seat house.

Left, Right come together against FDI
New Delhi: In a rare show of unity, Communist and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders came together on September 20 to denounce the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail trade. At a protest rally organized by traders in the heart of the capital, BJP and Communist veterans lashed out at the government for what they said was a policy that would ruin India's mammoth retail sector. "The tragedy is that our prime minister (Manmohan Singh) has begun to worship the US," Communist Party of IndiaMarxist leader Sitaram Yechury said to loud cheers. "This is only the beginning, our struggle will continue till the decision is reversed," added BJP president Nitin Gadkari. Among others who gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest venue were BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi, Communist Party of India's A.B. Bardhan and Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav.

Mixed response to nationwide shutdown
New Delhi: A shutdown called against the government's economic measures Thursday evoked a mixed response nationwide, with life badly hit in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat and Karnataka. A majority of traders across the country downed shutters against the central government's decision to allow FDI in retail sector, hike diesel prices and cap the number of cooking gas cylinders to families. In the capital, a major demonstration against the FDI policy called by traders saw leaders of the Left and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) share the same stage. NDA ally Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena did not join the protest due to the 10day Ganeshotsav. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the protests crippled normal life. SP activists hit the streets in Uttar Pradesh even as BJP workers enforced the strike across the country's most populous state. Rail and road traffic were badly hit across Bihar, with thousands of ruling JD-U and BJP activists taking to the streets. Slogan-shouting JD-U activists forcibly stopped trains. Life came to a virtual standstill in West Bengal, though the ruling Trinamool Congress opposed the strike, as the Left parties sponsored the shutdown and so did the BJP. In Tamil Nadu, where the UPA ally DMK joined the strike call, the protest was partial as the ruling AIADMK did not back the shutdown. In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, the shutdown was partial, though there were reports of NDA volunteers forcing shopkeepers to shut down.

Strike hurting economy: Chidambaram
New Delhi: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the nation-wide strike has caused a huge damage to the Indian economy and the common people. "In a democracy you have the right to protest against the government's policies. But it's rather ironic that the form of protests you are doing will cause great economic losses," Chidambaram told reporters here, referring to the strike supported by a broad spectrum of political parties. Chidambaram said the common people, especially daily wage earners, were hit hard by the strike and the opposition to the economic policies should not take such a form that hits the economic activities. "Wage earners can't earn their wages...in some factories wages have to be paid but there is no production," the finance minister said. In a rare show of unity, leaders of the Communist parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came together to denounce the government's decision to hike diesel prices and allow foreign direct investments (FDI) in multi-brand retail trade. A majority of traders across the country downed shutters against the decision to allow FDI in retail sector "The tragedy is that our prime minister (Manmohan Singh) has begun to worship the US," Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury said to loud cheers. "This is only the beginning, our struggle will continue till the decision is reversed," added BJP president Nitin Gadkari. However, the response to the strike call in markets and on the streets was partial in Delhi. Some traders opened their shops while public transport and Metro rail services were normal. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav courted arrest along with Left leaders along with hundreds of supporters. In Mumbai, the strike had a partial response. But traders in other parts of Maharashtra overwhelmingly joined the shutdown. Mumbai suburban trains, BEST buses and flights were normal as

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India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Team Anna separated, officially
New Delhi: Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare has confirmed his "separation" from his former team and from key associate Arvind Kejriwal on the issue of forming a political party and directed that his photographs or name should not be used for political campaigning. Formalizing a split with his team and opposing the movement taking a political plunge, Anna said: "I will not go with any political party or form any political party." "It is unfortunate that Team Anna has separated," Anna said after a meeting with other social activists who were members of erstwhile Team Anna to decide future course of action. Anna told social activists: "Do not use my photo or name for any political campaigning. Do whatever you can on your own basis." Anna said: "My best wishes are with them (activist thinking to form political party). There is no harm in it. If they think that they can get majority in parliament, it is good. The paths have been separated. Both of us have chosen our separate paths." Kiran Bedi supported Anna's decision and tweeted: "Anna finally distances himself from political option. Moves to strengthen the movement. May bring together anti-corruption movements." Hazare refused to accept the survey done by IAC for forming political party and said he does not agree with the exercise done through social networking sites. Anna said that he will lead his war for Lokpal bill till election 2014. "Now it is that the government has to decide whether bring Lokpal or my death," he said.Anna Hazare said he did not support the idea of anti-corruption movement taking a political plunge and told Arvind Kejriwal that he should not expect his support for all his candidates. "He (Kejriwal) will go his way and I will go mine. I have always stated that I don't want to form a political party and contest elections. My path is different," Hazare has said Tuesday in Pune. The social activist's declaration that he would neither contest elections nor form a political party effectively threw cold water on a "referendum" by IAC, the results of which were released Monday. According to IAC, its week-long survey attracted 737,041 respondents, of whom 561,701 (76 percent) favoured a political party while the rest were against the idea.

Anna Hazare refused to accept the survey by India Against Corruption for forming political party "The meeting was attended by Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Santosh Hegde, Manish Sisodia, Kumar Vishwas and a few other prominent social activists, Aswathi Muralidharan, India Against Corruption media coordinator, said.

Hazare's decision shocking: Kejriwal
New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal described Anna Hazare's decision to snap ties with the pro-politics group in the anti-corruption movement as "shocking and unbelievable" but said the veteran activist's principles will be the foundation of their party. "We respect Anna Hazare, he is our guru and father. Yesterday's developments came as a complete surprise. It was shocking, unbelievable, unfortunate and sad," Kejriwal told reporters after a meeting with some of the supporters to chalk out the next course of action. "Anna's photograph and name are printed in our hearts. We will continue to take his blessings and touch his feet. Anna's five principles will become foundation of our party," Kejriwal said. Claiming that there is a sense of urgency to change the system, he said the country was on "sale and everything is being sold out. We have challenges as well as opportunities. In our view both Congress and BJP are the same."

BJP mulls quitting JPC on 2G scam
New Delhi: BJP members of a parliamentary panel probing the 2G spectrum allocation walked out of a meeting, accusing its chairman of "dictatorial attitude" for refusing their request for fresh witnesses, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and are now mulling quitting the panel. However, this move of the Bharatiya Janata Party came under attack from Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chairman and Congress MP P.C. Chacko, who said its demand for an immediate decision on the fresh witnesses list was "totally unreasonable". BJP's Yashwant Sinha, who led the walk-out from the meeting, told a press conference later that there was no point in his party members continuing in the JPC, as they were not allowed to even speak "one sentence" on the chair's refusal to discuss the demand for a fresh witnesses list. A final decision on whether to continue in or quit the committee will be taken after the BJP-called India shutdown Sept 20 is over, Sinha said. "There is no point in continuing in the JPC. The way it is functioning, it is quite clear JPC is not any more an instrument for uncovering truth but for putting a cover on the (2G allocation) scam," he said. "Immediately after Bharat Bandh (nationwide shutdown), we will decide on future course of action; whether we have to continue in the committee or leave," Sinha said. The JPC, which is probing the contentious 2G spectrum allocation, was formed on the opposition's insistence after the entire winter session of parliament in 2010 was lost to protests demanding a JPC. Sinha said the BJP members were not allowed to speak at Tuesday's meet of the panel, and accused Chacko of having a "dictatorial attitude". "As soon as the meeting began, the chairman said, 'I have received a letter from Yashwant Sinha and have sent a reply... Let us call the witnesses now'," Sinha said giving an account of

The JPC is probing the contentious 2G spectrum allocation events. The JPC was to question former finance secretary and present Reserve Bank of India Governor D. Subbarao in the 2G spectrum allocation. "(BJP member) Ravishankar Prasad then raised his hand, and Chacko said if it is about the list of witnesses, he will not allow any discussion," Sinha said, adding that their members repeatedly asked if the issue will be taken up later, but the chairman did not allow them to speak at all. "He behaved in a totally dictatorial manner, reminiscent of the Emergency. We are sorry to say, he did not behave like the impartial chairman of the committee but acted like spokesperson of the Congress. So, we walked out of the committee," he said.

Traders look at Lord Ganesha against FDI in retail
Lucknow: Even as political parties oppose the UPA government's decision to allow 51 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, a group of traders here has decided to knock at the doors of Lord Ganesha, the god of success. A massive puja pandal in the city celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi would pray to Lord Ganesha, seeking his "blessings" to stop the central government from "imposing" its decision on them, the local traders union said. The 10-day Ganesh festival began at the Chaupatia Shubh Sanskar Samiti pandaal before a "FDI Ganesha" that has been made on special order. The 4.5-foot Lord Ganesha would be offered traditional sweets and then propitiated to intercede on behalf of the traders so that retail giants "do not step into the Hindi heartland", said an organizer. "We will be holding special prayers with specific mantras seeking the mercy of the almighty and the removal of the UPA regime, which has taken these decisions," said Riddhi Kishore Gaur, one of the organisers. A team of women has been roped in for the special puja. Banwari Lal Kanchal, a leader of the traders, said that people in distress often knocked on the doors of god. "We have learnt that when in trouble, seek the intervention of god. If someone is doing that, it is very normal," he said. Naresh Gupta, another trader, said that only the gods can stop the "modern-day East India Company from coming into India", alluding to the entry of foreign retail brands.

The 10-day Ganesh festival began on September 19

India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

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September 22-28, 2012

India committed to Ban anti-Islam film immediately: nuclear safety: AEC chief Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has asked the Congress-led UPA government to ban the controversial film " Innocence of Muslims". In a letter to the prime minister Manmohan Singh, Yadav has requested to take steps towards blocking the films content on you tube and other websites as the film hurts the sentiments of the Muslim community and has caused widespread resentment. Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali met the chief minister and demanded that the state government should request the Centre to block film. The chief minister while assuring members of the delegation said the state government will take every possible step in this regard. The controversial film has been widely criticized for its content and various protests have been staged by the Muslim community demanding that the film be banned.
Mumbai: India is committed to nuclear safety and will implement the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) "Action Plan on Nuclear Safety", a top nuclear expert has said. Addressing the 56th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman R.K. Sinha said Indian experts would continue to assist IAEA in its endeavour to enhance nuclear safety through its measures involving all stakeholders. Preparations are underway to invite IAEA's Integrated Regulatory Review Service for peer review of the country's regulatory system, Sinha said.Next month, India and IAEA will host an international workshop on Safety of Multi-Unit Nuclear Power Plant Sites Against External Natural Hazards. It will follow a working group meeting of the IAEA Project on Seismic Safety of Nuclear Power Plants, Sinha said. Terming the global response to the Fukushima accident as by and large "very mature", Sinha pointed out that while committing to learn lessons to enhance nuclear safety, the growth prospects of nuclear power continues to be driven by concerns of energy security. Post-Fukushima, seven new reactors have been connected to the

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Earlier, a delegation of the Islamic Centre of India led by the Imam of

Next month, India and IAEA will host an international workshop on nuclear safety
grid in five countries while many newcomer countries have decided to continue with the nuclear power programmes. "Many countries, including India, have continued with their programme for expansion of nuclear power while simultaneously placing additional emphasis on nuclear safety," Sinha said. Here, he highlighted the latest IAEA projections which predict continued growth for nuclear power in the world in coming decades. Sinha said India continues to forge with its three-stage nuclear power programme strategized on adopting a closed nuclear fuel cycle to extract maximum energy from limited uranium resources, ensure sustainable nuclear waste management and achieve long-term energy security.

No solution to Cauvery water row
New Delhi: The meeting of the Cauvery River Authority failed to produce a solution with both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu rejecting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's award of 9000 cusecs of water to save standing crops in the delta region. In protest against the award, Karnataka chief minister Jagdish Shettar staged a walkout, saying the state was not ready to give "even a drop of water" to Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa spoke in the same vein calling the meeting a "totally disappointed" affair and declared that the state would move the Supreme Court. On its part, the Centre said the Prime Minister's decision was taken keeping in mind the survival of crops of both the states and maintained it cannot prevent any state from moving court. After hearing both sides, Singh ruled that Karnataka release 9000 cusecs of water each day for 25 days from tomorrow to October 15 after it refused to accept Tamil Nadu's demand for 2 tmcft water for 24 days or 1 tmcft for 30 days. "Karnataka was not agreeable to both these demands and said it would not release even a drop of water to Tamil Nadu in these circumstances. The bare minimum water sought by Tamil Nadu was also not accepted," Jayalalithaa told reporters after the meeting. She said Tamil Nadu was "totally disappointed" with the meeting and added that the state had no option but to knock at the doors of the Supreme Court to seek justice and to save the standing crops.

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Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

FDI, price hike: bad politics, good economics
By Gautam Chikermane ommunication has never been a strong point of the hubris-infested UPA government. Too busy sunning in inertia, it has given the impression that this is a government less interested in ‘governing’, more in ‘ruling’. So, even when it does the right thing and raises diesel prices, it is unable to deliver a coherent argument justifying the increase. Can’t blame UPA — the interrelationships between subsidies, fiscal deficits, inflation, growth and politics are complex and do not fall neatly into the cynical rhetoric that’s vintage UPA. Any government that runs up a huge fiscal deficit has to, at some point, finance that deficit by creating money through borrowings. When the government does that, there’s more money chasing the same number of goods and services in the economy. The result is a hike in prices, or inflation. At 5.1% India’s fiscal deficit is dangerously high, controlling which should be

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Any other option that does not bring the fiscal deficit under control would potentially mean India moving to a junk rating status the government’s first priority, as former finance minister Yashwant Sinha said. Raising diesel prices by 14% such that the subsidy bill on the fuel falls, will help bring this deficit under control. To put that issue in perspective, at Rs. 47,800 crore oil subsidies for the first quarter of the current financial year have already exceeded the full year ’s budgeted figure of Rs. 43,850 crore. For consumers already reeling under a double-digit onslaught of food prices, this will hurt, no doubt. Part of this increase can be neutralised, by cutting excise duties on the fuel, for instance. But for successive governments that have been unable to curb spending on votebuying schemes — some of them crucial — or on an inflated and unproductive bureaucracy, the other option is to increase taxes and return to the sky-high tax rates of the coercive 1970s, a regime that is best behind us. “Which brings us to the next issue: economic growth.

With a high fiscal deficit that keeps inflation high, there is no way the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will cut interest rates. Even though most of the inflationary expectations are coming from goods outside India's control — crude oil imports, a falling rupee, and globally-rising food and commodity prices — RBI’s stance has been to keep policy rates high so that households cut down on discretionary spends. In the process, home loan EMIs have been rising and along with inflation on one side, scissoring household budgets. Complexifying matters further is the fact that today the sovereign has very little control over its finances. Like it or not, India cannot and will not grow at 9% if rest of the world is contracting, thereby closing business opportunities — there, the UPA government is right. “The political power of the sovereign goes down with every move towards globalisation,” Kaushik Basu said. “Economics has become an instrument of global political and even military strategy.” To

illustrate, Indian farmers and businesses get affected by WTO negotiations, Indian workers by ILO regulations, Indian fiscal policy by G20 communiqués, Indian markets by QE3. What’s left is Indian politics. So, we will have the Opposition and UPA allies hitting the street to build political capital. The government will cut excise duties on diesel and ask state government to cut state taxes to control diesel prices. The end result for consumers would be a final hike of R2-3 per litre. But this would be a good time for UPA spokespersons to get off their high-horses and start engaging with people, explaining that a little pain now would be an investment into the future. Any other option that does not bring the fiscal deficit under control would potentially mean India moving to a junk rating status. At which point, most investors will not be able to buy into the India story (they can only buy investmentgrade securities and countries) and the rupee will hit 70-75 to the dollar. After that: economic chaos.

Three Badal government ministers resign in six months
By Jaideep Sarin ts second consecutive innings in power was a politically historic event. But just six months later, the Parkash Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali DalBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance government in the state is facing politically trying times with three ministers having been forced to quit their jobs following controversies. The latest is Gulzar Singh Ranike, who Sunday quit as animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development minister following serious allegations of embezzlement of discretionary funds by his close aide. In the 18-member ministry, including the chief minister, three ministerial slots are now lying vacant. Badal, 84, who is chief minister of Punjab for a record fifth term, has kept vacant two of the ministerial slots, which fell vacant five

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Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal (right) months and three months ago. The third one fell vacant Monday. The vacancies are being questioned within the ruling Akali Dal itself. In the present 15-member cabinet, five slots are occupied by Badal and his close relatives, including son Sukhbir Badal, who is deputy chief minister, son-inlaw Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon, Sukhbir's brother-in-law Bikram Majithia and another relative, Janmeja Singh Sekhon. Alliance partner BJP has four ministerial berths. This leaves the rest of the Akali leaders with just six cabinet berths.

Before Ranike, agriculture minister Tota Singh had to quit in May after a vigilance court in Mohali town convicted him of misusing official machinery, sentenced him to one year's rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs.30,000. Tota Singh is at present out on bail. In March, Jagir Kaur was forced to resign after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in Patiala town convicted her. Jagir Kaur, who was rural water supply and sanitation and defence services minister, was sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment for forcible abortion, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy in the mysterious death of her daughter, Harpreet Kaur, in April 2000. She is now in Kapurthala jail. For the record though, while all three cabinet ministers had to quit in the midst of controversies, their resignations were submitted to Badal on the "high moral

ground". "Ranike urged the chief minister to accept his resignation immediately to uphold the highest moral ethics in politics as well to maintain the dignity of the office held by him," a spokesman of the chief minister's office said. "The chief minister highly appreciated the moral courage shown by Mr. Ranike in submitting his resignation on his own. Making a firm resolve, Mr. Badal said that the law of the land will takes its own course and made it crystal clear that the vigilance enquiry ordered by him in the case was in line with the SADBJP's government policy to ensure clean, transparent and corruption free governance," the spokesman said. The "high moral ground" of the ministers who quit and the Akali Dal government's "zero tolerance to corruption" is now being questioned by the opposition Congress.

The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.

The Arts TheSouthAsianTimes.info
By Vikas Girdhar A mainstream songstress from Canada, ‘K’, as Kiran is more popularly known as, was recently signed to a Canadian label (HiBias Records) and has danced alongside Justin Timberlake and Snoop Dogg before. She has also appeared on television to interview rappers such as T.I. and has danced in Bollywood films with Priyanka Chopra and Sonu Nigam. She just released the video for her first single, “ChoKolate Soda”, which can be viewed on YouTube. It will be available for purchase on iTunes Sept 25. In an exclusive interview with The South Asian Times, Kiran opened up about her career and creativity. Excerpts: How did you get your first big break to become a mainstream artist? Working with my producer J2 was a blessing. With him, I developed my own sound, which caught the attention of my label, and they signed me! Also, just being a dancer in LA, working with the top people in the business also led me to make great friends who happen to be super talented. The support and love that has been created living here has been my big break so far. You seem to have a very distinctive look in your video; is there anyone you have looked to for inspiration or modeled your style after? There's nobody specific I ever try to emulate exactly because I’m pretty selective on what I wear. I like to create my own style, but I have always been inspired by punk rock couture, Indian fashion, high end street fashion and even no name brands. It all depends how creative you are when you put things together and how it makes you feel. How did the idea for “ChoKolate Soda” come about? ChoKolate Soda initially was written for fun. I realized it was a unique way to introduce myself to the world. The title of the song was made up by my producer when creating the melody. ChoKolate Soda is basically about me: it describes my personality, my aura. Chocolate and soda both can be addicting, satisfying, craved, and sweet, or it can be anything you want it to be, which is also what I’m about: freedom of thought and opinions. I like to play with my words. It makes it more relatable to each audience. Some people think it’s about sex, whereas some think it’s a drink. It's pretty fun hearing all the different interpretations I get from people. It gives me insight on how people think. To date, what has been your most memorable gig? I think one of my favorite performances was for Robin Thicke for the Soul Train Awards. I remember seeing the audience in the first couple of rows, and they were all artists I grew up listening to, including Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and LL Cool J. It was pretty nerve-wracking seeing them so close up. Plus, Tina Landon cho-

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September 22-28, 2012

The cover of Kiran’s new single

reographed it, so working with her was a dream come true. Working with Saroj Khan on a Bollywood film was another highlight. What was your biggest challenge in getting your name out there or at least noticed by people who matter enough to sign you? I think the biggest challenge in all of this was truly believing in myself, let alone the business itself. If you don't believe in yourself, nobody else will. And I had to really work hard to stay confident in my talents when it can be difficult to maintain that positive feeling in a tough business. It's taken time to truly understand what loving yourself really means and at the same time being your own worst enemy. I think I wouldn't have had it any other way because without struggle there would've been no true progress and it ultimately made me

stronger and better and now things are starting to fall into place. A lot of artists come and go quickly as “one hit wonders”; what do you feel is important to do to avoid that? I think if you stay spiritually grounded, make music you love, have some type of inspirational message, do something to contribute to the world, listen to your gut and keep it real, you'll always keep it moving. Did you ever consider other career paths or was becoming part of the entertainment industry what you always wanted to do? I had a lot of ideas and have worked a lot of different jobs, but I think I always knew that this was what I truly wanted to do. Any advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?

My advice would be to learn about the business side, not just the creative side. In some cases it is who you know, but more importantly it's what you know. I think knowledge is key, so ask a lot of questions and take a lot of thought before you make any big decisions. For women especially, don't believe the hype about having to sacrifice certain morals you might possess in order to get further because it’s absolutely not true. As a female, especially being a minority female in this business, you have to be that much tougher and stronger to handle situations and know it’s your brain and talents that will take you to bigger and better places. Most importantly, learn to love everything about yourself, even your flaws, because you have to be able to handle all the criticism you will receive undoubtedly.

Indian bureaucrat’s painting to go to Louvre
By Prakash Bhandari iran Soni Gupta, a senior bureaucrat from Rajasthan who is a versatile artist, has achieved a distinction in her art career. She is the first artist from Rajasthan who will get the honor to showcase her work at the world’s most coveted platform -- Le Louvre. Louvre is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a landmark of Paris, France. Her painting titled "Pooja Time" has been selected for display at the Louvre. Societe Nationale Des Beaux-Arts (SNBA) has selected her artwork for a prestigious exposition to run from Dec 13 to 16, 2012 under the patronage of François Hollande, President of France. Kiran says ‘Pooja Time’ depicts a group of women going to the temple on a religious festival day. As an artist, Kiran has received many honors such as "Kala Samridhi Award 2010", “Artist of the Year 2009" and “Kala Shiromani Award" in 2008. One of her paintings on ‘Famine’ depicting its impact on

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‘Pooja Time’ selected for a show at Louvre in Paris in December, and IAS officer Kiran Soni Gupta. women and children in India won the National Award in 2003. The artist has held more than two dozen solo art shows in major cities in India and in foreign venues including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, and Tehran. Kiran is an IAS officer posted in Jaipur and an alumna of The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

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Ultimate Bollywood TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Sridevi, Big B to be seen together again

Kissing missing from 'Ishkq In Paris': Preity

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Actress Sridevi in 'English Vinglish'

fter sharing screen space with Amitabh Bachchan in her comeback movie 'English Vinglish', actress Sridevi is set to sit on the hot seat of the megastar's game show Kaun Banega Crorepati 6 (KBC). Sridevi, 49, will shoot for KBC in Mumbai. She will be on the show as part of a promotional stint for English Vinglish, in which Big B has played a cameo. Big B and Sridevi have earlier shared the frame in movies like Aakhree Raasta, Inquilab and Khuda Gawah. After shooting his cameo for English Vinglish, Amitabh had tweeted Sridevi is "still the same... effervescent, spontaneous, delightful". Directed by debutante director Gauri Shinde, wife of Paa director R Balki, English Vinglish is set to release Oct 5.

Salman Khan with Preity Zinta in 'Ishkq In Paris'

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Ishkq In Paris" is a fresh and young romantic film, but minus any kissing scene, says actress Preity Zinta, who has turned producer with the movie. "Kissing is missing in the film. Kissing is not necessary to show the romance in the film. Romance is in the heart. It's a rom-com and a family entertainer," Preity said.

The actress spoke at the glitzy music launch of the movie. The event was also attended by Salman Khan, who shot a special song titled "Kudiye di kurti" for the film."Salman has been the inspiration for the music and has helped me a lot," said Preity, thanking the actor for his constant support. The music of "Ishkq In Paris", is composed by Sajid-Wajid. .

'Barfi!' wins hearts for great content
anbir Kapoor's endearing portrayal of a deaf and mute boy in Anurag Basu's "Barfi!" has left the viewers, critics and the box office wearing a big smile. The movie, appreciated for its picturesque cinematography, has collected Rs.34.6 crore in its opening weekend. The romantic comedy also features actress Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D'Cruz, who have delivered excellent performances as an autistic girl, and a rich Bengali girl, respectively. The film, made at a budget of Rs.30 crore, talks about love beyond language and disability. With this theme, it managed to mint Rs.9.20 crore on its opening day, Rs.11.50 crore on the second day and Rs.13.5 crore Sunday. "'Barfi' has done remarkable busi-

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In the overseas market, "Barfi!" crossed the Rs.2 million-mark over the weekend, making it Ranbir's highest grosser overseas ness. The film gathered steam with pared to the biggies. Occupancy at each passing day, rising to the maxi- multiplexes was fantastic," tweeted mum on Saturday and Sunday. It film critic Taran Adarsh. was released in less than 700 cinema In the overseas market, "Barfi!" halls in India, a tiny release as com- crossed the Rs.2 million-mark over

the weekend, making it Ranbir's highest grosser overseas, ahead of "Raajneeti" and "Rockstar". Producer Siddharth Roy Kapur says the response to 'Barfi!' has been "completely overwhelming". "These are the moments that filmmakers, artists, technicians and producers live for. The love and appreciation that is being showered on the film from audiences and critics in India and around the world is unprecedented," said Kapur, managing director, Studios, Disney UTV. The movie has been widely appreciated by the film fraternity too. Karan Johar has gone to the extent of saying that Basu's "genius" makes him feel "talentless". "It's a big moment for Anurag, the cast, the crew, and for all of us at Disney UTV. This is a film we have supported and nurtured from its very

inception, and it gives us a tremendous sense of satisfaction to have our creative instincts backed by the audience," said Kapur. "Barfi!" had a tremendous buzz around it since the beginning, and with innovative promotions, the team had the audience waiting for it eagerly. Anant Verma, director and business head, DT Cinemas, reveals the film had a rush for advance bookings from Sep 12. "The response to the film has been excellent. It had advance bookings from Wednesday and also had many corporate bookings. There was a tremendous increase in footfall after Friday, and it is word-of-mouth publicity that worked in favour of the film," Verma said. Verma expects weekdays to have decent occupancy too.

I can play all three Khans together: Salman
ollywood divas, Soha Ali Khan, Zarine Khan and Sarah Jane Dias sashayed down the ramp for renowned fashion designers, showcasing exquisite wedding attire at the Bridal Fashion Week in Mumbai. The designers added a dash of glamour and the models showcased bridal attires with great composure and elegance at the extravaganza. Bollywood actor, Soha Ali Khan walked the ramp in a beautiful red and blue bridal ‘lehenga’, an ensemble with a heavily embellished long skirt, top and stole.

Fashion

Soha, Zarine, Sarah steam up bridal show

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ollywood superstar Salman Khan who is all set to play host of 'Bigg Boss Season 6' again, responds to Karan Johar ’s recent statement that working with all the Khans together could be lifethreatening. Said the filmmaker, “If I make such a film, I’ll end up in a hospital (laughs). We can’t make an Amar Akbar Anthony out of them. There

aren’t many stories available that can absorb three distinct superstars like these.” Salman rebuts back, “First you have to tell me, which three Khans are you speaking about? Bolne mein kya jaata hai! Anyway, I can play all the three Khans together!” He added, “I will don Shah Rukh’s RA.One look, my Dabangg look and Aamir ’s Ghajini look.”

Soha Ali Khan at the Bridal Fashion Week 2012

Ultimate Bollywood Thesouthasiantimes.info

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September 22-28, 2012

Actress shows middle Kareena's wedding dress finger in 'Dare You' to have old world charm

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he first poster of Deepak Tijori's new directorial "Dare You" is daring, with leading lady Alisha showing her middle finger and reinforcing the idea of the film, the current generation's attitude of "my life, my rules". Alisha is a newcomer, and plays the protagonist, Rani Dewan in the movie. "'Dare You' is a journey of a girl who comes from Kashmir for her education in Pune. It's a revolutionary film that reflects the culture and attitude of youngsters today," Tijori said here. Posters are going dare bare in Bollywood with films like "Hate Story" and "Jism 2", and "Dare You" takes it a step forward. "For the first time perhaps in the history of Indian cinema, you will have a heroine showing her middle finger in the poster," added Tijori, who has earlier directed films including "Oops", "Fareb" and

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The first poster of Deepak Tijori's new directorial 'Dare You' "Fox". A confident Alisha defends her pose, and says the censor board shouldn't have a problem with their movie.

fter Sharmila Tagore, Manish Malhotra has spilled the beans regarding Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's wedding. The fashion designer, who has confirmed that he is designing the actress' attire, says he will stick to the bride's simple, yet elegant taste. Asked if he is designing Kareena's wedding dress, Manish confirmed it, saying: "That's right! You ask her the details. But yes, it's midOctober, everyone knows this now." "There is a very small function which is (with) family and friends. Then there is a reception in Delhi, so (I am designing) for both the occasions," the 47-yearold said here Friday at the HT Brunch Dialogues. Saif's mother, veteran actress Sharmila has so far maintained that the D-day is Oct 16.

Isabelle came after doing her homework: Prem Raj
rench actress Isabelle Adjani is set to make her Bollywood debut with "Ishkq In Paris", and the film's director Prem Raj says she came fully prepared, despite not knowing the Hindi language. "The biggest thing for her (Adjani) was to learn Hindi. I was amazed. She came after doing her homework. She just said that if 'I mess up the accent, then handle that because I don't know that'," said Raj. The director says this dedication is the reason why actors command respect. "There is a lot of buzz in France. It is necessary that we should have the premiere there. It is a big step for Isabelle. She is coming in a Hindi film for the first time and is speaking Hindi. Her role is very big and it's not a cameo," he said. Adjani, 57, is a two time Academy Award nominated actress.

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Saif and Kareena have been dating each other since 2007 However, neither Saif nor Kareena, have confirmed it. Malhotra says the preparations are on in full swing, and Kareena wants to keep it simple.

Deepa Mehta's inputs were invaluable: Ritu Kumar
ashion designer Ritu Kumar says filmmaker Deepa Mehta's inputs for costume designs for wedding sequences in 'Midnight's Children' came to her aid in a big way. "Deepa has helped in the costume department and provided inputs on how the designs should be. Deepa and I sat to discuss about costumes where she gave her invaluable inputs which were greatly helpful," said the veteran designer. Though Kumar is

F

A scene from 'Midnight's Children'

known for her wedding couture lines, this is not her first movie work. She has earlier designed for films like "Love Breakups Zindagi" and styled Freida Pinto for few of her scenes in "Slumdog Millionaire". "Midnight's Children" recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and will premiere at the Vancouver Film Festival on September 27.

French actress Isabelle Adjani

Basu plans film on Bihar's 'Super 30'

B

ollywood director Anurag Basu is now said to be set to helm an issue-based film on Bihar's innovative educational coaching institute 'Super 30', and its founder Anand Kumar. For the last 10 years, Kumar has been grooming talented students from underprivileged families for the highly competitive Indian Institute of TechnologyJoint Entrance Examination (IITJEE). The film "will make a great story of how students from poor families turn a new leaf with just the right opportunity - something even reservation and other incentives have not been able to do", sources close to Basu said. Basu has met Anand Kumar and talked to him. According to sources, if it comes through, Ranbir, who has essayed a deaf and mute boy in Basu's "Barfi!", could be playing the lead role of Anand Kumar in this venture.

Indian cinema going through magical phase: Big B

M

egastar Amitabh Bachchan says Anurag Basu's "Barfi!", which tackles a sensitive love story of a deaf and mute boy and an autistic girl, says the movie is a beacon of change in Indian cinema. "Indian Cinema, its films, directors, actors, technicians going through a magical phase of a change over ... such exciting times," tweeted the 69year-old veteran. "Barfi!" has Ranbir Kapoor and

Priyanka Chopra in lead roles, with southern actress Ileana D'Cruz making her Bollywood debut in a key part. Big B can't stop praising the entire cast. "Ranbir Kapoor a masterful brilliant performance... Priyanka, simply unbelievable, and Anurag Basu's extraordinary making... In 'Barfi', the lovely Ileana d'Cruz in her debut for Hindi film... such a mature and balanced performance, many congratulations," he added.

Bihar's innovative coaching institute 'Super 30' and its founder Anand Kumar "Both Basu and Ranbir Kapoor have quietly been researching the life of Anand Kumar, how he has been keeping 30 students every year and grooming them at his own cost for over a decade, his style of teaching," they said. Basu had also visited Patna to spend time with Anand Kumar to understand how he works and the extent of the man's reach in the field of mathematics.

A scene from 'Barfi!'

18

Fashion TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Saif attends Burberry show in London
New Delhi: Bollywood actor and Pataudi royal Saif Ali Khan took a seat on the front row at the London Fashion Week during a showcase of the Burberry spring-summer 2013 collection. Saif looked dapper in an elegant black tuxedo teamed with a polka-dotted neck-tie. He sported a beard at the show, held at West Albert Lawns in Kensington Garden Monday. Others on the front row included "Slumdog Millionaire" star Dev Patel, actresses Alice Eve and Gabriella Wilde, TV personality Giorgia Surina, socialite Olivia Palermo and British track cyclist Victoria

Femina Miss India pageant enters 50th year
Mumbai: The Femina Miss India beauty pageant Tuesday kickstarted the celebrations of its 50 years. The first Miss India Meher Castellino, who was joined by other former Miss India beauties at a function here, said that even though 50 years had passed, she felt like it was just yesterday when she won the crown. "It feels like just yesterday, I won the contest. But I have been watching all the contests and every time I try and guess who the winner will be and 80 percent of the time I get them right," she told at an event celebrating the 50 years of Femina Miss India here. Current Miss India World Vanya Mishra said: "It was my childhood dream to wear the Miss India crown, I always wanted to be a Miss India. This is like a dream come true. Very few women have actually got an opportunity to wear this crown." Singer Shibani Kashyap sang a song which celebrated the true essence of being a woman. Rochelle Maria Rao, who is Miss India International 2012, said that being a part of the Miss India family is like being a part of a sisterhood. "It is like being part of a sisterhood which has lasted 50 years. We have shown the world that Indian women can make changes wherever they go," she said.

Saif Ali Khan at the Burberry Prorsum Womenswear Spring-Summer 2013 Show. Actor Dev Patel is also seen.

Pendleton, said a statement. Christopher Bailey, chief of the iconic luxury brand, pre-

sented the collection with a bold theme marked by a rich and extensive color palette.

Akshay to endorse footwear brand

Designers capture Lord Ganesha's spirit with strings, clothes
New Delhi: Ahead of the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, apparel and accessory designer brands have launched exclusive Ganesha collections in an attempt to capture festive spirit. From traditional outfits preserving the cultural essence and mood of the season to jewelry inspired by Lord Ganesha, there are varied options for all the fashionistas who want to spruce up in traditional wear. Designer Indira Ghosh Baikerikar has launched her latest line of traditional outfits, in which she has used Rangoli colours in a creative fusion. Her designs include lot of batik crack prints on pure silk with metal disc work on the neckline, and she has teamed such kurtas with net leggings and beautiful dupattas. Colors like cream, red and orange rule her palette. "The theme of the collection is ruled by crack prints and stripes, giving it a very edgy texture. The main inspiration is creative use of Rangoli colors for retaining essence of Ganapati festival. The collection is meant for all the ladies who are looking out for something exclusive and timeless. Fabrics used are rich in quality, giving it femininely royal look," said Baikerikar. The collection, priced Rs.10,000 and above, is available at the designer's store. Another Mumbai-based accessory designer, Sannam Chopra has created simple pendant necklaces with Ganesha motifs. "The whole idea behind bringing this accessory line is to provide the youth a piece of jewelry that can be worn every day and doesn't cost a fortune - a neck-piece which is affordable and yet has a stylish look. Drawing the attention to detailing of the designs, it will come across as very young and vibrant," said Chopra. The designer says the collection is meant for all the youngsters who want to add ethnicity to their

'Relaxo' signs Akshay Kumar as brand ambassador for its sporty brand 'Sparx'

New Delhi: Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has been roped in as the brand ambassador for Indian footwear brand Relaxo to promote their sporty brand Sparx. Akshay will endorse the brand in a 40-second TV commercial shot in Kuala Lumpur city, Malaysia. "Relaxo is doing extremely well among the masses and it's great to be doing this commercial because not only does the product carry an astonishing style appeal, also the way this ad has been shot is pretty unconventional," Akshay said

in a statement. The 45-year-old actor has been the face of brands like Thums Up, Levis and X-Box 360. He was chosen for Sparx as he "exudes energy, has an athletic body, is making a comeback as an action hero, depicts attitude and style and, last but not the least, adds 'sparx' to his life in everything he does," says Gaurav Dua, executive director, Relaxo Footwears Ltd. "We are sure this new association will fortify the connect with people," added Dua.

Apala’s Ganesha inspired jewelry personality. "The accessories are very fresh and quirky. They are mainly designed for youngsters between the age group of 15 to 25 years. The simple and elegant looking crystals accentuated on Lord Ganeshainspired metal pendant preserves the festive mood and youth factor at the same time," she said. Chopra's collection starts at Rs.1,200 and is available at her store. Apala Innovative Jewelry, AS Motiwala Fine Jewelry and Mahesh Notandass are also some of the jewelry brands which have paid a tribute to Lord Ganesha through their collections.

Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info

19

September 22-28, 2012

Clash of fundamentalisms
By Sreeram Chaulia

T

he assaults on American diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya by frenzied mobs of Islamists, on the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, have rekindled the unwholesome spirit of what the intellectual Tariq Ali dubbed as a "clash of fundamentalisms." Groups of angry youth mobilized by proponents of Salafism (a particularly conservative ideology that is known for spreading religious hatred) and by an offshoot of al-Qaida known as Ansar-alSharia (literally supporters of Islamic law) went on the rampage in Cairo and Benghazi in seemingly coordinated fashion, targeting US diplomatic compounds and claiming the lives of four Americans, including the ambassador to Libya. The motive was the airing of excerpts of an offensive film denigrating Prophet Muhammad, titled 'Innocence of Muslims', which was made by an Israeli based in California, Sam Bacile. This movie was financed by rich donors holding ultra-conservative Islamophobic persuasions. The auteur is also associated with the maverick Christian fundamentalist pastor from Florida, Terry Jones, who became notorious for 'Quran burnings' and preaching in crusading language. The organisers of the acts of arson and violence in Egypt and Libya have shown themselves to be at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Jewish and Christian right wing in the West. The Salafists' al-Nour party bagged a surprisingly high number of seats (25 percent) in Egypt's parliamentary elections in January 2012, and they are at the forefront in driving a chauvinistic agenda in Egyptian society and politics. Their intolerant actions, which came into the limelight when 16 Egyptian army personnel were killed in a raid by hard line Islamists in the Sinai peninsula in August, pose a huge challenge to the relatively more moderate Muslim Brotherhood, which holds the reins of power in a post-revolutionary society. By laying siege to churches and spreading baseless rumors that Egyptian Coptic Christians bankrolled Bacile's incendiary film, Salafis in Egypt have done what all dangerous communalists do, i.e. lumping all the stereotypical hate categories of Zionists, apostates and blasphemers into a single basket of 'enemies of Islam'. The Ansar-al-Sharia in Libya is

We need moderate voices to counter rising bigotry at opposite ends of religious and racial spectrum
almost identical to Egyptian Salafists in its modus operandi. After the overthrow of the former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, Ansar has risen to menacing proportions in the transitional period where public space has been carved out by heavily armed militias. The inability of the recently elected moderate Libyan government to curb the Ansar's razing of Sufi shrines has created a lawless air in which fundamentalists are thriving. The fact that several dozens of the Ansar's vandals deployed rocket-propelled grenade launchers in the storming of the US consulate in Benghazi and engaged government security forces in pitched battles, demonstrates how disorderliness is at its peak. Uneasy questions about what would replace Mubarak and Gaddafi are now being answered by the Salafists' viciousness. The author Robin Wright has argued that a "new Salafi Crescent, radiating from the Persian Gulf sheikdoms into the Levant and North Africa" is being funded by the Sunni Wahhabi establishments as a counter to Iran's 'Shia Crescent'. It is ironic that Western discourse on the Gulf monarchies is couched in terms of "moderate states", when they are destroying the inter-sectarian mosaic of the region with vengeance. While the presence of Salafis and foreign fighters wedded to jihadist fundamentalism in the Syrian war is troubling, their wild reaction to a cranky hatespewing film is an omen of extremism overtaking the Middle East. In the United States itself, notwithstanding the calming presence of President Barack Obama as a countervailing force to religious and racial bigotry, the activities of ultra-radical fringe groups such as the congregation of pastor Terry Jones are flourishing under the canopy of electoral politics. The Republican challenger to President Obama, Mitt Romney, has delineated a strategy aimed at corralling votes of the "white working class". His camp was quick to denounce the Obama administration's condemnation of "misguided individuals" (a reference to the now infamous Bacile) after the incidents in Libya and Egypt. The Republican Party does not believe that the Sam Baciles and Terry Jones have committed any wrong. Supporting hate speech and incitement to violence as "freedom of expression" has been a tested strategy of the fundamentalist Right in the US. The writer is a professor and dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs in India.

The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.

20

Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

London: After facing embarrassment over long delays at immigration at Heathrow before the Olympics, Britain is working on plans for fast-track passport lanes for high-value individuals from India and other countries to convey the message that London is "open for business." Brian Moore, the head of UK Border Force, told the Home Affairs Select Committee that his officials were working on the plans for high-value business individuals not only from the old Commonwealth countries such as Australia, but from all countries. He told senior Labor Keith Vaz, chairman of the committee: "It is an idea that officials are discussing with port operators. It will then go back to ministers for them to consider whether and how it is going to be progressed. It is an

Fast-track lanes at Heathrow for rich Indians?

New visa rules may deter Indians seeking jobs in Dubai
Dubai: Indian workers may now face restrictions over getting entry in Dubai for employment opportunities, as the Middle East city has reportedly adopted stricter rules for tourist, visit and conference visas to curb the influx of foreign workers from certain labor exporting countries. A senior official said the move was prompted by the recent arrests of scores of foreigners on tourist, visit and conference visas, who were either engaged in organized crimes, human trafficking or were found unemployed and looking for jobs or begging in the streets, or near hospitals, mosques and malls. "The Federal Residency Department, which oversees residency departments across the country, has decided to adopt stricter regimes for tourist, visit and conference visas to curb the influx of blue-collar workers from many labor exporting countries into the country," the official told Gulf News on the condition of anonymity. "This would help significantly reduce the risk that individuals engaged in organized crime or the trafficking of persons could gain entry to the country," the source added. The new regime would see bans on visit visas for some foreign workers,

Move meant to curb influx of blue-collar workers
especially from traditional labor exporting countries to the UAE, and set a university degree as a prerequisite for obtaining a visa, plus other requirements, the official said. Other countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Philippines, are some of the largest countries exporting labor to the UAE. Categories banned from obtaining tourist, visit or conference visas include electricians, pipe fitters, masons, farmers, drivers, tailors and cleaners, the report said. The source stressed the UAE continues to welcome genuine visitors. "These visa requirements will give authorities a greater ability to manage the flow of visitors into the country and allow residency departments across the country to screen more travelers for security risks prior to their arrival in the UAE," he said.

Heathrow is one of the largest airports in the world idea that is being pursued." As Indian companies increasingly set up offices in the UK or takeover British companies, top business executives from the country travel to London on a regular basis. Vaz termed such individuals as "the super rich" but Moore preferred to call them 'high-value' business individuals. Moore said such fast-track lanes were already in operation in several countries, and having them at Heathrow would help convey the message that Britain was open for business.

Rise in complaints against Indian doctors in UK
London: There has been a record rise in complaints by patients against doctors during 2011, including a rise of nearly 19 per cent in complaints against Indian doctors working in the National Health Service, according to Britain's medical regulator. Releasing latest figures, the General Medical Council (GMC), which oversees doctors practicing medicine in the UK, said overall the complaints increased by 23 per cent from 7,153 in 2010 to 8,781 in 2011. According to a GMC official the figure for 2011 includes 793 complaints against doctors who gained their primary medical qualification in India and then moved to Britain to train and work. In 2010, the number of complaints against Indian doctors was 667, the official said. As of 2011, there were 25,592 doctors on GMC's register who gained medical qualifications in India. The complaint figures for 2010 (667) and 2011 (793) relate to doctors who qualified in India and not to doctors of Indian origin who qualified in the UK. According to a GMC report titled 'The State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK', there has been a drop in the number of Indian doctors coming here to train and work, reflecting tighter immigration controls and better career choices in India. But the report says that India continued to provide the largest number of overseas doctors but the number has reduced considerably from a peak of 3,641 in 2004 to current levels of around 500 a year.

Concert in London in memory of Anuj Bidve
London: Stars from the entertainment industry in Maharashtra Sept 16 came together for an eight-hour extravaganza here to raise funds for the family of Indian student Anuj Bidve, who was shot dead in Manchester last year. The murdered student's parents attended the concert at the O2, earlier known as the Millennium Dome. Tickets for the concert were sold out, organizers said, and added that the Bidve family will be presented with a check of Rs 10 lakh by senior Labour MP Keith Vaz to repay the loan they had taken to send Anuj to Lancaster University to pursue a postgraduate qualification in microelectronics. Prominent artistes who performed at the event include Sonali Kulkarni, Suresh Wadkar, Bela Shende, Hariharan, Avdhut Gupte, Ajay-Atul and Swapnil Bandodkar. Key organizers who put together the concert include the London-based

Anuj Bidve
consultant gynaecologist Mahesh Patwardhan and noted director-producer Mahesh Manjrekar. The London-based Maharashtra Mandal played a key role in the event. Recorded video clips of Prime Minister David Cameron and others were shown at the event. Led by Patwardhan, a foundation in memory of Anuj Bidve has been set up to help students from Maharashtra coming to the UK to study, organizers said.

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Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info

21

September 22-28, 2012

Suu Kyi meets Obama, receives Congressional Gold Medal
Washington: President Barack Obama Wednesday met Myanmar's opposition leader and parliamentarian Aung San Suu Kyi at the White House. Obama expressed his admiration for "her courage, determination and personal sacrifice in championing democracy and human rights over the years", reported Xinhua citing a White House statement. Reaffirming his commitment to support reforms in Myanmar, Obama believed that the reconciliation and reform will offer the people of Myanmar an opportunity to "take charge of their destiny and to shape a more peaceful, free and prosperous future", the statement added. The deliberately low-key meetGold Medal, America's highest congressional honor, at the Capitol Hill earlier in the day. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Suu Kyi, who also spoke at the US Institute of Peace. The Nobel laureate's 20-day US tour, her first in 24 years, was at the invitation of Clinton. Afterward, Suu Kyi said she would support the US easing its remaining economic sanctions on Myanmar — a step the Obama administration is considering. Clinton voiced concern over continued detention of political prisoners and ethnic violence in Myanmar and its military contacts with North Korea. But speculation is growing that the administration could announce an easing of its ban on imports from Myanmar when its President, Thein Sein, visits for the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York next week. Thein Sein has eased draconian restrictions on the press and allowed Suu Kyi and her party to contest special elections in April. Despite bitter political divisions, both parties in US Congress have broadly supported the administration's steps to reward Myanmar for its shift from five decades of military rule. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) overwhelmingly won the April 1 by-elections, taking 43 out of 45 open parliamentary seats, of which 37 with the House of Representatives or lower house.

Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi receives the Congressional Gold Medal from Speaker of the House John Boehner, in Washington on Wednesday. Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi are also seen. ing lasted for about half an hour in the Oval Office. The meeting came after Suu Kyi was awarded the Congressional

Blow to Zardari, corruption cases may reopen
Islamabad: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf told the Supreme Court that the government has decided to withdraw a letter sent out during Pervez Musharraf's tenure to close graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, a move that may lead to reopening of the corruption cases. The court gave the prime minister time till September 25 to write to Swiss authorities to reopen the corruption cases. A five-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, heard the showcause notice for contempt of court against Ashraf over the NRO implementation case. Ashraf, who stepped into the shoes of Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was disqualified for contempt when he refused to accept the court's orders, said the government has decided to withdraw exattorney general Malik Qayyum's letter that was written to the Swiss authorities during then president Pervez Musharraf's tenure. The prime minister Tuesday appeared before the Supreme Court, which had last month given him three-weeks' time to write to Swiss authorities on reopening corruption cases against President Zardari.

Pakistan blocks over 700 antiIslam links
Islamabad: Pakistan has blocked over 700 links to an anti-Islam film on YouTube that has triggered anti-US protests across the Muslim world, including Pakistan, officials said. The decision was taken after the Supreme Court issued orders to the state-owned Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block links to the movie, reported Xinhua. Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry directed the PTA to take down all sacrilegious material that disrespects Islam or Prophet Mohammad in any way. He asked the PTA chief to submit a report about the action he will take following the directives. The PTA director general told the apex court that almost 100 new clips of the anti-Islam film proliferated on YouTube every day. He said that the PTA had written a letter to YouTube, requesting the removal of such clips, but the video-sharing website replied that it does not have any such agreement with the government of Pakistan. The government earlier had claimed that the PTA and the information technology ministry had blocked 122 anti-Islamic websites over the past few days. The authorities had also told the public that any blasphemous material that comes to their attention must be reported immediately to the PTA through phone or email. The government clarified that it was not blocking popular websites YouTube and Facebook, but only anti-Islamic material would be blocked. Officials say that obscene material will be blocked on case-to-case basis.

Khar to visit US next week

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari Ashraf said he has directed Law Minister Farooq H. Naek to withdraw the letter written to Swiss authorities asking for closing of all the cases against Zardari, reported Geo News. The cases that had been closed by Malik Qayyum's letter can now be reopened by the Swiss authorities if they choose, the media report said. The court granted the prime minister exemption from appearing for the upcoming hearing. Accused of graft, Zardari was granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate his return home from exile, and primarily that of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Islamabad: Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will pay an official visit to the US from Sept 18-22, the foreign ministry said. In Washington, Khar will hold bilateral meetings with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk among others, Xinhua reported. She will also meet several representatives of the US Congress, academics and members of think tanks, a ministry statement said. Khar will later travel to New York to join a delegation led by President Asif Ali Zardari for the forthcoming UN General Assembly session.

Harassed in Pakistan, homeless in India
Jodhpur: "We would much rather die than go back to Pakistan," said a Hindu migrant echoing the sentiments of many migrants who have come here in the last few days from Pakistan. The exodus of Pakistani Hindus is on the rise. In the last fortnight alone, a fresh batch of 350 migrants, including 150 children and 90 women, have arrived here. They were initially lodged in a local temple, but as the numbers swelled, it was impossible for them to continue to stay in the premises. They have since vacated, and now live in tents. "We are happy to be here, but we had been staying in just two rooms at the Dali Bai temple here. It is becoming impossible for 200 people to sleep in such a small space. We were asked to vacate, and then had just the sky for a roof. Some locals have erected tents for us," said Ramadas, one of the migrants. The Pakistani Hindus said that girls were being kidnapped and forced into marriage and conversion to Islam. Besides, torture of Hindu families is also reported. On Sept 10, over 200 people had come to Jodhpur by the Thar Express train. Sources said that about 150 others have also arrived here in small groups since then. According to rough estimates by Seemant Lok Sangathan (SLS), a group working for refugees in Rajasthan, over 1,10,000 Hindu migrants from Pakistan have been living in Rajasthan since 1971. Over 13,000 of them were granted citizenship by 2005-06; SLS says more than 7,000 others have now applied for long-term visas (LTV). "The largest number of Hindu migrants comes to Rajasthan. We have asked the state government to frame a rehabilitation policy for them. We have also urged the central government to introduce a proper policy and law for the refugees," said Hindu Singh Sodha, social activist and head of SLS, which has been arranging food for the migrants in their camps. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has assured the migrants of all help, and has met the people who have recently moved into the state from Pakistan.

22

International TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Al Qaeda calls death of US envoy a 'gift'
Washington: The Al Qaeda's affiliate in North Africa urged Muslims in the region to kill US government representatives and called the death of ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens a "gift". "We encourage all Muslims to continue to demonstrate and escalate their protests... and to kill their ambassadors and representatives or to expel them to cleanse our land from their wickedness," said a statement from the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The group said the killing of Stevens, the US ambassador to Libya, was "the best gift you give to his arrogant and unjust administration". The outfit said the envoy's death was a fallout from a low-budget, amateurish 14-minute clip posted on YouTube that allegedly insults Islam. The video prompted angry rioters to breach the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya's second largest city, killing Stevens and three other Americans. Washington has made it clear it did not sanction the film.

Washington has made it clear it did not sanction the anti-Islam film that sparked protests in the Middle East

Egypt to try US Copts over anti-Islam film

Rushdie dismisses latest death threat
New York: Salman Rushdie is dismissing the latest threat against his life as just talk. The author of the novel The Satanic Verses says the threat "was essentially one priest in Iran looking for a headline." Rushdie spoke before about 400 people at a New York Barnes & Noble store about his newly published memoir, Joseph Anton. The memoir tells of his years in hiding after Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 declared The Satanic Verses blasphemous and called for his death. A semiofficial Iranian religious foundation headed by Ayatollah

US sides with China's opponents, says daily
Beijing: The US directly or indirectly sides with China's opponents in disputes China has with its neighbors, said a state-run Chinese daily. An article in the Op-Ed section of Global Times said that Washington's "attitude still remains vague" on the dispute between China and Japan over Diaoyu islands. "But it is obvious that Washington is not so impartial between China and Japan. "In other disputes China has with its neighbors, the US directly or indirectly sides with China's opponents. The question is how much weight the US will put behind Japan," it said. The daily said that until now Washington has been reluctant in openly supporting Japan's claim. "Moreover, the US has to take into consideration the Sino-US relationship. It doesn't want to face a strategic dilemma whether to intervene if a war breaks out between China and Japan," it said. Admitting that it was "impossible for China to persuade Washington to take a neutral position", Global Times noted: "The hope of such is purely an illusion, though China can urge the US to move toward a neutral position through concrete actions that show doing so is more in line with US interests."

The film is believed to have been produced by a small group of extremist Christian Americans Cairo: Egypt's public prosecutor Prophet Mohammed as immoral and has ordered that seven US-based violent, while touching on themes of Egyptian Copts be tried over their homosexuality and paedophilia. role in an anti-Islam film that Several cast members say they sparked violent clashes around the were duped into acting in the amaworld, his office said. teurish film, which has been linked The seven — Adel Riad, Morris to a non-profit group called Media Sadek, Nabil Bissada, Esmat for Christ, and was apparently proZaklama, Elia Bassily, Ihab Yaacoub duced by a convicted fraudster. and Jack Atallah — were accused of Egyptian forces were slow to react "insulting the Islamic religion, when demonstrators attacked the US insulting the Prophet (Mohammed) embassy compound last Tuesday, and inciting sectarian strife." scaling the walls, tearing down the The prosecution said they were American flag and hoisting a black involved in either the production or Islamist flag in its place. the distribution of the film titled US President Barack Obama Innocence of Muslims. called his newly elected Egyptian No trial date has been set yet. The counterpart Mohamed Morsi to film, believed to have been pro- express concern about the incursion duced by a small group of extremist and told an interviewer that Egypt's Christian Americans, has sparked a new government was neither an ally week of furious protests outside the nor an enemy. US embassies and other American Egyptian security forces later symbols in at least 20 countries, moved in, clashing with some including Egypt. demonstrators for several days but The crude low-budget production keeping them away from the mocks Islam and portrays the embassy.

Author Salman Rushdie Hassan Saneii has raised the bounty for Rushdie from $2.8 million to $3.3 million after recent protests against an anti-Islamic film that helped lead to riots around the Middle East. But Rushdie says Saneii has long offered a bounty and few people have taken him seriously.

Syrian regime plans to use chemical weapons: report
London: The Syrian regime plans to deploy chemical weapons against its own people "as a last resort", the former head of Syria's chemical arsenal told a newspaper in an interview. Major-General Adnan Sillu said he defected from the Syrian army three months ago after being party to top-levels talks about the use of chemical weapons on both rebel fighters and civilians. "We were in a serious discussion about the use of chemical weapons, including how we would use them and in what areas," he told the newspaper, referring to a meeting held at Syria's chemical weapons centre south of Damascus. "We discussed this as a last resort - such as if the regime lost control of an important area such as Aleppo." Speaking from Turkey, General Sillu said that he was certain President Bashar al-Assad's regime would eventually use chemical weapons against civilians, adding that the discussion had been "the last straw" which triggered his defection. His comments come after German press reported on Tuesday that the Syrian army had tested a chemical weapons delivery system. The Safira research center in question is regarded as Syria's largest testing site for chemical weapons.

Panetta in talks with Chinese leader-in-waiting
Beijing: US defense secretary Leon Panetta met with Chinese leader-in-waiting Xi Jingping, who just days ago reappeared after a puzzling two-week disappearance. The meeting was part of Panetta's weeklong trip through the Asia Pacific, in a campaign to pursue the US military's increased focus on the region. The US and China have long had a tumultuous relationship, fueled by America's distrust of Beijing's military buildup and China's concerns about the expanded US military presence. In repeated statements this week, Panetta has stressed that the new focus on Asia is not aimed at China. But the US has had persistent concerns about China's growing economic and trade dominance in the region. Panetta's visit, however, comes as violent protests raged around the country, over a territorial dispute between China and Japan. Chinese officials say they want the US to remain neutral in the matter. But protesters slammed America, charging that the increased US activity in the region has emboldened Japan and other countries to challenge China in such disputes. Coming against that backdrop, Panetta's meeting with Xi carried even greater significance, giving him a larger stage on which to lay out the United States' intentions in the region. But the session was also notable because the Chinese leader recently reappeared after having not been seen since Sept 1.

US defense secretary Leon Panetta with Chinese leader-in-waiting Xi Jingping

Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info

23

September 22-28, 2012

California: Apple's stock closed above $700 for the first time, the day after it announced that orders for its iPhone 5 topped 2 million in the first 24 hours. Orders during the first 24 hours more than doubled what Apple had for its predecessor, the iPhone 4S, over the same period last October. "This was despite somewhat lukewarm reviews and some claiming it had 'lack of a wow factor,' Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said in a note to investors. "We continue to believe many underestimate iPhone 5 in that it is a significant update and will drive a powerful

Apple delays iPhone 5 delivery time
product cycle." Wu estimates that Apple will likely ship 27 million iPhones in the current quarter. That's up from his earlier estimate of 26 million. Apple said that while most orders will be delivered this Friday, when the phone goes on sale in stores in the US and eight other countries, demand for the iPhone 5 exceeds the initial supply. That means some of the devices will be delivered in October. Buyers who have a two-year service agreement with AT&T, Sprint or Verizon Wireless are able to order the phone for $199 (16

Apple will likely ship 27 million iPhones in the current quarter

gigabyte model), $299 (32 GB) or $399 (64 GB). The iPhone 5 represents the first major revision of the iPhone's screen size since the first model was introduced in 2007. The new iPhone has an elongated screen, at 4 inches measured diagonally. That allows room for another row of icons and lets widescreen movies fit better. Earlier models had 3.5inch screens. The new phone is also thinner and weighs less than previous versions. It can operate on LTE cellular networks and sports a new processor and updated software.

US welcomes economic reforms in India: Envoy

India needs big ticket reforms: USIBC
Washington: The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) has encouraged leaders of the Indian political parties to work together and not allow politics to hamper the implementation of the progressive reforms. The USIBC hosted Manish Tewari, Congress Spokesperson and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, BJP spokesperson for a lively discussion on the current state of affairs in India and the recently announced "big bang" reforms, including the opening of multi-brand retail to 51% foreign direct investment. "Now is the time for cooperation and action," said USIBC President Ron Somers. "The big ticket reforms will help the government in tackling inflation, create millions of jobs for India's massive youth population, and give India's economy a much needed boost. The investment in the critical backend infrastructure will directly benefit the farmers and ultimately the Indian consumer, who will enjoy improved quality and lower prices," he added. Tewari and Rudy were joined by Sunjoy Joshi, Director, Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell New Delhi: US Ambassador to cial deals," she said. India Nancy Powell said the recent Bilateral trade between India and economic reforms announced by the the US has gone up 40 percent in the Indian government have been wide- last three years and is set to exceed ly welcomed in the US and hoped $100 billion this year. for greater trade and investment Last week, the Manmohan Singh between the two countries. The eco- government unleashed a spate of nomic reforms have been widely big-ticket economic reforms, includwelcomed in the US, Powell said. ing allowing foreign supermarkets "American companies are looking to open shop in India with majority closely at the fine print. They are ownership and letting foreign airlooking forward to doing commer- lines to invest in Indian carriers.

Dubai's food, rental prices among world's highest
Dubai: Housing and food prices in Dubai is similar to some of the world's costliest cities like New York and Zurich, a Swiss study revealed. The average monthly rental prices in these cities are up to 100 percent above the global average, Xinhua quoted a study by Swiss bank UBS as saying. The lender said together with Norway's Oslo and Switzerland's Geneva, Dubai also has the priciest food in the world. A three-course menu in a stylish restaurant in these cities costs about $95. Dubai, officially free of income taxes, became the Middle East's most expensive city also due to its growing bureaucracy and a number of "hidden taxes". In the past two years, thousands of once-for-free parking spaces were transformed into paid parking zones. In addition, bachelors are not allowed to share apartments in order to reduce rental costs. Transport costs and traffic fines were also massively increased. In regard to combined costs of living, Dubai ranks globally the 22nd, according to the UBS study, while Oslo is the priciest place to live for foreigners.

Why foreign airlines avoiding stakes in India?
New Delhi: Despite the government's decision to open the Indian skies, foreign airlines are not too keen to take the plunge and hold stakes in domestic carriers right now. What exactly is holding them back? Several overseas carriers and aviation watchers cited high jet fuel cost, an extremely price-sensitive market, huge debt of the carriers and contracting domestic passenger traffic as the reasons. The government has allowed foreign airlines to invest up to 49 percent in private domestic carriers. The foreign carriers have so far not been allowed to directly invest in Indian carriers for security reasons, although 49 percent FDI by nonairline players was allowed. Analysts say that the foreign partner will focus on bringing in best practices like route planning, technology, operational and financial management to realise their said that the foreign carriers are not short-time investors. "No one will announce any plans until all the modalities are fulfilled." Other industry watchers said the current downturn is an opportunity as the Indian aviation market is one of the fastest growing in the world, despite the recent fall in traffic. Last year it expanded by 20 percent. The downturn also has made valuations attractive. "Some global carriers may decide to enter now when airline valuations are attractive," Amber Dubey, partner and head-aviation at global consultancy KPMG, said. "Others may decide to wait and enter at a higher price later." Dubey said the foreign carriers may invest in new low-cost airlines as a start-up or as a non-scheduled operator. "The strategic options are plenty." Meanwhile, he said, bold steps were needed for a turnaround in the sector. These include rationalization of taxes imposed on air turbine fuel (ATF) and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities. Jet fuel prices in India on an average are 40-50 percent higher than that sold globally due to added state sales tax. Indian carriers are losing around Rs.2,500 crore per year due to high fuel prices with a combined debt of about Rs.48,000 crore. India also lacks MRO facilities with many airlines flying their aircraft abroad for maintenance, as stocking of spare parts is very expensive due to high taxes. According to International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates, the Indian aviation sector would require $140 billion in the next 20 years to keep pace with the growing demand. Other estimates have placed the current fund needs of the sector at $2.5 billion.

The Indian government has allowed foreign airlines to invest up to 49 percent in private domestic carriers long-term investments. moment and will focus on existing International airline companies businesses. welcomed the move, but said there Etihad Airways, which has are no immediate plans of invest- investments in AirBerlin, Air ing in India. Seychelles and Aer Lingus, said it Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa, will wait for all the modalities of which are aggressively shoring up the new reforms to be clear. market share, said they are not Sharan Lillaney, aviation analyst keen on investing in India at the at broking firm Angel Broking,

24

Sports TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Bhupathi, tennis body trade barbs
Mumbai/New Delhi: Star tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi and the All India Tennis Association (AITA) traded charges, with the player threatening to take legal action against the association for sidelining him and Rohan Bopanna from representing India till June 2014. Bhupathi, at a fiery press conference in Mumbai, criticized AITA's decision of imposing a two-year ban on him and Bopanna. Bhupathi and Bopanna had defied AITA's decision of asking them to play with Leander Paes for the 2012 London Games. They refused to play with Paes to play together at the Games. The AITA was quick to react against the charges, saying "explore legal options" against the AITA. Bhupathi in his scathing attack on the AITA said its administration is detrimental to growth of sport in the country and he has no choice but to accept the two-year ban slapped on him by the "dictatorial" body. Hiranmoy Chatterjee, senior executive committee member of the AITA, said that the association was justified in sidelining Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna from playing in the national team till June 2014. "The AITA is not perturbed by Bhupathi's threat of a legal action. We have gone by the rule book. The decision was taken by the ethics committee according to rule 36 (A2) of our constitution," Chatterjee told IANS over phone from Kolkata. Chatterjee said Bhupathi "wants to be a selector, player and an administrator at the same time." "He selects himself and then decides with whom to play. If he has to do everything then what is the selection committee there for. We have sent out a strong signal that indiscipline will not be tolerated," said Chatterjee. "Mahesh is now saying he doesn't know where to complain. But he was well aware where to voice is displeasure when he was asked to play with Paes during the Games," he added. The 37-year-old claimed that AITA was jealous of the fact that he has been able to do more for the sport.

Mahesh Bhupathi criticized AITA's decision of imposing a two-year ban on him and Rohan Bopanna Bhupathi was free to take legal recourse against the association. Bhupathi accused AITA president Anil Khanna of taking the advantage of his rift with Paes. Bhupathi also said that he would

T20: Team combination will test Dhoni's skills
potent bowling attacks tend to do better. The other problem with playing four frontline bowlers is that none of the regular bowlers can have an off-day. Considering that Zaheer hasn't enjoyed much success in T20, Balaji is coming back after a long hiatus and Irfan isn't the best option in the death overs, there is a strong case to reconsider the strategy of playing an extra batsman at No 7. If Dhoni decides to play an extra bowler, he will either have to tinker with the opening combination and allow Virat to open the innings with Gambhir, or choose between Yuvraj and Rohit. Going by current form, Yuvraj or Sehwag seem to be the most likely players to be benched. Yuvraj hasn't batting enough in the last 10 months and Sehwag has scored only one half century in his last 11 T20 Internationals. If you play Yuvraj, you've got to treat him as the match-winner of old. If you're going to play Sehwag, he must start batting deep into the innings more regularly. Or else, it's better to open with Virat. In case Dhoni continues with the same team combination, which he's most likely to do, the team must assume the responsibility of scoring 30 runs above par when they bat first, and be prepared to chase 30 more than what is par for the course. (Aakash Chopra in Hindustan Times)

Jeev seeks to overcome injury setback

MS Dhoni faces one such examination at the World T20

New Delhi: In the last five years, skipper Dhoni has passed quite a few stern tests. He faces one such examination at the World T20. Here are a few questions that will be asked of him in the next three weeks. Dhoni's method in limited-overs cricket has been to play seven batsmen and four bowlers. While this formula has worked in ODIs, it tends to backfire in T20 cricket. Every over in a T20 game is worth 5% of the bowling innings as opposed to 2% in an ODI. This gives the side time to bounce back from a couple of expensive overs, but there's no such luxury in T20 cricket. Even in T20s' short life span, a pattern has emerged, where teams with

Jeev Milkha Singh Hyogo (Japan): Asian Tour stalwarts Jeev Milkha Singh of India and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee are upbeat about winning the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open despite struggling with injuries. Jeev has an injured trigger finger and Thongchai twisted his right ankle earlier but they will play at the US $1.9 million event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour. Thongchai and Singh will make up a total of five Asian Tour Order of Merit winners this week, who include Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines, Liang Wen-chong of China and Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who have a combined total of eight Order of Merit crowns.

Afghan girls dare to play soccer
New Delhi: Afghan girls have left behind years of strife and torment under the Taliban rule. They feel liberated to even play soccer out in the open unmindful of the repercussions. The Under-17 girls of Kabul's Rabia Balkhi High School came to Delhi to play in the Subroto Cup football tournament, breaking all barriers, risking parental disapproval and ostracization. The girls are aware of the volatile ground realities back home, but they are not scared of dealing with the situation. Zrafchan Nimiy, a ninth class student, who also doubles as the team's spokesperson, said that she and her team mates are not scared of the Taliban. "When I was a kid I used to be very scared to even step out of my tioned to play and, that too, in a corner. There was no one to encourage the girls. In fact, they were told that football was not for women. The women got the NATO field to practice only after President Hamid Karzai got it for them after he was impressed by their spirited showing against Pakistan in a friendly game. Now, of course, the national team has started going overseas to train and compete. Things are happening, even if in a slow motion. Things are changing for the better for the Afghan women. Whether these girls would go on to make it big in the sport is a different matter. But they have certainly opened the door for the future generation of sports women.

Captain Zrafchan with teammates and coach Faiz Mohammad Nazari house. But now we have democracy and there is police. The players in this team are not scared any more. We believe in our police; they have assured us that they wouldn't let anything happen to us," Nimiy said. "Football for us is a way to forget the nightmarish happenings not long ago and also what is still happening around us. For me personally, I just love the sport." Asked how their parents look at their pursuit of playing football, she said:" First it was a straight no, but thankfully the coach came and spoke to them and they agreed. People who earlier used to shun any activity of this nature are today wishing us well." However, the Taliban is not the only problem for these girls. The lack of infrastructure, gear and basic facilities like grounds have not helped their cause. There are three cities in the country where girls play sports -- Herath, Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif. With no proper facilities for the girls they have to make do with what they have. It all started in a small way when the girls found a ground where NATO forces were sta-

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

26

Health TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Single kids likely to be obese?
single child has a more than 50 percent higher risk of being overweight or obese than those with siblings, as borne out by a study of 12,700 children in eight European countries, including Sweden. The study was conducted under the framework of the European research project Identification and prevention of dietary and lifestyleinduced health effects in children and infants (IDEFICS), focusing on diet, lifestyle and obesity and their effects on children aged two to nine years. The children's BMI (body mass index) was linked to a parental

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questionnaire that included questions relating to the children's eat-

ing habits, TV viewing habits and amount of outdoor play time, the

journal Nutrition and Diabetes reported. The study shows that only children play outside less often, live in households with lower levels of education more often, and are more likely to have televisions in their bedrooms, said study co-author Monica Hunsberger, researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. But even when we take these factors into account, the correlation between singleton status and overweight is strong. Being an only child appears to be a risk factor for overweight independent of the factors we thought might explain the

difference, adds Hunsberger, according to a Gothenburg statement. The fact that only children are more susceptible to obesity may be due to differences in individual family environment and family structure that we were not able to measure in sufficient detail, said Lauren Lissner, researcher at the Sahlgrenska. Over 22 million children in Europe are estimated to be overweight. The study shows that obesity among children in general is three times more common in southern countries such as Italy, Spain and Cyprus than in Sweden and other northern countries.

Free-drink culture is out in Chandigarh

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omplimentary drinks for women, buy one-get one offers and other freebies in Chandigarh's drinking circle could be a thing of the past with the city's administration to issue an advisory to bars, hotels, restaurants, night-clubs and discotheques to refrain from such practices. The move by the Chandigarh administration's excise and taxation department to issue the advisory follows recent complaints and incidents that free drinks were being offered by such places to lure customers. Promos on social networking websites and in local publications here in recent months have been trying to attract customers, especially women, with offers of free drinks. At some of these outlets, special days have been reserved for a 'ladies night' with free drinks on offer. "The offer of free drinks for women is an attractive one. When the ladies come, men will follow. This gives us good business," the incharge of a leading eatery-cum-bar in Sector 17 told IANS. A recent party by a leading international beer brand at the city's Lake Club premises got really 'high and wild' after a few boys and girls jumped into the club's pool and created a ruckus. The administration has started taking the complaints of free drinks' offers rather seriously. At the Lake Club party too, the beer company was offering free drinks far in excess of what it was allowed to. The city's excise and taxation department, following this embarrassing incident, carried out a survey of the complimentary and buy one-get one offers being offered by establishments here, particularly to women. "The survey revealed that such offers were being made regularly, especially to women. This

Abstinence, exercise helps reclaim bone loss

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is a violation of the Excise Act. We are issuing an advisory to these establishments that this could invite action under the law in future," a senior excise and taxation officer said. "We don't want to do moral policing but people should not violate the law," the officer added. But the city's party-goers say that the move is unwarranted. "The government babus are only out to spoil the fun that the city's social life is offering. One incident should not be used to put curbs on social life," Aman Sekhon, a university student, told IANS. "Those who have to create a ruckus will do it anyway even if the drinks are not free," Simran Ahluwalia, a student of a girls' college, said. Chandigarh's excise rules do not allow the establishments to serve alcohol 24x7. They can serve it till midnight on weekdays and till 1 a.m. on weekends. "Some restriction has to be enforced. The bars and other joints cannot be allowed to have a free run. The free drinks culture should, however, not be encouraged," Amit Soni, a businessman, said.

lcoholism is known to cause osteoporosis, which increases risk of fractures, but it can be undone by eight weeks of abstinence and some exercise, suggests a new research. Osteoporosis, or reduced bone mineral density (BMD), is defined by an absolute decrease in total bone mass, caused mostly by an imbalance between loss of bone mass and bone formation. Reduced BMD often co-occurs with alcoholism. A study of the passage of bone formation and loss in abstinent alcoholics has found that eight weeks of abstinence may be enough to initiate a healthier balance between the two, the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research reports. "There are many reasons why alcoholics may develop reduced BMD: Lack of physical activity, liver disease, and a suspected direct toxic effect of alcohol on bone-building cells," said study coauthor Peter Malik, senior scientist and physician at the Medical University Innsbruck, Austria. "A reduced BMD carries an increased risk of fractures with all the consequences; osteoporotic fractures also put an enormous financial burden on health care systems due to high rehabilitation costs," added Malik, according to an Innsbruck

statement. "This study contributes to our understanding of various deteriorating effects of long-term consumption of high amounts of alcohol on the human body," said Sergei Mechtcheriakov, associate professor of psychiatry at the Innsbruck. "We can see that even bone tissue which is often and wrongly - perceived as inert, can be affected by alcoholism. It would seem that a combination of direct toxic effects of alcohol and its metabolites on bone tissue turnover as well as lifestyle factors, such as low physical activity, may play a significant role," added Merchtcheriakov. Malik and his colleagues examined BMD in 53 male abstinent patients, aged between 21 and 50 years. Blood work was drawn for various measures at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment. "We found that BMD is reduced in alcoholic men without liver disease," said Malik. "This means that an increased fracture risk could be reduced during abstinence if no manifest osteoporosis is already present. In addition, regular physical exercise seems to be 'bone-protective' in alcoholic patients," said Mechtcheriakov.

Extreme heat, cold can trigger fatal heart attacks
xtremes of temperatures during heat waves or cold spells could trigger premature deaths from heart attacks, according to a new study by Australian researchers. The findings are important because of how the body responds to temperate extremes, the growing obesity trend and the Earth's climate changes, said Cunrui Huang, who led the study as doctoral scholar at the School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane. Exposure to extreme temperatures can trigger changes in blood pressure, blood thickness, cholesterol and heart rate, according to previous

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research, the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes reports. The study is the first in which researchers examined the link between daily average temperature and "years of life lost" due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Years of life lost measures premature death by estimating years of life lost according to average life expectancy, according to a QUT statement. "With increasing rates of obesity and related conditions, including diabetes, more people will be vulnerable to extreme temperatures and that could increase the future disease burden of extreme tempera-

tures," Huang said. Researchers collected data on daily temperatures in Brisbane, Australia, between 1996 and 2004 and compared them to documented cardiovascular-related deaths for the same period. Brisbane has hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. The average daily mean temperature was 68.9 degrees Fahrenheit (20.5 degrees Celsius), with the coldest one percent of days (11.7 degree Celsius) characterized as cold spells and the hottest one percent (29.2 degree Celsius) heat waves. Per one million people, 72 years of life were lost per day due to

CVD, researchers said. Risk of premature CVD death rose more when extreme heat was sustained for two or more days, researchers found. "This might be because people become exhausted due to the sustained strain on their cardiovascular systems without relief, or health systems become overstretched and ambulances take longer to reach emergency cases," said Adrian G. Barnett, study co-author and associate professor of biostatistics at QUT. "We suspect that people take better protective actions during prolonged cold weather, which might be why we did not find as great a risk of CVD during cold spells." Spending a few hours daily in a

temperate environment can help reduce heat- and cold-related illnesses and deaths, Barnett said.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Septembe 22-28, 2012

28

Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Funny Bone by Nury Vittachi

A column of beauty is OMG totally PHAT for ever
By Nury Vittachi

T

EE Hee Hee. My children were sniggering over a text message. My brother-inlaw had ended it with "LOL", thinking it stood for "lots of love" rather than "laugh out loud". I told them that British premier David Cameron made the same error. The kids were stunned that a person could even graduate from kindergarten, let alone get to be a world leader without knowing the most important Facts of Life, i.e., how to write text messages. Judging by the tales going around, I reckon the following text conversation happens somewhere in the world about once a week. MOM: "Grandpa passed away this morning. He died in his sleep. LOL." CHILD: "Mom! LOL means Laugh Out Loud." MOM: "Oh no! I sent the message to 2,643 people! How do I get it back?" CHILD: "You can't." Modern-seeming words have actually been around a long time. Researchers recently found "OMG" used as an exclamation in 1915. Other researchers said "What's up?" was used in the 1860s and "computer" in the 1640s. On the radio I heard a professor say that people in history used "just as much slang as we do today", but it would have been "edited out" for official printed versions. Amazing. In that case, we can probably recreate the original PREEDITED versions of famous speeches. For example, after reporter Henry Stanley

tracked down his man in Africa in 1871, he probably didn't say: "Dr Livingstone, I presume?" but, "Doctor Livingstone, sup dude?" ("Sup?" is short for "What's up?") Here are other examples of famous quotations in their pre-edited slang-containing state: John Keats: "A thing of beauty is OMG totally PHAT forever." Mahatma Gandhi: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world krunk." John F. Kennedy: "Ask not what your homies can do for you. Ask what you can do for your homies." Chairman Mao: "Shawties hold up half the sky." Winston Churchill: "We shall fight the haters on the beaches, we shall fight the haters on the landing grounds, we shall never surrender but ROFL at them." Alexander Pope: "Fools rush in where angels

say: l8tr dude." Abraham Lincoln: "You can fool some of the noobs all the time, and all of the noobs some of the time, but you cannot fool every noob six ways from Sunday." Shakespeare: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more buff and more mega hot, dudette." *-* The very funny Hong Kong comedian Anthony Solimini made me laugh with this note last week: "From my study, if I wait until 9 p.m., stand on a chair and lean to the right with a mirror, I can see my neighbor undressing! Why should I have to put up with this? It's disgusting." *-* I resent the fact that Asian business people are always portrayed as being evil crooks. The 99 percent are giving the rest a bad name. *-* A rescuer searched for a missing tourist most of the night before realizing she was looking for herself. She was part of a tourist group which stopped at an Icelandic volcano one afternoon last month. After looking around, she decided to "freshen up" in the toilet, according to a report on CNews, forwarded by Amy Sin. Now to your average male, freshening up is a 0.5 of a second glance in the mirror. But this girl decided to change her make-up and adjust her clothing. She went back to the coach, but it didn't move off because the other tourists were waiting for the original "her", who was declared missing. I can imagine the conversation: A: "What did she look like?" B: "A lot like you but with different lipstick and no scarf." A: (Taking off her lipstick and scarf.) "Like this?" B: "Yeah, exactly like that. Have you seen her?" A: "Nope." They searched all afternoon and well into the night. At 3 a.m., just as a rescue helicopter was about to join them, the tourist clicked that the woman who looked exactly like her was her. Case cracked, and it only took them 10 or 12 hours. Tourists must be getting smarter. Here are the Five Stupidest Tourist Questions. 1) A tourist asked staff at the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau: "Can you tell me which beach is closest to the ocean?" 2) A tourist in Hong Kong asked a friend of mine: "What time do they fire the Noon Day Gun?" 3) A tourist in Scotland asked: "What time do

they feed the Loch Ness Monster?" 4) A tourist at Niagara Falls asked:"What time do they turn the water off?" 5) A tourist in Sri Lanka asked: "Is this tea freshly picked?" My friend replied: "Yes, I keep a bush in the kitchen." Thomas Cook and the Association of British Travel Agents revealed the dumbest comments they had received: 5) From beachgoers: "The beach was too sandy." 4) From visitors to India: "I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry." 3) From tourists at a coastal resort: "No one told us there would be fish in the sea." 2) From a British visitor to Spain: "There are too many Spanish people." 1) From a young couple: "My fiance and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a doublebedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant." *-* Observation from a person who has been an employer for a long time: "People can get an amazing amount of work done, providing it is not the work they are supposed to be doing." Wise words indeed. *-* On an unrelated topic, befuddled actor Clint Eastwood recently yelled at a chair, apparently under the impression that it was running the United States. This is actually not a bad idea. Planet Earth has a long history of inanimate objects doing well in politics. In 1967, a tin of foot powder was elected mayor of Picoaza, Ecuador. In 1997, a puppet called Dustin the Turkey received thousands of votes in a presidential election in Ireland. A rural part of New Zealand has had many non-human leaders, including Billy Gumboot the Goat (1999), Tai the Poodle (2003) and Murtle the Turtle (2005 to present day). Last year, a sock called Ed the Sock ran during the Canadian federal election. Here in Asia, Ed the Sock would have WAY more personality than ANY of our leaders. *-* A reporter phoned me last week to ask me what I thought about the bestseller 50 SHADES OF GREY. I replied: "It's filled with people having guilty thoughts and giving each other smoldering looks, but there's not much actual sex. It reminded me of my teen years. And twenties. And married life, come to that."

Photo of the week

Muslims protest against a U.S.-made anti-Islam film on Tuesday, September 18, near the U.S. Consulate in Chennai. About 5,000 people gathered in front of the building. Google India has already blocked access to the film, which the government has condemned as "offensive."

Astrology
TheSouthAsianTimes.info

29

September 22-28, 2012
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 [email protected]; www.premastrologer.com

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
Stars Foretell: Septmeber 22-28, 2012
Aries: This week you would put in some extra working hours finalizing the creative ideas, which are on your mind. Work quietly towards your goals and avoid discussing your project until you have results. Sudden changes regarding your domestic scene are certain. You will use your charms and intelligence to gain popularity, but you need to relax and go for a little recreation later in the week. Yoga and meditation will bring remarkable results. Overseas transactions will ensure good monetary gains. Taurus: Dealing with family members and issues would be the focus this week. You would be on the verge of breaking down emotionally, but do not loose heart. You will not be the cause of the problem, but you could certainly bring about some valuable solutions. An unexpected support from some near ones raises your spirits. Try to avoid inappropriate outburst of anger, as it would do no good. Blessing from a holy man provides mental peace. Gemini: Your energy would be at all time high and you would look forward to some highly exciting and entertaining time in the next few days. You won’t have any trouble completing your work and also take out time for your hobbies. You would feel active, confident, and strong to accept any challenges. Everything would look beautiful to you and your positive attitude will turn things to your favour. Few unexpected things will happen for the good, and you will be pleased with the outcome. Cancer: This week you may be recipient of some false information, which might create little trouble with loved ones. Your spirits would be low and you would lack confidence. Sensitive issues might be touched at home which will play havoc with your mental peace. Emotional situation like these will make you stubborn and irritated. You will have two options to either go on your own or to bend down to others whims, but be extra careful not to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Leo: This week jealousy could come in the way of good relationship. Be sure you have all the facts before you speak anything. Even if you think you are being funny, others may not see it that way. Thoughtless remarks and comments could put you in an embarrassing situation. An older family member may be of significant help to you provided you are willing to give him the chance to speak his mind. By focussing on your goals, you will send a signal of your commitment and dedication to your seniors. Virgo: Financial gains are certain, but there would be lot of planning you need to do. Make a budget for yourself and stick to it to avoid financial constraint. There could be a sensitive situation at work, which might add lot of pressure to your mind. Ultimately the outcome will depend on how you handle people around you. Expanding your knowledge and signing for new courses will be beneficial. Someone at home will try to induce new confidence into you. Investment during this period will bring long-term gains. Libra: This week some disturbing news makes you worried about relatives who live at distant places. Although you might be much tensed, but in reality things would not be that bad. Avoid travelling unless absolutely necessary. Try to go out of the house and mix around with friends and acquaintances. If you must stay in, distract yourself from your thoughts with a book or a movie. Religious feelings will arise making you spend more time on religious and spiritual activities. Scorpio: This week take advantage of the new opportunities that present themselves to you. You would move with new confidence and would have an urge to learn new skills and techniques. You will gather knowledge through books, Internet and the discussions that you have with experienced people. Your views and thoughts will impress people around you and you will establish important contacts. Losses are likely if you leave financial decisions in the hands of others. Minor health problems could also trouble you. Sagittarius: This week you might need to spend more time on your job than you generally do, and the hardest part of the next few days would be in getting along with seniors at work. Some of you would be travelling. You would meet new and interesting people while en route. Opportunities for growth will develop through new contacts. Sportsmen, writers and marketing professionals can look forward to recognition and rewards for their recent efforts. A new romantic alliance might also develop for some. Capricorn: Hectic social activities would be on your agenda this week. You would be in the limelight wherever you go and would easily attract people with your charms, intelligence and wit. Financial gains are certain during this period, but avoid speculation or risky financial schemes. Friends are likely to disappoint you if you expect too much from them. Property related disputes would settle to your satisfaction. Aquarius: This week travel, although enticing, would cost you more than what you might expect. Although you would enjoy your exposure to new cultures, people and places, but excessive spending could send your budget on a spin. Arguments with spouse seem inevitable if you do not avoid interference of friends and family members into your personal life. A spiritual person might be an important source of inspiration in your life during these days. Pisces:This week financial gains are certain, but avoid putting too much money into any financial schemes just on the advice of others. Sudden good news later in the week brings happiness and cheers for the entire family. Your business sense would be upbeat and new ideas will bring you fresh gains. Residential moves will be beneficial. If you need to take a break then a pleasure trip with loved one will be both relaxing and rewarding.

Annual Predictions: For those born in this week
September: 22 You are governed by the number 4 and the planet Uranus. You are quick in your actions and excel in business. The coming year, could bring unexpected happenings in your life. But with your determination and confidence, you will be able to overcome any obstacle that comes your way. With careful planning and logical thinking, you will achieve success in your professional front. You will also spend a lot of time for the betterment of human kind on the whole. Social service and service for the community on the whole, will draw your attention. Your methodical approach to whatever you undertake, will earn laurels for you. You will enhance your career prospects, and gain new ideas with travel. Travel for work and pleasure is foreseen, in the year ahead of you. Financially too, it will be a good year. You can expect to sign big business transactions. The months of March, May, and August of 2013 will be significant for you. September: 23 You are governed by the number 5 and the planet Mercury has a strong influence on you. Your communication skills and your personality will be your assets in the year ahead of you. With your shrewd approach to life and with your methodical way of working, those of you, in business can expect to achieve success in a big way in your plans and actions. Although, you are shrewd and business minded, you have another side to your character too. You are often generous and will do whatever you can for those who need your help. You are full of respect for your elders and your loved ones. This will make you popular and wanted amongst your friends and colleagues. The coming year will be a good one financially and you will earn a lot of money, but spend it too. Your desire to splurge on expensive clothes and jewelry will be fulfilled. Subjects like philosophy and religion, will attract you. The months of November 2012 and January, May, July of 2013 will be significant for you. September: 24 You are governed by the number 6 and the planet Venus. You will gain honour and self respect, in the year ahead of you. Friends and a good social life, is what is predicted for most of you. You will be able to draw the attention of the opposite sex, with your impressive personality. Some of you may even make a special relationship. Those of you who are to be married, this year, can expect to see happiness and good luck in your married life. Proximity to a water body is likely to benefit most of you. You should opt for a transfer, which could take you to a city or town by a river side or seashore. This will enhance your career prospects. You are peaceful by nature and will go out of your way to abide by the law. September, December of 2012 and February, August of 2013 will be highly eventful. September: 25 You are governed by the planet Neptune and you are also influenced by the number 7. You are honest and faithful. Your sincerity and hard work will be rewarded by your seniors, in the year ahead of you. You have knowledge of various subjects and this is coupled with a strong memory. But, sometimes you tend to be fickle minded. You are inconsistent and those around you find it difficult to understand you. Those of you, in the field of writing and radio talk, will see many opportunities coming your way. You should do your best, to make the best of these opportunities. You will not be bound by social customs and traditions. You hate orthodox views and will not be tied down with old fashioned views. You have the ability to handle those who are in trouble and are depressed. They will find solace and peace in your company. October 2012 and April, June, August of 2013 will be highly eventful. September: 26 Governed by the number 8, you are also ruled by the planet Saturn. Interior decoration and buying jewelry will be your passion, in the year ahead of you. You are house proud and will spend a lot of time and your money in keeping your house beautiful. Beauty in any form, gives you a sense of satisfaction and pleasure. You will be able to execute big plans and projects in your professional front, in the year ahead of you. Luck will be on your side and with enthusiasm and endless energy you will gain success in whatever you undertake with dedication and hard work. In matters of love, you may have to face a few problems. You must be sure of a positive response in love, before you make the first move. You will travel both for business and for pleasure, in the coming year. This will enhance your career prospects. December 2012 and April, June, August of 2013 will be highly significant. September: 27 Governed by the number 9, you are also dominated by the planets Mars. You have a strong will power and you will use this trait to overcome any obstacle that may come in your way to achieve success. Determination will help you to achieve success in your respective field of work, in the year ahead of you. You tend to get moody at times and your moves and actions then become unpredictable. Try to give up these traits and you will see wonders happening to you. Worrying over trivial matters will only lead to stress and strain. Your warm nature is such that you are ready to make sacrifices for your friends and relations, but you are often misunderstood and this finally leads to your becoming mentally upset and hurt. But you will fight for justice and what is right. February, July and August of 2013 and will be highly important. September: 28 You are governed by the number 1 and the Sun. Serious and an introvert by nature, you are often misunderstood by your friends and loved ones. You are unable to express your feeling and emotions to those around you. This often leads to misunderstandings. Your warmth nature will draw you to towards those in trouble. In the year, ahead of you, you will be doing a lot of charity work for institutes and organizations, associated with the handicapped. This will give you ultimate satisfaction. A word of advice, for the coming year – do not trust your friends blindly. If you are lending money, be sure to get it back. You could incur losses, if you trust others blindly. Your independent nature, will allow you to take important decisions on your own and you will not like the interference of others in your work. March, May, June and August of 2013 will be highly significant.

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Spiritual Awareness TheSouthAsianTimes.info

September 22-28, 2012

Illumine your self with love
his coming was to enjoy the heartto-heart and soul-to-soul meeting. This story is not saying that the service that Martha was doing was not good, but it is talking about how worried and upset she was. She was not lost in love, but caught up in the trials and troubles of life. Yes, service is there, but Martha was only focused on the tasks at hand and criticizing what others were doing, without being lost in the love that we need to be lost in while doing service and while looking to find God. That is why Jesus told Martha that Mary had made the better choice and that her choice to love was not going to be taken away from her. It is talking about Martha who, while doing service, was not engaged in love, but instead was distracted, troufrom a culture in which long hair or tresses was the style. Whether their hair flows out upon their shoulders with their silken, glimmering strands that capture the heart of their disciples or whether their hair is tied up in a bun under a turban, when the turban is removed the disciples can enjoy those lovely tresses. Those tresses symbolize the love and protection of a Master. In this verse by Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, the lover wants to be with the Beloved and have those tresses flowing out freely for the lover to enjoy. The lover wants to look at them and be intoxicated by them. This symbolizes the ecstasy the disciple experiences when in the presence of the Master. The verse is saying that those moments are the most comthe trials of life. Once we realize that time and problems are keeping us away from those blissful moments between Master and disciple without, and the disciple meeting the radiant form of the Master within, then we will attain the goal of love. It is true that we have some responsibilities in life to earn our livelihood, take care of our family, and perform our duties to our society. But within positive mysticism and performing our duties, we also need to snatch away as much time as possible to devote to spiritual love. We need to realize that divine love is the highest pastime of all. We need to make time for that every day. Masters have given us the minimum time by which we can successfully connect with love, and that is ten percent of our

By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
f we were to sum up the message in all the talks and verses written by the great poet-saint, Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, we would find one theme permeates them all. That theme is divine love. Just as the atom permeates all matter, so does divine love permeate all life. The purpose of all existence is divine love. Divine love means the love between the soul and God. This love moved God to create all creation, including each of us, and this love is what draws each back to the Creator. If we are to commit our life to the highest purpose it would be to illumine ourselves with love. Who should we love? We should love God. When we love God, we also love all God’s creation, including all humanity and all creatures of the earth. There is a beautiful story in the Bible that tells how Jesus and his disciples were traveling. They came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made for his visit. Martha was annoyed that Mary was only sitting at Jesus’s feet basking in his love while Martha had to do all the work. Martha went to Jesus and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Jesus replied, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and this will not be taken away from her." This story has caused many to wonder about its meaning. But those who understand the true meaning of this story realize that the heart of the story is love. It is describing that the highest of all in life is to love. Mary was lost in love with her Master, Jesus. She was enraptured by his glance and by his presence, and she melted into ecstasy. The true purpose of

I

To be truly happy in life, we want to be filled with a love that is lasting. The only permanent love is the love of God, which is divine or spiritual love. Why? When we love others in this physical world, we focus on the outer form of the person, and forget the inner love of the Divine that connects us. The real love we experience is the heart-to-heart and soul-to-soul love. The outer form is but a vehicle or outer packaging that shrouds that true love that is at the core of that person. Suppose you had some cereal to eat. The cereal can be wrapped in a plastic baggie, or it can be in a box. It is not the bag or the box that we want to eat, but the cereal within them. Similarly, when we say "I love you" to a person, we are directing that love to the

Everyone seeks to love and be loved. Love is a universal need. From being newborn babies to our last dying breath, we seek love. Children want the love of their parents, family, and friends. As adults we seek the love of our partner, spouses, family, friends, and children. Listen to most people on their deathbed, and they have only three words to say to those around their bedside, and that is "I love you," and those are the last three words they want to hear from others.
bled, upset, and critical of others. That is not how seva with love and selflessness is to be performed. This story points to the fact that the highest of all pastimes in this world is love. Love can be having darshan and enjoying the physical presence of the Master and it can be performing seva, but only that seva which keeps love at the forefront. Love is the fabric of life. It is the most important goal and occupation we can have, for it is the only way back to God. If we wish to continue in separation from God, then let us only engage in the millions of tasks this world has to offer that take us away from God. If we wish to go back to God, then let us engage in the work of love.Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj has beautifully said in a verse: I could have rested in the comforting shade of your tresses, But there is no time from the never-ending problems of life. Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj is emphasizing the sad truth that we are so caught up in the neverending problems of life that we never rest in the comforting shade of the tresses of the Master. The Masters have traditionally come forting and blissful times we can have in this life. Unfortunately, the never-ending problems, stresses, and tasks of life are pulling the disciple away from these blissful times. The disciple always wants to be in the moments of bliss that come from the presence of the Master. But life is pulling the disciple and Master apart from each other. There is always one excuse after another that keeps them apart. One day it may be that the disciple has to watch the World Cup competition of a favorite team. Another day it may be that we have to shop for this thing or that thing. Another day we are growing our business. Another day we are tied up with this petty problem or another. There is no end to the reasons we are pulled away from the moments of love. Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj is saying that if we wait for some time and we complete this task or that task, resolve this problem or that problem, take care of this person or that person, time will pass us by. We will never get to the moments of love that are the most important pastimes in life. Love is the ingredient that makes this life beautiful and worth living. It beautifies everything. It fills us with the nectar of bliss to propel us through time, or two and a half hours a day minimum. That time can be spent in meditation where we contact that love within us. Everyone seeks to love and be loved. Love is a universal need. From being newborn babies to our last dying breath, we seek love. Children want the love of their parents, family, and friends. As adults we seek the love of our partner, spouses, family, friends, and children. Listen to most people on their deathbed, and they have only three words to say to those around their bedside, and that is "I love you," and those are the last three words they want to hear from others. We feel our life is filled with beauty, warmth, and happiness when adorned by love. When bereft of love, we feel life is empty and not worth living. There are different degrees of love we can experience. Most loves of this world, such as between parent and child, lovers and beloveds, spouses, family, and friends are reflections of a higher love. They are love on a miniature scale. They are physical reflections of a love that exists at the level of spirit. These loves of this world are but reflections of the love of God, or divine love. essence of that person. The outer wrapper or physical form is not who we are really loving; we are really loving the person’s essence within that form. How do we know this? Look at how many changes a person goes through in life. They morph from a tiny infant, to a toddler, to a school-age child, to a teenager, to an adult, to an adult in his or her thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties, and over a hundred. We can love someone through that entire span of time, although the outer packaging is growing and aging. It is the person within that outer form who we love. The secret is that when we tap into loving the essence of that person, we are tapping into that person’s true nature, and that nature is love itself. That love is like the genetic code for all life. (To be continued...) Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is an internationally recognized spiritual leader and Master of Jyoti Meditation who affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions and mystic traditions, emphasizing ethical living and meditation as building blocks for achieving inner and outer peace. www.sos.org.

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September 22-28, 2012

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