Friday, October 9, 2009
Infosys reports 7.5% profit rise, lifts outlook
India's Infosys Technologies Friday said an improvement in the business climate and easing pressure on billing rates helped the software services firm post better-than-expected growth in quarterly profits. The Indian software bellwether also lifted its earnings and revenue outlook for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, helping its shares rise in a downbeat stock market in Mumbai. Infosys /quotes/comstock/15*!infy/quotes/nls/infy (INFY 47.47, -2.01, -4.06%) was recently up 0.5% in Mumbai, where the 30-stock Sensex fell 0.6% to 16,735.26.
President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
President Barack Obama on Friday won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said. "Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said. "His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."
Obama's name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president. The committee said it attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons. "Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play."
Obama's name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president. The committee said it attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons. "Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play."
Thursday, October 8, 2009
SEWA International USA appeals for Andhra-Karnataka Flood Relief Fund
San Francisco, CA, October 5, 2009 - More than 200 people have been killed in Karnataka and neighboring Andhra Pradesh (AP) in heavy rain since Wednesday September 30. Army boats and air force helicopters Friday began to rescue hundreds of marooned people, waiting on rooftops and higher ground. Thousands more have been rendered homeless. 'Over 40,000 houses have been damaged,' a spokesperson for the Karnataka revenue ministry told IANS. He said five helicopters and 40 boats have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. Over 85 relief centers have been set up, he added. The famous Raghavendra Swamy temple in Mantralaya, Kurnool District, AP is under considerable water. In Vijayawada, AP the water levels are at dangerous levels threatening the Prakasam Barrage. The cause of these unseasonably heavy rains has been identified as a major depression in the Bay of Bengal.
Rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra are in spate. Reservoirs are full with the reservoirs at Srisailam and Nagarjunsagar releasing large amounts of water that could result in low-lying villages downstream coming under water. Over 500 villages have already been inundated in AP while 1406 villages are marooned in Karnataka. Nearly 1.8 million affected and half a million rendered homeless.
SEWA International, USA supported NGO Seva Bharati, Youth for Seva, and Jana Sankshema Samiti volunteers in India have already launched relief camps in those towns of AP & Karnataka where food, medicine and essential items are being provided to the people. Seva Bharati volunteers from Adoni went to Mantralaya cleaned Mantralaya temple and cleared the dead bodies of cows of goshala, deer and other animals. Many of the dead are pilgrims to the Mantralaya Temple. Volunteers have removed these bodies and handed them over to the police. In addition, Seva Bharathi has created a Flood relief kit consisting of 3 sets of cooking utensils, two plates and glasses, 10kg rice, 1kg dal, 1/2 kg tamarind, 1/4 kg masala powder, 1 blanket and 1 mat, costing $25 (Rupees 1,200). Working round the clock the volunteers are rescuing, distributing relief materials, providing food and essential health care.
Announcing an immediate relief of $10,000 from general funds towards flood relief, SEWA International USA President, Professor Sree N. Sreenath said, "The tragedy that has unfolded through nature's fury is unimaginable. Our volunteers on the ground are working very hard under adverse conditions. Public support through donations will help mitigate the sufferings of poor people. We exhort our donors to check with their employers for matching contributions. We even have a capped dollar-to-dollar matching program for large donations from institutions such as temples and cultural associations. Many Telugu and Kannada Associations are working with us in raising awareness and helping."
Further Prof. Sreenath continues, "Immediate concern is relief, but lurking behind is the more challenging rehabilitation. Many people have lost their livelihood and homes. Sewa International recognizes experientially that in the longer term we need to rebuild homes, schools, medical clinics, and not the least – damaged lives. Our volunteers on site are assessing the damage and planning rehabilitation already. Sewa International is in this for the long term."
Sewa International USA is a non-profit organization with international presence. It has over 25 years of experience and has the capability to develop volunteers from the local population. Sewa International USA helps victims regardless of caste, class, creed, color or religion. Sewa International USA funds project in the area of health care, education, women empowerment, environment and disaster relief and rehabilitation in India, USA, Sri Lanka, Caribbean countries and South America.
SEWA USA is soliciting tax-deductible contribution for the support of these victims. Donate online at http://www.sewausa.org or make check payable to 'SEWA' & mention 'AP/Karnataka Floods' in the memo. Mailing Address: Sewa International USA PO Box 14622 Fremont, CA 94539. Contact: info@sewausa.org, (440) 941-2525. For up to date information on relief work visit the website.
Rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra are in spate. Reservoirs are full with the reservoirs at Srisailam and Nagarjunsagar releasing large amounts of water that could result in low-lying villages downstream coming under water. Over 500 villages have already been inundated in AP while 1406 villages are marooned in Karnataka. Nearly 1.8 million affected and half a million rendered homeless.
SEWA International, USA supported NGO Seva Bharati, Youth for Seva, and Jana Sankshema Samiti volunteers in India have already launched relief camps in those towns of AP & Karnataka where food, medicine and essential items are being provided to the people. Seva Bharati volunteers from Adoni went to Mantralaya cleaned Mantralaya temple and cleared the dead bodies of cows of goshala, deer and other animals. Many of the dead are pilgrims to the Mantralaya Temple. Volunteers have removed these bodies and handed them over to the police. In addition, Seva Bharathi has created a Flood relief kit consisting of 3 sets of cooking utensils, two plates and glasses, 10kg rice, 1kg dal, 1/2 kg tamarind, 1/4 kg masala powder, 1 blanket and 1 mat, costing $25 (Rupees 1,200). Working round the clock the volunteers are rescuing, distributing relief materials, providing food and essential health care.
Announcing an immediate relief of $10,000 from general funds towards flood relief, SEWA International USA President, Professor Sree N. Sreenath said, "The tragedy that has unfolded through nature's fury is unimaginable. Our volunteers on the ground are working very hard under adverse conditions. Public support through donations will help mitigate the sufferings of poor people. We exhort our donors to check with their employers for matching contributions. We even have a capped dollar-to-dollar matching program for large donations from institutions such as temples and cultural associations. Many Telugu and Kannada Associations are working with us in raising awareness and helping."
Further Prof. Sreenath continues, "Immediate concern is relief, but lurking behind is the more challenging rehabilitation. Many people have lost their livelihood and homes. Sewa International recognizes experientially that in the longer term we need to rebuild homes, schools, medical clinics, and not the least – damaged lives. Our volunteers on site are assessing the damage and planning rehabilitation already. Sewa International is in this for the long term."
Sewa International USA is a non-profit organization with international presence. It has over 25 years of experience and has the capability to develop volunteers from the local population. Sewa International USA helps victims regardless of caste, class, creed, color or religion. Sewa International USA funds project in the area of health care, education, women empowerment, environment and disaster relief and rehabilitation in India, USA, Sri Lanka, Caribbean countries and South America.
SEWA USA is soliciting tax-deductible contribution for the support of these victims. Donate online at http://www.sewausa.org or make check payable to 'SEWA' & mention 'AP/Karnataka Floods' in the memo. Mailing Address: Sewa International USA PO Box 14622 Fremont, CA 94539. Contact: info@sewausa.org, (440) 941-2525. For up to date information on relief work visit the website.
Air India flight crew in mid-air punch-up
Perhaps a patch of turbulence on your next flight doesn't merit a complaint after all. Consider the ordeal passengers went through on an Air India flight early Saturday when one of the plane's pilots and a cabin crew member spilled out of the cockpit trading punches, a scrap some reports say left the cockpit unmanned for a brief period. While Air India denies the cockpit was ever unmanned and insists passenger safety was never compromised, India has been spellbound by the incident since news broke of the mid-air fracas on flight IC-844.
The fight started at about 4 a.m. local time, just after the pilots informed the 106 Delhi-bound passengers they were flying over Pakistan. Moments later, one of the pilots allegedly groped a female flight attendant after she resisted his advances.
The pilot then threw her out of the cockpit, setting the stage for a fight with a male flight attendant that wound up in the passenger cabin. The flight, which originated in the United Arab Emirates, landed safely in Lucknow, India, after the pilots threatened to land in Karachi, Pakistan.
Air India, which just suffered a morale-sapping month, said it has grounded the pilots and crew members involved and has started an inquiry. Komal Singh, a 24-year-old female flight attendant, says flight commander Ranbeer Arora was upset over her takeoff announcement and summoned her to the cockpit. Both Arora and co-pilot Aditya Chopra chastised her. Singh was made to feel "uncomfortable as a woman," media reports say.
Singh told flight purser Amit Khanna what had happened and the two returned to the cockpit. That's when the pilots pushed Singh out, allegedly injuring her, and setting the stage for the dust-up between purser and pilot. According to local media reports, Arora has said he merely spoke to Singh about routine takeoff procedures.
Moments later, Arora alleges, Khanna started beating on the cockpit door. After the brawl and the stop in Lucknow, Singh and Khanna continued on the flight to Delhi. As Air India moves forward with its internal investigation and police decide whether to pursue a criminal case, prominent national organizations are jumping into the fray.
Shailendra Singh, president of the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association, says it's not fair to blame the pilots, who "maintained their cool." "There is a certain hierarchy in the cockpit that has to be followed." The National Commission for Women has also said it will investigate Singh's claim. "She came here and sat with me for six hours. She has filed a complaint with me," commission chair Girija Vyas said Wednesday. "We have written to Air India to inquire into the matter and also informed them about the Supreme Court guidelines on sexual harassment at the workplace."
The fight started at about 4 a.m. local time, just after the pilots informed the 106 Delhi-bound passengers they were flying over Pakistan. Moments later, one of the pilots allegedly groped a female flight attendant after she resisted his advances.
The pilot then threw her out of the cockpit, setting the stage for a fight with a male flight attendant that wound up in the passenger cabin. The flight, which originated in the United Arab Emirates, landed safely in Lucknow, India, after the pilots threatened to land in Karachi, Pakistan.
Air India, which just suffered a morale-sapping month, said it has grounded the pilots and crew members involved and has started an inquiry. Komal Singh, a 24-year-old female flight attendant, says flight commander Ranbeer Arora was upset over her takeoff announcement and summoned her to the cockpit. Both Arora and co-pilot Aditya Chopra chastised her. Singh was made to feel "uncomfortable as a woman," media reports say.
Singh told flight purser Amit Khanna what had happened and the two returned to the cockpit. That's when the pilots pushed Singh out, allegedly injuring her, and setting the stage for the dust-up between purser and pilot. According to local media reports, Arora has said he merely spoke to Singh about routine takeoff procedures.
Moments later, Arora alleges, Khanna started beating on the cockpit door. After the brawl and the stop in Lucknow, Singh and Khanna continued on the flight to Delhi. As Air India moves forward with its internal investigation and police decide whether to pursue a criminal case, prominent national organizations are jumping into the fray.
Shailendra Singh, president of the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association, says it's not fair to blame the pilots, who "maintained their cool." "There is a certain hierarchy in the cockpit that has to be followed." The National Commission for Women has also said it will investigate Singh's claim. "She came here and sat with me for six hours. She has filed a complaint with me," commission chair Girija Vyas said Wednesday. "We have written to Air India to inquire into the matter and also informed them about the Supreme Court guidelines on sexual harassment at the workplace."
India has the largest number of Muslims living as a minority community
Apart from having the third largest number of Muslims at over 160 million after Indonesia and Pakistan, India also has the largest number of Muslims living as a minority community, says a new study conducted in 232 countries.
While 80 per cent of the world’s 1.57 billion Muslims live in countries where Muslims are in the majority, significant numbers – about one-fifth of the world's Muslim population (or 317 million) - live as religious minorities in their home countries, according to the Forum on Religion and Public Life, a part of a US-based organisation, Pew Research Centre.
Of the roughly 317 million Muslims living as minorities, about 240 million live in five countries: India (161 million), Ethiopia (28 million), China (22 million), Russia (16 million) and Tanzania (13 million). Two of the 10 countries with the largest number of Muslims living as minorities are in Europe: Russia (16 million) and Germany (4 million).
"These minority populations are often quite large. For example, India, a Hindu-majority country, has the third-largest population of Muslims worldwide. The Muslim population of Ethiopia is about as large as that of Afghanistan. China has more Muslims than Syria; Russia is home to more Muslims than Jordan and Libya combined; and Germany has more Muslims than Lebanon," said the Pew report released yesterday.
"Of the 232 countries and territories included in this study, 50 are Muslim-majority. Out of these, however, more than six-in-10 (62 per cent) have a smaller Muslim population than do Russia and China individually," added the report.
The report also found that the Middle East-North Africa region contains the highest percentage of Muslim-majority countries compared with other regions. Of the 20 countries and territories in the region, 17 have a population that is more than 75 percent Muslim, with Israel, Lebanon and Sudan being the only exceptions. In comparison, only 12 of 61 countries in Asia, 10 of 50 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and two of 50 countries in Europe (Kosovo and Albania) are 75 percent or more Muslim.
The report observed that more than 300 million Muslims, or a fifth of the world's Muslim population, live in countries where Islam is not the majority religion. It also said that while Muslims are found on all five inhabited continents, more than 60 per cent of the global Muslim population is in Asia. Indonesia and Pakistan have over 200 million and 174 million Muslims respectively.
Of the total Muslim population, 10-13 per cent are Shias and 87-90 per cent are Sunnis, said the report, adding that most Shias, between 68-80 per cent, live in just four countries, namely Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq.
While 80 per cent of the world’s 1.57 billion Muslims live in countries where Muslims are in the majority, significant numbers – about one-fifth of the world's Muslim population (or 317 million) - live as religious minorities in their home countries, according to the Forum on Religion and Public Life, a part of a US-based organisation, Pew Research Centre.
Of the roughly 317 million Muslims living as minorities, about 240 million live in five countries: India (161 million), Ethiopia (28 million), China (22 million), Russia (16 million) and Tanzania (13 million). Two of the 10 countries with the largest number of Muslims living as minorities are in Europe: Russia (16 million) and Germany (4 million).
"These minority populations are often quite large. For example, India, a Hindu-majority country, has the third-largest population of Muslims worldwide. The Muslim population of Ethiopia is about as large as that of Afghanistan. China has more Muslims than Syria; Russia is home to more Muslims than Jordan and Libya combined; and Germany has more Muslims than Lebanon," said the Pew report released yesterday.
"Of the 232 countries and territories included in this study, 50 are Muslim-majority. Out of these, however, more than six-in-10 (62 per cent) have a smaller Muslim population than do Russia and China individually," added the report.
The report also found that the Middle East-North Africa region contains the highest percentage of Muslim-majority countries compared with other regions. Of the 20 countries and territories in the region, 17 have a population that is more than 75 percent Muslim, with Israel, Lebanon and Sudan being the only exceptions. In comparison, only 12 of 61 countries in Asia, 10 of 50 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and two of 50 countries in Europe (Kosovo and Albania) are 75 percent or more Muslim.
The report observed that more than 300 million Muslims, or a fifth of the world's Muslim population, live in countries where Islam is not the majority religion. It also said that while Muslims are found on all five inhabited continents, more than 60 per cent of the global Muslim population is in Asia. Indonesia and Pakistan have over 200 million and 174 million Muslims respectively.
Of the total Muslim population, 10-13 per cent are Shias and 87-90 per cent are Sunnis, said the report, adding that most Shias, between 68-80 per cent, live in just four countries, namely Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq.
India-US Military Relations Growing Rapidly
For decades, India mostly depended on, first, the Soviet Union and then Russia for its military supplies. But as the Cold War ended and India's relations with the United States began improving during Bill Clinton's presidency, New Delhi gradually increased its military cooperation with Washington. Both New Delhi and Washington have said their relationship is not aimed against India's arch-rival Pakistan. Today, besides holding joint military exercises with the U.S. military, India has also been buying U.S. armaments worth billions of dollars.
The latest India-U.S. defense deal is the sale of this Airborne Early Warning Air Craft, Hawkeye E-2D, developed by American arms manufacturer, Northrop Grumman. Woolf Gross, the corporate director at the company, says the reconnaissance plane has yet to be introduced in the U.S. Navy. Its sale to India, he says, is a symbol of how close India/U.S. military relations are. "So they [the Indians] could have advanced Hawkeyes in India about the same time that the U.S. Navy becomes fully operational with the same aircraft," he explained. During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India in July, the two countries agreed on the terms of such high technology sales to India.
India's Ambassador to Washington, Meera Shankar is optimistic about future cooperation.
"Our militaries once unfamiliar with each other now hold regular dialog and joint exercises in the air and on land and sea. We coordinate anti-piracy efforts and have worked together on humanitarian missions. Our defense trade was negligible a decade ago. We placed orders worth $3.5 billion last year and it could grow even more in the future," Shankar said.
Since joint exercises between the two countries are expected to grow, it is better for India to buy equipment that is compatible with the U.S. military, says Walter Andersen at Johns Hopkins University. He says India imports most of its oil and gas and other merchandise by sea, and India is in favor of holding more joint naval exercises.
"And there is real and present danger from growing threats of piracy both on the eastern and western ends of the sea lanes coming out of the Strait of Hormuz carrying oil and gas. And also on the Horn of Africa as well as the Somalia coast where there have been real problems," Andersen said.
In the wake of last year's Mumbai terror attacks, Andersen says India is also keen to get help from the U.S. on how to combat terrorism. India blamed the attacks on a Pakistan based militant group known as Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The group is still intact and determined to repeat the Mumbai terror attacks, says Michael Leiter who heads the Counter-terrorism Center in Washington."I think it is worth noting that in Pakistan, Lashkar-e- Taiba, an al-Qaida ally, continues to pose a threat to a variety of interests in South Asia. The group continues to plan attacks on India that could have major geo-political consequences for the U.S. fight against terrorism," Leiter said.
The Mumbai terror attacks were a "wake up" call for India, says Woolf Gross at Northrop Grumman. He says as India shores up security on its coasts, it will also be a large market for U.S. anti-terrorism equipment. "Speed boats to patrol the coasts in very short range and larger ships further out on the sea constituting a better and broader-based patrol capability as well as operation centers that are geared to share information and provide information back and forth," Gross said.
Military analysts say the ongoing military cooperation between India and the United States is bound to grow as India plans to spend billions of dollars for modernizing it defense capabilities. India, they say, is preparing for short term threats from Pakistan and long-term deterrence against China.
The latest India-U.S. defense deal is the sale of this Airborne Early Warning Air Craft, Hawkeye E-2D, developed by American arms manufacturer, Northrop Grumman. Woolf Gross, the corporate director at the company, says the reconnaissance plane has yet to be introduced in the U.S. Navy. Its sale to India, he says, is a symbol of how close India/U.S. military relations are. "So they [the Indians] could have advanced Hawkeyes in India about the same time that the U.S. Navy becomes fully operational with the same aircraft," he explained. During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India in July, the two countries agreed on the terms of such high technology sales to India.
India's Ambassador to Washington, Meera Shankar is optimistic about future cooperation.
"Our militaries once unfamiliar with each other now hold regular dialog and joint exercises in the air and on land and sea. We coordinate anti-piracy efforts and have worked together on humanitarian missions. Our defense trade was negligible a decade ago. We placed orders worth $3.5 billion last year and it could grow even more in the future," Shankar said.
Since joint exercises between the two countries are expected to grow, it is better for India to buy equipment that is compatible with the U.S. military, says Walter Andersen at Johns Hopkins University. He says India imports most of its oil and gas and other merchandise by sea, and India is in favor of holding more joint naval exercises.
"And there is real and present danger from growing threats of piracy both on the eastern and western ends of the sea lanes coming out of the Strait of Hormuz carrying oil and gas. And also on the Horn of Africa as well as the Somalia coast where there have been real problems," Andersen said.
In the wake of last year's Mumbai terror attacks, Andersen says India is also keen to get help from the U.S. on how to combat terrorism. India blamed the attacks on a Pakistan based militant group known as Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The group is still intact and determined to repeat the Mumbai terror attacks, says Michael Leiter who heads the Counter-terrorism Center in Washington."I think it is worth noting that in Pakistan, Lashkar-e- Taiba, an al-Qaida ally, continues to pose a threat to a variety of interests in South Asia. The group continues to plan attacks on India that could have major geo-political consequences for the U.S. fight against terrorism," Leiter said.
The Mumbai terror attacks were a "wake up" call for India, says Woolf Gross at Northrop Grumman. He says as India shores up security on its coasts, it will also be a large market for U.S. anti-terrorism equipment. "Speed boats to patrol the coasts in very short range and larger ships further out on the sea constituting a better and broader-based patrol capability as well as operation centers that are geared to share information and provide information back and forth," Gross said.
Military analysts say the ongoing military cooperation between India and the United States is bound to grow as India plans to spend billions of dollars for modernizing it defense capabilities. India, they say, is preparing for short term threats from Pakistan and long-term deterrence against China.
Oops! British Airways offers $40 round-trip from U.S. to India - by accident
Consumers who got this deal must have been flyin' high! British Airways accidentally offered a $40 round-trip airfare for flights between India and the U.S., the L.A. Times discovered. The super-inexpensive airfare, which was available during a two-hour window, was the result of a computer glitch. "We were filing for a $40 increase in fares between the U.S. and India," British Airways spokesman John Lampl told the paper. "Somewhere in that process, they eliminated the 'plus' sign."
"We sincerely apologize," Lampl said. "We're trying to figure out how to best rectify the situation." Lampl said the airline might remedy the error on a case-by-case basis with refunds and/or credits for another flight. An e-mail to travel agents shed more light on what the airline would do. "As these fares were so clearly below the normal fare levels, British Airways is unable to honor these bookings," an e-mail from British Airways to travel agents said. "We have cancelled all affected bookings made during this two-hour window, and will make a full refund for any paid for and issued ticket."
"We sincerely apologize," Lampl said. "We're trying to figure out how to best rectify the situation." Lampl said the airline might remedy the error on a case-by-case basis with refunds and/or credits for another flight. An e-mail to travel agents shed more light on what the airline would do. "As these fares were so clearly below the normal fare levels, British Airways is unable to honor these bookings," an e-mail from British Airways to travel agents said. "We have cancelled all affected bookings made during this two-hour window, and will make a full refund for any paid for and issued ticket."
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