Suicide bomber kills seven at family gathering in Iraq.
BAGHDAD: Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has killed seven people at the home of a pro-government militiaman in the western city of Ramadi. The attack is the latest targeted killing in Iraq, which has seen a surge in violence six months after the last American troops withdrew. Most attacks are blamed on al-Qaeda-linked militants. A police official in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, said on Saturday that the bomber entered the home of a leader of a local Sunni militia leader on Friday night during a family gathering. He detonated his explosives belt, killing the militiaman and six family members. At least 30 others were wounded. A hospital worker in Ramadi confirmed the deaths. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information..

		Suicide bomber kills seven at family gathering in Iraq.
BAGHDAD: Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has killed seven people at the home of a pro-government militiaman in the western city of Ramadi. The attack is the latest targeted killing in Iraq, which has seen a surge in violence six months after the last American troops withdrew. Most attacks are blamed on al-Qaeda-linked militants. A police official in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, said on Saturday that the bomber entered the home of a leader of a local Sunni militia leader on Friday night during a family gathering. He detonated his explosives belt, killing the militiaman and six family members. At least 30 others were wounded. A hospital worker in Ramadi confirmed the deaths. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information..

African student beaten up by Punjab youths, slips into coma. PATIALA: A 23-year-old student from the east African country of Burundi is lying in coma in a private hospital in Punjab since April after nearly beaten to death by local youths in Jalandhar. Yannick Nihangaza suffered brain damage which the doctors say is irreversible after he was stoned and beaten mercilessly by youths in Jalandhar city on April 22. Further, doctors say his chances of recovery are remote. Nihangaza's father has sought Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for intervention to save his son battling for life. The African youth is pursuing a B.Sc. degree in Computers at Lovely Professional University near Jalandhar. He was beaten up after an altercation with his attackers near a liquor shop close to his rented accommodation, police said. Police could arrest two assailants - Bunny Ralhan and Sahildeep - after eyewitness told the registration number of their vehicle. However, three others are still absconding. Yannick's father Nector Ntibateganya has written two letters to the chief minister seeking justice and financial help for his son's treatment and taking him back to Burundi. Ntibateganya got his son shifted from Jalandhar to Patiala for treatment after arriving in India April 29. "I have written two letters to the Punjab chief minister seeking help for my son. I want justice for him. Perpetrators should be arrested and punished. I am yet to get any response to my plea," Ntibateganya said outside the Columbia Asia hospital where his son is admitted..

African student beaten up by Punjab youths, slips into coma. PATIALA: A 23-year-old student from the east African country of Burundi is lying in coma in a private hospital in Punjab since April after nearly beaten to death by local youths in Jalandhar. Yannick Nihangaza suffered brain damage which the doctors say is irreversible after he was stoned and beaten mercilessly by youths in Jalandhar city on April 22. Further, doctors say his chances of recovery are remote. Nihangaza's father has sought Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for intervention to save his son battling for life. The African youth is pursuing a B.Sc. degree in Computers at Lovely Professional University near Jalandhar. He was beaten up after an altercation with his attackers near a liquor shop close to his rented accommodation, police said. Police could arrest two assailants - Bunny Ralhan and Sahildeep - after eyewitness told the registration number of their vehicle. However, three others are still absconding. Yannick's father Nector Ntibateganya has written two letters to the chief minister seeking justice and financial help for his son's treatment and taking him back to Burundi. Ntibateganya got his son shifted from Jalandhar to Patiala for treatment after arriving in India April 29. "I have written two letters to the Punjab chief minister seeking help for my son. I want justice for him. Perpetrators should be arrested and punished. I am yet to get any response to my plea," Ntibateganya said outside the Columbia Asia hospital where his son is admitted..

Cong councillor arrested for attack on Akhil.

GUWAHATI: A Congress councillor was arrested in connection with the attack on RTI activist and Team Anna member Akhil Gogoi while search was on for five others allegedly involved in the assault. Meanwhile, the Nalbari district bandh called to protest against the incident disrupted normal life in the area today. Congress councillor Tapan Barman was arrested last night while search was on for five others allegedly involved in the attack on Gogoi when he was surveying flood damage in Purni village yesterday, police said. Gogoi, who sustained injury on his face and waist after being attacked by bamboos and sharp weapons, managed to reach Nalbari Sadar police station. He alleged that Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka, representing Dharmapur assembly constituency, where the attack took place was behind the incident and his supporters were involved in his assault. Gogoi, who is undergoing treatment in the Nalbari Swahid Mukunda Kakati civil hospital and referred to the Guwahati medical college hospital here, has refused to leave Nalbari until the five other accused were brought to book. The Nalbari district bandh called to protest against the attack affected normal life in Nalbari town but failed to have impact on other areas of the district. Shops and business establishments and banks and educational institutions in the district headquarter town of Nalbari remained closed but there was no impact on movement of traffic on the national highway. Gogoi, who is also the General Secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), alleged that five Congress workers including Ratul Ali, Khalilur Rahman, Bhuban Deka and Raju Barman were responsible for the attack, police said. He has already lodged an FIR against Congress leader and President of Dharmapur youth Congress committee Ratul Patowary and five others, they said. Two cameras of a scribe who went along with Gogoi to Purni were snatched by the attackers, he alleged. The KMSS leader also flayed the role of police and their alleged inaction. "The culprits should be brought to book within 24 hours", he demanded. Police claimed that Gogoi had gone to the village without informing them which resulted in the incident..

Cong councillor arrested for attack on Akhil.

GUWAHATI: A Congress councillor was arrested in connection with the attack on RTI activist and Team Anna member Akhil Gogoi while search was on for five others allegedly involved in the assault. Meanwhile, the Nalbari district bandh called to protest against the incident disrupted normal life in the area today. Congress councillor Tapan Barman was arrested last night while search was on for five others allegedly involved in the attack on Gogoi when he was surveying flood damage in Purni village yesterday, police said. Gogoi, who sustained injury on his face and waist after being attacked by bamboos and sharp weapons, managed to reach Nalbari Sadar police station. He alleged that Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka, representing Dharmapur assembly constituency, where the attack took place was behind the incident and his supporters were involved in his assault. Gogoi, who is undergoing treatment in the Nalbari Swahid Mukunda Kakati civil hospital and referred to the Guwahati medical college hospital here, has refused to leave Nalbari until the five other accused were brought to book. The Nalbari district bandh called to protest against the attack affected normal life in Nalbari town but failed to have impact on other areas of the district. Shops and business establishments and banks and educational institutions in the district headquarter town of Nalbari remained closed but there was no impact on movement of traffic on the national highway. Gogoi, who is also the General Secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), alleged that five Congress workers including Ratul Ali, Khalilur Rahman, Bhuban Deka and Raju Barman were responsible for the attack, police said. He has already lodged an FIR against Congress leader and President of Dharmapur youth Congress committee Ratul Patowary and five others, they said. Two cameras of a scribe who went along with Gogoi to Purni were snatched by the attackers, he alleged. The KMSS leader also flayed the role of police and their alleged inaction. "The culprits should be brought to book within 24 hours", he demanded. Police claimed that Gogoi had gone to the village without informing them which resulted in the incident..

Bailable warrant against Anbumani Ramadoss PTI. A Delhi court on Saturday issued a bailable warrant against former Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss after he failed to appear before it in a case of allegedly allowing a medical college to go ahead with admissions without having sufficient resources. Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh issued bailable warrant of Rs 10,000 against the PMK leader after the probe agency told the court that summons have not been served to him as he has gone to Bangalore from Chennai for medical treatment. “I want his presence in the court. It seems Ramadoss is avoiding the summons. Let bailable warrants of a sum of Rs 10,000 be issued against him and the same should be executed by the DIG of concerned branch of the CBI for July 20,” the judge said. Besides Dr. Ramadoss, who was the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare from May, 2004 till April, 2009 in UPA-I, the CBI has filed charge sheet against K V S Rao, Director in Cabinet Secretariat, Sudershan Kumar, Section Officer of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW) and Dr J S Dhupia and Dr Dipendra Kumar Gupta of Safdarjung Hospital. The charge sheet, filed before Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh, also named Suresh Singh Bhadoria, Chairman of Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (IMCHRC), Dr S K Tongia, ex-Dean of the college, Dr K K Saxena, Medical Director of the college, Nitin Gothwal and Dr Pawan Bhambani. According to the charge sheet, Dr. Ramadoss and other accused conspired with each other in permitting IMCHRC admission for second year despite the fact that the Medical Council of India (MCI) and a committee appointed by the Supreme Court had “repeatedly recommended” that IMCHRC was not having sufficient faculty and clinical material required as per MCI norms. Chargesheet against against five more Of the 10 accused against whom charge sheet was filed by the CBI, against Rao, Kumar, Dhupia, Gupta and Bhadoria, were present in court on Saturday following its summonses. The other four accused Tongia, Saxena, Gothwal and Bhambani sought exemption from personal appearance for the day’s proceedings, through their counsel, and the prayer was allowed by the court. Dr. Ramadoss, Rao, Kumar and the two doctors of Safdarjung Hospital have been charged by the CBI under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC along with offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Bhadoria and other four have been charged with offences of cheating and forgery. Bhadoria also faces charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to CBI, the accused had entered into a conspiracy in which IMCHRC gained pecuniary advantage in the form of grant of permission for admission of second batch of MBBS students for academic year 2008-09 ignoring the recommendations of the MCI. The MCI had made it clear that permission may not be granted to IMCHRC due to deficiencies observed by its inspectors. In its charge sheet, CBI had said that Bhadoria conspired with employees Tongia, Saxena, Bhambani, Gothwal and the HR manager and submitted a fake list of faculty members and false bed occupancy reports. The agency had said Dhupia and Gupta got the signatures of “dummy faculty members” which were forged just to show full strength of the faculty members. The CBI in its charge sheet had also said that Dhupia and Gupta, who were the inspectors of the central team, had “obtained the hospitality from the IMCHRC and failed to verify the records and persons produced before them.”

Bailable warrant against Anbumani Ramadoss PTI. A Delhi court on Saturday issued a bailable warrant against former Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss after he failed to appear before it in a case of allegedly allowing a medical college to go ahead with admissions without having sufficient resources. Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh issued bailable warrant of Rs 10,000 against the PMK leader after the probe agency told the court that summons have not been served to him as he has gone to Bangalore from Chennai for medical treatment. “I want his presence in the court. It seems Ramadoss is avoiding the summons. Let bailable warrants of a sum of Rs 10,000 be issued against him and the same should be executed by the DIG of concerned branch of the CBI for July 20,” the judge said. Besides Dr. Ramadoss, who was the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare from May, 2004 till April, 2009 in UPA-I, the CBI has filed charge sheet against K V S Rao, Director in Cabinet Secretariat, Sudershan Kumar, Section Officer of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW) and Dr J S Dhupia and Dr Dipendra Kumar Gupta of Safdarjung Hospital. The charge sheet, filed before Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh, also named Suresh Singh Bhadoria, Chairman of Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (IMCHRC), Dr S K Tongia, ex-Dean of the college, Dr K K Saxena, Medical Director of the college, Nitin Gothwal and Dr Pawan Bhambani. According to the charge sheet, Dr. Ramadoss and other accused conspired with each other in permitting IMCHRC admission for second year despite the fact that the Medical Council of India (MCI) and a committee appointed by the Supreme Court had “repeatedly recommended” that IMCHRC was not having sufficient faculty and clinical material required as per MCI norms. Chargesheet against against five more Of the 10 accused against whom charge sheet was filed by the CBI, against Rao, Kumar, Dhupia, Gupta and Bhadoria, were present in court on Saturday following its summonses. The other four accused Tongia, Saxena, Gothwal and Bhambani sought exemption from personal appearance for the day’s proceedings, through their counsel, and the prayer was allowed by the court. Dr. Ramadoss, Rao, Kumar and the two doctors of Safdarjung Hospital have been charged by the CBI under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC along with offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Bhadoria and other four have been charged with offences of cheating and forgery. Bhadoria also faces charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to CBI, the accused had entered into a conspiracy in which IMCHRC gained pecuniary advantage in the form of grant of permission for admission of second batch of MBBS students for academic year 2008-09 ignoring the recommendations of the MCI. The MCI had made it clear that permission may not be granted to IMCHRC due to deficiencies observed by its inspectors. In its charge sheet, CBI had said that Bhadoria conspired with employees Tongia, Saxena, Bhambani, Gothwal and the HR manager and submitted a fake list of faculty members and false bed occupancy reports. The agency had said Dhupia and Gupta got the signatures of “dummy faculty members” which were forged just to show full strength of the faculty members. The CBI in its charge sheet had also said that Dhupia and Gupta, who were the inspectors of the central team, had “obtained the hospitality from the IMCHRC and failed to verify the records and persons produced before them.”

. Suicide bomber kills seven at family gathering in Iraq. Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has killed seven people at the home of a pro-government militiaman in the western city of Ramadi.The attack is the latest targeted killing in Iraq, which has seen a surge in violence six months after the last American troops withdrew. Most attacks are blamed on al-Qaeda-linked militants.A police official in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, said on Saturday that the bomber entered the home of a leader of a local Sunni militia leader on Friday night during a family gathering. He detonated his explosives belt, killing the militiaman and six family members. At least 30 others were wounded.A hospital worker in Ramadi confirmed the deaths. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information.

. Suicide bomber kills seven at family gathering in Iraq. Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has killed seven people at the home of a pro-government militiaman in the western city of Ramadi.The attack is the latest targeted killing in Iraq, which has seen a surge in violence six months after the last American troops withdrew. Most attacks are blamed on al-Qaeda-linked militants.A police official in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, said on Saturday that the bomber entered the home of a leader of a local Sunni militia leader on Friday night during a family gathering. He detonated his explosives belt, killing the militiaman and six family members. At least 30 others were wounded.A hospital worker in Ramadi confirmed the deaths. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information.

Garcia Marquez suffering from dementia, says brother. Cartagena (Colombia): Colombian Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez suffers from senile dementia but still maintains his good sense of humour, joy and enthusiasm, his brother said here Friday. In remarks to participants in a cultural event at Cartagena's Inquisition Museum, Jaime Garcia Marquez said that "from a physical standpoint he's doing well, although he now has some memory lapses" aggravated by his long recovery from lymphatic cancer, first diagnosed in 1999. "Dementia runs in our family and he's now suffering the ravages prematurely due to the cancer that put him almost on the verge of death. Chemotherapy saved his life, but it also destroyed many neurons, many defenses and cells and accelerated the process," he said. But Jaime Garcia Marquez said it was still possible to converse with the 85-year-old master of magical realism and author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude", fondly known as "Gabo", who is still filled "with tremendous joy and enthusiasm, as he always has been. Always full of humor". "When we speak to him, we are very concerned about his health but deeply happy in the end because he's still with us," he added. The brother of the 1982 Nobel literature laureate said he has tried to keep news about Gabo's health a secret, not because there is anything people should not know "but because it's his life and he's always tried to protect it". "The fact is there are lots of comments. Some are true but they're always filled with morbid (details). Sometimes you get the sense they'd rather he were dead, as if his death were some great news," he said. Jaime Garcia Marquez, who heads the Ibero-American New Journalism Foundation, founded by Gabo in 1994 in Cartagena, said it is regrettable that his brother is not in a condition to write the second part of his autobiography, "Vivir para contarla" (Living to Tell the Tale), nor any other work. "Unfortunately, I don't think that'll be possible, but I hope I'm wrong," he said..

Garcia Marquez suffering from dementia, says brother. Cartagena (Colombia): Colombian Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez suffers from senile dementia but still maintains his good sense of humour, joy and enthusiasm, his brother said here Friday. In remarks to participants in a cultural event at Cartagena's Inquisition Museum, Jaime Garcia Marquez said that "from a physical standpoint he's doing well, although he now has some memory lapses" aggravated by his long recovery from lymphatic cancer, first diagnosed in 1999. "Dementia runs in our family and he's now suffering the ravages prematurely due to the cancer that put him almost on the verge of death. Chemotherapy saved his life, but it also destroyed many neurons, many defenses and cells and accelerated the process," he said. But Jaime Garcia Marquez said it was still possible to converse with the 85-year-old master of magical realism and author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude", fondly known as "Gabo", who is still filled "with tremendous joy and enthusiasm, as he always has been. Always full of humor". "When we speak to him, we are very concerned about his health but deeply happy in the end because he's still with us," he added. The brother of the 1982 Nobel literature laureate said he has tried to keep news about Gabo's health a secret, not because there is anything people should not know "but because it's his life and he's always tried to protect it". "The fact is there are lots of comments. Some are true but they're always filled with morbid (details). Sometimes you get the sense they'd rather he were dead, as if his death were some great news," he said. Jaime Garcia Marquez, who heads the Ibero-American New Journalism Foundation, founded by Gabo in 1994 in Cartagena, said it is regrettable that his brother is not in a condition to write the second part of his autobiography, "Vivir para contarla" (Living to Tell the Tale), nor any other work. "Unfortunately, I don't think that'll be possible, but I hope I'm wrong," he said..

Jagathy will return; so will the laughter. As our vehicle made its way to the Vellore Christian Medical College my mind was in a state of hurt, impaled by a thousand questions. On my side was my friend Ravi Vallathol. Our journey was to meet a common friend -Sreekumar. A student of the 1971 Botany batch in Thiruvananthapuram Mar Evanios College whom we affectionately called Sree. Sreekumar, beloved Jagathy for all - would he or would he not recognise us? What's the truth in the stories about him that appear in the media? One day you will read a news item which says there is a great improvement in his condition. Next day another one will proclaim there is no change in his condition. Why keep worrying. It's better to to go and meet your dear friend. I talked to Ravi. He came running as if he was waiting for my call. We called up Jagathy's wife Shobha and son Rajkumar and said we were coming down. In Tamil Nadu you miss the background score of rain. It's almost like summer with the dragonflies of sun hovering over your head. The vehicle stopped on a road where the towering CMC was casting a shadow. We learned that Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Metropolitan had called on Jagathy minutes before our arrival. As we entered the room No 207 in A Block we saw Jagathy sitting on a wheel chair with his back turned towards us. By his side was his nephew Anwar. There were stubbles on his face. A surprise. For me he was a friend who always took care to appear clean shaven. His neatly combed hair sported a slight wetness as if after a bath. Sitting on the wheel chair Sreekumar was arranging a set of playing cards. An excercise he is being made to do as part of neuro rehabilitation. I pushed Ravi to the front and stepped back. I wanted to see: Would Sree recognise him? Would his face in which navarasas effortlessly bloom display that emotion when you see a dear old friend? What I fervently hoped for was realised. He recognised Ravi. Slightly raising his eyes Sree smiled at him. Ravi could not believe it. He hugged him, almost breaking down. I gestured him not to cry. Ravi was like this. Always struggling to control emotions. It was my turn. I took a few steps forward. He greeted me with a smile full of wonder custom-made for me. I heard him asking even without asking: "Titus, you came travelling this far to see me".  His physiotherapist says Jagathy has progressed a lot in the last few weeks. But he is yet to get his speech back. As a medical doctor I found it baffling how a person who talked after the accident lost the ability later. He has trouble moving his right arm and right leg. But the left leg and left arm are absolutely fine. He showed me he could do anything with his left hand.  I looked at that face capable of spreading a thousand waves of laughter with a mere twitch of the eyebrow. Bhavas if any were sleeping sound like a waveless sea. Sree eats with his left hand these days. Idlis in the morning, fish curry and rice for lunch. He is happy if there's fried fish. The dinner is light: a bowl of rice gruel. Sree has now got used manoeuvring the left hand.I remembered an anecdote on Mahatma Gandhi who learned speed writing letters with his left hand after he developed a fatigue writing with his right hand. If things move in this pace Sree is sure to turn better. He will soon regain his power of speech. While his right leg has shown some improvement Jagathy's right arm might take a little more time. But we may have to wait some more time to get our old Jagathy back. But then again we have to answer the question on every one's lip: Can Jagathy get back to screen as the old Jagathy? The answer is a resounding Yes, if Sree continues to make progress as he does now. As the car made its way out of CMC gate Ravi shared the words Shivaji Ganeshan had to say about Jagathy. "Super artist..pride of India...pride of Kerala"..

Jagathy will return; so will the laughter. As our vehicle made its way to the Vellore Christian Medical College my mind was in a state of hurt, impaled by a thousand questions. On my side was my friend Ravi Vallathol. Our journey was to meet a common friend -Sreekumar. A student of the 1971 Botany batch in Thiruvananthapuram Mar Evanios College whom we affectionately called Sree. Sreekumar, beloved Jagathy for all - would he or would he not recognise us? What's the truth in the stories about him that appear in the media? One day you will read a news item which says there is a great improvement in his condition. Next day another one will proclaim there is no change in his condition. Why keep worrying. It's better to to go and meet your dear friend. I talked to Ravi. He came running as if he was waiting for my call. We called up Jagathy's wife Shobha and son Rajkumar and said we were coming down. In Tamil Nadu you miss the background score of rain. It's almost like summer with the dragonflies of sun hovering over your head. The vehicle stopped on a road where the towering CMC was casting a shadow. We learned that Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Metropolitan had called on Jagathy minutes before our arrival. As we entered the room No 207 in A Block we saw Jagathy sitting on a wheel chair with his back turned towards us. By his side was his nephew Anwar. There were stubbles on his face. A surprise. For me he was a friend who always took care to appear clean shaven. His neatly combed hair sported a slight wetness as if after a bath. Sitting on the wheel chair Sreekumar was arranging a set of playing cards. An excercise he is being made to do as part of neuro rehabilitation. I pushed Ravi to the front and stepped back. I wanted to see: Would Sree recognise him? Would his face in which navarasas effortlessly bloom display that emotion when you see a dear old friend? What I fervently hoped for was realised. He recognised Ravi. Slightly raising his eyes Sree smiled at him. Ravi could not believe it. He hugged him, almost breaking down. I gestured him not to cry. Ravi was like this. Always struggling to control emotions. It was my turn. I took a few steps forward. He greeted me with a smile full of wonder custom-made for me. I heard him asking even without asking: "Titus, you came travelling this far to see me".  His physiotherapist says Jagathy has progressed a lot in the last few weeks. But he is yet to get his speech back. As a medical doctor I found it baffling how a person who talked after the accident lost the ability later. He has trouble moving his right arm and right leg. But the left leg and left arm are absolutely fine. He showed me he could do anything with his left hand.  I looked at that face capable of spreading a thousand waves of laughter with a mere twitch of the eyebrow. Bhavas if any were sleeping sound like a waveless sea. Sree eats with his left hand these days. Idlis in the morning, fish curry and rice for lunch. He is happy if there's fried fish. The dinner is light: a bowl of rice gruel. Sree has now got used manoeuvring the left hand.I remembered an anecdote on Mahatma Gandhi who learned speed writing letters with his left hand after he developed a fatigue writing with his right hand. If things move in this pace Sree is sure to turn better. He will soon regain his power of speech. While his right leg has shown some improvement Jagathy's right arm might take a little more time. But we may have to wait some more time to get our old Jagathy back. But then again we have to answer the question on every one's lip: Can Jagathy get back to screen as the old Jagathy? The answer is a resounding Yes, if Sree continues to make progress as he does now. As the car made its way out of CMC gate Ravi shared the words Shivaji Ganeshan had to say about Jagathy. "Super artist..pride of India...pride of Kerala"..

. Sangma’s camp raises fresh allegations against Pranab . New Delhi: Opposition nominee P A Sangma Saturday sought the Election Commission's intervention for a fresh probe into his objections against the candidature of UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee, levelling new allegations that he was still holding two more offices of profit.  Expressing dissatisfaction over the Returning Officer's dismissal of their complaint, a three-member delegation on behalf of Sangma met the Election Commission, which gave them time to present their written submission on their demand by Monday evening.  After the meeting, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy claimed that Mukherjee continued to hold two more offices of profit - as Vice President of Birbhum Institute of Engineering and Technology and Chairman of Rabindra Bharti Society, which forms the Rabindra Bharti University.  He said the delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and placed their concerns. The Constitution allows the EC to intervene in the conduct of elections.  "Here the issue is of fraud. Let the EC decide on whether there is a fraud in the nomination process. Let the EC take the final decision," Swamy said.  The delegation, which also included BJP leader and Sangma's counsel Satya Pal Jain and his election agent Bhartruhari Mahtab, raked up the issue of Mukherjee's signature on his letter of resignation from the Indian Statistical Institute and its acceptance.  .

. Sangma’s camp raises fresh allegations against Pranab . New Delhi: Opposition nominee P A Sangma Saturday sought the Election Commission's intervention for a fresh probe into his objections against the candidature of UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee, levelling new allegations that he was still holding two more offices of profit.  Expressing dissatisfaction over the Returning Officer's dismissal of their complaint, a three-member delegation on behalf of Sangma met the Election Commission, which gave them time to present their written submission on their demand by Monday evening.  After the meeting, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy claimed that Mukherjee continued to hold two more offices of profit - as Vice President of Birbhum Institute of Engineering and Technology and Chairman of Rabindra Bharti Society, which forms the Rabindra Bharti University.  He said the delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and placed their concerns. The Constitution allows the EC to intervene in the conduct of elections.  "Here the issue is of fraud. Let the EC decide on whether there is a fraud in the nomination process. Let the EC take the final decision," Swamy said.  The delegation, which also included BJP leader and Sangma's counsel Satya Pal Jain and his election agent Bhartruhari Mahtab, raked up the issue of Mukherjee's signature on his letter of resignation from the Indian Statistical Institute and its acceptance.  .

. Sangma’s camp raises fresh allegations against Pranab . New Delhi: Opposition nominee P A Sangma Saturday sought the Election Commission's intervention for a fresh probe into his objections against the candidature of UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee, levelling new allegations that he was still holding two more offices of profit.  Expressing dissatisfaction over the Returning Officer's dismissal of their complaint, a three-member delegation on behalf of Sangma met the Election Commission, which gave them time to present their written submission on their demand by Monday evening.  After the meeting, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy claimed that Mukherjee continued to hold two more offices of profit - as Vice President of Birbhum Institute of Engineering and Technology and Chairman of Rabindra Bharti Society, which forms the Rabindra Bharti University.  He said the delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and placed their concerns. The Constitution allows the EC to intervene in the conduct of elections.  "Here the issue is of fraud. Let the EC decide on whether there is a fraud in the nomination process. Let the EC take the final decision," Swamy said.  The delegation, which also included BJP leader and Sangma's counsel Satya Pal Jain and his election agent Bhartruhari Mahtab, raked up the issue of Mukherjee's signature on his letter of resignation from the Indian Statistical Institute and its acceptance.  .

Freelancing could become as big as outsourcing industry. NEW DELHI: Never mind the lacklustre job market in India. Don't worry about the anti-outsourcing outcry in the US. And don't let slowdown and layoffs in the West weigh you down.  For the hungry, talented and skilled Indians looking for work and income, there is a new job market that has opened up, that is booming and also paying well.  The global online labour market is opening new doors. And Indians seem to be dominating the wave. Freelancer.com says Indians comprise 38% of all users on its website.  Over 1.2 million of 3 million plus users on www.freelancer.com come from India, making it the number one freelancer country on their website. "India is by far the biggest freelancing nation in the world," says Matt Barrie, CEO, Freelancer.com.  It is the same story at www.oDesk.com, a global online job market place that connects independent contractors to projects being posted by companies across the world. Of the total man-hours of projects grabbed, India is second to the Philippines on the website.  But the good news is that Indians are probably doing higher-end work - because their yield per hour is much higher. Of more than $78 million earned on oDesk in the first quarter of 2012, the company says the largest recipient was India that got 20-30% of the payments. Their business from India has grown eight times since 2008.  "This is the new hidden economy, beyond borders, where people work and go everyday," says Barrie. The trend is set to intensify, going forward. At a time when many economies, including the US and Europe, are dealing with slowdown and staring at uncertainties, MNCs are increasingly shy of hiring full-time employees.  Most are working on a two-pronged strategy to deal with talent requirement. Some are reaching out to independent workers through these online websites to get their one-off projects executed. And some are also leaning towards temp hiring to tide over staff shortages.  Temp industry in the US is booming - according the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it added nearly 5,00,000 workers between June 2009 and 2011, representing more than 90% of the non-farm job growth in that period.  oDesk.com CEO Gary Swart says: "The opportunities are unlimited. All work that can be done in front of the computer can move online." He says at least one-third of the global workforce could be hired online by 2020..

Freelancing could become as big as outsourcing industry. NEW DELHI: Never mind the lacklustre job market in India. Don't worry about the anti-outsourcing outcry in the US. And don't let slowdown and layoffs in the West weigh you down.  For the hungry, talented and skilled Indians looking for work and income, there is a new job market that has opened up, that is booming and also paying well.  The global online labour market is opening new doors. And Indians seem to be dominating the wave. Freelancer.com says Indians comprise 38% of all users on its website.  Over 1.2 million of 3 million plus users on www.freelancer.com come from India, making it the number one freelancer country on their website. "India is by far the biggest freelancing nation in the world," says Matt Barrie, CEO, Freelancer.com.  It is the same story at www.oDesk.com, a global online job market place that connects independent contractors to projects being posted by companies across the world. Of the total man-hours of projects grabbed, India is second to the Philippines on the website.  But the good news is that Indians are probably doing higher-end work - because their yield per hour is much higher. Of more than $78 million earned on oDesk in the first quarter of 2012, the company says the largest recipient was India that got 20-30% of the payments. Their business from India has grown eight times since 2008.  "This is the new hidden economy, beyond borders, where people work and go everyday," says Barrie. The trend is set to intensify, going forward. At a time when many economies, including the US and Europe, are dealing with slowdown and staring at uncertainties, MNCs are increasingly shy of hiring full-time employees.  Most are working on a two-pronged strategy to deal with talent requirement. Some are reaching out to independent workers through these online websites to get their one-off projects executed. And some are also leaning towards temp hiring to tide over staff shortages.  Temp industry in the US is booming - according the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it added nearly 5,00,000 workers between June 2009 and 2011, representing more than 90% of the non-farm job growth in that period.  oDesk.com CEO Gary Swart says: "The opportunities are unlimited. All work that can be done in front of the computer can move online." He says at least one-third of the global workforce could be hired online by 2020..