Engineer Modestus assorted

14/08/2012

20/07/2012

http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/india/1438258-riot-forces-maruti-suzuki-plant-closure-india.html #.671836-stage-hero1-4

IndiaRiot forces Maruti Suzuki plant closure in India


MUMBAI, India (AP) — Top Indian carmaker Maruti Suzuki has shut one of its two factories in India after rioting sparked by a labor dispute killed one person and injured dozens of others.

Spokesman Puneep Dhawan said Thursday the plant stopped production Wednesday night because of fire damage caused by rioting workers. "The plant is burnt in sections. You cannot make any cars," he said. No decision has been taken on whether to reopen the 550,000-vehicle-a-year plant in Manesar, in the north Indian state of Haryana.

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A body found charred nearly beyond recognition in a conference room was identified Thursday as human resources manager Avnish Kumar Dev, Dhawan said. The rioting also led at least 40 managers and executives to be hospitalized with injuries, according to a statement from the company, which is a subsidiary of Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp.

Labor unrest is a growing concern in India, as soaring inflation squeezes worker salaries even as mass media and conspicuous consumption stoke aspirations. The widespread use of contract workers by companies eager to side step India's strict labor laws adds to friction.

India's fast-growing auto industry, which has attracted many foreign investors, has been at the center of some of the highest-profile disputes. In 2008, a mob of workers at Graziano Trasmissioni India, part of the Swiss Oerlikon Group, killed the chief executive, crushing his skull with hammers and metal bars.

Honda, Ford, General Motors and Hyundai, among others, have also struggled with labor unrest in India, but nothing as persistent or violent as the agitation at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant. Maruti Suzuki suffered three crippling strikes in 2011, which cost it market share and blocked production of tens of thousands of vehicles.

The Manesar plant makes Maruti Suzuki's most popular cars, the Swift and the DZire. Last year's strikes caused a production shortfall of about 60,000 vehicles, said Deepesh Rathore, chief auto analyst for IHS Global Insight in India.

"Even today there is a waiting list for the cars," he said. "With this strike it will only get worse." "I think the root cause is that the Maruti working standards are quite tough," he said. "Maruti has a very distinctive Japanese style of working. The workers on the shop floor spend long hours without breaks and the job is monotonous."

He said Maruti pays "decent salaries," but they are eroded by the high cost of living in the area. "From the worker's perspective, he doesn't have a good quality of life," he said. "There's high resentment among workers."

The Press Trust of India reported that police had arrested 88 Maruti Suzuki workers on charges including murder and damaging property. According to Maruti, the unrest was sparked when a worker beat up a supervisor Wednesday morning. The company said the union prevented management from disciplining the worker, blocked exit gates and "held the executives hostage."

After talks broke down, workers "attacked members of the senior management, executives and managers," and ransacked the property, the company said. The Maruti Suzuki Workers Union, in a statement distributed to Indian media, offered a different version of events, saying that a supervisor had "abused" and made "casteist comments" against a low-caste worker.

Instead of taking action against the supervisor, management suspended the worker, the union said. The union denied responsibility for the violence, saying that management had sent in hundreds of "bouncers" to attack the workers with "sharp weapons and arms" and set fire to part of the factory.

Maruti Suzuki said production at its Gurgaon plant, which can produce 900,000 vehicles a year, was unaffected. Maruti Suzuki shares closed down 8.7 percent in Mumbai trade.

Subjects Business, General news, Production facilities, Government pay, Crime Locations India, Mumbai, South Asia, Asia Companies Suzuki Motor Corp., General Motors Co

Top Indian carmaker Maruti Suzuki has shut one of its two factories in India after rioting sparked by a labor dispute killed one person and injured dozens of others.

18/07/2012

IndiaIndia's political fixer set to become president

India's political fix-it man is preparing to rise above the fray.

Pranab Mukherjee, who whipped coalition partners into shape and quelled scandals as the Congress party's chief firefighter for years, seems likely to leave all that behind and become India's figurehead president in an election Thursday.

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"Eight years he has been under enormous strain. He has been carrying all the burdens of the government," said journalist Inder Malhotra, who has documented the Congress party leadership. "If he doesn't go for it now, he knows his time will pass."

Mukherjee, 76, has traveled the country for weeks to solidify his support in the 4,896-member electoral college, which includes all national and state legislators. And if Mukherjee can't corral votes, who can?

He appears to have locked a victory against opposition candidate Purno Agitok Sangma, with media reports predicting he will get more than two-thirds of the vote and even opposition party support, despite his widely criticized stint as finance minister.

The son of a Congress party official from West Bengal, Mukherjee entered Parliament in 1969 and quickly became a favorite of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. But in a much disputed incident following her assassination, Mukherjee reportedly insisted that he — not her son Rajiv — should take over as prime minister.

He was sentenced to the political wilderness for years before eventually reclaiming his role as a top party leader. He has been foreign minister, defense minister and finance minister twice. But the top job always eluded him because Sonia Gandhi, Rajiv's widow and the current Congress leader, never forgave him for his impertinence three decades ago, said Malhotra, who has written extensively about the Gandhi family.

Recent signs indicated the party's leaders felt Mukherjee — described by the U.S. Embassy in a cable released by Wikileaks as "the ultimate Congress party fixer and operator" — might have run his course and could be doing more harm than good.

As finance minister since 2009, he was unable, or unwilling, to push through proposed reforms. Over the past year, growth has stalled, the rupee's value has plunged and foreign investment has all but collapsed. His nadir might have been this year's budget speech, when he announced a huge retroactive tax on overseas acquisitions and new rules to prevent tax avoidance that panicked foreign investors.

"There was a perception that he wasn't in tune with changing times. He had been a very competent finance minister in the '80s, but the entire ballgame had changed," said Abheek Barua, the chief economist at HDFC Bank.

Mukherjee's stubborn response to business complaints that he was changing the rules midstream and making it difficult for investors to trust the government made things even worse, he said. "There was a sense that he was just not in a mood to listen. That proved to be a disaster," Barua said.

Immediately after Mukherjee resigned last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — the architect of the country's 1991 economic reforms — took over the finance ministry. He implored top finance officials to "revive the animal spirit" in India's economy, implying that Mukherjee had somehow suppressed it.

It is also possible Congress wanted a top man in the president's house for a five-year term as a hedge against a poor showing in 2014 elections. Though the presidency is mainly ceremonial, Mukherjee might find a way to use it to exert some influence. In the event of a hung Parliament after the next elections, he would have the power to choose which party could first try to form a coalition government.

In his decades in politics, Mukherjee has developed a reputation as perhaps the only politician in the paralyzed ruling party who can get things done. He has headed more than two dozen Cabinet committees dealing with scandals and potential scandals, including how to conduct a sensitive caste census, what to do with the government's rotting grain and how to resell cellphone spectrum that courts ruled was sold off illegally.

Mukherjee came to the rescue last summer after other ministers fumbled the response to a popular hunger striker demanding sweeping anti-graft legislation that few lawmakers supported. Mukherjee got the activist eating again by using parliamentary maneuvering to make it appear lawmakers had caved in. A year later, the legislation still has not been passed.

When a telemarketer interrupted a negotiating session with the opposition to offer him a sweet deal on a home loan, the government sprang into action, adopting sweeping regulations on an industry that had been annoying ordinary Indians for years.

In recent weeks, he has struck a humble pose, apologizing to reporters for his prickly behavior, insisting the government had given him more than he could return, and deflecting praise for his work. Mukherjee finally realized he was never going to be prime minister and opted instead for the next best thing — taking walks through the splendid gardens at the presidential palace, Malhotra said.

18/07/2012

http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/india/1436218-rajesh-khanna-bollywoods-1st-superstar-dies.html #.671836-stage-hero1-6

Rajesh Khanna, whose success as a romantic lead in scores of Indian movies made him Bollywood's first superstar, died Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 69.

18/07/2012

IndiaRajesh Khanna, Bollywood's 1st superstar, dies

Rajesh Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Akshay Kumar – Photo: AP

NEW DELHI (AP) — Rajesh Khanna, whose success as a romantic lead in scores of Indian movies made him Bollywood's first superstar, died Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 69.

His wife, actress Dimple Kapadia, and two daughters were at his bedside when he died at his home in Mumbai, said his son-in-law, actor Akshay Kumar. Khanna began his career in the mid-1960s in romantic films that were hugely popular. He played the lead role in some 120 of the 170 movies in which he appeared and won scores of awards.

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His enormous success was a new phenomenon in India. Screaming fans surrounded him whenever he appeared in public. Women married his photograph and wrote him letters in their blood proposing marriage. He was born Jatin Khanna on Dec. 29, 1942, in the northern Indian town of Amritsar. He took to acting while in school and adopted the name Rajesh Khanna when he began his career in films.

After his early success he became a favorite with film directors wanting a sure box-office winner. During the 1970s, he had 15 consecutive movies that set new sales records. He was feted as the king of romance and mobbed by hysterical fans, who kissed his car when they couldn't get near him.

"Khanna witnessed unbelievable popularity, such that no one had ever seen or imagined. In fact from 1969 to 1973, it was a one-horse race," said Javed Akhtar, a screenwriter and poet. Khanna debuted in 1965 with "Akhri Khath," or "The Last Letter." A few films followed where the young handsome actor was noticed and gained fame. Then in 1969, came the romantic drama "Aradhana," or "Worship." The film was a runaway success and Khanna's career saw a meteoric rise.

In 1973, Khanna surprised his millions of fans by marrying Kapadia, a young and upcoming actress. The couple had two daughters, but they soon separated. Kapadia complained of his mood swings and bad temper when she moved out with her daughters. However, she returned to take care of Khanna after he fell sick two months ago.

After a nearly three-decade reign in Bollywood, Khanna saw his popularity dim when action films became the rage and younger stars rose to the top. His fall was swift as Khanna turned to alcohol and for the last few years of his life, he became almost a recluse.

As his film career faded, he shifted to politics and was elected to Parliament in 1992 and served there until 1996. In Mumbai, large crowds of people gathered outside his house to mourn. As news of his passing became known, the crowds swelled and police had to push back the throng. Film stars and directors visited his home to offer condolences. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also conveyed his wishes to Khanna's family and fans in a Twitter message.

Khanna's funeral will take place in Mumbai on Thursday, family sources told Press Trust of India. "It's a terrible day for all of us in the industry," said Saira Banu, who acted in nearly a dozen films with Khanna. "He was a very humble person despite his superstar status."

10/07/2012

01/07/2012

Lord I thank You for this new month of July; guide me into Your Vision of what is possible in my life this year.
I immerse myself in the eternity of this moment in which I join with You Lord to think the thoughts that shape my life. I focus my attention on Your Promises, such as, “With You all things are possible”, “You give wisdom and from your mouth comes understanding and knowledge” “Blessed are the peacemakers” and “Blessed are the merciful”. May Your Word and Your Love fill my heart and inform my mind in the eternal moment all year long Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Happy new month to you all

22/06/2012

Happy Weekend to all my friends

22/06/2012

NEW DELHI (AP) — A fire swept through a shantytown Friday morning, sending huge plumes of black smoke rising over the Indian capital.

Twenty fire trucks, with a total of 70 firefighters, were still battling to put the flames out a few hours after the fire was reported, but fire department chief A.K. Sharma said the blaze was no longer in danger of spreading.

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No injuries or deaths have been reported yet, he said. The fire is next to a row of three hospitals in Delhi, the historical part of the Indian capital, but a brick wall separating the two areas has kept the hospitals safe, Sharma said.

The black smoke was coming from burning materials including plastic tarps and bottles, tires and scraps of wood that had been collected by the slum's thousands of residents who work collecting garbage for resale.

Another fire a day earlier in the nation's financial center of Mumbai gutted state government offices and killed three people before authorities could put it out.
http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/india/1380160-fire-sweeps-through-shantytown-indian-capital.html #.671836-stage-hero1-6

A fire swept through a shantytown Friday morning, sending huge plumes of black smoke rising over the Indian capital. Twenty fire trucks, with a total of 70 firefighters, ...

21/06/2012

India14 injured in fire at 7-story building in Mumbai

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Thousands of employees were evacuated Thursday from a seven-story government building as more than two dozen fire engines battled a major fire that raged for several hours in India's financial and entertainment capital.

Fourteen people were injured, and 10 of them were hospitalized, said T. P. Lahane, dean of the state-run J.J. Hospital in southern Mumbai. One person was in critical condition. Television images showed some people being taken on stretchers as the blaze and the billowing smoke engulfed the Maharashtra state government headquarters from the fourth floor upward. A strong sea breeze fanned the fire, which could be seen for kilometers (miles).

Firefighters used hydraulic platforms to evacuate trapped people, and two navy helicopters hovered over the building to pick up people from the rooftop. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Some witnesses complained that the firefighters took almost half an hour to reach the site.
http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/india/1377648-14-injured-fire-7-story-building-mumbai.html #.671820-stage-hero1-4

Thousands of employees were evacuated Thursday from a seven-story government building as more than two dozen fire engines battled a major fire that raged for several ...

20/06/2012

Extremely rare birth defects
Birth defects like the Mermaid syndrome, a deformity where the legs are fused together, Craniopagus, a phenomenon where twins are joined at the head, and Dicephalic parapagus, a condition of having two heads, occur rarely but prove challenging to the medical world.From Pakistan to Brazil to more recently India- conjoined twins radhana and Stuti will be operated in the same hospital they were born and abandoned by their parents.
Abandoned by their parents, 11-months-old conjoined twins Arathana and Stuti will be operated in Padhar hospital. They’ve been in the same hospital since their birth because their parents couldn’t bare the social and financial burden.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/photos/conjoined-twins-share-single-heart-slideshow/betul-s-siamese-twins-to-be-separated-photo-1340169892.html

View Betul's Siamese twins to be separated on Yahoo! News India. See Betul's Siamese twins to be separated and find more pictures in our photo galleries.