First rural BPO in Chennai”s Krishnagiri District boosts employment

May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Krishnagiri (Chennai), May 20 (ANI): The first government-run rural BPO in Chennai”s Krishnagiri District is proving to be a boon for youths wanting jobs.

At present over one hundred rural youth, both male and female, in the age group of 18 to 35 years are employed at Fostering Technologies in Rural Area (FOSTeRA), the BPO established in year 2007 by District of Rural Development Agency (DRDA).

The employees here earn a monthly salary of Rs 5000 to Rs 8,000.

“The objective is to take IT to rural areas and to provide employment and also create entrepreneurship. The rural BPO provides employment for local people in the age group of 18 to 35, with the qualification of plus two, graduate and above,” said Ashok Kumar, CEO, FOSTeRA.

The nature of the job is voice process and non-voice process. About 300 young people have already been put through voice and non-voice training.

“Here it is night as well as day shift. I have got job to work in day shift. The call center has hired many rural people,” said Anjana, an employee.

FOSTeRA Krishnagiri, is planning to increase its capacity from the present 25 to about 500 by the end of October, and after that it will employee around 1000 people working in two shifts.

Multi-national companies like telecom and banking are looking at FOSTeRA to outsource their help desk, credit card processing, form filling and editing work. (ANI)

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‘Mariani,’ Assam’s potential business hub

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Guwahati, Apr 26 (ANI): Mariani, a town situated on Nagaland-Assam border, is gradually transforming into a business hub.

With peace prevailing in the region, the youth here are increasingly taking up business related ventures.

Mariani is in Titabor District, and about 17 kilometres from Jorhat.

Markets here bustle with activity. New trade complexes are coming up and this encouraging youth to take up business as a career.

“People from outside regions come and do business here and we are earning handsomely like 15-16k per month,” said Dilip Kumar Saha, a shopkeeper.

With peace gradually returning to Assam and Nagaland, traders have reason to be optimistic.

“Many people in Nagaland depend on Mariani for jobs. So in this town the government should lay emphasis on trade and commerce. If peace prevails, the region definitely has a lot of potential,” said Mintu Kolita, a businessman in Mariani.

Just five to six kilometers away from the Mariani is Dehingia village, a small hamlet with 85 households and a population of 1600.

The village has a school and work is in progress to construct a road that will connect it to Mariani.

Funded by the Centre and state, the road that is being built by the Border Road Development Organization (BRDO) is a boon for people, when completed.

This is not all… Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme provides a source of livelihood to many people.

Villagers demand for the promotion of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).

“The NREGA is going on, and it is going on at a good speed. We should get 100 days of work so that expenses can be taken care of. It will be of great help to us,” said Pobitra Saikia, a villager

Pottery is the main source of income for the people in this region.

They make clay pots and sell them in nearby markets.

“We make pots. We make our living from it and feed our children from it. Business is good, profits are good,” said Mahesh, a potter

Though there is some border conflict between Assam and Nagaland, but people on both sides live in harmony.

They are not bothered about such issues and are engaged in day-to-day business activities.

“There is no conflict, people are peaceful and relate to each other and the dispute is on National Highway and it will be nice if state government of Assam and Nagaland give more efforts for development of the region. And it would be nice if state government solves this issue peacefully,” said Temsuyanger Aier, Mokokchung, Nagaland. (ANI)

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Research and Markets: China Sourcing Report: Fashion Accessories 2010 – In 2009, Exports in Some Product Lines Rose as Businesses Boosted Sales to Alternative Markets

April 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

DUBLIN–(Business Wire)–
Research and Markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b5c837/china_sourcing_rep) has
announced the addition of the “China Sourcing Report: Fashion Accessories -
2010″ report to their offering.

China’s fashion accessories industry remains positive that 2010 will see an
overall recovery from the worldwide economic slump. In fact, most suppliers
anticipate overseas sales to climb at least 10 percent during the next 12
months.

In 2009, exports in some product lines rose as businesses boosted sales to
alternative markets. For the hosiery segment, moreover, US quota elimination
served as a boon to companies.

Other categories, however, still contracted due to weak demand. Apart from a
market rebound, caution that the recent winter snowstorms in the Northern
Hemisphere may be repeated is expected to stimulate orders for hats, caps,
gloves and scarves.

Even as export growth is forecast, however, profitability is being jeopardized
by rising material and labor outlay. Suppliers are absorbing most of the
additional expenses as price sensitivity is still a general sentiment among
buyers.

This report covers belts & buckles, sunglasses, optical frames, reading glasses,
gloves, hats, caps, hair accessories, hosiery, and neckwear.

What you’ll get

* In-depth profiles of 29 major suppliers with a comprehensive look at their
manufacturing and export capability, verified contact details, and more this
information is not available anywhere else
* 135 full-color images that depict popular fashion accessories export models,
complete with product descriptions, prices, minimum order requirements and
delivery times
* Verified supplier contact details of an additional 18 exporters, including
names, e-mails, telephone numbers and websites
* Supplier information in tabular format to help you compare companies at a
glance
* Results of the custom-designed supplier survey, which forecasts industry
trends for the next 12 months
* An extensive overview of the industry discussing the main challenges facing
suppliers
* An in-depth examination of the supplier base highlighting key characteristics
of different types of companies
* Details of the primary production centers
* An update of the latest trends in design, R&D, materials and components
* A review of the key factors that influence the price and quality of low-end,
midrange and high-end products
* Comprehensive pricing tables featuring export price ranges

Who should read this report

* CEOs, Directors, Presidents, Business Owners
* Export/ Import Managers, Sourcing Representatives, Sourcing Engineers, Supply
Chain Directors, Procurement Managers, Agents
* Sales Executives & Managers, Marketing Executives & Managers, International
Buyers
* Business Consultants, Investment Managers
* Anyone who needs to understand the China supply market

China’s fashion accessories industry remains positive that 2010 will see an
overall recovery from the worldwide economic slump. In fact, most suppliers
anticipate overseas sales to climb at least 10 percent during the next 12
months.

In 2009, exports in some product lines rose as businesses boosted sales to
alternative markets. For the hosiery segment, morever, US quota elimination
served as a boon to companies. Other categories, however, still contracted due
to weak demand. Apart from a market rebound, caution that the recent winter
snowstorms in the Northern Hemisphere may be repeated is expected to stimulate
orders for hats, caps, gloves and scarves. Even as export growth is forecast,
however, profitability is being jeopardized by rising material and labor outlay.

Suppliers are absorbing most of the additional expenses as price sensitivity is
still a general sentiment among buyers. Therefore, cost controls are presently
being emphasized.

The following are some of the key trends and developments we see in Chinas
fashion accessories industry:

* Makers are suggesting less expensive materials and fabrication techniques to
achieve buyers desired quotes and product appearance. An example is substituting
brass with zinc alloy.
* Manufacturing inputs for large orders are being procured in just one batch to
avoid future rate increases.
* Strategic alliances are being formed among businesses so that component
requirements can be pooled and bigger discounts requested. The partnerships also
foster efficiency and output consistency.
* More exporters are transferring production facilities to inland provinces to
take advantage of lower rent, utility and labor rates. China suppliers of
fashion accessories offer belts and buckles, sunglasses, optical frames, reading
glasses, gloves, hats, caps, hair accessories, hosiery, and neckwear. These are
also the scope of this report.

Each of the categories has its own section with details on the features and
price ranges of low-end, midrange and high-end models for each classification.

The manufacturing and QC processes are discussed for some of the key products.
It also elaborates on the industry composition, highlighting key characteristics
of the different types of companies.

This section provides a general review of the major export and manufacturing
hubs for each line as well.

The Industry Overview illustrates how suppliers overseas sales in the past year
are influencing growth projections. Further, it explains the measures businesses
are taking to reduce expenses.

The fashion accessories export manufacturing industry in China is comprised of
small and midsize operations, and about 50 percent have direct export
capability.

At least 80 percent of all suppliers are private locally owned companies, less
than one-fifth have foreign participation and the rest are publicly listed or
SOEs.

The provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong are the main manufacturing
centers for fashion accessories. Zhejiang contributes roughly 37 percent to
national exports in the line, while Jiangsu accounts for 13 percent. Guangdong
represents 11 percent of overseas sales.

Reflecting this structure, 84 percent of suppliers profiled for this report are
private local businesses. Nearly onehalf of featured companies come from
Zhejiang, 21 percent from Jiangsu and 17 percent from Guangdong.

Key Topics Covered:

* INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
* Supplier summary
* Production & exports
* Main production centers
* Supplier demographics
* Belts & accessories
* Eyewear
* Gloves
* Headwear
* Hosiery
* Neckwear
* Supplier survey
* Export prices, export sales, target markets, capital expenditure, challenges,
capability, R&D focus
* SUPPLIER PROFILES
* Supplier locations
* Industry composition
* Exporter ranking
* Supplier matrix
* Production checklist
* Supplier profiles
* PRODUCT GALLERY
* Top-selling export products
* ADDITIONAL SUPPLIERS
* Key products, contact details

Methodology:

To produce this report, Global Sources surveyed a wide range of suppliers.
Rather than focus simply on high-profile makers, we compiled a representative
sample of large, midsize and emerging manufacturers. All profiled companies are
export-oriented professional suppliers that may or may not be clients of Global
Sources.

The selection of suppliers is designed to reflect the composition of the
industry in China in terms of geographic spread, business type and company
ownership.

For in-depth company profiles, our research teams interviewed senior executives
and export managers who discussed their recent performance and provided price,
R&D, production and export forecasts for the next 12 months.

The interviews were done in person, by phone or e-mail.

In each case, companies were required to answer specific questions designed to
verify their manufacturing and export credentials, including their production
and export statistics, and a breakdown of exports by product type and market.
Our production checklist details the product-specific manufacturing capability
of each supplier.

All profiled suppliers participated in a survey designed to provide insight into
product and price trends, and challenges facing the industry in the next 12
months. All survey questions are single choice. Results were calculated based on
the actual number of valid responses to each question.

For more information visit

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b5c837/china_sourcing_rep

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Copyright Business Wire 2010

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Financial help for flooded farmers

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Rural financial counsellors says they are expecting farmers in flood-hit areas in southern Queensland to need assistance for some time.

A fact sheet has been sent to more than 1,500 property owners in the Maranoa Regional Council area in the state’s southern inland, advising them of the financial assistance options open to them.

Karen Riethmuller, from the Rural Financial Counselling Service, says stock loss and property damage could cause problems for farmers for the next 12 months.

“Past experience has shown us it is ongoing and can run into considerable months,” she said.

“The effects are here for a long time and financially primary producers have to plan there way through this, they have to make decisions in the short term and in the long term.”

She says although the floods will be a boon in the long term, farmers are still in need of help.

“There’s been quite a spike in primary producers seeking to establish what is available to them in the aftermath of the waters and the wonderful rains that have gone through southern Queensland,” she said.

Meanwhile, a south-west Queensland mayor says some rural roads are still underwater and others are so badly damaged it could be months before trucks can use them.

Murweh Mayor Mark O’Brien says while it has been six weeks since the floods hit, council staff remain focused on fixing rural roads to help with the economic recovery.

“We’re here because it is a grazing area and we’ve got to make sure that road access to markets is good for those people,” he said.

“Some of those roads have either been so badly damaged or water is still lying across them that to get big trucks onto those properties could take months.

“I mean this an economy based on the rural industries.”

Councillor O’Brien says he is satisfied local and state governments have done what they can to help with the massive infrastructure damage.

“We have to make sure that the rural people have every possibility to operate their businesses effectively and efficiently and part of that is the road network,” he said.

“So our engineering people have been very busy trying to do the assessments on that to see where the critical places are so we can at least get single lane access into as many properties as quickly as possible.”

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Mining boom a boon for sex workers: industry

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Minerals Council says the sex industry could benefit from the mining boom in Central Australia and the Barkly.

The Northern Territory’s deputy director of licensing has confirmed the department has received an application for a new escort agency licence in Alice Springs.

Scott Perkins from the Minerals Council says there are many local businesses that could benefit from the increase in mining activity in the region.

“We’re getting a few more workers in and I guess we’re seeing the mining industry build up after what was a bit of a downturn after the last year or so,” he said.

“This sort of business I guess might be seen to be a necessity arising but I guess we do a lot of things in the mining industry but we don’t necessarily get into people’s personal lives so from the mining industry’s point of view it’ll be interesting to see what will happen.”

Meanwhile, the escort agency says it will not be revisiting a mobile service when it moves into the Central Australian market next month.

Michelle Love from Blondies Escorts in Darwin says she is hoping to establish a permanent service in Alice Springs by the end of next month under her existing licence.

She says there should be good business associated with the mining boom, but she will not be taking the service to the mines.

“Many years ago I did try a bit of a mobile service, sort of through to Katherine and Tennant Creek and down to Alice but it wasn’t that successful, too small a places,” she said.

“They all want you to go there but when it comes to the crunch they do not follow through with it.”

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Black avoids Fevola fever

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Level-headed midfielder Simon Black has refused to fuel talk the addition of big gun Brendan Fevola has made the Lions top four material in 2010.

With Fevola joining forces with Jonathan Brown to form a forward partnership capable of reaping well in excess of 100 goals for the season, confidence is understandably high in Brisbane.

But Black is just not weighing into it.

“Fev’s not going to win us a premiership, I can tell you that right now,” said the soon-to-be 31 year-old Black, who could find himself playing a little more forward this season with several young midfielders emerging on the scene.

“As the coach (Michael Voss) said, there’s a lot of parts of the ground and Fev is only one of 18.

“We need improvement in all areas, we can’t just rely on one guy.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, put the equivalent of Michael Jordan out there, it doesn’t work that way because the ground is too big and there’s 18 guys out there.”

Black did admit having the pair was a boon for the fans but said the team’s own expectations actually surpassed anyone else’s.

“It’s an old cliche but it’s one week at a time. We need to build the castle, and that starts this Saturday (against the Bulldogs),” he said.

“How good we could be, we don’t know.

“You can only win one game at a time, West Coast first up, we’re really looking forward to that and hopefully getting off to a good start.”

Black said the players were not thinking about September, aware they have to make some big improvements to match the top drawer teams.

“We’re not kidding ourselves about that, we’ve got to improve a lot to compete with the better sides in the comp,” he said.

“We have to make some marked improvement in the midfield to match the quality midfields in the AFL and for that you need a lot of contributors week-in and week-out.

“The one thing you learn though is you can’t play finals until September and there’s a lot of work to do before that.”

Black nominated Saturday night’s Gabba rivals the Bulldogs, along with Geelong and St Kilda as teams to watch.

“It will be interesting to see how Geelong go coming off the last three years, said the 256-game veteran and three-time club best and fairest.

“I’m with you guys (media), I think the Bulldogs are the ones with a fair bit to prove.

“They’re very hungry and have a really talented squad.”

- AAP

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Technology to control turbulence in water pipes could also keep arteries clear

March 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 20 (ANI): In what could be a boon for cardiologists, a new technology to keep turbulence down in pipes could actually keep arteries clear and save lives, according to a study.

In an effort to help lower the cost of pumping fluids through pipelines, U.S. and German scientists discovered that by injecting puffs of water into a water pipe (or by adding more turbulence), it was possible to completely eliminate turbulence in the pipe.

The research could have huge implications in a wide variety of fields. The most immediate beneficiaries could be water utilities and oil companies, but aerospace and ship engineers could use the method to make vessels more fuel efficient.

Cardiologists could even tap the findings to keep arteries clear.

“There is a way to completely destroy turbulence for a minimal cost in energy. I hope it has implications in other fields where people want to reduce turbulence,” Discovery News quoted Tobias Schneider, a scientist from Harvard University and co-author of a study, as saying.

To test the theory, the scientists pumped in a stream of water into a nearly 20-foot, clear plexiglass pipe.

As turbulence travelled down the pipe, it encountered another area of turbulence, provided by a jet of water piped in downstream.

The second area of turbulence acted like a wall.

When the original area of turbulence struck the second, the two cancelled each other out. Instead of a series of localized, chaotic currents, the water became smooth.

Smooth flow is beneficial because it requires less energy to pump than chaotic, turbulent water — a lot less energy.

And it was the first time, researchers showed a net savings in energy by cancelling turbulence. The energy savings were significant in even narrow pipes.

Water utilities could be the first beneficiary of the technology.

Eliminating turbulence in oil and liquefied natural gas will help these companies save money, which should lower the price of oil and gas for consumers.

Schneider said that the research would also interest cardiologists, as smoothing out the flow of blood around blocked arteries could reduce the number or severity of heart attacks.

The study has been published in the current issue of the journal Science. (ANI)

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Innovative teaching tools to aid visually impaired students learn math

March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 16 (ANI): In what could be a boon for kids with visual disabilities, researchers at the University of Illinois are creating innovative teaching tools that are expected to help the children learn mathematics more easily – and perhaps multiply their career opportunities by the time they reach adulthood.

Sheila Schneider, who is a senior and the first student who is legally blind to major in sculpture in the School of Art+Design within the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Illinois, is creating a series of small sculptures with mathematical equations imprinted on them in Braille that will be used to help children with visual impairments learn mathematics.

The equations will be written in Nemeth Code, a form of Braille used for mathematical and scientific symbols.

“The sculptures are organic forms that are designed to be hand-held by children around the ages of 7-10. They’re designed from the viewpoint of a younger child,” said Deana McDonagh, a professor of industrial design and the lead investigator on the project.

“They’re very engaging, fun educational tools, and when the children run their hands over them, they’ll realize that there are Braille equations embedded within the forms. We’re hoping that they’ll become mainstream educational tools,” added McDonagh.

Traditionally, children with visual disabilities are taught to solve mathematical problems using abacuses, tools that may seem antiquated in today’s world and foster stigmatization, Schneider said.

“We’re trying to bring the education of visually impaired children more up to date, rather than relying on staid methods of doing things. We’re hoping to eliminate this idea that blind children have to learn math with an abacus because they can’t see to write on a piece of paper. We’re trying to eliminate the stigma and provide them with a method of engaging in and with math,” said Schneider.

“We’re hoping that as they grow older, they’ll become more interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.”

Schneider sculpted six models, each a few inches in diameter, from cubes of balsa foam.

The models are being translated into three-dimensional computer images to finalize the shapes and position the equations before the sculptures are cast from bronze, a durable material that can withstand extensive handling and occasionally being dropped.

“Where you and I might place the Braille equations is of no consequence. When children with visual impairments are handling the sculptures, and reading them with their fingertips, it’s got to make sense to them where we place the Braille in three-dimensional space,” said McDonagh.

Once the sculptures have been cast, the next step will be to have children with visual impairments and their teachers use them in math instruction to assess the sculptures’ efficacy as teaching tools. (ANI)

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Everything’s Archie for Victory

March 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne Victory strike duo Archie Thompson and Robbie Kruse are expected to back up from their A-League semi-final win over Sydney for the Asian Champions League match at Docklands on Tuesday night.

The pair, out injured for five and three weeks respectively, returned against Sydney on Sunday to steer Melbourne into the A-League grand final with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Thompson scored in the 113th minute as the match went into extra-time, while Kruse had registered a stunning opener.

The Victory will host Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa, who won its opening round ACL clash with Japanese powerhouse Kawasaki Frontale.

The presence of Thompson and Kruse is a boon for Victory, with coach Ernie Merrick admitting his side may struggle with the short recovery time between matches.

“They are a good bet to start,” Merrick said.

“Archie said he felt terrific in extra-time and given that they’ve both only played an hour each, two days later I think they’ll be a good chance of getting game time.”

Merrick says he may reshuffle his line-up due to fatigue, particularly in the midfield, however there is only one injury concern with Tom Pondeljak suffering a hamstring problem.

Victory captain Kevin Muscat says the match schedule is “ridiculous”.

“We’re taking this competition seriously and we want – and expect – to qualify (for the final 16) but the reality is to be anywhere near full strength and 100 per cent in terms of the way we play, it’s a massive ask,” he said.

“Hopefully we’ll have enough bodies near 100 per cent to be able to compete and compete well.”

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Foreign beauty academies explore the scope in Punjab

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Ludhiana, Sep. 11 (ANI): A large number of students from Punjab prefer going abroad for advance studies. But, in a reverse trend, foreign academies are now venturing into Punjab to provide quality education to Punjabi students.

Orane Beauty academy from Canada, located in Ludhiana is one such institution.

Olga Arefyeva has come from Canada to take a look at how Orane Beauty Academies in Punjab are functioning. She is responsible to ensure the working and standards of the Orane Beauty Academy, the subsidiaries of Orance Incorporation, Canada. meet a certain standard.

The company runs three academies in Ludhiana, Jalandhar,and Amritsar districts for students from Punjab.

They provide an opportunity to students to gain skills that will stand in them in good stead when they look for jobs across the world.

“Beauty industry is growing from year to year and by this date about 500 million dollars are spent for beauty salons and for beauty. From our point of view India people are more willing to study beauty and as we can see there are lot of beauty salons are opening all over the world,” said Olga Arefyeva, Franchise Development Officer, Orane Incorporation, Canada.

“As most of the Punjabi people, they want to go abroad. After getting this certificate, they will be able to work in good positions like beauty therapists. They can open their own salon. They need not to go for any other certification to work in any country, so this is the benefit for the people of Punjab and I hope students will get certificates and work all over the world. The kind of attitude Punjabis have, can work according to that,” said Dinesh Sood, Director, Orane Beauty Academy.

Aestheticians and beauty professionals have never been so well paid as they are today and such international academies have come as boon to those who want to make a career in these areas.

Foreign trainers regularly visit the academies to update the students on latest beauty trends and styles.

The foreign Academies in Punjab aim at enabling their students find suitable jobs anywhere in the world.

They even assist students by providing Visa Consultancy services and provide training in Public relations and International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

The entire process makes the students optimistic and confident about getting jobs in the beauty industry across the world.

“A large number of people have opened beauty salons in India these days. However people give preference to international academies as they teach advanced techniques, which are used internationally,” said Nisha, a trainee, Orane Beauty Academy.

“These days beauty is a very upcoming field, you can very well see all over in our country. You can never imagine beauty will go on and on throughout our lives, so its very important level also, so this is the line that we should know, learn and our future and career totally depended on it. In this field you will never see any recession, it will go on and on,” said Simmi Kumar, Trainee, Orane Beauty Academy.

These students are also excited about the existing opportunities in the domestic market.

Jobs are widely available at beauty salons and spas mushrooming across India. And with the arrival of the international chain of beauty salons like L’Oreal and Lakme – aestheticians and beauty professionals are extremely happy. By Karan Kapoor (ANI)

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Benaud calls for overhaul of Australian selection panel

August 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Aug 30 (ANI): Former Test selector John Benaud has blamed the Australian selection panel for a series of blunders, including dumping opening batsman Phil Hughes for Shane Watson, opting for wicketkeeper Brad Haddin over Graham Manou and leaving behind a spare batsman.

Benaud has called for an overhaul of the four-man panel, claiming the team of Andrew Hilditch, Jamie Cox, Merv Hughes and David Boon lacks balance and innovation, and is too stubborn to change.

“I have a fear about this selection panel, that they don’t like admitting a blue. They’ve got this blinkered view of things,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Benaud, as saying.

“It’s all right for Jamie Cox to put his hand up and say, ‘I misread the pitch’ but I don’t think it was that so much as it was the way we handled things.

“They got themselves into a bit of a corner, these blokes, because when they chose the Ashes squad initially they only had the two opening batsmen. They were one batsman short,” he said.

“I feel they should have taken (Brad) Hodge to cover any eventuality. They created their own problem by dropping Hughes, who two Tests before made two centuries in a Test match against one of the best opening bowling attacks in the world (South Africa).

“To drop him, that suggests they were never really keen on Hughes as an opening bat, and that they’d been tyre-levered into picking him because the kid had done so well.

“But then they surprised us all by picking Watson as the opening batting replacement. I just couldn’t follow that,” Benaud said. (ANI)

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Saudis increasingly having sex on the side through ‘misyar’

August 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug 26 (ANI): The conservative Saudis are increasingly availing misyar, a no-strings marriage of convenience focused primarily on sexual relations, say reports.

Misyar allows couples to live separately, but come together for sexual relations.

It deprives women of almost all the rights that a normal marriage would entitle them to, but offers men an “opportunity for a bit of fun on the side, in secret, and at a huge discount.”

Misyar’s rising popularity also owes to the high cost of marriage in Saudi Arabia, as dowry, dinners, parties, decorating a flat and the honeymoon, set the groom back several hundred thousand riyals.

“Misyar for cash-strapped men is a boon,” the Daily Times quoted the UK daily Guardian as reporting.

A Saudi, cited by the report, claimed that he entered several misyar marriages after his first normal marriage fell apart.

He said none lasted for more than six months and said the marriages had not been as cost effective as he had hoped, irrespective of the fact that he was hoping to find a compatible partner for a permanent relationship.

He said that misyar wives were “crafty and inclined to extract money and gifts”.

“Thanks to Bluetooth technology, friendly websites and an abundance of furnished apartments in major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, there are tales of misyar wives who have clandestinely entered into more than one misyar contract,” the paper said.

“These enlightened ladies say misyar husbands never tell their full-time wives about their relationships so why can’t misyar wives have similar arrangements?” it stated.

Internet ads for misyar marriages often reveal the desperation of those looking for partners, with some only demanding a woman with the “ability to satisfy the needs of a man who desires things permitted by religion.”

“Misyar is popular in the kingdom because in a society where extramarital and premarital sex is a cardinal sin it legitimises sexual relations outside the framework of conventional marriage,” the report added.

The Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights says that misyar is an insult to both men and women and a sanction for the trafficking of women. (ANI)

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Dalai Lama addressing four-day congregation in Leh

August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Leh, Aug.23 (ANI): The Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, is delivering religious sermons on Bodhisattva, attended by thousands of devotees at a four-day congregation here.

Thousands of Buddhists monks are attending a four-day religious congregation, which commenced on Saturday.

In his inaugural sermon, the Dalai Lama highlighted the basic principles of Buddhism, which he termed as a faith that stands for wisdom, compassion, peace and brotherhood.

He underlined the importance of spiritual development of mankind particularly in the present time.

There has to be openness, truth and compassion, he added, saying the strife-torn world needs the message of peace and progress now more than ever before, the Dalai Lama asserted.

The participants feel that the presence of the Dalai Lama in the Buddhist majority Leh was a boon for the region.

“The people here are fortunate to listen to the sermons delivered by the Dalai Lama. He gives sermon in simple language and people easily understand him. His coming to this place itself is a great blessing for us,” said Tsewang Rigzen, a Buddhist monk.

A good number of foreigners and also tourists are attending the congregation. (ANI)

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Ganesha Chaturthi festival charms devotees across the country

August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bhubaneshwar/ Bangalore, Aug.23 (ANI): On the occasion of Ganesha Chaturthi (birthday), many devotees in different parts of the country like to pay their special obeisance to Lord Ganesha in distinct ways.

In Bhubaneshwar, an artist has sculpted Lord Ganesha idols from soap for the 10-day annual Ganesha Chaturthi which commenced on Sunday (Aug.23).

Rao sculpted different kinds of idols of Lord Ganesha to exhibit them during the festival. Till date, he has sculpted 36 idols with soap.

“Ganesh festival has arrived and so I am sculpting different models of Lord Ganesha from different soaps. During Ganesha festival people including kids will come to watch these idols. I will teach the art free of cost to kids who are interested to learn,” said L. Eshwara Rao, an artisan.

In Bangalore, a man is running a museum where he has exhibited a wide variety of Ganesha idols for people.

S.Tyagarajan is a collector of Ganesha idols and has put on display 2,000 different idols of the deity in his museum.

He started collecting Ganesha idols after the death of his wife who was a devotee of Lord Ganesha.

Tyagarajan procured some of the idols from his friends living overseas. He says that people feel rejuvenated after visiting the museum.

“I see in everybody’s face who come to see my museum happiness. And they say that there is some sort of positive energy and positive aura when they come inside the museum. And some of them say that here they get a sort of feeling that they felt when they meditated when they come in museum,” said S.Tyagarajan, owner of a museum of Lord Ganesha.

Ganesha Chaturthi is one of the most important festivals of Hindus in India.

On the concluding day of the festival, the idols are carried in grand processions and immersed in rivers or seas.

Lord Ganesha, is one of the most revered Gods of Hindus, and is worshipped at the beginning of every auspicious occasion.

Ganesha, as the God of knowledge is described as “Vinayaka”and as remover of obstacles he is called “Vighanharta”. He is worshipped at the beginning of every auspicious occasion for blessings of luck and success.

The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being.

He is revered as the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles besides being worshipped as the God of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth.

Legend has it once Goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Lord Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy’s head in rage.

Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops.

Hence, his name ‘Ganapati’. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture. By Sarda Lahangir / Jaipal Sharma (ANI)

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Petroleum Ministry assures all help to Unique Identification Authority

July 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 15 (ANI): The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has assured to extend full cooperation to the newly formed National Authority for Unique Identity (NAUI) in the compilation and classification of nationwide data of citizens for the proposed exclusive identification cards.

This was disclosed by Petroleum Minister Murli Deora after Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of the NAUI called on him here on Tuesday.

Later addressing the media persons, Nilekani said that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas would be a vital medium in the compilation of the massive database since its network caters to the supply and distribution of petroleum products all over the country.

Nilekani, who is one of the co-founders of Infosys, also highlighted that the oil marketing companies which function under this ministry have direct as well as indirect link with almost all the citizens.

As such the ministry can ascertain the authenticity of the inputs and relevant feedback, he said.

“To make this Unique ID project work, we need complete partnership and cooperation among all the stake holders. I think the Petroleum Ministry is a very important stake holder because they are distributing petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene to individuals. If there is a way, we can partner together to be able to have the unique IDs for the individuals that they service. That will be a huge boon for them, for U-IDs and for the country,” he added.

He also noted that the unique identification number to each individual citizen in the country would help the government’s endeavour to streamline and direct the subsidies as well as put a stop to possible malpractices.

It was also underlined that synchronisation of the data, standardisation of the biometric information and the technology will go a long way in serving the purpose of the authority and the oil sector.

The Government appointed Nilekani as the Chairman of the NAUI that will function under the Planning Commission.

In January, the Government had notified the creation of the NAUI. The ambitious plan of unique identification has been allocated rupees 100 crore in the interim budget of 2009-10. (ANI)

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Tata Nano makes showroom debut in Hyderabad

July 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, July 14 (ANI): Tata Motors on Tuesday rolled out the first commercial consignment of Nano, regarded as the World’s cheapest car to be showcased at Hyderabad on Tuesday.

“The first consignment has come to Hyderabad. Tata Nanos’ have been dispatched particularly for Hyderabad. They have sent 84 cars, out of which 50 are Tata Nano and the rest 34 are Magic,” said S K Singh, Area Manager of Tata Motors.

Residents in the ‘Twin Cities’ of Hyderabad and Secunderabad had been eagerly waiting for the Tata Nano, costing just over Rs 1,00,000.

They contended that this car is a boon for the middle class society.

“In Rs 1,00,000, you get a Pulsar. Here, in one lakh, five people can travel together. I need to find out the details about its mileage. Once these cars start running on road, all motorcycles will disappear,” said Deep Bhavanishankar, a local resident. (ANI)

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2000-year-old statue of Greek athlete sheds light on metal corrosion

July 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, July 9 (ANI): The restoration of a 2,000-year-old bronze sculpture of the famed ancient Greek athlete Apoxyomenos may help modern scientists understand how to prevent metal corrosion, discover the safest ways to permanently store nuclear waste, and understand other perplexing problems.

That’s the conclusion of a new study on the so-called “biomineralization” of Apoxyomenos.

Best known as “The Scraper,” the statue depicts an athlete scraping sweat and dust from his body with a small curved instrument.

Scientist Davorin Medakovic and his team point out that Apoxyomenos was discovered in 1998 on floor of the Adriatic Sea.

While the discovery was a bonanza for archaeologists and art historians, it also proved to be an unexpected boon to scientists trying to understand biomineralization.

Biomineralization is the process in which animals and plants use minerals from their surroundings and form shells and bone.

Apoxyomenos was encrusted with such deposits.

“As studies of long-term biofouled manmade structures are limited, the finding of an ancient sculpture immersed for two millennia in the sea provided a unique opportunity to probe the long-term impact of a specific artificial substrate on biomineralizng organisms and the effects of biocorrosion,” according to the researchers.y evaluating the mineral layers and fossilized organisms on the statue, the researchers were able to evaluate how underwater fouling organisms and communities interacted with the statue as well as how certain mineral deposits on the bronze sculpture slowed its deterioration. (ANI)

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Rain soccer tournaments in Kerala

July 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Malapuram (Kerala), July 8 (ANI): Onset of monsoons marks the commencement of exclusive football tournaments in Malbar region of Kerala.

For the soccer crazy Keralites, these tournaments in which seven-a-side matches are played happen to be gala time.

The district of Malappuram in Kerala is said to be the Mecca for all soccer lovers and the south west monsoon adds a flavour to these enthusiasm of both the players and the fans as they wait eagerly to play and watch the matches in the rains.

This time of the year, the monsoon, is reckoned as resting time for professional players, as it is an off-season.

These matches are known as ‘Sevens’ since the teams are seven-a-side and they are of 50 minutes duration, usually played in the open fields of the villages.

“The rain football tournament is played during this time as we consider it as off season for players. But this kind of matches will help players and of course, a boon for the fans. Matches are held in more than four to five places at the same time in different villages of Malappuram.

The main aim of this is to have all season football matches for its lovers,” said Hasskar Mohammed, Secretary, Monsoon Football Club, Malappuram.

It is said that the first ever soccer match in rain began in a village named Mankada and later this format of game spread to other villages. And today, over 50 such tournaments take place during the monsoon season.

The popularity of these tournaments could be gauged from the fact that hundreds of fans working in the Middle East specially fly home to either play or watch the lively game.

“Around the year 1996 this club (Monsoon Football Club) was formed. Now I work in the Gulf and since then me and my friends are coming to play and watch the game during monsoon season. I never miss the chance to watch the match. We all love these matches,” said M.Gaffar from Dubai. By Juhan Samuel (ANI)

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