Beauty Pageant

Beauty Pageant

Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time- One Hundred Thirty Two

Palash Biswas



Two ships of the Japanese Navy- Jds Makinami and Jds Towada, arrived here Monday on a two-day goodwill visit. Vote for Your hottest model! Napalm Expert DOWS lands in West Bengal with proposed Chemical Hub SEZ aftre Indonesian TURMINator Salim~s entry in Nandigram stalled with popular Under class resistance!India and Japan opened a four-day second round of talks on a free trade deal in Tokyo that the Asian giants aim to seal within two years, officials said. Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) supremo Mayawati promised to extend reservation on the basis of economic status if her party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh! Addressing an election rally in Moradabad on Sunday, she said the BSP has distributed tickets to all castes, fielding 86 Brahmins and 26 Thakurs in the poll fray.Indicating that an aerospace command to give India means to ex would take shape soon, the new Air Force Chief Fali Homi Major Monday said IAF has chalked out a plan to give it a truly global combat reach. The Department of Atomic Energy proposes to set up eight 700 mw Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRS) in the 11th plan, S K Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and BHAVINI, said Monday.
A volcano on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion which has been spewing out lava and ash for nearly a week appeared to be calming down on Sunday, the local government said.

PFMI '07 winners share success mantra
Monika Rawal

Pantaloons Femina Miss India World: Sarah-Jane Dias

What was the first thought/expression that came to mind when your name was announced for the Pantaloons Femina Miss India World crown?
I couldn’t feel the ground under my feet and couldn’t even breathe. I stood stiff for a while that didn’t even move ahead to collect my crown. But when I realized that I’ve won it, tears came down rolling. Don’t know where they came from but I was happy with everything. My mom was sitting right there in the front and it made me happier at that time.
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1880999.cms
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1854208.cms
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articlelist/1194392.cms
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articlelist/1191411.cms

Brussels, April 06: Climate experts issued their starkest warning yet about the impact of global warming, ranging from hunger in Africa to a fast thaw in the Himalayas, in a report on Friday that increased pressure on governments to act.More than 100 nations in the UN climate panel agreed a final text after all-night talks during which some scientists accused governments of watering down conclusions that climate change was already under way and damaging nature
Global warming's effects on daily life are here already, still more pesky than catastrophic. But a new authoritative scientific report says that when the earth gets a few degrees hotter, inconvenience will give way to danger, death and extinction of species.The poorest parts of the world, especially Africa and Asia, will be hit hardest, says the summary from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, issued yesterday after a long, contentious editing session.

It is a message the authors of the report pounded home Friday before unveiling the 23-page document. The summary was the first part released of the full 1,572-page document written and reviewed by 441 scientists.

"Do not be poor in a hot country, don't live in hurricane alley, watch out about being on the coasts or in the arctic, and it's a bad idea to be on high mountains with glaciers melting," Stanford University Scientist Stephen Schneider, an author of the study, told a news agency.


The Piton de la Fournaise volcano on the French island first erupted on Monday, sending lava 500 metres (more than 1,500 feet) into the air and creating spectacular clouds of steam from the sea.
The island`s prefecture said the intensity of the eruptions had decreased over the last 48 hours and continued to do so on Sunday. The lava flows cut off a road that passes the foot of the volcano and 200 families living in the village of Tremblet, 3 km (2 miles) from the lava flow, were on high alert after a brief evacuation on Friday.


PVR Cinemas is considering, setting up 50-60 screens in 7-8 locations in eastern India within the next 5 years, reports Business Standard.

The company`s first multiplex, a eight-screen-2,200-seater, will come up within the next 18 months on VIP road, Kolkata, at a shopping mall being built by Pantaloon and Diamond Group.
PVR Cinemas operates 81 screens in 21 multiplexes across Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, Aurangabad, Noida, Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

PVR plans to add another 250 screens in a couple of years,having earmarked Rs 3 billion for this purpose.

The shares of the company closed at Rs 175.00, down Rs 1.30, or 0.74%. The volume of shares traded at the BSE was 2,113. (Thursday)

London, April 09: British model-cum-actress Elizabeth Hurley, who recently tied the knot with NRI businessman Arun Nair, is going "ballistic" after an extraordinary outburst from her father-in-law who accused the couple of humiliating him at their wedding, and vowed never to see him again.

Liz, wife of NRI businessman Arun Nayar, is said to be furious after her father-in-law Vinod Nair criticised her of "blatant and cynical commercialism" and publicly disowned the newlywed couple this weekend.

41-year-old Hurley, who was paid 2 million pounds by Hello! magazine for her wedding pictures, has apparently responded in kind.

She has offered to reimburse the family for a cancelled 30,000 pounds post-wedding party and any other expenses they incurred, a source close to her told the Daily Mail. But she then wants nothing more to do with Vinod, 66, or his wife Joanne.

Three Chears for the Finance Minister of India!

Sivaganga (TN), April 07: A sum of Rs 12,000 cr has been allotted to the NREGP (National Rural Employment Gaurantee Programme) for providing employment for rural agricultural labourers, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said Saturday. While monitoring the scheme's progress in Sivaganga, Kalaiyarkoil and Thirupattur blocks, he found that the people appreciated this scheme as the scheme provided Rs 80 per day, particularly in this summer days when other agricultural activities are little.

Regarding IAY scheme (Indira Avas Yojana),RC buildings were constructed at a cost of Rs 37 thousand per house, which was not sufficient according to the beneficiaries. Talking to reporters at Thirupattur, he said discussions would be conducted with bank officials to provide loans to beneficiaries under the IAY programme.

Three Cheers for Nitish kumar also!

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday ruled out the possibility of creating special economic zones (SEZs) and said the state government would not acquire land by using force for industrialisation of the state.

"I must make it very clear that there will be no use of force for acquisition of land as I do not want a repeat of Nandigram in Bihar," Kumar said.

The "government is dead against creating SEZs", he said.

Defying continuing threats exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin is writing a new book 'Narir kono desh nei' (There is no country for women) for which the manuscript will be readied soon.

In a broadside against clerics who issued a fatwa against her, Nasrin has said that perhaps these religious leaders found it convenient to target her and get mileage.
It's a mixed bag for working women in urban India. For, even as the overall unemployment rate among women declined in Class I cities during 2004-05, there was an increase in the unemployment rate in Class 2 and 3 towns over the same period, according to the 61 st Round of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) data. However, the overall unemployment rate of women in the 27 Class I cities declined by 2 percentage points during 1999-2000 and 2004-05 to 4%. Out of the 27 Class I cities (towns with population of one million and above), among the major ones where the overall (usual, current daily and current weekly) unemployment rates rose were Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Vadodara and Varanasi.



Operation Nandigram has been temporarily put on the back burner by the Left Front. It’s Operation Vote Snatch now!
Panchayat Elections Ahead, A Dangerous Bend!
And Pacify The Angry Muslim Vote Bank seems to be the Motto this time!

Buddha wants AMU campus in Murshidabad
Akshaya Mukul
[ 8 Apr, 2007 2310hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: West Bengal government has demanded a regional campus of Aligarh Muslim University in Murshidabad, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Sunday.

Bhattacharjee also said that his party would give one more note on SEZ to the government since changes made by the EGoM were not satisfactory. Last month, CPM had sent a final note on SEZ to Parliament's standing committee. The CM said it would be finalised after general secretary Prakash Karat returned from Manipur. "I have spoken to him," he said. This would be the third note that the party would be sending to the government.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference of chief ministers and chief justices, Bhattacharjee said the demand for regional campus was made when he met the Prime Minister last week during CPM's central committee and politburo meeting. He expressed hope that the demand would be met.

Call it the Ambani effect. Reliance Retail has directly acquired farmlands in several parts of Bengal in the past few months without facing any protests.

The solution employed by the company to ward off farmland-related agitations has been simple. Compensation paid to the land-loser has been way above the prevalent market rate or what the state would have paid were it to handle the land acquisition process.

The company — which has been unable to start agri-retail here because of its continued inability to obtain the mandatory APMC licence — has recently acquired 250 acres, many stretches of which are agricultural plots, in different parts of the state without involving the government in any way.

Of this 250 acres, 100 acres have been bought at Siliguri for a distribution centre. Smaller parcels of 10 acres each have been acquired by the company on its own at 15 other locations, including Haldia, Burdwan and Asansol, for setting up mega hypermarkets.

With Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani keen to ensure that Bengal contribute to the group's retail foray soon, Reliance Retail officials here are pulling out all stops to ensure that land-related protests don't jeopardise its expansion plans. Efforts are on to identify more plots which can be acquired directly.

Reliance Retail, which has still not received any assurance from the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government on when it would get permission to market agricultural produce, has also indicated its willingness to bid for state-owned plots if these are put up on sale. One of the 10-acre plots it recently acquired was through a bid invited by the state government.

All Special Economic Zones including the one in Nadigram have been put on hold, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said on Friday.The announcement came in the midst of rising discontent and spreading violence in Bengal on the issue of acquisition of land for industries in the state and particularly in Nandigram.Karat said the Union group-of-ministers was discussing the modalities of the laws to govern SEZs. "When they finalise them, we will talk to the Centre. Till then all SEZs, including the one in Nandigram, have been kept in abeyance. We will discuss the issue during our next politburo meeting on February 17 and 18," Karat said.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=308dcb04-1ce6-44ca-9810-1e436523e794&ParentID=7cb5352a-b246-4a11-8cc3-057538421a6a&MatchID1=4442&TeamID1=25&TeamID2=5&MatchType1=2&SeriesID1=1104&PrimaryID=4442

Buddha begins campaign to heal Nandigram wounds

SANJAY BASAK

NEW DELHI, APR 8: The CPI(M), led by West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has launched a “healing touch” campaign over the police firing in Nandigram. At the same time, the party is circulating booklets to “reveal the truth behind Nandigram”, a senior party leader told FE.
Under fire from a section of Left intellectuals over the Nandigram fiasco, the chief minister, in a meeting on Saturday with Left Front partners in Kolkata, reiterated: “I am interacting with intellectuals, who are upset. We have to convince them of programmes and admit mistakes.”
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160501

Hungry Bengal: 71.6 lakh lack enough food, says survey

Economists say rapid industrialisation and job creation can cut poverty

Rohit Khanna

Kolkata, April 7: WITH a whopping 71.6 lakh people going daily without sufficient food, West Bengal tops the country’s hunger list according to the latest report of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). The survey says 8.8 lakh people out of these 71.6 lakh do not get two square meals a day throughout the year. The survey finds at least 10.6% of the state’s rural population, and 0.7% of its urban residents, not getting adequate food in some months of the year.

The NSSO survey, carried out in the 2004-05 fiscal year, notes that “getting enough food every day” means that a person gets, by and large, “sufficient food to eat” daily. The survey states: “This question is asked to record the subjective perception of households regarding sufficiency of food. While putting this question to the informant, it is thus presumed that the informant has a clear understanding of its meaning.”
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=230609

Investors are headed for West Bengal. The message is loud and clear on www.wbgov.com, the state government’s official website. But Nandigram, land acquisition or SEZ are not important for investors coming to West Bengal, to believe the official website of West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC).

The site, www.wbidc.com, does not mention the Nandigram debate even once. There is not a single word on land acquisition or Special Economic Zones either.

Indian industry, with an insatiable urge to increase its global footprint and armed with liberal governmental policies, is right now on a mergers and acquisition spree, says a leading industry body.
Indian companies today are much more aggressive than earlier due to a liberal and conducive environment that help them foray into the world economies with huge amount of investments, says the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in a report. With the Tatas acquiring the Anglo-Dutch company Corus, Hindalco's taking over Canada's Novelis, the trend for mega deals by Indian companies have been set. It is expected that India's investment abroad will soon surpass foreign investment in India.

While the West has learnt to live with global brands like PepsiCo and Vodafone being run by India-born executives, Indians too will soon have to accept foreign bosses as their companies gain multinational status.

But getting foreign CEOs may not mean lack of confidence in homegrown executives, for whom no challenge is too big and no detail too small.

Sowing the seeds of change was none other than Ratan Tata, the face of India Inc and head of the country's largest corporate group Tata, who believes it is quite possible that one day his huge business empire could be run by a non-Indian.

When the Tata Group chairman held out this possibility in an interview to a German magazine 'De Spiegel', he acknowledged that Indian might not be ready as yet for this eventuality. But the possibility speaks volumes about the emergence of Indian multinationals on the global arena.


SREI to set up 5000 Common Service Centres (CSCs) in partnership with West Bengal Government , understanably it will help the Left to sustain its Scientific Rigging Machinery and Gestapo cadrebase, so that any nadigarm or Singur may be crushed well!
BoA May 9 meet to consider 19 SEZ proposals

BS Reporter / New Delhi April 09, 2007
The Board of Approvals (BoA) for special economic zones, which is under the Commerce Ministry, will meet on May 9 to take up 19 proposals for consideration. This would be the first meeting of the board after the freeze on fresh proposals and notifications was lifted by an empowered group of ministers (eGoM) on April 5.

According to Commerce Ministry officials, the proposals, which would be taken up in the meeting are the ones which already have land in their possession. The developers of these zones have procured the land directly form the owners of the land. The GoM had banned acquisition of land by state governments or its agencies for private zones.
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=11&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=22215


SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd has announced that in a unique move to bridge the digital divide between the rural and urban areas and in the process ensuring prompt delivery of government and other services, the West Bengal government has entered into a Master Service Agreement with the Company, the leading private sector infrastructure equipment, infrastructure projects and renewable energy products financing Company to set up nearly 5,000 common service centres (CSCs) in rural Bengal. The program has been drawn up under the aegis of the increasingly popular public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

The agreement signed between the Company and the Government of West Bengal, Panchayat and Rural Development Department on April 05, 2007, encompasses 14 districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur and Dakhin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and South 24 Parganas, Purba Midnapore, Bankura, Birbhum, Howrah and Hooghly in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode. The agreement was signed by Shri. M N Roy - Hon'ble Principal Secretary, Panchayat & Rural Development Department, Govt of West Bengal and Dr. Sabahat Azim - Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives, of the Company. Mr. Hemant Kanoria, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, of the Company was also present on the occasion.

‘If you cannot shift from agriculture to industry, there will be a disaster’

He’s probably the state industries minister that has lost the most sleep in the past six months. First, after protestors attempted to thwart Tata Motors from setting up its small car factory at Singur and then following the death of at least 14 people in police firing at Nandigram, site of a proposed chemicals special economic zone (SEZ), on March 14. Caught in the pincer grip of anti-land acquisition riots and chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s drive to rapidly industrialise West Bengal, Nirupam Sen treads a fine line whose course is yet to be chalked out by the Centre’s proposed rehabilitation policy for displaced persons. FE’s Sanjay Basak spoke with Sen to gauge the fallout of the recent protests in the state on investor confidence.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160486

Shares of Dow Chemical Co. jumped nearly 7 percent on Monday following a newspaper report that a consortium was preparing a $50 billion bid for the companyThe Sunday Express, a UK tabloid, quoted sources close to the deal as saying an approach valuing Dow at $50 billion or more could come by the end of the week.At least half of the capital is being provided by investors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman, with the rest contributed by a number of U.S. buyout firms, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts , it said.

Designers flaunting their (sometimes outlandish) creations and models strutting the ramp with grace, poise and lots of pizzazz -- that about sums up the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week.
And after bringing you all the dope on the clothes, we turn our attention to the hot bods who carried off those clothes in style.

Throughout the week, we will be picking two faces that caught our eye. At the end of the week, YOU get a chance to vote for YOUR favourite from the lot.

So, get ready for some eye candy! Indra Raja writes well:
Bring ur sisters,daughter,mother and wife on ramp with latest designs! Ppl will watch these designs and India'll be promoted in the fashion world!We've to compete present fashion world.So,start with yourselves and make India proud in fashion world.All the Best!

by subhash narayan sirur on Apr 05, 2007 02:18 PM
high society or low society,sex is a purchasable commodity.Sheiks from the middle eastern countries following strict moral codes,throw their principles and morality into the dustbin once they are in India and get married to children below 15 years in Hyderabad and throw them away once they have satiated their lust.So much for the religious zealots and pompous moralists in every religion.Do not pass sweeping comments on models.

Our picks today: Tupur Chatterjee, Indrani Das Gupta
http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2007/apr/09lfwmodel.htm

Supermarkets blamed for `sexualising` childhood

London, April 08: The National Union of Teachers has slammed supermarkets, claiming that they are turning into a hub that `sexualises` childhood, thanks to the boom in "inappropriate and sexually provocative" clothes and make-up.

The teachers claimed that the supermarkets are targeting young girls with products such as pole-dancing kits, lacy lingerie and T-shirts with slogans such as `So many boys, so little time.`

In a report, the union said that big business has infiltrated childhood to prey on insecurities about body image that put undue pressure on prepubescent children to grow up too quickly.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=364633&ssid=204&sid=LIF

Medha Patkar criticises Indian govt's new SEZ policy
The Central Government's EGoM on SEZ has approves 83 new proposals hurriedly ignoring the nation wide SEZ related conflict and struggle of farmers, labourers, fish workers.

While the demands raised from Nandigram (West Bengal) to Raigarh (Maharashtra) of repealing SEZ Act and furthering employment generation without displacement and at the cost of agriculture still persists.

This approval is given at a time when election are happening in Delhi and UP, the internal disputes amongst UPA members including Left Front partners, the stand taken by Sonia Gandhi, questions raise by the Finance Minister under the pressure of the corporates and financial institutions who have the support of the Commerce Minister and the Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission (both of whom were members of the EGoM).

Under the banner of Action 2007 delegates of people's movements and organisations from across the country had met Shri. Pranab Mukherjee and Shri. Jairam Ramesh while sitting on a Dharna at Jantar Mantar from 19th March to 3rd April, raising the issues of the country's sovereignty, the attack of global capital and market forces and in support of socialist development.

We have been demanding that the UPA, following its common minimum problem, should review the SEZ Act and hold a national consultation. Without holding dialogue with the farmer-labour organisations and social groups, this decision of the Government is undemocratic and uncalled for.

While approving 83 SEZ projects beyond the already notified 63 projects, the EGoM has declared few changed and conditions. A cap of 5000 hectares, reserving 50% of the land for the approved project only, land to be purchased directly from farmers by private developers and provision of job security to at least one person of the displaced families.

It is clear that the massacre of Nandigram and the ongoing struggles, whether in Andhra Pradesh or in Punjab, have led to bowing of the corporates and the State. Still, instead of ensuring security and justice to farmers-labourers, the State is ensuring the profiteering of corporates-builders.

This is going to facilitate and push the lot of natural resources in the name of industrialization and approved construction of hotels, parks, swimming pools, parking lots, clubs, shopping malls, entertainment zones for the corporate houses and their employees. Agriculture and the agriculturists will be ruined due to corporatisation, privatization and industrialization.

The stand of Ministry of Commerce and respective State Governments regarding no disputes and conflicts to land acquisition process in the already notified and approved SEZs is blatant lie. The Kakinada SEZ of Andhra Pradesh, the freeze on which has been lifted yesterday, is testimony to this fact and is being concealed. ONGC, which is the developer in this case, has acquired only 3000 acres out of the total 10,000 acres which is to displace 1 lakh people.

The struggle of 50,000 affected fisher folk in 3 big blocks against the proposed SEZ are continuing. Out of the 3 SEZs of Vishakhapattanam district, the Brandix Apparel city is being opposed by hundreds of fisher folk. Even the Mundra SEZ of Kutch, Gujarat is being opposed by local fisher folk. The farmers of Mann village of Pune district have saved their 2000 acres of land, facing lathis and bullets, which was otherwise to be handed over to Infosys Company and thousands of acres of fertile land is proposed to be handed over to Wipro, Infosys, Mahindra etc and acquired by MIDC.

The SEZ Act has no mention of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement and how the new promise of employing at least one person per displaced family will be implemented. We have witnessed the tactics of Reliance and the approach of the West Bengal government. The debt ridden farmers, a result of misplaced economic policies, will now be forced out of their rural habitats and farm lands and their resources will be grabbed by the corporate mafia.

The proposed Rehabilitation policy is being pushed while ignoring and bypassing the Policy on Development Planning approved by the National Advisory Council which was presented by the representatives of almost all the people's organisations and movements collectively. The proposed Rehabilitation Policy merely talks of "providing employment, subject to availability of vacancies and eligibility of the affected persons for the employment." Thus the Commerce Minister has only taken the country for a ride and ignored the legitimate demands of the National Consultation on SEZ.

The SEZ Act and its implementation are going to further widen the disparity between agriculture and industry. The loss of 2 to 4 lakh crores due to the approved and notified SEZ is only acknowledged, ignoring the other incumbent losses. The Government Notification dated 27th October 2006 mentions concessions on tax duties for constructing car parking, swimming pools, hotels, clubs etc.

While the farmers/ unorganized sector workers are not given decent wages, social security benefits and subsidy, quoting the rules of WTO or availability of funds, the corporates are being given such wide ranging concessions. The authorities need to answer the deprived and marginalized people of this country.

Under Section 50(8) of the SEZ Act, the State Governments are abdicating their duty towards the labourers. More than 10 states (Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh etc) have amended their State laws and legislation from Minimum Wages Act to Industrial Disputes Act, to declare all activities undertaken by SEZs as public utility services.

While the local self government institutions will be left redundant, the SEZ-deemed foreign territory- is also against Article 243 of the constitution. As per this Article, every village has to formulate its own development schemes which are to guide the District development plan. These local bodies of self government are more constitutional than bodies like the Planning Commission which is guiding and deciding our national policies and plans.

Ironically the Deputy Chairperson of the PLANNING Commission, in the name of rural and urban units under US-India Economic partnership and US-India CEO Forum, is pushing ahead SEZs and our dear Minister Kamal Nath is associated with the corporates who are a threat to the people and resources of the country.


For Co-ordination Committee ACTION 2007
www.action2007.net

Medha Patkar
Sunilam
Shaktiman Ghosh
Gautam Bandhopadhyay


RPG Cables Ltd has announced the completion of its financial restructuring via infusion of Rs 151 crore through a combination of debt and equity by Deutsche Bank AG Hong Kong and the promoters RPG Group.

As per the restructuring package, existing lenders have agreed for a one-time settlement which would result in the reduction of Company's borrowings by over Rs 100 crore. This will also reduce the interest burden by Rs 12 crore annually.

Deutsche Bank AG has been allotted Fully Convertible Debentures aggregating Rs 28 crore which will translate to approx. 14.9% of the Company's equity capital.
No weirdness, vulgarity for TV talent show?

Beijing, April 07: China's broadcasting watchdog has issued a list of rules governing the airing of its latest take on the "American Idol" television series, urging the singing contest "Happy Boys Voice" to uphold high moral standards.

Contestants on "Happy Boys Voice" must choose songs that are "healthy and ethically inspiring" in order to create a good atmosphere for China's 17th Party Congress, the Communist Party's five-yearly leadership meeting to be held later this year.

"No weirdness, no vulgarity and no low taste," said the notice seen Friday on the Web site of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=364383&sid=LIF&ssid=204


NDTV to take on rival Star in Hindi entertainment space

Eyeing to dislodge Star from the top slot in the Hindi entertainment segment, Prannoy Roy-promoted media giant NDTV said it was in talks with major producers, including Ekta Kapoor, for serials on its to-be-launched channels.
Father disowns Arun Nayar after being "humiliated" at wedding

The Indian father-in-law of British actress Elizabeth Hurley has disowned his son Arun Nayar, an NRI businessman, saying the couple humiliated him and his relatives at the the much-talked about wedding last month.
Big FM to air special programme for Abhi-Ash wedding

With Abhishek-Aishwarya wedding not far away, Adlab's Big 92.7 FM has decided to host a special programme to greet its brand ambassador - Abhishek Bachchan - on his wedding.
Shah Rukh's Wax statue inaugurated at Madame Tussaud

After bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and beauty queen Aishwarya Rai, Shah Rukh Khan has became the third Indian bollywood celebrity to join the queue at Madame Tussaud.
Nikhil Parekh Elected 'Poet of the Year' at Canadian Federation of Poets

Internationally acclaimed Indian Poet Nikhil Parekh has bagged yet another coveted honor 'Poet of the Year' for year 2006' at the Canadian Federation of Poets (CFP).
U2's Bono conferred honorary knighthood for global aid

Rock star, campaigner Bono has been honoured with a knighthood for his invaluable contribution to the advancement of global aid and trade in poor countries especially Africa.
Rushdie, Padma heading for a split

36-year-old Padma Lakshmi more concerned about her carrier is looking for a split from her third husband and Booker-prize winner Salman Rushdie, both got married in 2004.
India bans Fashion TV for 'Midnight Hot' show

Asserting that the channel programmes are against good taste, decency and denigrated women, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has banned FTV telecast.


"We got rid of a tyrant and tyranny. But we were surprised that after one thief had left, another 40 replaced him," said Jubouri, who is a Shiite Muslim. "Now, we regret that Saddam Hussein is gone, no matter how much we hated him."

His faith in the United States has also vanished, he said. But he still has a passion for one thing uniquely American: the Harley-Davidson. On the wall of his cluttered office, next to medals he won as a champion weightlifter, hangs a tapestry emblazoned with an American flag, a bald eagle, a Harley and the words: "Born in the USA."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/08/AR2007040801058.html?nav=hcmodule


Thus with indiscrimante Industrialisation and urbanisation, annihilition of production syestem, postmodern Manusmirti, information explosion and IT, outsorcing, Sensex boom, Luxury Malls and connectons...