Sensex below 8000

The much-talked Orissa nun rape case has taken an interesting turn, as the nun, Sister Meena Lalita Barwa, who had gone into hiding and refused to cooperate with the police, broke her silence and held a press conference in New Delhi. The nun, whose face and head were covered with a scarf, sobbed before the international, national and regional TV cameras while narrating her tale of horror. The nun, Sister Meena revealed that she was raped by a rioting mob in K. Nuagaon in Kandhamal on August 25. Her press conference was held under the aegis of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. The nun had to come out in open after the Supreme Court rejected her demand for a CBI probe and asked her to cooperate with the state crime branch. With tears rolled down her cheeks and a choked voice, Sister Meena said, “I was raped and now I don’t want to be victimised by the Orissa Police. I want a CBI inquiry. The state police were present when I was brutally raped. They were friendly with the attackers and tried their best to prevent me from filing an FIR. I don’t have any trust in Orissa police. I want a CBI probe”, said the nun. The nun read from a prepared statement at the press conference held at the Indian Social Institute on Lodhi Road in Delhi. During the 15-minute press conference, she narrated her traumatic experience in details, but did not take any questions. She also said that the rape occurred in the presence of over a dozen policemen. According to her version, she was raped, paraded naked and then handed over to the Block Development Officer, who took her to K. Nuagaon police outpost. Later, when she and Father Chellan tried to file an FIR, they were discouraged by the IIC, Baliguda Police Station. She also had to undergo a medical examination around 10 in the night. The nun confirmed that the mob also misbehaved and beat up Father Thomas Chellantharayil alias Father Chellan, who was with her. She demanded an immediate CBI probe and maintained that she does not want to cooperate with the state police, as she has lost trust in them.

Students in Bihar went on a rampage during today’s Bihar Bandh. Thousands of students turned violent and tried to vandalize the Patna University. The police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the mob. The mob also set Sheikhpura Railway Station on fire and disrupted train services across Bihar. At least 150 students have been arrested so far. The Bihar Bandh has been called by student unions in Bihar.

A group of miscreants belonging to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ransacked the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) office in Nasik, protesting against the former ABVP member Pragyan (Pragnya) Singh in the Malegaon blast. The NCP goons shouted anti-ABVP slogans and attacked the ABVP office in Ashok Stambh locality in Nasik. The miscreants damaged the furniture and the board of VHP. They reportedly blackened the face of some ABVP members present in the office. Later, VHP and ABVP workers took to the streets in protest against the attack on ABVP office. Situation is tense, but under control in Nasik.

The Mumbai ATS confirmed that only a fringe Hindu group headed by Sadhvi Pragnya (Pragyan) Singh Chandrapal Singh Thakur (38) is involved in the Malegaon bomb blast. Pragnya Singh Thakur, known as Sadhvi Purnachetnagiri has taken ‘Sanyas’ in January 2007 and reportedly formed a group of fundamentalists to avenge the bomb blasts conducted by Islamic terror groups. Sadhvi Pragnya had joined ABVP in 1993. However, she later became a fierce leader, advocating Hindu Nationalism. Sadhvi Pragnya was the head of Madhya Pradesh ABVP Unit in 2002. She was seen campaigning for the BJP in Gujarat in 2002 and 2007 elections. Pragnya also shared the stage with Gujarat CM Narendra Modi during an election campaign. She denounced the material life and took ‘Sanyas’ in January 2007. The BJP, Bajrang Dal and ABVP now deny any link with Pragnya for a long time. According to sources, Pragnya was a fighter since her childhood. If we believe her father, who gave an interview to Star News TV Channel, Pragnya always fought injustice and never tolerated anti-social activities. According to her father Chandrapal Singh, Pragnya and her sister once beat up a group of goons from Congress party when they dared to take on the sisters. Pragnya and her sister reportedly beat up those goons to such an extent that they begged for mercy before these strong girls. Sadhvi Pragnya has been a tomboy since her childhood. She dressed up like boys, kept short hairs, learned fighting skills and had a great passion for bikes. She can ride any bike including Pulsar, Bullet etc. etc. She founded the Jai Vande Mataram Jan Kalyan Samiti in 2002. Pragnya’s accomplices Shivnarayan Gopalsingh Kalsangra (36) and Shyam Sabarlal Sahu (42), who were arrested by the Mumbai ATS, were part of her network. Her speeches were fiery and full of hatred against the Islamic terrorists. The Mumbai Police believe that Pragnya had a mission of carrying out bomb blasts across the country to avenge the bomb blasts conducted by Islamic terror groups. She had hatred in her mind and followed religious fanaticism. Although she was a former member of ABVP and Hindu Jagran Manch, she had formed her own network and pursued the mission secretly. It’s surprising that she chose her own bike to carry out the blast. According to Mumbai ATS, two Army officers detained in Pune, helped her to bring RDX from Kanpur. More arrests are likely in this case, as the ATS has reached Bhopal to proceed with their probe. The ATS sources claim that they have a 400 minutes tape between Sadhvi Pragnya and her associates. The tape was compiled after analyzing Pragnya’s mobile call details. More skeletons will tumble, as the probe progresses. Meanwhile, BJP and ABVP have distanced themselves from Sadhvi Pragnya, saying she was a former member of ABVP and had no recent links with the organization. However, Sadhvi Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Ritambara have come out in support of Sadhvi Pragnya and termed the latest development as a pre-planned conspiracy to frame Hindu groups. Hundreds of people took out a procession in Jabalpur in support of Sadhvi Pragnya. They burnt the effigy of Maharashtra government for allegedly framing Sadhvi Pragnya.

At 1127 hours, the 30-share BSE Index is down 443 points at 8257. NSE Nifty is down 128 points at 2,455. Sensex @1127 hrs: The Sensex touched a low of 8,057, and is now down 447 points at 8,254. Wipro has slumped 16.7% to Rs 196. Tata Power has tumbled nearly 14% to Rs 539. DLF has crashed 11% to Rs 181. SBI and Hindustan Unilever have plunged over 10% each to Rs 1,037 and Rs 202, respectively. TCS and NTPC have shed 9.5% each at Rs 443 and Rs 118, respectively. Tata Steel has dropped 9% to Rs 162. ONGC and Reliance Communications have slipped 7.8% each to Rs 608 and Rs 178, respectively. Ranbaxy has declined 7.5% to Rs 175. HDFC Bank and Grasim are down 6.8% each at Rs 906 and Rs 982, respectively. Mahindra & Mahindra, however, has rebounded into the positive zone and is now up 1.6% at Rs 292.

Bus Hijacked in Mumbai An unidentified gunman was killed on Monday by Mumbai Police in a state transport bus after he was suspected of trying to take the passengers hostage in suburban Kurla. The incident occurred around 0930 hours inside a BEST bus in the city’s northeast suburb of Kurla, they said. “The man fired at the police in ‘Bail’ bazar area of Kurla and was shot in retaliatory fire,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rakesh Maria said. The police suspect that the gunman was trying to take the bus passengers hostage and ‘this is being verified’. He was pronounced dead at the Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar, police said but did not release details about him. A passenger, who also sustained injuries in the incident, has been taken to the same hospital, where his condition is reported to be critical.

 

Jet Airways

Jet Airways has decided to take back all sacked employees with immediate effect. Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal held a press conference and announced this decision. “I apologise for all agony you went through. You are like my family. And, my conscience does not allow me to sack you”, said Naresh Goyal to his employees. “My management made the decision to sack employees because of financial woes. But I have reversed it. My management may not like my decision, but I made it. I feel mentally disturbed with the recent events. I do not look at economies, I go with my conscience” said Naresh Goyal. Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal firmly said that he did not act under pressure. He even denied of having meeting any political leaders. As the news of cancellation of retrenchment in Jet Airways flashed on the TV channels, the fired employees erupted into joy and celebrations. They termed it as a major victory and distributed sweets to each other. Naresh Goyal confirmed that there would not be any retrenchment or lay offs in Jet Airways. However, he stressed on the need of cutting costs by every possible means. He also urged the government to come forward to bail out the sick aviation industry and loss-making airlines. Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel termed Jet Airways’ decision to take back all sacked employees as a welcome step.

The Lankan government believes that the quarter-century old militant movement of the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam is in its last phase. The Sri Lanka [Images]n army is merely 1.2 miles away from Kilinochchi, the LTTE’s headquarters in northern Sri Lanka. According to Colonel R Hariharan, a retired military intelligence specialist who served as the head of intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka from 1987-90, “Six divisions of the Sri Lankan army have gheraoed Kilinochchi.The rains and the dense tall vegetation make airstrikes very difficult. The situation is critical for both sides.” The Sri Lankan defence ministry claims that the army has killed 7,553 rebels since Sri Lanka pulled out of a Norwegian-backed truce in January, while 748 soldiers have died in the clashes. By all accounts the situation is a turning point in Sri Lanka’s blood-soaked ethnic history. President Mahinda Rajapakase has waged a decisive battle against the LTTE and seems to be winning it so far. His critics allege that he is looking for a military solution and not for a political dialogue. The Pesident’s supporters claim that he had offered an olive branch to Prabhakaran, when he came to power. Rajapkse had offered to have a structured dialogue but the LTTE did not respond, so he was left with no option but to go for an armed offensive. As the LTTE is pushed to the wall, allegations of the sufferings and misery of the Lankan Tamils have been reported, particularly due to heavy air strikes. Even some Europe-based experts on Sri Lanka have started saying that government’s “attitude and actions are that of an invading country in an enemy’s territory.” The use of air power against its own people is severely objected to by critics of Sri Lankan government. B Raman, rediff.com columnist and a Chennai-based expert on security matters said, ” The continuing use of indiscriminate air strikes by the Rajapakse government against the Tamil civilian population in order to intimidate it into stop supporting the LTTE has come in for strong criticism.” Sri Lanka is more confident than ever that it will get rid of the LTTE menace because it has been able to get all manner of help from China, Pakistan, Iran and the United States. In geo-strategic terms the Lankans are better consolidated than ever, with China building a port south of Colombo, India and Pakistan training the Sri Lankan army on a regular basis and the US and Iran supporting government in terms of resources and materials. The Sri Lankan economy is also stable and sturdy. Some weeks ago, a senior officer of Sri Lanka had said “We are seeing light at the end of the tunnel after 25 long years of struggle. We have had significant success in the operation against the LTTE. It is on run, they are running with full pockets.” While showing maps of 2006 and 2008, the officer said that 75 percent of thearea has been recaptured and the fighting capacity of the LTTE had been seriously eroded. The Sri Lankan government had been able to hold elections in the estern province too, he said. The Lankan government’s assessment is that LTTE chief Prabhakaran has been pushed into his hide-out with 3,000-4,000 cadres at most. As the battle become decisive in the Kilinochchi, pressure is building up within Tamil Nadu, where politicians are guessing that the LTTE is cornered. The question on everyones lips seems to be what effect the fall of LTTE chief Prabhakaran will have on the region. The Tamil politicians are completely divided and the nuance is lost, the divide complete. Those who are speaking for the plight of the Sri Lankans Tamils because they are also being killed with LTTE militants are being silenced by the critics of LTTE. While those who speak for the LTTE have a weak case due to India’s current sufferings due to terrorism and also because the politics over the Sri Lankan issue is more complex with Prabhakaran and his deputy Pottu Amman, being prime accused in the Rajiv Gandhi murder case. India wants them tried in Indian courts. It is not possible for India to unconditionally start or participate in any dialogue with these two Tamil-militant leaders. Hawkish Tamil leaders like Vaiko want to break diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka while Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has told PM Manmohan Singh to implore Rajapakse to find a political solution and not resort to brute force. Under Karunanidhi’s leadership a resolution has been passed to create pressure on government to get Sri Lanka to declare a ceasefire. J Jayalalitha has targeted Karunanidhi, “If India interferes with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka there is a possibility that our neighbouring countries could begin interfering with our internal affairs. It will create trouble for India’s sovereignty. The countries in the world will not accept India interfering with the affairs of another country.” Jayalalitha further says, “The important thing was to prevent the Indian Army from providing training to the Sri Lankan Army and to stop the military offensive against the Sri Lankan Tamils. But Karunanidhi is not making any efforts in this regard.” The editorial column written by Malini Parthasarathy in The Hindu titled The dangers of Tamil chauvinism strongly argued that, ” The latest campaign in Tamil Nadu masterminded by a desperate LTTE must not be allowed to undermine the sound policy decision upheld by successive Indian governments since 1991 to stay out of Sri Lanka’s internal affairs.” Hariharan points out that recently The New Indian Express carried a survey that reflected the complexities of the matter. Hariharan said, “51 percent of respondents have said that India should lift the ban on the LTTE. But, only 30 percent have said that they are freedom fighters. 31 percent have said that India should send troops if Prabhakaran is cornered. While 40 percent of people have said they would like to donate for the cause of a Tamil Eelam. Do not equate public sympathy for Tamil rights with support for the LTTE.” Many critics of LTTE think “the game plan of the LTTE and its supporters is to rally the Tamil chauvinist sentiment” so that the siege around Kilinochchi can be relaxed. Raman disagrees that Tamil politicians are trying to bail-out Prabhakaran. “The LTTE is not using Tamil politicians. The case of Vaiko is different but one can’t say same thing about parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kaghazham and the Congress. The people are genuinely concerned about the hawkish statements made by Sri Lankan army chief Lt.Gen.Sarath Fonseka and Gothbaya, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is also causing tension. There will be repercussions if Parabhakaran is killed. Tamil politicians would like to prevent the tension spreading in the state,” Raman said. In his interview to the Canadian daily National Post, General Fonseka said “I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese but there are minority communities and we treat them like our people�being the majority of the country we will never give in and we have the right to protect our country�We are also a strong nation . They(minorities) can live in this country with us, but they must not try to, under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things.” An All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhgham leader speaking off the record told rediff.com, “We dislike the LTTE and do not support it but no way it should stop us from raising the voice against butchering of Tamils in Sri Lanka.” Raman points out that it’s not only issue of Sri Lankan Tamils rights alone that is hurting psyche of people. He says, “There has been a perceptible disenchantment in Tamil Nadu over what is seen as the lack of interest shown by Manmohan Singh in the problems of the Sri Lankan Tamils. He is being compared unfavourably with Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, who took a keen interest in the problems of the Tamils and did not hesitate to take up the matter strongly with the governments in power in Colombo.” Raman says that this disenchantment has turned into shock following reports of two Indian radar technicians being injured when two planes of the LTTE’s air wing bombed a Sri Lankan military base in Vavuniya in September.” Hariharan says, “I don’t see what Indian government can do beyond a point. The two warring sides don’t want Indian help. They may be asking for Indian help but, at least they have not quantified it, so far.” Interestingly, no Tamil party has spelled out , in practical terms how much India can influence the Sri Lankan government who are fighting most important battle on their land. Hariharan puts forward a few conditions before India can increase its involvement in the issue. He says, “India can interfere only if there is a chance of peace. We cannot get into a ‘1987 type’ situation. We must take into account the trade between two countries at $4 billion. Any miscalculation can directly impact it. We are facing a strategic challenge in Sri Lanka because Iran, Pakistan and China are helping Rajpakasa. It’s the leverage he has. The Sri Lankan parliament has 42 Tamil-speaking MPs who should also put pressure on the government.” Interestingly, a vocal supporter of the LTTE in Chennai told rediff.com, “The siege of Kilinochchi will prove to be the siege of Leningrad. Hitler’s army besieged the city for 872 days but still could not oust the Russians, who put up a heroic struggle. The LTTE will also win the battle of Kilinochchi using the same tactics as the Russians. You can expect a surprise.” Even if the Sri Lankan government wins the battle, will their win bring peace to the island nation is the moot question. They will have to start a reconciliation process, says Rajapakse supporters. Raman says, “Very few in Tamil Nadu take seriously the assurances of Rajapaksa that after neutralising the LTTE as a terrorist organisation, his government will initiate political measures for meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people.”

While the economic recession has spelt doom for many, this could be a bit of good news. Oil prices, which were zooming to all-time highs have crashed. Oil prices have hit a 13-month low of $68.50 a barrel. Oil prices had crossed the $100-mark for the first time in 2008. The prices further zoomed to $147 in July. There were even predictions that oil would hit the $200 mark! The surge in oil prices was alarming…the fall in the dollar rates was one of reasons for the rise in oil prices. A weaker American currency tends to increase the demand for dollar-denominated oil as it becomes cheaper for buyers using stronger currencies. Oil prices also rose as investors saw it as a safe investment amid fears of rising inflation and a US recession. However, demand started slowing down drastically in the wake of the recession in developing countries. The downslide began…

In a major breakthrough the Orissa police on Thursday claimed that the mastermind behind Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Laxamananda Saraswati’s killing had been identified as a group had hired the Maoists to execute the crime. “Maoists were given money to train certain youth of a particular community to eliminate Saraswati,” inspector general of police, crime branch, Arun Ray told PTI asserting the mastermind of the killings had been identified. Stating the mastermind had fled Orissa, the IG said “we will trace them soon.” The plan to eliminate Saraswati was made immediately after the December, 2007 communal violence in Kandhamal, he added. Elaborating the probe by the crime branch, Ray said investigations also showed that a group had collected money from some villages in Kandhamal which was given to the Maoist group to train their youth for the purpose. At least 60 youth were given arms training by the Maoists, the IG said dwelling on the inputs from the three arrested persons. Ray said members of a particular community were unhappy with Saraswati and held him responsible for the riots which took place during Christmas in 2007. They requested a Maoist group to assist them in killing Saraswati, he said. Confirming that six Telugu-speaking persons fired at Saraswati and others, the crime branch investigation revealed that the trained group were guarding the ashram at Jalespeta in Kandhamal during the incident. Refusing to divulge identity and religion of the mastermind behind the killing which sparked communal violence in Kandhamal, The IG said the Maoists only executed the crime.

World number two Roger Federer has surpassed Pete Sampras to become the all-time leader in career prize money earnings in men’s tennis, the ATP said on Thursday. The five-times US Open champion took his career earnings to over US $ 43.3 million at the Madrid Masters this week. Federer toasts US Open high five American Sampras earned $ 43,280,489 in a glittering career that included 14 Grand Slam titles. Federer is one behind that record too with 13. “Obviously it’s nice to have records. I didn’t play tennis because of money, that was never my drive but I have been very successful,” Federer said after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach the quarter-finals on Thursday. “I’ve had an incredible run in Slams lately that racks up the money and also the Masters Cup, there is a lot of money involved there. “I guess this is also the moment when you can thank the all-time greats from back in the day when it was still amateur to have brought the game to where it is today. They have created the platform for us players today.” Federer meets Argentine Juan Martin del Potro in the last eight of the Madrid Masters on Friday.

After a 52-day nightmare , Kiran D’Souza who was on the ill-fated cargo ship hijacked by Somalian pirates is finally back home. The 28-year old seaman finally reached home on Thursday. Kiran who landed in Mangalore this morning was received by all his family members who were obviously emotional on seeing him after such a long time which was filled with anxiety and unlimited waiting. Kiran was one of the seamen working in the ship, Iran Deynat which was hijacked by Somalian pirates on August 21, 2008. After much deliberation and negotiation, Kiran is finally back at home. Sounding tired yet relieved, Kiran took a few moments off to share his nightmarish experience of 52 days in captivity with rediff.com.

 

News: 15 October

The crisis within the Jet Airways has just begun, it seems. Jet Airways CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schaeur revealed that his airlines will terminate 1,900 out of a total of 13,000 employees in a phased manner. According to Jet CEO, those employees were hired as part of the expansion plan, but it was held back for some reason. He also said that 800 employees have already been served termination notice and 1,100 more will soon get the boot. Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schaeur termed the process of termination of employees as completely legal and maintained that adequate compensation will be given to sacked employees as per the contract. He also said that decision to fire the employees had nothing to with the alliance with Kingfisher Airlines. “It was a tough decision, but we had to take it. We have sacked employees for the first time in 15 years”, said Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schaeur.

The current turmoil within the Jet Airways, has taken an interesting turn with MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) chief Raj Thackeray deciding to support the sacked Jet Airways employees. Jet Airways has sacked around 1,000 employees today, who were on probation and were supposed to get their confirmation letter on November 1. After getting a snub from Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, the sacked Jet Airways employees decided to approach MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who in return echoed their sentiments. Raj Thackeray warned the Jet Airways of dire consequences if the sacked employees are not reinstated with immediate effect. “No Jet Airways flight will be allowed to take off from Mumbai if needed”, thundered Raj Thackeray. A MNS delegation will meet Jet Airways management tomorrow to discuss the issue.

As the Jet Airways sacked around 1,000 employees without giving any prior notice, the sacked staff went on a rampage outside the Jet Airways office in Mumbai. All sacked employees were on probation and they were supposed to get their confirmation letter on November 1, but they never expected a sudden termination letter as ‘Diwali Gifts’. The employees are now considering legal options, as Jet Airways did not keep its promise of one month termination notice to its employees. The sacked Jet Airways employees included the cabin crew and customer service officers. They are in a state of shock at this latest development. The Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal defended the decision to lay off around 1,000 staff saying they were non-permanent and unconfirmed employees. He also said that his company would do everything possible to reduce costs. The Jet Airways also decided to reduce its flights by 10-12 percent during the coming winter. According to latest reports, Jet Airways will sack more employees in the categories of cabin cockpit crew and management. Kingfisher Airlines also said that it would soon fire a sizable number of employees to reduce costs. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has refused the government intervention on this matter, saying the companies reserve the right to hire/fire their staff. The sacked Jet Airways employees have decided to approach MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his support to their cause.

Alibaba.com is the official website of the Alibaba Group, which is considered as the world’s largest B2B marketing website. Alibaba.com is a big name in the field of B2B e-commerce. Jack Ma, a former English teacher from the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou founded Alibaba.com in 1999 along with 18 other founder members. Today, Alibaba.com has over 32 million registered users from over 240 countries and regions. Alibaba.com has offices in over 30 cities across China as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Europe and the US. The company has around 7,000 full-time employees today. Alibaba.com connects millions of buyers and suppliers through three marketplaces – http://www.alibaba.com/, http://www.alibaba.com.cn/ and http://www.alibaba.com.jp/. Alibaba.com is a certified B2B marketing website is considered as the most trusted among all available e-commerce websites.

Captain GR Gopinath, vice chairman of Kingfisher Airlines, is planning to buy back Air Deccan. He is reportedly unhappy over the alliance between Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways struck a couple of days ago. Gopinath is planning to offer a package to buy back Air Deccan from Kingfisher Airlines. Currently, UB Group Chairman Vijay Mallya has 65% share in Kingfisher Airlines, while Captain Gopinath has only 5.58% stake.

In a shocking development, Father Chellan, the lone eyewitness in the sensational nun rape case in Kandhamal, Orissa, refused to cooperate in the investigation, saying he did not have faith in the system. Father Chellan’s refusal to help the Orissa Police, came as a shocker for all and it provided ammo to critics who have already raised questions on the alleged rape of the nun. In 1999, a similar incident occurred in Baripada, where a nun alleged that she was raped by Hindu extremists. But the later the allegations turned out to be false. Although the state police have arrested eight persons in connections with the nun rape case in Kandhamal, Father Chellan’s refusal to cooperate with the police, raised several questions that remain unanswered.

The Jet Airways has decided to lay off over 800 employees citing reasons of ill health and cost-cutting measures. Jet Airways’ decision to fire over 800 employees sent a panic across the aviation industry. The cabin crew and customer service officials will be fired as part of a cost-cutting exercise. According to sources, Kingfisher Airlines is also planning to lay off a sizeable number of staff soon. According to major Ailrlines in the country, the aviation sector is in a bad shape and it requires a bailout package to move up. Airlines across the world are suffering huge losses due to the steep rise in jet fuel. Aviation Minister Prafulla Patel has expressed concerns over the latest deveopment and assured that he would take up the case with the Finance Minister.

India continued their dominance on the third day of the Commonwealth Youth Games on Tuesday and consolidated their position atop the standings, taking their medals tally to seven golds, five silver and four bronze. England closely follow the hosts with six golds, one silver and two bronze. India bagged four golds, four silvers and four bronze at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi on Tuesday to add to their Mondays tally of three golds and one silver. Meanwhile in girls’ badminton event, Beijing quarter-finalist Saina Nehwal eased past Deborah Godfrey of South Africa to 21-7 21-4 to storm into the pre-quarterfinals, while national champion Guru Sai Dutt beat Joel Debel of Seychelles 21-04 21-02 to move into third round. Not considered as India’s forte, athletics however earned India a gold through Maharashtra’s Dheeraj Mishra who leapt 15.42m to emerge on top in the triple jump. England’s Benjamin Williams (15.41m) finished second, while Boipelo Molahatlhego of South Africa secured the bronze with a distance of 15.20m. Indians also bagged two silver and three bronze medals in athletics. Though the hosts missed a gold in the men’s hammer-throw which was topped by Peter Smith of England with a distance of 68.38m, Indian duo of Narayan Chandrodaya (68.38m) and Ejaj Ahmed (64.97m) took the silver and bronze respectively. The other silver came from Gayathri Govindharaj, who with a timing of 14.00s finished second in 100m hurdles. Kierre Beckles (Barbados) and Australia’s Brianna Beahan took the gold and bronze respectively. The other two bronze medals came through Jasdeep Singh (shot put) and Poonam Rani (women’s javelin). Meanwhile, India shooters continued to shine for the second day in succession with Hyderabad’s Kynan Darius Chenai bagging a gold in the boys trap event and Ankush Bharadwaj clinching his second medal, a bronze in 10m Air Pistol event. Mistake-ridden Darius, however, had a nervous final round where he shot 17, while the eventual bronze medalist Michael McNabb of Australia shot 19. But his earlier rounds scores of 111 was enough for the Hyderabad sharp shooter to finish on top with 128. Having shot a poor 106 in the earlier rounds, Australian McNabb’s splendid comeback in the final round took his tally to 106 and thus a bronze. Malta’s Ryan Bugeja, who shot on par with the Indian with the final round score of 17, had to settle for the silver medal after finishing one point shy of Darius. Monday’s gold medalist in 50m pistol event, Bhardwaj added a bronze to his tally after firing 94.9 in the final round to finish with a total of 645.9. Gold went to James Hendry Matthews of Canada with a final score of 96.1 and a total of 653.1. Singapore’s Chen Christopher finished with the silver with a total score of 650.7 and in the final he shot 95.7. Loss of concentration due to a lighting problem cost Rushad Damania of India a medal, who missed the bronze by a margin of less than two points in the boys 50m rifle prone event. Bad light forced Rushad to change his place and he shot 97.3 in the final to take his total to 679.3. But Rory McAlpine of Scotland with a final round score of 99.4 took his tally to 681.4 en route to a silver, while James Huckle took the gold with 687.6. India had a poor fifth place finish in the girls 50m rifle prone event with Aparajita Tivary totalling 579. Kay Copland (Scotland) clinched the gold with 585, while Nurfarah Afiqah of Malaysia took the silver totalling 582. Sheree Cox of England had to contend with the bronze, finishing one point adrift of the Malaysian. Monday saw shooting earn two gold for India with Bhardwaj emerging winner in a two-way race in the 50m pistol and Rahi Sarnobat in the girls 25m pistol. Taking advantage of the thin participation, India also bagged two gold medals in wrestling event. Ajit Patil opened the medal account in wrestling for the hosts when he emerged on top in the 39- 42kg category which saw representation from four countries. In his first round bout, the Kolhapur lad beat Pakistan’s Salamat Ali 8-0 to ensure a medal for India and then knocked out England’s Jack Longthrone 6-1 in the second bout to finish on top in the round robin. In the gold medal bout, the Bombay Engineering Group (BEG) grappler pinned down Jonathan Babulall of Canada to pocket the gold. In the 46kg category, which saw a three-way race, Delhi’s Deepak Kumar emerged on top. Trained under his father Ramnath, the gold on Tuesday was his third international medal. He has a gold in a Russian meet in 2007, while in Uzbekistan last year he had bagged a bronze. Yukar Sibi and Laxmi N fetched two silvers for India in the men’s 62kg and women’s 53kg categories of weightlifting. The Army Sports Institute’s (ASI) girl Sibi lifted 112kg in snatch and 147kg in the clean and jerk category to finish with a total of 259kg and settle for a silver behind Aricco Jumitih of Malaysia. Uganda’s Charles Ssekyaaya took the bronze. Laxmi, who trains in SAI Bangalore, lifted 149kg (snatch 67kg, jerk 82kg) to finish with 149kg for the silver. Zoe Smith of England took the gold, while Bangladesh’s Fayema Akther had to settle for the bronze. The top two seeded paddlers Neha Aggarwal and Soumi Mondal also maintained their winning streak to make the last eight of the table tennis event.

In one of the largest layoffs in Indian aviation sector, Jet Airways hands in the pink slip to more than 800 cabin crew and customer care executives. Earlier CNBC-TV18 had reported that Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines had announced a cost-cutting collaboration on Monday October 13. Meanwhile, sources say that Kingfisher Airlines is also likely to lay off employees. Sources further reported that Jet and Kingfisher would meet to discuss route rationalization in the next two to three days. Here is a verbatim transcript of Karma Paljor’s comments on CNBC-TV18. Also watch the accompanying video. Q: Explain the likely quantum of attrition from a Kingfisher perspective and how important is the alliance factor, considering small players are meeting to form an alliance, which is similar to the Jet Kingfisher pact? A: Yes, this is in line with what the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) have been talking about. Jet Airways said that they were would lay off some 800 odd staff and this is not the confirmed staff, this is the staff which was on probation, which was taken for expansion plan. Sources said that those on probation, those who are taken to fly the new routes that they are going to charter may be dismisses. The US operations has been suspended, due to which a sizeable chunk of around 800 staff would be asked to go off, which means that they will not be confirmed. These staff were essential for expansion. All the experienced staff is going to move to international operations to fly to Europe now.. So as far as Kingfisher is concerned we are expecting the same. The aviation industry is expected to incur a loss of over Rs 4,000 crore. It is a very difficult time for them right now. The CEOs are meeting to discuss this issue with the Aviation Minister in Hyderabad. Q: There are also newspaper reports that Captain Gopinath may be actually vying a Deccan buyback with support from some PE players and that he is unhappy over the Jet alliance and he also looking at meeting Vijay Mallya today. Did you pick up anything from your sources? A: Captain Gopinath said he was going to meet Vijay Mallya, where the Kingfisher Airlines chairman would try and explain the model that they working out with Jet Airways. But he may be very clear that should Vijay Mallya and Naresh Goyal plan to kill the low cost model of Air Deccan or Kingfisher Red which they call it now, then he would certainly try and combat and buy Kingfisher Red back from Vijay Mallya, so that would be a significant move. But the clause being that Captain Gopinath would need the funds to do that and since he has made this Air Deccan dream come true a lot of people would love to back him at this point. Q: Getting back to the labour issue considering that assurances were given to employees post the pact. Do you see a lot of trouble brewing in right now that this news of lay off has come in? A: I don’t think so. As far as the Jet Airways and Kingfisher are concerned, most of the employees that they are going to lay off were on probation and Jet Airways made this statement that they were laying off probationers. So I don’t think there will be any problems. They said that they would give them good compensations. Q: Are you also picking up any news on the small players now forming an alliance of their own, which includes Indigo? A: Possible at this point but we will really have to see how they can get together. The aircraft, fleet size and the make will have to match Boeing. If SpiceJet is flying all Boeing fleets then Indigo would be flying then all the Airbus fleets. So all these factors will have to be taken in to see how they can really come together.

India’s Arvind Adiga created history by winning the Man Booker Prize 2008 for his much-publicized debut novel “The White Tiger”. Arvind Adiga’s book “The White Tiger” is all about the poverty in India and the wealth gap between the rich and the poor. The Chairman of the judges described Arvind Adiga’s “The White Tiger” as a revelation of “the dark side of India”. The Booker Awards ceremony was held in London’s Guildhall. “The White Tiger” narrates the story of a village boy Balram Halwai, who became an entrepreneur through villainous means. According to Arvind Adiga, most of the poor people in India can make it to the top either through crime or politics. It’s a dream came true for Arvind Adiga, who beat five other competitors including India’s Amitabh Ghosh (Sea of Poppies), Steve Toltz of Australia (A Fraction of the Whole), Sebastian Barry of Ireland (The Secret Scripture), and British writers Linda Grant (The Clothes on Their Backs), and Philip Hensher (The Northern Clemency). Arvind Adiga is the third writer to win the prestigious Man Booker Prize on debut after Arundhati Roy (1997) and DBC Pierer (2003). He is the fifth Indian-origin writer to win the coveted award after V.S. Naipul, Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai. Arvind Adiga, who was born in Chennai, dedicated his award to New Delhi, where he has lived for many years.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has decided to take heads on Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati. Sonia defied the prohibitory orders (Section 144) imposed by Mayawati government and entered Rae Bareli amid a huge welcome crowd. People defied Section 144 to welcome Sonia Gandhi and shouted slogans against Mayawati. “Rai Bareli is my Karmabhoomi. No one can stop me from coming to my home. I am ready to go to jail on this issue if required”, thundered Sonia Gandhi. Earlier Sonia Gandhi had cancelled her public rally in the wake of prohibitory orders imposed in the area. Although Mayawati had diverted Sonia Gandhi’s route to Rae Bareli, a defiant Sonia took the same route and snubbed Mayawati and her administration. The UP police was pain to explain why they could not stop Sonia from entering Rae Bareli and meeting with the public despite the prohibitory orders. Sonia did not comment on the cancellation of land allotment for the Rail Coach Factory, terming it “sub-judice”. Meanwhile, Congress legislator Ashok Singh and eight of his supporters were booked by the UP government for vandalism against the state government. Manuwadi Sonia breaks the law so every indian can break law as pr their comfort.

 

3 Christian Maoists arrested in Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case (All 3 are Congress Supportor) Motherfucker 3 Cristians Killed the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and after that Motherfucker Congress Party blams on Bajrang Dal and VHP for Voilence in Orissa. Kill all Cristians and their family who is involved in Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, also kills those people who supported Cristians. Mutherfucker Muslims kills innocent people in India and The government didn’t take any action against Muslims and now Cristians are on the way of muslims In a major breakthrough in the sensational Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, the Orissa CID arrested three Christian Maoists from Baliguda block. They were allegedly involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. The arrested persons were Duryodhan Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi and Sanatana Badamajhi. According to CID sources, at least 18 Christian Maoists were involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespeta Ashram. These arrested people were among those who launched an attack on Swami Laxmanananda on that fateful day. Some guns and masks were recovered from the arrested Maoists. The latest development almost confirmed a “nexus” between the Maoists and Christian Missionaries and there is no doubt that a large number of Christians have joined the naxal groups. The Christian-run NGOs and Churches could have been a funding source for the Maoists. Such speculations are on the rise, as top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda tried in desperation to own up responsibility for Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s killing. Mr. Panda had reportedly admitted that Maoist groups in Orissa always received support from Christian groups. “It is a fact that Christians form the majority in our organisation. Our supporters in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal also belonged to the Christian community,” said Sabyasachi Panda during his interview to some correspondents in a recent interview. Laxmanananda Saraswati was killed, as he did not stop his movements against religious conversion and cow slaughter.

 

3 Christian Maoists arrested in Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case (All 3 are Congress Supportor) Motherfucker 3 Cristians Killed the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and after that Motherfucker Congress Party blams on Bajrang Dal and VHP for Voilence in Orissa. Kill all Cristians and their family who is involved in Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, also kills those people who supported Cristians. Mutherfucker Muslims kills innocent people in India and The government didn’t take any action against Muslims and now Cristians are on the way of muslims In a major breakthrough in the sensational Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, the Orissa CID arrested three Christian Maoists from Baliguda block. They were allegedly involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. The arrested persons were Duryodhan Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi and Sanatana Badamajhi. According to CID sources, at least 18 Christian Maoists were involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespeta Ashram. These arrested people were among those who launched an attack on Swami Laxmanananda on that fateful day. Some guns and masks were recovered from the arrested Maoists. The latest development almost confirmed a “nexus” between the Maoists and Christian Missionaries and there is no doubt that a large number of Christians have joined the naxal groups. The Christian-run NGOs and Churches could have been a funding source for the Maoists. Such speculations are on the rise, as top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda tried in desperation to own up responsibility for Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s killing. Mr. Panda had reportedly admitted that Maoist groups in Orissa always received support from Christian groups. “It is a fact that Christians form the majority in our organisation. Our supporters in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal also belonged to the Christian community,” said Sabyasachi Panda during his interview to some correspondents in a recent interview. Laxmanananda Saraswati was killed, as he did not stop his movements against religious conversion and cow slaughter.

 

3 Christian Maoists arrested in Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case (All 3 are Congress Supportor) Motherfucker 3 Cristians Killed the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and after that Motherfucker Congress Party blams on Bajrang Dal and VHP for Voilence in Orissa. Kill all Cristians and their family who is involved in Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, also kills those people who supported Cristians. Mutherfucker Muslims kills innocent people in India and The government didn’t take any action against Muslims and now Cristians are on the way of muslims In a major breakthrough in the sensational Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, the Orissa CID arrested three Christian Maoists from Baliguda block. They were allegedly involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. The arrested persons were Duryodhan Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi and Sanatana Badamajhi. According to CID sources, at least 18 Christian Maoists were involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespeta Ashram. These arrested people were among those who launched an attack on Swami Laxmanananda on that fateful day. Some guns and masks were recovered from the arrested Maoists. The latest development almost confirmed a “nexus” between the Maoists and Christian Missionaries and there is no doubt that a large number of Christians have joined the naxal groups. The Christian-run NGOs and Churches could have been a funding source for the Maoists. Such speculations are on the rise, as top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda tried in desperation to own up responsibility for Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s killing. Mr. Panda had reportedly admitted that Maoist groups in Orissa always received support from Christian groups. “It is a fact that Christians form the majority in our organisation. Our supporters in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal also belonged to the Christian community,” said Sabyasachi Panda during his interview to some correspondents in a recent interview. Laxmanananda Saraswati was killed, as he did not stop his movements against religious conversion and cow slaughter.

 

3 Christian Maoists arrested in Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case (All 3 are Congress Supportor) Motherfucker 3 Cristians Killed the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and after that Motherfucker Congress Party blams on Bajrang Dal and VHP for Voilence in Orissa. Kill all Cristians and their family who is involved in Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, also kills those people who supported Cristians. Mutherfucker Muslims kills innocent people in India and The government didn’t take any action against Muslims and now Cristians are on the way of muslims In a major breakthrough in the sensational Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, the Orissa CID arrested three Christian Maoists from Baliguda block. They were allegedly involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. The arrested persons were Duryodhan Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi and Sanatana Badamajhi. According to CID sources, at least 18 Christian Maoists were involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespeta Ashram. These arrested people were among those who launched an attack on Swami Laxmanananda on that fateful day. Some guns and masks were recovered from the arrested Maoists. The latest development almost confirmed a “nexus” between the Maoists and Christian Missionaries and there is no doubt that a large number of Christians have joined the naxal groups. The Christian-run NGOs and Churches could have been a funding source for the Maoists. Such speculations are on the rise, as top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda tried in desperation to own up responsibility for Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s killing. Mr. Panda had reportedly admitted that Maoist groups in Orissa always received support from Christian groups. “It is a fact that Christians form the majority in our organisation. Our supporters in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal also belonged to the Christian community,” said Sabyasachi Panda during his interview to some correspondents in a recent interview. Laxmanananda Saraswati was killed, as he did not stop his movements against religious conversion and cow slaughter.

 

3 Christian Maoists arrested in Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case (All 3 are Congress Supportor) Motherfucker 3 Cristians Killed the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and after that Motherfucker Congress Party blams on Bajrang Dal and VHP for Voilence in Orissa. Kill all Cristians and their family who is involved in Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, also kills those people who supported Cristians. Mutherfucker Muslims kills innocent people in India and The government didn’t take any action against Muslims and now Cristians are on the way of muslims In a major breakthrough in the sensational Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, the Orissa CID arrested three Christian Maoists from Baliguda block. They were allegedly involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. The arrested persons were Duryodhan Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi and Sanatana Badamajhi. According to CID sources, at least 18 Christian Maoists were involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespeta Ashram. These arrested people were among those who launched an attack on Swami Laxmanananda on that fateful day. Some guns and masks were recovered from the arrested Maoists. The latest development almost confirmed a “nexus” between the Maoists and Christian Missionaries and there is no doubt that a large number of Christians have joined the naxal groups. The Christian-run NGOs and Churches could have been a funding source for the Maoists. Such speculations are on the rise, as top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda tried in desperation to own up responsibility for Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s killing. Mr. Panda had reportedly admitted that Maoist groups in Orissa always received support from Christian groups. “It is a fact that Christians form the majority in our organisation. Our supporters in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal also belonged to the Christian community,” said Sabyasachi Panda during his interview to some correspondents in a recent interview. Laxmanananda Saraswati was killed, as he did not stop his movements against religious conversion and cow slaughter.

 

3 Christian Maoists arrested in Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case (All 3 are Congress Supportor) Motherfucker 3 Cristians Killed the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and after that Motherfucker Congress Party blams on Bajrang Dal and VHP for Voilence in Orissa. Kill all Cristians and their family who is involved in Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, also kills those people who supported Cristians. Mutherfucker Muslims kills innocent people in India and The government didn’t take any action against Muslims and now Cristians are on the way of muslims In a major breakthrough in the sensational Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati murder case, the Orissa CID arrested three Christian Maoists from Baliguda block. They were allegedly involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. The arrested persons were Duryodhan Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi and Sanatana Badamajhi. According to CID sources, at least 18 Christian Maoists were involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespeta Ashram. These arrested people were among those who launched an attack on Swami Laxmanananda on that fateful day. Some guns and masks were recovered from the arrested Maoists. The latest development almost confirmed a “nexus” between the Maoists and Christian Missionaries and there is no doubt that a large number of Christians have joined the naxal groups. The Christian-run NGOs and Churches could have been a funding source for the Maoists. Such speculations are on the rise, as top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda tried in desperation to own up responsibility for Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s killing. Mr. Panda had reportedly admitted that Maoist groups in Orissa always received support from Christian groups. “It is a fact that Christians form the majority in our organisation. Our supporters in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal also belonged to the Christian community,” said Sabyasachi Panda during his interview to some correspondents in a recent interview. Laxmanananda Saraswati was killed, as he did not stop his movements against religious conversion and cow slaughter.

 

Sensex Crashes

BSE Sensex crashes, falls below 12,000-mark The BSE Sensex crashed by over 500 points to fall below 12,000, a two-year-low for the premier stock exchange of India. There is a bloodbath on Dalal Street with major companies such as Tata Power and Sterlite suffering huge loses in the market meltdown. Even though the US House approved the $700 bailout package, it failed to revive the market mood. The Nifty too suffered a loss of over 165 points till 1 PM.

UPA Allies seek ban on Bajrang Dal Even as the Prime Minister has called a meeting of National Integration Council (NIC) on October 13 to discuss the communal violence in Kandhamal and Karnataka, UPA allies have demanded a complete ban on Bajrang Dal and its activities in the country. The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has already recommended a ban on Bajrang Dal in the wake of attacks on Christians in Kandhamal, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Kandhamal has been an eye of the storm, as violence continued there for more than a month. At least 35 people were killed in communal clashes, over 1000 houses were burnt, a nun and a Hindu girl were raped. Over 30,000 people were forced to take shelter in forests and later in relief camps. The communal violence was triggered by the killing of senior VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati at Jalespata Ashram in Kandhamal. Can we assure that UPA government will take action against MNS and Assam Unit of Congress Party Communist party in Best Bengol for killing of innocent People..