Employment News 17 October 2013

Employment News 17 October 2013 www.bamura.com official websites 2013

US prize-winning 'Mambo Kings' author dead at 62

Oscar Hijuelos, the Cuban-American author best known for his Pulitzer-prize winning novel "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love," died in New York age 62, his agent told AFP.

Hijuelos collapsed on a tennis court in Manhattan on Saturday and never regained conciousness.

Hijuelos was born in 1951 in New York of Cuban immigrant parents. He was the first Hispanic to win the Pulitzer in 1990 for the "Mambo Kings," his second novel.

The book, translated into 25 languages, was made into a 1992 Hollywood movie starring Antonio Banderas and Armand Assante.

"Mambo Kings" is about the adventures of Cuban brothers Cesar and Nestor Castillo, who move to the United States in the 1950s at the height of the Mambo craze.

Hijuelos's other books often focused on the lives of Cuban-Americans. They included "The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien (1993), "A Simple Habana Melody" (2002), and "Beautiful Maria of my Soul" (2010).

Eleanor Catton is youngest Man Booker winner

Eleanor Catton won the 2013 Man Booker prize for English fiction on Tuesday for her novel "The Luminaries" and became the youngest winner in the award's 45-year history.

The 28-year-old New Zealand novelist won the award because her novel is “awesome in its structural complexity; addictive in its story-telling; and magical in its conjuring of a world of greed and gold," Chair of judges Robert Macfarlane said.

The other shortlisted authors for the prize were Canadian Ruth Ozeki for "A Tale for the Time Being", Indian-American Jhumpa Lahiri for "The Lowland", Zimbabwean NoViolet Bulawayo for "We Need New Names", Briton Jim Crace for "Harvest" and Irish writer Colm Toibin for "The Testament of Mary.”

India to 9-wicket victory over Australia

nine-wicket victory over Australia in the second cricket one-dayer, achieving the second highest ever run chase in ODI history in what turned out to be a high scoring contest.

This is India's highest ever successful run chase as the hosts restored parity 1-1 in the seven-match series.

Rohit Sharma (141 not out), Virat Kohli (100 not out) and Shikhar Dhawan (95) were the main contributors for India.

Virat Kohli (100 not out) took a more than decent Australian attack to the task with a fastest ever ODI century by an Indian and seventh fastest in the world, scored in only 52 balls. 

This is his 16th ODI century in 115 matches. His innings had eight fours and seven sixes.

The Australians now have the ignominy of ending second best in two highest run-chases having faced similar fate against Herschelle Gibbs' South Africa seven years back, when they failed to defend a mammoth score of 434.

It’s also only the second occasion of five batsmen scoring fifties in an ODI game.

For the first time in ODIs, the top five Australian batsmen — Aaron Finch (50), Phil Hughes (83), Shane Watson (59), captain George Bailey (92 not out) and Glen Maxwell (53) — scored fifties which is a world record, according to statistician H.R. Gopalakrishna.

Pakistan’s Nasir Jamshed (61), Younis Khan (79), Mohammad Yousuf (72), Shoaib Malik (63) and Misbah-ul-Haq (55) - batting at positions two to six - had scored fifties against Zimbabwe in an ODI at Karachi on January 21, 2008.

Arunendra Kumar appointed Chairman, Railway Board

The Railways today appointed acting Chairman of the Railway Board Arunendra Kumar as the head of the Board.

Kumar, the Mechanical Member, was holding additional charge of Chairman, Railway Board (CRB) after the retirement of Vinay Mittal on June 30.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) had cleared Kumar’s name for the post of Board Chairman and a formal order to this effect was today signed by Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, said a senior Railway Ministry official.

However, after becoming Chairman, Kumar will still hold the charge of Member Mechanical (MM) for some time as a decision for selecting the new incumbent for the post is yet to be taken.

The final selection of the CRB witnessed intense lobbying and infighting among the aspirants in Railways.

Appointments at higher posts in the Railways are in focus, particularly after the alleged cash-for-job scam unearthed by CBI in May.

CBSE launches counselling centre in Uttar Pradesh

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) launched the first ever Career Counselling and Guidance Centre, in Lakhimpurkhiri, Uttar Pradesh recently. 

Inaugurated by the minister of state for human resource development, Jitin Prasada, the centre seeks to provide students with proper guidance and counselling, while choosing subjects in class XI. 

The centre would be open to students of classes X and XII.

Children, not only from CBSE schools, but from all boards across the country would be welcome at the centre. 

The choice of subjects in the said classes has an essential impact on the career prospects of children. In such a scenario, CBSE feels that it is crucial for students to understand their forte, interests, knowledge and capability and only then make a subject choice. 

The board suggests that subjects should be chosen based on the evaluation provided by the Student's Global Aptitude Index (SGAI). 

areer counselling and guidance at the centre is free of cost. 

However, one has to pay Rs 50 only for taking the SGAI test. The results of SGAI can be attained within a day of taking the assessment.

RBI rejects takeout finance plan of IIFCL’s London arm

The Reserve Bank of India has rejected IIFCL’s proposal to provide takeout finance at the latter’s wholly-owned London subsidiary.

This is despite the Centre giving its nod to IIFCL’s London arm to operate in the takeout finance segment.

The RBI’s move is a setback of sorts for the state-owned infrastructure lender, IIFCL, which was betting big on takeout finance to speed up disbursements from its London subsidiary.

Takeout financing at London was envisaged to be similar to IIFCL’s takeout scheme in India. Under takeout financing, loans made by banks to infrastructure firms are sold to IIFCL so that banks recover their funds ahead of the payment schedule under the loan agreement.

The RBI has contended that takeout at London will not be appropriate as it could end up benefiting foreign banks, which provided ECBs to Indian infrastructure developers.

In 2012-13, IIFCL had, under its takeout finance scheme in India, disbursed Rs 2,126 crore.

Hillary Clinton honoured for her work on HIV/AIDS

Elton John honoured Hillary Rodham Clinton for her work to help those affected by HIV and AIDS at an annual event for his foundation.

Ms. Clinton was excited as she accepted the first founders’ award from the Elton John AIDS Foundation on Tuesday night in New York City. 

The former secretary of state told the crowd at Cipriani’s restaurant that “we still have so far to go” when it comes to helping those affected by HIV and AIDS.

World Bank lowers India’s GDP growth forecast for 2013-14

The World Bank has revised downwards India’s economic growth forecast for the current fiscal to 4.7 per cent.

This is down from 6.1 per cent economic growth projected in April this year.

India’s GDP growth is, however, expected to accelerate to 6.2 per cent in 2014-15, the World Bank said in the latest India Development Update released today.

The World Bank’s latest India GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal is higher than the International Monetary Fund’s recent downward revised projection of 4.25 per cent for 2013-14.

  

India, Brazil to fight online snooping

Brazil and India will work together to devise internet regulations in order to protect online privacy from snooping by other countries.

The partnership was announced in Brasilia on Tuesday, after a meeting between Foreign Ministers of Brazil and India, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo and Salman Khurshid, reported Xinhua.

Mr. Khurshid said-

There are several efforts to implement a platform to strengthen global security. But that platform should avoid any sort of restrictions, because the democratic system is very valuable.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff condemned mass global surveillance as practiced by the US and its intelligence partners, during a speech in September at the UN General Assembly.

Note-Brazil has been aggressively targeted by US spying agencies, according to recent revelations based on documents leaked by US whistleblower Edward Snowden.

MB Shah Commission submits final report on illegal mining

Justice M B Shah Commission, appointed to probe illegal mining across the country, has submitted its third and final report which is mainly on the menace in Goa.

The M B Shah Commission has submitted its report to the Mines Ministry, which will be tabled in Parliament after following necessary procedures," a source close to the development told media persons. 

The report would prove crucial as it dwells upon the financial transactions and losses through illegal mining from 2006-2011, another source said. 

The Commission has made a thorough probe into the bank transactions of exporters, traders and mining lease owners to track down the exact financial transaction, the source added. The term of the Commission expires on Wednesday.

The one-man panel had earlier submitted two interim reports based on which the Supreme Court imposed a temporary ban on mining activities in Goa, the largest exporter of iron-ore in the country. Of the two reports, one was on illegal iron ore mining across the country and the other was on illegal mining in Goa.

The Commission had also recommended a total ban on iron ore and manganese ore exports. It had also made a few other suggestions on which the Mines Ministry has already initiated some actions.

The Shah Commission has also been empowered to recommend remedial measures to prevent illegal mining, trade and export done illegally or without lawful authority. 

Typhoon Nari in Vietnam

Nari hit central Vietnam, authorities said on Wednesday.

Two people were killed and 22 injured when high winds destroyed houses in Quang Binh province, Dau Minh Ngoc, chairman of Quang Son district’s People’s Committee said.

PDS could be renamed after Indira Gandhi to roll out food law

The Government is considering a proposal to rename the public distribution system after Indira Gandhi to prevent Opposition parties from taking credit for implementing the National Food Security Act.

There is a proposal to rename the existing Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS),” Food Minister K. V. Thomas told: “There are many suggestions such as Indiramma Anna Yojana and Annapurna Scheme. We are considering Indiramma Anna Yojana and a final decision on it has not been taken yet.”

The food security law, a brainchild of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, could be projected as the unfinished task of Indira Gandhi’s ‘Garibi Hatao’ campaign launched in the 1971 elections.

The Minister said the name of the food law would not be changed because that would require an amendment.

Each eligible person would get five kg of foodgrains per month at Rs 3 per kg of rice, Rs 2 per kg of wheat and Re 1 per kg of coarse cereals through the State Government under the TPDS.

Last month, Parliament passed the food law to give 67 per cent of the population the right to subsidised foodgrains.

India, Hungry to co-operate in traditional medicines

India and Hungry an agreement between the two countries in the field of traditional medicine. 

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary Saurabh Chandra and Hungary State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Peter Szijjarto attended the joint commission meeting. 

To enhance co-operation in the field of traditional Indian medicines and will sign an memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard during the visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

India has also suggested setting up of AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) academic chairs in Hungarian Universities. 

The EU’s Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive makes it compulsory for traditional medicine companies to show 30 years of traditional uses, including 15 years in EU. 

India has, in the past, raised concerns over restrictions in the European Union to traditional medicines and chemical industries.

The signing of the MoU is seen as a major boost to exports of Indian traditional medicines as at present India is facing a lot of regulatory issues in the European Union (EU) markets. Co-operation with Hungry, which is an EU member, could possibly facilitate market access for this sector to the 27-nation EU bloc.

Anand Mahindra elected as Chairperson of PHFI

The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) today said Mahindra group Chairman and Managing Director Anand Mahindra has been elected as its Chairperson for a term of three years.

Mahindra succeeds NR Narayana Murthy, Infosys founder, Executive Chairman, who has held the position since July 2011, PHFI said in a statement.

Commenting on the unanimous election, Murthy said: “I am delighted that the PHFI Board has elected Anand Mahindra as Chairperson.

Accepting the position as Chairperson PHFI, Mahindra said: “Since inception, the PHFI has contributed immensely to strengthening India’s public health capabilities and performance through a model public-private partnership.”

Established in 2006 as a public-private initiative, PHFI is an independent foundation headquartered in the Capital.

It is managed by a governing board comprising senior government officials, eminent Indian and international academic and scientific leaders, civil society representatives and corporate leaders.

Powerful Typhoon Wipha caused destruction in Japan

A powerful typhoon Wipha on 16 October 2013 caused landslides and flooding on Izu Oshima Island, South of Tokyo.

The storm brought strong winds and record rainfall - 122mm (4.8 inches) in one hour to Izu Oshima Island, which lies some 120km (75 miles) south of Tokyo. It caused damage to property and human lives.

Wipha is the equivalent of a category 3 hurricane. Wipha is the 12th typhoon and 26th named storm of the west Pacific typhoon season. It was the strongest storm to impact the region since Typhoon Tokage in October, 2004.