- The Democratic Party of the United States launches its national convention on Tuesday to officially nominate President Barack Obama as its candidate in the November 6th presidential election. Three day convention is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina.Ahead of the opening, concerts and a parade were staged inside the city to welcome delegates and visitors.A huge screen was set up at an arena that will serve as the venue for the first 2 days of the convention.
Democrats will adopt the party platform on the first day on Tuesday. A speech by first lady Michelle Obama is also scheduled. President Obama will give his acceptance speech on the last day of the convention on Thursday. He is expected to stress his achievements in the last 4 years including healthcare reforms and moderate job creation. -
President of Mongolia on a tour of Iran's main nuclear facility in Natanz. This is the first time Iran has opened the site to a foreign leader.Iran's state television showed Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj visiting the plant on Monday. He was shown around by Iran's atomic energy agency chief Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani.The report showed Elbegdorj inspecting centrifuges used to enrich uranium.
The Mongolian president told Iranian TV that such a visit might not be possible in other countries. He said he'd learned the uranium is being used for a peaceful purpose.Israeli leaders have said the uranium can be used for nuclear bombs and have threatened to attack the site.Observers say Iranian leaders are approaching Mongolia because of that country's abundance of uranium.0Add a comment
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Meeting in the midst of a raging controversy, an inter-ministerial panel on coal blocks has skirted a decision on cancelling allotments of 58 mines and instead decided to give the allottees a personal hearing.
Firms including Jindal Steel & Power, Tata Steel, Essar Power, ArcelorMittal, Sterlite Energy and Reliance Power will be asked to present before the IMG on 6th September, 7th and 8th to explain the reasons for missing their production deadlines.
"The latest progress (on development of coal blocks) as reported by the Coal Controller will also be taken into account before recommending on the action against the coal block allocatees," an official statement issued after three and half hour long meeting of the IMG, said.
The IMG has firmed up the guidelines for proportionate deduction of bank guarantees for failure to achieve milestones for development of the blocks.
The panel would present its recommendations on the action to be taken in these 58 coal blocks to the coal secretary by September 10, sources privy to the meeting said, adding the panel did not discuss penal action like cancellation in respect of the 58 blocks under review.
The ministry is likely to announce outcome of the IMG deliberations by 15th September.
Apart from the 58 blocks where unsatisfactory work had prompted the Coal Ministry to issue show-cause notices to the allottees, another 32 blocks would be reviewed subsequently.
Of the 58 blocks under review, 30 blocks were allocated to public sector firms and the rest 28 to private companies.
The blocks given to private firms are estimated to hold 1,718 million tonnes of extractable coal reserves.
The IMG, headed by Zohra Chatterji, Additional Secretary, Coal, was set up in July to recommend action against the coal block allottess for not meeting time-lines set for beginning production.
The controversy over coal block allocation refuses to die down after the government auditor CAG estimated undue benefits to the tune of Rs 1.86 lakh crore to private firms on account of allocation of mines without auction.
The source said firms which were sitting on the blocks without doing any development stand to lose both the mines as well as bank guarantees.
However, he did not specify any number.
A source privy to the meeting said IMG would recommend de-allocations on the basis of terms and conditions spelt out in the same set of guidelines on which mines were allotted.
"The government is not going to frame any fresh guideline on de-allocation. It would be done on the basis of existing terms and conditions," he said, adding a new guideline on bank guarantee was required to bring uniformity in the prevailing ones.
The government had changed the guideline for forfeiting bank guarantee after 2005 as it felt that the earlier one was not an encompassing one.
The new guideline on forfeiting bank guarantee would soon be posted in the public domain, he added.
A firm allocated mine for captive use is required to submit a bank guarantee equivalent to one year's royalty, payable based on the final peak capacity of the mine.
Earlier, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said the coal block allocation issue was being probed on two fronts -- one by the CBI and other by an IMG -- and that cancellation cannot be resorted to before the IMG gives its report.
Meanwhile, Opposition BJP asserted that it would allow Parliament to function only if all 142 coal block allocations made during the UPA rule are cancelled and a fair, impartial probe is ordered.
The proceedings of Parliament has remained stalled for the ninth consecutive day ever since the CAG report on coal block allocation was tabled.0Add a comment
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Vayalar Ravi Minister for MSME (India) and Mrs. Maria Francesca Mireille, “Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare of the Republic of Mauritius has inaugurated the three day long 12th Global Conference and Exhibition in Delhi
Ø Around 800 women entrepreneurs are attending this conference form 50 countries across the world including Pakistan and Bangladesh
Ø Women entrepreneurs from Islamabad women chambers and other exhibits their product through more than 50 stalls also.
New Delhi: Sh. Vayalar Ravi Minister for MSME (India), Mrs. Maria Francesca Mireille, “Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare of the Republic of Mauritius and Dr. Rajnee Aggarwal, President, FIWE has inaugurated the three day long 12th Global Conference and Exhibition in Delhi today here at ashoka Hotel.In the era of globalisation, the challenges are far greater for women entrepreneurs. To share common concerns and experiences, and to provide a platform for exchange of ideas, and networking; the Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE) is hosting its 12th Global Conference and exhibition on “Trade Liberalization and its Global Impact on Women Entrepreneurs” from 3rd till 5th September, 2012 at hotel The Ashok in Delhi. Around 800 women entrepreneurs are attending this conference form 50 countries across the world including Pakistan and Bangladesh. Women entrepreneurs from Islamabad women chambers and other exhibits their products through more than 50 stalls also.
On this occasion Sh. Vayalar Ravi Minister for MSME (India) says, Govt. must be encouraging the women entrepreneurs and solving their problem who involved in women entrepreneurship. He said, about 26 million SME in our country and about 15.6% contributions of them in entrepreneurs. Women plays a very important role in growth of Indian economy.
Dr. Rajnee Aggarwal, President, FIWE says,“ I am deeply sure that an event of this magnanimity will highlight the most significant issues afflicting the women entrepreneurs all over the world. The event aims to facilitate cross- cultural cooperation, profitable ventures and new opportunities & partnerships & more than 800 women entrepreneurs delegates are attending this event from 50 countries all over the world. This forum will connect female founders, CEOs and leaders of high-growth businesses in the world’s growing markets to share best practices and challenges, and to celebrate the impact women-owned businesses have on the global economy. During three days, the participating women will develop business partnerships, go for factory visits and learn best business practices to build their women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Today, we have more women talking about building businesses rather than earning a supplementary income for the household. Through this mega event, we provide a platform for business counselling, networking opportunities and learnings from super leaders and successful women entrepreneurs’ said Dr Rajnee Aggarwal, President, FIWE. She said, “For the past two decades, women in India are playing an increasingly important role then merely being a quiet supportive half of the society. Despite facing financial, social and economic challenges the number of women starting their own businesses is on rise in the country. Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE) is committed to provide impetus to Indian women entrepreneurs to promote their businesses; increase trade by creating better business environments; and empower them to become voices of change in their communities. We work closely with policymakers to highlight and address the issues pertaining to women entrepreneurs in India” The prestigious “Priyadarshini Awards” will be also announced on last day of conference, felicitating the success of women entrepreneurs who have achieved a mile stone in their respective field of work. Some of the earlier recipients of Priyadarshini Awards are Ms Jennet from Srilanka, Ms Martha Thiller of Indonesia and Shahnaz Hussain of India, who are well known entrepreneurs and role models for the new generation in their respective countries.
About FIWE: Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE), which is a National-level organization, founded in 1993, is today, one of India’s Premier Institution for Women thoroughly devoted towards Entrepreneurship Development, having a large membership base of 15,000 individual members/professionals and 28 member associations spread throughout the country. objective of the organization is to foster the Economic Empowerment of Women, particularly the SME segment, by helping them to become successful entrepreneurs and become a part of the mainstream industry. FIWE endeavors to provide: Networking platform for women, Technical know-how, Industry research & expertise, Skill development & training and brings the businesswomen on a Common Forum; and ensures that their opinions, ideas and visions are collectively and effectively taken up with policy makers and various other agencies respectively for the development of Enterprise in Women.The organization is a formation of an umbrella group of local organizations around India with a growing member base of 15,000 including those from 28 local affiliated associations in India. Small-Scale entrepreneurs account for approximately 60 percent of FIWE combined membership, with large firms representing 5 percent and micro-enterprises the remainder. Thanks to the distribution on the territory of the target group, FIWE’s activity of assembling and representing business associations and enterprises of All economic sectors, is articulated all India.0Add a comment
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Posted on September 4, 2012 by sagarmedia
Bangalore, September 3: Smriti Mehra, winner last week in the second leg of the Hero-WGAI Pro Tour will start as the strong favourite for the third leg in the Southern Swing of the WGAI Tour. The three-day event begins at the par-72 Prestige Golfshire Golf Club on Tuesday and the event runs through Thursday. It carries a purse of Rs. Five lakhs and Smriti will be hoping to close the gap between her and Sharmila this week.
Sharmila will be skipping the event as she is planning to play in the Austrian Open on the Ladies European Tour. Sharmila won in the first leg, and Smriti took the honours in the second leg.
Smriti, who has staged a fine comeback in the final round to beat Sharmila Nicollet in the final round last week will go out in the first group. The 40-year-old veteran will be the player to watch out for this week.
Stephen Havrilla, General Manager of the Perthshire Golf Club, said, “The Prestige Golfshire Club is honored to be hosting some of the best Lady Indian Golf Professionals in the country for the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Association Event this week. The golf course will be a true test of the players ability and we look forward to an exciting finish. We want to wish all the ladies the best of luck and to enjoy the golf course and facilities during the week.”
Also looking for a good finish and a shot at her maiden professional title will be Vani Kapoor, who lost in a play-off to Sharmila in the play-off last month in KGA at Bangalore.
Nalini Singh Siwach and Neha Tripathi, who also plan to play in the Ladies European Tour Q-School this year, will also be attempting to grab their first title of the new season, which will have 12 events.
Though Smriti and Sharmila have both won one event each, Sharmila is ahead on Money list because the opening event of the Tour carried Rs. 10 lakhs as the prize purse.
Tee times for Round 1
9:30 AM: Priya Puri / Smriti Mehra / Ankita Tiwana
9:40 AM: Nalini Singh Siwach / Rani Sonti / Nikita Arjun (A)
9:50 AM: Nikki Ponappa / Vani Kapoor / Saaniya Sharma
10:00 AM: Nalini Singh Shraddhanjali Singh Neha Tripathi
10:10 AM: Ankita Kedlaya (A)/ Mita Gowande/ Aditi Ashok (A)
10:20 AM: Suchitra Ramesh (A) / Preetinder Kaur / Pallavi Jain0Add a comment
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Centre for Civil Society Wraps Up the 9th Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Film Festival
25 documentary filmmakers took the stage with their films
on livelihood to champion the freedom struggle for the poor!
For Immediate Release
New Delhi
Tuesday 3 September 2012—Centre for Civil Society (CCS) brought down the curtains on the 9th Annual Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival on Sunday 2 September 2012 at the India Habitat Centre. The festival honoured professional and student documentary filmmakers covering livelihood issues that raised consciousness on the trials and tribulations faced by many to attain a life with dignity.
Over the course of three days, the festival saw the participation of hundreds of people including diplomats, professionals, aspiring filmmakers, students, professors, media spokespersons and many other weekend revelers. 68 films were submitted, out of which 18 documentaries were shortlisted showcasing various aspects of livelihood such as the hardships faced by Mumbai’s night rat killers, the near extinction of Kerala’s adivasi population, the loopholes of the Indian judicial system and many more appalling and sensitive issues.
The film festival was inaugurated by the screening of Wagah by Supriyo Sen and Bom ‘One Day Ahead of Democracy’ by Amalan Datta. Alongside film screenings, the festival organised insightful speeches and panel discussions such as the Law, Liberty & Livelihood talk with Amit Chandra, Campaign Coordinator of Jeevika and Parth J Shah, President of Centre for Civil Society on the importance of deregularising market entry for livelihood freedom. The panel discussion on documentary & public policy led by Nandan Saxena & Anasuya Vaidya captivated aspiring filmmakers, as he shared best practices on capturing compelling stories and building a following that cares for social change. Saxena said, "Documentary is the most flexible mode of showcasing anything. It is an extremely useful tool to raise awareness and sensitise audiences about relevant issues".
Subhash Ghai, noted Film director, joined Jeevika to address the audience on filmmaking and the need to transform education in India to improve understanding on livelihood issues and inclusive development. Mr. Ghai has extended his support to Jeevika and the 18 shortlisted filmmakers by inviting their films to showcase at his institute, Whistling Woods International in Mumbai. As the evening came to a close, the energy levels were kept high thanks to the enthralling performances by dance troupes Nritya from Sri Venkateshwara College and Oorja from Hansraj College. Following their performance, Anjan Roy, Economic Advisor, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) and Amir Ullah Khan, Economist & Deputy Director, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation stimulated critical thinking on various issues plaguing the informal sector.
The festival celebrated the top three filmmakers by awarding them a Jeevika trophy and cash prize. The first prize in the professional category was awarded to Bishnu Dev Halder, for ‘I was Born in Delhi’, a feature documentary shot over a period of five years, showcasing the effect of social deprivation and poverty of two young girls, and their experiences dealing with the harsh social realities of life in a metropolis.
‘Shifting Undercurrents-Seaweeds Collectors of Gulf of Mannar’ by Rita Banerji documents the struggle of women seaweed collectors, took second prize and ‘We are foot soldiers’ by Debolina Dutta and Oishik Sircar, a sensitively handled film depicting the struggle and fight for dignity of children of sex workers rounded of the top three. The film ‘Dimond Band’ by Samridhi Dasot, conveying a story about a wedding music band won the Best Student Documentary Award.
‘The Rat Race’, a documentary by Miriam Chandy Menacherry won the Special Mention at the festival. The film previously screened in Amsterdam and at Cannes in 2011 before making its cinematic debut in India. The gritty, true life account of Mumbai’s night rat killers was shot over two years, unraveling the story of rat-control each night as the city slept.
About Jeevika
Pioneered by Centre for Civil Society, Jeevika is an award winning effort aiming to eradicate market entry and exit barriers to promote individual livelihood for street entrepreneurs (i.e. street hawkers, cycle rickshaw pullers, small shop owners etc.) to bring freedom to the enterprising poor. Jeevika recognises that the pursuit of livelihood is more valuable for those at the bottom rung of the economic ladder. This entails the removal of various licences and laws, rules and regulations under which citizens live. The campaign aims to achieve legal recognition for informal sector entrepreneurs to enable them to focus on their livelihood activities without undue harassment and humiliation at the hands of public authorities and private mafia.
About Centre for Civil Society
Centre for Civil Society is a globally recognised public policy think tank advancing personal, social, economic and political freedoms. The Centre challenges conventional wisdom to usher an intellectual revolution that encourages people to look beyond the obvious, think beyond good intentions and act beyond activism. Through research, outreach and advocacy, the Centre aims to promote choice, competition and community based policy reforms. 15 August 2012 marks 15 years of Centre for Civil Society working for Social Change through Public Policy!
To find out more about the festival and for further media engagement, please contact:
Manoj Mathew
Festival Director
Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival0Add a comment
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Capture the world with crystal clear images from BenQ GH600/ 700, 21x Zoom, first High Zoom Bridge Type Digital Cameras
Featuring 16-megapixel image quality, 25mm wide-angle view with 3” LCD screen available in Black and white color
Tweet: #BenQIndia launches GH600 21xSuperZoom digital camera in India at Rs 10999
New Delhi, September 4, 2012 – BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of digital lifestyle innovations announces the launch of its first high zoom bridge type digital camera series – the GH600 & GH700. Providing the convenience of point-and-shoots and delivering innovative imaging effects, these models give the users a sophisticated photography experience with added creativity.
Featuring a 21x optical zoom with 16-megapixel image quality and 25mm wide-angle view, combining O.I.S. support, 1cm Super Macro Mode and a large 3” 460k LCD screen, the GH600/ 700 are set to expand and share your view of the world with ultra-clarity.
The versatile GH600 shoots brilliantly crisp HD 720p videos at 30 frames per second with zoom for fluid movement in fast-action scenes from afar or close, and an interdependent recording button provides a quick access to start recording instantaneously so that no precious moment will be missed.
The GH600 combines high quality materials and innovative technology to provide revolutionary images. The aspherical lens adopted to enhance the lens’ focus is made of high-transmission, low-dispersion material and a nano-scale, anti-reflection coating for exceptionally realistic colors and ultra-sharp details.
The GH700 camera features a high performance optical zoom lens, BSI CMOS sensor and a high-speed digital signal processor (DSP). The back illuminated BSI CMOS sensor is designed to increase sensitivity and minimise the noise level by up to 50%.
“With the launch of our GH series digital cameras we brings to consumers an extensive range of high zoom cameras which boasts all powerful features that matter to a photography enthusiast combining the advantages of point-and-shoot cameras with DSLR-like imaging effects. The GH600 offers convenience and a bundle of innovative shooting modes that will set the benchmark for high zoom bridge type digital cameras in India” said Mr. Rajeev Singh, Country Head, BenQ India
The GH series digital camera enhances user experience through wide selection of shooting modes such as:
· Color Filter modes that include LOMO Mode which adds artistic effects to photographs, turning them into artworks with unlimited creativity
· Color Accent allows a selected color in the photo to stay whilst having the rest converted into black and white
· 1cm Super Macro Mode Capturing close-up shots is easy with GH600’s Super Macro mode captures objects from as close as 1 cm, preserving incredible details and an intimate feel.
· Panorama mode helps to capture splendid landscapes or large group shots. In addition there are some other interesting shooting modes such as P/Av/Tv/M Mode, Speedy Burst, Beauty Enhancer and the Advanced Smart Scene Mode.
The BenQ GH600 is available in black and white colors at a price point of Rs. 10999 & GH700 is available in black colour at a price point of Rs.15999 For further information please visit www.BenQ.co.in
About BenQ Corporation
BenQ Corporation, a leading provider of networked digital lifestyle devices, is a multi-faceted company with strengths in product design, visual technology and mobile technology. BenQ offers unrivalled breadth and depth of products and integrated technologies across platforms through the brand promise of “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” including digital projector, LCD monitors, laptop PCs, Netbooks, All-in-One PCs, LCD TVs, digital cameras, storage devices, eBook reader, mobile phones, storage media and human interface devices such as mice and keyboards.
About BenQ Group
The BenQ Group is currently comprised of 16 companies that operate independently while sharing resources and leveraging synergies among them. The BenQ Group companies include BenQ Corporation, AU Optronics Corporation (world’s top 3 manufacturers of large-size TFT-LCD panels), Qisda Corporation, Darfon Electronics Corporation, Daxon Technology Inc., Daxin Materials Corp., Forhouse Corp., Light House Tech, SiPix Imaging, Lextar Electronics Corp. BenQ Guru Software Co., BenQ Hospital, Darwin Precisions, Ltd, Raydium Semiconductor Corporation, Cando Corporation and Wellypower Co., Ltd.
Tuesday 4 September 2012
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