Posts Tagged ‘america’
Written by Rahul on 07 April 2009
As expecting the USD/JPY is launching after finally eclipsing February highs and consequently the highly psychological 100 level. Putting the 100 area behind the USD/JPY is a huge step psychologically, and could proceed to yield a strong leg up in the near-term.
All the USD/JPY needs to do is make a follow-through and push past our next two downtrend lines. If this happens, there are no foreseeable downtrend lines remaining, and the currency pair can march on to huge gains.
The bears are finally giving into the bulls after last week’s data from Japan showed the Japanese economy is weakening considerably as compared to America’s economy.
With both central banks maintaining a benchmark rate around zero while using quantitative easing, the pricing of the USD/JPY relies on comparative economic performance.
The Japanese government is expected to fire back on Friday with what should be a new $100 billion stimulus plan. It will be interesting to see how the USD/JPY reacts, and could be what holds back a breakout in the currency pair.
Investors will also be keeping a close watch on corporate earnings from America this week and the performance of U. S. equities considering the positive correlation between the USD/JPY and the S and P futures.
Since the S and P futures could be in for some near-term profit taking, we could see the USD/JPY return towards 100 today as investors test the solidity of the psychological move. Fundamentally, we find resistances of 101.44, 101.98, 102.50, 103.10, and 103.76.
To the downside, we see supports of 100.71, 100.28, 99.79, 99.06, and 98.16. The USD/JPY is currently exchanging at 100.89.
USD/JPY Daily Commentary for 4.6.09
Copyright 2009 FastBrokers, Latest Forex News and Analysis for Forex, Bullion and Commodity Traders.
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Written by Rahul on 07 April 2009
Tehran – Moderate Iranian presidential hopeful Mir-Hossein Moussavi on Monday accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of being a radical, particularly in foreign policy.
In his first news conference in Tehran, the former prime minister accused the hardline president of radical policies that “severely harmed our national interests.”
“Extremism brings heavy costs for us, such as chanting harshly worded slogans and at the same time talking about friendship with Israeli nation,” he said.
Moussavi, who apparently enjoy supports from major reformist groups in the June 12 presidential elections, is running against Ahmadinejad and another reformist figure and former parliament speaker, Mehdi Karrubi.
Explaining why he decided to run for president despite declining invitations by reformist groups in the past elections, Moussavi said, “There might be extremism in every period but next administrations could later modify them. But it seems rules and laws are distorted these days.”
In recent years, Ahmadinejad has caused international uproars by calling for the elimination of Israel from the map of the Middle East, relocating Israel’s Jews to Europe or America and doubting the historic dimensions of the massacre of Jews during World War II, calling the Holocaust a “fairy tale.”
“Sometimes anti-Western slogans are too much exposed in our comments in which we need to send messages and letters for modifying them,” Moussavi said, citing Ahmadinejad’s letters sent to the US, German and French heads of state.
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Written by Rahul on 07 April 2009
While the Taliban’s growing influence is worrying the West, and liberal Pakistanis, there are many here who don’t view it as a problem. Muhammad Ilyas owns a poultry store and is a supporter of the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party.
He says what is happening in Swat “should happen in all of Pakistan tomorrow.” Akram Khan, a Pakhtun, agrees.
He says that the Taliban are imposing the will of Allah. “How can we oppose what Allah wants?” he says.
Pro-Taliban sentiments seem to be growing amongst middle-class Pakistanis too. And there are many who argue that Pakistan should not “toe America’s line.
” Shamim Akhtar, a lecturer, says that the war with the Taliban “has been forced on us. This is not our war, it is America’s war.
” Others, like journalist Ansar Abbasi, contend that the deal with the Taliban in Swat was a good option “as it stopped the valley from bleeding further.”.
Tags: Abbasi, Akhtar, Akram, Akram Khan, Allah, america, Ansar, deal, ilyas, influence, Islami, Jamaat-e, journalist, Khan, lecturer, line, middle class, Muhammad, Muhammad Ilyas, option, Pakhtun, Pakistan, Pakistanis, party, poultry, Pro, problem, Right Wing, rule, s line, sentiments, Shamim, store, supporter, Swat, Taliban, toe, tomorrow, valley, war, west
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Written by Rahul on 07 April 2009
Bollywood Trade News Network
After 6 weeks of being put under the scanner of some of the biggest faces in Bollywood, the verdict is out! Ananya Bera (Kolkata), Sunanda Hiroo (Kolkata), Sana Chirwawala(Nagpur), Rupali Kantharia (Mumbai), Samyukta (Bangalore) and Ritika Chhibber (Jabalpur) were declared winners by co-owners of the ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’, Juhi Chawla and Shahrukh Khan in a glittering finale on Knights And Angels.
The exciting grand finale was a melange of superlative entertainment with action packed performances by the twelve finalists who gave it their best shot. What started with an exhilarating group performance by all the finalists was followed by solo acts, with the final bow being the six v/s. six-challenge group performance. The usually subdued judge, Sourav Ganguly was excitement personified as he jumped on the floor to show his dancing moves for the first time ever. Shahrukh Khan awarded the six winners with diamond studded angel pins and Juhi Chawla presented the angels with the official cheerleading uniforms designed by renowned designer Manish Malhotra.
An exhilarated Shahrukh Khan said, ”Today is an important day in my life. I am going to have six new additions to my family of Kolkata Knight Riders and they are special, they are my Angels. Knights and Angels is not a part of the marketing strategy for my cricket team. It is an extension of my belief in spreading the awareness of sports in India. Cheerleading is a big sport in America and cheerleaders have their own fan following. ”
An ecstatic Juhi said, ”For me these girls are not just six random girls who will be performing. Unlike other teams, our Angels will be part of our family. They will have loyalty for our team. So for me, this is a big moment and I can assure you that was the main reason why Shah Rukh and I decided to do this show. Our cheerleaders, will feel triumphant when our team is, will feel the pain of losing the match just like our players do, they can make a difference as they are now part of Kolkata Knight Riders.”
Congratulating the six chosen angels Saurav Ganguly said, ”Now that these girls are a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders journey, they can see up close how entertainment is going to be infused with sports. It is tough to be a performer and to perform continuously will be a strain, but they are young. And if they have adapted themselves to this stage in such a short time, the big platform is theirs for the taking.”
Speaking on behalf of NDTV Imagine Shailja Kejriwal, EVP Content said, ”We have always tried to maintain diversity in the shows we air on NDTV Imagine. Knights and Angels was a unique mix of sports and entertainment for the Indian viewers and an apt prelude to the soon to start IPL. The great response we got for the show motivates us to experiment with newer and fresher concepts. I wish all the six winners and the Kolkata Knight Riders good luck for the coming IPL season.”
The finale episode was a mix of everything; from emotions running high to ecstasy of the winners to a star studded performance by Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Shiamak Dawar and Sourav Ganguly along with six angels performing to the Kolkata Knight Riders Anthem ‘Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo Re’.
Tags: action, america, Ananya, angel, Angel Pins, anthem, awareness, Bangalore, behalf, belief, Bera, Bollywood, bow, cheerleading, Cheerleading Uniforms, Chhibber, Chirwawala, congratulating, content, Cricket, cricket team, dancing, Dawar, day, designer, Designer Manish Malhotra, diamond, difference, diversity, ecstasy, Entertainment, episode, everything, evp, excitement, experiment, extension, family, fan, finale, floor, following, fresher, Grand Finale, group, Group Performance, Hiroo, india, IPL, Jabalpur, Jeetbo, journey, judge, Juhi, Juhi Chawla, Kantharia, Kejriwal, Khan, Knight, knight riders, knights, Kolkata, Korbo, life, Lorbo, loyalty, luck, Malhotra, Manish, MARKETING, match, melange, mix, moment, Mumbai, nagpur, ndtv, Network, News, pain, part, performance, performer, platform, prelude, put, Random Girls, reason, renowned designer, response, Riders, Ritika, Ritika Chhibber, rupali, Samyukta, sana, saurav ganguly, scanner, season, Shah Rukh, Shahrukh, Shahrukh Khan, Shailja, Shiamak, shot, show, solo, Solo Acts, Sourav, Sourav Ganguly, Sport, Sport In America, sports in india, SRK, stage, star, strain, strategy, sunanda, Team, The, time, Today, trade, triumphant, verdict
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Written by Rahul on 03 April 2009
Washington, April 2 (IANS) With the hiring of foreign talent facing heightened scrutiny and the threat of greater restrictions in the US, Microsoft Corp has filed substantially fewer applications for H-1B visas coveted by Indian techies for next year.
‘I think we will see substantially fewer H-1B applications filed this year. That is the case here at Microsoft,’ the software giant’s General Counsel Brad Smith said as the US government Wednesday started taking applications for the H-1B visas.
As the weak economy depletes its need for workers, the industry will likely follow Microsoft’s lead, he told reporters on a conference call. In contrast to last year, most applications will be for current workers.
‘Fewer than half of our applications will be for new hires,’ Smith said. ‘It won’t surprise me if we see that as a broader trend in the industry as a whole.’
Smith would not comment directly on legislation likely to be reintroduced soon aimed at ensuring US workers are given first priority over foreign workers in hiring decisions.
The legislation, backed by Senators Charles Grassley, a Republican, and Richard Durbin, a Democrat, will likely require companies to pledge to make a good-faith effort to hire Americans for a job before seeking a visa for it.
In recent years, the annual competition for 85,000 temporary work visas awarded to foreign computer technicians, engineers, university educators and other highly skilled professionals has drawn twice as many applications as spots available.
But this year immigration attorneys are predicting that the recession will result in fewer applications, while critics of the visa programme are vowing a renewed push to regulate it more closely.
Despite the press attention paid to India-based companies utilising H-1B visas, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data show the use of H-1Bs by Indian companies declined by 27 percent from 2006 to 2008, according to a new study.
Contrary to assertions that Indian employers use up ‘most’ or ‘80 percent’ of the annual quota, USCIS data reveal that such companies utilised only 11.9 percent of the 2008 new H-1B petitions issued, according to the study by National Foundation For American Policy.
The 12,180 new H-1B visa holders hired by Indian companies in 2008 represented 0.0083 percent of the US labor force, less than 1/100th of 1 percent, a small proportion by any reasonable definition.
While well-known US technology companies are most often in the news related to H-1B visas, a large variety of businesses and organizations in America, including public school systems, hire H-1B professionals every year.
In FY 2008, 24,692 different employers hired at least one individual on a new H-1B petition.
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Written by Rahul on 02 April 2009
U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as data on home sales and manufacturing added to hopes that the economic slump was moderating, prompting investors to scoop up bank shares.
The data offset negative sentiment arising from a report showing job losses in the private sector accelerated in March, reviving worries of high unemployment, as well as fears that struggling automaker General Motors could be headed for bankruptcy.
Factory activity in March shrank, but at a slower pace than the month before, while pending sales of existing homes rose modestly in February, but the housing market remained weak as values continued to decline.
Private sector job losses rose more than expected, however, ADP Employer Services said, adding to jitters ahead of the government nonfarm payrolls report for March due on Friday.
“I would call it somewhat encouraging. It’s not a major improvement but it feels … that the rate of decline is diminishing,” said Jeffrey Saut, chief investment strategist at Raymond James Financial in St Petersburg, Florida.
“I’ve been doing this for 38 years and it feels to me like the worm has turned.”
Market watchers were also focused on the Group of 20 summit in London as leaders of the world’s top economies meet to tackle the global economic crisis.
Shares of GM fell 5.7 percent to $1.83 following a New York Times report that the Obama administration is seeking to ease GM into a “controlled” bankruptcy by persuading some creditors to agree to a plan that would split the company into two pieces.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 55.83 points, or 0.73 percent, to 7,664.75. The Standard and Poor’s 500 Index gained 5.19 points, or 0.65 percent, to 803.06. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 8.98 points, or 0.59 percent, to 1,537.57.
The broad S and P was up more than 17 percent from 12-year lows hit in early March and on Tuesday closed out the month at its best since October 2002. The rally has been fueled by hopes that the economy is showing signs of stabilization.
Financial shares turned around following the manufacturing and homes data to be the top boost on the S and P, gaining 1.4 percent. JPMorgan Chase was up 4 percent at $27.65 while Bank of America gained more 4.7 percent to $7.14.
On the downside, Boeing was among the Dow’s top drags, down 1.5 percent at $35.05, after Wachovia Capital Markets cut its rating on the commercial aerospace sector, including Boeing, to “market perform”, citing expectations of lower aircraft deliveries starting next year.
On Tuesday, GM said there was a rising chance it could file for bankruptcy by June. The comments came on the heels of the ouster of its Chief Executive Officer, Rick Wagoner, and details of the U.S. administration’s plans limiting taxpayer funds for automakers.
While U.S. President Barack Obama played down differences between G20 leaders meeting in London, Germany and France demanded tough action rather than weak compromises, highlighting the difficulties in reaching an accord on staving off recession and tightening regulation.
On the Nasdaq, Celgene Corp was among the biggest weights, shedding 14.4 percent to $38.00 after several brokerages cut price targets for the biotechnology company.
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Written by Rahul on 02 April 2009
About 250-300 employees at fraud-hit Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services are joining Bank of America, the Business Standard newspaper said on Wednesday.
The employees were working on a Satyam project for Merrill Lynch, which was taken over by the U.S. bank after it was hit by the subprime crisis last year, it said.
The project was not renewed by Merrill after Satyam was caught in India’s biggest corporate scandal and the work of managing its database and providing infrastructure support would now be done in house, the paper said.
The first of these employees will join Bank of America between April 2 and 8, it said, adding they have been given salary increases of around 10 percent and joining bonuses.
A spokeswoman for Satyam said: “The report is speculative.” An official at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch in India said she could not immediately comment.
Satyam, whose market value has slid to $505.6 million from $7 billion last May, is in the midst of a bidding process to find a new buyer. It plunged into a crisis in January after its founder quit as chairman revealing profits had been falsified for years.
Indian engineering conglomerate Larsen and Toubro and mid-sized outsourcer Tech Mahindra are among the suitors, and local media have said U.S. private equity WL Ross and Co was also among the bidders.
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Written by Rahul on 02 April 2009
India’s Congress party president Sonia Gandhi and industrialists Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani are among the finalists for Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2009 that also includes US President Barack Obama.
The first African-American President of the US is currently ranked 13th, while the top position is held by a person who goes by the name ‘Moot’, the founder of 4chan.org, a website for posting images and discussions anonymously.
Gandhi, who is leading the ruling Congress party’s bid for a re-election in the coming Parliamentary polls, is ranked 43Â?ahead of Tata (102), the maker of the world’s cheapest car Nano and Ambani (169), who the publication referred to as ‘petrol prince.’
The 203 finalists includes seven people of Indian origin. The four others are are cola-queen Indra Nooyi of Pepsico, movie moghul Ronnie Screwvala of UTV, public face for Washington’s Troubled Asset Relief Programme Neel Kashkari, and Harvard-educated management consultant Ram Charan.
Besides, Slumdog Millionaire-fame British filmmaker Danny Boyle, who hit the headlines with the Oscar-winning movie shot in Mumbai slums, is also among the finalists.
Time would publish the final list later in the year. In a continuing online poll on Time’s website, Screwvala is currently top-ranked among Indians at 33rd overall place, Nooyi is at 89, Kashkari 187 and Charan 193.
The site of moot (pseudonym), the highest ranked person at present, is said to have been started in 2003 by a then 15-year-old student from New York City.
On Gandhi, 62, who has figured on Time’s 100 most influential people list twice before, the publication said that the “the Italian-born head of India’s most influential political party is beloved by her constituents, not only because of her family history (she came to power after her husband Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated) but also because of her efforts to combat poverty.”
However, in a negative for her, the Indian National Congress party President “has been bogged down by a public spat with one of her rivals,” it said, without specifying who her rival is.
Among those from outside India, the prominent names include US First Lady Michelle Obama, former US President George Bush, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and US finance secretary Tim Geithner.
Sarah Palin, who ran for US vice-president’s office, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan’s army chief Ashfaq Kayani, Tibetan leader Dalai Lama, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao and US treasury chief Ben Bernanke are among other finalists.
Besides, high-profile businessmen like Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim Helu, Rupert Murdoch, Steve Jobs, Jeff Immelt and Michael Bloomberg also find a place in the list.
There are celebrities from media, entertainment and sports such as Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwazznenger, Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps, Kate Winslet, Rafael Nadal, George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Jay Leno.
Interestingly, the finalists also include the alleged scamster Bernie Madoff and Thomas Beatie, who is popularly known as The Pregnant Man and has become a sort of icon in the transgender community with his second baby due in June.
About Obama, Time said: “He overcame the Clinton machine, the McCain brigade and America’s racial history to win nearly 53 per cent of the vote and a shot at what’s beginning to seem like the least enviable job in the world.”
But, “for a guy whose campaign was renowned for order, Obama’s Cabinet appointments have been a tad messy. But let’s face it: he’s the most powerful man in the world,” it added.
Â?PTI
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Written by Rahul on 13 March 2009
Washington, Mar. 13 (ANI): Several Pakistani-American organizations have urged President Obama to support their call for an independent judiciary and other constitutional reforms in Pakistan.
Members of Pakistan American National Alliance gathered at Capitol Hill on Wednesday to voice support for the national protest, The Nation reports.
They also held a symbolic Long March and a demonstration outside the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, carrying placards to register their protest over what they called the ruling party’s reluctance to restore judges deposed by Musharraf.
“At this time, if America is on the wrong side of history, that will be disastrous. So we are very concerned; we want to make sure our (US) government understands the stakes and is not seen opposing the independent judiciary,” said Agha Saeed, a California based Political Scientist and founder of the Pakistan American National Alliance.
Activist Raja Muhammad Yaqub, Chairman of the Coalition of Pakistani Organizations of Chicago, said Pakistan’s former Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry must be reinstated.
“We struggle for independence of the judiciary in Pakistan and real democracy in Pakistan, and economic development and a modern state that can give human rights and civil rights and economic stability to Pakistan,” he said.
Muhammad Salim Akhtar of the American Muslim Task Force on Civil Rights and Elections said Obama administration’s support for the opposition would mean that the US favors full democracy in Pakistan.
“We hope and pray that Obama government understands the situation and they will demand before we (US) can deal with this government (Pakistan Government) who came through the democratic process but their norms are not democratic,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Pakistan Embassy spokesman defended Islamabad’s move to obstruct lawyer’s Long March, which could create some serious law and order implications.
“It’s the responsibility of the government to protect life and property of the citizens. The government would not allow a situation, which could result in the bloodshed of its own people on the roads. Hence, necessary measures are being taken to maintain peace and security in the country,” Nadeen Kiani said. (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 09 March 2009
Washington, Mar. 8 (ANI): Barack Obama’s weary approach towards Gordon Brown’s Washington visit last week has been attributed to president’s exhaustion over America’s economic crisis, White House sources said.
Despite British diplomats insisting that brown’s visit was a success, official sources told the Sunday Telegraph that Prime Minister should have been granted a full-blown press conference and a formal dinner, as was customary.
They conceded that Obama aides seemed unfamiliar with the expectations that surround a major visit by a British prime minister.
Brown handed over carefully selected gifts, including a pen holder made from the wood of a warship that helped stamp out the slave trade – a sister ship of the vessel from which timbers were taken to build Obama’s Oval Office desk.
Obama’s gift in return, a collection of Hollywood film DVDs that could have been bought from any high street store, looked like the kind of thing the White House might hand out to the visiting head of a minor African state.
But Washington figures with access to Obama’s inner circle explained the slight by saying that those high up in the administration have had little time to deal with international matters, let alone the diplomatic niceties of the special relationship.
A White House official who was in charge of Brown’s visit said: “There’s nothing special about Britain. You’re just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn’t expect special treatment.”
One of Obama’s most prominent African American backers said Obama was in hurry to do too much too quickly, and there he detects a weakness in Obama’s character.
In addition to passing the largest stimulus package and the largest budget in US history, Obama is battling a plummeting stock market, the possible bankruptcy of General Motors, and rising unemployment. He has also begun historic efforts to achieve universal healthcare, overhaul education and begin a green energy revolution all in his first 50 days in office.
“The one real serious flaw I see in Barack Obama is that he thinks he can manage all this. He’s underestimating the flood of things that will hit his desk. President has regularly appeared worn out and drawn during evening work sessions with senior staff in the West Wing and has been forced to make decisions more quickly than he is comfortable.” (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 08 March 2009
Washington, Mar 8 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon will discuss the progress made in the Mumbai terror attacks with the US officials in Washington on Monday.
Menon, who is in America, will meet the US Under Secretary of State William Burns and US President Barack Obama’s Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard C. Holbrooke.
Issues like terrorism, the civil nuclear deal and the issues to be taken up at the upcoming G-20 meeting will be discussed during these meetings.
This is Menon’s first high-level visit to Washington after Obama became US President.
Holbrooke met Menon last month and was briefed about the situation prevailing in South Asia from an Indian perspective.
Holbrooke then said that he was in New Delhi to seek the Indian leaderships’ assessment of the situation in the region and to brief the latter about his visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan respectively.
He said this common threat comes from developments in Pakistan’s remote Swat Valley, where the Taliban virtually calls the shots.
The Indian leadership is also said to have discussed the evidences that it had collected on the November 26, 2008 attacks on Mumbai with Holbrooke.
India has been urging the international community to put pressure on Islamabad to bring the perpetrators and attackers of the Mumbai carnage that claimed 179 lives to justice. It is also insisting that Pakistan must not allow terrorist activity to flower from its soil. (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 07 March 2009
New York, Mar 7 (ANI): The ongoing global economic meltdown has claimed the loss of another 651,000 jobs in America, boosting the nation’s unemployment rate to 8.1%, its highest figure since 1983.
The Labor Department figures in January had revealed a hike from 7.6%, putting U.S. unemployment at a level not seen since December 1983, when the jobless rate hit 8.3%.
An estimated 4.4 million jobs have vanished in the past 15 months, including 2.6 million in the last four months alone, the federal officials said.
According to the Daily News, those figures included revised numbers showing job losses in December and January were worse than initially thought.
In December, there were 681,000 jobs lost, instead of the estimated 577,000.
Likewise, in January the job loss figures amounted to 655,000, and not 598,000.
As a result, the number of unemployed Americans now stands at 12.5 million.
The economic experts have predicted more bad times ahead.
“Job losses were everywhere, and there’s no hope for a turnaround any time soon,” said Nigel Gault, an economist with IHS Global Insight.
Every sector has been experiencing the wrath of the economic slowdown.
Construction companies had to cut 104,000 jobs, while professional and business services dumped 180,000 positions.
Temporary agencies slashed 78,000 jobs in February.
Moving on a similar pattern, the financial companies reduced their payrolls by 44,000 pounds. (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 06 March 2009
London, Mar 6 (ANI): British music stars will be honoured for their contribution in the industry with the creation of a “hall of fame” to rival its American counterpart.
The Hall of Fame, which is being developed by Live Aid producer Harvey Goldsmith, would be a part of the British Music Experience (BME), a museum space which opens to the public next week at the top of London’s O2 arena, reports the Telegraph.
It may include stars voted for by the Britons themselves.
The memorabilia contains music including the trumpet hat Humphrey Lyttelton played on VE-Day, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust costume, Noel Gallagher’s Union Jack guitar and the outfit that Roger Daltrey, of The Who, wore on stage at Woodstock.
The British hall of fame is similar to the one in America, which was established in Cleveland, Ohio in 1986.
While revealing his plans, Goldsmith said, “In America they have a hall of fame for all their sports and entertainment.
“We don’t have anything, until today, that reflects the rich history of fantastic talent that we continue to spawn, that’s conquered the world. That’s the prime reason we built the British Music Experience.”
“We’re writing the rules. It’s quite serious, you can’t mess around with this. My thoughts are that it should be a peer group experience at first – it should be the musicians and key personalities of the industry who should vote. Whether it expands ut like the Brits is another thing,” he added. (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 06 March 2009
London, March 6 (ANI): Drummer Andy Burrows left the indie rock band ‘Razorlight’ in chaos on Thursday night, when he left the group following a series of bitter clashes with guitarist Johnny Borrell.
According to reports, the pair had fought several times during a recent promo trip to the United States.
“Andy has had enough of Johnny. They’ve always had a turbulent relationship – not least over who was behind their No1 single America,” the Sun quoted an insider as saying.
“But it was this recent trip to the States that brought everything to a head.
“Andy is fed up with what he views as Johnny’s prima donna behaviour and told him he doesn’t want anything to do with him any more,” the source added.
This is not the first time that the two stars have had a bust-up, for they had a big punch-up at Camden Caners’ pub The Hawley Arms after the Vodafone Live Music Awards in 2006.
“Johnny likes to think he is the sole driving force behind Razorlight’s success,” the source said.
“But Andy doesn’t see it that way. He co-wrote America, their only No1, and feels he never gets the recognition he deserves. Andy is the only one in the band who will stand up to Johnny.
“He gets really embarrassed when he thinks Johnny is acting up and tells him as much. Johnny doesn’t appreciate the criticism,” the source added.
Johnny is said to be sure that Andy’s departure will not derail the band’s plan to make a full-scale bid to crack America.
The band have already hired a new drummer, veteran David “Skully” Sullivan-Kaplan.
Meanwhile, both Johnny and Andy are trying to play down the ill-feeling.
Andy said: “I am very proud of everything that myself, Johnny, Carl and Bjorn have achieved together but for personal reasons I have decided to leave the band.”
Johnny added: “Andy has been an integral part of Razorlight and we will miss him. He’s been a great player and a great friend and we’ll both always be proud of the music we have made together.” (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 06 March 2009
London, March 6 (ANI): Drummer Andy Burrows left the indie rock band ‘Razorlight’ in chaos on Thursday night, when he left the group following a series of bitter clashes with guitarist Johnny Borrell.
According to reports, the pair had fought several times during a recent promo trip to the United States.
“Andy has had enough of Johnny. They’ve always had a turbulent relationship – not least over who was behind their No1 single America,” the Sun quoted an insider as saying.
“But it was this recent trip to the States that brought everything to a head.
“Andy is fed up with what he views as Johnny’s prima donna behaviour and told him he doesn’t want anything to do with him any more,” the source added.
This is not the first time that the two stars have had a bust-up, for they had a big punch-up at Camden Caners’ pub The Hawley Arms after the Vodafone Live Music Awards in 2006.
“Johnny likes to think he is the sole driving force behind Razorlight’s success,” the source said.
“But Andy doesn’t see it that way. He co-wrote America, their only No1, and feels he never gets the recognition he deserves. Andy is the only one in the band who will stand up to Johnny.
“He gets really embarrassed when he thinks Johnny is acting up and tells him as much. Johnny doesn’t appreciate the criticism,” the source added.
Johnny is said to be sure that Andy’s departure will not derail the band’s plan to make a full-scale bid to crack America.
The band have already hired a new drummer, veteran David “Skully” Sullivan-Kaplan.
Meanwhile, both Johnny and Andy are trying to play down the ill-feeling.
Andy said: “I am very proud of everything that myself, Johnny, Carl and Bjorn have achieved together but for personal reasons I have decided to leave the band.”
Johnny added: “Andy has been an integral part of Razorlight and we will miss him. He’s been a great player and a great friend and we’ll both always be proud of the music we have made together.” (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 05 March 2009
Washington, Mar 5 (ANI): During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama accused his predecessor George W Bush of bullying allies and suggested that he would do a better job of reaching out to old friends and finding new ones.
Most American allies welcomed Obama’s election, but at least one country hoped less for change than continuity, said Kim Holmes, a former Assistant Secretary of State and vice president at the Heritage Foundation.
Bush engineered a civil nuclear cooperation deal with India, expanding counter terrorism and defense ties with that country. He also defined separately Washington’s relations with New Delhi and Islamabad, The Washington Times quoted Holmes, as saying.
By strengthening ties with India, Bush enhanced America’s strategic position in Asia. The question is: Will Obama continue and build on that relationship?
Holmes pointed that during the campaign, Obama suggested that the US should help resolve the Kashmir issue, but this statement did not go down well in New Delhi.
Obama as president has not repeated this campaign statement, but US experts on India are also buzzing that the Obama Administration may be backing away from Bush’s emphasis on the importance of our common democratic values, which would be a huge mistake.
Obama should follow the recommendations of Lisa Curtis, who argues for not only keeping current commitments to India, but expanding them in concrete ways.
he suggests that “we keep the common values agenda and expand upon it by encouraging India’s permanent involvement in what has been the trilateral US- Japan-Australia dialogue, the paper reported.
“We need to break down barriers to sharing intelligence by raising the level and frequency of our intelligence exchanges and diplomatic interactions, exchanging ideas on best practices through the US-Indian Counter terrorism Joint Working Group, which has met too infrequently since its inception in 2000,” Holmes said.
New ways should be found to organize and streamline intelligence-gathering, and more thought should be given to finding common ground on the ideological challenge of extremism, The Washington Times reported.
The Obama administration also should step up military cooperation with India. “We should ease restrictions on military sales to India and explore the possibility of helping India develop land-based laser defenses against ballistic missiles.”
Areas of disagreement could be reduced if progress is made on all these fronts. The Bush Administration left Obama a strong foundation on which to build an even better relationship with India, Holmes concluded. (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 05 March 2009
London, Mar 5 (ANI): A miracle cream which claims to destroy cellulite in nine minutes will go on sale in the UK this week.
The serum, which is worth 68 dollars, is made from plant stem cells.
According to the makers of Adonia LegTone, the plant extracts help tone up weak skin stem cells.
They are said to be the main cause for cellulite, reports The Sun.
The serum has been hailed as a ‘major breakthrough’ in America where it is dubbed ‘the nine minute butt-lift’.
As per clinical tests carried out in independent American laboratories found the cream reduced cellulite by as much as 47 per cent in nine minutes and around 70 per cent over a six-week period.
Dr Mark Binette, of maker Greek Island Labs, said: “A healthy diet, lashings of water and a regular exercise regime will help keep cellulite levels down – but sometimes a girl just needs a little extra help. The secret has been captured in a bottle.”
One of the main causes of cellulite is when skin stem cells become weak and dormant. (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 05 March 2009
Washington, Mar 4 (ANI): British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is presently in Washington to bolster Britain’s relations with the US, is expected to warn American politicians to avoid economic protectionism.
Brown is likely to urge a search for global solutions to end the menace during his address to Congress in Washington on Wednesday.
According to The Telegraph , several US senators and representatives favour “Buy American” policies as a way of boosting domestic economic recovery.
Brown , in an interview to BBC said, “I am going to say to Congress, ‘Seize the moment’. This is a moment when the whole of world wants to work with America.”
“I think you will find that members of Congress, not just President Obama, want a way out of this problem and the method of co-operation will actually commend themselves to them,” he added.
Brown is also seeking co-operation on stimulus measures, bank restructuring and international regulatory reform.
The American- British cooperation in economic affairs would lead to reaching an agreement on a global new deal when leaders of the world’s leading economies meet in London next month for the G-20 summit.
“President Obama and I share similar views about how we can address it and I believe we can persuade the rest of the world when we come together in London in April that a number of big changes have got to be made,” said Brown.
Brown is the fifth British Prime Minister to address a joint session of the Congress, after Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.(ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 05 March 2009
New Delhi, Mar 04 (ANI): Hollywood actress Katie Holmes has her own ways of dealing with people who pass rude comments on her family, for she has decided to invite them for a Dinner party.
The ‘Mad Money’ actress thinks that after meeting her family over a dinner party, people would apologize for their rude comments and would stop being rude to her lovely family, reports the China Daily.
“Sometimes I think I would say, ‘Why don’t you come over and have dinner?” she told America’s Glamour magazine.
Holmes revealed that some of the offensive comments left her aghast, when Suri her 2-year-old daughter was born.
” Katie admits she finds it hard when people spread rumors about Suri – shortly after she was born rumors circulated Katie’s pregnancy was an elaborate hoax and that Suri didn’t exist – and is determined to protect her daughter at all costs,” she said.
“Some of the stuff people said was such absolutely horrible things to say about a child. It was so uncalled for and so disgusting. Enough is enough. “Tom was supportive. We were changing diapers. He said, ‘I don’t want you to get upset.’ And I said, ‘Well, I am upset,” she added.
Holmes further revealed that she and her husband Tom Cruise together handled those comments.
“So we approached it together. But I definitely felt like – as a woman, as the mother of Suri – I want to handle this! My mom is very strong, and if anyone ever said anything about any of us, she would be, ‘Excuse me? That’s my family!” she said. (ANI)
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Written by Rahul on 05 March 2009
Washington, Mar. 4 (ANI): Charging the ‘Boy Scouts of America’ with discrimination, critics have urged President Barack Obama to reject the title of honorary president of the Scouts.
President Obama, however, says that he wants to be president of all people.
Outraged that the group is allowed to exclude gays and atheists while receiving federal funding, critics now want Obama to turn down the honorary presidency, a designation bestowed on every US president since William Howard Taft in 1910.
“I’m hoping and praying he turns down the honorary presidency. No way should he be involved with a discriminatory group. The best thing that could happen if he said, ‘You discriminate too much for me. I can’t be your honorary president.’ I think that might begin to change a few things,” said Howard Menzer, president of Scouting for All.
A Boy Scouts spokesman said Obama, during his meeting with a delegation of the Boy Scouts, has indicated he will accept the title of honorary president.
“We’re a voluntary, private organization for families that share our values. While many may disagree with our policies, there’s no question that we’re part of the common good and have been for 100 years,” Deron Smith, a spokesman for BSA said.
In January, the American Humanist Association, along with 18 other non-theistic, atheist and agnostic organizations had sent a letter to Obama urging him to reject the title of honorary president.
“The BSA has elected to set itself apart as a private organization that may discriminate in ways contrary to the laws and practices required of local, state, and federal authorities,” the letter said.
In 2000, the Supreme Court had ruled that the Scouts could bar homosexuals from being troop leaders. (ANI)
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