Internet to get new domain names
27 Jun 2008, 1149 hrs IST,AP
NEW YORK: The Internet's key oversight agency relaxed rules Thursday to permit the introduction of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of new Internet domain names to join ".com," making the first sweeping changes in the network's 25-year-old address system.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers unanimously approved the new guidelines as weeklong meetings in Paris concluded. ICANN also voted unanimously to open public comment on a separate proposal to permit addresses entirely in non-English languages for the first time.
New names won't start appearing until at least next year, and ICANN won't be deciding on specific ones quite yet. The organization still must work out many details, including fees for obtaining new names, expected to exceed $100,000 apiece to help ICANN cover up to $20 million in costs.
Domain names help computers find Web sites and route e-mail. Adding new suffixes can make it easier for Web sites to promote easy-to-remember names -- given that many of the best ones have been claimed already under ".com."
New names could cover locations such as ".nyc" and ".berlin" or industries such as ".bank." The hefty application fees could curb a rush for individual vanity names, though larger companies might claim brands like ".disney."
The new guidelines would make it easier for companies and groups to propose new suffixes. ICANN had accepted bids in 2000 and 2004, but reviews took much time, and one -- ".post" for postal services --remains pending more than four years later. Ultimately, only 13 have been approved in those two rounds.
The streamlined guidelines call for applicants to go through an initial review phase, during which anyone may raise an objection on such grounds as racism, trademark conflicts and similarity to an existing suffix. If no objection is raised, approval would come quickly.
Some ICANN board members expressed concerns that the guidelines could turn the organization into a censorship regime, deciding what could be objectionable to someone, somewhere in the world.
"If this is broadly implemented, this recommendation would allow for any government to effectively veto a string that makes it uncomfortable," said Susan Crawford, a Yale law professor on the board. She voted in favor of the rule changes, but called for more clarity later.
None of the new names is likely to dethrone ".com" as the world's leader, and critics fear new suffixes will merely force companies and organisations to spend more money registering names such as "microsoft.paris" simply so others can't. Legal battles are possible over common but trademarked names like ".apple."
The other proposal before ICANN would permit addresses entirely in non-English characters for the first time. Specific countries would be put on a "fast track" to receive the equivalent of their two-letter country code, such as Bulgaria's ".bg," in a native language.
The ICANN board said it would seek public comment on the guidelines before its next major meeting in November.
Demand for such names has been increasing around the world as Internet usage expands to people who cannot speak English or easily type English characters. Addresses partly in foreign languages are sometimes possible today, but the suffix has been limited to 37 characters: a-z, 0-9 and the hyphen.
In other action, ICANN approved recommendations designed to clamp down on domain name tasting -- the online equivalent of buying new clothes on a charge card only to return them for a full refund after wearing them to a big party.
A loophole in registration policies now allows entrepreneurs to grab domain names risk-free for up to five days to see whether they generate enough traffic and advertising dollars. That practice ties up millions of Internet addresses, making it even more difficult for individuals and businesses to find good names in the crowded ".com" space.
The new guidelines would withhold refunds if too many are returned
Friday, June 27, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
'India created more jobs in US than US did here' - Kamal Nath
'India created more jobs in US than US did here'
Aziz Haniffa in Washington DC
Taking on critics of outsourcing to India and the alleged loss of American jobs in the process, India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath asserted that Indian investments in the United States in the last two years had created more jobs in the US that American investment in India has.
In an interactive session with PBS television's talk show host Charlie Rose at the 33rd anniversary summit of the US-India Business Council, Nath said, "Indian investment in the United States in the last two years is more than the US investment in India in the last two years, and India has created more jobs in the US than the US has created in India."
"Now, the Democrats must hear this," he said, to which Rose quipped and asked if it were a campaign statement.
Nath said that "trade and investment is now a two-way street," and pointed out that American exports to India "went up by over 70 per cent last year. That's not a small thing."
"Why are they going up? Because India is a healthy economy and that's what I keep saying not only to the US, but to all developed countries," he said. "That you must ensure that there are healthy economies in developing countries and it's a great market for developed countries."
Nath said that the US needs to understand this "because healthy economies in developing countries mean greater markets. It's no use being a country of one billion people if you have no ability to buy anything."
Asked if India's remarkable growth rate would continue, Nath said there was no doubt about it and added, "We projected that we would be getting close to 10 per cent growth, but global economic outlook being what it is, we revised it downward to 8.5 per cent. Now, that itself is good."
Nath said this confidence and optimism were borne out of a notion that because of the "strong fundamentals," the Indian economy has "built up a momentum of its own and we are confident this momentum will continue whatever be the global economic outlook."
However, he acknowledged that the 3 F's -- fuel, food and finance -- were certainly cause for concern not just for India but for the whole world, and recalled that "they weren't there when I came to the USIBC last year."
Nath also said the sub-prime loan crisis that has devastated the US housing market and led to unprecedented foreclosures in the country and plunged the country into what many economists say is indeed a recession with worldwide implications, would not impact on India.
"We are quite decoupled from it," he said. "There has been no exposure by the Indian financial system to the sub-prime crisis, but of course if there is slowdown in the US, it does affect us."
But Nath said that "more important is the sentiment and that's what we need to guard against -- this sentiment of gloom. The sentiment of gloom is worse than the gloom itself, and that's what drives markets -- this sentiment and this frenzy that goes around. (But) It's not there in India."
He argued that the impact of this crisis is minimal "because our growth is not export-market driven -- it's domestic market driven. So, that keeps us in a little bit of a less vulnerable position," unlike other Asian countries whose economies are largely export-driven.
Nath also took exception to the allegations that India was responsible with its export ban for the worldwide shortage of rice, saying that "we banned the exports of only the cheap quality rice. If you want to buy rice from India, buy the good quality one. Why do you want to buy the cheap quality one."
He said, "Keep the cheap quality one for our 300 million people who earn less than $1 a day."
Nath also said the criticism that India was attempting to kill the Doha Round of global trade negotiations was "unfair and inaccurate."
He said that "India needs as much as the US, a rule-based multilateral trading system. So, for us, the Doha Round is as important as it is for the US."
But Nath asserted that "this round really needs to respect sensitivities. The United States has sensitivities on subsidies. Some countries have sensitivities on bananas. There is huge issue on coconuts. There are whole issues on tropical fruits. There are whole issues on subsistence. This round will close with each other respecting sensitivities. We need to harmonize these sensitivities."
"We are not going to get everything," he acknowledged. "No country is going to get everything, but no country is going to give away everything."
Nath said, "I don't criticize the US, I enlighten them. But we have moved forward since we were two years ago, where we were two months ago, and we continue to move forward."
The final question by Rose to the articulate and humorous Nath was that it used to be said that "every Senator in Washington used to look in the mirror in the morning and see a future president. When you look in the mirror in the morning do you see a future prime minister?"
The 600 plus audience cracked up and engaged in sustained applause, when Nath replied: "Well, I see myself. And, there's nothing better than seeing yourself."
Aziz Haniffa in Washington DC
Taking on critics of outsourcing to India and the alleged loss of American jobs in the process, India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath asserted that Indian investments in the United States in the last two years had created more jobs in the US that American investment in India has.
In an interactive session with PBS television's talk show host Charlie Rose at the 33rd anniversary summit of the US-India Business Council, Nath said, "Indian investment in the United States in the last two years is more than the US investment in India in the last two years, and India has created more jobs in the US than the US has created in India."
"Now, the Democrats must hear this," he said, to which Rose quipped and asked if it were a campaign statement.
Nath said that "trade and investment is now a two-way street," and pointed out that American exports to India "went up by over 70 per cent last year. That's not a small thing."
"Why are they going up? Because India is a healthy economy and that's what I keep saying not only to the US, but to all developed countries," he said. "That you must ensure that there are healthy economies in developing countries and it's a great market for developed countries."
Nath said that the US needs to understand this "because healthy economies in developing countries mean greater markets. It's no use being a country of one billion people if you have no ability to buy anything."
Asked if India's remarkable growth rate would continue, Nath said there was no doubt about it and added, "We projected that we would be getting close to 10 per cent growth, but global economic outlook being what it is, we revised it downward to 8.5 per cent. Now, that itself is good."
Nath said this confidence and optimism were borne out of a notion that because of the "strong fundamentals," the Indian economy has "built up a momentum of its own and we are confident this momentum will continue whatever be the global economic outlook."
However, he acknowledged that the 3 F's -- fuel, food and finance -- were certainly cause for concern not just for India but for the whole world, and recalled that "they weren't there when I came to the USIBC last year."
Nath also said the sub-prime loan crisis that has devastated the US housing market and led to unprecedented foreclosures in the country and plunged the country into what many economists say is indeed a recession with worldwide implications, would not impact on India.
"We are quite decoupled from it," he said. "There has been no exposure by the Indian financial system to the sub-prime crisis, but of course if there is slowdown in the US, it does affect us."
But Nath said that "more important is the sentiment and that's what we need to guard against -- this sentiment of gloom. The sentiment of gloom is worse than the gloom itself, and that's what drives markets -- this sentiment and this frenzy that goes around. (But) It's not there in India."
He argued that the impact of this crisis is minimal "because our growth is not export-market driven -- it's domestic market driven. So, that keeps us in a little bit of a less vulnerable position," unlike other Asian countries whose economies are largely export-driven.
Nath also took exception to the allegations that India was responsible with its export ban for the worldwide shortage of rice, saying that "we banned the exports of only the cheap quality rice. If you want to buy rice from India, buy the good quality one. Why do you want to buy the cheap quality one."
He said, "Keep the cheap quality one for our 300 million people who earn less than $1 a day."
Nath also said the criticism that India was attempting to kill the Doha Round of global trade negotiations was "unfair and inaccurate."
He said that "India needs as much as the US, a rule-based multilateral trading system. So, for us, the Doha Round is as important as it is for the US."
But Nath asserted that "this round really needs to respect sensitivities. The United States has sensitivities on subsidies. Some countries have sensitivities on bananas. There is huge issue on coconuts. There are whole issues on tropical fruits. There are whole issues on subsistence. This round will close with each other respecting sensitivities. We need to harmonize these sensitivities."
"We are not going to get everything," he acknowledged. "No country is going to get everything, but no country is going to give away everything."
Nath said, "I don't criticize the US, I enlighten them. But we have moved forward since we were two years ago, where we were two months ago, and we continue to move forward."
The final question by Rose to the articulate and humorous Nath was that it used to be said that "every Senator in Washington used to look in the mirror in the morning and see a future president. When you look in the mirror in the morning do you see a future prime minister?"
The 600 plus audience cracked up and engaged in sustained applause, when Nath replied: "Well, I see myself. And, there's nothing better than seeing yourself."
Monday, June 9, 2008
Roadrunner the Fastest Computer performs 1,000 trillion calculations per second
Scientists Develop Fastest Computer
Weapons lab develops world's fastest computer dubbed Roadrunner
By H. JOSEF HEBERT Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON June 9, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press
Supercomputer
Lead engineer Don Grice of IBM inspects the world's fastest computer in the company's Poughkeepsie, NY plant.
(IBM)
Scientists unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer on Monday, a $100 million machine that for the first time has performed 1,000 trillion calculations per second in a sustained exercise.
The technology breakthrough was accomplished by engineers from the Los Alamos National Laboratory and IBM Corp. on a computer to be used primarily on nuclear weapons work, including simulating nuclear explosions.
The computer, named is twice as fast as IBM's Blue Gene system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which itself is three times faster than any of the world's other supercomputers, according to IBM.
"The computer is a speed demon. It will allow us to solve tremendous problems," said Thomas D'Agostino, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees nuclear weapons research and maintains the warhead stockpile.
Related
Britain's Fastest Supercomputer Unveiled
Cyber Attack at Oakridge Lab
Could PlayStation 3s Solve Space Mystery?
But officials said the computer also could have a wide range of other applications in civilian engineering, medicine and science, from developing biofuels and designing more fuel-efficient cars to finding drug therapies and providing services to the financial industry.
To put the computer's speed in perspective, it has roughly the computing power of 100,000 of today's most powerful laptops stacked 1.5 miles high, according to IBM. Or, if each of the world's 6 billion people worked on hand-held computers for 24 hours a day, it would take them 46 years to do what the Roadrunner computer can do in a single day.
The IBM and Los Alamos engineers worked six years on the computer technology.
Some elements of the Roadrunner can be traced back to popular video games, said David Turek, vice president of IBM's supercomputing programs. In some ways, he said, it's "a very souped-up Sony PlayStation 3."
"We took the basic chip design (of a PlayStation) and advanced its capability," said Turek.
But the Roadrunner supercomputer, named after the New Mexico state bird, is nothing like a video game.
Weapons lab develops world's fastest computer dubbed Roadrunner
By H. JOSEF HEBERT Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON June 9, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press
Supercomputer
Lead engineer Don Grice of IBM inspects the world's fastest computer in the company's Poughkeepsie, NY plant.
(IBM)
Scientists unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer on Monday, a $100 million machine that for the first time has performed 1,000 trillion calculations per second in a sustained exercise.
The technology breakthrough was accomplished by engineers from the Los Alamos National Laboratory and IBM Corp. on a computer to be used primarily on nuclear weapons work, including simulating nuclear explosions.
The computer, named is twice as fast as IBM's Blue Gene system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which itself is three times faster than any of the world's other supercomputers, according to IBM.
"The computer is a speed demon. It will allow us to solve tremendous problems," said Thomas D'Agostino, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees nuclear weapons research and maintains the warhead stockpile.
Related
Britain's Fastest Supercomputer Unveiled
Cyber Attack at Oakridge Lab
Could PlayStation 3s Solve Space Mystery?
But officials said the computer also could have a wide range of other applications in civilian engineering, medicine and science, from developing biofuels and designing more fuel-efficient cars to finding drug therapies and providing services to the financial industry.
To put the computer's speed in perspective, it has roughly the computing power of 100,000 of today's most powerful laptops stacked 1.5 miles high, according to IBM. Or, if each of the world's 6 billion people worked on hand-held computers for 24 hours a day, it would take them 46 years to do what the Roadrunner computer can do in a single day.
The IBM and Los Alamos engineers worked six years on the computer technology.
Some elements of the Roadrunner can be traced back to popular video games, said David Turek, vice president of IBM's supercomputing programs. In some ways, he said, it's "a very souped-up Sony PlayStation 3."
"We took the basic chip design (of a PlayStation) and advanced its capability," said Turek.
But the Roadrunner supercomputer, named after the New Mexico state bird, is nothing like a video game.
Apple Releases 3G iPhone with a faster Internet connection
Sexy Skinny: Apple Releases 3G iPhone
New iPhone Gets Faster Internet, Longer Battery Life
By JORDAN ROBERTSON
June 9, 2008
Apple Inc. unveiled an upgraded iPhone Monday with a faster Internet connection and GPS capabilities -- and priced $200 lower than current models.
Apple's newest, fastest phone is just $199.
Analysts have said Apple needed to slash the multimedia gadget's price and upgrade it to work over so-called 3G, or third-generation, wireless networks to hit the company's target of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008.
An 8 gigabyte model is to sell for $199 starting July 11. A 16 gigabyte model will cost $299. They'll come in a black case with a white case optional on one model. The devices are to roll out initially in 22 countries.
Apple has inked deals for wireless carriers in a total of 70 countries to carry the new iPhone.
Apple's participation in the cell phone market has been hurt by complaints about the year-old iPhone's data download speeds, which can make simple tasks like sending pictures over e-mail or downloading Internet videos painfully slow.
The original iPhones operate on so-called 2.5G networks. The upgrade in performance from those networks to 3G will be similar to the difference between a dial-up Internet connection and a high-speed broadband connection.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said the computer chips used on the faster network sapped too much battery life and were too bulky when the iPhone was being designed so the company decided to wait to improve the device until better chip technology emerged that could fit the iPhone's slim design.
The addition of global-positioning technology improves the iPhone's accuracy in locating users. Current versions use a combination of cell phone towers and Wi-Fi locations to help users figure out where they are.
Jobs showed off the phone at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. His announcements were widely expected.
New iPhone Gets Faster Internet, Longer Battery Life
By JORDAN ROBERTSON
June 9, 2008
Apple Inc. unveiled an upgraded iPhone Monday with a faster Internet connection and GPS capabilities -- and priced $200 lower than current models.
Apple's newest, fastest phone is just $199.
Analysts have said Apple needed to slash the multimedia gadget's price and upgrade it to work over so-called 3G, or third-generation, wireless networks to hit the company's target of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008.
An 8 gigabyte model is to sell for $199 starting July 11. A 16 gigabyte model will cost $299. They'll come in a black case with a white case optional on one model. The devices are to roll out initially in 22 countries.
Apple has inked deals for wireless carriers in a total of 70 countries to carry the new iPhone.
Apple's participation in the cell phone market has been hurt by complaints about the year-old iPhone's data download speeds, which can make simple tasks like sending pictures over e-mail or downloading Internet videos painfully slow.
The original iPhones operate on so-called 2.5G networks. The upgrade in performance from those networks to 3G will be similar to the difference between a dial-up Internet connection and a high-speed broadband connection.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said the computer chips used on the faster network sapped too much battery life and were too bulky when the iPhone was being designed so the company decided to wait to improve the device until better chip technology emerged that could fit the iPhone's slim design.
The addition of global-positioning technology improves the iPhone's accuracy in locating users. Current versions use a combination of cell phone towers and Wi-Fi locations to help users figure out where they are.
Jobs showed off the phone at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. His announcements were widely expected.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Free Broadband Plan Delayed
FCC Chief's Free Broadband Plan Delayed
By JOHN DUNBAR Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON June 6, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press
A plan by the nation's top telecommunications regulator to provide free wireless high-speed Internet service hit a snag this week over concerns about possible interference and a proposed censoring feature that upset free speech advocates.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told The Associated Press on Thursday that the plan will not be voted on at the June 12 meeting as first promised, but he hopes to present it to the full commission in July.
"I want to be clear that I am still very supportive of the cause of providing a lifeline broadband service across the country," he said.
Under the plan, the FCC would auction 25 megahertz of spectrum — a sizable chunk — to a single bidder who would use it to build a nationwide network and dedicate about 25 percent of it for the broadband service.
The concept first was envisioned by wireless startup M2Z Networks Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif. The company asked the FCC to let it use the same frequencies in the current plan so it could offer a free nationwide broadband service.
In exchange, the company would pay the federal government a percentage of revenues earned on sales generated from advertising on the resulting network.
The FCC rejected the proposal because it meant giving the airwaves to the company without it bidding against other carriers for the rights.
Martin said some wireless companies whose frequencies are near those of the proposed network voiced concerns that it may create interference. He also said some were worried about a plan to filter offensive content that could be accessed on the network that might be inappropriate for children.
The chairman said he supports allowing adults to opt out of the filtered service.
Martin said he decided not to put the issue on the June agenda to give other commissioners more time to consider the proposal.
Under Martin's tentative plan, the network that would be built using the airwaves must reach 50 percent of the population in four years and 95 percent after 10 years.
By JOHN DUNBAR Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON June 6, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press
A plan by the nation's top telecommunications regulator to provide free wireless high-speed Internet service hit a snag this week over concerns about possible interference and a proposed censoring feature that upset free speech advocates.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told The Associated Press on Thursday that the plan will not be voted on at the June 12 meeting as first promised, but he hopes to present it to the full commission in July.
"I want to be clear that I am still very supportive of the cause of providing a lifeline broadband service across the country," he said.
Under the plan, the FCC would auction 25 megahertz of spectrum — a sizable chunk — to a single bidder who would use it to build a nationwide network and dedicate about 25 percent of it for the broadband service.
The concept first was envisioned by wireless startup M2Z Networks Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif. The company asked the FCC to let it use the same frequencies in the current plan so it could offer a free nationwide broadband service.
In exchange, the company would pay the federal government a percentage of revenues earned on sales generated from advertising on the resulting network.
The FCC rejected the proposal because it meant giving the airwaves to the company without it bidding against other carriers for the rights.
Martin said some wireless companies whose frequencies are near those of the proposed network voiced concerns that it may create interference. He also said some were worried about a plan to filter offensive content that could be accessed on the network that might be inappropriate for children.
The chairman said he supports allowing adults to opt out of the filtered service.
Martin said he decided not to put the issue on the June agenda to give other commissioners more time to consider the proposal.
Under Martin's tentative plan, the network that would be built using the airwaves must reach 50 percent of the population in four years and 95 percent after 10 years.
Microsoft's India MD Neelam Dhawan to join Hewlett-Packard
Microsoft's India MD Neelam Dhawan to join Hewlett-Packard
6 Jun 2008, 2109 hrs IST,PTI
NEW DELHI: In a major setback to IT giant Microsoft, its India Managing Director Neelam Dhawan has decided to call it quits and will join Hewlett-Packard.
"I am sorry to announce that Neelam Dhawan will be leaving Microsoft to join HP as the Managing Director of HP India," Microsoft India Chairman Ravi Venkatesan said in a statement.
"We are losing a strong leader who has, over the past three years, helped position Microsoft very strongly in the Indian market. We wish her continued success in all her endeavours," he added.
He, however, said Dhawan's move would only strengthen Microsoft's relationship with one of its most important partners, HP.
"Being a part of the leadership team at Microsoft India has been one of the most rewarding roles of my professional life and the decision to leave was a difficult one to make. I am, of course, excited about my new role at HP, and the opportunity it gives me to further strengthen the partnership between the two companies," Dhawan said.
Dhawan joined Microsoft India in March 2005, and was responsible for the business strategy of the company. Her last working day at Microsoft would be June 30, 2008.
6 Jun 2008, 2109 hrs IST,PTI
NEW DELHI: In a major setback to IT giant Microsoft, its India Managing Director Neelam Dhawan has decided to call it quits and will join Hewlett-Packard.
"I am sorry to announce that Neelam Dhawan will be leaving Microsoft to join HP as the Managing Director of HP India," Microsoft India Chairman Ravi Venkatesan said in a statement.
"We are losing a strong leader who has, over the past three years, helped position Microsoft very strongly in the Indian market. We wish her continued success in all her endeavours," he added.
He, however, said Dhawan's move would only strengthen Microsoft's relationship with one of its most important partners, HP.
"Being a part of the leadership team at Microsoft India has been one of the most rewarding roles of my professional life and the decision to leave was a difficult one to make. I am, of course, excited about my new role at HP, and the opportunity it gives me to further strengthen the partnership between the two companies," Dhawan said.
Dhawan joined Microsoft India in March 2005, and was responsible for the business strategy of the company. Her last working day at Microsoft would be June 30, 2008.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Threat from Sahara Depositors to RBI
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Sahara fallout: UP orders security to RBI
Blue Star
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has directed all district police chiefs to ensure the security of all establishments of the RBI after it apprehended security threats from depositors and collection agents of Sahara India Financial Corporation Limited (SIFCL) which was prohibited from accepting deposits.
"In a bid to maintain law and order in the state, we have directed district police chiefs to ensure the security of RBI establishments in state and SIFCL also," Secretary (Home) Mahesh Kumar Gupta told reporters today.
Asked about the reasons of providing security to SIFCL, Gupta said the decision was taken to ensure law and order.
He said that after yesterday's decision RBI Deputy General Manager, Lucknow, Ram Sudhar had requested the UP government to provide security as it apprehended trouble from depositors and collecting agents of SIFCL.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Atul Kumar Gupta in a letter written to Executive Director, RBI, Mumbai G. Gopal Krishnan said nothing seems to have been done to satisfactorily address the concerns of depositors.
Mentioning the letter of DGM, RBI Lucknow, Gupta said it did not mention anything about how the interests of depositors would be protected and what steps were being taken to satisfy the apprehensions and queries of the depositors.
The Chief Secretary said in the letter that it appeared imperative that RBI clarified to the depositors at large how their interests were being protected and what it was doing to ensure it.
"The RBI order to SIFCL to repay the deposits as and when they mature will not provide any comfort to depositors in the absence of such an assurance," it said.
Gupta requested the RBI official to issue a press release explaining to the depositors the steps being taken by it to ensure protection of their interests.
"The UP government should have been taken into confidence sufficiently in advance to prepare for law and order arrangements and not presented with a fait accompli," the Chief Secretary's letter to Gopalkrishnan said.
Meanwhile, the Sahara Group is all set to approach the Supreme Court Friday to ensure that no ex-parte order is passed against the company's para-banking operations.
"The caveat is likely to be filed in the apex court tomorrow and I have given instructions to the company," Senior advocate Prashant Chandra, who appeared for the Sahara Group in the Allahabad High Court today, told PTI.
"We are expecting that RBI will appeal against the High order," he said.
The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court today stayed the RBI ban on Sahara's para-banking company from taking fresh deposits.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved.
Sahara fallout: UP orders security to RBI
Blue Star
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has directed all district police chiefs to ensure the security of all establishments of the RBI after it apprehended security threats from depositors and collection agents of Sahara India Financial Corporation Limited (SIFCL) which was prohibited from accepting deposits.
"In a bid to maintain law and order in the state, we have directed district police chiefs to ensure the security of RBI establishments in state and SIFCL also," Secretary (Home) Mahesh Kumar Gupta told reporters today.
Asked about the reasons of providing security to SIFCL, Gupta said the decision was taken to ensure law and order.
He said that after yesterday's decision RBI Deputy General Manager, Lucknow, Ram Sudhar had requested the UP government to provide security as it apprehended trouble from depositors and collecting agents of SIFCL.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Atul Kumar Gupta in a letter written to Executive Director, RBI, Mumbai G. Gopal Krishnan said nothing seems to have been done to satisfactorily address the concerns of depositors.
Mentioning the letter of DGM, RBI Lucknow, Gupta said it did not mention anything about how the interests of depositors would be protected and what steps were being taken to satisfy the apprehensions and queries of the depositors.
The Chief Secretary said in the letter that it appeared imperative that RBI clarified to the depositors at large how their interests were being protected and what it was doing to ensure it.
"The RBI order to SIFCL to repay the deposits as and when they mature will not provide any comfort to depositors in the absence of such an assurance," it said.
Gupta requested the RBI official to issue a press release explaining to the depositors the steps being taken by it to ensure protection of their interests.
"The UP government should have been taken into confidence sufficiently in advance to prepare for law and order arrangements and not presented with a fait accompli," the Chief Secretary's letter to Gopalkrishnan said.
Meanwhile, the Sahara Group is all set to approach the Supreme Court Friday to ensure that no ex-parte order is passed against the company's para-banking operations.
"The caveat is likely to be filed in the apex court tomorrow and I have given instructions to the company," Senior advocate Prashant Chandra, who appeared for the Sahara Group in the Allahabad High Court today, told PTI.
"We are expecting that RBI will appeal against the High order," he said.
The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court today stayed the RBI ban on Sahara's para-banking company from taking fresh deposits.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Mail through Short Message Service enabled
Mail through Short Message Service enabled
Bangalore: One can now send an e-mail from one's mobile phone without enabling GPRS/Internet facility but through short message service (SMS).
This innovative service was launched by Bangalore-based MyDuniya Networks Private Limited, a player in `beyond voice' applications for mobile consumers.
With this service, all that a user has to do is send an SMS to 53695 (Airtel Service) and then can send an e-mail, save and retrieve personal information, send a file to an e-mail address, share and access contact information. One can also participate in interactive group messaging.
MyDuniya Networks Founder and Chairman Jagadish Kini said at present these services are operational with Airtel in Karnataka and would be expanded with national coverage shortly. The company is in dialogue with other operators for integration in near future. Subscribers to operators other than Airtel need to send SMS to 99801-53695 to avail this service.
"MyDuniya platform brings processing power of the web and reach of the mobile to provide simple and useful applications", Kini said. Company CEO Subramanian noted that SMS is the most widely used non-voice service. "Our services are designed with consumer choice, convenience and usability as focal points", he said.
© Copyright 2008 HT Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
Bangalore: One can now send an e-mail from one's mobile phone without enabling GPRS/Internet facility but through short message service (SMS).
This innovative service was launched by Bangalore-based MyDuniya Networks Private Limited, a player in `beyond voice' applications for mobile consumers.
With this service, all that a user has to do is send an SMS to 53695 (Airtel Service) and then can send an e-mail, save and retrieve personal information, send a file to an e-mail address, share and access contact information. One can also participate in interactive group messaging.
MyDuniya Networks Founder and Chairman Jagadish Kini said at present these services are operational with Airtel in Karnataka and would be expanded with national coverage shortly. The company is in dialogue with other operators for integration in near future. Subscribers to operators other than Airtel need to send SMS to 99801-53695 to avail this service.
"MyDuniya platform brings processing power of the web and reach of the mobile to provide simple and useful applications", Kini said. Company CEO Subramanian noted that SMS is the most widely used non-voice service. "Our services are designed with consumer choice, convenience and usability as focal points", he said.
© Copyright 2008 HT Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
Icahn to seek removal of Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang - WSJ
Icahn to seek removal of Yahoo CEO Yang - WSJ
Wed, Jun 4 01:11 AM
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Carl Icahn would seek to remove Jerry Yang as chief executive of Yahoo Inc if Icahn succeeded in a proxy battle against the company over its failure to reach a deal with Microsoft Corp, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Icahn has proposed an alternate slate of directors for Yahoo's board, but has yet to directly target Yang over the breakdown in talks early this month for a $47.5 billion deal.
"It's no longer a mystery to me why Microsoft's offer isn't around," the Journal quoted Icahn as saying. "How can Yahoo keep saying they're willing to negotiate and sell the company on the one hand, while at the same time they're completely sabotaging the process without telling anyone?"
Icahn cited details from court documents related to a shareholder suit that were unsealed on Monday. The documents showed how Yahoo had taken steps to rebuff a Microsoft takeover bid months before the software maker made its offer public on Feb. 1.
The shareholder lawsuit argued that Yahoo had taken aggressive steps to block a deal, including the adoption of a costly plan to retain employees, leading up to a breakdown in negotiations.
The Journal said Yahoo's board was due to meet on Tuesday. Icahn and Yahoo officials were not immediately available.
Yahoo shares were down 35 cents or 1.3 percent to $26.05 on the Nasdaq.
Wed, Jun 4 01:11 AM
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Carl Icahn would seek to remove Jerry Yang as chief executive of Yahoo Inc if Icahn succeeded in a proxy battle against the company over its failure to reach a deal with Microsoft Corp, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Icahn has proposed an alternate slate of directors for Yahoo's board, but has yet to directly target Yang over the breakdown in talks early this month for a $47.5 billion deal.
"It's no longer a mystery to me why Microsoft's offer isn't around," the Journal quoted Icahn as saying. "How can Yahoo keep saying they're willing to negotiate and sell the company on the one hand, while at the same time they're completely sabotaging the process without telling anyone?"
Icahn cited details from court documents related to a shareholder suit that were unsealed on Monday. The documents showed how Yahoo had taken steps to rebuff a Microsoft takeover bid months before the software maker made its offer public on Feb. 1.
The shareholder lawsuit argued that Yahoo had taken aggressive steps to block a deal, including the adoption of a costly plan to retain employees, leading up to a breakdown in negotiations.
The Journal said Yahoo's board was due to meet on Tuesday. Icahn and Yahoo officials were not immediately available.
Yahoo shares were down 35 cents or 1.3 percent to $26.05 on the Nasdaq.
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