30 apr 2014

India Severely Affected by Terrorism from Pakistan: US report

Washington:  India remained severely affected by and vulnerable to terrorism from Pakistan-based groups and their affiliates as well as left-wing violent extremists, last year, according to a new US report.

In response, Government of India "continued to undertake efforts to coordinate its counter-terrorism capabilities more effectively", said the State Department Country Reports on Terrorism 2013 submitted to the US Congress Wednesday.

India also "expanded its cooperation and coordination with the international community and regional partners", said the annual report released by Tina Kaidanow, the state department's coordinator for counter-terrorism.

Describing South Asia as a frontline in the battle against terrorism, the report said: "Although Al Qaeda's (AQ) core in Afghanistan and Pakistan has been seriously degraded, their global leadership continued to operate from its safe haven in the region."

"AQ maintained ties with other terrorist organizations in the region, such as Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Haqqani Network (HQN)," it said.

"These alliances continued to provide the group with additional resources and capabilities."

The report said while "Pakistani military undertook operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan such as TTP, but did not take action against other groups such as Lashkar-e-Taeba (LeT)", held responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

LeT, it said, "continued to operate, train, rally, and raise funds in Pakistan during the past year".

In 2013, Indian sources continued to attribute violence and deaths in Jammu and Kashmir to transnational terrorist groups that India alleges are backed by Pakistan, the report said.

"Continued allegations of violations of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan (the border along Jammu and Kashmir), Pakistan's failure to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice, and activities of Pakistan-based terrorist groups remained serious concerns for the Indian government," it said.

"Afghan Taliban and HQN leadership and facilitation networks continued to find safe haven in Pakistan, and Pakistani authorities did not take significant military or law enforcement action against these groups," it said.

The report cited the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), to say that about 400 people were killed as a result of terrorist attacks in India in 2013.

"This figure is somewhat higher than in 2012, demonstrating that India remains subject to violent terrorist attacks and continued to be one of the most persistently targeted countries by transnational and domestic terrorist groups."

The US and India maintained counter-terrorism capacity building efforts and cooperation, the report said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Siddharth Lakhotia arrested by police in BHU:a

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/One-doctor-arrested-open-OPD-runs-at-IMS/articleshow/31523909.cms

27 apr 2014

Indian doctor sacked after 6 years in UK due to poor English - India

He was axed after a string of complaints from colleagues and patients who said he could not communicate with them

An Indian radiographer who worked at a cancer hospital for six years despite not speaking much English has been sacked.

Ramani Ramaswamy was axed after a string of complaints from colleagues and patients who said he could not communicate with them.

He had English lessons but bosses said his grasp of the language got worse not better.

Mr Ramaswamy was also ­criticised for failing to handle equipment competently and once set up a bed so badly that his supervisor had to step in to stop a patient being injured.

A disciplinary panel found his command of English was so poor he once had to ask a patient four times to confirm his identity because he could not be ­understood.

The radiographer also consistently failed to ask people to empty their bladders before X-ray procedures were carried out, it was claimed.

The panel’s report said: “His communication skills, even after six years at the trust, were poor and he was recorded as keeping his communication with patients to a minimum and to be difficult to understand.

“The deficiencies identified by the panel have the potential to cause serious harm to patients.”

Mr Ramaswamy, who started work at The Christie Hospital, Manchester, in August 2005, branded the claims “unfair” and “cooked up”.

He said: “It’s totally ridiculous. I previously worked in Malaysia and I was very well respected.

"The Christie said there were communication problems but I speak good English. I may be a little reserved.

“But I’ve never done any harm to the patients.”

http://mancunianmatters.co.uk

Hospital: The Christie in Manchester

 

The Christie insisted no ­treatments were affected and no patients were put at risk by Mr Ramaswamy’s lack of English.

Because of his poor ­communication skills, he was restricted to a role where he had no contact with patients when he first started at the hospital.

Mr Ramaswamy, of Moss Side, Manchester, was moved on to the treatment floor in September 2009 for a three-month trial but this proved unsuccessful.

He was then closely monitored and an improvement plan was put in place.

But in June last year his performance was rated as “unacceptable” in every area.

Mr Ramaswamy, who said he was now retired, was dismissed after a hearing last year.

He has now been struck off the national ­radiography register for a year.

A Christie spokesman said: “We are satisfied that our systems and processes have enabled us to identify this problem and deal with it appropriately.”

Virat Kohli has found his place in Indian cricket - India

21  apr 2014

Virat Kohli has found his place in Indian cricket: Javagal Srinath

Javagal Srinath, now an International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, said Virat Kohli is never compared to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid as he has created his own place in the game.

New Delhi:  Former fast bowler Javagal Srinath on Tuesday lauded Virat Kohli for creating a place for himself in Indian cricket.

Srinath, now an International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, said Kohli is never compared to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid.

"Virat has done exceptionally well for himself. He is such a great player. Nobody compares him with Sachin or Dravid. He has found his place in Indian cricket," said Srinath during an interaction at Gillete's Men of Inner Steel initiative.

Srinath's long-time partner Venkatesh Prasad said that legend Sunil Gavaskar, who is the interim chief of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is the real Man of Steel.

"I feel Mr. Gavaskar is the real Man of Steel. He has survived international cricket for 15 years and has faced some of the quicker bowlers without any helmet. He is a great leader and deserves to lead the BCCI," said Prasad.

Former India captain Ajit Wadekar, under whom Gavaskar made his Test debut, also concurred with Prasad and said that his teammate is the perfect role model.

"Sunny is a great role model. He is calm and composed and the perfect man to lead Indian cricket," he said.

USA commentator feels Narendra Modi is like Ronald Reagan - India

21 apr  2014

Why this US commentator feels Narendra Modi is like Ronald Reagan

Agence France-Presse

Narendra Modi campaigns in Assam

New Delhi: An American commentator's comparison of Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, with America's 40th president Ronald Reagan in an online publication has had social media abuzz for some days now as India conducts the world's largest election ever.

The author, David B Cohen, has now written an oped article published today by leading newspaper the Hindu also titled, 'Is India about to elect its Reagan?'.

Mr Cohen, who served in the administration of another US president George Bush, confesses to be "a great admirer of President Reagan." 

He draws several parallels - between their humble origins, their careers and as "unabashed proponents of free market economics: The term "Modinomics" is of course a nod to "Reaganomics.'"

And he says that the two leaders have drawn similar  detractors, people he calls the "cultural elite" who, "look down their noses at Mr. Modi, cringing at the thought of being led by a common chai wallah...The American elites believed that Mr. Reagan was an unsophisticated simpleton who was too extreme to be President."

Mr Cohen writes that his article dated April 14 in online publication The Daily Caller, "clearly struck a nerve: Indian readers were amazed to see a western media perspective on Mr. Modi that was not reflexively negative."

Earlier this month,  an article in the Economist had controversially  described Mr Modi as a divisive man and had "recommended" to Indians a Rahul Gandhi-led government as an uninspiring but "less disturbing" option.

The article, titled "India Deserves Better than Modi," said, "Mr Gandhi's coalition is tainted by corruption. By comparison Mr Modi is clean. So there is much to admire. Despite that, this newspaper cannot bring itself to back Mr Modi for India's highest office."

The Economist ascribed its reservations about Mr Modi to the 2002 riots in Gujarat, the state Mr Modi has ruled since 2001. It disputed a clean chit given to him by a Supreme Court inquiry that has said there is no evidence of his role, which was upheld by a trial court last year.

David Cohen notes that Mr Modi's critics call him a  "communalist", like Mr Reagan was called "racist", and says  "the charge lacks merit and is stoked by political opponents seeking to sow fear (and hence cement support) in minority communities."

"That's a term they use for anyone who believes that a robust and growing market economy, rather than massive government bureaucracy, is the best way to promote upward mobility for the poor and the minorities," Mr Cohen writes.  

'It came out of nowhere, flying right at us,' recounts Everest avalanche survivor - India

19 apr 2014

'It came out of nowhere, flying right at us,' recounts Everest avalanche survivor

In this photograph taken on May 23, 2013, unidentified mountaineers look out from the summit of Mount Everest

Kathmandu:  A young Nepalese guide who survived the deadliest mountaineering accident ever on Mount Everest recalled Friday being "trapped" after the avalanche came crashing down the icy slopes, killing at least 12 of his companions.

The force of the avalanche fractured 22-year-old Dawa Tashi Sherpa's ribs and broke his shoulder blades, leaving him buried in neck-deep snow -- but he was fortunate to survive.

"I don't know how I survived," said 22-year-old Sherpa, who was airlifted to Kathmandu's Grande International Hospital after being rescued.

"I am the luckiest man alive," he told AFP from his hospital bed, while his wife -- five months pregnant with their first child -- waited to see him.

Sherpa was among a large party of Sherpas carrying tents, food and ropes who headed out for an early morning expedition ahead of the main climbing season starting later this month.

Sherpa said he left the base camp of the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) peak at around 3:00 am local time, armed with equipment to help fix ropes for commercial climbers.

As he scaled the mountain slopes in the dark, climbing ladders and walking on ice, dozens of guides kept him company, with several ahead of him and some others behind lugging up their gear.

The avalanche struck soon after daybreak at an altitude of about 5,800 metres (19,000 feet) -- in an area nicknamed the "popcorn field" due to boulders of ice that lie on the route leading into the treacherous Khumbu icefall.

"It came out of nowhere, this huge block of ice that fell from above, flying right at us," Sherpa said.

"I wanted to run but there was no time, we were just trapped."

Despite being hit by the full force of the avalanche, he said he managed to breathe and was conscious, though suffering from hypothermia.

He was eventually found by rescuers and airlifted to Kathmandu.

His doctor, orthopaedic surgeon, Chakra Raj Pandey, said he expected Sherpa to make a full recovery soon.

"He has suffered multiple wounds, but he is stable," Pandey told AFP, expressing optimism that his fractures would heal in around six weeks.

Unpaid Indian women workers sent home from Saudi Arabia - India

14 apr 2014

Unpaid Indian women workers sent home from Saudi Arabia

Riyadh:  The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia has finally repatriated a group of Indian women workers who were not paid their salaries for the past nine months by their employer.

The Indian embassy in Riyadh arranged the flight tickets for ten workers, who were on contractual jobs for a cleaning company in Riyadh, from the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) and mediated with the contracting company to safeguard their final exits, Arab News reported on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the contracting company which had employed the cleaners for two-and-half years allowed their final exit.

Eleven Indian women from Kerala last month appealed to the Indian embassy for help after they were allegedly not paid their salaries for the past nine months.

A worker, whose travelling documents could not be processed, will be repatriated next week.

They were not going to work since March 16, demanding that they will return to work only after their dues are paid.

Earlier last month, the Indian embassy expressed its concern over the matter.