Archive for the ‘generation’ tag

New generation of Myanmar leaders head to China (DNA)

Reclusive Myanmar leader General Than Shwe arrived in China for a state visit on Tuesday during which he is expected to introduce a new generation of military leaders to one of the country’s most important backers.

`Pancreatic degeneration can lead to diabetes’

Pollution may be one of the causes of pancreatic degeneration in the younger generation in developing countries.

Chief Electrical Engineer at Electrical utility of Aley

* Tasks & Responsibilities

1) In house:

• Coordinate with technical department to analyze the network, bring recommendations to allow greater efficiency of the grid

• Plan for future growth in the concession’s area

• Prepare drawings and technical documents to be submitted to ministry & follow up with ministry

• Develop technical specifications for purchasing department in coordination with EDL

• Assure that technical department is working according to clear technical specifications.

• Manage power system designs for new projects, including substations, collection systems, cable routing and sizing, protection coordination.

• Support supply management with technical documentation (specifications, schematics, wiring diagrams, protection schemes, scope of work) and review of supplier proposals.

• Provide technical supervision over electrical contents during construction and commissioning of new projects.

• Stay current with professional and industrial best practices.

2) Business development, renewable energy:

• Work with consultants to build pre-feasibility and feasibility studies in generation/ distribution projects

• Work with different contractors and consultants on the engineering, procurement and commissioning of work related to new projects

• Develop and implement maintenance policies for all electrical equipment to minimize downtimes and revenue losses.

• Maintain design documentation and document control throughout the project life cycle.

3) Other business development:

• Efforts include problem identification and root cause analysis, data acquisition, diagnostics and trouble shooting, technical change implementation.

• Assist management in business development work related to generation, thermal and renewable, transmission and distribution.

• Other duties as requested by management.

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In pursuit of fame

Famous French film maker Jean-Luc Godard has refused to step out of his Swiss home to go to Hollywood to accept the Oscar for his lifetime’s work. It’s not because Godard, 79, is still busy making films on miniscule budgets that he claims no one watches any more. It’s because he finds, like many others, fame to be extremely boring in an age and time when every third person you meet is an overnight celebrity.

Fame is pointless when it no longer distinguishes you from the rest and, worse, is not a special marker of your achievements. Today everyone’s chasing that fleeting moment of stardom which Warhol had once warned would become commonplace. It has. Like the S Class Benz or the duplex home with a sea view, fame has now become just another aspiration that any well heeled or well connected Indian can claim, buy or hire. Many do. So we have this huge menagerie of celebrities who are famous simply for being famous. We know they’re famous because they hog prime time on TV or rub shoulders with each other in newspapers and celebrity magazines that have flooded the markets today, living off the premise that the accoutrements of stardom can be sold to the gullible. It’s like a bored housewife going to a cosmetic surgeon, wanting to look like Katrina Kaif in the belief that such a transformation could change her life and make it what she presumes Katrina’s life to be.

We have chosen to disbelieve today that talent, hard work and great passion is the only sure route to fame, the kind of fame that the Great Masters enjoyed. There are no short cuts. Yet we pursue our fantasies of instant fame. One reality show, one break in the movies, one photo shoot, one silly award we believe can give you that moment in eternity that fame ensures. As a result, the rich and the powerful go all out to buy it as they would buy all those stupid toys that litter their life. The rest run in hot pursuit of it. Acquiring celebrity status is like what keeping up with the Joneses once was. You did it because everyone else was doing it too.

But is fame something to acquire? Or is it something others gift you out of admiration and love, in recognition of a talent you have that you may not even know yourself? History shows that some of the most famous people never even knew they were famous. They were proclaimed so long after their death when people recognised their amazing achievements. There were others who found fame a burden. It stood between them and their life’s work. One of the real hallmarks of fame is that those who have it are impatient to shrug it off and get back to doing what they do best, which is what brought them their fame in the first place. I have known some of the most remarkable people who were famous but had no time for their fame. They craved anonymity and often got it because the world respected them. Ritwick Ghatak, one of the greatest film makers of the last century, was a classic case. Amir Khan, the legendary singer, was another. Vasudev Gaitonde, the painter who died unsung in a Delhi barsaati. Nikhil Banerjee, possibly the greatest musician of his generation. Jibanananda Das, the poet, who fell off a tramcar and died, his body dragged for a furlong before anyone noticed. Badal Sarkar, the playwright, now 85, still refuses to be famous. Gaddar, the balladeer, who sang the first songs of revolution that labelled him a Naxalite. Mahasweta Devi, the novelist. These are people history will remember as truly famous.

Those who we think are famous today, the ones that leap out of newspapers and TV to assault our senses and claim our admiration, are just momentary blips on the screen. They will not even last out their lifetime in the limelight, however famous they may look to you and me today. If you don’t believe me, just pause for a moment and think of our first Superstar, Rajesh Khanna. He was called The Phenomenon. He walks down the road today, a forlorn, forgotten figure. No, I’m not being cruel to him. History is. It remembers only the really famous and hits delete on the rest. You can hog all the headlines you want. You can grab all the trophies and awards. You can buy your stardom for the present but you can’t hang in there unless you have the gift of excellence. Many don’t. So they strive for it. And excellence being a tough task master often consumes their entire life. So they have no time to live the life of the celebrity.
 
Though they never show it, these are people who fulfil their destiny. And no, none of them are celebrities. They are common people like you and me. Except that they went that extra mile to do extraordinary things with their lives. That’s what made them famous.

Sepco III and Al-Arrab win Ras al-Zour contract

Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corp (SWCC) has awarded Al-Arrab Contracting Co (ACC) and its Chinese partner Sepco III Electric Power Construction Corp the $2.42bn contract to build the electricity generation component of the Ras al-Zour power and water project, Meed has reported. The combined-cycle power plant will have a capacity of 2,800MW when the three and a half year contract is completed in early 2014.

Indian toilet model to be used in Afghanistan

Low-cost lavatory technique, developed by an Indian NGO, will be adopted by the US Army to build public toilets in Afghanistan, a senior US military official said.

The US troops will build at least 40 toilet complexes linked with biogas generation plants in Kandahar as a part of the reconstruction process in the country.

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Senior Specialist – Recruiting at GE Corporate

Business
GE Corporate

Business Segment
International

About Us
GE is a diversified technology, media and financial services company dedicated to creating products that make life better. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging and plastics, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide.

Role Summary/Purpose
Role Summary/Purpose
The Senior Recruiter Egypt will be part of the Corporate Recruiting Team and will have regional & functional responsibilities to deliver on Corporate recruitment.

Essential Responsibilities
Essential Responsibilities
You will be responsible for assigned recruitment functions within GE Egypt. For each new hire, you will manage and own the complete recruitment process from defining the role until offer acceptance.
You will be specifically responsible for:
* Management of Briefing/Recruitment Meetings with Hiring Managers and provision of regular updates on every recruitment project.
* Ensuring consistent high quality of job descriptions.
* Interviewing candidates, phone screening as well as face-to-face meetings will be required. Writing concise feedback about strengths and development needs, and making appropriate recommendations to line management.
* Manage and negotiate all contracts with candidates including expatriate contracts in close collaboration with HR, Hiring managers and C&B specialists.
* Throughout the complete hiring process you will be personally responsible to drive compliance (background checks etc) and to manage the update of the Recruitment Tools and metrics.
* Participate and where necessary support organizing career events and advertising campaigns.
* You will be directly responsible for the quality and timeliness of the candidate list presented to the Hiring Manager.
* You will dedicate a significant amount of time to proactive recruitment – linking in with short- and long-term headcount plans in order to anticipate and deliver faster on future recruitment need of our business.

Qualifications/Requirements
Qualifications/Requirements * You will have a University Degree * You will already have a minimum of 2 years experience within a commercial environment, ideally in recruitment. * You will have a flair for people and have an interest/knowledge in the oil and gas industry, coupled with an understanding of the labor market and culture. * You will have strong communication, organization and influencing skills, and attention to detail. * Dynamic and proactive, you will enjoy working in a challenging environment and working hard to achieve your targets. * You will be able to work autonomously whilst being a team player, able to multitask and work on a large number of recruitment projects at the same time, without losing attention to detail and to customer service. * You will be fluent in English & Arabic (written and spoken), * You will be prepared to travel regularly.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

Desired Characteristics
Desired Characteristics *Knowledge of French *Recruitment agency experience. Due to the nature of the work performed this position is open only to national citizens of Egypt, ideally already based in Egypt

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Kuwait to build safest N-plant

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 2: Kuwait will build a fourth generation nuclear reactor, which is considered the safest in the world, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily quoting Environment Public Authority (EPA) General Manager Dr Salah Al-Mudhi.
Al-Mudhi revealed …

Novel anti-malarial drug candidate discovered

Researchers discovered a novel compound that shows promise as a next generation treatment for drug resistant malaria.

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HR Admin Associate/ Specialist at Nestlé NEAR

Payroll Data Maintenance

1. Manages HR information in SAP

2. Maintains employee life events: hire actions for new employees, end of employment employees as well as hire action and end of employment for externals

3. Maintains employee movements: changes in personnel action and position

4. Ensures payroll for employees: maintain basic pay information upon promotion and confirmation, change in bank details (Payroll and Travel and Expense)

5. Ensures proper payroll income and deductions: computes, prepares and reconciles where appropriate all cash compensation, benefits, allowances and advances, e.g. 13th month, 14th month and 14th month adjustment upload list, prepares and reconciles Entertainment Allowance/ Clothing Allowance and Executive Perks upload list, VL and SL conversion activities, Staff Shop deductions, Rent Subsidy encoding, etc..

6. Safe keeps and manages 201 files of Nestle Business Services AOA Market

7. Time management: leave quotas

8. Attendance monitoring

Reports Generation, Certifications and Administrative Tasks (May vary from Market to Market)

1. Generate employee Master List for Requesting units

2. Generate Wage Type reports to check for corrections

3. Prepares monthly report of employee changes

4. Generate List of External Employees

5. Review, validate, and consolidate head count – regular & probationary employees

6. Review, consolidate, and validate headcount – non regular employees

7. Prepare employee productivity report

8. Generate remuneration statements

9. Prepare summary of loan availers for the period/year

10. Prepares certificate of employment, certifications of medical/health contributions/ housing loans.

11. Maintenance of 201 Files.

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Apple reinvents iPod nano with multi-touch interface new built-in clip for instant wearability

United Arab Emirates: Apple today unveiled a completely redesigned iPod nano featuring Apple’s Multi-Touch™ interface that lets users navigate their music collection by simply tapping or swiping a finger on the display. Nearly half the size and weight of the previous generation, the new iPod nano features a polished aluminum and glass enclosure with a built-in clip, making it instantly wearable. [AMEInfo.com]

Isro to attempt key test for new generation rocket on Sep. 8

After a failed test six months ago, Isro is making a fresh attempt on Wednesday to conduct long-duration static test of a crucial liquid core stage for a new generation heavy rocket which is being developed.

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MSEDCL working on power plant in Yavatmal

Power distributor MSEDCL has decided to indirectly foray into power generation to meet its future power requirements. As part of this novel venture, it has decided to set up a 555MW to 610MW power plant near Yavatmal.

Advertising Sales Executives at Zawya

To sell Zawya advertising services to agencies and direct clients in KSA

Major Responsibilities

* Develop a business plan in coordination with the Head of Advertising.

* Develop an advertising sales pipe-line for the geographical region of responsibility.

* Generation of sales leads, via a combination of cold-calling, attendance at seminars/events and meetings.

* Meet both individual sales targets.

* Forge successful external and internal contacts and relationships.

* Develop productive, revenue generating initiatives with a focus on new business.

* Prepare and conduct presentations to both clients and agencies

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Second generation Infiniti QX on sale in Saudi

Alhamrani United Co, the dealer of Infiniti cars in Saudi Arabia, has launched the second- generation of the new luxury SUV Infiniti car model QX56Auto, Saudi Gazette has reported. The new Infinity SUV features new innovative technologies including Blind Spot Warning and the advanced Hydraulic Body Motion Control system (HBMC) and will be offered in two specifications in Middle Eastern markets and with full-time 4WD as standard. The QX comes in either “Excellence” or higher specification “Luxury” grade with each grade having the option of either seven seats (with second row captain’s chairs), or eight-seater format (with a second row bench seat). It is equipped with a new 5.6-liter V8 engine that produces 400bhp and 57.1 kg-m of torque, while promising a 12% better fuel economy than the previous generation QX.

Telcos set to roll out 3G services

Telecom operators cheered the govt’s move to allocate 3G spectrum, which will allow them to offer high-speed data services to subscribers, and said they were set to roll out the next generation of mobile telephony across India.

Infiniti QX launched in Dubai

United Arab Emirates: The second generation Infiniti QX launched in Dubai is previewed by Phil Blizzard who talks to Antoine Barthes, GM, Infiniti Business Unit. This large luxury SUV is being described as a completely new car, ‘from the wheels up’ and its innovative onboard technology offers many features for safer driving. They also talk about the rebound in the luxury automobile market across the GCC. [AMEInfo.com]

Oracle Giving Student Coders Free Access to JavaOne

Oracle is hoping to entice a younger generation of Java programmers into its fold by offering students complimentary admission to the upcoming JavaOne and Oracle Develop conferences.

Sony offers new generation of lighter e-readers (Reuters)

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Sony Corp, hoping to spur sales ahead of the holiday shopping season, has slimmed down its electronic readers and also given them touchscreen control.

Venice film festival kicks off on Wednesday

VENICE, Italy – The Venice film festival kicks off Wednesday with a spotlight on the new generation of filmmakers as 41-year-old US director Darren Aronofsky raises the curtain with “Black Swan.”

Minister asks PMC to opt for electricity generation from garbage processing

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) got a pat on the back from minister of state for urban development Bhaskar Jadhav for its management of city’s garbage.

HR Advisors (Oil & Gas) at Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production LLC

Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production LLC (OOCEP) is currently experiencing significant organisational change due to the addition of new operated assets in Oman. To support the business in this time of transition, OOCEP is seeking to appoint HR Advisors (Omani nationals) with generalist HR experience, preferably from within Oil & Gas.

Reporting to the Business Support Manager, the HR Advisors will assist with the implementation of a broad range of HR initiatives and will participate in day-to-day HR activities that will ultimately ensure OOCEP sources, attracts, weards, retains and develops talent at the right skill level to enable the Company to achieve its strategies and develop its Human Capital base.

Key Accountabilities:

* Recruitment – run end-to-end recruitment processes for positions at a range of levels across the organisation and covering various disciplines. Specific activities include proactive candidate sourcing, online/press advertising, candidate screening, participation in interviews, interfacing with relevant stakeholders, recommendations on candidates, offer management and reporting. Candidate and job tracking will need to be kept up to date in the recruitment system.

* Onboarding – provide colleagues in Administration with relevant HR inputs to facilitate efficient onboarding of new employees.

* Induction – coordinate the HR elements of new employee induction in association with Administration and IT colleagues.

* HR Data Management – ensure that personnel files and other data repositories (paper-based or electronic) are kept fully updated with a range of administrative and HR inputs, and that the confidentiality and integrity of these files is maintained at all times.

* Compensation & Benefits – involvement with inputs for offers as part of the recruitment process, and related to existing staff as required for increments and promotions.

* Job Evaluation – participate as required in job evaluation and job analysis processes.

* Job Descriptions – help to ensure Job Descriptions remain up-to-date and relevant for all positions (staffed and forecast) across the organisation.

* Learning & Development – participate in L&D processes such as training needs analysis and the selection of training interventions in line with career ladders and succession principles/policies.

* Omanisation – activiley contribute to Omanisation initiatives transcending various HR disciplines.

* Reporting – generation of a range of reports on HR activities.

* HR Advisory – act as relationship/interface manager between HR and assigned departments/units.

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Talk about a generation

Close to 60 young boys have lost their lives in Kashmir in the last two months. The streets of Kashmir have not seen ‘normalcy’ during that time.

Lockheed Martin Advancing On Next-Generation Commercial Remote Sensing Satellite System For GeoEye

The Lockheed Martin team developing GeoEye’s next-generation, high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging satellite system known as GeoEye-2, announced they have successfully completed on-schedule a System Requirements Review (SRR), an important program milestone that precedes the Preliminary Design Review.

Director Education at British Council

Job aim

To lead on the strategic development and delivery of large scale education projects in NENA in support of regional and global strategies; and position the British Council as the partner for choice for UK stakeholders as well as regional governments, institutions and other key stakeholders for education related activity in NENA.

Duty and standards – measurable in terms of time, cost, quality or quantity. Please note this list is not to be regarded as exclusive.

1 Duty (25%): Strategy

To provide strategic leadership and coordination for all regional large scale programme (LSP) work in education across NENA.

Standards

• All education work significantly contributes to the NENA vision and strategy outcomes

• Clear integration of education with the NENA portfolio, programme areas and BC corporate education offer

• Targets set, monitoried and evaluated for all education LSPs and reviews contribute to a continual cycle of strategic development

• Regional Director (RD), country directors (CDs), sector and programme leads in the UK are satisfied with contributions to strategic development

• Key stakeholders are engaged and regard the UK through the British Council as a partner of choice

• Successful income generation strategies in place for all NENA education LSPs which enable NENA to expand educational work in the region

2 Duty (30%): Delivery

To provide overall leadership guidance of country teams managing NENA’s education LSPs

Standards

• NENA education LSPs and Full Cost Recovery (FCR) projects delivered to impact and financial targets including scorecard, which is the BCs principle organisational tool for monitoring and evaluation

• Strong financial control coordinated and achieved through country teams

• Lead on planning for NENA education LSPs/FCR to the guidelines set by the corporate centre

• Identify training and development needs of country teams to enable them to fully realise and delivery LSPs/FCR in country and ensure capacity building takes place

• Clear marketing and communications plans in place for all NENA education LSPs/FCR

• Customer service standards fully met

3 Duty (15%): Design and development of new opportunities

Where opportunities exist, to lead on commissioning large scale education programmes for NENA and/or contribute to the development of global LSPs ensuring a clear pipeline for education and continuity in the sector including for FCR

Standards

• Market research needs identified, prioritised and carried out to maximise the design and development of new opportunities and enhancement of existing LSPs

• Identification and design of commissioned projects is based on credible education sector expertise and experience

• Clear pipeline of projects to ensure continuity in education in NENA

• Education projects are strategically aligned to NENA and global strategy with clear outcomes and targets

• Strong financial case including income built into each commissioned project

• Strong monitoring and evaluation and marketing and communications strategies built into any commissioned project

4 Duty (15%) Partnership and relationship management

To develop and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners in the NENA region and the UK such as government ministries, institutional leaders, professional bodies and networks as well as with the UK education sector teams; and support CDs and country teams in each country to develop and strengthen relationships in education in each NENA country.

Standards

• Working with CDs maintain regular contact with key players in education as defined above

• Regular contact with donor and other international specialists in NENA

• BC UK education team satisfied there has been regular and productive contact

• UK and NENA stakeholders are satisfied with the relationships being built and maintained

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Deputy Director, Kazzinctech Ltd at Odgers Berndtson

Odgers Berndtson is Canada’s premier international executive search firm, specializing in recruiting services for top-level executives. With offices coast to coast, our collective resources, vast experience and extensive industry knowledge enhance our ability to deliver outstanding leadership talent to our clients. Odgers Berndtson understands that leadership capital is the prime source of competitive advantage.

On behalf of our client, Kazzinctech Ltd, we are seeking a Deputy Director.

Kazzintech is the design division of Kazzinc, a major fully integrated Zinc producer with considerable Copper, precious metals and Lead credits. All the company’s operations are in Kazakhstan, mainly in the East-Kazakhstan Region. They employ about 20,000 people in mining, ore dressing, metallurgy, power generation and mechanical production. Kazzintech was established in 2004 through the merger of three individual design departments.

The mandate for the Deputy Director is to introduce leading-edge project design procedures and processes, and to convert Kazzinctech into a modern project design organization that meets the highest international standards. In particular, the Deputy Director will be responsible to:

-Work closely with the parent company to carry out a SWOT analysis and audit of Kazzinctech, relative to the overall corporate strategy;

-Identify and develop a strategy to deal with the short and long term staffing gaps of qualified engineers (mining) and professionals with experience in complex designing of Greenfield mines;

-Develop a strategy to provide training to Kazzinctech’s design engineers in state-of-the-art western techniques implementing project management through high-efficiency processes and leading-edge software products;

-Establish a strong programme and project management culture for the organization – including procedures, processes, performance management, etc.;

-Ensure continued collaboration and strong working relationships with companies in the Kazakhstani area;

-Ensure standardization across divisions for design methodology and planning processes;

-Design and implement a quality control system for design products;

-Implement a matrix management structure across Kazzinctech’s operations and divisions.

The ideal candidate will have a significant understanding of international design standards and the ability to implement best practices. Experience in industrial design and construction and ore mining and processing will be key. A Bachelor or Master’s degree in a relevant field as well as a project management and/or design designation will be an asset.

If you are interested in applying for this position please contact Jennifer MacIntyre in our Toronto office at jennifer.macintyre@odgersberndtson.ca

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Chief Customer Services Officer, Negotiable – Tehran, Iran

One of the leading telecommunication providers in Iran is looking for a Chief Customer Service Officer, as a CCSO, you will be accountable for defining and delivering the Customer Operations Strategy through all contact channels and KPIs (Customer Satisfaction Index / staff satisfaction/ revenue generation / added value and efficiency) Duties:
* Accountable for delivering the Customer …

In Which Year Was The First Electronic Computer Made?

The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), first electronic digital computer, was built during 1937-42. It was built by John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry at Iowa State University. Atanasoff is now credited to the discovery of the first digital computer.

The ABC incorporated several major innovations in computing including the use of binary arithmetic, regenerative memory, parallel processing, and separation of memory and computing functions.

It has been considered for a long time that the first electronic digital computer was ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) and one can find that name in almost any Computer Science books as the first example of the first generation digital computer systems. ENIAC was built at the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of John Mauchly and J. P. Eckert. Work on ENIAC began in 1943 and it was completed in 1946. However, in the early seventies it was proven that the ideas behind ENIAC were taken from the ABC (Atanasoff-Berry Computer) computer.

Jaquar XKR runs at The Meydan, Dubai

United Arab Emirates: The 2010 Jaquar XKR 2010 is a second generation model with enhancements like the new V8 engine, offering impressive sprinting prowess.In this test drive at The Meydan, Dubai, Phil Blizzard experienced the Jaguar XKR, which is a grand tourer first introduced in 1996 as a replacement for the famous XJS. [AMEInfo.com]

Mahmoudia Motors launches new Jacuar XJ

Mahmoudia Motors recently unveiled the all-new Jaguar XJ introducing a daring new spirit to automotive luxury with a sleek, sporting and sophisticated design combined with breathtaking performance and advanced engineering. Building on the success of the new XK and XF models, the introduction of the all-new XJ is a landmark for the revitalised Jaguar brand. Clearly positioned as the company’s four-door flagship, it extends the appeal of the XJ to a new generation of customers.

Aging units + scanty rain = power paucity

Although the situation is still far from normal, there has been a slight improvement of late. The past two months were particularly tiresome owing to sharp decline in power generation because of scanty rainfall in July and August coupled with wet coal and old machinery at the major thermal power plants.

It’s over now to Rahul’s generation

Every political party looks to the future and the Congress is no different. It has to prepare itself for the 2014 parliamentary poll and if it has to ensure that its USP of attracting younger voters has to be used again, the average age of the office-bearers will have to be nearer to Rahul’s, writes Pankaj Vohra.

Solar power has potential to free Indin homes from grid’

Reducing prices of solar photo-voltaic(PV) cell panels and policy changes to make solar power generation attractive on a smaller scale will together make Indian homes and commercial establishments free of the need to source power from the grid of the power utilities, experts said on Saturday.

Nine million Britons ‘have never used Internet’

You may call it a generation gap in technology, but over nine million British adults have never used the Internet, official figures have revealed. According to the UK’s Office of National Statistics, the figures mainly include the elderly, widowed and people on lower incomes who are less likely to connect to the Internet, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported.

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‘Youth in Pakistan want peace and respect’

Shafqat
Amanat Ali, 40, is the son of legendary Pakistani singer Ustad Amanat Ali
Khan. Called the rock star Ustad, he represents the ninth generation of the
illustrious Patiala gharana. Among his popular numbers are songs from films
including Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Dor. In India on a four cities’ musical tour
covering Pune, Bangalore, Delhi and Chandigarh, Shafqat spoke to
Meenakshi Sinha:

Crown prince Rahul cannily turns left

Has Rahul Gandhi launched a campaign against Congress? More precisely, has the heir presumptive, affectionately dubbed a modern Lord Krishna by his more fervent fans, begun to undermine the Congress establishment, at the pinnacle of which sits Manmohan Singh and his home minister P Chidambaram?

This makes some political sense. Having milked the right-of-centre to the point of exhaustion, the Rahul Congress is steering towards left-of-centre. Meanings, of course, have changed. As the centre has shifted in the last two decades, ‘right’ and ‘left’ have moved along with it. ‘Left’ now represents populism, rather than ideology.  Marx died in the 1990s and even his ghost cannot escape from the effective burial given by comrades Mikhail Gorbachev and Deng Xiaoping.

The sabotage of big-ticket investment in order to fence the tribal vote in Orissa is only part of the developing story. The official catechism describes Naxalites as the biggest threat to India. If Chidambaram had his way, the air force would be bombing them. He must be a bit deflated at the sight of Lado Sikoka, a Naxal, preceding Rahul Gandhi at an Orissa public meeting around the same time that Manmohan Singh was urging, from a dais in Delhi, police chiefs to fight the good fight against Maoists. Sikoka had been arrested by this police on August 9 and beaten up, before being released so that he could welcome Rahul Gandhi with a garland at Niyamgiri.

It has always been clear to Delhi insiders that Digvijay Singh opened a front against Chidambaram with Rahul Gandhi’s permission. Outsiders now have confirmation. Since politics has very marginal room for sentiment, Chidambaram could become the first casualty in a Rahul Gandhi cabinet. It would be a sad end to a fizzing career were Chidambaram to end up as governor of Chhattisgarh, the better to counsel his supporters in the BJP on how to tackle Naxalites without help from the air force. Indeed, it cannot have been very helpful to our ambitious home minister that the most laudatory references now come from BJP leaders. Perhaps he raised the issue of "saffron terror" to pick up some long overdue brownie points from his own side.

No prizes for guessing who would become home minister in a Rahul Gandhi government.

The ultimate success for a ruling party is that delicious bipolar ability to occupy both government and opposition space. The British in India perfected the art of functioning through a loyal opposition. The Muslim League was so loyal that not a single League leader went to jail during the three decades of our independence movement. The Congress tended to be less loyal, but always recognized limits, until Mahatma Gandhi liberated the Congress and enough Indians from either fear or temptation. One cannot think of a Congress leader who did not go to jail.

Democracy, but naturally, induced a variant. Jawaharlal Nehru ignored the feeble right and absorbed the non-communist left into the Congress in periodic stages. His own leftist credentials were impeccable, which helped.

Indira Gandhi artfully split the left and right, until the Emergency united the rest against Congress. Their common antipathy lasted, more or less, until the NDA gave Congress and the left common cause. The new element is the sudden implosion of the Left in Bengal, which threatens to convert vacant space into a vacuum.  Even as Congress and Mamata Banerjee seek to destroy the CPM, they know the value of Marxist sentiment in the country’s polity.

It is axiomatic that a largely impoverished nation needs a political party that the poor can identify with. The Congress has set out to be the party of the poor in daytime, and of the rich at night. Its sunlight politics will fetch votes, its twilight policies will enable it to govern. This is an extremely clever act whose opening scenes are being played out for a new generation that is vague about Indira Gandhi and amnesiac about Nehru. The hero of this drama must have the charisma to dazzle the poor and the flexibility to keep the rich onside. That is the challenge before Rahul Gandhi. His avowed role is to be the guardian of the poor in Delhi, which means that the poor need protection from Delhi. He is at home with the elite in the evening and is now making the effort to capture the sunshine hours.

However, regional parties have been there, done that. They continue to do so. Naveen Patnaik understands the trap of governance. He has been forced to take a position on one side or the other of the day-night constituencies; and he does not have a Manmohan Singh to play the foil. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee could not manage this contradiction, but others have learnt. Patnaik, Nitish Kumar, Mayawati or Chandrababu Naidu will not be pushovers.

Paradox and problem intersect in any country; India’s size and potential make the challenge more complex. We will see whether Congress has the agility to use power to transfer power to yet another generation.

Mavis Staples reaches new generation of believers (Yahoo)

Reuters – Sixty years into her career, Mavis Staples overflows with enthusiasm for music, family and food. At 71, the voice of civil rights gospel group the Staples Singers is converting a new generation of fans, thanks not only to her energy and talent, but to collaborations with artists like Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, who produced her new studio release.

The birth of halal holidays (Guardian)

More and more British Muslim women are packing their bikinis, thanks to the growth in holiday companies with Islamic valuesMy taxi driver was not impressed with my choice of hotel. Do you like a beer? he asked me. I like a few beers when I’m not working but this hotel I take you to it is no good, no beer is available. It didn’t seem to occur to him that I might have chosen this resort for that very reason.I was on my way to the Club Familia hotel, 20 minutes’ drive from the port city of Cesme, west of Izmir ? one of Turkey’s main party resorts.British tourists flock to Turkey’s coast for cheap bars, clubs and beaches. And yet, as a Muslim country, Turkey has been selected as the main destination for a new breed of holiday, one that targets Muslims who want the same things as everyone else on the beach, bar a few concessions, and minus the alcohol.Under the slogan Sun, sea and halal!, a handful of hotels in Turkey are offering what are being dubbed halal holidays ? beach holidays that adhere to Islamic values. That means no alcohol and no wearing a bikini in front of a man who is not your husband.Crescent Tours and Islamic Travels, which both started trading last year, are two operators selling the concept to Britain’s estimated two million Muslims.Until recently, the Muslim travel market was dominated by agencies specialising in pilgrimages to Mecca. Flights to countries such as Pakistan and India account for the rest of the market; first generation immigrants, for whom holidays mean trips home to see close relatives.However, British-born Muslims are less shackled by an obligation to visit the relatives back home. Their home is the UK and their desire is to travel to other countries. Among my generation of under-40s, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t take at least one holiday a year in a foreign country, just like our non-Muslim counterparts. For many, though, these destinations involve compromise ? not using the mixed swimming pool or beach, for example. My sister has her own pragmatic solution: she’ll wait until everyone has left for the day before taking a swim.Muslim women often go to Dubai, Egypt or Morocco because that is what their husbands and children want ? but they cover up on the beach. On these new Islamic beach holidays you don’t have to. So no surprise it is women who are booking holidays with Crescent Tours and Islamic Travels. At first I was sceptical about the idea of an Islamic beach holiday in Turkey. How could you separate men and women on an open beach, in what is a relatively liberal country, I wondered.The Club Familia has been designed with an Islamic ethos, including a prayer room. I found it comfortable but the rooms were not particularly stylish or luxurious. Its best asset is its location ? a quiet bay with no competing hotels to spoil the view. From my balcony, I could look across to Greece.My room also overlooked the women-only beach, where I could see women in bikinis. And if I could, then so could the male guests. But then, as the hotel manager, Livant, told me later: We’re not as conservative as the media like to make out. We let the women decide how much they want to show of themselves but we draw the line at men and women sharing a beach or swimming pool. To be fair, the women’s beach is far enough away that men would get no more than a glimpse of a female body. And I later discovered there was the option for the kind of seclusion and dress that wouldn’t compromise one’s modesty in the slightest.Livant pointed at a young girl playing in the open-air pool with her father. It is OK for young girls to swim in it but if she is 10, or looks 10, she would not be allowed in. Instead, she would be directed, like me, to the women-only pool. Livant knocked on the thick wooden doors and stood out of sight as one of his female staff opened it and led me down, through a basement room with a gym and a relaxation area, to an outdoor pool safe from prying eyes.On the beach I discovered another neat option devised to offer women complete privacy. Bamboo screens about 20m high created a cloistered beach area, where I was met with the sight of half a dozen Turkish women on sunloungers, chatting among themselves and sunbathing topless. One of them explained that she and her friends had chosen the hotel because it was the only way they could enjoy a beach holiday like anyone else.For a swim in the warm, blue Aegean where they could be seen by men, they changed into their burqinis. These consist of a tunic, leggings and head scarf, usually made of a light polyester that allows them to swim but keep covered.The one time men and women are allowed to be together at the hotel is at meal times, in the vast dining room that overlooks the sea. The only drinks available were soft. I’m no fan of buffets but the lamb kofte were the best I’ve ever tasted. Each night there was a barbecue with a different option ? fish, chicken, liver ? and a dozen desserts, including jelly and cake as well as the traditional baklava. After dinner I drank mint tea in the shaded gardens.My trip to Turkey ended with two nights in Istanbul, where the tour operator provided me with an English-speaking tour guide. The Turquhouse Boutique Hotel Istanbul was alcohol-free ? and the only hotel I’ve stayed where the information board reads (in English): Dear Guest, direction of Kiblah and praying carpets are in the wardrobe.This reflects the philosophy of Mizan Raja, one of the founders of the London-based Islamic Travels, who says he doesn’t just sell holidays; the aim is to create a general sense of Muslim ummah (solidarity). We are distinctive because all our tour leaders are Muslim community leaders, scholars and academics, and our package also includes a night with local Muslim families, he says. Islamic Travels takes groups, which tend to be about 80% female and professional, in jobs such as medicine or banking, to Bosnia, Spain and central Asia.Only the unreliable weather and the fear of being attacked in the tabloid press has put him off offering Islamic beach holidays in Britain. He remembers the reactions of the Sun and the Mail to plans for a Muslim fun day at Alton Towers in 2006.Crescent Tours has only booked 100 British holidaymakers on to its halal holidays to date but Yasser Mohammed says bookings are increasing, and the company is gaining momentum as people find out about us on the internet. Although so far its only destination is Turkey, it plans to expand to Dubai and Egypt, and will tailormake itineraries.When I got back from Turkey I compared notes with Uzma Akram, a hijab-wearing English teacher from Birmingham who had also experienced the trip. Uzma had nothing but praise for her halal holiday in Antalya. I had an amazing time, she said. It makes me feel more comfortable knowing we don’t have to worry about people getting drunk around us and that what you are doing is not un-Islamic. It is really fun for women, as we have our own private beach and the chance to enjoy ourselves, which we couldn’t otherwise do.? An eight-night two-centre holiday with (crescenttours.co.uk) from £895. The price includes three nights’ B&B at Turquhouse Boutique Hotel Istanbul, five nights’ all-inclusive at Club Familia Hotel, flights from Heathrow, Manchester or Birmingham, transfers and a private tour of Istanbul. Islamic Travels (islamictravels.com) runs a range of trips aimed at MuslimsTurkeyBeach holidaysIslamguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

‘Dora The Explorer’ may change a whole generation (Yahoo)

AP – Don’t underestimate her just because she’s a little girl. Dora The Explorer is a multibillion-dollar franchise that may be creating a more enlightened generation, more open to different people and cultures not their own.

Hey, Boss: Workers Want Android, IPhone Devices

The days of the boss dictating which smartphone you’ll use are rapidly drawing to a close. A younger, tech-savvy generation of information workers is calling the shots, and it’s increasingly requesting consumer-friendly Android and iOS (iPhone) devices, according to a new report from market researcher Forrester.

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