New Bodo Body Seeks Separate State

Guwahati, Nov 20 : Around 42 bodies of Bodo tribal community formed a conglomerate — Bodo National Conference (BNC) — on the concluding day of first Bodo national convention on Friday for unification of all Bodo groups. The convention, held in Kokrajhar district, unanimously adopted a resolution to demand for

separate state for the Bodo tribals living in Assam. A four-member committee of the BNC was formed with BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) chief Hagrama Mahilary as chief.

Around 5,000 delegates participated in the convention. The pro-talk faction of NDFB (National Democratic Front of Boroland) also participated in the convention.

Pro-talk NDFB leader Govinda Basumatary is also part of BNC panel. Mahilary said that there was nothing wrong to demand creation of a separate state for Bodos.

Mizoram Bru Refugees Fail to Leave Due to Blockade

Aizawl, Nov 19 : Sixty Bru refugees, who were scheduled to return to Mizoram as part of the second phase of repatriation, could not do so today as anti-repatriation agitators blocked the road they were to take.

Sources from the relief camps in Tripura said over 100 people blocked the road preventing the refugees to leave for Mizoram.

As only a few Tripura policemen were deployed there, they could not disperse the agitators, the sources said.

Anti-repatriation leaders like A Sawibung and Bruno Msha of the Mizoram Bru Displaced People''s Forum (MBDPF) opposed the repatriation demanding a four-cornered negotiation among the MBDPF, the Centre and Mizoram and Tripura governments on a series of their demands.

Pro-repatriation leaders like Elvis Chorkhy of the Bru Coordination Committee (BCC) and Vanlallawma and Lalnunsiama of the Repatriation Implementation Committee (RIC) have expressed support to government plans to repatriate the refugees lodged in six relief camps in Kanchanpur.

Earlier the officials from Mizoram had completed identification of bonafide residents of Mizoram in three relief camps - Khakchangpara, Hampsapara and Kaskau - to be repatriated in the second phase of repatriation, but could not continue the identification process in other three camps due to road blockade by anti-repatriation elements.

During the first phase of repatriation on November three and four, 53 families have returned and resettled in Mizoram-Tripura border Mamit district.

Former Prostitute in 'Saved on the Strip'

A former Las Vegas lady of the night is on a mission to help other prostitutes find God.

Annie Lobert is a former Sin City prostitute who found Jesus and wants to help other girls do the  same on the new three-part series,

"Hookers: Saved on the Strip" on Investigation Discovery.

Lobert worked as a hooker for over 10 years before starting Hookers for Jesus in 2006. 

Lobert wants to help girls make a change - like she did when she began working with The Church of South Las Vegas.

Together with the church's pastor, the former hooker started Destiny House, a shelter for ex-prostitutes that would help get them off the streets.

"When I used to get arrested and the vice [cops] called me a 'hooker,' it really offended me," Lobert told The Post.

So now she tries to help other women from going down the same path of destruction. 

TV cameras follow Lobert as she tries to teach ex-call girls how to turn their lives around.

The three-part series, which premieres on Dec. 8, introduces viewers to several former ladies of the night.

"One day I was thinking, if I was reaching out to women and starting to go into casinos and saying, 'I can help you change your life,' and calling myself Annie, it would be a weird thing -- 'Annie Lobert's Reach Out.'" she tells The Post.

"So I figured Hookers for Jesus. I believe in God, for one, and I was a hooker and now I go and fish for people [to save]."

via Discovery

11 Feared Dead in Arunachal Heli Crash

Guwahati, Nov 19 : An Indian air force transport helicopter crashed in the mountainous northeast of the country near the border with China on Friday, with up to 11 people feared dead, a defence official said.

The Mi-17 Russian-made helicopter was travelling from Tawang in the state of Arunachal Pradesh to Guwahati in Assam with 11 on board when it crashed in bad weather, the official told AFP, asking not to be named.

"Preliminary reports indicate that it could be due to poor visibility," he said, adding that there was fog and snow in the area of the crash.

A spokeswoman for the air force in New Delhi, Priya Joshi, confirmed the crash, but she said there were seven people on board.

Arunachal Pradesh is a heavily militarised area of India that borders Tibet and is claimed partly by China.

The state was the scene of fighting in 1962 when China invaded India.

War Survivor in Arunachal Recalls Haunting 1962 Battle

By Utpal Boruah

Itanagar, Nov 19 : The bitter reminiscences of the bloody Sino-India war of 1962 are still afresh in his mind.

The sounds of bullets coupled with the screams of dying soldiers still haunt him even at the fag end of the life of Alorno Pul, who served as a porter during the Chinese aggression of 1962.

76 year-old Alorno, a local priest and a cultivator from Walla village under Hawai circle of Anjaw district in Arunachal Pradesh, served the Indian Army as a porter during the aggression at the Walong front.

He played the ethnic card to influence the commander of the Chinese army and save Indian lives on the warfront.

48 years after he stood amid ruins to help rebuild the Walong sector in southern Arunachal Pradesh, Alorno Pul was finally awarded recognition by the state government this November 16 during the National Press Day celebration here.

Alorno was one of several Mishmi (tribe) locals the Indian army had employed to carry rations, guns and ammunition to hill-top forward posts during the 1962 war. He did his job and more � use his ethnic affiliation with some Chinese soldiers toward minimising casualty and destruction.

Alorno's eyes turned moist as Arunachal PWD minister Nabam Tuki handed him a ''recognition'' certificate at state capital Itanagar, 950 km northwest of his village Walla in Anjaw district.

But the tears were more for the lives he couldn't save, and a card Indian army officers presented him after the war ensuring lifelong access to subsidised defence canteens.
"He lost the card a few years ago, and he is too modest to seek a replacement," says S Mining, extra assistant commissioner, Hawai circle under which falls Alorno's village.
"We hope the army issues this living legend a fresh card."

Sharing his experiences at the war front, Alorno said, "We were deputed at Walong Army camp and engaged in porter duty to transport ration items besides arms and ammunitions up to Namti and Dong where Indian Army were busy fighting the Chinese to protect the country's territory.

The ALCs (Auxilary Labour Corps) and other porters were engaged in the Helmet Top".
Alorno along with 122 other villagers from Walla, Kamdi, Changung, Ngi and Sung villages were engaged by the Indian Army as porters during the war. While most of his fellow comrades already died, he is the only one surviving till date.

"We had to work during the night time and were prohibited to use all sorts of lighting including smoking which could attract the Chinese Red Army," he adds.

After five days of the battle, the Indian Army was defeated and retreated from the block points of Namti and Dong along with the porters, while others who could not escape were captured by the Chinese Army, says Alorno.

Recalled the spine-chilling advance of the Chinese army, he says,"A few days into the war I found out their commander was also a Mishmi (Tibet region across the border has a sizeable population of this tribe) named Sohum Towsik. Our village chief and I met him and rekindled long-lost ethnic ties," he says.

After a few days, the Chinese army called Alorno and other locals to Walong and asked them to take care of a dozen abandoned villages and Indian army camps.

"We didn't realize when they (Chinese) went back," says Alorno. "We began carrying rations again, this time to save villagers from starvation."

"We have to face starvation at Walong following shortage of ration as the village along with its adjoining ones was deserted by the people. The situation forced us to depend on raw paddy abandoned by the villagers," he adds.

Though both the sides suffered casualties, the Indian Army suffered the worst with large number of death recalls Alorno with tears in his eyes.

The local authorities in recognition of his service did gift Alorno Rs 50 for helping in the rebuilding process, much of which went into buying food for his fellow villagers.

PTI

Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC): What is That? We Explain

Mandated to inquire into a specific subject, a JPC is constituted either through a motion adopted by one House and concurred by the other, or, through communication between the presiding officers of the two Houses. The members are either elected by the Houses or nominated by the presiding officers. As in the case of other parliamentary committees, they are drawn from different groups. The strength of a JPC may vary. For instance, one JPC comprised 15 members, while two others had 30 members each. The Lok Sabha share is double than that of the Rajya Sabha.

The first JPC was instituted to inquire into the Bofors contract on a motion moved by then defence minister K C Pant in the Lok Sabha on August 6, 1987.

What happens if the term of a Lok Sabha expires before a JPC completes its work?

When a committee is unable to complete its work before the expiry of its term or before the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, it reports that fact to the House. In such cases, any preliminary report, memorandum or note that may have been prepared by the committee is made available to the succeeding committee.

What are the powers of a JPC?

A JPC can obtain evidence of experts, public bodies, associations, individuals or interested parties suo motu or on requests made by them. If a witness fails to appear before a JPC in response to summons, his conduct constitutes a contempt of the House.

The JPC can take oral and written evidence or call for documents in connection with a matter under its consideration. The proceedings of parliamentary committees are confidential, but in the case of the joint committee which went into "Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions", the committee decided that considering the widespread public interest in the matter, the chairman should brief the press about deliberations of the committees.

Ministers are not generally called by the committees to give evidence. However, in case of the Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions probe again, an exception was made, with the JPC, with the permission of the Speaker, seeking information on certain points from ministers and calling Ministers of Finance and Health and Family Welfare.

The government may withhold or decline to produce a document if it is considered prejudicial to the safety or interest of State. The Speaker has the final word on any dispute over calling for evidence against a person or production of a document.

The second investigative JPC was set up to probe Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions in the aftermath of the Harshad Mehta scandal.

How many JPCs have been there till date? What have been their findings? Has anyone been convicted by them?

There have been only four investigative JPCs so far.

The first was instituted to inquire into the Bofors contract on a motion moved by then defence minister K C Pant in the Lok Sabha on August 6, 1987. The Rajya Sabha endorsed it a week later. The committee, headed by B Shankaranand, held 50 sittings and gave its report on April 26, 1988. Opposition parties boycotted the committee on the ground that it was packed with Congress members. The JPC report was tabled in Parliament, but it was rejected by the Opposition.

The second investigative JPC, headed by former Union minister and senior Congress leader Ram Niwas Mirdha, was set up to probe Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions in the aftermath of the Harshad Mehta scandal. The motion was moved by then minister for parliamentary affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Lok Sabha on August 6, 1992. The Rajya Sabha concurred with it the next day. The recommendations of the JPC were neither accepted in full nor implemented.

The third investigative JPC was assigned to probe the market scam. Then parliamentary affairs minister Pramod Mahajan piloted a motion in the Lok Sabha on April 26, 2001, to put it in place. Senior BJP member Lt Gen Prakash Mani Tripathi (retd) was named the chairman. The committee held 105 sittings and gave its report on December 19, 2002. The committee recommended sweeping changes in stock market regulations. However, many of these recommendations were diluted later.

The last JPC was set up in August 2003 to look into pesticide residues in soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages and to set safety standards. The committee, headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, held 17 sittings and submitted its report to Parliament on February 4, 2004. The report confirmed that soft drinks did have pesticide residues and recommended stringent norms for drinking water.

The last JPC was set up in August 2003 to look into pesticide residues in soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages and to set safety standards.

Why does the Opposition want a JPC?

The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament is supposed to conduct a detailed examination of the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG), scrutinising the yearly accounts of the Government. Having 15 members of the Lok Sabha and seven members of the Rajya Sabha, the chairmanship of the PAC conventionally goes to a nominee of the main opposition party. The PAC calls upon ministries to explain cases of financial irregularities. The Opposition argument is that the 2G spectrum scam goes far beyond accounting. A JPC can spread its net wider and go into the larger gamut of allocation and look into the role of various players. More, once a JPC gets going, it would help the Opposition keep the heat on the government through consistent reporting of proceedings. The moot point is that PAC chairman Murli Manohar Joshi is already waiting in the wings to go into the CAG report. In case the government accepts the demand for a JPC, in effect, it may mean both a JPC and PAC.

Source: The Indian Express

Indian-American Embezzled 34 Million Dollars

Boston, Nov 19 : A former Indian-American executive of Koss Corporation was on Thursday sentenced to 11 years in prison for embezzling $34 million from the Milwaukee headphones maker.

Sujata "Sue" Sachdeva, the company's former vice president of finance, had pleaded guilty to using company funds to pay her personal bills.

The 47-year-old Sachdeva admitted running up expensive bills at Milwaukee-area companies.

US District Judge Lynn Adelman imposed the sentence after Sachdeva made a tearful statement - her first public comments since her arrest 11 months ago.

Before being sentenced, Sachdeva apologised to her family, friends and former Koss colleagues.

"I know you were deeply hurt by my dishonesty in ways I never imagined or intended...I have lost everything that is dear to me, my marriage, my children, my career, my home and my freedom," she said.

Judge Adelman said that the sentence sought by Sachdeva was "simply not long enough" given the size of the theft and abuse of trust.

"This is a case where she just stole a lot of money. The loss amount is what makes this so serious," Adelman said and sentenced her to 11 years in prison.

Sachdeva's attorney Michael F Hart said he felt the sentence was fair, and that his client agreed.

Asked why she committed the crimes, Hart responded, "She's sick. There's no other way to say it. In a statement filed with the court yesterday, Hart argued that Sachdeva is not a future danger to society, and that she has cooperated with investigators.
He asked Adelman to consider her circumstances and said the situation justified a departure from federal sentencing guidelines that put her offense at a high level because of the amount involved.

Sachdeva's theft from the company happened as the result of her desperation to pay her shopping bills, to keep her panic under control, Hart argued.

"In simple terms, she made the purchases first, then used Koss funds to pay for them in a catch-as-catch-can manner," he wrote.

Sachdeva did not keep track of the amounts, he said. "She had all of her personal bills sent to the office, and just opening the bills would cause her to go gaga, break into a heavy sweat and have trouble breathing," Hart wrote.

Source: PTI

People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive"

Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds has been voted People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" for the year 2010. Click on to check out others in the list.

Ryan Reynolds

The 34-year-old Canadian star most famous for his role in "The Proposal" and his actress wife Scarlett Johansson are no doubt Hollywood's most good-looking couple. Reynolds also stars in the much anticipated sci-fi movie "Green Lantern".

Second in the list is 39-year-old "Mad Men" actor Jon Hamm.

"Twilight" actor and PETA activist Kellan Lutz is third in the list. When asked by tengossip.com about the secret of his sex appeal, the 25-year-old actor said, ""I cut back on my candy intake, swim a lot and try to drink as much water as I can. That's the best way to cut up."

Next in the list is 24-year-old Canadian rapper Drake.

TV star Matthew Morrison follows at fifth. The 32-year-old actor had starred in the 2002 Broadway version of "Hairspray" and also features in the popular series "Glee" on Fox TV.

Singer Jon Bon Jovi is number 6 in the list. At 48, the father of four is the oldest among the lot.

"True Blood" star Joe Manganiello figures at number 7. The 33-year-old is also known for his portrayal of Flash Thompson in the "Spider Man" film series.

Actor Robert Downey Jr. is next in the list. The 45-year-old is known for his roles in big movies like "Sherlock Holmes" and the "Iron Man" series

"Grey's Anatomy" actor Jesse Williams came in ninth. The 29-year-old actor had also starred in the Hollywood flick "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2".

As expected, 29-year-old singer/actor Justin Timberlake figures in the list. "The Social Network" star came in tenth.

Hollywood hunk Vin Diesel is at number 11. The 43-year-old "Fast & Furious" star is famous for his bald pate and tough guy looks.

Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal was ranked at 12th. It is no surprise, considering that the 29-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor is famous for his sex appeal.

Source: India Syndicate

Image credits: Reuters