ANALYSIS
Many fear Yanks may be colluding with India
New York Times Nov 23, 08 7:35 AM CST
(Newser)
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Pakistanis are fearful that the US is part of an India-Afghanistan plot to carve up the nation, writes Jane Perlez in the New York Times . Those worries have been fueled by a theoretical map drawn by US neoconservatives featuring a shrunken Pakistan and larger neighbors. “One of the biggest fears is the collaboration between India and Afghanistan to destroy Pakistan,” said a Pakistani insider. “Some feel the United States is colluding in this.”
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TRAVEL
With gratuity varying by country, it's important not to offend
Forbes Nov 20, 08 2:26 PM CST
(Newser)
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Knowing the appropriate level of gratuity can be tricky, and it gets even more difficult abroad, where tipping practices widely vary. Forbes offers some help, noting, for instance, that for a cab ride in South America, rounding up the fare to the next dollar is an acceptable tip, while in Europe or an African city 10% is expected.
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Send it to Davy Jones' Locker
New York Times Nov 19, 08 6:51 AM CST
(Newser)
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An Indian warship sent a large pirate vessel to Davy Jones’ Locker, after a pitched four- to five-hour sea battle, the New York Times reports, marking the second time in a week that India has clashed with suspected hijackers. The ship, which the Indian commander described as a “mother ship” was surrounded by two smaller vessels, which sped away as it burned.
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Landmark trip gathered data on lunar surface
Bloomberg Nov 15, 08 7:46 AM CST
(Newser)
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India’s Moon Impact Probe, decorated with the country’s colors, was a smashing success for India's space program when it rammed into the moon’s surface today, Bloomberg reports. The green, white, and orange probe hurtled downward for half an hour, gathering data on the moon’s surface before its crash landing. The mission was part of India’s $78.9 million plan to map the moon’s terrain.
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ANALYSIS
Drug Makers See Future in New Markets
Economist Nov 15, 08 2:47 AM CST
(Newser)
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The pharmaceutical industry is turning away from the US shores that helped fill its pockets and toward the developing world, the Economist reports. Massive growth has made markets like India and China too attractive to ignore, despite lower income levels and weaker patent laws. And many companies fear Barack Obama's health-care plans will mean major price cuts.
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coordinated blasts rip through Northeast
Associated Press Oct 30, 08 6:40 AM CDT
(AP)
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A series of coordinated blasts tore through India's volatile northeast today, killing at least 48 people, wounding more than 300 and setting police on a frantic search for any unexploded bombs, officials said.The largest bomb exploded near the office of the Assam state's top official, leaving bodies and mangled cars and motorcycles strewn across the road.
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Maneaters stalk villagers in West Bengal
Guardian (UK) Oct 26, 08 6:56 AM CDT
(Newser)
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First came the floods, now come the tigers. A remote village in West Bengal is dealing with a soaring number of tiger attacks since the powerful predators were driven across the border from Bangladesh by flooding. Villagers report 15 attacks already this year, six of them fatal, according to the Guardian . Crab fisherman wading alone through shallow waters are most often the victims, pounced on by tigers who drag them into the forest.
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BBC Oct 21, 08 8:58 PM CDT
(Newser)
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India has launched its first mission to the moon, the BBC reports. The unmanned Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft blasted off smoothly from southern Andhra Pradesh. The robotic probe is scheduled to orbit the moon for two years, during which time it will compile a 3-D atlas of the surface and search for minerals and water. China and Japan already have crafts orbiting the moon, and India was under pressure not to fall behind in the Asian space race.
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Outsourced call centers get ring-side seat for economic crash
Washington Post Oct 14, 08 9:49 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Most Indian call center employees develop a fairly utopian view of the US, which seems a land of brand-name splendor and plenty. Not so at Aegis BPO Services, a call center specializing in debt collection, where employees are getting an up-close and personal look at the credit crunch. “It’s like people are totally drowning,” said one caller. “There has just been years of overspending and now: the crash.”
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BBC Oct 3, 08 6:20 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The 2-day-old strike involving almost 150,000 Bollywood film workers has been settled, the BBC reports. Producers agreed to abide by an agreement that limits filming sessions to 12 hours and provides generous compensation and timely payment. "The strike is over and tomorrow we will resume work," the head of the producers' association told AFP.
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Congress passes agreement three years in the making to sell nuclear material
Los Angeles Times Oct 2, 08 7:19 AM CDT
(Newser)
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A deal with India to sell nuclear fuel and technology made it through Congress last night after 3 years of negotiation, the LA Times reports. The agreement, passed by the Senate moments before the bailout bill, repeals the 30-year-old ban imposed after India defied international law to develop a bomb. Supporters say the deal strengthens our relationship with India, a strategic counterweight to China. Opponents maintain that it rewards nuclear proliferation.
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Workers demand boost in pay, currently at $11-12 per day
Hollywood Reporter Oct 1, 08 1:28 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Bollywood workers began an indefinite strike today, with roughly 150,000 actors, dancers, and cameramen refusing to work, according to the Hollywood Reporter . At issue are late payments, non-union labor, and notoriously poor working conditions. Many technical workers make 600 rupees per day—or about $12. “It is within our rights to ask for better pay,” said one union’s chief.
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Prohibition carries $5 penalty in country with average income of $1K
Wall Street Journal Sep 30, 08 5:45 PM CDT
(Newser)
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India is about to institute a ban on smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants, hotels and hospitals, the Wall Street Journal reports. The ban, which begins Thursday, is being greeted warmly by health officials, with skepticism by smokers on the ground. “Such rules are made and broken every day," one said. “The ban will have no effect on me.”
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