General Affairs
2 Indians Questioned by Thai Police in Bangkok Bombing Case
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BANGKOK: Two Indians were questioned by the Thai police in connection with last month's bombing at a temple in downtown Bangkok, in which 20 people were killed.
Indian foreign ministry officials say they are trying to find out more about the detention. "We have seen media reports on two Indian nationals detained for questioning in connection with the Erawan bomb blast. We don' t know if the detention is a general step to investigate all those who may have come into contact with the suspects of the August 17 blast or for any specific illegal activity on the same or related issue."
The Indians, who are businessmen, were detained after investigations showed that they knew the main suspect, who stayed in the flat next to theirs.
Sources say both admitted that they knew the main suspect but denied any role in the terror attack.
Reports suggested that the Indians were seen on CCTV footage talking to the suspect. A person arrested in the case told police that the mastermind of the attack had fled the country.
The Indians were reportedly taken to a military camp for questioning, The Nation quoted police as saying.
Thai police is closely combing areas in search of people behind the August 17 bomb blast at the popular Erawan Brahma Shrine. Two foreign suspects have been arrested. One of them was carrying a Chinese passport.
BANGKOK: Two Indians were questioned by the Thai police in connection with last month's bombing at a temple in downtown Bangkok, in which 20 people were killed.Indian foreign ministry officials say they are trying to find out more about the detention. "We have seen media reports on two Indian nationals detained for questioning in connection with the Erawan bomb blast. We don' t know if the detention is a general step to investigate all those who may have come into contact with the suspects of the August 17 blast or for any specific illegal activity on the same or related issue."
The Indians, who are businessmen, were detained after investigations showed that they knew the main suspect, who stayed in the flat next to theirs.
Sources say both admitted that they knew the main suspect but denied any role in the terror attack.
Reports suggested that the Indians were seen on CCTV footage talking to the suspect. A person arrested in the case told police that the mastermind of the attack had fled the country.
The Indians were reportedly taken to a military camp for questioning, The Nation quoted police as saying.
Thai police is closely combing areas in search of people behind the August 17 bomb blast at the popular Erawan Brahma Shrine. Two foreign suspects have been arrested. One of them was carrying a Chinese passport.
Supreme Court Refuses to Entertain PIL on Pune Film Institute Row
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a PIL seeking its intervention to end the ongoing stir at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) opposing the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as Chairman.
"We decline," a bench comprising Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy said.
The court was hearing a PIL, filed by Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Dhanda alleging that the Centre was not taking effective steps to bring back normalcy in the the FTII at Pune which has been witnessing the students' agitation for almost three months now.
"The more disturbing part besides the strike, started by students almost 82 days ago, is the dragging of students into politics by various political parties, thereby complicating the simple issue into an unsolvable problem at present.
"The present situation has worsened to an extent that there have been various incidents of violence on the premises and students were arrested," the plea alleged.
"It is the duty of the Centre and I & B ministry to end the strike so that the tension in Pune comes to end and the careers of FTII students are not affected," it said.
During the hearing, Dhanda said it was unfortunate that the students had to go on strike for the appointment of a Chairman who has very little role in the educational aspect of FTII.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a PIL seeking its intervention to end the ongoing stir at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) opposing the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as Chairman."We decline," a bench comprising Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy said.
The court was hearing a PIL, filed by Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Dhanda alleging that the Centre was not taking effective steps to bring back normalcy in the the FTII at Pune which has been witnessing the students' agitation for almost three months now.
"The present situation has worsened to an extent that there have been various incidents of violence on the premises and students were arrested," the plea alleged.
"It is the duty of the Centre and I & B ministry to end the strike so that the tension in Pune comes to end and the careers of FTII students are not affected," it said.
During the hearing, Dhanda said it was unfortunate that the students had to go on strike for the appointment of a Chairman who has very little role in the educational aspect of FTII.
Arvind Kejriwal to Meet Rajnath Singh With Complaint Against Lt Governor
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NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today to lodge a protest against Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung for declaring his government's enquiry into a corruption scam dating back to 2002, as illegal.
The confrontation pitted Mr Kejriwal against Mr Jung, who acts as the representative of the Centre in Delhi. Last month, Mr Jung wrote a letter of complaint to Mr Kejriwal - also a practiced ritual now in their interaction - declaring that the Home Ministry had said the investigation into what is known as the "CNG fitness scam" was "legally invalid".
Mr Kejriwal's response, if delayed, was not unexpected. A court alone and not the Home Ministry can cancel his inquiry, his deputy, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia said.
Mr Kejriwal contends that cases like this prove that the Lieutenant Governor works as "an agent of the Centre" to encroach upon the turf of his government, which slammed other parties in the last election to accrue an outsized victory.
Mr Kejriwal has asked a panel headed by a retired judge to investigate an alleged swindle during the first of Congress leader Sheila Dikshit's three terms as Chief Minister of Delhi. The contract to check and issue "fitness certificates" for public transport using CNG was allegedly manipulated and a 100-crore scam was reportedly constructed with the collusion of government officers.
The Lieutenant Governor says that Mr Kejriwal's inquiry is illegal and the scam is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Branch. Mr Kejriwal has already asked the Delhi High Court to declare that the agency should report to him, and not Mr Jung.
The Centre and Mr Jung say that as a Union Territory, key matters of Delhi's administration rest with the Union government and its representative, the Lieutenant Governor.
NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today to lodge a protest against Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung for declaring his government's enquiry into a corruption scam dating back to 2002, as illegal.The confrontation pitted Mr Kejriwal against Mr Jung, who acts as the representative of the Centre in Delhi. Last month, Mr Jung wrote a letter of complaint to Mr Kejriwal - also a practiced ritual now in their interaction - declaring that the Home Ministry had said the investigation into what is known as the "CNG fitness scam" was "legally invalid".
Mr Kejriwal contends that cases like this prove that the Lieutenant Governor works as "an agent of the Centre" to encroach upon the turf of his government, which slammed other parties in the last election to accrue an outsized victory.
Mr Kejriwal has asked a panel headed by a retired judge to investigate an alleged swindle during the first of Congress leader Sheila Dikshit's three terms as Chief Minister of Delhi. The contract to check and issue "fitness certificates" for public transport using CNG was allegedly manipulated and a 100-crore scam was reportedly constructed with the collusion of government officers.
The Lieutenant Governor says that Mr Kejriwal's inquiry is illegal and the scam is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Branch. Mr Kejriwal has already asked the Delhi High Court to declare that the agency should report to him, and not Mr Jung.
The Centre and Mr Jung say that as a Union Territory, key matters of Delhi's administration rest with the Union government and its representative, the Lieutenant Governor.
Indian-US Team Identifies Genetic Target for Treating Colorectal Cancer
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KOLKATA: Making strides in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most common cancer in the world, a team of researchers from India and the US has identified a genetic target for potential drug therapy against the dreaded disease.
Also called colon, rectal or bowel cancer, CRC is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women worldwide.
"We have reported that the SPINK 1 gene is a potential therapeutic target in colorectal cancer (CRC)," Bushra Ateeq, lead author of the study and assistant professor, department of biological sciences and bioengineering at IIT-Kanpur, told IANS on the phone.
"In the light of increasing resistance to therapies (such as the anti-EGFR therapy) against CRC, we feel that targeting SPINK1 protein may be a tenable treatment option in CRC patients," Mr Ateeq said.
According to the US National Institute of Health (NIH), about 132,700 new CRC cases are likely to be diagnosed this year, and 49,700 patients are estimated to succumb in the US alone.
The low incidence rates for India (4.2 and 3.2 per 100,000 in males and females) compared to developed nations, is largely attributed to a plant-based and anti-oxidant rich diet. But a steady increase in CRC cases has been noted due to urbanisation and lifestyle changes, including dietary habits.
Given the global implications, experts from the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur and Michigan Center for Translational Pathology at the University of Michigan embarked on a collaborative project to zero-in on the SPINK1 gene.
What makes this approach click?
Like most, this gene too serves as the blueprint of a protein.
In healthy individuals, this protein is secreted by pancreatic cells into the pancreatic juice and plays a protective role for the mucosal lining of the colon and gastrointestinal tract.
In contrast, during cancer progression (such as colon, lung, breast and prostate) SPINK1 is over-expressed, which means too much of the coded protein is produced.
"But the case is just opposite for metallothioneins (MT) - a group of small proteins that maintain a balanced environment inside the normal colon by protecting it against heavy metals and eliciting anti-inflammatory response," Mr Ateeq said.
However, the expression level of these small proteins was found to be down in CRC.
The scientists took advantage of this co-relation and discovered that the cancer cells' sensitivity to drugs could be manipulated by altering the SPINK1 levels.
"When we targeted SPINK1 gene (as in making it inoperative as a coding agent), the SPINK1 protein levels went down as anticipated, but the expression levels of MT went up and the cells become much more sensitive to cancer drugs," explained Mr Ateeq.
Basically, targeting the SPINK1 gene for therapy is just like killing two birds with one stone.
In the study, published online in the Oncogenesis journal in August, the researchers demonstrated the heightened sensitivity to the drug doxorubicin in SPINK1-silenced colorectal cancer lines in the lab.
Ateeq said the team is now focusing on the mechanisms to target the SPINK1 gene.
The study has implications globally, she said, adding in India, there is a need to change mindsets.
"The molecular stratification of the cancer patients in India is very poor. There is a need to change mindsets and stress on what molecular drivers trigger CRC," she added.
KOLKATA: Making strides in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most common cancer in the world, a team of researchers from India and the US has identified a genetic target for potential drug therapy against the dreaded disease.Also called colon, rectal or bowel cancer, CRC is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women worldwide.
"We have reported that the SPINK 1 gene is a potential therapeutic target in colorectal cancer (CRC)," Bushra Ateeq, lead author of the study and assistant professor, department of biological sciences and bioengineering at IIT-Kanpur, told IANS on the phone.
According to the US National Institute of Health (NIH), about 132,700 new CRC cases are likely to be diagnosed this year, and 49,700 patients are estimated to succumb in the US alone.
The low incidence rates for India (4.2 and 3.2 per 100,000 in males and females) compared to developed nations, is largely attributed to a plant-based and anti-oxidant rich diet. But a steady increase in CRC cases has been noted due to urbanisation and lifestyle changes, including dietary habits.
Given the global implications, experts from the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur and Michigan Center for Translational Pathology at the University of Michigan embarked on a collaborative project to zero-in on the SPINK1 gene.
What makes this approach click?
Like most, this gene too serves as the blueprint of a protein.
In healthy individuals, this protein is secreted by pancreatic cells into the pancreatic juice and plays a protective role for the mucosal lining of the colon and gastrointestinal tract.
In contrast, during cancer progression (such as colon, lung, breast and prostate) SPINK1 is over-expressed, which means too much of the coded protein is produced.
"But the case is just opposite for metallothioneins (MT) - a group of small proteins that maintain a balanced environment inside the normal colon by protecting it against heavy metals and eliciting anti-inflammatory response," Mr Ateeq said.
However, the expression level of these small proteins was found to be down in CRC.
The scientists took advantage of this co-relation and discovered that the cancer cells' sensitivity to drugs could be manipulated by altering the SPINK1 levels.
"When we targeted SPINK1 gene (as in making it inoperative as a coding agent), the SPINK1 protein levels went down as anticipated, but the expression levels of MT went up and the cells become much more sensitive to cancer drugs," explained Mr Ateeq.
Basically, targeting the SPINK1 gene for therapy is just like killing two birds with one stone.
In the study, published online in the Oncogenesis journal in August, the researchers demonstrated the heightened sensitivity to the drug doxorubicin in SPINK1-silenced colorectal cancer lines in the lab.
Ateeq said the team is now focusing on the mechanisms to target the SPINK1 gene.
The study has implications globally, she said, adding in India, there is a need to change mindsets.
"The molecular stratification of the cancer patients in India is very poor. There is a need to change mindsets and stress on what molecular drivers trigger CRC," she added.
New Device Revives Dead Hearts for Transplant
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WASHINGTON: Transplant surgeons claim to have used a 'heart-in-a-box' device to "revive" hearts from people who have recently died and use the organs to save others.
The USD 250,000 device is a wheeled cart with an oxygen supply, a sterile chamber, and tubing to clamp onto a donor heart and keep it fed with blood and nutrients.
Doctors said it may extend the time a heart can last outside the body.
In at least 15 cases, surgeons in the UK and Australia say they have used the system to successfully transplant hearts removed from patients after they have died.
Typically, heart transplants only come from brain-dead donors whose hearts are cut away while their bodies are still healthy.
The device, developed by Transmedics, an Andover, Massachusetts-based company, is pending approval in the US.
It could expand the number of donated hearts by between 15 per cent and 30 per cent, say doctors.
Earlier this year, in the journal Lancet, surgeons at St Vincent's Hospital in New South Wales described three cases in which they waited as little as two minutes after a person's heart stopped before they began removing it.
Within 20 minutes, they had attached it to the Transmedics rig, where it began beating again after being fed with oxygenated blood and electrolytes.
Without such help, surgeons consider hearts from dead donors too damaged to use, 'MIT Technology Review' reported.
"The device is vital. The heart gets an absolutely essential infusion of blood to restore its energy," said Stephen Large, a surgeon at Papworth Hospital in the UK, which has used the system as part of eight heart transplants.
In seven of the eight cases involving the Transmedics device, Large said, his team restarted the heart inside the dead patient.
Following cessation of circulation, his team waited five minutes, then quickly clamped off the blood supply to the brain and restarted the donor's heart without removing it.
With the heart pumping, Large said, it's possible to check its condition with accuracy and also maintain the blood flow to the kidney and liver, preserving those organs as well.
After being observed beating inside the donor, he said, the hearts were removed and placed on the Transmedics device for transport to the recipients.
WASHINGTON: Transplant surgeons claim to have used a 'heart-in-a-box' device to "revive" hearts from people who have recently died and use the organs to save others.The USD 250,000 device is a wheeled cart with an oxygen supply, a sterile chamber, and tubing to clamp onto a donor heart and keep it fed with blood and nutrients.
Doctors said it may extend the time a heart can last outside the body.
In at least 15 cases, surgeons in the UK and Australia say they have used the system to successfully transplant hearts removed from patients after they have died.
Typically, heart transplants only come from brain-dead donors whose hearts are cut away while their bodies are still healthy.
It could expand the number of donated hearts by between 15 per cent and 30 per cent, say doctors.
Earlier this year, in the journal Lancet, surgeons at St Vincent's Hospital in New South Wales described three cases in which they waited as little as two minutes after a person's heart stopped before they began removing it.
Within 20 minutes, they had attached it to the Transmedics rig, where it began beating again after being fed with oxygenated blood and electrolytes.
Without such help, surgeons consider hearts from dead donors too damaged to use, 'MIT Technology Review' reported.
"The device is vital. The heart gets an absolutely essential infusion of blood to restore its energy," said Stephen Large, a surgeon at Papworth Hospital in the UK, which has used the system as part of eight heart transplants.
In seven of the eight cases involving the Transmedics device, Large said, his team restarted the heart inside the dead patient.
Following cessation of circulation, his team waited five minutes, then quickly clamped off the blood supply to the brain and restarted the donor's heart without removing it.
With the heart pumping, Large said, it's possible to check its condition with accuracy and also maintain the blood flow to the kidney and liver, preserving those organs as well.
After being observed beating inside the donor, he said, the hearts were removed and placed on the Transmedics device for transport to the recipients.
Business Affairs
Sensex falls over 1%, closes at 15-month low
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The BSE Sensex fell more than 1 per cent on Monday, marking its lowest close in 15 months, as fears of a deficient monsoon and weak rupee compounded lingering worries about an economic slowdown in China.
The India Meteorological Department expects monsoon rains to be 82 per cent of long-term average this year, weakening further from the previous forecast of 88 per cent of the long-term average, NewsRise reported, quoting a senior weather office official.
The Sensex closed 1.22 percent lower, marking its lowest close since June 4, 2014.
The broader NSE index ended down 1.26 per cent, its lowest close since July 15, 2014.
The BSE Sensex fell more than 1 per cent on Monday, marking its lowest close in 15 months, as fears of a deficient monsoon and weak rupee compounded lingering worries about an economic slowdown in China.
The India Meteorological Department expects monsoon rains to be 82 per cent of long-term average this year, weakening further from the previous forecast of 88 per cent of the long-term average, NewsRise reported, quoting a senior weather office official.
The Sensex closed 1.22 percent lower, marking its lowest close since June 4, 2014.
The broader NSE index ended down 1.26 per cent, its lowest close since July 15, 2014.
RBI may go for 50 bps more rate cut: DBS report
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India is likely to grow at 7.4 per cent this fiscal, slightly lower than the earlier estimate of 7.6 per cent, a DBS report said on Monday adding the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may go for 50 bps more rate cuts amid slower growth and faster than expected pullback in inflation.
According to the global financial services major, upturn in growth for the Indian economy would be more gradual, with the consumption and investment turnaround likely to be slower than anticipated. "We revise down our FY15/16 growth estimate to 7.4 per cent (as against 7.6 per cent earlier), inching up to 8 per cent in FY16/17 (as against 8.3 per cent earlier)," DBS said in a research note.
India's GDP growth rate slipped to 7 per cent in the April-June quarter of 2015-16, from 7.5 per cent in the preceding quarter. "Against the backdrop of slower growth and faster-than -expected pullback in inflation, we revise our rate call to include 50 bps more rate cuts in this fiscal, first of which is likely this month," the report added.
According to DBS, inflationary expectations will stay tempered amidst soft commodity prices. It expects the September-December CPI inflation to average around 5 per cent, still below the January 2016 CPI target of 6 per cent. RBI, which has lowered the benchmark rate by a combined 75 basis points so far this year in three instalments, will hold its next bi-monthly monetary policy meet on September 29.
Rate cuts by the central bank will be influenced by the US Fed rate decision and China-linked volatility. "Assuming stable market conditions in the run-up to the September review and fading US hike risks, the RBI is on course to lower rates," it said. It further added that if the US hikes interest rates in September, the RBI will sit on its hands for the time being to allow markets to stabilise and price in further rate increases, before pushing domestic rates lower.
India is likely to grow at 7.4 per cent this fiscal, slightly lower than the earlier estimate of 7.6 per cent, a DBS report said on Monday adding the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may go for 50 bps more rate cuts amid slower growth and faster than expected pullback in inflation.
According to the global financial services major, upturn in growth for the Indian economy would be more gradual, with the consumption and investment turnaround likely to be slower than anticipated. "We revise down our FY15/16 growth estimate to 7.4 per cent (as against 7.6 per cent earlier), inching up to 8 per cent in FY16/17 (as against 8.3 per cent earlier)," DBS said in a research note.
India's GDP growth rate slipped to 7 per cent in the April-June quarter of 2015-16, from 7.5 per cent in the preceding quarter. "Against the backdrop of slower growth and faster-than -expected pullback in inflation, we revise our rate call to include 50 bps more rate cuts in this fiscal, first of which is likely this month," the report added.
According to DBS, inflationary expectations will stay tempered amidst soft commodity prices. It expects the September-December CPI inflation to average around 5 per cent, still below the January 2016 CPI target of 6 per cent. RBI, which has lowered the benchmark rate by a combined 75 basis points so far this year in three instalments, will hold its next bi-monthly monetary policy meet on September 29.
Rate cuts by the central bank will be influenced by the US Fed rate decision and China-linked volatility. "Assuming stable market conditions in the run-up to the September review and fading US hike risks, the RBI is on course to lower rates," it said. It further added that if the US hikes interest rates in September, the RBI will sit on its hands for the time being to allow markets to stabilise and price in further rate increases, before pushing domestic rates lower.
India ranks low on inclusive growth, development: World Economic Forum
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The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked India globally towards the lower end on most of the parameters indicative of inclusive growth and development, although the country fares much better on the scale business and political ethics.
India has mostly been ranked in the bottom half of the 38 countries that make up our lower middle income bracket, in the first such global rankings issued by the Switzerland-based think tank.
Areas where India ranks low include fiscal transfers, where it ranks 37 out of 38, on "tax code" at 32nd, and 36th on social protection.
WEF said another area that policymakers in India would need to prioritise improvement would be "Asset building and entrepreneurship", especially in the sphere of "Small business ownership", where India ranks at the bottom at 38th place.
WEF, however, said India demonstrates leadership in other areas like corruption and rents, where it comes 8th.
India ranks 12th in business and political ethics, while it ranks 11th on the "Financial intermediation of real economy investment pillar", which is an indicator of the fact that money invested in the economy generally gets directed towards productive uses.
Ranking countries in terms of their per capita income levels, the World Economic Forum found that most countries are missing major opportunities to reduce income inequality, which is also the case with India.
"Our message is unequivocally that leaders must pursue economic strategies that are at the same time pro-growth and pro-labour," WEF, which organises the noted economic conclave in Davos, Switzerland, said while releasing the report in Geneva.
It said the new study, conducted over the last two years, seeks to identify the various ways policymakers can drive economic growth and equity at the same time - and assesses them on their relative success in implementing them.
WEF said its first Inclusive Growth and Development Report covering 112 economies presents a new framework for assessing countries' efforts to foster economic growth that raises the living standards of entire societies.
"Around the world, no bigger policy challenge preoccupies political leaders than expanding social participation in the process and benefits of economic growth," WEF said.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked India globally towards the lower end on most of the parameters indicative of inclusive growth and development, although the country fares much better on the scale business and political ethics.
India has mostly been ranked in the bottom half of the 38 countries that make up our lower middle income bracket, in the first such global rankings issued by the Switzerland-based think tank.
Areas where India ranks low include fiscal transfers, where it ranks 37 out of 38, on "tax code" at 32nd, and 36th on social protection.
WEF said another area that policymakers in India would need to prioritise improvement would be "Asset building and entrepreneurship", especially in the sphere of "Small business ownership", where India ranks at the bottom at 38th place.
WEF, however, said India demonstrates leadership in other areas like corruption and rents, where it comes 8th.
India ranks 12th in business and political ethics, while it ranks 11th on the "Financial intermediation of real economy investment pillar", which is an indicator of the fact that money invested in the economy generally gets directed towards productive uses.
Ranking countries in terms of their per capita income levels, the World Economic Forum found that most countries are missing major opportunities to reduce income inequality, which is also the case with India.
"Our message is unequivocally that leaders must pursue economic strategies that are at the same time pro-growth and pro-labour," WEF, which organises the noted economic conclave in Davos, Switzerland, said while releasing the report in Geneva.
It said the new study, conducted over the last two years, seeks to identify the various ways policymakers can drive economic growth and equity at the same time - and assesses them on their relative success in implementing them.
WEF said its first Inclusive Growth and Development Report covering 112 economies presents a new framework for assessing countries' efforts to foster economic growth that raises the living standards of entire societies.
"Around the world, no bigger policy challenge preoccupies political leaders than expanding social participation in the process and benefits of economic growth," WEF said.
China revises down 2014 GDP growth to 7.3 per cent from 7.4 per cent
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China has revised its annual economic growth rate in 2014 to 7.3 per cent from the previously released figure of 7.4 per cent, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday.
Gross domestic product stood at 63.6 trillion yuan ($10.00 trillion) last year, down by 32.4 billion yuan from the initial estimate, the bureau said in a statement on its website.
"The bureau has revised down 2014 growth of the services sector by 0.3 percentage points to 7.8 per cent, which helped drag down estimated GDP growth rate", it said.
The primary sector - the agriculture sector - grew 4.1 per cent last year, while growth of the secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, rose 7.3 per cent.
"After the revision, the services sector accounted for 48.1 per cent of GDP last year, down from the previously announced 48.2 per cent", the bureau said.
The manufacturing and construction sector accounted for 42.7 per cent of GDP while the farm sector accounted for 9.2 per cent.
The world's second-largest economy grew 7 per cent in the first half from a year earlier - in line with the government's target for 2015, but recent downbeat data has raised the risk the government could miss the full-year growth target.
China has revised its annual economic growth rate in 2014 to 7.3 per cent from the previously released figure of 7.4 per cent, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday.
Gross domestic product stood at 63.6 trillion yuan ($10.00 trillion) last year, down by 32.4 billion yuan from the initial estimate, the bureau said in a statement on its website.
"The bureau has revised down 2014 growth of the services sector by 0.3 percentage points to 7.8 per cent, which helped drag down estimated GDP growth rate", it said.
The primary sector - the agriculture sector - grew 4.1 per cent last year, while growth of the secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, rose 7.3 per cent.
"After the revision, the services sector accounted for 48.1 per cent of GDP last year, down from the previously announced 48.2 per cent", the bureau said.
The manufacturing and construction sector accounted for 42.7 per cent of GDP while the farm sector accounted for 9.2 per cent.
The world's second-largest economy grew 7 per cent in the first half from a year earlier - in line with the government's target for 2015, but recent downbeat data has raised the risk the government could miss the full-year growth target.
90 per cent employees complain about salary disparity: Survey
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India Inc is being blamed for playing favourites when it comes to pay packages, as 90 per cent of employees feel there is no pay parity in their organisations for the same role and level, a survey says.
According to a survey by JobBuzz.in, the employer rating platform from TimesJobs.com, employees believe their companies pay external hires and favourites more. "Employers need to address aberrations and correct misperceptions tactfully as these directly impact employee motivation, performance, productivity and loyalty," TimesJobs.com COO Vivek Madhukar said.
The survey noted that nearly 40 per cent of professionals feel this salary disparity is due to external hires being paid more while 35 per cent say it is due to favouritism by managers. Only 5 per cent reason the disparity is the result of better individual performance. "It is essential for companies to conduct salary- benchmarking surveys and correct actual and perceived inequalities in compensation among their workforce. This will help them meet employee expectations and significantly improve performance and motivation levels," Madhukar added.
Moreover, many employees feel there is still a significant salary disparity between the genders for the same profile. "Nearly 43 per cent employees say there is a considerable difference in the salaries paid to male and female employees for the same role and level in their organisations," the survey said. "Nearly 25 per cent respondents held that the level of salary disparity between male and female employees ranges between 10 and 20 per cent. And 21 per cent employees feel there is 20-30 per cent disparity between male and female employees," it added. Another 7 per cent employees say the disparity is higher than 30 per cent in their own companies.
India Inc is being blamed for playing favourites when it comes to pay packages, as 90 per cent of employees feel there is no pay parity in their organisations for the same role and level, a survey says.
According to a survey by JobBuzz.in, the employer rating platform from TimesJobs.com, employees believe their companies pay external hires and favourites more. "Employers need to address aberrations and correct misperceptions tactfully as these directly impact employee motivation, performance, productivity and loyalty," TimesJobs.com COO Vivek Madhukar said.
The survey noted that nearly 40 per cent of professionals feel this salary disparity is due to external hires being paid more while 35 per cent say it is due to favouritism by managers. Only 5 per cent reason the disparity is the result of better individual performance. "It is essential for companies to conduct salary- benchmarking surveys and correct actual and perceived inequalities in compensation among their workforce. This will help them meet employee expectations and significantly improve performance and motivation levels," Madhukar added.
Moreover, many employees feel there is still a significant salary disparity between the genders for the same profile. "Nearly 43 per cent employees say there is a considerable difference in the salaries paid to male and female employees for the same role and level in their organisations," the survey said. "Nearly 25 per cent respondents held that the level of salary disparity between male and female employees ranges between 10 and 20 per cent. And 21 per cent employees feel there is 20-30 per cent disparity between male and female employees," it added. Another 7 per cent employees say the disparity is higher than 30 per cent in their own companies.
General Awareness
United India Insurance Company (UIIC) Assistant exam Computer Knowledge Solved Paper
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1. Which one of the following would not be considered as a form of secondary storage?
(a) Floppy Disk (b) Optical Disk (c) RAM (d) Flash Drive (e) Hard Disk (Ans : c)
2. The Processor is an example of computer–
(a) Software (b) Output Unit (c) Storage (d) Program (e) Hardware (Ans : e)
3. A hexadecimal number is a number to the base–
(a) 2 (b) 20 (c) 16 (d) 4 (e) 8 (Ans : c)
4. Java in computer programming is a–
(a) Compiler (b) Hardware Device Driver (c) Low-level Language
(d) High-level Language (e) Programming Mid-level Language (Ans : d)
5. Which of the following is not a binary number?
(a) 01010 (b) 11111 (c) 31121 (d) 00000 (e) 110110 (Ans : c)
6. What does the acronym WAN stand for?
(a) Widest Area Network (b) Wild Area Network (c) Wide Area Networking
(d) Wide Area. Network (e) Wider Area Network (Ans : d)
7. FTP is an acronym for–
(a) File Transaction Protocol (b) File Truncation Protocol (c) File Translation Protocol
(d) File Transfer Protocol (e) File Transmission Protocol (Ans : d)
8. Connections to the Internet using a phone line and a modem are called….. connections.
(a) Digital (b) Dial-up (c) Broadband (d) Dish (e) Both (b) and (c) (Ans : b)
9. Documents converted to….. can be published to the web.
(a) A doc file (b) HTTP (c) machine language (d) HTML (e) None of these (Ans : b)
10. What is extension of Microsoft Word document?
(a) txt (b) doc (c) ppt (d) xls (e) psd (Ans : b)
11. Outlook Express is a(n)–
(a) protocol (b) Search Engine (c) Browser (d) Network (e) E-mail Client (Ans : e)
12. Printers and screens in computer system are common form of–
(a) Processing device (b) Computation units (c) Input units
(d) Storage units (e) Output units (Ans : e)
13. LSI in chip technology stands for–
(a) Large-Scale Internet (b) Low-Scale Integration (c) Low-Scale Internet
(d) Local-Scale Integration (e) Large-Scale Integration (Ans : e)
14. Ctrl + n in MS word is used to–
(a) Save document (b) Start Paragraph (c) Open new document
(d) Close document (e) Open a saved document (Ans : c)
15. Connections to other documents or to other locations within a website is known as–
(a) Hyper connects (b) Plug-ins (c) Hyperlinks (d) Filters (e) Bots (Ans : c)
16. Checking whether a program functions correctly and then correcting errors, it is known as–
(a) Error-proofing a program (b) Default error-checking (c) De-erroring
(d) Debugging (e) Decoding (Ans : d)
17. Single-word reference to viruses, worms etc. is–
(a) harmware (b) virus (c) phish (d) malware (e) killer war (Ans : d)
18. Converting the computer language of 1’s and 0’s to characters, that can be understood is known as…...
(a) Selecting (b) Creating clip-art (c) Decoding (d) Generating (e) Highlighting (Ans : c)
19. Storage that returns its data after the power is turned off is referred’ to as–
(a) Sequential storage (b) Direct storage (c) Non-destructive storage
(d) Non-volatile storage (e) Volatile storage (Ans : d)
20. A compiler in computing means–
(a) A programmer. (b) A person who compiles source program. (c) Keypunch operator
(d) A gaming software (e) A program which translates source program into object program (Ans : e)
21. What is Windows Vista?
(a) Processor (b) Output Device (c) Storage Device
(d) Input Device (e) Operating System (Ans : e)
22. Which of the following is not an operating system used in computer?
(a) Windows 95 (b) Windows 2000 (c) MS-DOS
(d) Windows 3.1 (e) Windows 98 (Ans : d)
23. “DTP” is a computer abbreviation usually means–
(a) Digital Transmission Protocol (b) Desktop Publishing (c) Document Type Processing
(d) Document Transfer Processing (e) Data Type Programming (Ans : b)
24. Which of the following is equivalent roughly to 1 billion bytes?
(a) One kilobyte (b) One Terabyte (c) One Gigabyte
(d) One Megabyte (e) One Megabit (Ans : c)
25. The ALU and Control unit, jointly is known as–
(a) RAM (b) CPU (c) PC (d) EPROM (e) ROM (Ans : b)
26. The….. port resembles a standard phone jack.
(a) Fire wire (b) modem (c) peripheral (d) serial (e) None of these (Ans : b)
27. The ALU performs….. operations.
(a) arithmetic (b) ASCII (c) algorithm-based (d) logarithm-based (e) None of above (Ans : a)
28. A group of related records in a database is called a(n)–
(a) object (b) memo (c) table (d) record (e) None of these (Ans : c)
29. What is the generation of computers which are built with microprocessors?
(a) third (b) fourth (e) first (d) second (e) prior to first (Ans : b)
30. The digital telecommunication term ISDN is an abbreviation for
(a) Internet Services Data Network (b) International Services Digital Network
(c) Integrated Services Digital Network (d) Interactive Standard Dynamic Networks
(e) Integrated Standard Digital Networks (Ans : c)
31. How to specify cell range from A10 to A 25 in MS Excel?
(a) (A10-A25) (b) (A10 to A25) (c) (A10 : A25) (d) (A10 . A25) (e) (A10 A25) (Ans : c)
32. If you change Windows 98 operating system to Windows XP, then it is known as–
(a) Update (b) Patch (c) Pull down (d) Push up (e) Upgrade (Ans : e)
33. ALU and control unit of most of the computers are combined and are embedded on a single .
(a) Monochip (b) Control unit (c) Microprocessor (d) ALU (e) Microfilm (Ans : c)
34. QWERTY is used with reference to–
(a) Printer (b) Monitor (c) Keyboard (d) Mouse (e) Joystick (Ans : c)
35. Where does most data go first with’ in a computer memory hierarchy?
(a) RAM (b) ROM (e) BIOS (d) CACHE (e) None of these (Ans : a)
36. A result of a computer virus can not lead to–
(a) Disk Crash (b) Mother Board Crash (c) Corruption of program
(d) Deletion of files (e) None of above (Ans : b)
37. Which of the following extensions suggest that the file is a backup copy–
(a) Bak (b) Bas (c) Com (d) Txt (e) None of these (Ans : a)
38. Which of the following storage media provides sequential access only?
(a) Floppy disk (b) Magnetic disk (c) Magnetic tape (d) Optical disk (e) None of above (Ans : a)
39. The….. becomes different shapes depending on the task you are performing.
(a) Active tab (b) Insertion point (c) Mouse pointer (d) Ribbon (e) None of above (Ans : c)
40. A file extension is separated from the main file name with a(n)–
(a) question mark (b) exclamation mark (c) underscore (d) period (e) None of above (Ans : e)
- 1. Which one of the following would not be considered as a form of secondary storage?
(a) Floppy Disk (b) Optical Disk (c) RAM (d) Flash Drive (e) Hard Disk (Ans : c)
2. The Processor is an example of computer–
(a) Software (b) Output Unit (c) Storage (d) Program (e) Hardware (Ans : e)
3. A hexadecimal number is a number to the base–
(a) 2 (b) 20 (c) 16 (d) 4 (e) 8 (Ans : c)
4. Java in computer programming is a–
(a) Compiler (b) Hardware Device Driver (c) Low-level Language
(d) High-level Language (e) Programming Mid-level Language (Ans : d)
5. Which of the following is not a binary number?
(a) 01010 (b) 11111 (c) 31121 (d) 00000 (e) 110110 (Ans : c)
6. What does the acronym WAN stand for?
(a) Widest Area Network (b) Wild Area Network (c) Wide Area Networking
(d) Wide Area. Network (e) Wider Area Network (Ans : d)
7. FTP is an acronym for–
(a) File Transaction Protocol (b) File Truncation Protocol (c) File Translation Protocol
(d) File Transfer Protocol (e) File Transmission Protocol (Ans : d)
8. Connections to the Internet using a phone line and a modem are called….. connections.
(a) Digital (b) Dial-up (c) Broadband (d) Dish (e) Both (b) and (c) (Ans : b)
9. Documents converted to….. can be published to the web.
(a) A doc file (b) HTTP (c) machine language (d) HTML (e) None of these (Ans : b)
10. What is extension of Microsoft Word document?
(a) txt (b) doc (c) ppt (d) xls (e) psd (Ans : b)
11. Outlook Express is a(n)–
(a) protocol (b) Search Engine (c) Browser (d) Network (e) E-mail Client (Ans : e)
12. Printers and screens in computer system are common form of–
(a) Processing device (b) Computation units (c) Input units
(d) Storage units (e) Output units (Ans : e)
13. LSI in chip technology stands for–
(a) Large-Scale Internet (b) Low-Scale Integration (c) Low-Scale Internet
(d) Local-Scale Integration (e) Large-Scale Integration (Ans : e)
14. Ctrl + n in MS word is used to–
(a) Save document (b) Start Paragraph (c) Open new document
(d) Close document (e) Open a saved document (Ans : c)
15. Connections to other documents or to other locations within a website is known as–
(a) Hyper connects (b) Plug-ins (c) Hyperlinks (d) Filters (e) Bots (Ans : c)
16. Checking whether a program functions correctly and then correcting errors, it is known as–
(a) Error-proofing a program (b) Default error-checking (c) De-erroring
(d) Debugging (e) Decoding (Ans : d)
17. Single-word reference to viruses, worms etc. is–
(a) harmware (b) virus (c) phish (d) malware (e) killer war (Ans : d)
18. Converting the computer language of 1’s and 0’s to characters, that can be understood is known as…...
(a) Selecting (b) Creating clip-art (c) Decoding (d) Generating (e) Highlighting (Ans : c)
19. Storage that returns its data after the power is turned off is referred’ to as–
(a) Sequential storage (b) Direct storage (c) Non-destructive storage
(d) Non-volatile storage (e) Volatile storage (Ans : d)
20. A compiler in computing means–
(a) A programmer. (b) A person who compiles source program. (c) Keypunch operator
(d) A gaming software (e) A program which translates source program into object program (Ans : e)
21. What is Windows Vista?
(a) Processor (b) Output Device (c) Storage Device
(d) Input Device (e) Operating System (Ans : e)
22. Which of the following is not an operating system used in computer?
(a) Windows 95 (b) Windows 2000 (c) MS-DOS
(d) Windows 3.1 (e) Windows 98 (Ans : d)
23. “DTP” is a computer abbreviation usually means–
(a) Digital Transmission Protocol (b) Desktop Publishing (c) Document Type Processing
(d) Document Transfer Processing (e) Data Type Programming (Ans : b)
24. Which of the following is equivalent roughly to 1 billion bytes?
(a) One kilobyte (b) One Terabyte (c) One Gigabyte
(d) One Megabyte (e) One Megabit (Ans : c)
25. The ALU and Control unit, jointly is known as–
(a) RAM (b) CPU (c) PC (d) EPROM (e) ROM (Ans : b)
26. The….. port resembles a standard phone jack.
(a) Fire wire (b) modem (c) peripheral (d) serial (e) None of these (Ans : b)
27. The ALU performs….. operations.
(a) arithmetic (b) ASCII (c) algorithm-based (d) logarithm-based (e) None of above (Ans : a)
28. A group of related records in a database is called a(n)–
(a) object (b) memo (c) table (d) record (e) None of these (Ans : c)
29. What is the generation of computers which are built with microprocessors?
(a) third (b) fourth (e) first (d) second (e) prior to first (Ans : b)
30. The digital telecommunication term ISDN is an abbreviation for
(a) Internet Services Data Network (b) International Services Digital Network
(c) Integrated Services Digital Network (d) Interactive Standard Dynamic Networks
(e) Integrated Standard Digital Networks (Ans : c)
31. How to specify cell range from A10 to A 25 in MS Excel?
(a) (A10-A25) (b) (A10 to A25) (c) (A10 : A25) (d) (A10 . A25) (e) (A10 A25) (Ans : c)
32. If you change Windows 98 operating system to Windows XP, then it is known as–
(a) Update (b) Patch (c) Pull down (d) Push up (e) Upgrade (Ans : e)
33. ALU and control unit of most of the computers are combined and are embedded on a single .
(a) Monochip (b) Control unit (c) Microprocessor (d) ALU (e) Microfilm (Ans : c)
34. QWERTY is used with reference to–
(a) Printer (b) Monitor (c) Keyboard (d) Mouse (e) Joystick (Ans : c)
35. Where does most data go first with’ in a computer memory hierarchy?
(a) RAM (b) ROM (e) BIOS (d) CACHE (e) None of these (Ans : a)
36. A result of a computer virus can not lead to–
(a) Disk Crash (b) Mother Board Crash (c) Corruption of program
(d) Deletion of files (e) None of above (Ans : b)
37. Which of the following extensions suggest that the file is a backup copy–
(a) Bak (b) Bas (c) Com (d) Txt (e) None of these (Ans : a)
38. Which of the following storage media provides sequential access only?
(a) Floppy disk (b) Magnetic disk (c) Magnetic tape (d) Optical disk (e) None of above (Ans : a)
39. The….. becomes different shapes depending on the task you are performing.
(a) Active tab (b) Insertion point (c) Mouse pointer (d) Ribbon (e) None of above (Ans : c)
40. A file extension is separated from the main file name with a(n)–
(a) question mark (b) exclamation mark (c) underscore (d) period (e) None of above (Ans : e)
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