Indian Govt threatens to scrap 85 telecom licences

SANS Correspondent, November 30, 2010:

New Delhi: Under unrelenting pressure to act against corruption, the government on Monday swung into action. It said it would slap show-cause notices on 85 licence holders asking why their licences should not be cancelled for violating eligibility norms. It will also ask the ministry of corporate affairs to check if Swan Telecom acted as a front, as alleged by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
The companies facing show-cause include Uninor, Etisalat DB, Videocon, Loop Telecom and S Tel. If CAG's observation that they failed to meet the eligibility criteria is found to be correct, these players stand to lose their licence.
At a press conference, telecom minister Kapil Sibal listed action on four fronts: the show-cause notices, Swan's reference to MCA, notices to 119 licence holders who have not rolled out services, and proper calculation of the value of spectrum given to these companies to assess whether the country loses thousands of crores, as has been alleged.
In addition, in an apparent effort to blunt the Opposition's continuing demand for a JPC probe into 2G scam, the minister clarified that government was not averse to the SC monitoring the probe.
"As we function in a democratic set-up, we must ensure transparency in the functioning of the government and justice and equity in formulating and implementing policy. We have looked at the CAG report and Trai recommendations and we believe it is time we issued notices to those who may have suppressed facts to gain an undue advantage in the award of 2G licences", Sibal said.
Notices to 119 licence holders, including 38 who got the go-ahead in 2006, is aimed to financially penalize these players for not rolling out services as prescribed in licence agreement.

A P Singh appointed new CBI Director

SANS Correspondent, New Delhi, November 30, 2010: 

IPS or Indian Police Service officer Amar Pratap Singh was on Tuesday appointed the new Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for two years succeeding Ashwani Kumar.
The Appointments' Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cleared the name of 58-year-old Singh, a 1974 batch IPS officer from Jharkhand cadre, for the post of the new chief of the elite investigating agency.
Singh was serving as Special Director of the agency. He has also held the post of additional Director General in the Border Security Force (BSF) and is a recipient of Indian Police Medal and President's Police Medal.

Bangladesh PM voices support for nuclear-free world

SANS Correspondent, Hiroshima, November 30, 2010:

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday expressed her country’s unwavering support for Japan in building a nuclear-free world.

“Our peace-loving people deeply respects the Hiroshima peace process, gathering under `Mayors for Peace Cities’, to consolidate Bangladesh’s unwavering support for Japan in building a nuclear-free world,” she said.

The prime minister was addressing a reception, arranged by Japan Bangladesh Friendship Association and Hiroshima Peace and Culture Foundation, at the International Conference Center of Hiroshima (ICCH) in the afternoon.

This was Hasina’s second visit to the historic city of Hiroshima.

Earlier, the prime minister and her delegation arrived at Hiroshima airport at 11:20am (local time). Then the Bangladesh delegation was taken to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Parkin in a colorful motorcade.

Hasina went round the museum that houses exhibits on the catastrophic event of the atomic bombing, with the objective of contributing to the abolition of nuclear weapons throughout the world, and of promoting world peace.

The prime minister signed the visitors’ book kept at the Museum, where she expressed her deep sympathy for the innocent victims of the tragic atomic bombing during the 2nd World War and reiterated Bangladesh’s stand for world peace. She also placed wreath at the Cenotaph at the Peace Memorial Park.

Hasina then listened to a testimony given by an atomic bomb survivor at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Hall.

Speaking at the reception function, she said Bangladesh is always ready to work with Japan towards reducing nuclear stockpiles, within respective regions, aiming ultimately for a denuclearised world.

“We also support Japan on the issues of human rights, democracy and socioeconomic development, neglect of which could easily ignite conflicts and wars,” she said.

Recalling her first visit here in 1997, Hasina said she felt the same sense of humility and sadness for those hundreds of thousands who had perished on that fateful day of 6th August 1945.

“It was a day never to be erased from human history. It was a day when from the peaceful blue skies descended a cataclysm that changed the course of human destiny,” she said.

The prime minister said Hiroshima Day is remembered today with remorse and anguish by all peace-loving people of the world. “I salute the thousands for their sacrifice and pray for the eternal peace of their departed souls.”

She remarked that she also observes with an immense sense of human pride and marvel at the rebirth of the shining city of Hiroshima, out of its rubble and ashes.

“The same is my feeling for Nagasaki that saw an identical fate, soon after Hiroshima,” Hasina said.

She said the first ever use of the two nuclear devices heralded a new era of destructive weapons with a capacity to end human civilizations and the planet, dear Mother Earth.

“Indeed, the sacrifice of those who have perished did not go in vain, for this sacrifice has flagged the imperative need of restraint of the use of such destructive power for the resolution of conflicts.”

The prime minister said the horror of Hiroshima is a constant reminder to urge for the pursuit of peace.

Thus, the Hiroshima Day is observed all over the world, including in Bangladesh.

Hasina said that in their efforts for global peace and stability, both Bangladesh and Japan have always worked closely to respect the provisions of the NPT.

She remembered the NPT provisions which in 1970 made a solemn pledge “to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.”

“As we do, I remember “The Russell-Einstein Manifesto” of 9 July 1955 in London… the last line read, “Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do so, the way lies open to a new Paradise; if you can not, there lies before you the risk of universal death.”

The prime minister said the leaders of the world, especially those in charge of those deadly nuclear devices, need to remind themselves of the thought-provoking words of two of the wisest.

“Truly, they need to stand at least for once before the Hiroshima Memorial to fully absorb the implications of what they yield - the ability to obliterate the world and all it nourishes.”

Hasina said she bows her head once again in humble honor of those who perished in Hiroshima. “I also wish that those who live and stand here as well as those around the world recognize their ultimate sacrifice, by pursuing the path of love and peace.”

She said as Bangladesh was born out of the blood of as many as three million people in 1971, its experience could not be different.

“Moved by the magnitude of our tragedy, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman enunciated his doctrine of `Friendship towards all and Malice towards none’,” the Prime Minister said.

She said Bangabandhu abhorred the use of force to settle any international and bilateral dispute, and rejected the idea of interference in the internal affairs of other states.

“Thereafter, Bangladesh began a series of commitments to the UN Charter, to all protocols related to disarmament, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to human rights and anti-terrorism,” Hasina said.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Mashiur Rahman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, among others, accompanied the Prime Minister during her Hiroshima visit.

Top 100 Women on the Web

SANS News Desk, November 30, 2010 :

Why the top searched-for women on the Web? You've seen the other Web sites' top 100 hottest women lists, which are either based on editorial discretion or notoriously inaccurate Internet balloting. But we think how many times the general public types a woman's name into the search box when they don't know they're being surveyed renders the truest indication of how much heat she's really bringing. This makes Asylum hotness scientists or, at the very least, hotness statisticians ...

100. Ashley Judd
99. Mischa Barton
98. Marilyn Monroe
97. Olivia Wilde
96. Danica Patrick
95. Eva Mendes
94. Ashlee Simpson
93. Demi Moore
92. Nicole Kidman
91. Kelly Ripa
90. Hayden Panettiere
89. Denise Richards
88. Leititia Casta
87. Alyssa Milano
86. Carmen Electra
85. Anne Hathaway
84. Cameron Diaz
83. Gisele Bundchan
82. Julianne Hough
81. Hillary Duff
80. Brooke Hogan
79. Fergie
78. Drew Barrymore
77. Charlize Theron
76. Rachel Bilson
75. Cindy Crawford
74. Sandra Bullock
73. Jessica Biel
72. Penelope Cruz
71. Jennifer Love Hewitt
70. Kate Hudson
69. Ashley Tisdale
68. Kate Winslet
67. Leighton Meester
66. Victoria Beckham
65. Stephanie Seymour
64. Tila Tequila
63. Reese Witherspoon
62. Tori Spelling
61. Eva Longeria
60. Janet Jackson
59. Jenna Jameson
58. Shania Twain
57. Miranda Kerr
56. Kate Moss
55. Mariah Carey
54. Pamela Anderson
53. Pink
52. Alessandro Ambrosio
51. Mariska Hargitay
50. Katy Perry
49. Halle Berry
48. Anna Paquin
47. Marisa Miller
46. Sharon Stone
45. Emma Watson
45. Bar Rafaeli
43. Rebecca Romijn
42. Heidi Montag
41. Jennifer Garner
40. Sarah Jessica Parker
39. Paris Hilton
38. Paula Abdul
37. Tyra Banks
36. Blake Lively
35. Carrie Underwood
34. Salma Hayek
33. Jillian Michael
32. Holly Madison
31. Nicole Richie
30. Adrian Lima
29. Kendra Wilkinson
28. Jessica Alba
27. Shawn Johnson
26. Jennifer Lopez
25. Lindsay Lohan
24. Katie Holmes
23. Michelle Obama
22. Madonna
21. Rachael Ray
20. Lauren Conrad
19. Carrie Prejean
18. Beyonce
17. Kelly Clarkson
16. Vanessa Hudgens
15. Taylor Swift
14. Kate Gosselin
13. Jennifer Aniston
12. Angelina Jolie
11. Lady Gaga
10. Kristen Stewart
9. Jessica Simpson
8. Heidi Klum
7. Britney Spears
6. Miley Cyrus
5. Megan Fox
4. Kim Karadashian
3. Farrah Fawcett
2. Rihanna
1. Mandy Moore

BDST: 0255 PM, November 30, 2010