Thought Beans Blog

Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated by the snipers after she addressed a rally. She was declared dead at Rawalpindi hospital. Benazir Bhutto had barely survived an attack a few weeks back. She was shot in the head & neck. Violence has erupted across several cities in Pak. 2 sucide bombers have also attcked the venue, with one hitting the vehicle of Benazir Bhutto’s van. Several others are also killed in the attack. World leaders have condemned the attack. With elections round the corner in Pak, this is a  very bad time for Pak. No group has claimed the attack. It is heart rendering to see this attack. Snipers have been used to kill Benazir Bhutto. She is survived by Husband & daughters.

The govt has accepted the voluntary retirement of Kiran Bedi, the country’s first woman IPS officer. With this, it is the end  of a fine & illustrious three decade long career. Today there are more than 200 women IPS officers with several battalions. Ms. Bedi’s post for the Delhi’s Police Commissioner was earlier rejected by the govt. She would pursue her academic and social interests. Bedi will be working on women empowerment in Panchayati Raj. Ms. Bedi is famous for her reforms at the Tihar Central Jail. She has won President’s Gallantry Award, Magsaysay Award & other awards.

Air Deccan & Kingfisher airlines have decided to merge & create a new entity. Accenture, a management consulting firm, has recommened a merger of the companies for profitability & to cut costs. Capt Gopinath of Air Deccan, which started the low cost aviation in India has run into losses & actively looking for a partner. Vijay Mallya who was in Paris at that time had made a bid for a stake in the company & was succesful in getting it. The new company will be called as kingfisher airlines & will operate 2 brands, Kingfisher & deccan. Mallya will be the head of the company & Capt. Gopinath will be vice chairman. Air deccan is laready listed on the exchange & Kingfisher airlines is unlisted. The airlines industery which was witnessing huge expansions till a few years ago has finally reached the merger phase.

The Indian born Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, and his Indonesian-born wife, Varsha, 45, have been convicted by the US court for abuse & tortue of Indosesian housemaids who worked in their home as housekeepers. The jury has held that couple repeatedly abused the housemaids both physically & psychologically. They have a perfume business which they run from their home in Long ISland, NY. They have 4 daughters & one of the daughters who was in the courtroom fainted when the verdict was read. Slavery is unheard of in the modern day US & this case has received a wide press coverage in the US. The defense attorey’s argue that housemaids practised withcraft & they abused themselves. However, this was not held by the Jury as shown by the conviction. If someone as rich as Sabhnani’s did the same act in India, would they have met the same end?. They could face upto 40 years in prison.

ISRO is setting up the necessary infrastructure for Moon Mission in the outskirts of Bangalore. Byalalu, near Bangalore will be housing the giant antenna required to track the activities.  The Antenna has a diameter of 32 meters. Govt has allocated around 380 crores for the project & the setting up of antenna has cost around 100 crores. The Satellite provides for the communication with the satellites like receving the info from the satellities & also provoiding the command to the satellities. This marks the huge step for the India’s Space mission. The India’s Moon Mission if successful will put her into elite group of nations. There are already signs of commercialization on Moon with many US companies planning for setting up bases there in the Future.  More info about the same can be had at http://www.isro.org/chandrayaan-1/announcement.htm

Putin’s United Russia has won by a landslide victory in the Russian Election. This will allow Putin to rule the country by proxy for years. The Western media has criticized the elections saying large amount of irregularities & rigging. United Russia has won almost 64% votes. Key defence, aerospace, oil & other industries are already under the control of Putin’s Men. Putin also recently quashed the arms treaties. This will allow Russia to develop the more arms Technology. Russians even today yearn for the Super power status of yesteryears. Putin has sturck a right chord with the Russian voters at the right time. Russia has progressed by leaps & bounds under Putin. So what direction will Russia head to under the new leadership is a wait & watch game.