ONGC platform fire toll reaches 8

The death toll in Wednesday's devastating fire at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation platform off Mumbai coast has risen to eight.

About 20 to 25 people are still missing and the navy and coast guard are assisting the ONGC's relief teams to locate them.

Six more employees have been located trapped under the debris of the oil platform and rescue teams are trying to get them out.

"Altogether 348 employees have been rescued. The company has put up the names of the rescued employees and the dead on our Website," an official said.

The hottest things on the Net!

They are the hottest new things on the Net. And they are catching on like wildfire. The disruptive technology which powers them could dramatically alter the way we read, listen, express ourselves and even do business.

Wiki, Podcasting and Google Earth are things that are challenging the time-tested and established institutions such as newspapers, radio encyclopaedia and the Atlas.

Wiki

For decades these were the bibles for checking out word meanings and references. Instead, get on to the Net and go to Wikipedia -- a free encyclopaedia where content is created by Net enthusiasts across the globe.

Wikipedia's English version, that took off four years ago, already has an amazing over 640,000 articles ranging on topics from the Taj Mahal to the London tube.

Podcasting

Welcome to podcasting. It is simply a pre recorded radio or audio show, or an audioblog that can be downloaded at leisure and heard on the computer, an MP3 digital player and, of course, on the Apple iPod. The podcast listeners' global market is estimated to be 6 million. And 29 per cent of iPod users around the world have downloaded MP3 files. (There are 8,000 podcast stations around the world).

But will it be a big market in India? Says Trehan: "It might not emerge as large as in the west, but it will be significant. . ."

Google Earth

Still not content, you could peep into the famous Macy's store on Thirty Fourth Street.

Dreaming? Well, no. The new world view is a reality, thanks to Google Earth -- Google's new satellite imagery based mapping product which combines 3D buildings and terrains with mapping capability. All this is combined with the power of Google search.

Competition in these areas is bound to come. But for Net users studying geography or publishing their works will never be the same again.

Wipro staffer threatens client, sacked

In the second case in less than four months, another employee from Wipro took to scare-mongering, issuing an online threat to a client from the company's Noida facility three days ago. "We cannot reveal the nature of the threat or the client it was made to, but we have taken prompt action," said a Wipro spokesperson, adding that the person was a BPO staff member.

Following a complaint by the client, Wipro BPO officials informed the Delhi police. The Wipro staffer was identified and forced to resign from his post. "We took less than 24 hours to know who did it and we did not take it lightly," said the spokesperson. Errant staffers have been dogging Wipro for some time. In March 2005, a Wipro employee from Bangalore had created a bomb hoax triggering panic in the city. Police had to evacuate scores of employees from the Wipro Technologies office on MG Road.

Future of the mini

Wearing a mini is no longer seen as being daring. It is more of making a statement. If you have the figure and believe you are ‘in’ with the latest trends, an exciting mini is the best way to grab attention. As designer Puja Nayyar puts it, “the mini will never go out of style. It’s as classic as blue jeans.”

We’ve all seen the pleated, the floral and the wispy itsy bitsy variety. Then there’s been the standard denim look. How does one reinvent this stylish and sexy outfit? Can a denim mini look different? Let’s take a look at the future of the mini. Here are basic guidelines that can ensure you don’t make a fashion faux pas in your mini. If your legs are too thin or full of cellulite, avoid the mini. Always cross your legs when you sit and maintain your posture. The golden rule is to wear a mini with a sexy pair of stilettos. Strappy heels and wedges are another chic option. A mini should fit the body comfortably without bagging or straining. Pleats and gathers add bulk and will make you look heavier, so choose flat front styles. Dark and muted colours will make your bottom half look slim, light or bright colours will make your bottom half look larger. With our complete low down on how you could innovate with the mini, go out and stun the world!

Indo-US nuclear treaty: A good deal

Commentaries in the India press have both praised and panned the Manmohan Singh-George W Bush statement at the end of the Indian prime minister's visit to Washington, DC two days ago. These were to be expected. They reveal a clear adherence to the ideology of our political parties. Though the Left parties are critical as expected, it is unlikely that they will withdraw support to the government in power over this issue.

Setting polemics aside, the statement deserves to be welcomed for a number of reasons.

First, it opens many doors for generation of a significantly higher percentage of electricity generation with nuclear power reactors than the present very low percentage of about 2.5%. Second, the prospect of reducing our energy production deficit through building and commissioning more power reactors (based on low enrichment uranium and unit size of 1,000 Mwe or more) in a short period (now about 4 years compared to seven or eight years earlier) brightens up very considerably.

Third, the spiraling price of oil would upset the kwh cost of distributed electricity from non-nuclear plants and customers, both industrial and non-industrial, may not be assumed to be forever docile. Fourth, there is a finite probability of disruptions in assured fuel supply over the lifetime of coal or oil plants due to factors beyond the producer's control. Generally, such disruptions in nuclear facilities are overplayed while those in non-nuclear plants are underplayed.

Fifth, the pace of building nuclear power plants with foreign assistance has been poor due to a twisted interpretation of 'self reliance' and the price being paid for 'indigenisation'. This price increases by the day. An important fact or factor seems to be missed by critics who perceive this development in Indo-US relations as a Faustian bargain. Nuclear majors in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) like Germany, Canada, France and Russia have not been able to make their presence felt much in India mainly due to the position held by the US that nuclear cooperation with non-NPT countries should be actively discouraged.

British police fear there may have been a fifth suicide bomber

The British police suspect that a fifth bomber was involved in last week's attempted suicide attacks at underground trains and a bus in London, believed to have been carried out by four men, a report said on Monday.

With the discovery of a suspect package, appeared to be packed with explosives, nails and bolts, in northwest London on Saturday morning, police now fear that a fifth bomber was at large, The Times reported.

MOST VALUABLE GLOBAL BRANDS

• Coca-Cola - $67.5bn (US)

• Microsoft - $59.9bn (US)

• IBM - $53.4bn (US)

• General Electric - $50bn (US)

• Intel - $35.6bn (US)

• Nokia - $26.5bn (Finland)

• Disney - $26.4bn (US)

• McDonald's - $26bn (US)

• Toyota - $24.8bn (Japan)

• Marlboro - $21.1bn (US)

• Source: Interbrand

Coca-Cola still world's top brand

Coca-Cola has been named the world's top brand for a fourth consecutive year in a survey by consultancy Interbrand. It estimated that Coca-Cola's brand was worth $67.5bn (£39bn; 55bn euros). US firms dominated the top 10 and made up more than half of the those listed. The biggest non-US company was Finnish mobile phone group Nokia at number six, valued at $26.5bn. Only five UK names made it into the top 100, with banking group HSBC ranked the highest at 29 and worth $10.1bn.

Sania in Cincinnati Open quarters

Sania Mirza beat Kristiana Brandi of Puerto Rico in the second round of the USD 170,000 WTA Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open tennis in Cincinnati on Thursday.

She now joins No.1 seed Patty Schnyder and No.4 seed Daniela Hantuchova in the final eight.

In the doubles event, Sania and Ukrainian Yuliana Fedak ousted qualifiers Sybille Bammer of Austria and Jewel Peterson of the US 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 in the first round.

They next face local pair Angela Haynes and Bethanie Mattek who stunned the fourth seeds, Israeli teenager Shahar Peer and Russian Alina Jidkova.

No question of violating NPT

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today refuted the allegation that India has in any way violated the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. In an interview to CNN's Wolf Blitzer at 1700 EDT today, Singh cut down the assumption that India was being rewarded despite violating the NPT, saying 'India was never a signatory to the NPT so there's no question of violating it."

He said that India had had nuclear capability but had decided not to test during the NPT formulation. "Our nuclear tests were a response to the reckless proliferation in the region, from North Korea to the A Q Khan phenomenon and others," he said. "Besides, we have had an impeccable record of non-proliferation, and the world must acknowledge our exemplary behavior, our weapons are under complete civilian rules."

"I am not an astrologer but I hope and pray it doesn't happen," Singh said. "The security of assets in Pakistan does worry us and we hope a workable solution can be found," he said. At the same time, he called for Pakistan to shut down its terrorism infrastructure, saying there was evidence that such camps were still operational.

In response to a question on whether he trusted President Musharraf to follow through on his promises, Singh quoted one of the greatest American presidents, Ronald Reagan.

'I do trust, but as President Reagan said 'Trust and verify.' I trust the territory won't be used to fan terrorism in India but there are some worries on that front, the infrastructure is still intact.'

Singh also added that he was convinced that Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda were active in Pakistan. 'There is no doubt that Osama is in the border area, the North Western Frontier Province, the al Qaeda element is quite active there.'

'It is in our vested interest to see a strong, stable, secular democracy in Pakistan,' he said, pointing out not one of the 150 million-strong Indian Muslim population has been a part of al Qaeda or the Taliban regime.

'It is because we are a secular democracy and Muslim in India participate fully in the mainstream, and India is a country where anyone is free to practise their religion without fear or favor.'

Singh, a noted economist himself, refused to raise to Blitzer's bait of Americans losing jobs to India, saying that one had to look at the 'holistic picture… it's not a one-way street, US enterprises also benefit and become more competitive in the long term."

4 killed in Srinagar blast

Four people, three army men and a civilian, were killed and 15 people were injured on Wednesday morning in a suicide attack in Srinagar's Sonwar area. The suicide bomber rammed his car on a passing army jeep, causing a massive explosion. Army and paramilitary forces have surrounded the area.

The blast occurred just outside Burnhall School and anxious parents thronged the school to find out if their wards are safe.

Further details are awaited.

No change in policy on LoC: Bush

US President George Bush on Monday told the joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that there has been no change in America's policy on Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated the policy laid down by President Clinton that the sanctity of the Line of Control will be maintained. However, he did not elaborate, but went on to applaud Dr Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for forging ahead with the peace process and spoke about the strength of character of the prime minister.

Ayodhya attack: 4 JK men held

A breakthrough has been achieved in the July 5 attack near the makeshift Ram temple at Ayodhya as security agencies nabbed some persons in this connection. Informed sources said that it was now confirmed that Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Tayiba was behind the attack.

The militants who attempted to carry out the suicide attack near the makeshift temple were speaking Sindhi or Baloch dialects, the sources said. During the 10-day investigation into the case, which sent ripples across the country, the security agencies found that some of the militants had originated from Jammu and Kashmir, they said.

During the investigation it was found that the militants had stayed in Akbarpur for four days before carrying out the attack, the sources said. Nearly four to five people had been picked up from Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly providing logistical support to the militants, they said.

About the involvement of Rehan Alam, the driver of the militants' vehicle in during the attack, the sources said one of his relatives was working in a Gulf country, which could have been the reason behind his frequent visits there.

The Uttar Pradesh police have been continuously informed with intelligence inputs about the concentration of Pakistanis in Akbarpur, from where the attackers had travelled to Faizabad and its adjoining districts. Six heavily armed terrorists made an unsuccessful bid to storm the high-security makeshift Ram temple at Ayodhya on July 5 but were killed by the security forces before they could strike at the shrine.

Joining a call centre? Think twice

There can be times when a bird in the hand is not better than two in the bush.

When money talks

While I do realise there are no guarantees either way, I understand frustration. The fact that you can earn a lot of money right away tends to influence a lot of young people I know. Many decide against pursuing higher studies. Others, decide to leave a prospective career for a job which may pay more today, but may not be a good idea in the long run.

Why would you not want to wear designer jeans as opposed to cheaper, unbranded ones?

Who does not want to go to expensive restaurants instead of making excuses to friends because you do not have enough money to spend?

Who would not want to buy a new camera phone as soon as it is out in the market instead of using the same old phone that mom had been using for two years before she gave it to you?

Who wants to slog for a measly salary in the hope of bigger things in the future when one's friends are living it up today?

These reasons are understandable, but are not entirely valid. They are short term and tend to be myopic.

Of course, there are lots of practical reasons for changing your profession.

Five valid reasons to join a call centre

i. You have a degree, but do not specialise in any particular profession.

So you join a call center as a representative, a job which may offer prospects of promotion if you do well.

ii. Your family has an immediate economic need that necessitates your going to work and this job is available.

iii. Though you have specialised in one particular profession, you find there is not much scope there. It could also be that finding a job in that area is very difficult.

iv. It also happens, sometimes, that what caught your interest at one time no longer excites you. You may have had some reasons for pursuing a particular course but those reasons are no longer valid, and you are no longer interested in doing that kind of work.

v. Another reason could be that you aren't the ambitious type and are satisfied with a nine-to-five job that gives you a decent salary.

These are all realistic reasons and, under the circumstances, your choice is justifiable.

And ‘too much money’ is exactly what you need to have if you’re planning to snort some of the ‘white stuff.’

C FOR... CASH

At last check, cocaine was being sold for anywhere between Rs 3000-5000 per gram. A regular user who’s been snorting for a year would require a daily fix of at least 2 grams — Rs 10,000. ‘‘I was an unwelcome guest inside the washroom of a well-known lounge bar recently,’’ says Kartik Verma, a banker. ‘‘And of course, money is no bar at all. What is... ... 10 grand to someone who has a turnover in crores? Cocaine is the habit of the super-rich,’’ says a party animal who’s ‘‘tried it once.’’ Bollywood insiders speak of a star son and a star daughter who do drugs regularly on the party circuit, and a big star who is known to throw parties where alcohol is passe and cocaine is openly passed around for the guests.

C FOR... CHARLIE

Coke, Charlie, C, White Horse — these are some of the common names for cocaine. Crack is an adulterated form of cocaine which is called so because of the sound it makes when it is smoked. ‘‘You have to be introduced to the pusher by someone who’s already in the coke circle,’’ says in insider on the circuit. ‘‘There’s generally a code word that you need to give before the dealer will talk shop.’’

C FOR... COOL QUOTIENT

Snorting up is more of a lifestyle trend than anything else in the metros. Check out the scene in a washroom in a city nightspot, post a fashion even: ‘‘If you’re doing it, do it right girl,’’ laughs a stylist. She’s teaching an upcoming model how to snort up — both are in one cubicle and the giggling doesn’t seem to stop. The model, having managed to do it right has finally arrived!

C FOR... CELEBRITY

This comes close on the heels of fashion choreographer Prasad Bidapa getting caught at the Dubai airport for alleged possession of drugs. Film industry insiders say the use of drugs is a done thing in Bollywood. Alcohol is a thing of the past. It’s cocaine and designer drugs that have been... .. the in thing for years now. The ‘inner circle’ is treated to the best drugs money can buy. But most are not addicts. It is just another way of bonding,’’ says a prominent film-maker.

C FOR... CURE?

Cocaine stimulates the reward-centre in one’s brain — otherwise stimulated by good work, great sex and the like — with an insistence that is unmatched. All other drugs fail in comparison — which is the basis of the chemical dependence on coke. Repeated use leads to a higher level of tolerance that requires larger doses of the substance to pacify the psychological addiction.’’

C FOR... CRIME

Many had to be sent home in police vans as they were too high to walk or drive. Police sources in Mumbai say that several film personalities host parties at their bungalows and farm houses, where cocaine is available freely to the guests. ‘‘We have just heard about such parties. But we have never been able to nab a drug user. Many times, we have gatecrashed into a party. But the addicts are smarter and they dispose off the cocaine when they see the cops,’’ a deputy commissioner stated. ‘‘If a small quantity of drug is found on a person and if the court is convinced that the narcotic was meant for personal consumption, the accused can be jailed for upto a year. But in most cases the person is awarded a sentence for a couple of months. If the accused pleads before court that he wishes to be rehabilitated in a deaddiction centre even that sentence is waived.’’ For drug peddling or trafficking, a person can be jailed for upto 10-20 years and pay a fine of Rs One lakh or upwards. Repeat convicts in trafficking cases face a death sentence, he adds.

(With inputs from Somit Sen, Meena, Farida and Aneesh — Mumbai; Vinita A Shetty — Bangalore)

Basic Presentation Skills

Here are few guidelines which I found very helpful in conducting a web conference. Usually there is a lot that can be quickly gained or quickly lost from a presentation. A little bit of guidance goes a long way toward making a highly effective presentation.

The following guidelines are intended for general presentations. These guidelines can be applied to face-to face meetings, web presentations, and desktop video meetings.

Basic Guidelines For Designing Your Presentation

1. List and prioritize the top three goals that you want to accomplish with your audience. It's not enough just to talk at them. You may think you know what you want to accomplish in your presentation, but if you're not clear with yourself and others, it is very easy - too easy - for your audience to completely miss the point of your presentation.
   
   
2. Be really clear about who your audience is and about why is it important for them to be in the meeting. Members of your audience will want to know right away why they were the ones chosen to be in your presentation. Be sure that your presentation makes this clear to them right away. This will help you clarify your invitation list and design your invitation to them.
   
   
3. List the major points of information that you want to convey to your audience. When you're done making that list, then ask yourself, "If everyone in the audience understands all of those points, then will I have achieved the goal that I set for this meeting?"
   
   
4. Be clear about the tone that you want to set for your presentation, for example, hopefulness, celebration, warning, teamwork, etc. Consciously identifying the tone to yourself can help you cultivate that mood to your audience.
   
   
5. Design a brief opening (about 5-10% of your total time presentation time) that:
   
   a. Presents your goals for the presentation.
   b. Clarifies the benefits of the presentation to the audience.
   c. Explains the overall layout of your presentation.
   
   
6. Prepare the body of your presentation (about 70-80% of your presentation time).
   
   
7. Design a brief closing (about 5-10% of your presentation time) that summarizes the key points from your presentation.
   
   
8. Design time for questions and answers (about 10% of the time of your presentation).

Basic Guidelines About Presentation Materials

1. If you plan to use a PowerPoint presentation as part of your meeting, then be sure to carefully review your presentation sequence before the web conference meeting, your objective is to synchronize your audio conference presentation with your PowerPoint slide presentation.
   
   
2. Use a consistent layout, or organization of colors and images, on your visuals.
   
   
3. If you use PowerPoint, a good rule to follow is to allocate one image for every 3-5 minutes of your presentation. Include 5-8 lines of bulleted phrases on each image.
   
   
4. If you provide supplemental information during your presentation, then your audience will very likely read that information during your presentation, rather than listening and following you. Therefore,send out this information after you have completed your presentation. Or, send it out at the beginning of your presentation and ask them not to read it until you have completed your presentation.

Basic Guidelines About Your Delivery

1. If you're speaking using desktop video conferencing along with your web presentation then try to accomplish eye contact with the web camera throughout your delivery. Look up from your materials, or notes, every 5-10 seconds, to look into the audience.
   
   
2. Speak a little bit louder and a little bit slower than you normally would do with a friend. A good way to practice these guidelines is to speak along with a news anchor when you're watching television.
   
   
3. Vary the volume and rate of your speech. A monotone voice is absolutely toxic to keeping the attention of an audience.
   
   
4. Keep your hands relatively still, that is, not waving in front of you which can be distracting to the viewer.