10.9 Million New jobs: Obama

8 12 2014

Barack Obama
6 December at 22:32 ·
“10.9 million new jobs. 10 million more Americans with health insurance. Manufacturing has grown. Our deficits have shrunk. Our dependence on foreign oil is down. Clean energy is up. More young Americans are graduating from high school and earning college degrees than ever before…
The United States of America continues to outperform much of the world. And we are going to keep it up until every American feels the gains of a growing economy where it matters most—in your own lives.” —President Obama

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Categories : Uncategorized

RBI allows banks to extend loans against infra bonds

7 12 2014

In order to provide liquidity to retail investors investing in long-term bonds issued by banks for financing infrastructure and affordable housing, the Reserve Bank of India announced that banks can extend loans to individuals against these bonds. It has also stated that Boards of the banks should lay down a policy in this regard prescribing suitable margins, purpose of the loan and other safeguards. Further, such loans should be subject to a ceiling of Rs.10 lakh per borrower and tenure of loan should be within the maturity period of the bonds. However, banks are not permitted to lend against such bonds issued by other banks.

It may be noted that, the RBI had issued detailed guidelines for banks to raise long-term resources to finance their long-term loans to infrastructure as well as affordable housing in the month of July 2014. (A detailed note on Issue of Long Term Bonds by Banks – Financing of Infrastructure and Affordable Housing is enclosed herewith for your ready reference)

Warm regards,

Dr. S P Sharma

Chief Economist

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Categories : Business

ABU DHABI’S, 43RD NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS

7 12 2014

ABU DHABI’S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR COME TOGETHER FOR MEGA 43RD NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS

CONCERTS, FIREWORKS SHOWS AND CIRCUS SPECTACULAR SPEARHEAD MEGA EMIRATE-WIDE JUBILEE

All India, 2nd December 2014 : Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has unveiled three major events which will headline a vibrant ‘partners in action’ approach for this year’s December 2nd  National Day celebrations throughout the emirate. A series of National Day concerts featuring some of the biggest Arab and Arabian Gulf musical performers will raise the curtain on the celebrations and be staged in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and three prime public areas throughout Al Gharbia western region for two nights from December 1. “This will be an impressive, entertaining and interactive public programme which will reflect our passion for the nation and our joy and willingness to celebrate the ‘Spirit of the Union’ on the country’s 43rd anniversary,” said Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director Tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi. Concerts will take centre stage at the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival stage at Al Wathba and Madinat Zayed Park on December 1st and 2nd, while the public parks on Delma Island and Al Sila’a play host to singing stars on December 2nd. All concerts will start at 9pm. Performing at the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival Stage in Al Wathba City on December 1st is Emirati star Fayez Al Saeed and UAE national songstress Aryam. The next night Emirati classical ballad performer Eidha Al Minhali and the UAE’s very own Fatima Zahr Al Ain – the flower of Al Ain. Meanwhile, the iconic Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain will burst into colour from 8pm on December 2nd and 3rd. At the stadium on December 2nd audiences can hear Eidha Al Minhali and Mohammed Al Minhali in concert. The following night, the stadium will rock to the sounds of UAE star Hussein Al Jasmi and Balqees. In addition, a series of firework displays on December 1st to 3rd will coincide with public events at primary spots around the emirate. “It will be choreographed to reflect our pride in the nation, history and culture and allow us to celebrate these in a modern context,” said Al Dhaheri. “The display will reflect the national identity by focusing on the red, green, white and colours of the UAE national flag set against the black canvas of the emirate’s night sky.” The firework shows will be held at the Khor Al Maqta area and at Abu Dhabi Corniche at 9pm on consecutive nights on 1-2 December, and the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival in Al Wathba will host a spectacular display at 9pm on December 2nd. Running in parallel with the concert performances, the firework shows in Al Ain will centre on the iconic Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium a new landmark for the Oasis City at 9pm while Al Gharbia will host three shows on December 2 at 9pm at Madinat Zayed Park and the public parks on Delma Island and at Al Sila’a. The Delma concerts feature Palestinian star Saud Abu Sultan and Arab pop sensation Eissa Abdallah on December 2 while Kuwaiti Yousef Al Omani and the UAE’s own Hassah take to the stage in Al Silaa Public Park the same night. At Madinat Zayed on December 1st, audiences get to see Bahraini prodigy Hala Al Turk and UAE winner of ‘Gulf Star’ Mouadhed Al Kaabi with Emirati Rouwaida Al Mahrouqi and Arab crooner Adel Ibrahim heading up the bill on December 2nd. Also taking to the skies over Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for National Day will be the UAE Armed Forces premier aerobatic team, Al Fursan – The Knights – which will amaze crowds with its breath taking displays and gravity defying moves. Meanwhile, the world’s biggest and most popular action sports show – Nitro Circus – will make its Arabian debut on Friday, December 5 with a special one-off show in Zayed Sports Stadium to mark the National Day weekend. The show is being brought to Abu Dhabi by leading UAE event promoters Alchemy-Project with TCA Abu Dhabi support. Over the past four years, Nitro Circus Live has sold over 1.5 million tickets globally, selling out shows in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Asia and across Europe, cementing itself as a premier live action sports touring brand. For the first time in Nitro Circus Live history, action sports icon and Nitro Circus ringleader, Travis Pastrana, will travel with his crew of 40 of the world’s best action sports athletes to the UAE, to perform the one massive Abu Dhabi date. Fans will witness some of the most difficult and dangerous stunts in freestyle motocross, BMX and skate with star athletes from across the world performing their biggest and best tricks off Nitro Circus Live’s multi-million dollar set and famous 50-foot high Nitro Gigant-A-Ramp. The Nitro Circus Live crew will perform the biggest FMX and BMX tricks and  will push their limits and skills on skates, scooters and a range of crazy contraptions; including, a rocking horse, Barbie car, kids tricycles, bath tub, lazy-boy couch, boogie board and many more. One of the new show’s craziest stunts includes the extraordinary ‘hole-in-one’ – where riders launch 50 feet into the air off the Gigant-A-Ramp and attempt to land with pinpoint accuracy inside an inflatable Zorb ball. Tickets for Nitro Circus Live in Abu Dhabi start from AED199 and are now on sale, exclusively at www.TixBox.com. This year’s National Day celebrations in Abu Dhabi are characterised by cross-stakeholder partnerships aimed at spurring and promoting integrated community and private sector celebrations. As part of a ‘Responsibility In Partnership’ approach, TCA Abu Dhabi is engaging a host of public, private and community stakeholders to deliver a celebration which resonates with residents and visitors alike. “Our role is to stimulate the development of the events industry in the emirate through co-ordinating and supporting processes with partners, as well as organising a series of seasonal events,” said Al Dhaheri. “The authority’s contribution to the 43rd National Day celebrations reflects a positive shift in collaborative partnership with the events sector through mutual marketing and promotion, resource integration, the spread and quality of events, a strengthening of participation, knowledge sharing and private sector engagement.” TCA Abu Dhabi is working with 12 government organisations for the National Day celebrations to develop an agreed calendar of events. To add to the festive atmosphere Abu Dhabi city will be illuminated with lights and decorations from November 28- December 2 courtesy of Abu Dhabi Municipality while illuminations will decorate landmarks in the Eastern Region from November 26-December 2 courtesy of Al Ain City Municipality. “We are looking to encourage, support and motivate strengthened partnerships across the public and private sectors and all community segments,” explained Al Dhaheri. “Our private sector partnerships will embrace shopping malls, tourist and recreational facilities, hotels and resorts.” Meanwhile, the authority’s priorities for the stimulation of emirate-wide community engagement focus on local councils, educational institutions, cultural and social centres, social online networks, centres with special needs, graduates of both the Abu Dhabi Tourism Ambassadors and Tourism Youth Summer Camp programmes as well as communities, clubs and cultural social groups of national embassies represented in the UAE. “This is the true ‘Spirit of the Union’ in action,” said Al Dhaheri. Abu Dhabi’s National Day calendar now includes: the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival which runs at Al Wathba from until December 21st organised by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and the Camel Race Association; entertainment activities at Al Bateen Beach presented by the Emirates Red Crescent; a National Day rowing race from the Corniche Breakwater on December 2nd from 2pm-4pm organised by the Emirates Heritage Club.

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Categories : Business, CSR, culture

7 12 2014

Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
cordially invites you to a Seminar


at 3.00 pm on Tuesday, 9^th December, 2014
in the Common Room, Annexe Building

on

‘Gift Exchange and Reciprocation in Late Eighteenth-Early Nineteenth Century India:
Equality or subordination’

by

Ms. Sonal,
Ramjas College,
University of Delhi, Delhi.

Abstract:
Colonialism among many other things was characterized by materiality. Exchange of commodities in the form of gifts/ ceremonial gifts or trade   was an integral part of conflicts, negotiations for power and diplomacy among the British officials and the Indian rulers. The period from the late eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries is seen as one in which the Mughal authority was gradually waning while the British power was rising. This paper is an attempt to study gift exchange in a historical perspective by focusing on the gradual shifts in meanings associated with and forms of gifts exchanged between the Mughals and the British. How did the changing equations of power between the two affect gifts exchanged between them? During this period, correspondence between the British officials in Indian courts and the Governor General indicate an emphasis on ‘equal reciprocity’. In an arena where conflicts for power were the order of the day and political relationships necessarily unequal in nature, implications of reciprocity and equal reciprocity in particular, need to be explored in detail. A study of these exchanges, shall enable us to understand how in the formative years of British imperialism in India, the British understanding of and responses to Indian political customs were fractured and a concurrence was the outcome of processes occurring in India as well as in England.

Speaker:
Ms. Sonal is presently a doctoral candidate in the Department of History, University of Delhi. She has taught at Lady Shri Ram College for Women and is currently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Ramjas College, DU.