Put service tax on NRI remittances on hold: Tharoor

Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor has sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to put on hold the proposal for imposing service tax on overseas remittances fees levied by banks that takes effect on July 1.

In a letter to the prime minister, the former UN undersecretary general said a more detailed examination of the adverse implications of the move, especially for the millions of non-resident Keralities working in ordinary jobs in the Gulf region, was needed.

“It has generated tremendous resentment across Kerala,” Tharoor said.

“This is a shortsighted measure which risks diverting remittances to hawala channels and tempting otherwise law-abiding citizens to indulge in undesirable malpractices. At a time when the country needs to attract inward remittances and investment, any measure which discourages these should not be contemplated.”

India proposes to charge 12.36 per cent service tax, including additional cess on it, on the fees paid to banks while sending money back home.

This service tax will be deducted from the remittances sent by the diaspora.

July 9 could be 'Internet doomsday' for some (so check your PC or Mac)

How can you detect if your computer has been violated and infected with DNS Changer?

July 9 might be "Internet doomsday" for PC and Mac users who haven't taken steps to make sure their systems are not infected with what's being called DNSChanger malware.

That's right: Your Internet connection may not work that day because the safety net now in place from the FBI against the malware will be removed then, and if your computer is infected, you won't be able to get to the Internet.

Let's back up a minute to give you some quick background. Last fall, theFBI arrested six Estonian nationals who were charged with using malware and rogue DNS servers to hijack millions of computers worldwide.
http://www.dns-ok.us/

DNS Changer Check-Up

DNS Resolution = GREEN  Your computer appears to be looking up IP addresses correctly! Had your computer been infected with DNS changer malware you would have seen a red background.  Please note, however, that if your ISP is redirecting DNS traffic for its customers you would have reached this site even though you are infected. For additional information regarding the DNS changer malware, please visit the FBI's website at: http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911

All UAE SIMs not re-registered will be cancelled

Customers told to register again from July 17 at over 100 locations in the UAE

Etisalat and DU mobile customers will have to provide valid identification documents such as passports, Emirates ID cards and residency visas for the process.

The scheme, called "My Number, My Identity" was launched by the Telecommunications and Regulatory Authority (TRA) this week.

It follows what the authority describes as an increase in the number of civil and criminal cases where the subscriber has given away their SIM card to other people, resulting in serious legal and financial issues for the owner.

As a result the TRA wants to make sure that all SIM card holders are the same as the registered SIM card users.

From July 17 Etisalat subscribers will be able to visit one of 100 outlets and points of sale across the country to re-register their details.

The re-registration process will involve customers submitting an application form together with identification documents.

For business and government customers all that is needed is a valid establishment card.

Registration of the SIM card is only required once, after which all unregistered SIM cards will be cancelled once the registration period expires.

However, as yet the TRA has given no date for the registration deadline.

Service tax on money send by NRIs

The UPA government has decided to charge 12.36 per cent service tax from July 1 onwards on the fees paid by NRIs sending money to their country.

This service tax will be deducted from the remittances sent by employees, including many poor labourers, from the Gulf, the US and other places. This approach is the antithesis of the Government’s policy of encouraging exporters, who bring foreign exchange to India.

Non-resident Indians transfer more than $65 billion annually to dependents in India. These remittances account for more than 3 per cent of India’s GDP and have been instrumental in reducing the current account deficit by shoring up the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

States such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Punjab are among the regions worldwide that depend heavily on international remittance. The share of NRI remittance in the State’s net domestic product is 31 per cent in Kerala, 13 per cent in Punjab and 7 per cent in Tamil Nadu.

This plan is very much surprising because, the countries where NRIs are living like western countries, they had to pay tax for the amount they earn at there itself. In Middle east countries, the Arabian Governments were very kind to avoid tax to the foreign nationals even in conditions like bad financial turmoil. Then, how an Indian Government can think about such a strange taxation system.

Live EURO 2012 Football Streaming

LIVE EURO 2012 STREAMING

[Quarter Finals] Live Portugal Vs Spain Euro 2012 Streaming |  19:45 GMT or 14:45 EST

Other Side Matches

LATEST FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHTS

[Quarter Final] England vs Italy Highlights Euro 2012 | June 24, 2012

[Quarter Final] Spain vs France Highlights Euro 2012 | June 23, 2012

[Quarter Final] Germany vs Greece Highlights Euro 2012 | June 22, 2012

[Quarter Final] Czech Republic vs Portugal Highlights | June 21, 2012

Sweden 2-0 France Highlights Euro 2012 | June 19, 2012

England 1-0 Ukraine Highlights Euro 2012 | June 19, 2012

Croatia 0-1 Spain Highlights Euro 2012 | June 18, 2012

Italy 2-0 Ireland Highlights Euro 2012 | June 18, 2012

Portugal 2-1 Netherlands Highlights Euro 2012 | June 17, 2012

Denmark 1 – 2 Germany Highlights Euro 2012 | June 17, 2012

Czech Republic 1-0 Poland Highlights Euro 2012 | June 16, 2012

Greece 1-0 Russia Highlights Euro 2012 | June 16, 2012

Sweden 2-3 England Highlights Euro 2012 | June 15, 2012

Ukraine 0-2 France Highlights Euro 2012 | June 15, 2012

Spain 4-0 Ireland Euro 2012 Highlights | June 15, 2012

Italy 1-1 Croatia Euro 2012 Highlights | June 15, 2012

Netherlands 1 – 2 Germany Highlights Euro 2012 | June 13, 2012

Denmark 2-3 Portugal Highlights Euro 2012 | June 13, 2012

Poland 1 – 1 Russia Highlights Euro 2012 | June 12, 2012

Greece 1-2 Czech Republic Highlights Euro 2012 | June 12, 2012

The semi-final clash between Portugal and Spain

The semi-final clash between Portugal and Spain resembles an El Clasico in more ways than one. Goal.com explains why it shares similarities with Spain's fiercest derby.

The El Clasico fixtures have always been the ones circled on every Spanish football fan's calendar. The competitiveness, controversy, quality and drama are rarely matched by any other game in Europe. Portugal vs Spain could well be considered the international version of the El Clasico.


Geographically, the two countries are positioned in close proximity, suggesting a derby-like quality and the match is indeed referred to as the 'Iberian derby'. The contrasting styles of the teams in both contests bolsters the notion that this semi-final will be like an El Clasico. Spain have always been compared with Barcelona for their possession based football as well as the number of Barcelona players within their ranks. Portugal on the other hand have come to be known as a counter-attacking side, a strategy frequently used by Real Madrid against the Catalans in recent times. The fact that Ronaldo is a vital attacking component to both sides draws further comparisions between the Portuguese and Los Blancos. 

The four-year-old girl - After 86 long hours, baby Mahi is dead

 Gurgaon officials said she was dead even before soldiers who had been working non-stop for days finally made contact with the child just after noon.

Backing the military was a group of men adept in digging tunnels and borewells led by a Saurav Khan.

The girl accidentally fell into the 70-feet deep borewell at the IMT township just before midnight Wednesday, sparking a major rescue operation involving the army and civilian agencies. 

The first confirmation of her death came to IANS Sunday from Chief Medical Officer Praveen Garg of the Civil Hospital here.

A short time later, Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner P.C. Meena too confirmed that the girl was dead before she was taken out of the borewell and rushed to the ESI Hospital in Manesar town.

The news shattered the thousands of people who had gathered outside the hospital and at the site of the borewell for days, hoping and praying that the girl would somehow survive.

The girl's mother broke down on hearing that her daughter was no more.

Video courtesy: NDTV

Suresh Gopi's mother passes away

Actor Suresh Gopi's mother, V Gyanalakshmi passed away on Saturday.   

She suffered a heart attack early Friday morning and underwent a surgery but succumbed the next day.

Saudi king seeks successor as crown prince buried

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday buried crown prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz during a sombre ceremony in Makkah, as defence minister Prince Salman appeared poised to become the new heir apparent.

The 79-year-old Nayef died on Saturday of “cardiac problems” at his brother’s residence in Geneva, a medical source in the Swiss city said.

PK Kunhalikutty: Ice-cream Parlour Case Turns Cold

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing charges of alleged sabotage of the investigation into the sensational ice cream parlour sex scandal, approached a local court here to wind up the case as “no evidence has been found to substantiate the allegations.”

Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaison P. Abraham, who led the SIT, sought the permission of the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court here to wind up the investigation for lack of evidence.

There is no proof to show that Minister for Industries PK Kunhalikutty had sabotaged the ice cream parlour case, the report, submitted in the court six days back, said.

Former Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of VS Achuthanandan had constituted a special investigation team to go into the allegations raised by KA Rauf, an estranged close confidante of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) senior leader and the minister for industries.

In his startling revelations at a press conference here on Jan. 28, 2011, which shook state politics, Rauf claimed that he had enough proof to back his allegations against his relative Kunhalikutty.

Neyyatinkara by-poll results - UDF's Selvaraj wins

Neyyatinkara, Jun 15: UDF's R Selvaraj has been declared the winner in the Neyyatinkara by-poll. He has won by 6,378 votes. Celebrations have begun after the ruling UDF secured victory in a close fight. Selvaraj has commented that this victory is the people's reply to the political killings involving the LDF recently. LDF's Lawrence in the second position; while O Rajagopal from the BJP is in the third position.
10:23am

Final round of counting underway in the Neyyatinkara by-poll and Selvaraj from the UDF is emerging as the dark horse and is leading by 6,340 votes. It is now certain that Selvaraj will be the winner. Counting in 139 booths have been completed. This is a huge setback for the LDF and the developments in recent times seem to have worked against the party.
10:15am

As was expected by UDF's Selvaraj, he has attained a lead of 6,340 votes, celebrations are underway in the locality. An estimated 15,000 or so votes remains to be counted and will determine the clear winner in the crucial by-polls.
10:08am

Selvaraj is continuing his winning streak and is emerging as the surprise winner. Counting in 112 booths have ended. Talking to the press, Selvaraj seem extremely confident of his win and claims that he will win with a lead of more than 6,000 votes.
10:04am

UPA names Pranab Mukherjee, NDA not keen on a contest

Click to play video

New Delhi: 6.15 pm: Sources say that the NDA is not keen on contest after the announcement of Pranab Mukherjee as the presidential candidate of the UPA. A decision in this regard is likely to be announced only after the NDA meets in a day or two.

6.12 pm: Pranab Mukherjee says he is deeply honoured to be nominated for the Presidential poll, thanks Sonia Gandhi. The veteran Congress leader says they have requested all the political parties for their support, expressing confidence in his party members and leaders of other parties.

5.51 pm: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks to AB Bardhan, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.

5.49 pm: JDU president Sharad Yadav says the NDA will call a meeting and decide upon the candidate.

5.38 pm: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati announces her support for Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

5.35 pm: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav backs Pranab as the Presidential candidate, reiterating he always said he would go with the choice of Sonia Gandhi.

5.30 pm: The Bharatiya Janata Party says though it was not consulted by the UPA before declaring its candidate, it will meet its allies and decide on supporting Pranab Mukherjee, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reaches out to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.

R Selvaraj wins by a margin of 6334 Votes

Neyyattinkara by-election results declared on June 15 2012 (Friday).  Code Name Party Party Group Votes WIN R SELVARAJ Margin - 6334 1 O RAJAGOPAL B J P NDA 30507 2 F LOWRANCE C P I (M) LDF 46194 3 R SELVARAJ I N C UDF 52528 4 T R THANKARAJAN R P I (A) OTH 294 5 E V PHILIP S P (I) OTH 88 6 JAIN WILSON IND OTH 36 7 K G MOHANAN IND OTH 54 8 J R LIVINGSTON ROSE IND OTH 36 9 LAILA SURENDRAN IND OTH 51 10 J LAWRENCE IND OTH 71 11 T LAWRANCE IND OTH 68 12 SATHYASEELAN IND OTH 200 13 SUNIL M KARANI IND OTH 350 14 SELVARAJ IND OTH 551 15 T SELVARAJ IND OTH 414

Total Tables Counted       :    144/144