TCS asks 500 employees to leave

India’s leading software services firm Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) said Tuesday that about 500 of its employees were asked to look for another job after their performance was rated poorly.

“Those who cannot meet the performance requirements of our company were asked to look for another job commensurate with their abilities,” TCS spokesman Pradipta Bagchi said here.

In the quarter ended Dec 31, TCS appointed 4,037 employees, taking its total headcount to 108,229, up from 83,500 a year ago.

The export-driven software services companies have been winning large outsourcing contracts from western clients, but recession fears in the US and a rising rupee against the dollar has considerably affected their profit margins in the recent past.

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Toyota Closes China Car Plant as Honda Workers Return

Toyota Motor Corp. closed a factory in China because of a supplier strike while workers at a Honda Motor Co. affiliate agreed to return to their jobs with a promise of higher pay.
Walkouts have spread through foreign-owned industrial plants during the past month as workers demand higher pay, underscoring the shrinking supply of low-cost labor in the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
Strikes at Honda suppliers in China disrupted the Tokyo- based automaker’s production in the country and forced it to raise pay at three plants. Employees at Honda Lock (Guangdong) Co. agreed last night to accept wage increases, said Takayuki Fujii, a Beijing-based spokesman for Honda.
“We aren’t striking anymore and decided to take the offer,” said a 23-year-old Honda Lock employee who identified himself only by the surname Huang. “It’s not much of an increase, but there’s nothing more we can do.”
Toyota closed its Tianjin factory at noon yesterday after a strike at supplier Toyoda Gosei Co. in the city, said Mieko Iwasaki, a spokeswoman for the Toyota, Japan-based carmaker.
Honda is trying to prevent the resumption of a strike at a fourth parts maker. Nihon Plast Co. shut its Zhongshan, Guangdong province plant on June 17 after workers walked out demanding higher wages. They agreed late yesterday to return to work as negotiations continued, and operations resumed at about 9 p.m. Beijing time, Fujii said.
‘Copycat Strikes’
“When strikes are successful, you do see replica strikes, copycat strikes,” said Geoffrey Crothall, a spokesman for Hong Kong-based advocacy group China Labour Bulletin. “I expect you’ll see more strikes in the coming weeks.”
Workers at Honda Lock, wholly owned by the carmaker, began their walkout on June 9 and suspended industrial action June 15. A Honda Lock employee surnamed Luo said the basic monthly salary has been increased by 200 yuan ($29.30) plus an 80-yuan allowance.
“It’s much less than what I expected,” Luo said, adding that there were no talks of more strikes. “I was hoping we would get at least 450 yuan more each month. About 80 percent of the workers in there were very unhappy with the increase.”
Employees would probably join in should someone decide to start another strike because dissatisfaction is so high, he said.
Production Unaffected
Honda’s car production wasn’t disrupted by the earlier Nihon Plast walkout, Fujii said.
Nihon Plast, based in Shizuoka, Japan, is 21 percent owned by Honda, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The company also supplies Japanese carmakers Nissan Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp., according to its website. It makes air bags and handles for Honda and Nissan, according to Kyodo News, which reported the strike earlier.
Nihon Plast’s Zhongshan factory manufactures steering wheels for all models from Nissan’s Chinese venture, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Co.
Nissan’s production in China hasn’t been affected because the company has a sufficient stock of parts, Yoshihisa Jun, a spokesman for the Yokohama-based carmaker in China, said by phone.
Assembly car plants in Guangzhou and Hubei province run by Dongfeng Nissan will resume today, said Akihiro Nakanishi, a Guangzhou-based spokesman for the company.
The factory in Zhongshan is 85 percent owned by Nihon Plast and 15 percent owned by Osaka, Japan-based Itochu Corp. It has 502 employees and was established in 2003, according to the website.
Pay Rises
A Toyoda Gosei Co. plant in Tianjin has been partially shut since workers went on strike June 17, said Shingo Handa, a spokesman for the Toyota affiliate, based in Japan’s Aichi prefecture.
Niu Yu, a Toyota spokesman in China, said the Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co. car plant that shut down yesterday is normally closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Workers at another Toyota supplier in China, Tianjin Star Light Rubber and Plastic Co., also walked out briefly on June 15, Toyoda Gosei’s Handa said. The issue was resolved when the company offered a pay increase, said Zhu Hai Feng, a spokesman for the company in Tianjin. He declined to elaborate.
Toyota fell 1.7 percent to close at 3,240 yen yesterday in Tokyo trading, while the benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average was little changed. Toyoda Gosei declined 0.4 percent and Honda dropped 1.7 percent.
Reduced Migration
Higher investment and improved wages in western China are deterring workers from migrating, pushing up pay in more industrialized regions like Guangdong in the south, David Abrahamson, project manager at the China Center for Labor and Environment, said by phone from Shenzhen.
A factory owned by Xiaotian (Zhongshan) Industrial Co., a maker of gas stoves and electric fans located 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from Honda Lock’s plant, promised workers a monthly increase of at least 250 yuan, excluding overtime, last week.
Some factories in China are losing as many as 25 percent of their workers a month, reflecting increased competition among employers to hire staff, said Ian Spaulding, Hong Kong-based managing director at Infact Global Partners, which advises factory owners on China work practices.
More than 20 Chinese provinces and cities raised minimum wages this year, the Shenzhen city government said on its website. In Shenzhen, which raised minimum wages an average of 15.8 percent, the government said higher pay will help companies recruit workers and will boost consumption.

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Big B’s repeated invitation to SRK for ‘Raavan’ premiere

The ‘Raavan’ premiere is going to be a grand on in London. Many Bollywood celebrities
are expected to grace the event and among them is Shahrukh Khan. Excited Amitabh send an open invitation to Shahrukh and his family though the social networking site, ‘Twitter’.

“Premier of Raavan in London 16th June 7 pm at British Film Institute, South Bank. Shah Rukh! Believe Abhi spoke to you and you coming!” said Amitabh to SRK.

After few hours, Amitabh repeated his invitation by saying, “Shah Rukh! Believe Abhishek spoke to you about the Premier in London and you Gauri and the kids all are coming. Wonderful! See you there.”

The report of the tiff between Shahrukh Khan
and Amitabh Bachchan has finally died down with Amitabh’s repeated invitation to Shahrukh. On the other hand, his fans requested Big B to share screen space with Rajnikanth and Shahrukh Khan.

‘Raavan’ will be releasing this Friday worldwide and audiences are looking forward to it with high anticipation.

Read more: Big B’s repeated invitation to SRK for ‘Raavan’ premiere | Amitabh Bachchan | Shahrukh Khan http://www.bollywoodmantra.com/news/big-b-s-repeated-invitation-to-srk-for-raavan-premiere/5954/#ixzz0r8cPz17X

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India open Asia Cup campaign against Bangladesh

A rejuvenated India would aim to redeem their tarnished pride and end a 15-year-old jinx when they start their Asia Cup cricket campaign against Bangladesh at the Rangiri Dambulla ground on Wednesday.

Hurting from their debacles in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup (West Indies) and the tri-series in Zimbabwe, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men would be desperate to win back the confidence of fans after being accused of being more loyal to their IPL teams than the country.

The Asia Cup title, which they last won in 1995, will be the perfect balm to calm frayed nerves and bury the ghosts of the recent past.

Unlike in the West Indies and Zimbabwe, India have a near full-strength team to achieve what they have set out for.

Except for Sachin Tendulkar, who opted to spend time with his family, and Yuvraj Singh, dropped for poor form, India more or less have the nucleus of the 2011 World Cup team.

Virender Sehwag's return provides the firepower to the batting which had been rudderless without substantial starts at the top of the order.

The Delhi marauder, who was nursing a shoulder injury, is arguably one of the most feared batsman in international cricket capable of demolishing any attack on his day.

Dhoni would be looking forward to fireworks from his deputy to reignite the confidence of his beleaguered legion.

If Sehwag can provide a blistering start in the company of Gautam Gambhir, the rest of the batting, propped up by the youthful exuberance of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should be capable of holding its own in the four-nation event.

Dhoni would also be itching to set the record straight, especially after his leadership was questioned in the immediate aftermath of the Twenty20 World Cup.

He might bat up the order, probably at four or five, depending on the start provided by the top-half.

If the batsmen conjure match-winning totals, the Indian bowling, which has been a subject of debate over the last six months, should be able to provide the results that the fans have longed for since the successful conquest against South Africa at home in March.

The new ball will be shared by Zaheer Khan, Asish Nehra and Praveen Kumar, who has been fortunate to regain his place in the side despite dismal performances in the past.

It augurs well that Zaheer, who was virtually on his haunches during the unsuccessful campaign in the Twenty20 World Cup after an enervating IPL, looks rearing to go following the break.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Pragyan Ojha should play the supporting cast to Harbhajan Singh in the spin department.

Though the four-time Asia Cup champions start favorites, they can't take Bangladesh lightly. Shakib-Ul Hasan's men have pulled off upsets in the past and could do so here as well.

"We want to improve every time we go on to the field and want to win games. We have the potential to win matches.

Hopefully, we can some games here," said Shakib.

The teams (from):
India: M S Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Asish Nehra, Ashok Dinda, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sourabh Tiwari.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Jahurul Islam, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Mahmudullah, Mushrafe Mortaza, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul islam, Suhrawadi Shuvo.

Match starts at 2.30pm (IST).

Read more at:http://cricket.ndtv.com/asiacup2010/news_story.aspx?ID=SPOEN20100143944&keyword=news&cp

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RIL’s big bang entry into telecom

Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries on Friday announced that it will buy Infotel Broadband Services for Rs 4,800 crore, thus, marking the re-entry of India’s most valued firm into the booming telecom space.

The decision came within hours after Infotel Broadband Services emerged as the sole winner of broadband spectrum in all 22 zones in India in an auction that ended on Friday.

The acquisition of 95 per cent stake, through fresh equity infusion, values Mahendra Nahata group's Infotel at over Rs 5,000 crore, follows a truce arrived at between Mukesh and his younger brother Anil on May 23 wherein the warring brothers scrapped a non-compete agreement to allow each other's business flexibility.

Reliance Industries also said they plan to forge strategic partnerships with technology players, device manufacturers and application developers to claim dominance in the 4G sector.

Commenting on the deal Mukesh Ambani said: "We see this as the next wave of value creation opportunity in the wireless broadband space. We believe this will pole-vault India's economy into the digital world & create world class consumer experiences."

Anil's group firm Reliance Communication exited the 16-day long wireless spectrum auction a week ago.

Soon after announcement, the markets as expected reacted positively, RIL shares ended higher by 3 per cent on the Sensex.

This announcement perhaps is coming exactly a week before RIL's AGM scheduled to be held on June 18.

And as always the markets and investors expectations are sky high with everyone expecting Mukesh Ambani to make some big bang announcements.

The one sector that the markets expect RIL to enter is the power sector with their plans of seting up some coal based power plants in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Perhaps that’s the next big thing from RIL's stable.

Read more at: http://beta.profit.ndtv.com/news/show/rils-big-bang-entry-into-telecom-73687?cp

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Australia pull out of 2018 World Cup bid

Australia has pulled out of the race to stage the World Cup in 2018 and will instead focus their attention on securing the 2022 tournament, FIFA have confirmed.

The game's governing body said Football Federation Australia (FFA) had taken the decision after they realized there was "growing movement" to hold the 2018 competition in Europe.

Only last month, FFA chairman Frank Lowy handed his country's 2018 bid document over to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Australia's decision means the United States are the only non-European country still in the running to host the tournament. The other 2018 bids are from England, Russia, Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said in a statement on Australia's official bid site: "The FFA have displayed an exemplary level of solidarity with Europe and the European bidding nations and were among the very first to enter into an open and constructive dialogue with me after it became apparent that there was a growing movement to stage the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Europe.

"Their announcement of today, therefore, to henceforth focus solely on bidding for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a welcome gesture that is much appreciated by FIFA's leadership and executive committee. We wish to thank Mr Lowy, the FFA and the Australian Government."

Lowy confirmed Australia's decision to step aside and increase the chances of a European country winning the bid.

He said: "We have been in discussion with FIFA for months and it is that trusting relationship with the leadership of the governing body that has caused us to focus on 2022 and decide to leave the field for 2018 to European contenders."

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Kites - The Blockblaster

The Roshans have always delivered hit films in recent times. From Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai to Krrish – their films always boast of intricate stories, dramatic twists, good music, credible performances and even bigger budgets. Question is: Can Kites live up to expectations and join the high rankings of past films from FilmKraft? My answer is yes, yes, and YES!!

“Filmi”, by definition, loosely refers to the stereotypical elements that comprise a Bollywood film: the song and dance sequences, the famous “running around trees” scenarios, over the top dramatic and emotional moments and the high-level gloss and glamour quotient. Kites is everything but! With its unconventional storytelling, solid script and focus on being “real” rather than “reel”, Kites scores high points…big time!

Let’s start at the end…why, because that is exactly where the film starts…the end with a battered and beaten J (Hrithik Roshan) remembering recent events. What makes for a refreshing viewing experience is that the film is almost entirely narrated through flashbacks with only a handful of scenes taking place in the present moment. Kites tells the story of J, who is in love with money and who would do anything to score a buck. This desire leads to his primary job, marrying illegal immigrants in a win-win scenario, he gets paid to marry them and the ladies get their green cards. Fair game, right? But what happens when love enters the picture? Enter Natasha, also known as Linda (Barbara Mori) a free-spirited and determined young lady. J and Natasha marry, part ways and meet later under different circumstances. Both J and Natasha meet again, each dating different people. Attracted to their current partners for their wealth, J and Natasha are unaware of one fact, that J’s girlfriend (Kangana Ranaut) and Natasha’s boyfriend (Nick Brown) are siblings. Both J and Natasha (still married) grow to love each other and make their escape…how…why…when and what happens is what Kites is about.

Now…let’s get to the point. J and Natasha’s various meetings and experiences are revealed to the viewer through flashbacks. What works in the film’s favour is how these flashbacks are incorporated into the plot, not just from a script point of view, but visually as well. Not only does the writing allow each scene to move back and forth smoothly without interruption, the visual meshing together of scenes allows the viewers to ease into a complicated plot and story telling technique with ease, never confusing the viewer and taking them for granted.

There are only a handful of song sequences in the film, including a brilliantly executed Latin infused instrumental number that showcases the dancing talents of Hrithik Roshan. Each of the songs are beautifully integrated into the plot not through the typical song and dance but by portraying the subtle and delicate glances and body gestures exchanged between Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori. These song portions focus on the situations and experiences of both lead protagonists, which helps move the story forward. Rajesh Roshan’s music is sweet and melodious and the lyrics by Nasir Faraaz and Asif Ali Beg suit the story and emotions felt during each moment.

The performances in the film are excellent. As usual, Hrithik Roshan is in top form and enacts his part with complete conviction lending a very real and approachable quality to his character. He does exceedingly well during the action sequences and enthralls the audience during the emotional scenes. No one could have played this role better.

While we can expect only the best from Hrithik and he does not disappoint, Barbara Mori is the refreshing factor in the film. She is a direct departure from the stereotypical Bollywood film heroine. She holds her own in each and every scene. Not only is her chemistry with Hrithik Roshan electrifying, she stands shoulder to shoulder with Hrithik in acting merits and screen presence. Barbara’s presence in the film also works with the fact that she is a talent we have not witnessed on screen before. Had the Roshan’s casted an Indian actress, the film’s impact would have been lost…Natasha was made for Barbara and her pairing with Hrithik carries the film straight to the finish line. Her ability to grasp you with her innocence and emotive expressions and surprise you with her comic sense and gutsy attitude make her a girl straight off the streets, someone the viewers can relate to.

Anurag Basu is known for his realistic, jaw dropping and enthralling films, but Kites would definitely seem an unusual outing for him. Yet, Kites works and only because of Anurag! While the writing of the film is flawless, Anurag’s handling of the script is the silver lining. Each scene is handled with such care and precision that the characters and situations are captivating. Such is the direction of Anurag that the viewer never feels forced into watching a 130 minute film, instead we join Anurag in an adventure as his direction allows the film to capture our attention from the first scene right to the last. Each moment is a surprise and each scene is full of action and emotion different from the one preceding.

Kangana Ranaut is good in a brief role, but how one wishes that she would have been given a more fleshed out role to show off her talents. Nick Brown is effective in a crucial role and leaves a mark nonetheless. Kabir Bedi plays his part well and adds a serious sensibility in his role as a father. Ayananka Bose’s cinematography is breathtaking and a treat to the eyes.

All in all, Kites has what it takes to become a hit and fly high in the sky. The strong story, writing, performances and its execution can only ensure amazing first weekend collections. It is a sure shot winner among the young movie-goers the world over; however, its longevity at theaters can only be determined by how well the general audience takes to its unconventional approach to story telling and the lack of traditional song and dance numbers. Kites is worth your every dollar and every minute. A must see film this summer!

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