 |
PIOs might be able to invest in country’s growing aviation sector |
The move by the government to grant dual citizenship might mean that PIOs (who become dual citizens) may be allowed permission to invest in the civil aviation sector. The government is currently considering the move. As per existing policy, NRIs are allowed to invest (up to 100%) in domestic airlines, but PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) cannot.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation stipulates that a scheduled/non-scheduled air transport operator’s permit can only be granted to a citizen of India or to a company/body/corporate provided, among others, that substantial ownership and effective control is vested in Indian nationals.
|
|
|
|
King Kong takes a beating from Mama Jack
|
A South African Indian filmmaker’s slapstick comedy in which a white man goes in disguise as an African woman has beaten worldwide blockbusters including King Kong to rake in the biggest numbers at the box office.
Produced by Anant Singh of Videovision, Mama Jack, the latest smash hit from South Africa’s leading funny man Leon Schuster, has emerged as the top film during the holiday season in South Africa.
“We are delighted with the phenomenal performance of Mam Jack,” said Singh. “Mama Jack is definitely Leon Schuster’s funniest film ever and audiences of all ages and races have unanimously embraced it. It is truly wonderful to have a home-grown film out-gross the big studio films. This is certainly a boost for the South African film industry as Mama Jack was made entirely in the country with local talent and crew,” he said.
The film has turned out to be the top grosser breaking all records and has earned over 23 million rands ($3.7 million) at the South African box office since its release. It has beaten major releases for 2005, including blockbusters like Madagascar, Mr and Mrs Smith, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, The Chronicles Of Narnia and King Kong. It is currently playing in over 100 cinemas in South Africa.
Based on the current box office earnings, it is estimated that by February 14, 2006, Mama Jack will surpass the 32 million rands ($5.1 million) box-office record set by the film “Mr Bones” as the highest grossing South African film of all time.
|
|
|
|
 |
American NRI singer to perform at the Grammy Awards |
US-based pop singer Reggie Benjamin will be performing at the Grammy awards (February 8).
Benjamin is the son of immigrants from Andhra Pradesh. His father was a Christian pastor who was especially fond of Elvis Presley’s gospel songs — which instilled in him an interest in music.
He has won several distinctions in pop music — he was the first Indian to make it to the Billboard charts and has had 10 hits in a row in more than 25 countries. |
|
 |
Amartya Sen wins George C Marshall award |
Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has been named for the second annual US Agency for International Development’s George C Marshall Award, established by USAID award pays tribute to the great American statesman and to the Marshall Plan he led. The Marshall Plan laid the ground-work for a new world order that, through development assistance, helped bring the world out of the chaos of two world wars.
USAID administrator Andrew S Natsios, in presenting the award to Sen at a ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, said, “Amartya Sen, this year’s recipient of the George C Marshall award, is someone who has thought most deeply about the world we live in and how we can more effectively meet the unprecedented threats we face today, as well the age-old scourges of humanity: famine, disease and poverty.”
Introducing Sen to the USAID staff, Natsios said: ‘This is a development agency and there is no figure in the world more famous intellectually in our community as a scholar, researcher, as an economist in our work, than Dr Sen is. |
|
 |
Haryana reserves 10% of its industrial plots for NRIs |
| The Haryana government is reserving 10 per cent of the plots in its industrial estates for NRIs and persons of Indian origin. This reservation clause also extends to those setting up units with 33 per cent or more foreign direct investment. According to officials, the allotment of plots for projects having an investment of more than Rs 30 crore ($6.8 million) will be made by a committee. For other categories, plots will be allotted after inviting applications through advertisements in newspapers. |
|
