Nokia to axe 4,000 jobs, move assembly to Asia
February 8, 2012 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
HELSINKI: Struggling Finnish phone maker Nokia plans to cut 4,000 more jobs at its plants in Finland, Hungary and Mexico as it seeks to cut costs by moving smartphone assembly work to Asia.
The cuts of 8 percent of the phone business workforce bring total planned job cuts at the group since Stephen Elop took over as Chief Executive in September 2010 to more than 30,000.
Nokia said in a statement the job cuts would take place in phases through this year. It has been reviewing the operations since unveiling the closure of its Romania plant last September.
“This was inevitable. It was a surprise it took so long for the decision to be made,” said Steve Brazier, chief executive of technology research firm Canalys. “Stephen Elop may be a polarizing figure, but he is proving effective at driving the change and he should be credited for that.”
Nokia’s recent business results have underscored the need for drastic cuts. Late last month it reported a 73 percent fall in quarterly earnings as sales of new Windows Phones failed to dent the dominance of Apple Inc’s iPhone or compensate for diving sales of its own old smartphones.
Its fourth-quarter smartphone sales shrank 31 percent from a year ago and the business made a steep loss for the quarter.
NO MORE PHONES BUILT IN EUROPE
Nokia said it would cut 2,300 jobs in Hungary, where it is a major exporter, some 1,000 in Finland and 700 in Mexico. It will continue to tailor models for specific operators at all sites.
Its Finnish factory in Salo, which was the cornerstone for its success in 1990s, has been the last remaining major phone assembly plant in the Western Europe for some time. Most rivals have moved their production to Asia.
The Hungarian government said it regretted Nokia’s decision.
Analyst Gergely Suppan at Takarekbank in Budapest noted the highest value-added activities would stay in Hungary.
The move comes only months after Nokia closed its plant in neighboring Romania, laying off some 2,200 people there.
Finnish unions demanded hefty cash payments to laid-off staff and Antti Rinne, chief of union Pro, said the announcement was damaging for Finland’s employment outlook.
“Raising the employment level and prolonging working careers is impossible if there are no jobs in Finland,” Rinne said in a statement.
Finland has pushed for years to prolong working careers as the Nordic country struggles with a shrinking work force and sluggish economic growth.
Nokia announced in April last year it would cut 7,000 jobs and unveiled a further 3,500 job losses in September. Its network arm Nokia Siemens announced cuts of 17,000 in November.
The group had 130,000 staff at the end of 2011, including Nokia Siemens.
Shares in Nokia were 1.2 percent higher at 3.93 euros, slightly outperforming the technology share index which rose 0.3 percent, by 5:53 a.m. ET. AGENCIES
Women were only 5 percent of directors in 2011
January 25, 2012 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
LOS ANGELES: Women remained vastly underrepresented behind the camera in the movie business in 2011, a study to be released Tuesday shows.
Last year, women comprised 18 percent of directors, executive producers, writers, cinematographers and editors working on the 250 top-grossing domestic films, according to “The Celluloid Ceiling: Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women on the Top 250 Films of 2011.”
The study, by Martha M. Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, shows that 38 percent of the top 250 films employed either no women or only one as director, executive producer, producer, writer, cinematographer or editor.
That’s an increase of 2 percent over 2010, but still a dismal number, Lauzen told TheWrap.
“Women accounted for just 5 percent of directors last year,” Lauzen said. “At one point back in 1998, we were up to 9 percent, and so 5 percent — that’s almost half of the percentage, and that .. is really troubling.”
She explained that the percentage of women in high-ranking behind-the-camera movie jobs has hovered between 16 percent and 19 percent since she started her annual study in 1997.
“This impoverishes our culture,” she said. “We have a huge gap between the demographic profile of the group that is creating our culture” and the culture in general. Women make up roughly 51 percent of the U.S. population.
Lauzen’s study analyzed 2,636 people working on the 250 top-grossing films of 2011.
It found:
* The percentage of women directors has declined since 1998 while the percentages of women writers and producers have increased slightly. The percentage of women executive producers, editors and cinematographers has remained the same.
* 94 percent of the top films of 2011 were directed by men.
* Women made up 14 percent of writers in the top films.
* 77 percent of the major films of 2011 had no female writers.
* Women made up 25 percent of all producers on the top 250 films of 2011.
* Women made up 20 percent of editors in the biggest films of 2011, but 76 percent of those films had no female editors.
* There were fewer female cinematographers than directors on the top films of 2011: only 4 percent of cinematographers were women.
* Women were most likely to work in documentaries, dramas and comedies and least likely to work in horror, action and animated films.
Lauzen said that in 2010, when Kathryn Bigelow won the Academy Award for directing “The Hurt Locker,” “there were a lot of people saying, ‘Gosh, there is going to be this ‘Bigelow Effect.’ Her win will change peoples’ ideas or notions or stereotypes about women who direct, and this is a watershed moment.’”
That didn’t happen.
Lauzen said that “if women in film schools see that there aren’t many women directing out there, they may choose not to pursue that as a career option.”
And movies suffer, she said.
Lauzen said that the lack of women as directors is a problem for the industry — but it’s a problem few people acknowledge.
“How many people in the community view women’s really dramatic underrepresentation in the film business as a problem?” she asked. “In order to fix something, you have to perceive it as broken. If those in the community do not perceive this as a problem, then it will never be addressed.” AGENCIES
PM Gilani vows to contain gas crisis within six months
January 20, 2012 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
TrendPK.com
LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday said the government wants to strengthen every institution of the country.
Addressing the ceremony held in connection with convocation of Lahore College for Women University, he said every institution should function while staying in its respective domains.
Referring to his recent appearance before seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court (SC) over contempt charge, the PM Gilani said the incident bespeaks that the government honors the judiciary, vowing, ‘We will continue to respect the judiciary.’
Claiming to be abreast of the problems of the people, the PM Gilani noted that government does not claim to have resolved the troubles facing the public; but, the gas shortage issue will be tackled within next six months and the issues including circular debts and power outages will also be resolved.
Commenting upon the government response over the NATO attack on Pakistan soil in Mohmand Agency, the PM Gilani said the government reacting proactively, not only cut off the NATO supply routes but also boycotted the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan.
In contrast, Former President General (rtd.) Pervez Musharraf caved in vis-à-vis a phone call from an undersecretary of the USA, he added stressing the dictators claimed, at the very outset of their reigns, to have abolished price hike and corruption in the country; but, they could not do so even after passage of ten years.
Now, the dictators, he continued, say the people are again in their wait. He said, “I want to tell dictators that they will no longer come here.”
“Yesterday, I was among black coats of lawyers; today, I am among the black gowns of students,” the PM said congratulating the students, their teachers and parents over their successes.
Stressing that the modern education is the only means for the social and economic growth, the PM Gilani said his government is fully aware of the vitality of the education.
On the occasion, he advised the youths to create the employment opportunities instead of going on lookout for them, adding the government is also desirous of women empowerment.
The best investment, Gilani remarked, on the part of the government of any country is in standard education, adding the government, in connection with the gender equality, is treading the pathway set by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
A separate ministry has been set up for the technical education, he told the convocation. He also announced to establish an IT campus in the university. TrendPK
European shares edge up ahead of key U.S. jobs data
LONDON: European shares edged up on Friday ahead of a key U.S. labour report that may show whether the world’s biggest economy is headed for a recession, and after two days of sharp gains on optimism for bank recapitalisation.
U.S. employment likely grew only modestly in September, with hiring too weak to pull down a lofty jobless rate and dispel recession fears. The data is due at 1230 GMT.
“Anything (in the U.S. data) that looks negative could reverse the relief rally, though it’s likely to be an inconclusive number,” Bill Blain, strategist at NewEdge Group in London, said, adding he was sceptical about the main driver of the rally.
“There is no plan to recapitalise the banks. All there is, is chitter-chatter. The equity markets are phenomenally stupid. The market is hearing what it wants to hear.”
European governments are simultaneously contemplating making banks take a bigger writedown on Greek debt, taxing their financial transactions and boosting their capital base.
At 1102 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was up 0.1 percent at 941.79 points, having hit a five-week closing high on Thursday. It is down more than 16 percent in 2011.
Although euro zone banks retained some of the gains made this week after sharp bounces from weakness, two UK banks fell after Moody’s downgraded their credit ratings. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group fell 3.5 and 3.6 percent respectively
Trading volume on RBS was about 74 percent of the 30-day average by midday.
“I was surprised to see the UK banks getting hit by Moody’s — they took the hit early and to me look a lot better (than euro zone banks). I’d buy RBS before I buy any European bank at the moment,” Blain said.
TRADING RANGE
“European equities are in another unnatural trading range,” Citigroup strategists said in a note, adding a break to the downside “requires disorderly euro area debt default, banking collapse in Europe or global recession”.
They said upside would require “a lot of hard work from policymakers and politicians and an orderly end-game to this stage of the euro area sovereign debt crisis”.
Citi said it backed the latter scenario.
The European benchmark gained 6 percent in the previous two sessions and is on track for a second consecutive weekly gain.
It went as high as 947.52 earlier in the session and moved above its 50-day moving average for the first time since late July, breaking above the neckline of an inverse head and shoulders chart pattern shaped over the past five weeks, sending a strong bullish signal to chartists.
“European stock indexes as well as shares in a number of sectors such as banking, insurance, oil, utilities and telecoms, seem to be stabilising. This is the result of extremely low valuation,” Cholet Dupont strategist Vincent Guenzi said.
The sharp losses suffered by European stocks over the past two and a half months have knocked valuation ratios to levels not seen since the heat of the financial crisis in early 2009. AGENCIES
nh unemployment
May 16, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
There is a dramatic increase in NH Unemployment during the past few years. It has also been aggravated by the recession last year and without the government bailout funds there might be more unemployed.
There is hope though for a brighter future and a downward trend to the NH unemplyment problem.New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch on Tuesday signed the “NH Employment plan”. Under the law it permits companies and their employees to agree to reduced hours in place of layoffs.
Many would think that this means lower pay for employees agreeing to the law. However, the state had also increased unemployment benefits in order to compensate for the lost wages.
6″ height=”440″ />
The “New Hampshire Working” law allows companies and their workers to agree to reduced hours in place of layoffs. The state would make up part of the lost wages through unemployment benefits.
Lynch signed the measure Tuesday.
The law is designed to reduce demand for jobless benefits and keep workers eligible for employer health benefits.
The four-quarter average unemployment rate for New Hampshire — from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 — using the U-6 measure, has just been given as 12.9 percent by NHES. This compares to an average of 6.6 percent using U-3 methodology. By coincidence, 6.6 percent was the official jobless rate in the Granite State in March 2009.
With the latest unemployment rate of 7.3 percent running higher than the 12-month average, it can be assumed that New Hampshire’s U-6 jobless rate — some would argue the true jobless rate — is currently in excess of 13 percent at the moment.
Armed Forces Medical College Results 2010
AFMC 2010 Results | AFMC Results 2010 | Cisce | CBSE Exam Results 2010 | CBSE Result | AFMC MBBS Entrance Exam Written Test results 2010 |Armed Forces Medical College
Armed Forces Medical College is a premier medical institute in the country recognized that a center of excellence for education and research. The College provides training for under-graduate and post-graduate medical and nursing students with the assured career opportunities in the defense.
The story of an institution notifies future leader and his fate. Armed Forces Medical College was established in Pune, May 1, 1948 through the amalgamation of Army Medical Training Centre, Army School of Hygiene, the Central Military Commission Pathology Laboratory, Department of blood transfusions and the Army School of Radiology.
Results for MBBS entrance examination in 2010 will be announced in the third week of May in the Employment News / Rozagar Samachar.
And click here for more information.
portsmouth nh
May 6, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Residents of Portsmouth, NH are being evacuated and a parking garage has been closed and streets closed as a man is reported to be claiming to have a bomb on a bus. Reports are that a suspicious device was found on a bus. The state police explosives disposal unit has responded to the threat. The driver, who police say got off the bus, is being questioned.
Portsmouth police investigate bomb threat on Boston-bound bus.
FBI agents arrived on scene at approximately 12:17 p.m.
Others responding to the scene included the Seacoast Emergency Response Team (SERT), the N.H. State Police bomb disposal unit, an Exeter Police special operations vehicle and a K-9 unit from Dover. At approximately 12:30 p.m. an armored vehicle was also en route from Rye.
As of 12:40 p.m. police had not named a suspect, and are urging people to stay away from the downtown area.
dow
May 6, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
The Dow was down 59.94 points (0.55 per cent) recouping some earlier losses to stand at 10,866.83 in closing trades.
The Nasdaq composite was down 21.96 points (0.91 per cent) to 2,402.29 and the Standard Poor’s 500 index was down 7.72 points (0.66 per cent) to 1,165.88.
Images of riots in Athens, which killed at least three people, were beamed into the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, fuelling concerns about a wider eurozone debt crisis.
The fixation on the European situation is unmistakable, as an encouraging employment report from ADP Employment Services passed without any buying interest, said Patrick O’Hare of Briefing.com.
Earlier, payrolls firm ADP said the US economy created 32,000 private sector jobs in April, better than market expectations.
But the positive figures were not enough to calm concerns about the eurozone that were exacerbated by the Greek riots and a warning from ratings agency Moody’s that it could downgrade Portugal’s sovereign debt within three months.
Moody’s said it had placed Portugal Aa2 government bond rating on review for possible downgrade and warned it could be cut by up to two notches because of worsening public finances and weak growth.
Eurozone fears kept the community’s single currency below the $US1.30 dollar, after it hit 12-month lows on Tuesday amid fears that Greece’s debt crisis would spread to other struggling EU economies.
On Tuesday, the Dow fell over 200 points, closing down two per cent, on fears that Spain could see its debt rating downgraded again, forcing it to follow Greece to the IMF and European nation in search of its own bailout loan.
Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero dismissed the rumours, as did the IMF, but the fears were enough to knock Spanish stocks down five per cent, creating losses across global markets
Most World Series Championships Winners List
November 3, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Most World Series Championships , The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It was the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada since 1903, finishing the postseason in the majors. The World Series is played between the club champions of the American League and National League from 2009 that collectively include 29 clubs based in the United States and one club from Canada, whose lists include players from around the world
Most World Series Championships, The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It was the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada since 1903, finishing the postseason in the majors. The World Series is played between the club champions of the American League and National League from 2009 that collectively include 29 clubs based in the United States and one club from Canada, whose lists include players from around the world. The modern World Series has been played every year since 1903, with the exception of 1904 which was canceled when the National League champion New York Giants refused to play the American League champion Boston Americans, and 1994, that was canceled due to strike MLB .
Baseball has employed various championship formulas since the 1860s. When the term “World Series” is used by itself, is usually refer to the “modern” World Series exclusively. The World Series championship is determined through a best of seven playoff games. To the best of seven format has been the modern world all series except 1903, 1919, 1920 and 1921, when the winner was determined through a best of nine playoff. The winner of the series is awarded the World Series trophy, as well as individual World Series rings.
New York Yankees American League have played in 40 of the Series 104 to 2009 and have won 26 World Series championships the most of any major league franchise, and exactly one quarter of all Series titles World livestock to date. With his frequent appearances in the Fall Classic, the Yankees have lost more in the series (13) than any other club. For the NL, the Dodgers have appeared in the series of more than 18 times (9 each in Brooklyn and Los Angeles), but have won the Series only 6 times (once in Brooklyn, five times more than Los Angeles ). The St. Louis Cardinals have represented the National League 17 times and have won 10 championships, which is second among major league teams. The Chicago Cubs have the longest streak of not winning the World Series, with their last championship coming in 1908 .
Most World Series Championships Winners List was first posted on November 3, 2009 at 4:27 pm.
Oil Extends Gains in Asian Trade
November 3, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
SINGAPORE : Oil Extends Gains in Asian Trade , Oil rose further in Asian trade on Tuesday, underpinned by a better-than-expected expansion in the US manufacturing sector. A weak greenback, which makes dollar-priced crude cheaper for holders of stronger currencies, was also an extra factor behind the higher futures, they added. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, advanced 26 cents to 78.39 dollars a barrel
SINGAPORE : Oil Extends Gains in Asian Trade, Oil rose further in Asian trade on Tuesday, underpinned by a better-than-expected expansion in the US manufacturing sector.
A weak greenback, which makes dollar-priced crude cheaper for holders of stronger currencies, was also an extra factor behind the higher futures, they added.
New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, advanced 26 cents to 78.39 dollars a barrel.
Brent North Sea crude for December delivery gained 19 cents to 76.74 dollars.
The two contracts closed firmer Monday, buoyed in part by the US manufacturing expansion.
The Institute of Supply Management said Monday its factory index, also known as the purchasing managers index, grew for a third consecutive month in October with a reading of 55.7 percent.
It was stronger than market expectations for a reading of 53 percent and the highest rate of growth since April 2006. Any number above 50 indicates growth.
“The reading marks the highest point in three and a half years,” said Dariusz Kowalczyk, chief investment strategist with SJS Markets securities firm.
Among the sub-indexes in the survey, the employment index was 53.1 percent, marking a sharp turnaround from last month’s 46.2 percent and suggesting that factories are starting to add jobs.
“This is the first time in a year and a half that US manufacturers increased employment, a factor that bodes well for Friday’s payrolls report,” said Kowalczyk.
The US is the world’s biggest energy user and a recovery in its economy is seen as key to lifting global oil demand, which has been hit by the global financial crisis.
Official data released last Thursday showed US gross domestic product grew for the first time in a year, at a stronger-than-expected 3.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter, lifting market sentiment.
Oil Extends Gains in Asian Trade was first posted on November 3, 2009 at 4:45 pm.
