The company has been accused of bias against workers who aren’t from India. Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., the biggest U.S. sponsor of H-1B visas for foreign information technology specialists, says a civil rights lawsuit accusing the firm of bias against workers who aren’t from India is all wrong.
Three former employees claim they were forced out of their jobs and replaced with “less qualified” South Asians after being poorly treated by their Indian supervisors and colleagues, given unjustifiably low performance ratings and denied promotions. The company contends that what it’s accused of isn’t covered by federal civil rights law. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, but plaintiffs’ factual allegations, on their face, plainly pertain to a claim of discrimination based on national origin -- not race,” Cognizant said in a court filing. It also said the complaint is clearly targeted at “visa holders, but visa-status allegations have nothing to do with race.” Broader Backlash The lawsuit is part of a broader backlash by white IT workers against the visa program that allows U.S. companies to bring in foreign workers for job openings they say can’t be filled otherwise. President Donald Trump tapped into this discontentment to capture the White House in 2016. Trump’s “Buy American and Hire American” executive order, signed last April, seeks to ensure that American workers aren’t unfairly disadvantaged by employers who allegedly abuse the H-1B visa program. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee in Los Angeles said Thursday she would rule on Cognizant’s request to dismiss the claims without a hearing. Cognizant received 29,000 H1-B visas last year, according to Homeland Security Department data, about twice as much as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., second on the list. The biggest U.S. technology companies, such as Amazon.com Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Google Inc., are much further down the list with fewer than 5,000 sponsored visas each. TCS may have to face a class-action trial later this year in Oakland, California, by American workers who claim they lost their jobs because the company is biased in favor of South Asian IT employees. The same Washington law firm representing the workers from TCS and Cognizant is pressing similar claims against Infosys Ltd. and Wipro Ltd., two other IT outsourcing firms. TCS, Infosys and Wipro are all based in India. Cognizant’s headquarters is in Teaneck, New Jersey. The case is Palmer v. Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., 17-cv-06848, U.S. District Court, Central District of California (Los Angeles). Finns said access to nature, safety, childcare, good schools and free healthcare were among the best things about in their country. VATICAN CITY: Finland is the world’s happiest country, according to an annual survey issued on Wednesday that found Americans were getting less happy even as their country became richer.
Burundi came bottom in the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s (SDSN) 2018 World Happiness Report which ranked 156 countries according to things such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. Taking the harsh, dark winters in their stride, Finns said access to nature, safety, childcare, good schools and free healthcare were among the best things about in their country. “I’ve joked with the other Americans that we are living the American dream here in Finland,” said Brianna Owens, who moved from the United States and is now a teacher in Espoo, Finland’s second biggest city with a population of around 280,000. “I think everything in this society is set up for people to be successful, starting with university and transportation that works really well,” Owens told Reuters. Finland, rose from fifth place last year to oust Norway from the top spot. The 2018 top-10, as ever dominated by the Nordics, is: Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia. The United States came in at 18th, down from 14th place last year. Britain was 19th and the United Arab Emirates 20th. One chapter of the 170-page report is dedicated to emerging health problems such as obesity, depression and the opioid crisis, particularly in the United States where the prevalence of all three has grown faster than in most other countries. While U.S. income per capita has increased markedly over the last half century, happiness has been hit by weakened social support networks, a perceived rise in corruption in government and business and declining confidence in public institutions. “We obviously have a social crisis in the United States: more inequality, less trust, less confidence in government,” the head of the SDSN, Professor Jeffrey Sachs of New York’s Columbia University, told Reuters as the report was launched at the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences. “It’s pretty stark right now. The signs are not good for the U.S. It is getting richer and richer but not getting happier.” Asked how the current political situation in the United States could affect future happiness reports, Sachs said: “Time will tell, but I would say that in general that when confidence in government is low, when perceptions of corruption are high, inequality is high and health conditions are worsening ... that is not conducive to good feelings.” For the first time since it was started in 2012, the report, which uses a variety of polling organizations, official figures and research methods, ranked the happiness of foreign-born immigrants in 117 countries. Finland took top honors in that category too, giving the country a statistical double-gold status. The foreign-born were least happy in Syria, which has been mired in civil war for seven years. “The most striking finding of the report is the remarkable consistency between the happiness of immigrants and the locally born,” said Professor John Helliwell of Canada’s University of British Columbia. “Although immigrants come from countries with very different levels of happiness, their reported life evaluations converge towards those of other residents in their new countries,” he said. “Those who move to happier countries gain, while those who move to less happy countries lose.” This is in addition to the construction of a “grand memorial” at Jayalalithaa’s burial site at the famous Marina beach here, at a cost of Rs 50.80 cr. Chennai: Tamil Nadu government on Thursday allotted 20 crore to convert ‘Veda Nilayam’, where late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa lived for nearly five decades, into a memorial. The decision to convert the bungalow, bought by Jayalalithaa’s mother Sandhya in the 1960s, was taken in August as part of measures to enable the merger of EPS and OPS factions of the AIADMK.
In his budget speech, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam announced that Rs 20 crore has been allotted for the purpose. This was in addition to the construction of a “grand memorial” at Jayalalithaa’s burial site at the famous Marina beach here, at a cost of Rs 50.80 crore, Pannerselvam said in his budget speech in the assembly. Officials recently commenced preliminary work on the proposed conversion of Jayalalithaa’s residence in Poes Garden locality here into a memorial. Jayalalithaa died on December 5, 2016. Panneerselvam also said a grand function would be held here marking the culmination of birth centenary celebrations of AIADMK founder and late Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR. The celebrations began in January last and the government had been holding events in all 30 districts across the state.
In this modern era still mother-in-laws are torturing for dowry & Husband in a alleged relationship with a colleague.
Never imagined that I would write a news-blog on my own friend suicide this blog page will be updated in regular interval basis so keep-eye on this page. - ADMIN.
Update-10-Mar-18/03.00pm - Today Rose Murali parties & Sahana Father has reported in RDO office - Tiruvallur for the investigation sadly Sahana didn't report because of health concerns & officers are done their interrogation with Jeevitha's close friends & Rose Murali parties.
As per sources by Monday Rose Murali parents will be arrested.
Update-09-Mar-18/06.00pm - As we reported earlier today RDO-Tiruvullar wing scheduled for investigation with both parties and Rose Murali parties have not represented so RDO will send summon and again if they don't report tomorrow Rose Murali parents related to this incident people also will be arrested.
Update-08-Mar-18/9.00pm- Srimathi DR. Thamizhisai Soundarajan - State President, Tamilnadu BJP for coming in person and paying homage to our Jeevitha's family on Women's day! She also met Jeevitha's mother, consoled her and has told her that all legal actions will be taken. She has mentioned about Jeevitha's suicide on her women's day letter too.
Update - 07-Mar-18/9.00pm - Second enquiry will be placed on Friday (09-Mar-18) by RDO (Revenue Divisional Officer) & Police investigation will be done on both parties- based on that Rose Murali parents will be sent to jail and only then Jeevitha baby can be rescued from them.
Update - 6-Mar-18/9.30pm - Rose Murali arressted under dowry harassment with non-bail warrant sent to puzhal jail he will be in police remand for 90 days. Jeevitha baby is still with Rose Murali family and it seems soon they will get the baby soon from the family. Sahana (affair girl) have been terminated from the company (TVS Infotech). Watch Rose Murali Arresting Video -
Husband made a friendship with another woman and Jeevitha committed suicide by jumping into the cooum river from a running train.
Geetha from George Town Town in Chennai. She has a daughter named Jeevitha and a son named Ganesh. Jeevitha was working in a private hospital in the area of Vanagaram. In February 2016, she married Rose Murali, who works in IT. They have a baby girl who turns one age on 6th March 2018. In this case, her husband Rose has been in a relationship with a woman and when Jeevitha was pregnant. Jeevitha asked her husband to come up with this information. In addition, her husband Rose and his family have also been harassed by dowry. Jeevitha told her family about the dowry harassment and her husband's friendship with another woman. How did both became close? During pregnancy / delivery period 6 months time Rose Murali & Sahana became close. During this time Rose never concerned / contacted Jeevitha. Listen to call conversation between Jeevitha & Sahana -
The two families compromised together. But her husband Rose did not let her. In recent times Jeevitha again conceived but Rose don't want to go with second baby so he asked to abort the pregnancy for that also rose didn't pay nor helped Rose Murali used to give mental torture to get money / jewels from her family. Even he has slapped Jeevitha's mother & also for ear boring ceremony also he has not given any money everything bared by Jeevitha
Saddest part is this illegal relationship has been accepted by Rose Murali parents they have been very supportive it seems when Jeevitha questioned about this they said it is just entertainment.! Sometimes Rose Murali used to have sex with affair girl - WTF!! On Saturday, he had dropped his wife at the hospital after which she left the hospital around 11.30 am & she had taken the suburban train from the Tambaram to reach the beach while travelling she has called his Mom, brother & informed about her situation, Ganesh convinced her sister told you to go home first, Jeevitha did not respond & cuts the call he keeps on trying to call her by the time train crosses the Saidapet from Guindy. Jeevitha jumped into the Adyar river from the train suddenly. Other passengers have been scattered by this. Some dragged the risk chain and stopped the train. But in that time, Jeevitha drowned in the river. Immediately fire department came to the spot and landed in the river and rescued the jivita. But he was able to restore his lifeless body. Railway police registered suicide as a casual suicide for jeevitha's suicide. Parents and friends who have lost their daughter have requested justice for Jeevitha. Jeevitha's mother tearfully asked her to take action against Rose Murali and her family under the dowry harassment and female abuse act. Jeevitha's mother said the next step was to report to the Chennai Police Commissioner. They also complained that they wanted to recover an elderly child. However in this modern era it is very hard to find this kind of girls who barely dedicates their live, love, life & time to their beloved husband. But this Rose doesn't know the value of Jeevitha's love & went behind another girl to cover it up his parents started to ask more dowry. I think her calmness Rose used it to other-way. Now Jeevitha's brother, family, relations & friends want #JusticeforJeevitha to put Rose Murali in Jail for life time-please show your support. click here to sign the petition in change.org Watch the full story round-up by News Channels
At the newly launched Mystery Rooms, an escape gaming centre, there is just one mission: make an escape in under 60 minutes We are convicts — falsely accused though — garbed in trademark prison clothes and locked in a cell.
But there is hope. We can break out. The jailor has stepped out and all we have is 60 minutes to escape, relying on brainpower to solve the puzzles. At the just launched Mystery Rooms, the new escape gaming activity centre in the city, you can choose from four missions. Ours is titled Lockout: The Prison Break Challenge. The others are Cabin in the Woods — A Murder Mystery, Kon of Kohinoor: The Diamond Robbery and A Night In Bhangarh: Mystery of a Cursed Fort. Difficulty and skill levels vary for each. The Bhangarh game, for instance, is a tad scary as this fort in Rajasthan is said to be haunted. The game version involves entering a dark room armed with just lanterns, and courage. Inspired by the virtual world. Mystery Rooms was started in Delhi, around four years ago by Shikhir and Sapna Bhutani, and Prateek Panjwani, the architect, who also does the creative designing. “This form of gaming is originally inspired by online escape games that are quite popular in the virtual world,” says Panjwani. “Mystery Rooms is a live version of these games where players get to experience the situation in real life and emerge heroes at the end. If a mission isn’t completed, there are punishments,” laughs Anurag Jangra, one of the partners who’s taken up the franchise for Chennai and Bengaluru along with Siddharth Nahata. “It’s a 3,000 square foot space and we cater to people in the age group of five to 77. It’s a great place for a family outing, bonding and team building events,” says Nahata. Games are inspired by movies and real life. Each mission can be taken up by two to eight people. “It takes six to seven months to come up with an idea, clues and the whole setting,” says Panjwani. A group of excited college students tumble out of a room high-fiving each other. They’ve completed their game well ahead of time and are determined to come back over the weekend to try the remaining challenges. “To keep up with the enthusiastic clients we are constantly coming up with new ideas,” says Panjwani. Up next will be a game based on The Hangover theme (inspired by the movie) where players find themselves waking up in a suite with no recollection of what happened the previous night. Another is themed around the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala, where the player has to navigate through the temple and open locked vaults. (Mystery Rooms is located at 24, BBCL Magnum, College Road, Nungambakkam. As part of the inaugural offer there’s a 50% off on the tariff, which starts at ₹450 for two people. 9899009341) Blog first published in The Hindu. Better amenities: Work being undertaken at the Corporation hospital in Virugambakkam. M. Karunakaran The ambitious project to renovate infrastructure in Corporation hospitals across the city will be completed shortly.
Work on renovation of 106 primary health centres across the city has been taken up. Chennai Corporation’s Health Department runs 140 centres. Each centre caters to a population of 50,000, attracting a large number of patients from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. According to officials, work on renovation of 76 hospitals has already been completed. Work on at least 17 hospitals is under way. Residents have pointed to inadequate infrastructure in Corporation hospitals in various neighbourhoods. The civic body identified 4 hospitals in Tiruvottiyur, 2 in Manali, 2 in Madhavaram, 12 in Tondiarpet, 10 in Royapuram, 11 in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, 5 in Ambattur, 14 in Anna Nagar, 15 in Teynampet, 12 in Kodambakkam, 1 in Valasaravakkam, 4 in Alandur, 7 in Adyar, 4 in Perungudi and 3 in Sholinganallur for renovation. Former councillors had also alleged that the inadequate infrastructure was hindering services, affecting delivery of some services such as diagnosis and management of non-communicable diseases. Malaria testing Former Councillor S. Mangala Raj said residents rely largely on Corporation hospitals for malaria testing. “After modernisation of the hospitals, the Corporation has to increase the number of doctors. Doctors visit many of the Corporation hospitals once in a week,” said Mr. Mangala Raj. As per data from the civic body, there are 268 posts sanctioned for doctors in Chennai Corporation hospitals, but many of the posts are vacant. The civic body has been hiring doctors through private agencies. 100-bed hospitals “Work on six modern 100-bed hospitals will also be completed in August,” said an official. Work on the 100-bed hospital in Valasaravakkam with 2980 sq. m of building is in the final stages. Work on 100-bed hospitals in Puzhal, Tiruvottiyur, Perungudi, Injambakkam and Manali will also be completed in August. Renovation work in a few of the hospitals that have been delayed for many years will also be taken up this month. For example, the tender for primary health centre in ward 193 in Thoraipakkam has been floated. Work order will be issued this month. Similarly, the proposed primary health centre in Kondithope, Adambakkam, TNHB Third Street and Mathoor in ward 19 will also be constructed this year. Toyota’s brand-new model ‘Yaris’ was unveiled at the ongoing The Hindu Auto Expo. A range of premium and new car models, as well as superbikes, were on display at the The Hindu Auto Expo 2018, which began on Saturday at the Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam. Bike racer Dilip Rogger, along with Shivanka Lankalingam, executive director, Lanson Toyota, inaugurated the expo.
They also unveiled Toyota’s brand-new model, ‘Yaris’. Eighteen automobile majors, including Renault, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Ducati are participating in the two-day event. The event features a bike stunt show by Team RBK on both days of the expo, along with a Live Rap session by Jack Styles. Users will be able to fly from the airport to Electronic City in 15 minutes, a journey that usually takes two hours by road. Bengaluru’s helicopter taxi service is all set to take off on Monday with users able to fly from Kempegowda International Airport to Electronic City in 15 minutes, a journey that usually takes two hours by road.
The heli-taxi service is being introduced in the city by Thumby Aviation, which will operate two Bell 407 helicopters, that can seat up to six people. The service will operate in two shifts during peak business hours – from 6.30 to 9.30 am and from 3.00 to 6.15 pm. Currently the service is only available between Bengaluru airport and Electronic City, while HAL Airport will be added as an additional destination in the next two weeks. Speaking to TNM, an airport spokesperson said, “The shuttle service will start from the airport to Electronic City. The city has close to 90 helipads awaiting DGCA approval. As some of those get cleared, then we will slowly expand the service to other areas. The process of schedules, identifying locations and programs will begin now.” “We are starting off the service at Rs 3,500 plus GST while there is also an introductory offer of Rs 2,500 plus GST if you register with us as a corporate,” said Govind Nair, Head of Business Development, Thumby Aviation Private Ltd. Thumby Aviation plans to start helicopter services to tourist places like Chikkamagaluru and Coorg as well. “In addition to ferrying passengers to Electronic City and HAL, we will also have getaway packages to Coorg, Wayanad and Chikkamagaluru,” Govind Nair added. On February 14, a few lucky couples in Bengaluru got an early chance to indulge in the heli-taxi experience through a Valentine’s Day themed competition on radio. Although there seems to be no respite from Bengaluru’s traffic mess, getting home from the Kempegowda International Airport is going to get easier in the coming months – that is, if you are willing to shell out the money for it. From April, Chennai Metro Rail To Provide Easy Access For Those From South AP, TN To Airport3/3/2018 Chennai Metro Rail will soon provide a helping hand to those wanting to get to Chennai airport from southern Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu after landing in the metropolitan city by train. The Metro will connect Chennai Egmore and Chennai Central stations to the airport next month. People from southern Tamil Nadu, who land up in Egmore to go to the airport, could benefit the most as they can walk across to catch the Metro train nearby and head either for the airport or even Chennai Central to catch a train to north, east or western part of the country. Those coming places like Nellore, Vijayawada and Ongole in Andhra Pradesh can take the metro train at Central and proceed to airport. The metro rail connection can also help passengers landing at Chennai Central or Egmore to get quicker to the Koyambedu bus terminus, reported the Times of India.
Once Chennai Metro Rail begins operations from Central and Egmore stations then, then the rail service will be available up to Chennai airport, passing through important landmarks such as Anna Nagar, Koyambedu, Vadapalani and Ashok Nagar pillar. Trial runs of services to Central and Egmore have begun and preparations are on to open the stations. Currently, Chennai Metro Rail operates services between airport and Nehru Park. It also operates between airport and Little Mount (just before Saidapet) besides between Koyambedu and St Thomas Mount. The Metro services that currently goes to Little Mount from Airport will soon be extended up to Directorate of Medical Services building, just ahead of the Anna Flyover. This is part of the services up to Thiruvotriyur. Aircel has been in talks with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio for a service tie-up, but the telco’s ability to make payments is a hurdle Aircel, the troubled mobile phone operator that has filed for bankruptcy protection, is in talks with investors for strategic financing and is negotiating with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm for intra-circle roaming pacts. Discussions are also underway with a key vendor to keep its network running and preserve the company’s value, said two people familiar with the developments. “As a service company, Aircel’s customers and employees are at the heart of the company’s value,” one person said. If the network falters, the company — burdened with debt of Rs 15,500 crore — will lose customers and employees and its value will erode. Sustaining the company’s value is critical if the insolvency petition filed on Wednesday is accepted because it will allow the interim resolution professional to find bidders for the telco with a view to continue operations for the long term and repay lenders as well. Intense competition in India’s telecom market has hurt operators including Aircel, which is losing customers, facing partial network shutdowns and going through a cash crunch. Meanwhile, Aircel’s lenders, which had stopped providing money to the telco, approved the release of funds from a previously frozen account to make some working capital payments, one person said. The Chennai-based operator, majority owned by Malaysia’s Maxis, filed for bankruptcy in the National Company Law Tribunal after over four months of attempts to settle the matter with lenders. Banks had finally accepted the company’s request to undertake strategic debt restructuring, when the Reserve Bank of India scrapped loan recast schemes and left Aircel with no option other than filing for bankruptcy. Aircel is already in talks with telecom tower partner GTL Infrastructure, which shut part of the carrier’s network for non-payment of dues. “Aircel is actively talking to bring the network back online. Once that happens, there is hope of preserving the valuable average revenue per user,” the second person said.
“We are committed to delivering high uptime and quality services to all our customers, including Aircel,” a GTL spokesman said. “We continue to remain in dialogue with them to ascertain the fate of all the outstanding issues, including receipts of our payments and how to assist them to resolve their current challenges.” Idea Cellular and Vodafone India have stopped the flow of calls from Aircel subscribers to their users because the telco hasn’t paid them termination fees. A person familiar with the matter estimated Aircel’s outgo towards call termination at Rs 100 crore a month. Aircel has been in talks with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio for a service tie-up, but the telco’s ability to make payments is a hurdle. The insolvency proceedings may see Bharti Airtel and Jio interested in Aircel’s assets. Jio agreed in December to buy the assets of Reliance Communications under a similar debt recast programme. After the competitive onslaught released by Jio since September 2016, Aircel’s operating profit of Rs 120 crore has slipped to an operating loss of an equivalent amount in December. In addition, Maxis promoter T Ananda Krishnan has faced a corruption charge since 2010. Aircel’s attempted merger with RCom last year came undone after delays in regulatory approvals due to legal hurdles. |
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