A Tasmanian Coles contractor has been slammed for a racist job advertisement wanting cleaners for a supermarket, that said Indians or Asians need not apply, and candidates must speak English!

The ad posted on a website sparked outrage on social media sites with people calling for a boycott of the store. A Coles spokesman said a contract company responsible for cleaning its store posted the ad without their knowledge and they were extremely concerned to learn of its contents.

Reports say a case for the Anti-Discrimination Commission is appropriate and the job ad was later removed from the site.

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A large group of abandoned NRI's wives came together at a meet organised in Hoshiarpur, wanting authorities to take action against their husbands and in-laws, and recounted their sorry stories.

Various women told of threats, obscenities, and abandonment shortly after the marriage. There were also many stories of physical abuse and fraudulent divorces.

Responding at the meet authorities said at best the police could register a case and arrest the accused, as foreign countries did not acknowledge the section of the IPS on dowry under which a person could be extradited. They have also requested legal service authorities to provide free legal aid to the poor deserted wives, so they can fight a legal battle for justice.

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The Indian Consulate in Dubai has sent recommendations for a revision of the newly enforced import duty on gold taken into the country from abroad, after various Indian communities' organisations and expatriate groups in the Northern Emirates requested the review.

Meanwhile a Dubai based Indian Welfare Organisation started an online petition addressed to Finance Minister P Chidambaram that is gaining momentum, with 1833 signatures in just 9 days.

Customs departments at all major entry points into India have been strictly enforcing a reinstated 1998 law that does not allow travellers to carry in more than six grammes of gold.

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With duty on gold imports to India increased eight times in India's budget, and even though bullion traders expect imports to nosedive on the back of prohibitive prices of the metal and an uncertain monsoon, intelligence agencies believe the demand has not decreased drastically and the shortfall in the figures may be being filled by smuggling.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence recently intercepted one Syed Ahmed Altaf of Karnataka, at Jaipur airport with 2.5 kg of gold hidden in his socks. The accused revealed that he has in fact smuggled gold in from Dubai 20 times in the past few months.

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NRIs can appoint a resident individual as a mandate holder to operate their NRE/NRO bank accounts that will facilitate the easy operation and monitoring of the account. Banks prefer a close relative of the account holder.

The mandate holder can carry out day-to-day operations on behalf of the NRI that includes drawing cheques for payment, make and renew fixed deposits, and invest in opportunities for NRIs.

Various forms are necessary for the procedure, including an Appointment Form, and documents such as proof of identity of the mandate holder and specimen signatures. A form also exists that will enable Banks to provide varying facilities to the mandate holder including an ATM card or cheque book.

The account holder can also set limits on the mandate holder who is not permitted to change personal details, such as name and address, or close the account. He cannot transfer funds except to the account holder.

Mandates can also be revoked at any time by giving the requisite instruction to the bank in writing.

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