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Connaught Place Delhi world's 5th most expensive office market
Report dated 20/12/2012 @ 2:34 PM

Connaught Place, New Delhi, now ranks fifth in the world with an overall occupancy cost of $183.30 per square feet per annum, according to the CBRE Global Research & Consulting's semi-annual Prime Office Occupancy Costs Survey. The dominance of Asia-Pacific in the top 10 most expensive business locations worldwide continued, led by Hong Kong Central, followed by London's West End, Tokyo and Beijing in the top slots.
Delhi bus gang rape : Police use water cannon on protesters
Report dated 20/12/2012 @ 2:33 PM

Dozens of protesters mostly college students, gathered outside Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's home in Delhi and police used water cannon to disperse the protesters angry at the recent gang rape of a 23-year-old student while she was on a moving bus. The government has announced a series of measures to make the capital safer for women. Meanwhile the woman remains in critical condition. Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi visited the hospital where the victim is being treated. The incident caused outrage across the country and lawmakers from all parties have expressed their horror. Four persons including the bus driver have been arrested and police are looking for two more. Three of the arrested appeared in court and were remanded in custody as was the driver.
Ad agencies turn down movie thank you slate
Report dated 19/12/2012 @ 2:54 PM

'Inkaar' a film starring Arjun Rampal and Chitrangda Singh is based on the advertising world and the controversial theme of sexual harassment at work. It was extensively shot on location in advertising agencies across Mumbai, especially in Leo Burnett and Grey Worldwide, to showcase an advertising office as it is. Director Sudhir Mishra was planning to give both agencies a thank you slate for allowing them to use the locations, a gesture of gratitude towards the organisations that helped them during the making of the film. Immediately after the trailer of the film was launched, both ad agencies stated they do not want any branding or reference to their agencies in the film. They fear the film could mean that their agency is directly or indirectly linked to the film and would officially imply that sexual harassment is rampant in their office.
Delhi student gang-raped on moving bus creates national outrage
Report dated 19/12/2012 @ 2:53 PM

A 23-year-old student and her 28-year-old boyfriend boarded a bus in south Delhi after going to a cinema. Five to seven men were in the bus, including the driver and conductor, who began misbehaving with the woman. When the boyfriend intervened he was beaten up, then the girl was raped by around six men for some 90 minutes. Both she and her boyfriend were then pushed out of the bus and their mobile phones were snatched. A toll plaza patrol alerted police to a young man and woman sprawled by the roadside, and the police rushed the couple to hospital. The girl is said to be in critical condition. Doctors say she has grave injuries on her stomach and intestine and bore signs of having been beaten with a blunt object. Police say four suspects had been held and CCTV footage of the bus seized from the location in Gurgaon. Two days after the incident Parliament voiced outrage over the barbaric incident and demanded capital punishment be handed down to the perpetrators. Members of all parties at the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha spoke out against the violent crime and their concern over repeated incidents of rape in the capital, where law and order comes directly under the Union Home Ministry headed by Sushil Kumar Shinde. Women members in both Houses voiced shock and concern over the safety of women in Delhi. Actress turned MP Jaya Bachchan even broke down while speaking on the issue in the Upper House. Eminent jurist and Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani demanded removal of the Delhi Police chief over the failure to check the heinous crime. One speaker said Delhi is becoming the rape capital and feared for his teenage daughter, saying men have stopped behaving like humans and have started behaving worse than animals. Speaker Meira Kumar asked the government to take steps immediately in the matter and amend the law to introduce the death penalty for rapists. Meanwhile home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said a special committee headed by the home secretary has been constituted to look into the safety of women in Delhi.
Indian songwriter Sherin Catherine in line for Oscar nomination
Report dated 18/12/2012 @ 3:17 PM

Two songs written by Sherin Catherine, 24, have made it to the list of 75 songs chosen for nominations in the original song category for the 85th Academy Awards 2012. The songs 'I Be Here' and 'I Have Secrets', for Rupesh Paul's 'Saint Dracula' were composed by Sreevalson J Menon, The song lyrics were Sherin Catherine's maiden effort. Sherin last year saw a notification searching for young talent to write lyrics for the movie, so she contacted the team and was asked to send in her original writing. A month later she was offered the chance to write the lyrics. Sherin from Kottayam feels this nomination has changed her life. She is planning to introduce a collection of short stories in Malayalam.

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