Ukrainian girls may be jailed for insulting Indian flag

Kiev, Feb 18 (IANS) A group of Ukrainian topless protesters may face jail term up to four years for climbing onto the balcony of theIndian embassy in Kiev and tearing down India's national flag last month, said police Friday.

The protesters had brought down the Indian flag, smashed the doors and windows with it and threw it on the ground.

The activists were enraged by the Indian Foreign Ministry ordering thorough checks into all Ukrainians aged 15 to 40 seeking to enter the country, saying it would help weed out the numerous prostitutes in search of a job, the RIA Novosti reported Friday.

The incident resulted in two cases opened on separate charges of hooliganism and desecration of state symbols, Ukrainian police said.

Nifty gains make India the best performer in 2012

18 FEB, 2012, 01.25PM IST, RAJESH MASCARENHAS,ET BUREAU 

MUMBAI: Foreign portfolio managers and local punters are betting on a rate cut, easy money, UP elections, cut in subsidy and a gradual shift in global liquidity from commodities to equities to buy stocks. Even though corporate profit growth is at its lowest and industrial output grew just 1.8% in December 2011 against 8.1% a year ago, Nifty has emerged as the best-performing index in the world since Januray 1. 

Nifty has gained 940 points, or 20.33%, while Sensexrose more than 18% in the first 35 trading sessions of the current year to close at 5564 and 18289 on Friday. The bellwether indices were down 25% in 2011. 

Are we getting into a situation where excess liquidity is being created amid positive cues in the eurozone, or is it because short sellers are rushing to cover large positions? 

"It is a combination of factors such as strong liquidity, improved macroeconomic fundamentals and return of risk capital which has been driving the current stock market rally. The reasons why these factors are now turning out to be more realistic are declining inflation numbers, peaking interest rate, positive expectations about the budget and elections on the domestic front," says Devesh Kumar, managing director & head of equities, RBS Global Banking and Markets. 

Fund managers are latching on to news clips and sound bytes - like the FM's statement that he was losing sleep over the rising subsidy bill - to ride the momentum. A robust FII inflow of $4.9 billion in the past 45 days - the highest ever figure recorded for that period - is driving the rally. Data suggest that this is the fastest ever rally in Indian equities. 

Microsoft redesigns Windows iconic four-colour logo

18 FEB, 2012, 02.53PM IST, IANS 

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft Friday announced that it was redesigning the logo of Windows software, making a fundamental change to the iconic four-colour Windows logo users have been used to for 20years. 

Meshing with the Metro design of Microsoft's upcomingWindows 8, the new logo is a slightly-angled blue block with a thin white cross in the middle, making it look like a window instead of the four-colour wavy flag in the past, reported Xinhua. 

"The Windows logo is a strong and widely recognized mark but when we stepped back and analyzed it, we realized an evolution of our logo would better reflect ourMetro style design principles and we also felt there was an opportunity to reconnect with some of the powerful characteristics of previous incarnations," said Microsoft in a blog post.