Pilots, Crew Slug It Out at 30,000 Feet

Sully would be ashamed of the actions of the pilots and crew on this Air India flight. Two members of the cabin crew, one male and one female, got into a fistfight with the pilot and co-pilot.

The flight was IC-884, and the two parties had differing views of the events. The cabin crew alleged that the co-pilot, Capt Ranbir Singh, harassed a 24-year-old female flight attendant. Steward Amit Khanna attempted to "beat" an apology out of him. The flight attendant later filed a molestation complaint against the co-pilot with the police after the flight landed in Delhi.

Meanwhile, the pilots, including Capt Aditya Chopra, lead pilot of the flight, accused Khanna of misconduct that seriously compromised flight safety. They added that the molestation accusations were designed aimed to protect the complainant's friend.

Air India, clearly embarrassed by the matter, has suspended all involved. Seriously, things are bad enough, worrying about terrorism, without having to worry about your crew bringing the plane down because they're fighting. Watch a video report:

India Celebrates Gandhi's 140th Birthday. So Does Montblanc.

The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, led the nation in paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 140th birth anniversary at his memorial "Raj Ghat" on Friday. Raj Ghat is a black marble platform that marks the spot of Gandhi's cremation on January 31st, 1948.

In addition to the Prime Minister, a host of other dignitaries paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, including the new U.S. Ambassador to India, Tim Roemer.

Additionally, the Prime Minister announced that NREGA, a rural poverty alleviation program, will be renamed after Gandhi. All is not good in terms of Gandhi news, however.

Pen manufacturer Montblanc has unveiled a limited-edition commemorative fountain pen in honor of Mohandas Gandhi this week, just in time for the 140th anniversary of the birth of the Mahatma, or "Great Soul," today. The price? $24,763.

This has caused howls of outrage among Hindu groups and Gandhists. Why? They say the pen's price is the lifetime income of many of India's poor. The limited-edition fountain pen comes in 18-carat solid gold and is engraved with Gandhi's image (loincloth and all). It has a saffron-colored mandarin garnet on the clip and a rhodium-plated nib.

Anticipating a backlash, Montblanc made a $145,666 donation to the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation. That hasn't stopped the outcry, or a lawsuit. Additionally, as Gandhi advocated a simple lifestyle, this is 180 degrees in reverse. This pen is the ultimate example of profligacy.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on Oct. 2nd, 1869, and died on January 30th, 1948, when he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist with links to the extremist Hindu Mahasabha, who held Gandhi responsible for weakening India by insisting upon a payment to Pakistan.

Gandhi was was the political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement. He pioneered satyagraha (resistance to tyranny through mass non-violent civil disobedience).

New Delhi to Curtain Off Slums During 2010 Commonwealth Games

Admittedly the Commonwealth Games don't generate the revenue of the Olympic games, but the clean-up effort that New Delhi is taking on for the 2010 Commonwealth Games looks pretty lame in comparison to what China did for the Beijing Olympic Games. Officials have given up, and are going to curtain off slum dwellers during the games.

Originally, the plan was to move the slum settlements to the outskirts of the city. This would ensure that television viewers and visitors see only the image India wants to portray: that of a country with up-and-coming wealth, rather than one still riddled with poverty.

Officials have ordered huge supplies of bamboo poles to create "curtains" that will keep the poor out of sight during the games. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

According to officials, however, this will be limited to those areas that cannot be relocated in time. Of course, the obvious question is: what percentage of the city does this encompass.

"This is happening at very few locations close to Games venues - particularly east Delhi."

U.S. Flags Burned Over Detaining of Bollywood Star

Never let it be said that India does not support its Bollywood heroes. Shah Rukh Khan was detained at Newark Airport over the weekend, apparently, he said, because his last name is a pretty common Muslim name. India is not any too happy.

Ironically, Shan Rukh Khan was in the U.S. promoting his new film "My Name is Khan," which is about racial profiling.

In the northern city of Allahabad, Khan fans shouted anti-US slogans and burned an American flag. actress Priyanka Chopra added on her Twitter feed "Shocking, disturbing n downright disgraceful. It's such behavior that fuels hatred and racism. SRK's a world figure for God's sake. Get real!"

Bollywood Star Detained at Newark Airport Because of Muslim Surname

Indian film star Shahrukh Khan today said he was detained for two hours at Newark airport because of his Muslim name. This even did not go unnoticed in India, where a Time of India headline blared "SRK feels the heat of American paranoia."

Regarding being detained, Shahrukh Khan told CNN-IBN network that

“Khan is a Muslim name, and I think the name is common on their checklist. I was waiting for my bags. I thought it was nice of them to take me to another room, but that was apparently a second check. I had my papers in order.”

In fact, a little looking around at Indian media shows they are outraged over Shahrukh Khan being detailed. Imagine if Brad Pitt or George Clooney were treated in the same manner, simply because of their surname, and not because their entire name came up on the computer? It might happen.

The story about Shahrukh Khan being detained has also shown exactly what much of the rest of the world feels about us. For example, one commenter at the Times of India stated anyone visiting the U.S. would relate that U.S. residents have both low IQs and minimal knowledge of the rest of the world. I'm not sure about point 1, but point 2 is certainly true, particularly in terms of historical facts.

Meanwhile, India's Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni commented on Shahrukh Khan being detained, saying that perhaps India should start frisking U.S. citizens as well.

In an effort to calm things down, the U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer tried some damage control after Shahrukh Khan was detained:

“We are trying to ascertain the facts of the case, to understand what took place. Shahrukh Khan, the actor and global icon, is a very welcome guest in the United States. Many Americans love his films.”