Indians' Lack of Response Disappoints Embassy
Javid Hassan, Arab News
RIYADH, 8 January 2005 - An Indian Embassy official has expressed
disappointment with the lukewarm response of the Indian community to the
Prime Ministers' Relief Fund for the victims of the tsunami disaster.
He told Arab News that while the members of the community may have acted on
their own or through some association in channeling funds for the disaster
victims, that aid was not siphoned through the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.
"There is a possibility that aid disbursed through private channels could be
misused. We at the Indian Embassy are issuing proper receipts making the
whole operation transparent."
His reaction came in the wake of the fund-raising drive launched by the Sri
Lankan Ambassador that netted SR300,000 in one night. Members of the Indian
community have pitched in with a paltry fund of SR8,500 dashing the hopes of
the ambassador".
---
Learning From the Tsunami
Qenan Al-Ghamdi . Al-Watan
Immediately after the humanitarian disaster which followed the earthquake
and tsunami that devastated large areas in Asia, the Saudi government
announced a donation of $10 million. A few days later, the donation was
increased threefold to $30 million as the magnitude of the tragedy became
clearer. This was in turn followed by a telethon on Saudi Television last
week which raised more than $82 million in cash as well as enormous
quantities of much needed assistance in kind.
All of this is of course very good news. In my opinion, however, it should
be even better news; we have not done enough. The assistance so far given
has not put the Kingdom where it deservedly belongs as the leader of the
Muslim world. The scale of the disaster is beyond our comprehension and it
has prompted other countries to promise donations in the hundreds of
millions of dollars. To be sure, it is not all altruistic as there are
surely some hidden objectives but in the end, service to humanity remains
the driving force behind the quick and sustained response.
---
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http://www.avast.com
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
19 jan 2005
High Court summons Advani in Babri case
LUCKNOW, JAN. 18. In a decision that may revive proceedings against him, the
Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court today issued notice to the former
Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, to appear before it on February 25 in
the Babri Masjid demolition case.
Giving his order on a criminal revision petition filed by the Central Bureau
of Investigation (CBI) and the former Faizabad District Magistrate, R.N.
Srivastava, Justice M.A. Khan also issued notices to the former Union
Ministers, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad
leaders, Ashok Singhal, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Acharya Giriraj Kishore, and
the Shiv Sena leader, Moreswar Save.
---
Wealth cases: Supreme Court rejects Jayalalithaa's plea
By J. Venkatesan
NEW DELHI, JAN. 18. A five-member Bench of the Supreme Court today dismissed
the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's ``curative petition'' seeking
a direction to recall the earlier orders shifting the two wealth cases
against her and four others from a Chennai court to a Bangalore court.
While praying for dismissal of the transfer petition (after the orders were
recalled) filed by the DMK general secretary, K. Anbazhagan, Ms.
Jayalalithaa prayed for a stay of all further proceedings before the
Bangalore Special Court till the apex court disposed of her curative
petition.
With the court rejecting her plea, the Special Court in Bangalore can now go
ahead with the trial. The other accused in the two cases are: Sasikala, a
close aide of Ms. Jayalalithaa; J. Ilavarasi, V. N. Sudhakaran and T.T.V.
Dinakaran.
---
`Same sex marriages Canada's own affair'
By Amit Baruah
NEW DELHI, JAN. 18. A Canadian controversy struck the Prime Minister,
Manmohan Singh, today. Dr. Singh was perplexed by a question from a Canadian
reporter on the issue of same sex marriages. "I didn't quite understand your
question properly," he told the journalist at a press meet with the Canadian
Prime Minister, Paul Martin.
Clearly more comfortable when dealing with issues such as free trade and
pitching for greater investment, the Prime Minister had the reporter repeat
her question - what was his view about the "objections" raised by Sikh
priests in Canada to same sex marriages?
Recovering quickly, Dr. Singh emphasised that the issue had to be addressed
internally by Canada. "This is an internal affair for Canada," he said,
adding that same sex marriages in India would not have wide appreciation.
--- Pygmy elephants found in State forests?
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 18. Wildlife photographer Sali Palode and `Kani'
tribesman Mannan encountered a small herd of five-foot-tall elephants in
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary in the State last week, sparking speculation
whether the pygmy elephants the tribesmen of the region had been talking
about were, indeed, real.
They came across five of these elephants in a clearing close to the edge of
the sanctuary. The animals scurried into the thickets on sensing human
presence, but Mr. Sali Palode snapped a few pictures of one. But for their
small size, the elephants looked like full-grown adults, according to him.
He also ruled out the possibility of these animals being calf elephants, as
calf elephants are not known to move in a herd of their own, unaccompanied
by their elders.
There were no normal-sized elephants in the herd.
`Kani' tribesmen living in the Agasthyavanam Forests in southern Kerala had
for long been talking about pygmy elephants, which they call `kallana'.
The State Forest Department and wildlife scientists, however, tended to
believe that `kallana' was an animal that existed only in `tribal folklore'.
A decade ago, well-known elephant expert P.S. Easa had spent several months
in the forests of the region looking for the pygmies reported by the
tribesmen. His mission was not successful.
As recently as in September 2003, scientists had come out with DNA evidence
establishing that the small elephants found in the forests of Borneo belong
to a new subspecies with characteristics quite different from their cousins
found elsewhere in Asia.
---
Salient features of senior citizen savings account
10 January 2005
My father, who is in India, is 66 years of age. My mother is in her early
50s. They want to open a Senior Citizen Savings Account with the post office
because of the higher rate of interest. Can my mother be a joint holder
since she is not a senior citizen? Can you throw some light on the other
features of this scheme? Can my mother open an account with my father's name
as joint holder and deposit additional amount upto Rs15 lakhs in her name?
- D. Baliga, Sharjah
The Senior Citizen Savings Account can be opened either with a post office
or any authorised bank. In the case of a joint account, the age of the first
applicant/depositor is the only factor to decide the eligibility to invest
under the scheme. There is no age bar/limit for the second applicant/joint
holder. The total amount of investment in an account under the scheme is
attributed to the first applicant/depositor only. Question of any share of
the second applicant/joint account holder, therefore, does not arise.
As and when your mother qualifies as a senior citizen, she can open an
account in her name with your father as second holder. The account can only
be opened jointly with spouse and not with any other person. Therefore, at
that point of time, she can deposit Rs15 lakhs in her name and enjoy the
higher rate of interest.
Income/tax rebate and/or exemption is admissible under the scheme as per the
existing income-tax provisions. The depositors can get the interest earned
on the deposits under the scheme credited to their existing savings account
at the post office/ bank where their account under this scheme is
maintained. The savings account could be a single or joint account.
Electronic credit system facility is available in computerised bank
branches/post offices and the facility of post-dated cheques is also
provided. In case the account is not closed on completion of the five years,
maturity period is also not extended; post-maturity interest at the rate
applicable from time-to-time would be paid till the end of the month
preceding the month of closure. No time limit has been prescribed.
---
When I go back to India, I would like to start a nursery of plants so that I
could sell them and also export certain flowers to my contacts in the Gulf
as the market is growing. I made a study and found that it is a lucrative
business to be done in India on a small plot of land which I already have in
Bangalore. Would the profits which I make in India be exempted from tax
because I am told that the exemption for export profits is now no longer
available?
- R. Krishnan, Bahrain
You are right. The exemption under section 80-HHC for export of goods is no
longer available from the assessment year 2005-06. However, in your case,
the income earned by you from the activity of floriculture which you intend
to start after your return to India, can be treated as agricultural income
which would enjoy complete income-tax exemption under section 10(1) of the
Income-tax Act, 1961.
I have no doubt that floriculture is also agriculture and, therefore, income
derived from growing ornamental, decorative or exotic plants for sale in or
outside India would be exempt from tax under section 10 without any limit.
However, if you merely trade in plants grown by other agriculturists, the
business profits would not be exempt. It is necessary that you must yourself
undertake agricultural operations of growing plants.
Further, it is not necessary that you must grow them on land. Some people in
the city grow plants in earthen pots placed in the compound of a house or on
a terrace. So long as the activities carried out involve planting seeds,
nurturing them and growing the plant ready for sale, the income would be
agricultural in nature and you would be entitled to claim exemption of such
income even if such activities are carried on in cities or towns and not in
rural areas. There are some decided judgments of courts in India where
cultivation of flowers of artistic and decorative value has been held to be
an agricultural activity.
---
Chennai astrologer foresees death, commits suicide Wednesday January 19 2005
00:00 IST
CHENNAI: K. Parthasarathy, a famous city astrologer, committed suicide early
on Monday because as per his astrology he would have died on January 21. He
therefore hanged himself to death, instead of waiting for death to come.
The astrologer, who lived Thulasinga Perumal Koil Street in Triplicane, was
60 years old and was consulted by VIPs, politicians, actors and actresses
for several decades. He was famous not only in Tamil Nadu but the entire
world. Dignitaries used to come to his house from all parts of the world for
consultation.
He was bestowed the title of 'Jyotida Thilagam' because of his scholarship
and social standing.
--- ON THIS DAY
1966: Indira Gandhi takes charge in India Indira Gandhi, only daughter of
India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, is to become the country's
next leader. She was chosen at the end of a bitter leadership battle with
former finance minister Morarji Desai.
Following her win, Mrs Gandhi pledged herself to serve the Congress Party
and the country, and said she would "strive to create what my father used to
call a climate of peace."
Crowds had gathered outside Parliament House while the election was held,
and cheered Mrs Gandhi wildly as she went to the President's House to
report.
She will not become prime minister until she submits her cabinet to the
president.
Mrs Gandhi did not confirm she would be a candidate until four days ago,
when chief ministers from 11 of India's 16 states let it be known they would
support her to take over.
Another leading candidate, Gulzarilal Nanda, withdrew once it was clear Mrs
Gandhi would be running.
He has been acting as prime minister since the unexpected death of Mr
Nehru's successor, Lal Bahadur Shastri, earlier this month.
Mr Desai was under extreme pressure to pull out as well and avoid a
potentially damaging leadership contest, but he insisted on going to a vote.
It was predicted he would get less than 100 of the 526 votes from Congress
MPs, but he surprised many by winning 169 votes to Mrs Gandhi's 355.
Afterwards, Mr Desai pledged to cooperate fully with Mrs Gandhi. It is the
second time running he has been defeated in a leadership contest: the first
time, against Mr Shastri, he withdrew his candidacy without a vote.
Mrs Gandhi, 48, was educated at West Bengal and Oxford and has two sons,
Rajiv and Sanjay, who are both studying in England.
She gets her name not from Mahatma Gandhi, the legendary independence
campaigner and founder of the Congress Party, but from her husband Feroze
Gandhi, a lawyer who died in 1960.
The couple spent 13 months in prison for subversion after fighting against
British rule in India during the 1940s.
She has played a key part in the Congress Party since 1955, and served as
information minister in Mr Shastri's government
---
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Virus Database (VPS): 0503-0, 01/18/2005
Tested on: 1/19/2005 2:00:40 PM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
LUCKNOW, JAN. 18. In a decision that may revive proceedings against him, the
Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court today issued notice to the former
Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, to appear before it on February 25 in
the Babri Masjid demolition case.
Giving his order on a criminal revision petition filed by the Central Bureau
of Investigation (CBI) and the former Faizabad District Magistrate, R.N.
Srivastava, Justice M.A. Khan also issued notices to the former Union
Ministers, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad
leaders, Ashok Singhal, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Acharya Giriraj Kishore, and
the Shiv Sena leader, Moreswar Save.
---
Wealth cases: Supreme Court rejects Jayalalithaa's plea
By J. Venkatesan
NEW DELHI, JAN. 18. A five-member Bench of the Supreme Court today dismissed
the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's ``curative petition'' seeking
a direction to recall the earlier orders shifting the two wealth cases
against her and four others from a Chennai court to a Bangalore court.
While praying for dismissal of the transfer petition (after the orders were
recalled) filed by the DMK general secretary, K. Anbazhagan, Ms.
Jayalalithaa prayed for a stay of all further proceedings before the
Bangalore Special Court till the apex court disposed of her curative
petition.
With the court rejecting her plea, the Special Court in Bangalore can now go
ahead with the trial. The other accused in the two cases are: Sasikala, a
close aide of Ms. Jayalalithaa; J. Ilavarasi, V. N. Sudhakaran and T.T.V.
Dinakaran.
---
`Same sex marriages Canada's own affair'
By Amit Baruah
NEW DELHI, JAN. 18. A Canadian controversy struck the Prime Minister,
Manmohan Singh, today. Dr. Singh was perplexed by a question from a Canadian
reporter on the issue of same sex marriages. "I didn't quite understand your
question properly," he told the journalist at a press meet with the Canadian
Prime Minister, Paul Martin.
Clearly more comfortable when dealing with issues such as free trade and
pitching for greater investment, the Prime Minister had the reporter repeat
her question - what was his view about the "objections" raised by Sikh
priests in Canada to same sex marriages?
Recovering quickly, Dr. Singh emphasised that the issue had to be addressed
internally by Canada. "This is an internal affair for Canada," he said,
adding that same sex marriages in India would not have wide appreciation.
--- Pygmy elephants found in State forests?
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 18. Wildlife photographer Sali Palode and `Kani'
tribesman Mannan encountered a small herd of five-foot-tall elephants in
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary in the State last week, sparking speculation
whether the pygmy elephants the tribesmen of the region had been talking
about were, indeed, real.
They came across five of these elephants in a clearing close to the edge of
the sanctuary. The animals scurried into the thickets on sensing human
presence, but Mr. Sali Palode snapped a few pictures of one. But for their
small size, the elephants looked like full-grown adults, according to him.
He also ruled out the possibility of these animals being calf elephants, as
calf elephants are not known to move in a herd of their own, unaccompanied
by their elders.
There were no normal-sized elephants in the herd.
`Kani' tribesmen living in the Agasthyavanam Forests in southern Kerala had
for long been talking about pygmy elephants, which they call `kallana'.
The State Forest Department and wildlife scientists, however, tended to
believe that `kallana' was an animal that existed only in `tribal folklore'.
A decade ago, well-known elephant expert P.S. Easa had spent several months
in the forests of the region looking for the pygmies reported by the
tribesmen. His mission was not successful.
As recently as in September 2003, scientists had come out with DNA evidence
establishing that the small elephants found in the forests of Borneo belong
to a new subspecies with characteristics quite different from their cousins
found elsewhere in Asia.
---
Salient features of senior citizen savings account
10 January 2005
My father, who is in India, is 66 years of age. My mother is in her early
50s. They want to open a Senior Citizen Savings Account with the post office
because of the higher rate of interest. Can my mother be a joint holder
since she is not a senior citizen? Can you throw some light on the other
features of this scheme? Can my mother open an account with my father's name
as joint holder and deposit additional amount upto Rs15 lakhs in her name?
- D. Baliga, Sharjah
The Senior Citizen Savings Account can be opened either with a post office
or any authorised bank. In the case of a joint account, the age of the first
applicant/depositor is the only factor to decide the eligibility to invest
under the scheme. There is no age bar/limit for the second applicant/joint
holder. The total amount of investment in an account under the scheme is
attributed to the first applicant/depositor only. Question of any share of
the second applicant/joint account holder, therefore, does not arise.
As and when your mother qualifies as a senior citizen, she can open an
account in her name with your father as second holder. The account can only
be opened jointly with spouse and not with any other person. Therefore, at
that point of time, she can deposit Rs15 lakhs in her name and enjoy the
higher rate of interest.
Income/tax rebate and/or exemption is admissible under the scheme as per the
existing income-tax provisions. The depositors can get the interest earned
on the deposits under the scheme credited to their existing savings account
at the post office/ bank where their account under this scheme is
maintained. The savings account could be a single or joint account.
Electronic credit system facility is available in computerised bank
branches/post offices and the facility of post-dated cheques is also
provided. In case the account is not closed on completion of the five years,
maturity period is also not extended; post-maturity interest at the rate
applicable from time-to-time would be paid till the end of the month
preceding the month of closure. No time limit has been prescribed.
---
When I go back to India, I would like to start a nursery of plants so that I
could sell them and also export certain flowers to my contacts in the Gulf
as the market is growing. I made a study and found that it is a lucrative
business to be done in India on a small plot of land which I already have in
Bangalore. Would the profits which I make in India be exempted from tax
because I am told that the exemption for export profits is now no longer
available?
- R. Krishnan, Bahrain
You are right. The exemption under section 80-HHC for export of goods is no
longer available from the assessment year 2005-06. However, in your case,
the income earned by you from the activity of floriculture which you intend
to start after your return to India, can be treated as agricultural income
which would enjoy complete income-tax exemption under section 10(1) of the
Income-tax Act, 1961.
I have no doubt that floriculture is also agriculture and, therefore, income
derived from growing ornamental, decorative or exotic plants for sale in or
outside India would be exempt from tax under section 10 without any limit.
However, if you merely trade in plants grown by other agriculturists, the
business profits would not be exempt. It is necessary that you must yourself
undertake agricultural operations of growing plants.
Further, it is not necessary that you must grow them on land. Some people in
the city grow plants in earthen pots placed in the compound of a house or on
a terrace. So long as the activities carried out involve planting seeds,
nurturing them and growing the plant ready for sale, the income would be
agricultural in nature and you would be entitled to claim exemption of such
income even if such activities are carried on in cities or towns and not in
rural areas. There are some decided judgments of courts in India where
cultivation of flowers of artistic and decorative value has been held to be
an agricultural activity.
---
Chennai astrologer foresees death, commits suicide Wednesday January 19 2005
00:00 IST
CHENNAI: K. Parthasarathy, a famous city astrologer, committed suicide early
on Monday because as per his astrology he would have died on January 21. He
therefore hanged himself to death, instead of waiting for death to come.
The astrologer, who lived Thulasinga Perumal Koil Street in Triplicane, was
60 years old and was consulted by VIPs, politicians, actors and actresses
for several decades. He was famous not only in Tamil Nadu but the entire
world. Dignitaries used to come to his house from all parts of the world for
consultation.
He was bestowed the title of 'Jyotida Thilagam' because of his scholarship
and social standing.
--- ON THIS DAY
1966: Indira Gandhi takes charge in India Indira Gandhi, only daughter of
India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, is to become the country's
next leader. She was chosen at the end of a bitter leadership battle with
former finance minister Morarji Desai.
Following her win, Mrs Gandhi pledged herself to serve the Congress Party
and the country, and said she would "strive to create what my father used to
call a climate of peace."
Crowds had gathered outside Parliament House while the election was held,
and cheered Mrs Gandhi wildly as she went to the President's House to
report.
She will not become prime minister until she submits her cabinet to the
president.
Mrs Gandhi did not confirm she would be a candidate until four days ago,
when chief ministers from 11 of India's 16 states let it be known they would
support her to take over.
Another leading candidate, Gulzarilal Nanda, withdrew once it was clear Mrs
Gandhi would be running.
He has been acting as prime minister since the unexpected death of Mr
Nehru's successor, Lal Bahadur Shastri, earlier this month.
Mr Desai was under extreme pressure to pull out as well and avoid a
potentially damaging leadership contest, but he insisted on going to a vote.
It was predicted he would get less than 100 of the 526 votes from Congress
MPs, but he surprised many by winning 169 votes to Mrs Gandhi's 355.
Afterwards, Mr Desai pledged to cooperate fully with Mrs Gandhi. It is the
second time running he has been defeated in a leadership contest: the first
time, against Mr Shastri, he withdrew his candidacy without a vote.
Mrs Gandhi, 48, was educated at West Bengal and Oxford and has two sons,
Rajiv and Sanjay, who are both studying in England.
She gets her name not from Mahatma Gandhi, the legendary independence
campaigner and founder of the Congress Party, but from her husband Feroze
Gandhi, a lawyer who died in 1960.
The couple spent 13 months in prison for subversion after fighting against
British rule in India during the 1940s.
She has played a key part in the Congress Party since 1955, and served as
information minister in Mr Shastri's government
---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0503-0, 01/18/2005
Tested on: 1/19/2005 2:00:40 PM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
Saturday, January 15, 2005
untitled
US ties with India may turnout to be less stable: NIC
Washington, Jan. 15. (PTI): The National Intelligence Council (NIC) has
expressed that US relations with India may turnout to be "less stable" and
New Delhi's democratic character may make it difficult for Washington to
deal with it in future
=======================
[US is not a democracy? or is it that it cannot deal democratically?]
--------------------------
it happened this day
1973: Nixon orders ceasefire in Vietnam
President Nixon has ordered a halt to American bombing in North Vietnam
following peace talks in Paris.
The decision comes after Dr Henry Kissinger, the president's assistant for
National Security Affairs, returned to Washington yesterday from France with
a draft peace proposal.
Representatives from North and South Vietnam and the United States have been
at the negotiating table and reports from Paris say progress has been made
with compromises on all sides.
But many political issues remain to be resolved.
---
---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0502-3, 01/14/2005
Tested on: 1/15/2005 12:35:07 PM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
Washington, Jan. 15. (PTI): The National Intelligence Council (NIC) has
expressed that US relations with India may turnout to be "less stable" and
New Delhi's democratic character may make it difficult for Washington to
deal with it in future
=======================
[US is not a democracy? or is it that it cannot deal democratically?]
--------------------------
it happened this day
1973: Nixon orders ceasefire in Vietnam
President Nixon has ordered a halt to American bombing in North Vietnam
following peace talks in Paris.
The decision comes after Dr Henry Kissinger, the president's assistant for
National Security Affairs, returned to Washington yesterday from France with
a draft peace proposal.
Representatives from North and South Vietnam and the United States have been
at the negotiating table and reports from Paris say progress has been made
with compromises on all sides.
But many political issues remain to be resolved.
---
---
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Virus Database (VPS): 0502-3, 01/14/2005
Tested on: 1/15/2005 12:35:07 PM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
vacancy in riyadh
----- Original Message -----
Subject: FW: BILLINGUAL SECRETARY
From: "Karunakaran Pillai
Date: Thu, January 13, 2005 1:07 pm
To: "'nam@fusemail.com'"
Nam,
Appreciate if you could spread this message to all concerned.
Rgds
kp
REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY BILLINGUAL SECRETARY
work location : one of leading bank in KSA
QUALIFICATION :
A Bachelor Degree
Good computer skills in English & Arabic
Good command in English & Arabic languages
Age not more than 40years old
Please contact
Sathyam between 08.00 am to 04.00 pm (Saturday to Wednesday)
Telephone no. : 01-201-2121 X - 329
Fax no. 01-201-2211
---
---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0502-2, 01/11/2005
Tested on: 1/14/2005 11:01:47 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
Subject: FW: BILLINGUAL SECRETARY
From: "Karunakaran Pillai
Date: Thu, January 13, 2005 1:07 pm
To: "'nam@fusemail.com'"
Nam,
Appreciate if you could spread this message to all concerned.
Rgds
kp
REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY BILLINGUAL SECRETARY
work location : one of leading bank in KSA
QUALIFICATION :
A Bachelor Degree
Good computer skills in English & Arabic
Good command in English & Arabic languages
Age not more than 40years old
Please contact
Sathyam between 08.00 am to 04.00 pm (Saturday to Wednesday)
Telephone no. : 01-201-2121 X - 329
Fax no. 01-201-2211
---
---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0502-2, 01/11/2005
Tested on: 1/14/2005 11:01:47 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
Thursday, January 13, 2005
12 Jan 2005
15 Jailed for Anti-Govt Demonstration Abdul Wahab Bashir, Arab News
JEDDAH, 12 January 2005 - A court in Jeddah has sentenced 15 people,
including a Saudi woman, to prison terms and lashing for taking part last
month in an illegal demonstration called for by Saudi dissident Saad
Al-Faqih. Six other defendants are awaiting trial by the Shariah Court.
The state prosecutor objected to the sentences, saying they were too lenient
and demanded stiffer ones for the demonstrators who were arrested on Dec.
16. The sentences will be referred to the Court of Cassation.
One of the defendants, a Saudi woman, was sentenced to six months in prison.
Two foreign residents among the 15 were given separate jail sentences of
five and two months, according to Okaz. In all, 21 people were arrested in
Jeddah, 15 of them were tried and sentenced and the remaining six will
appear later in court.
---
Apple unveils low-cost 'Mac mini'
Apple has unveiled a new, low-cost Macintosh computer for the masses, billed
as the Mac mini.
Chief executive Steve Jobs showed off the new machine at his annual MacWorld
speech, in San Francisco.
The $499 Macintosh, sold for £339 in the UK, was described by Jobs as the
"most important Mac" made by Apple.
Mr Jobs also unveiled the iPod shuffle, a new music player using cheaper
flash memory rather than hard drives, which are used in more expensive
iPods.
Speculation
The new computer shifts the company into new territory - traditionally, the
firm is known as a design and innovation-led firm rather than as a
mass-market manufacturer.
The Mac mini comes without a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and a second
version with a larger hard drive will also be sold for $599.
The Mac mini will appeal to PC users looking for an attractive, 'no fuss'
computer
Ian Harris, Mac Format
The machine - which will be available from 22 January - was described by
Jobs as "BYODKM... bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse".
---
France to honour this Pune citizen
PUNE, JANUARY 11: Indian spirituality held a 40-year-old Frenchwoman
spellbound and on a crisp February morning in 1970, she arrived here with a
suitcase full of books on India and no return ticket. Nishtatai stayed on,
working with the underprivileged and teaching French. On Wednesday, the
82-year-old will receive the French Government's Ordre National du Merite
(National Order of Merit) from the French Ambassador at a function in
Mumbai. She is among the seven recipients of the award in the country.
''The French Government wrote saying that the award was for my work -
teaching French here, acting as a cultural bridge between India and France
and for my efforts with the underprivileged,'' says Nishtatai in Marathi.
Having studied the Upanishads, she says, ''I follow the philosophy that you
always have to search more and more for the complete truth.'' So where is
home? ''India has been my only home from the day I landed.''
Her association with Pune runs deep - she has taught French at various city
colleges and is the co-founder of Alliance Francaise de Poona. ''I came to
Pune with just the clothes I was wearing and very little money. I bought a
saree when I came here and was given a flat in Bhawani Peth opposite
Kasewadi slum. I stayed there till the 1980s and worked with the
slum-dwellers.''
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JEDDAH, 12 January 2005 - A court in Jeddah has sentenced 15 people,
including a Saudi woman, to prison terms and lashing for taking part last
month in an illegal demonstration called for by Saudi dissident Saad
Al-Faqih. Six other defendants are awaiting trial by the Shariah Court.
The state prosecutor objected to the sentences, saying they were too lenient
and demanded stiffer ones for the demonstrators who were arrested on Dec.
16. The sentences will be referred to the Court of Cassation.
One of the defendants, a Saudi woman, was sentenced to six months in prison.
Two foreign residents among the 15 were given separate jail sentences of
five and two months, according to Okaz. In all, 21 people were arrested in
Jeddah, 15 of them were tried and sentenced and the remaining six will
appear later in court.
---
Apple unveils low-cost 'Mac mini'
Apple has unveiled a new, low-cost Macintosh computer for the masses, billed
as the Mac mini.
Chief executive Steve Jobs showed off the new machine at his annual MacWorld
speech, in San Francisco.
The $499 Macintosh, sold for £339 in the UK, was described by Jobs as the
"most important Mac" made by Apple.
Mr Jobs also unveiled the iPod shuffle, a new music player using cheaper
flash memory rather than hard drives, which are used in more expensive
iPods.
Speculation
The new computer shifts the company into new territory - traditionally, the
firm is known as a design and innovation-led firm rather than as a
mass-market manufacturer.
The Mac mini comes without a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and a second
version with a larger hard drive will also be sold for $599.
The Mac mini will appeal to PC users looking for an attractive, 'no fuss'
computer
Ian Harris, Mac Format
The machine - which will be available from 22 January - was described by
Jobs as "BYODKM... bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse".
---
France to honour this Pune citizen
PUNE, JANUARY 11: Indian spirituality held a 40-year-old Frenchwoman
spellbound and on a crisp February morning in 1970, she arrived here with a
suitcase full of books on India and no return ticket. Nishtatai stayed on,
working with the underprivileged and teaching French. On Wednesday, the
82-year-old will receive the French Government's Ordre National du Merite
(National Order of Merit) from the French Ambassador at a function in
Mumbai. She is among the seven recipients of the award in the country.
''The French Government wrote saying that the award was for my work -
teaching French here, acting as a cultural bridge between India and France
and for my efforts with the underprivileged,'' says Nishtatai in Marathi.
Having studied the Upanishads, she says, ''I follow the philosophy that you
always have to search more and more for the complete truth.'' So where is
home? ''India has been my only home from the day I landed.''
Her association with Pune runs deep - she has taught French at various city
colleges and is the co-founder of Alliance Francaise de Poona. ''I came to
Pune with just the clothes I was wearing and very little money. I bought a
saree when I came here and was given a flat in Bhawani Peth opposite
Kasewadi slum. I stayed there till the 1980s and worked with the
slum-dwellers.''
---
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Monday, January 03, 2005
Crisis drives the bus to Kutta [03012005]
Crisis drives the bus to Kutta
By P. Sainath
It is only the second stop yet on the road to Kutta and there is not a seat
left vacant on the bus. Nowadays, there are 24 such trips between
Manathavady in Wayanad and Kutta in Kodagu, Karnataka. - Photo: P. Sainath
Wayanad (Kerala): The bus journey from Mananthavady in Kerala to Kutta in
Karnataka is a tense one for B.J. Mani. His colleagues are missing. In the
estate where he must labour on the Karnataka side of the border, Mani won't
be allowed to work without the three-man team he promised. "If the others
don't show up, I have to go look for them," he says. "Which means I will
lose even more on bus fares and, quite likely, the day's wages as well."
Thousands of people from Wayanad are crossing the border into Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu every single day, looking for work. Several do this journey two
or three times a week, sometimes more. Mani is just one amongst dozens
jostling for space in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus that
carries us at this moment. Wayanad's rich cash-crop economy has fallen
apart, shattering employment in the district. This single 6 a.m. bus from
here to Kutta in Karnataka's Kodagu district clearly captures that process.
Bus conductor Lawrence Jacob, who has been on this route since 1997, has
watched it unfold. "There were six trips a day to Kutta in 1995. Today, you
are on the first of 24 trips daily - a 400 per cent increase." Prior to
1995, the KSRTC did not have a bus on this route.
Lawrence, who is also an activist and local CITU leader, links the explosion
in the traffic to Wayanad's ongoing agrarian crisis. "The people in this bus
will work in Kodagu district at half the wage they used to get here. That
is, on those days that they do get work. Many are trapped into fake
agreements which their new bosses have no intention of honouring. But they
have no choice. There's no work in Wayanad."
Five years ago, says Lawrence, the bus was dominated by poor adivasis. They
are still the main travellers and their numbers have grown. But now there
are also many masons, carpenters, electricians, students and traders. Then
there are non-adivasi farm labourers in large numbers. And small and medium
farmers, too. A few of the latter trying to lease land cheaply in Kodagu to
cultivate ginger and other cash crops. At home, it's all in a mess.
"When there was work in Wayanad," says Mani, "I got a daily wage of up to
Rs. 120. Now I work for Rs. 80 a day in Kolikuppa." It's worse than it
looks. "My bus fare to the place is Rs. 34 - one way." Mani tries coping by
doing the journey only three times a week and staying over the other days.
"It means I spend very little time with my family. But what's the way out?
This slump in pepper and coffee prices really hit us."
P. K. Siddique is an estate worker too, heading for Kodagu. He gets Rs. 75 a
day. "And no bus fare," he laughs. Which means he pays the Rs. 27 it costs
to his particular stop and back. Besides him sits Shinoj Thomas, a mason.
With his skills, he can make up to Rs.150 a day in Karnataka minus the Rs.
30 he spends on bus tickets. "But I get a maximum of 15-20 days work in a
month," he says.
"All work in Wayanad has come to a standstill," says Thomas. "Just see the
countless unfinished houses in the district. These houses were begun when
farming was doing well. Once the crisis came along, construction ceased. No
one had any money to continue. That's why we work across the border for much
less than what we used to earn in Wayanad."
We're just past the second stop and the bus is already more than full. It
has 48 seats, but with over 20 standees it now carries around 70 people. Not
all 24 trips travel this full, but 55 to 60 would be the average, says
conductor Lawrence. "there's at least 1200 people on this route daily," he
says. "And that goes up quite a bit on market day. Mind you, the ticket cost
(Rs.13.50 till Kutta) is higher now than it was a few years ago. Yet, the
numbers of people going has shot up in these past two years."
"Construction workers used to come to Wayanad, not leave it," K. Nirmalan, a
KSRTC workers' union leader at the Sulthan Bathery depot had told us. "Then
construction stopped. Plantations drew a lot of workers. Then those went
into lockouts and closures. Earlier pepper was booming. Now that's gone.
Even this rise in outgoing buses doesn't tell the whole story. There are
many services other than KSRTC's. Those of the other states - and also a
host of illegal ones."
Many on the bus, like Shinoj Thomas, had not ventured out before 2002. Now
they do so in thousands. Buses on most outgoing routes have doubled to cope
with the flow. That from several centres - and not just to Kutta. The basic
story is one of comprehensive collapse of employment in Wayanad. Each
traveller out of the district reflects that in his or her own way. Thousands
of people, their earnings halved or worse, seek unsteady work across the
border.
A little over an hour later, in Kutta, a dejected B.J. Mani says his
colleagues have not shown up for work. "I'll have to go back looking for
them. "My whole day will be gone, not to speak of the bus fare." He boards
the return bus an hour later. Meanwhile, new loads of workers descend from
the incoming bus. People mill around waiting for transport that will take
them further into Kodagu. A group of seven young carpenters from Wayanad is
amongst them. "I've been doing this for two years," says A.M. Biju from the
group. "We will stay a month in Karnataka in a room provided by the man we
are working for. Before, there was a lot of work in Wayanad. Now there is
none, so here we are. That is our story."
On the bus to Kutta, everybody has a story.
[From The Hindu Newspaper]
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Sunday, January 02, 2005
Furnished Apartments in Dubai [0201051341]
dear sir
pls find list of furnished apartments in dubai, just for reference and info. i shall fix up something, in consultation with you, after the reservations are finalized.
tks n bst rgds
nam
+++
Furnished Apartments in Dubai
| Apartment Building | PO Box (Dubai) | Tel (+9714) | Fax (+9714) | No. of Apts |
| Al Baraha Land Suites ** | 55777 | 2721999 | 2722888 | 100 |
| Al Baraha Star Furnished Apartments (Studio apartments also available) | 16347 | 2726777 | 2726216 | 52 |
| AL Bustan Residence | 20107 | 2630000 | 2630005 | 640 |
| AL Deyafa Furnished Apartment | 1835 | 2282555 | 2282552 | 28 |
| AL Ghurair Centre (Rates are for 3-BR apartments) | 6999 | 2232333 | 2285356 | 350 |
| AL Khaleej Holidays | 19260 | 2276565 | 2279686 | 82 |
| AL Khifaf Apartments | 9168 | 3367479 | 3348137 | 144 |
| Al Muraqbat Plaza | 20127 | 2690550 | 2699779 | 61 |
| AL Muteena Furnished Apartments (Studio apartments also available.) | 1714 | 2710098 | 2710292 | 26 |
| Al Nakheel Furnished Apartments | 14989 | 2241555 | 2286066 | 44 |
| Al Rahman Furnished Apartments | 28823 | 3524004 | 3524007 | 56 |
| Al Riqqa Plaza Furnished Apartments | 14276 | 2221919 | 2248533 | 168 |
| Al Shams | 27961 | 3551200 | 2524123 | 70 |
| AL Terhal Apartment | 21460 | 2258811 | 2259628 | 12 |
| Almas Furnished Apartments (Studio apartments also available) | 29530 | 3557899 | 3557332 | 112 |
| Baisan Residence (Rates are for studio apartments only) | 28461 | 3554545 | 3551707 | 126 |
| Back to top | ||||
| Binsuloom Plaza Furnished Apartments | 5041 | 2241777 | 2241565 | 70 |
| Blanco Furnished Apartments | 3 | 2273400 | 2213863 | 33 |
| Capital Furnished Apartments | 15270 | 2222227 | 2222235 | 28 |
| Corniche Furnished Aapartments (Studio apartments also available) | 21125 | 2722555 | 3722557 | 40 |
| Deebaj Alkhabisi Plaza Furnished Apartments | 27275 | 2620666 | 2660123 | 68 |
| Dubai Inter-continental Plaza | 8811 | 2222691 | 2211918 | - |
| Dubai World Trade Centre Apartments | 9229 | 3314555 | 3313800 | 492 |
| Embassy Suites | 25249 | 2698070 | 2684116 | 40 |
| Embassy Suites (Branch) | 25249 | 2226400 | 2224794 | 28 |
| Golden Line Furnished Apartments | 1714 | 2250240 | 2250259 | 22 |
| Golden Sands I | 9168 | 3522274 | 3527953 | 154 |
| Golden Sands II | 9168 | 3525207 | 3527953 | 210 |
| Golden Sands III (Rates are for studio apartments only) | 9168 | 3514683 | 3514542 | 280 |
| Golden Sands V (Rates are for studio apartments only) | 9168 | 3526562 | 3527931 | 194 |
| Back to top | ||||
| Golden Sands VI (Rates are for studio apartments only) | 9168 | 3526562 | 3514516 | 146 |
| Golden Sands VII | 9168 | 3552999 | 3527931 | 56 |
| Golden Sands VIII | 9168 | 3554747 | 3527931 | 56 |
| Golden Sands X | 9168 | 3555552 | 3557761 | 154 |
| Gondola Inn | 29187 | 2683333 | 2661300 | 42 |
| Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza | 23215 | 3311111 | 3314955 | 585 |
| Homes R Us Furnished Apartments Rental | 21210 | 3497774 | 3497787 | 500 |
| Imperial Residence | 25056 | 3553555 | 3553887 | 84 |
| Kams House | 12769 | 3519111 | 3526988 | 17 |
| Liwa Plaza | 1450 | 2279111 | 2247722 | 53 |
| London Crownn ApartmentsI | 50151 | 3519000 | 3517711 | 140 |
| London Crownn Apartments II (Studio apartment also available.) | 50151 | 3516999 | 3525048 | 120 |
| Lord Furnished Apartments | 28634 | 2232200 | 2227607 | 42 |
| Morjana Plaza | 2424 | 3420055 | 3420388 | 36 |
| Nawarah Residence(Rates are for studio apartments only) | 24229 | 3557011 | 3557020 | 91 |
| Back to top | ||||
| Orchid Furnished Apartments | 14042 | 2289289 | 2228448 | 84 |
| Prince House Furnished Apartments | 14638 | 2287474 | 2228101 | 8 |
| Rax Residential Apartments | 29552 | 2223556 | 2684855 | 6 |
| Rimal Residence | 27070 | 2688000 | 2688777 | 124 |
| Royal Imperial Residence | 26644 | 3553668 | 3591743 | 126 |
| Royal Plaza Furnished Apartments (Asterisked rates for 3-BR) | 14483 | 2236444 | 2218326 | 36 |
| Royal suites Dubai (Rates for 3-BR apartments) | 29522 | 2238111 | 2241114 | 28 |
| Savoy residence | 28950 | 3553000 | 3551330 | 126 |
| Serai Residence | 29726 | 2212693 | 2212231 | 25 |
| Silver sand I | 9168 | 3522274 | 3527953 | 140 |
| Silver Sand II | 9168 | 3522274 | 3527953 | 32 |
| The Galleria,Dubai | 6655 | 2720222 | 2720440 | 355 |
| Tower No. One Apartments | 31003 | 3444470 | 3444117 | 167 |
| Wafi Residence | 26631 | 3347222 | 3359651 | 124 |
| Wellington Furnished Aoartments | 22970 | 2281002 | - | 8 |
| Winchester Residence | 29016 | 3550111 | 3556996 | 56 |
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Noam Chomsky & Subramanya Bharathi
The disconnect in US democracy
October 29 2004
AMERICANS may be encouraged to vote, but not to participate more meaningfully in the political arena. Essentially the election is a method of marginalising the population. A huge propaganda campaign is mounted to get people to focus on these personalised quadrennial extravaganzas and to think, "That's politics." But it isn't. It's only a small part of politics.
The population has been carefully excluded from political activity, and not by accident. An enormous amount of work has gone into that disenfranchisement. During the 1960s the outburst of popular participation in democracy terrified the forces of convention, which mounted a fierce counter-campaign. Manifestations show up today on the left as well as the right in the effort to drive democracy back into the hole where it belongs.
Bush and Kerry can run because they're funded by basically the same concentrations of private power. Both candidates understand that the election is supposed to stay away from issues. They are creatures of the public relations industry, which keeps the public out of the election process. The concentration is on what they call a candidate's "qualities," not policies. Is he a leader? A nice guy? Voters end up endorsing an image, not a platform.
Last month a Gallup poll asked Americans why they're voting for either Bush or Kerry. From a multiple-choice list, a mere 6 percent of Bush voters and 13 percent of Kerry voters picked the candidates' "agendas/ideas/ platforms/goals." That's how the political system prefers it. Often the issues that are most on people's minds don't enter at all clearly into the debate.
A new report by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, which regularly monitors American attitudes on international issues, illustrates the disconnect.
A considerable majority of Americans favour "working within the United Nations, even when it adopts policies that the United States does not like." Most Americans also believe that "countries should have the right to go to war on their own only if they (have) strong evidence that they are in imminent danger of being attacked," thus rejecting the bipartisan consensus on "pre-emptive war."
On Iraq, polls by the Program on International Policy Attitudes show that a majority of Americans favour letting the UN take the lead in issues of security, reconstruction and political transition in that country. Last March, Spanish voters actually could vote on these matters.
It is notable that Americans hold these and similar views (say, on the International Criminal Court or the Kyoto Protocol) in virtual isolation: They rarely hear them in campaign speeches, and probably regard them as idiosyncratic. At the same time the level of activism for social change may be higher than ever in the US. But it's disorganised. Nobody knows what's happening on the other side of town.
By contrast, consider the fundamentalist Christians. Earlier this month in Jerusalem, Pat Robertson said that he would start a third party if Bush and the Republicans waver in support for Israel. That's a serious threat because he might be able to mobilise tens of millions of evangelical Christians who already form a significant political force, thanks to extensive work over decades on numerous issues, and with candidates at levels from school board to president.
The presidential race isn't devoid of issue-oriented activism. During the primaries, before the main event fully gears up, candidates can raise issues and help organise popular support for them, thereby influencing campaigns to some extent. After the primaries, mere statements make a minimal impact without a significant organisation behind them.
The urgency is for popular progressive groups to grow and become strong enough so that centres of power can't ignore them. Forces for change that have come up from the grass roots and shaken the society to its core include the labour movement, the civil rights movement, the peace movement, the women's movement and others, cultivated by steady, dedicated work at all levels, every day, not just once every four years.
But you can't ignore the elections. You should recognise that one of the two groups now contending for power happens to be extremist and dangerous, and has already caused plenty of trouble and could cause plenty more.
As for myself, I've taken the same position as in 2000. If you are in a swing state, you should vote to keep the worst guys out. If it's another state, do what you feel is best. There are many considerations. Bush and his administration are publicly committed to dismantling and destroying whatever progressive legislation and social welfare has been won by popular struggles over the past century.
Internationally, they are calling for dominating the world by military force, including even the "ownership of space" to expand monitoring and first strike capabilities.
So in the election, sensible choices have to be made. But they are secondary to serious political action. The main task is to create a genuinely responsive democratic culture, and that effort goes on before and after electoral extravaganzas, whatever their outcome.
Noam Chomsky is a professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author, most recently, of Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance.
NOT TOO LATE
WHAT GOES AROUND finally does come around, even if it takes years. With a court in Chile ordering the house arrest of General Augusto Pinochet, President of the country between 1973 and 1990, and charging him for the murders of his political opponents, the former dictator is closer to standing trial for the disappearances and killings that marked his brutal regime. The ruling is a remarkable victory for all those involved in the long campaign to bring a legal case against him. Human rights organisations estimate that more than 3,000 people were killed or had disappeared and up to 28,000 others were tortured for their political beliefs during Gen. Pinochet's 17-year rule. The 89-year-old General has so far managed to avoid standing trial by citing age and ill health. But the untiring efforts of those seeking accountability and punishment for those crimes have ensured that the law came back at him again and again, never allowing him to bask too long in the feeling of having got away. In its ruling, the court said it found Gen. Pinochet healthy enough to stand trial on the basis of an interview he gave to a U. S. television station in 2003, during which he appeared coherent, lucid and mentally alert. An appeals court upheld the verdict, rejecting renewed claims by the former President's lawyers that he was too ill to face the charges, and despite his hospitalisation two days before his appeal was to be taken up.
The charges in the case under consideration relate to Operation Condor, a clandestine joint mission by the military dictatorships of Latin America in the 1970s to hunt down and eliminate dissidents. Although Gen. Pinochet has claimed he was unaware of the mission, and that it was hatched and executed by junior officers in the Chilean military, it is quite clear that an inter-intelligence services plan drawn up by Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay to help one another kidnap and "disappear" political opponents must have had clearance from the highest levels in each of those countries. All these countries are now democracies but so far, none of the perpetrators has been brought to book. In Argentina and Uruguay, it may never happen thanks to amnesty laws. In Chile too, the Pinochet regime awarded itself an amnesty. But it is a measure of the fledgling democracy's determination to settle the unquiet ghosts of the past that the judiciary has refused to apply this amnesty. More than 200 military officers are on trial for human rights violations committed in the Pinochet era and 15 others have been convicted. Soon after the United Kingdom freed him from a
17-month house arrest in London and allowed him to return to Chile in 2000, Gen. Pinochet lost his personal parliamentary immunity against prosecution, which he held by virtue of his position as senator for life. But it was restored a year later on grounds that he was suffering from "mild dementia." Earlier this year, a court stripped him of the immunity, paving the way for last week's ruling.
17-month house arrest in London and allowed him to return to Chile in 2000, Gen. Pinochet lost his personal parliamentary immunity against prosecution, which he held by virtue of his position as senator for life. But it was restored a year later on grounds that he was suffering from "mild dementia." Earlier this year, a court stripped him of the immunity, paving the way for last week's ruling.
Irrespective of the outcome of the case, the developments in Chile offer a morality tale. States cannot commit crimes against their people with impunity. Grievous wounds rulers inflict on their people do not heal with time. They fester and the quest for justice and truth only grows stronger as the years pass. Last year, Gen. Pinochet's son said what he wanted for his father was "for the country to forgive, but not forget... " The Chilean people have justly spurned his plea.
Bharati and his copyright
By Mira T. Sundara Rajan
Many problems affecting Subramania Bharati's works amount to clear violations of the author's moral rights under the Indian copyright law.
C. SUBRAMANIA BHARATI died in 1921 at the early age of 39. The copyright in Bharati's works was taken over by the Government of Madras State in 1949, and, after the appearance of some initial publications, given as a gift to the people of India. From this time onwards, anyone in India would be free to undertake publication of Bharati's works. Publishers of Bharati's works would not be required to pay a copyright fee, or to submit their editions to any external process of review, whether administered by the Government, the universities, or other bodies of scholars.
The public gift of Bharati's copyright led to an explosion of activity. Publishers saw an extraordinary opportunity, in both commercial and cultural terms. Eighty-three years after his death, Bharati's writings are indeed as readily available "as a matchbox," as the poet once dreamed. However, the publication rush has also led to numerous problems - problems that the Government failed to foresee, and that will now be difficult to remedy.
In dealing with Bharati's writings, the Government faced a classic copyright dilemma. On the one hand, it wanted to promote the widest possible access to, and dissemination of, these important works. On the other hand, it could not sidestep the challenge of protecting the integrity of these works, and the stature of the personality behind them. In Bharati's case, the most effective approach to copyright in relation to culturally-important works may actually involve the joint pursuit of objectives that are often thought of as contradictory in copyright parlance: attempting to fulfil simultaneously the goals of dissemination and integrity. These two fundamental objectives of copyright policy should be recognised as interdependent and complementary means of furthering the cause of Indian culture.
Over the past 75 years, numerous editions of Bharati's poetry have appeared. His works have been translated extensively, and both he, as a "character," and his works have been featured in a number of films. However, the expansion of public access to Bharati's works has been matched by a decline in the quality of publication, from both technical and critical points of view.
The problems that have accumulated over the years in the publication of Bharati's works include careless printing that incorporates both typographical and interpretative errors into the final texts; false attribution of the works of other poets to Bharati; inaccurate and inappropriate translations; misleading representations of the poet's personality; and erroneous statements about his life and works. How can such problems be resolved? It seems natural to turn towards the law, and towards copyright law in particular, for guidance.
Copyright in India is governed by the Indian Copyright Act of 1957. If Bharati's copyright had been allowed to run its course unimpeded under Indian legislation of the time - the landmark British colonial statute of 1911 - it would have expired in 1971, 50 years after the end of the year in which the author died. It is noteworthy that this period of copyright protection is well short of the accepted international norm today, lifetime of the author and 70 years after his death, as well as being shorter than today's Indian norm of life plus 60 years. By making the copyright public, the Government of India further curtailed the enjoyment of the usual period of copyright protection. It is important to be aware that the policy behind protecting copyright after the author's death is to ensure that his family is able to survive and, indeed, to enjoy the economic benefit of its ancestor's success. The Bharati family was never in a position to do so.
However, the expiry of copyright - not natural in this case but brought about by the conscious actions of the Indian Government - does not dispose of copyright matters in the poet's work. This is because copyright is not limited to the economic rights of the author. Rather, it includes something called a "moral right": the author may have sold his copyright, but he continues to retain other kinds of right in his work, including the right to be acknowledged as the author of his own work, and the right to restrain the mistreatment of his work. These rights seek to protect the author's personal relationship with his own work, and in doing so, they play a valuable role in protecting the integrity of important works of culture that make up a country's cultural heritage. Just as moral rights continue to stay with the author even after he has parted with the economic rights in his work, they continue to subsist in his work even after the author's death. The author can appoint someone to be the executor of his moral rights after his death; if he does not do so, his heirs will be entrusted with the protection of his moral rights. In theory, moral rights can last forever. In India, moral rights are protected in Section 57 of the Indian Copyright Act, and, in keeping with the theory behind these rights, they continue to remain in the author's works in perpetuity. The protection of moral rights in the Copyright Act is strongly supported by Indian judges, who view these rights as an important tool in the protection of Indian authors against unscrupulous commercial exploitation of their works, and in the preservation of India's cultural heritage.
Many of the problems affecting Bharati's works amount to clear violations of the author's moral rights under the Indian copyright law. What are the implications of moral rights for protecting his works today?
The expression, "moral rights," is itself a somewhat awkward translation into English of the original term in French law, droit moral. The connotations of this French expression are quite different from its English equivalent, evoking, rights of a "personal or spiritual" nature, above all.
The two main types of moral rights are the rights of attribution and integrity. The right of attribution allows an author to assert authorship of his work, and to prevent another person from claiming authorship of his work. In addition, an author may prevent the attribution of works to him which he did not create.
The right of integrity allows the author to protest any distortion, mutilation, modification, or other treatment of his work which is, in the language of the Berne Convention, "prejudicial to his honour or reputation." In contrast to the highly specific right of attribution, the right of integrity is a broad right which allows authors to object to a wide range of practices - including editing, publishing, performance, and possibly exhibition - which may not be compatible with the intentions of the author.
The Indian Copyright Act currently provides protection for authors' moral rights in conformity with the international standard established in the Berne Convention.
Many of the problems involving Bharati's works may effectively amount to violations of the author's moral rights. The false attribution of the works of other authors to Bharati contravenes his right of attribution. Faulty printing is a modification of his work that could prejudice his reputation, depending on the nature and extent of the errors, and violates his right to the integrity of his work.
In addition, the issue of appropriation of Bharati's personality is one that arises frequently in practice and must be considered. Arguably, it is logical for moral rights standards to include some kind of protection for an author's personality, since the moral rights doctrine is itself based on the idea that the author's personality is reflected in his works. The protections offered by moral rights clearly implicate a number of legal concepts outside copyright's traditional reach - for example, the laws of privacy and misappropriation of personality come to mind. Misrepresentation of an author's personality may have an impact not only on how his work is received, but also on how it is interpreted and understood.
Notwithstanding these pragmatic concerns, a strong case can be made for extending perpetual protection to Bharati's moral rights, as would have been possible prior to the 1994 amendments to the Copyright Act. Because Bharati's works entered the public domain only three decades after his death, protection of his copyright was actually curtailed long before the time when it would have expired "naturally" - that is, in accordance with statutory provisions. In effect, these immortal and incomparable works were denied even the level of copyright protection granted to ordinary works. Moreover, given that interest in the works of important authors often develops long after their death, it seems unnecessarily restrictive to limit the protection of their moral rights to the duration of their economic rights. In the case of cultural works of outstanding importance, the perpetual protection of moral rights would provide a valuable means of supervising the treatment of these works to ensure that their integrity is maintained on an ongoing basis. In Bharati's case, his works are not only outstanding examples of literature, but they are also historical and social documents of great value.
(The author holds a D. Phil from Oxford, and is a leading international expert on copyright law. She is a great-granddaughter of poet C. Subramania Bharati.
An uncondensed version of this essay can be obtained by writing to v_bharati@hotmail.com)
Friday, December 24, 2004
25 Dec 2004
Expats Welcome Bahrain's E-Visa K. S. Ramkumar . Arab News
JEDDAH, 25 December 2004 - Local expats, especially those traveling for
business and leisure, have welcomed Bahrain's initiative to simplify the
immigration process with e-visa.
Both expats and travel agents said over the weekend that this was a positive
move. "This is something some of the other Gulf and Middle Eastern countries
could follow," said Arshad Muhammad Chaudhry, a Pakistani electrical
engineer.
Residents of 33 countries outside the GCC can apply online at www. evisa.
gov. bh, allowing them to download their visit visa anywhere in the world
before traveling to Bahrain. "While the ideal scenario is still a single
visa for the Arab world to facilitate travel between the Gulf states, we've
to look at new and innovative ways to make the immigration process as smooth
and simple as possible for international visitors," Nasser said. The visit
visas are valid for two weeks for a fee of seven Bahraini dinars
($18.50). As per the existing practice, GCC resident expats can get their
visas on arrival in Bahrain, but the e-visa facility, if utilized, can help
reduce the time involved in the completion of the visa process. In addition,
the downloaded visa removes the need to pay in local currency. The issue of
one visa for the Arab world is included for discussion at the first Arabian
Hotel Investment Conference being held in Dubai from April 30 to May 2,
Nasser said. "Indeed, a majority of our advisory panel of 50 regional
tourism leaders identified visa restrictions as a challenge in this
marketplace. This initiative from Bahrain has shown how governments can
harness technology to improve efficiency and therefore service," he added.
---
D. G. from Riyadh I had an accident while working in a factory and was
seriously injured. More than a half of my left thumb was cut off. It
happened two years ago. The company did not pay any compensation for the
physical damage to me. Now, I am going on final-exit and already signed a
final settlement. The final settlement did not include any compensation for
the physical damage I suffered while at work. Is the company fair in doing
so? What does the Labor Law say about it?
You have waited too long to ask this question. You should have moved fast to
preserve your rights. This is what the Labor Law and all laws enjoin. In
most procedural laws there are also time bars for filing a case before a
court. If you miss a time bar you may not be able to file your case. You are
entitled to full medical treatment for your thumb from your employer and
from the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), if your employer
had subscribed to it for you. Some employers neglect this and end up being
personally liable for medical expenses. Your medical case should be well
documented for you to claim your entitlement at this late hour. Basically
your employer is responsible for your medical expenses unless he has
subscribed for you (which is his obligation according to the law) to GOSI.
If your employer had not subscribed, he will personally be liable to pay all
your expenses.
You did not mention anything about your sick leave during treatment at the
time of the incident. For up to three months of the sick leave your employer
must bear your full salary for the first month and three-quarters of it for
the following two months. If GOSI is responsible, they have regulations that
enjoin you and your employer to have contacted them at the time of the
incident and submit to their procedures to carry out their medical
obligations. Usually they would refer you to their own doctors and
hospitals. If you apply now for your medical expenses with the help of your
employer, you may still have a chance to be compensated by GOSI. If your
employer is established to be responsible for your medical treatment, he
should pay you within the final settlement, when you service is terminated.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
V. A. from Riyadh I joined a turn-key company in March 2003 with a specified
contract of two years and a monthly basic salary of SR1,500. Now, I am
planning to go on final-exit when my contract finishes. I understand that
under a certain article of the Labor Law, after completing two years of the
contract I could get service benefits of one-month salary and vacation pay
of one month. But my employer tells me that I will get nothing. Is it right?
How can I claim my benefits? How does the Labor Ministry deal with those
employers who violate the law?
You are right that you must get one month (ESB) for both years of your
service (Article 86). It must be calculated on the basis of your monthly
wage. Wage is the salary plus all other allowances if any, monthly averaged.
These include housing, transportation food and schooling. You seem not to
have taken any vacation during these two years. Here, you should read what
your contract says and follow it; whether it is one month annually, more or
less. If vacation is not mentioned in your contract, the law (Article 153)
gives you a minimum vacation of 15 days for every 12 months of service. In
this case for 24 months of service, you are entitled to be paid one full
month's salary in cash, for your unused vacation. Note that the ESB is
calculated on wage, while for salary it is calculated on salary. As to how
companies that violate the law are viewed by the Labor Ministry, the answer
is that the ministry is carefully monitoring the performance of companies.
If a company is found to have repeated violations this attracts the
attention of the labor office to keep a closer watch on the company's
activities prompting frequent summons and trials.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X from Jeddah I am working with a multinational company. On Nov. 28,
2004, I received a contract termination notice from my company stating that
due to staff reduction my contract was being terminated from Nov. 30, 2004.
The next day I was given all my dues along with one month's notice pay as
well and my flight schedule which was Dec. 3, 2004. Two days later and due
to some urgency the company requested me to work for 10 additional days.
Upon confirmation from the company for the payment of the additional days,
the company representative told me that since I have already been paid one
month's notice pay, I will be paid only the overtime hours, which are only
three hours per day. My question is: Does company have any right to oblige
me to work three hours overtime only while in reality I work 11 hours?
Since your service terminates on Dec. 30 you can always apologize and insist
on traveling to your country. You are not supposed to have any contractual
relation with your company and should deal with them as a complete outsider.
In this case neither your old hourly or overtime rate applies. The
calculation of your wage should be similar to the wage of any trained
outsider who may be requested to do the same work for your company. This is
legally known as the "similar wage". Having been with the company before, it
does not give the company the right to anything but a similar wage. I would
estimate your similar hourly rate to be three times your old regular
contractual hourly rate. Your regular hourly rate would then be your
previous salary multiplied by 12 months to get the yearly salary, divided by
52 to get the weekly rate, then again divided by eight to get the hourly
rate. Multiply this contractual hourly rate by three to get the similar wage
of an outsider. You multiply this similar rate by the number of extra hours
which you worked after the termination of your service. That is what you
should be paid and that is what a labor judge may order if the case goes to
him.
---
Rao's funeral site sparks row Saturday December 25 2004 08:20 IST IANS
HYDERABAD: Environmentalists on Friday opposed the government's decision to
cremate former prime minister P. V. Narasimha Rao on the banks of Hussain
Sagar Lake here and erect a memorial there, saying it would deplete the
city's green cover.
NGO Forum for Better Hyderabad (FBH) claimed the state government's decision
violated Andhra Pradesh High Court order against using parks for cremations.
The court, in its order following the cremation of former chief minister M.
Chenna Reddy at Indira Park near the lake in 1998, had barred cremations in
parks and other public places, FBH convenor Capt. J. Rama Rao pointed out.
"The lake is already shrinking with concrete structures coming up around it.
If this is not stopped no park or open space will be left in the area," he
says.
The forum submitted a memorandum to state chief secretary Mohan Kanda to
reconsider the decision to have Rao's funeral by the lake as it violated the
court order and would further reduce the breathing space in the heart of the
city.
---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0452-2, 12/23/2004
Tested on: 12/25/2004 11:49:28 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
JEDDAH, 25 December 2004 - Local expats, especially those traveling for
business and leisure, have welcomed Bahrain's initiative to simplify the
immigration process with e-visa.
Both expats and travel agents said over the weekend that this was a positive
move. "This is something some of the other Gulf and Middle Eastern countries
could follow," said Arshad Muhammad Chaudhry, a Pakistani electrical
engineer.
Residents of 33 countries outside the GCC can apply online at www. evisa.
gov. bh, allowing them to download their visit visa anywhere in the world
before traveling to Bahrain. "While the ideal scenario is still a single
visa for the Arab world to facilitate travel between the Gulf states, we've
to look at new and innovative ways to make the immigration process as smooth
and simple as possible for international visitors," Nasser said. The visit
visas are valid for two weeks for a fee of seven Bahraini dinars
($18.50). As per the existing practice, GCC resident expats can get their
visas on arrival in Bahrain, but the e-visa facility, if utilized, can help
reduce the time involved in the completion of the visa process. In addition,
the downloaded visa removes the need to pay in local currency. The issue of
one visa for the Arab world is included for discussion at the first Arabian
Hotel Investment Conference being held in Dubai from April 30 to May 2,
Nasser said. "Indeed, a majority of our advisory panel of 50 regional
tourism leaders identified visa restrictions as a challenge in this
marketplace. This initiative from Bahrain has shown how governments can
harness technology to improve efficiency and therefore service," he added.
---
D. G. from Riyadh I had an accident while working in a factory and was
seriously injured. More than a half of my left thumb was cut off. It
happened two years ago. The company did not pay any compensation for the
physical damage to me. Now, I am going on final-exit and already signed a
final settlement. The final settlement did not include any compensation for
the physical damage I suffered while at work. Is the company fair in doing
so? What does the Labor Law say about it?
You have waited too long to ask this question. You should have moved fast to
preserve your rights. This is what the Labor Law and all laws enjoin. In
most procedural laws there are also time bars for filing a case before a
court. If you miss a time bar you may not be able to file your case. You are
entitled to full medical treatment for your thumb from your employer and
from the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), if your employer
had subscribed to it for you. Some employers neglect this and end up being
personally liable for medical expenses. Your medical case should be well
documented for you to claim your entitlement at this late hour. Basically
your employer is responsible for your medical expenses unless he has
subscribed for you (which is his obligation according to the law) to GOSI.
If your employer had not subscribed, he will personally be liable to pay all
your expenses.
You did not mention anything about your sick leave during treatment at the
time of the incident. For up to three months of the sick leave your employer
must bear your full salary for the first month and three-quarters of it for
the following two months. If GOSI is responsible, they have regulations that
enjoin you and your employer to have contacted them at the time of the
incident and submit to their procedures to carry out their medical
obligations. Usually they would refer you to their own doctors and
hospitals. If you apply now for your medical expenses with the help of your
employer, you may still have a chance to be compensated by GOSI. If your
employer is established to be responsible for your medical treatment, he
should pay you within the final settlement, when you service is terminated.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
V. A. from Riyadh I joined a turn-key company in March 2003 with a specified
contract of two years and a monthly basic salary of SR1,500. Now, I am
planning to go on final-exit when my contract finishes. I understand that
under a certain article of the Labor Law, after completing two years of the
contract I could get service benefits of one-month salary and vacation pay
of one month. But my employer tells me that I will get nothing. Is it right?
How can I claim my benefits? How does the Labor Ministry deal with those
employers who violate the law?
You are right that you must get one month (ESB) for both years of your
service (Article 86). It must be calculated on the basis of your monthly
wage. Wage is the salary plus all other allowances if any, monthly averaged.
These include housing, transportation food and schooling. You seem not to
have taken any vacation during these two years. Here, you should read what
your contract says and follow it; whether it is one month annually, more or
less. If vacation is not mentioned in your contract, the law (Article 153)
gives you a minimum vacation of 15 days for every 12 months of service. In
this case for 24 months of service, you are entitled to be paid one full
month's salary in cash, for your unused vacation. Note that the ESB is
calculated on wage, while for salary it is calculated on salary. As to how
companies that violate the law are viewed by the Labor Ministry, the answer
is that the ministry is carefully monitoring the performance of companies.
If a company is found to have repeated violations this attracts the
attention of the labor office to keep a closer watch on the company's
activities prompting frequent summons and trials.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X from Jeddah I am working with a multinational company. On Nov. 28,
2004, I received a contract termination notice from my company stating that
due to staff reduction my contract was being terminated from Nov. 30, 2004.
The next day I was given all my dues along with one month's notice pay as
well and my flight schedule which was Dec. 3, 2004. Two days later and due
to some urgency the company requested me to work for 10 additional days.
Upon confirmation from the company for the payment of the additional days,
the company representative told me that since I have already been paid one
month's notice pay, I will be paid only the overtime hours, which are only
three hours per day. My question is: Does company have any right to oblige
me to work three hours overtime only while in reality I work 11 hours?
Since your service terminates on Dec. 30 you can always apologize and insist
on traveling to your country. You are not supposed to have any contractual
relation with your company and should deal with them as a complete outsider.
In this case neither your old hourly or overtime rate applies. The
calculation of your wage should be similar to the wage of any trained
outsider who may be requested to do the same work for your company. This is
legally known as the "similar wage". Having been with the company before, it
does not give the company the right to anything but a similar wage. I would
estimate your similar hourly rate to be three times your old regular
contractual hourly rate. Your regular hourly rate would then be your
previous salary multiplied by 12 months to get the yearly salary, divided by
52 to get the weekly rate, then again divided by eight to get the hourly
rate. Multiply this contractual hourly rate by three to get the similar wage
of an outsider. You multiply this similar rate by the number of extra hours
which you worked after the termination of your service. That is what you
should be paid and that is what a labor judge may order if the case goes to
him.
---
Rao's funeral site sparks row Saturday December 25 2004 08:20 IST IANS
HYDERABAD: Environmentalists on Friday opposed the government's decision to
cremate former prime minister P. V. Narasimha Rao on the banks of Hussain
Sagar Lake here and erect a memorial there, saying it would deplete the
city's green cover.
NGO Forum for Better Hyderabad (FBH) claimed the state government's decision
violated Andhra Pradesh High Court order against using parks for cremations.
The court, in its order following the cremation of former chief minister M.
Chenna Reddy at Indira Park near the lake in 1998, had barred cremations in
parks and other public places, FBH convenor Capt. J. Rama Rao pointed out.
"The lake is already shrinking with concrete structures coming up around it.
If this is not stopped no park or open space will be left in the area," he
says.
The forum submitted a memorandum to state chief secretary Mohan Kanda to
reconsider the decision to have Rao's funeral by the lake as it violated the
court order and would further reduce the breathing space in the heart of the
city.
---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0452-2, 12/23/2004
Tested on: 12/25/2004 11:49:28 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 2000-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
The disconnect in US democracy by Prof. Noam Chomsky
The disconnect in US democracy
October 29 2004
AMERICANS may be encouraged to vote, but not to participate more meaningfully in the political arena. Essentially the election is a method of marginalising the population. A huge propaganda campaign is mounted to get people to focus on these personalised quadrennial extravaganzas and to think, "ThatÂ’s politics." But it isnÂ’t. ItÂ’s only a small part of politics.
The population has been carefully excluded from political activity, and not by accident. An enormous amount of work has gone into that disenfranchisement. During the 1960s the outburst of popular participation in democracy terrified the forces of convention, which mounted a fierce counter-campaign. Manifestations show up today on the left as well as the right in the effort to drive democracy back into the hole where it belongs.
Bush and Kerry can run because theyÂ’re funded by basically the same concentrations of private power. Both candidates understand that the election is supposed to stay away from issues. They are creatures of the public relations industry, which keeps the public out of the election process. The concentration is on what they call a candidateÂ’s "qualities," not policies. Is he a leader? A nice guy? Voters end up endorsing an image, not a platform.
Last month a Gallup poll asked Americans why theyÂ’re voting for either Bush or Kerry. From a multiple-choice list, a mere 6 percent of Bush voters and 13 percent of Kerry voters picked the candidatesÂ’ "agendas/ideas/ platforms/goals." ThatÂ’s how the political system prefers it. Often the issues that are most on peopleÂ’s minds donÂ’t enter at all clearly into the debate.
A new report by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, which regularly monitors American attitudes on international issues, illustrates the disconnect.
A considerable majority of Americans favour "working within the United Nations, even when it adopts policies that the United States does not like." Most Americans also believe that "countries should have the right to go to war on their own only if they (have) strong evidence that they are in imminent danger of being attacked," thus rejecting the bipartisan consensus on "pre-emptive war."
On Iraq, polls by the Program on International Policy Attitudes show that a majority of Americans favour letting the UN take the lead in issues of security, reconstruction and political transition in that country. Last March, Spanish voters actually could vote on these matters.
It is notable that Americans hold these and similar views (say, on the International Criminal Court or the Kyoto Protocol) in virtual isolation: They rarely hear them in campaign speeches, and probably regard them as idiosyncratic. At the same time the level of activism for social change may be higher than ever in the US. But itÂ’s disorganised. Nobody knows whatÂ’s happening on the other side of town.
By contrast, consider the fundamentalist Christians. Earlier this month in Jerusalem, Pat Robertson said that he would start a third party if Bush and the Republicans waver in support for Israel. ThatÂ’s a serious threat because he might be able to mobilise tens of millions of evangelical Christians who already form a significant political force, thanks to extensive work over decades on numerous issues, and with candidates at levels from school board to president.
The presidential race isnÂ’t devoid of issue-oriented activism. During the primaries, before the main event fully gears up, candidates can raise issues and help organise popular support for them, thereby influencing campaigns to some extent. After the primaries, mere statements make a minimal impact without a significant organisation behind them.
The urgency is for popular progressive groups to grow and become strong enough so that centres of power canÂ’t ignore them. Forces for change that have come up from the grass roots and shaken the society to its core include the labour movement, the civil rights movement, the peace movement, the womenÂ’s movement and others, cultivated by steady, dedicated work at all levels, every day, not just once every four years.
But you canÂ’t ignore the elections. You should recognise that one of the two groups now contending for power happens to be extremist and dangerous, and has already caused plenty of trouble and could cause plenty more.
As for myself, IÂ’ve taken the same position as in 2000. If you are in a swing state, you should vote to keep the worst guys out. If itÂ’s another state, do what you feel is best. There are many considerations. Bush and his administration are publicly committed to dismantling and destroying whatever progressive legislation and social welfare has been won by popular struggles over the past century.
Internationally, they are calling for dominating the world by military force, including even the "ownership of space" to expand monitoring and first strike capabilities.
So in the election, sensible choices have to be made. But they are secondary to serious political action. The main task is to create a genuinely responsive democratic culture, and that effort goes on before and after electoral extravaganzas, whatever their outcome.
Noam Chomsky is a professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author, most recently, of Hegemony or Survival: AmericaÂ’s Quest for Global Dominance
20 dec 04
Dog meat, a delicacy in Mizoram
AIZAWL, DEC. 19. Man's trusted friend and guardian for ages, the dog is seen
in Mizoram as a source of tasty meat, more preferred than even the pork, the
widely available meat in the State.
No wonder dog meat is costlier at Rs. 140 a kg in the State's capital Aizawl
while pork costs only Rs. 120 a kg.
A five-member team of mediapersons from Kerala on a recent visit to the
northeast noticed the absence of stray dogs in Aizawl.
Inquiries revealed that dog meat is a prized food item here. Veterinary
experts and the Director of Animal Husbandry said there had been very few
cases of deaths due to rabies in Mizoram.
The mediapersons came across several meat stalls with dog carcasses hung for
sale interspersed with pork.
Dogs were brought in large numbers into Mizoram from Assam and Manipur for
butchering. Nagaland was another north-eastern State which consumed dog
meat.
---
Oberoi, Taj hotels among world's best
Sunday, 19 December , 2004, 21:51
New Delhi: Udaipur's Oberoi Rajvilas and Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel have made
it to the world's best hotels' list compiled by an international travel
magazine.
While the Taj Mahal hotel has been ranked 16th in the Conde Naste
Traveller's first ever Gold List 2005 in terms of location, Udaipur's Oberoi
Rajvilas has bagged the 8th place in terms of quality of services.
The magazine has given Oberoi Rajvilas the thumbs-up for its services,
which, it says, are way ahead of other Indian hotels' and praised the Taj
Mahal hotel for its "staggering view over the Arabian Sea, the Gateway of
India and the city of Mumbai."
"Rajvilas is a purpose-built palace hotel set in immaculate, 32-acre
grounds, which has services head and shoulders above other Indian hotels,
with 24-hour dining and butler services," it said.
Conde Naste described Taj Mahal hotel's services as "a satisfactory blend of
efficiency and hospitablity," and was especially appreciative of its
location (16th rank).
---
1984: Britain signs over Hong Kong to China
The British colony of Hong Kong is to be returned to China in 1997 after an
historic agreement was signed in Peking today.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher signed the Joint Sino-British Declaration
with her Chinese counterpart Zhao Ziyang.
It formally seals the future of Hong Kong, transferring it from a British
colony of six million people to communist China in 13 years.
The agreement, which will end 155 years of British rule in the colony, also
launches a new era in trade and diplomacy between the two countries.
Chinese president Deng Xiaoping, who pursued the recovery of Hong Kong,
greeted Mrs Thatcher.
The champagne ceremony took place at the Great Hall of the People before
delegates who helped draw up the agreement, including 101 guests from Hong
Kong.
Mrs Thatcher said: "The circumstances are unique. The agreement is unique.
"It is right that we should feel a sense of history, of pride and of
confidence in the future."
The declaration outlines Hong Kong will be "restored" to the People's
Republic of China with effect from July 1 1997 and will apply for fifty
years.
It will be known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
---
Think of a high tech Indian village two years down the line.
a.. A village where everyone has easy access to information on
agriculture, education, drinking water, electricity and health.
b.. A village where farmers get latest updates on market prices, cropping
pattern and weather forecast at a finger-touch.
c.. A village where quality inputs on seeds, fertilisers and pesticides
are regularly supplied to farmers.
d.. A village where families can access their children's examination
results on computers.
e.. A village where everyone has access to all government forms and copies
of land records.
f.. A village where your electricity, telephone and water bills are
accepted electronically.
g.. A village where one person in every family knows how to handle the
computer.
Can all these things happen in a poor Indian village?
Yes.
All these things and much more are all set to revolutionise the villages of
Andhra Pradesh. Exactly two years from now, no villager in Andhra Pradesh
will need to travel to the capital Hyderabad with his or her grievances.
Four years ago, former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu scripted a unique
success story when he carved 'Cyberabad' out of Hyderabad.
But the current Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy says his
hearts beats for the rural heartland.
---
AIZAWL, DEC. 19. Man's trusted friend and guardian for ages, the dog is seen
in Mizoram as a source of tasty meat, more preferred than even the pork, the
widely available meat in the State.
No wonder dog meat is costlier at Rs. 140 a kg in the State's capital Aizawl
while pork costs only Rs. 120 a kg.
A five-member team of mediapersons from Kerala on a recent visit to the
northeast noticed the absence of stray dogs in Aizawl.
Inquiries revealed that dog meat is a prized food item here. Veterinary
experts and the Director of Animal Husbandry said there had been very few
cases of deaths due to rabies in Mizoram.
The mediapersons came across several meat stalls with dog carcasses hung for
sale interspersed with pork.
Dogs were brought in large numbers into Mizoram from Assam and Manipur for
butchering. Nagaland was another north-eastern State which consumed dog
meat.
---
Oberoi, Taj hotels among world's best
Sunday, 19 December , 2004, 21:51
New Delhi: Udaipur's Oberoi Rajvilas and Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel have made
it to the world's best hotels' list compiled by an international travel
magazine.
While the Taj Mahal hotel has been ranked 16th in the Conde Naste
Traveller's first ever Gold List 2005 in terms of location, Udaipur's Oberoi
Rajvilas has bagged the 8th place in terms of quality of services.
The magazine has given Oberoi Rajvilas the thumbs-up for its services,
which, it says, are way ahead of other Indian hotels' and praised the Taj
Mahal hotel for its "staggering view over the Arabian Sea, the Gateway of
India and the city of Mumbai."
"Rajvilas is a purpose-built palace hotel set in immaculate, 32-acre
grounds, which has services head and shoulders above other Indian hotels,
with 24-hour dining and butler services," it said.
Conde Naste described Taj Mahal hotel's services as "a satisfactory blend of
efficiency and hospitablity," and was especially appreciative of its
location (16th rank).
---
1984: Britain signs over Hong Kong to China
The British colony of Hong Kong is to be returned to China in 1997 after an
historic agreement was signed in Peking today.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher signed the Joint Sino-British Declaration
with her Chinese counterpart Zhao Ziyang.
It formally seals the future of Hong Kong, transferring it from a British
colony of six million people to communist China in 13 years.
The agreement, which will end 155 years of British rule in the colony, also
launches a new era in trade and diplomacy between the two countries.
Chinese president Deng Xiaoping, who pursued the recovery of Hong Kong,
greeted Mrs Thatcher.
The champagne ceremony took place at the Great Hall of the People before
delegates who helped draw up the agreement, including 101 guests from Hong
Kong.
Mrs Thatcher said: "The circumstances are unique. The agreement is unique.
"It is right that we should feel a sense of history, of pride and of
confidence in the future."
The declaration outlines Hong Kong will be "restored" to the People's
Republic of China with effect from July 1 1997 and will apply for fifty
years.
It will be known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
---
Think of a high tech Indian village two years down the line.
a.. A village where everyone has easy access to information on
agriculture, education, drinking water, electricity and health.
b.. A village where farmers get latest updates on market prices, cropping
pattern and weather forecast at a finger-touch.
c.. A village where quality inputs on seeds, fertilisers and pesticides
are regularly supplied to farmers.
d.. A village where families can access their children's examination
results on computers.
e.. A village where everyone has access to all government forms and copies
of land records.
f.. A village where your electricity, telephone and water bills are
accepted electronically.
g.. A village where one person in every family knows how to handle the
computer.
Can all these things happen in a poor Indian village?
Yes.
All these things and much more are all set to revolutionise the villages of
Andhra Pradesh. Exactly two years from now, no villager in Andhra Pradesh
will need to travel to the capital Hyderabad with his or her grievances.
Four years ago, former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu scripted a unique
success story when he carved 'Cyberabad' out of Hyderabad.
But the current Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy says his
hearts beats for the rural heartland.
---
Saturday, December 18, 2004
"My son is gone but my fight for his cause will go on"
"My son is gone but my fight for his cause will go on"
By T. Lalith Singh
HYDERABAD, DEC.17. K. Venkatesh, the muscular dystrophy patient whose case
set off a debate following his request for euthanasia in order to be able
to donate his organs, died in hospital here on Friday.
According to doctors at Global Hospital, where the 25-year-old chess
enthusiast spent his last few days on a ventilator, the end came around 5
a.m. The cornea was harvested and taken by the L.V. Prasad Eye Hospital
for transplant.
The other vital organs — kidneys, liver and lungs — could not be used for
transplantation as infection had set in, doctors said. "The infection was
caused due to the extended use of a ventilator," a hospital spokesman
said. The body was shifted to his home at Mehdipatnam. Venkatesh's mother,
K. Sujatha, keeping her poise, said: "My son wanted to donate his organs
but his wish was not fulfilled. He is gone, but my fight on this issue
will continue. The attitude on euthanasia and organ transplant has to
change and I will not relent till then."
Following a plea made by her, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had on
Thursday ordered the setting up of a committee to reconsider the plea for
mercy killing to enable Venkatesh to donate his organs. A committee
constituted earlier under the Andhra Pradesh Transplantation of Human
Organ Act had decided that Sujatha's request cannot be conceded as her son
was not brain dead.
The last rites were performed at the cremation grounds in Mehdipatnam.
Fulfilling one of her son's last wishes, one that was in her own hands
unlike his euthanasia plea, Ms. Sujatha lit the pyre.
By T. Lalith Singh
HYDERABAD, DEC.17. K. Venkatesh, the muscular dystrophy patient whose case
set off a debate following his request for euthanasia in order to be able
to donate his organs, died in hospital here on Friday.
According to doctors at Global Hospital, where the 25-year-old chess
enthusiast spent his last few days on a ventilator, the end came around 5
a.m. The cornea was harvested and taken by the L.V. Prasad Eye Hospital
for transplant.
The other vital organs — kidneys, liver and lungs — could not be used for
transplantation as infection had set in, doctors said. "The infection was
caused due to the extended use of a ventilator," a hospital spokesman
said. The body was shifted to his home at Mehdipatnam. Venkatesh's mother,
K. Sujatha, keeping her poise, said: "My son wanted to donate his organs
but his wish was not fulfilled. He is gone, but my fight on this issue
will continue. The attitude on euthanasia and organ transplant has to
change and I will not relent till then."
Following a plea made by her, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had on
Thursday ordered the setting up of a committee to reconsider the plea for
mercy killing to enable Venkatesh to donate his organs. A committee
constituted earlier under the Andhra Pradesh Transplantation of Human
Organ Act had decided that Sujatha's request cannot be conceded as her son
was not brain dead.
The last rites were performed at the cremation grounds in Mehdipatnam.
Fulfilling one of her son's last wishes, one that was in her own hands
unlike his euthanasia plea, Ms. Sujatha lit the pyre.
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