- Reporters Sans Frontiers Issues Red Card to World Cup Qualifying Countries.
- Arab Digital claims Middle East Viewers get World Cup match withoug trouble
- ITC dominates Indian cigarette Industry, says Report
SBM Education Series to Build Mainframe Technology in Kingdom
Seminars in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah bring Europe's top mainframe specialists to Saudi Arabia
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - 11 June 2002 - Saudi Business Machines Ltd., the general marketing and services representative of IBM WTC in Saudi Arabia and the leading information technology provider in the region, has completed a seminar series that bought Europe's top mainframe experts to the Kingdom to share new developments in high-end enterprise computing technology. The seminars also included the Saudi launch of the new IBM eServer zSeries 800, a new lower-priced, entry-class mainframe that fundamentally changes the economics of mainframe computing. IBM experts outlined a number of new mainframe technologies, including Linux for the mainframe, and how the new systems ideally meet the requirements of Middle East companies.
"The z800 hits a sweet spot for our customers in the Middle East. Although we have a substantial installed base of our top end mainframes, many organizations that wanted mainframe-like performance and reliability had to settle for other solutions. Now, with the introduction of the z800, IBM brings the bullet-proof performance and reliability of zSeries technology to customers for whom the mainframe was previously out of reach," said Ray Berard, Business Unit Executive, zServer Sales for IBM CEMA.The z800 is ideal for mid-market organisations in search of ways to reduce the cost and complexity of owning multiple e-business servers.The new system helps eliminate under-utilized and expensive server farms (with Web servers, print or file servers, and e-mail servers) by moving them onto a single mainframe, simplifying systems management and reducing running costs. Featuring IBM's industry leading z/VM virtualization technology, the z800 is capable of consolidating as few as 20 and up to hundreds of Sun or Intel servers onto a single physical box.
Important topics covered in the seminar series included the worldwide resurgence of mainframes. As e-business requirements grow, along with the requirement for highly reliable off-the-shelf e-business applications (ERP, business intelligence, customer management), mainframes are becoming the enterprise computing platform of choice. Mainframes are also ideal hosts for Linux applications, as they allow multiple servers running multiple applications to be brought together onto a single highly reliable server.
Established in 1981, Saudi Business Machines Limited (SBM), is one of the largest providers of technology products, e-business services and complete turn-key solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Part of the E.A. Juffali and Brothers Group of companies, it is the general marketing and services representative for IBM World Trade Corporation in the Kingdom, providing a full portfolio of IBM products. Based in Jeddah, and with branches in Riyadh, Al-Khobar and Jubail, SBM has over 500 employees. It offers software and professional consultancy, together with services in networking, business recovery and operations support, alongside tailored maintenance services support for IBM and non-IBM products. Saudi Business Machines (SBM) alongside IBM has been the leading information technology providers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for over 50 years. Through its extensive channel of business partners, SBM is a major force behind the development of the Kingdom's IT industry. More information can be found at http://www.sbm.com.sa
Engineering Admission open for NRI Students in premier Indian Technical Institutions'
New Delhi : (keralamonitor.com June 11, 2002.) The Department of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India opens admissions for foreign nationals, persons of Indian origin and Indian nationalities living abroad to undergraduate courses in engineering, offered by premier technical institutions in India by allocating 15 per cent seats over and above the sanctioned intake, under Direct Admissions of Students Abroad Engineering Colleges (DASA-EC) Scheme. Educational Consultants India Limited (Ed.CIL), a public sector enterprise under MHRD, GOI, has been designated as the Coordinating Agency and a Single Window Facility for Admissions under the Scheme with effect from the academic year 2001-2002.
Seventeen regional Engineering Colleges, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Allahabad, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management (IITM), Gwalior, School of Planning and Architect (SPA), New Delhi, National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT), Ranchi, North Eastern Regional Institute of Foundry and Technology (NERIST), Itnagar and Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET), Longowal are covered under this scheme. These Engineering Colleges are comparable to the best in the world and are known for providing quality education in science and technology.
Foreign nationals from SAARC countries seeking admission through this channel will be allowed 50 per cent fee waiver provided they are studying in SAARC countries only. The brouchre cum application form for DASA-EC 2002-03 is available in Ed.CIL;s website www.edcil.co.in. The site provides detailed information on the admission requirements, colleges covered, courses offered, intake details and the fee structure. Interested candidates may download the application forms from the website and send their duly filled in application forms to the Project Manager (DASA-EC), Educational Consultants India Ltd Ed.Cil house, 18-A, Sector 16-A, NOIDA 201301 (UP) -India along with a demand draft for $350/- payable to Educational Consultants India Ltd, drawn on any bank in New Delhi towards the registration fees.
Contact phone Number: 0091-120-4515281 (Direct)
0091-120-4512001 to 4512006.
Fax 0091-120-4515372
Email : vijay@edcil.co.in / vijay@edcil.ernet.in
Website : www.edcil.co.in
Reporters Sans Frontiers Issues Red Card to World Cup Qualifying Countries.
New York; June 10, 2002. You might think only soccer players who commit flagrant fouls against opponents merit red cards (the worst penalties a player can receive). Not according to Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans fronticres, RSF) which used the occasion of the World Cup this week to alert the world to press freedom conditions in five event-qualifying countries. "Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, Tunisia and Turkey deserve a red card for the torture, acts of violence and atrocities that go on there. In these countries, journalists and dissenters are imprisoned, tortured and sometimes killed," said RSF. In Saudi Arabia, authorities exercise tight control of the media and clamp down on anyone who criticises the government, the group says. Individuals' internet activities are closely monitored and websites considered immoral are blocked.In China, the Communist Party imposes its control of the media by force. Last year, at least 12 media outlets were censored. Twenty-two "cyber-dissidents" are currently imprisoned, as well as nine journalists, RSF says. Meanwhile, more than 50 journalists in Turkey appeared before the courts last year because of their work. Repressive laws continue to punish those who express opinions deemed sympathetic to the demands of Kurds, Islamic fundamentalists and extreme leftists, RSF notes. Those who criticise the army are systematically targeted. In 2001, 30 journalists were arrested, while 20 were attacked.
In Tunisia, many journalists have been forced into exile because of press-freedom conditions under President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. And political opponents and their families are under increasing pressure from authorities, RSF says. Two journalists are currently in jail. Finally, in Russia, murders and physical attacks of journalists are increasing, and the country's entire press has been forced to censor itself because of legal harassment, the group says. Freedom of information has also been further curbed in Chechnya where accreditation rules already place great restrictions on journalists. --keralamonitor.com
MID-EAST TV VIEWERS RECEIVING WORLD CUP TROUBLE FREE
Dubai, 11/6/2002: Arab Digital Distribution (ADD), exclusive broadcasters of live World Cup 2002 TV coverage in the Middle East, confirmed that the 10% of Middle East pay-TV viewers who experienced delays in viewing the World Cup have now been resolved. "So many viewers had left their World Cup subscriptions to the last minute, and this compounded with the "traditional" calls all pay TV companies receive from those experiencing technical difficulties with new decoders, leading to delays," noted Vinod D'Mello, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Network Development of ADD.
ADD, the fast growing pay TV operator that handles FirstNet, Pehla and Al Awael has been working round the clock to rectify the delays some subscribers experienced during the initial opening of the World Cup. ADD had run a special offer campaign to alert viewers to subscribe early to avoid disappointment but most members of public presumed that local channels had won TV rights to broadcast the games.
"We are tracking our customer complaints via ADD's IVR service and adduniverse.com. We can now confirm that the vast majority of our subscribers are receiving the World Cup trouble free and that 90% of technical delays have been resolved. Our teams have been working round the clock to respond to the tens of thousands of calls we are still receiving from across the region," added D'Mello.--keralamonitor.com
ITC Limited dominates Indian cigarette Industry, says CRISIL Report
keralamonitor.com
Mumbai: A "AAA" (pronounced 'triple A') rating has been assigned to the Rs. 104.30 million non-convertible debenture programme and a "FAAA" (pronounced 'F triple A') rating has been assigned to the fixed deposit programme of ITC Ltd (ITC). These ratings have been assigned following the merger of the subsidiary, ITC Bhadrachalam Paper Boards Ltd. (ITCBPL) with ITC, as a result of which the above outstanding rated debt instruments of ITCBPL have been transferred to ITC. The rating assigned to ITCBPL's commercial paper programme has been extinguished as there is no amount outstanding against this instrument.
The ratings reflect ITC's leadership over the domestic cigarette industry, which is endorsed by its large product portfolio, strong brands, extensive distribution network and geographic diversity. The ratings are also supported by ITC's strong financial profile, which is characterized by steady revenue growth, high profitability, favourable gearing levels, strong interest coverage ratios and a sound liquidity position. Moreover, business diversity provides stability to the company's credit profile. The ratings also take into account the declining cigarette volumes in the domestic market and the vulnerability of the cigarette industry to government policies on taxation, advertising and sales.
Kolkata-based ITC is involved in a wide range of businesses that include cigarettes, tobacco, hotels, speciality paper, packaging, printing and paper board. Banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and mutual funds hold a 36.16% stake in ITC, BAT holds 32.50% while the balance is with the public and others. Cigarettes accounted for 77% of ITC's turnover in 2001-02 with the rest coming from agri-products (11%), paper, paperboards & packaging (10%) and hotels (2%). The cigarette business' share in ITC's total revenues has come down in 2001-02 following the merger of ITCBPL with ITC with effect from April 1, 2001, and strong growth in its agri business. While the amalgamation of ITC BPL with ITC contributed an incremental Rs. 5.1 billion to ITC's turnover, a robust export growth contributed to the rise in the agri business levels. ITC reported a net profit of Rs. 11.9 billion on net sales of Rs. 50.6 billion for the year ended March 31, 2002 against a net profit of Rs. 10.1 billion on net sales of Rs. 42.1 billion for the year ended March 31, 2001.
ITC is the largest player in the domestic cigarette industry with a market share of nearly 70%. The company owns five of the top six cigarette brands in the country. Moreover, access to BAT's international brands like Benson & Hedges Special Filters and Lights and State Express 555 further enhances its strong product profile. Notwithstanding these inherent strengths, in line with the industry trend, the company's cigarette volumes have come under pressure over the last few years. This is largely due to unfavorable government policies in the form of continued excise duty hikes, which have impacted volumes. Growing grey market sales of cigarettes, especially in the premium segment, too add to the industry's concerns.
ITC's other businesses may be small contributors to its total turnover and profits but they render diversity to its overall business profile. The company, in fact, plans to increase its hotel business quite significantly in future as part of its strategy to acquire critical size and operational scale in the domestic market and have a presence in the global arena. ITC has recently consolidated its paper business as evident in the merger of ITCBPL with itself. ITCBPL is the largest integrated paperboard manufacturer in the country with an installed capacity of 200,000 tonne per annum. ITC has also recently ventured into new businesses like retailing of branded apparel and processed foods, greeting cards and leisure tourism, all of which are projected to be high growth markets in the emerging Indian economy.
In spite of a volume contraction in its cigarettes business in the last four years, ITC continues to maintain a favourable financial risk profile as reflected in its high profitability, large networth, low gearing, strong cash accruals and liquidity position. This is attributed to its high overall realization on account of its strong presence in the premium cigarette segment, favourable cost structure arising from the direct procurement of tobacco from farmers and economies of scale. CRISIL believes that ITC's strong cash accruals and liquidity position will be sufficient to mitigate any risks that may arise on account of ongoing excise and FERA litigation.
