Gitex Hydrabad Attracts UAE IT firms -American Missions Red Alert against Terrorist Attacks War in Late February, Says Russian Military Aide-  POLIO: Sterilization Rumors Foiling Indian Campaign -Guidelines for setting up of community Radio Stations

 IRAQ: Bush Ratchets Up Pressure As Some Allies Balk

U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday questioned the idea of giving U.N. weapons inspectors more time in Iraq, even as other Security Council members dug in their heels to oppose early military action. "This business about more time -- how much more time do we need to see that [Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is] not disarming?" Bush asked.

The Bush administration gave other, similar signals yesterday. In a speech at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said the United States has "just about exhausted" its diplomatic options, while the White House's new Office for Global Communication issued the 32-page Apparatus of Lies: Saddam's Disinformation and Propaganda, 1990-2003 . Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "Inspections will not work."

U.N. weapons inspectors have asked, and received support from key U.S. allies for, more time to assess Iraq's weapons programs. Powell said yesterday, though, that "the danger is that people will just allow the process to drag on, and there will be no resolution." Resistance to an early military strike against Iraq appears to be building in the Security Council. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin on Monday objected to the Bush administration's position on Iraq. "If war is the only way to resolve this problem, we're going down a dead end," he said. Two other veto-wielding council members, China and Russia, have said they are willing to let inspections continue for months if necessary.

Among countries other than the permanent five council members, opposition to the U.S. stance has also been expressed. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told party members at a rally Tuesday, "Don't expect Germany to approve a resolution legitimizing war; don't expect it." Germany takes over the chairmanship of the Security Council in February, which is expected to be a critical time for council deliberations on Iraq .

Interfax has quoted a high-ranking source in the Russian military as saying that a military operation in Iraq "is planned for the second half of February," once the buildup of armed forces in the Gulf has reached 150,000. The official said the decision to attack has already been made.

U.N. Says No Ties Between Iraq And Al-Qaeda

Despite a statement yesterday by British Prime Minister Tony Blair that "some intelligence" suggests links between al-Qaeda and Iraq, the chair of the Security Council panel that monitors sanctions against al-Qaeda said he has seen no evidence of a connection between Iraq and the terrorist group.

Michael Chandler pointed to a difference in goals between Saddam Hussein, a secular leader, and Osama bin Laden, who leads an Islamic regime, as a reason to doubt collusion between the two parties. "Saddam doesn't want a caliphate; he wants to be in charge," he said

U.N. Says Iraqis Could Starve If U.S. Attacks

Elkheir Khaled, a representative in Iraq for the Food and Agriculture Organization, has said the country could face mass starvation if the food distribution system collapses as a result of war. Khaled told Reuters that a decade of U.N. sanctions have left Iraqis heavily dependent on a food-rationing infrastructure. "This may be the only place in the world where for the last 10 years everyone gets a ration, in a very efficient way," he said. "And without this ration, starvation will come like this," he added, snapping his fingers.

Last month, U.N. planners said in a report that 500,000 Iraqis could need medical treatment immediately following an invasion. Twenty-six million people inhabit the country, which relies on the U.N. "oil-for-food" program for 70 percent of its food. In related news, the U.N. Office of the Iraq Program announced yesterday that it would redirect $61 million in administrative savings toward the purchase of relief supplies for Iraq, bringing the total savings from overhead to $272 million since September 2000 . keralamonitor.com

 POLIO: Sterilization Rumors Foiling Indian Campaign

Rumors that polio vaccine drops are actually part of a government population control plan have been hampering the drive to eradicate the disease in India's Uttar Pradesh state, the New York Times reported this week. After registering only 239 new polio cases in 2001, down from about 200,000 two decades earlier, India had 1,509 new diagnoses last year, the vast majority of them in Uttar Pradesh. The state accounts for 68 percent of polio cases worldwide. Government officials and community leaders said the resurgence of the virus in Uttar Pradesh has been caused by a rumor of unknown origin, according to which the government is seeking to use the drops to sterilize children.

Muslims have reportedly been quicker to believe the rumor than Hindus. Only 17 percent of the state's population is Muslim, but 59 percent of its polio cases last year were among Muslims, who in Uttar Pradesh tend to have no land, low literacy and a mistrust of the Hindu-dominated Indian government. Most government health workers are Hindu, and Muslims have been especially fearful of government health initiatives since a 1975 campaign of forced sterilization. India has tried where possible to employ health workers of the same religion and caste as those receiving vaccinations, but officials said it is difficult to find enough educated Muslim women to aid in the effort. Nongovernmental organizations have helped fill the gaps.

The Times reported on one exchange in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, where a team went house to house trying to administer polio drops. One Muslim mother, who said she was illiterate, refused to let her children be vaccinated but allowed health workers to enter her courtyard and try to convince her. "Your children are not only your children; they are like my children," a Hindu state health worker told the woman. "Why would I hurt my children?" A Muslim UNICEF worker added, "If the population decreases, who will the government rule?" "If anything happens, you can get hold of my neck," the state health worker told the mother. The mother relented, but another Muslim woman across the lane refused to open her door (Amy Waldman, New York Times, Jan. 19). keralamonitor.com

  War in Late February, Says Russian Military Aide

Moscow/Baghdad -The Russian military command has obtained reliable information confirming that Washington is planning a military campaign in Iraq for late February, Interfax-AVN quoted a top defense source as saying Wednesday. The unnamed Russian general staff source told the military news agency the operation will begin once 150,000 coalition troops assemble in military bases surrounding Iraq. "According to our information, the operation has been planned for the second half of February. The decision has been made, but not yet publicized," the defense source said. He added that the United States was planning that the campaign would be concluded within a month. Meanwhile, Iraq shot down an unmanned US aircraft that entered its airspace from Kuwait, the official Iraqi News Agency reported Wednesday. It would be the second time in a month that Iraqi defenses had brought down one of the American reconnaissance drones. keralamonitor.com

Gitex Hydrabad Attracts UAE IT firms

The Gitex Hyderabad 2003 - the IT & telecom event held annually in association with Dubai World Trade Centre and Andhra Pradesh - was inaugurated by Pramod Mahajan, India's IT minister in Hyderabad. Chandra Babu Naidu, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir also attended the second Gitex.

The exhibition, which is taking place from January 22-24, will be open from 10 am to 7 pm. The number of exhibitors participating at this year's event has grown significantly from last year, resulting in tremendous response from trade visitors across the globe.The show's continued growth reflects the importance of new technologies and products that continue to provide for a nation intent on leading the region's IT revolution. A delegation of professionals from Dubai, specialising in industries related to the IT sector, attended the opening. They include Dr Omar Suleiman, CEO of Dubai Internet City; Mohammed bin Suwailem, the sales manager of the Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority, etc.

This year's Gitex Hyderabad trade exhibition is being held at the state-of-the-art Hitex International Exhibition Centre. More than 75 regional and global exhibitors will showcase the latest technologies at the exhibition, and some will launch the latest releases of a broad range of new IT solutions into the regional market and display their newest wares in a bid to corner new business opportunities. Trade visitors from 19 countries will attend to discover the industry's newest trends and technologies.keralamonitor.com

American Missions Red Alert against Terrorist Attacks

Dubai - January 23, 2003 The American embassies in the Gulf states urged US citizens to step up their security awareness to face the mounting risk of terrorist attacks. The warning, which came a day after at least one gunman in neighboring Kuwait killed an American military contractor and seriously wounded another, called on Americans to vary their movements about town and personal routines. “US citizens and interests remain at increased risk of terrorist attacks by groups with links to Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda organization,” said a new warden’s message distributed to all Americans resident in Saudi Arabia.

“As security around US official facilities has increased, terrorists are seeking softer, less secure targets. These may include individual Americans as well as locations where numbers of American citizens are located, such as housing compounds,” the message warned. There are some 40,000 Americans in Saudi Arabia who live in private housing compounds, most of which have round-the-clock security. The message, posted on the US embassy website, also advised Americans that “suspicious individuals and vehicles should be reported immediately to local police officials.”

Michael Rene Pouliot, 46, a civilian contractor working for the US military, was killed when his vehicle was peppered with automatic rifle fire on a road near Camp Doha, the main US Army base in Kuwait. Another US contractor, David Caraway, was wounded and was being treated in hospital in Kuwait City. Kuwaiti police and US military investigators were hunting yesterday for the culprits behind the ambush. It was the third time since October that Americans have been killed or injured in attacks in Kuwait.

“The embassy reminds all American citizens in Kuwait to be alert to their surroundings and continually assess their security, to include varying the times and routes of their movements,” said an advisory issued after the attack. Kuwait’s Information Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahd Al-Sabah said a link to Iraq or Al-Qaeda could not be ruled out.-keralamonitor.com

Guidelines for setting up of community Radio Stations

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued the guidelines for granting licenses to well established educational institutions/organizations like Universities and Institutes of Technology/ Management and residential schools recognized by the Central Government or the State Government. The salient features of eligibility criteria, basic conditions/obligations and procedures for obtaining license to set up and operate Community Radio service are briefly described below:

Licence will be granted for FM transmitters for power of 50 Watts or less. Any eligible institution/organization desirous of setting up of Community Radio broadcasting service may make an application to the Ministry of I&B in the prescribed proforma. The Ministry of I&B immediately on receipt of an application will consult the Wireless Advisor in WPC wing of Ministry of Communications and also Prasar Bharati to determine the availability of frequency at the place requested by the applicant.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will refer the eligible applicant case to the Ministries of Home Affairs, Defence, Human Resources Development and External Affairs and letter of intent and/or license will be issued only after getting the requisite clearances from these Ministries. The licensee will be required to sign a licence agreement after allotment of frequency by WPC. Within one year from the date of signing of licence agreement, the applicant will complete all necessary formalities such as obtaining SACFA clearance etc., set up the necessary broadcast facilities and obtain a Wireless Operating Licence from the Wireless Advisor in the WPC Wing of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. In the event of more than one claimant for a single frequency at a given place, the licensee will be selected by a Committee constituted by the Ministry of I&B on the basis of standing, commitment, objectives and resources of the applicant organization. Licensee will be charged only the spectrum usage fee as determined by the WPC. The Ministry of I&B will not levy any other licence fee.

Terms and Conditions

The basic objective of the Community Radio broadcasting would be to serve the cause of the community in the service area of the licensee by involving members of the community in the broadcast of their programmes. For this purpose community would mean people living in the coverage zone of the broadcasting service of the licensee.

The licence shall be for a period of three (3) years. The licence shall not be transferable. An applicant will not be permitted more than one licence. The licensee shall provide its services on free to air basis. The licensee shall not use its channel/broadcast services in whole or part for commercial purposes. The licensee shall follow the Programme Code of All India Radio.

The programmes on the community radio service will focus on issues relating to education, health, environment, agriculture rural and community development. The content must be confined to social, cultural and local issues and the format, subject, presentation and language must reflect and exude the local flavour and fragrance.

The licensee shall not be permitted to broadcast any news and current affairs programmes and shall not air election and political broadcasts. The licensee shall not air any advertisement or sponsored programmes. The licensee shall ensure that nothing is included in the programme of the licensee which: offends against good taste or decency; contains criticism of friendly countries; contains attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote communal attitudes; contains anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half truths; is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promote-anti-national attitudes; contains anything amounting to contempt of court; contains aspersions against the integrity of the President and Judiciary; contains anything affecting the integrity of the Nation; criticizes, maligns or slanders any individual in person or certain groups, segments of social, public and moral life of the country; encourages superstition or blind belief; denigrates women; denigrates children, may present/depict/suggest as desirable the misuse of drugs including alcohol, narcotics and tobacco or which may stereotype, incite, vilify or perpetuate hatred against or attempt to demean any person or group on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, gender, sexual preference, religion, age or physical or mental disability. The licensee shall ensure that due care is taken with respect to religious programmes with a view to avoiding – (a) Improper exploitation of religious susceptibilities; and (b) offence to the religious views and beliefs of those belonging to a particular religion or religious denomination.

The licensee shall ensure that due emphasis is given in the programmes to promote values of national integration, religious harmony, scientific temper and Indian culture. Though the licensees will operate the service under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India, the licensing will be subject to the condition that as and when any regulatory authority to regulate and monitor the broadcast services in the country is constituted, the licensees will have to adhere to the norms, rules and regulations prescribed by such authority.

The licensee shall provide such information to the Government on such intervals as may be required. In this connection, the licensee is required to preserve tapes of programmes broadcast during the last six months failing which the Government will be at liberty to revoke the license.

The Government or its authorized representative shall have the right to inspect the broadcast facilities of the licensees and collect such information as considered necessary in public and community interests. The Government reserves the right to take over the entire services and networks of the licensee or revoke/terminate/suspend the licence in the interest of national security or in the event of national emergency/ war or low intensity conflict or similar type of situations.

All foreign personnel likely to be deployed by way of appointment, contract, consultancy, etc. by the licensee for installation, maintenance and operation of the licensee’s services shall be required to obtain security clearance from the Government of India.

The Government reserves the right to modify at any time the terms and conditions if it is necessary to do so in the interest of the general public or for the proper conduct of broadcasting or for security considerations. Government may revoke the licence at any time in public interest or for breach of any terms and conditions of the licence by giving a notice of 15 days. Notwithstanding anything contained anywhere else in the licence the Government’s decision shall be final and conclusive.

The licensees shall furnish a bank guarantee for a sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees fifty thousand) only to ensure timely performance of the licence agreement. If the licensee fails to commission services within the stipulated period, he shall forfeit the amount of bank guarantee to the Government and the Government would be free to cancel the licence awarded to the licensee. A license will be subject to such other conditions as may be determined by the Government.