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Joy Alukkas Falicitated by Mohanlal
Arab News to Start Dubai Edition from April 1 Saif Ahmed Belhasa with a delegate to the Gulf Traffic Week..
Why VS Should not be the
next Chief Minister Dubai for refurbishing its image Mohsen al-Awajy freed in Saudi Reporters Without Borders and the Arabic Network for Human Rights welcomed the release today of Mohsen al-Awajy, who was arrested on 10 March for criticising the Saudi government on the Internet. The two organisations wrote to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud on 16 March calling for him to be freed."We hope his release is a sign that the Saudi authorities are becoming aware of the need to respect a diversity of views on the Internet," the two organisations said today. Shobhana...Wins ....
President Gives Away Sangeeth Natak Akademi Awards Oman Eye....In People's TV
Kerala Peoples Forum Opposes the decision Kerala Peoples Forum has issued a strong statement against the State Secretariat decision that V S Achuthananthan would not contest for the next Kerala general assembly elections. The letter, copy of which is circulated through email, fax, SMS and media, says V S Achuthananthan, the prominent communist leader and Politburo member is the target of the mafia that loots the state. Naming the DICK leader Karunakaran and a prominent League leader who was accused in the sex scandal and other projects, the forum said the state secretariat members who opposed him were the mouthpiece of the big businesses ranging from the Tatas (who were accused in the Moonnar land grabbing case) to the Leela group, which is the latest owner of the controversial Kovalam Hotel deal. Reiterating their strong support to VS, they said the ordinary party supporters who are keenly observing the mafia domination ofthe would strongly react against the degeneratiion. Counter attacking the Pinarayi group campaign that depicted VS as an anti minority and anti development leader, they said the same Vijayan has supported in a corrupt deal SNC Laalin company which supplied fatal weapons used to kill ordinary Iraqi Muslims. They named the Secretariat members as benamis of business leaders like.... Read the Circular in Malayalam Gulf Air Sponsors Formula One Bahrain Unclaimed bodies on the rise in UAE Unclaimed Deadbody in Ajman
Dubai port deal knocks Bush down, but not out Dreamz...Blog by Sapna Anu B George
http://www.swapnaadanam.blogspot.com/ Alukkas Jewellery to open 75th showroom MADURAI: The Alukkas Jewellery group will open its 75th outlet here on March 12 with an exclusive diamond gallery showcasing leading brands of diamonds and platinum.Started in 1964 at Trichur in Kerala, the group already runs branches in various states and in the Middle East, the company's Managing Directors Mr Varghese Alukka and Mr Johan Alukka said Here.They said that Alukkas jewellery was the first ISO 9001:2000 certified jewellery group in the world showcasing BIS certified 916 hallmarked gold KM Mate of the Week
Road Transport Authority Safety Campaign
Michael Jackson to Build Mosque in Bahrain - Bajaj Allianz ties up with UAE Exchange Kuwait police nab man, seize 45kg heroin - Kuwait to become a regional financial center President Bush’s UAE Port Issue Still Anchored
BoB plans to expand in Gulf Countries -Author Riz Kahn Discusses ALWALEED: Billionaire, Businessman, Prince.
Jeevana TV t News week on 24th February 2 PM Padmaja Relocating to London to Set Up Hotel Chain! Rports Middle East Chandrika
Middle East Aerospace Pavillion to Grow Alison Weller, F&E’s Director Aerospace India and Italy Sign New Air Services Agreement Jailed NRI in Saudi Arabia to be freed this wee- Camel race in Kuwait with robot jockeys -Sheik Mohammed Buys London Eye
The Forbes Magazine Reports that Dubai is the size of Rhode Island that has blossomed into a commercial Shangri-La. U.K.-based The Tussauds Group has just consolidated full ownership of the London Eye. Eye Dubai New Cabinet Ministers Appointed Pinarayi Unhappy about Veliyam More
Kerala govt against CBI probe into SNC-Lavlin project deal Dubai to have 500 A/C Bus Stops... Reports Khaleej Times.--Read another report..which appeared in June 2004..More than One and Half Years back...Summer Roasts Bus Commuters to a Crisp - by Khaleej Times. Come summer and the ordinary folks who struggle to commute between workplace and home using the public transport system face a major challenge: how to find shelter from sunshine during the long waiting periods at the bus stops. Even though Dubai can boast of having the world's best fleet of air-conditioned buses and high tech bus stations, thousands of commuters sweat it out in the scorching heat during the 15-20 minutes waiting for a bus to arrive. Out of more than 1,000 bus stands constructed along either sides of prominent highways, majority lack a shade to shield commuters waiting there from direct sunshine. Read full report Faked Malayalam Actresses Photos in Porn Sites? See the Google Search of an Actress Photo? (Disclaimer: The link shows only a faked photograph of the actress) This is to alert Malayalam actresses that their faked semi nude pictures are being circulated through the Internet. Using morphing technology and the latest digital imaging techniques, the real like pictures of the stars are being circulated by pornographic sites that may tarnish their public reputation and social status. While KM is just alerting the artists about the misuse of their images in porno sites, some paid for use, we are not responsible for the content of the external site links given here. While the artifically created nude pictures of many actresses are freely available on the net, this one on a well reputed actress in Kerala is quite damaging . Nobody would doubt the authenticity of such photographs..but only a close examination would reveal that the pictures are morphed or altered in photoshop or other photo editing tools.. KM is just giving a link to alert the community about the issue. here is another link to the some images See the Real Pictures of one Malayali Actress here Click Indian Stock Markets Soar - Sensex crosses 10,000 mark, creates history Dubai Investments Park sign Dh. 250 million syndicated loan agreement NATO to strike Iranian nuclear sites: Indian Defence -Record amount raised by Nakheel for charity at 2006 Challenge Match -- THE LAND Selects Qatar for Key Investment 11 children die in dysentery outbreak in Yemen Why Russia caved-in on Iran at the IAEA Meeting? The Bush administration made Putin “a deal he couldn’t refuse”. According to MosNews “Lukoil will replace the disgraced Halliburton” in providing fuel in Iraq. MosNews states, “Over three months beginning from April 1, LITASCO will have to deliver 180,000 tons of gasoline and 130,000 tons of diesel fuel to Iraq. After this the contract may be renewed. Globe Lukoil president Vagit Alekperov met with Iraq’s oil minister Ibrahim al-Ulloum to firm up “an understanding” about Russia’s $6 billion contract to develop the West Qurna-2 oil field. Al-Ulloum, of course, is just following Washington’s directives in reviving the moribund Russian... If Iran is allowed to open its oil bourse (exchange) in March and openly compete with the US’s monopoly on trading oil in petrodollars, the central banks across the globe will dump hundreds of billions of dollars overnight, and the American economy will disappear beneath the waves. Read More
Down but not out..Chief Minister back..
Meet the Press.. Indukesh Manorama
Award for Advocate Shamsuddin
Vayalar Ravi is Overseas Indian Affiars Minister
Oman India Fertilizer Project Inaugurated At Sur, Oman The Oman-India Fertilizer Project (OMIFCO), was formally inaugurated by His Excellency Ahmed Bin Abdul Nabi Macki, Minister for National Economy and Supervisor of Ministry of Finance, Sultanate of Oman in the gracious presence of Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Steel today at Sur, Oman. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Paswan stated that the project is a very successful joint venture in the field of fertilizers and would be of mutual benefit for both the countries. Shri Paswan also said that Oman and India has a long age old historic ties and this relation could be further strengthened in various fields. Full report More News Rajan P.Thodiyoor Seeks Police Protection
KM Mate
Saudi Malayali's Eyes to be Gouged Out! Wife of Naushad has threatned to commit suicide if the Saudi Courts implement the verdict to remove his eye or put him in jail for several years. The sensational story first reported in Kerala by the Gulf based Malayalam Newspaper Gulf Madhyamam has been picked up by the mainstream media. More
Jaafza Ready for the Healthy Show
US Army releases Reuters cameraman after eight months Reporters Without Borders voiced relief at the release on 21 January 2006 of Samer Mohammed Noor, a cameraman working for British news agency Reuters, who has been held by the US Army in Iraq since 5 June 2005. Noor was arrested at his home in the Tall Afar district in northern Baghdad during a routine Iraqi army search. His brother, who was arrested at the same time, was released shortly afterwards. Full Report Hard truth: India is haven for child sex tourism -New chief for Bahrain Radio likely -Indian star meets her match in Bahrain -Caught in the Middle -- Arabs Fear Nuclear Israel, Iran -The West, Iran and the Arabs-Computer crime costs $67 billion, FBI says Seasons Set for Gulf Kairali Pagentry
Saudi Arabia, Egypt Urge Cheney to Negotiate With Iran - Duped Indian workers return from Kuwait Pravasi Bandhu introduces Sandwanam to control suicide
TV in the bedroom halves your sex life - Housemaid Abuse of Children -Agency chiefs head for 40th IAA World Congress in Dubai-Web in Bahrain hums with mockery of the elite -Two films justly portray Arabs as human -India safe haven for child sex tourists: Study -Kuwaitis testing wannabe drivers -Pre-marital Sex and the City -Binu’s coach for Asian Games: special from Leo's Desk - How Does the Pravasi Bharathi Day Affect a common Indian in the Gulf report by Daniel P.George Sharon still unconscious Beenamol is Coach now - KM Scoop - KM Mates click
At stake: Media Freedom
The victim of Goon's Attack! When I was sleeping, they came to the camp and kicked me. When I got up in pain, they dragged me out of the room on first floor. One of them kicked by left hand and slapped me on my face. Workers say they are scared that they will face new attacks. In the past too workers were attacked in labour camps. They don't know how to contact the human rights group of Dubai Police. They work in Jabel Ali and commute several hours and spend hours in the work site because there is no transport facility
Reporters Sans Frontier calls for return of journalist's passport
Pravasi Bharathiya Samman Awarded President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam gave away Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards to 15 recipients at the valedictory function of the 4th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas-2006 here today. They are: Shri Shivnath Rai Bajaj (Thailand), Shri Eliahu Bezale (Israel), Shri Abdool Raouf Bundhun (Mauritius), Smt. Pratima Kale, (Philppines), Dr. Majid Uddin Kazi (Saudi Arabia), Shri C.K. Menon (Qatar), Sir Gulam Kaderbhai Noon (UK), Dr. Sudhir Parikh (USA), Shri Yesu Persaud (Guyana), Dr. V. Ramadoss (Seychelles), Shri Sisupal Rambharos (South Africa), Shri Niranjan S. Shah (USA), Shri Rusy M. Shroff (Hong Kong), Shri Jean-Paul Virapoulle (France) and Shri Fareed Zakaria (USA). UAE Fighter Plane Crashes An official source from the UAE Armed Forces Headquarters has said that an F16 Falcon block 60 fighter plane of to the UAE Air Force has crashed this morning. "There were no casualties.The pilot landed safely after ejecting from the crashing plane. The source said the relevant authority has quickly opened up investigations to determine the cause of the accident," reported WAM.
Nawaz-BB discuss Balochistan, KBD in Dubai -Gulf Air Promotes Muscat Festival 2006 Khimji Ramdas website wins Silver Award MUSCAT — Khimji Ramdas has bagged the Silver Award in the corporate website category in the first-ever Oman Web Awards, Oman’s premier web-designing competition that witnessed a keen tussle among hundred websites. Full Report from Times of Times. Ariel Sharon dead: Iran Broadcasting News More News Ariel Sharon is to be kept sedated for at least 24 hours after surgeons stemmed bleeding from a massive brain haemorrhage. Al Jazeera Man's sex with Horse story most read local News -CPI(M) demands expulsion of Kerala Health Minister Dubai Drivers Resume Service after 10 Hours Strike -Six Member illegal Indian Family Seeks Consulate Help
The Most Read Article in UAE could be this? Dangerous Love with Camel A Bangladeshi man has been sentenced to three months in jail after pleading guilty to charges of bestiality. A report in Gulf News said the camel involved in the case is to be put down in accordance with Islamic law. Quoting a court official the report said the Bangladeshi, who worked as a driver, had been spotted going into his employer's barn on a regular basis. His employer became suspicious as his duties did not involve him dealing with animals. The official said the employer, a UAE national, followed his driver into the barn one day and saw him starting to have sex with a female camel. Bollywood Hero Scans Jumeirah!
US Baghdad Embassy More Secure than Pentagon! U.S. plans $1billion Baghdad embassy more secure than Pentagon, reported the British tabloid Mirror. Plans for the hi-tech complex are being kept secret because of the terrorist threat in Iraq, the Mirror Expose says..Read more directly from the Mirror. (KM may not share the views given in the outside sites. We disown any responsiblity for the content in the Mirror or other links given here.) Coke loses fizz at US over Kerala unit-Boeing looks at Delhi, Kerala for repairs unit -Kerala to take up proposed Gulf law on workers South African rape victim to pursue case to its logical end -Two men confess to rape of SA woman in India -Korean Travel Warning to Saudi Arabia Breaking News...Amritha TV Scores Over the Rest... The Keralite community in the Middle East heard the sad news from Amritha TV. As all the local radio stations and TV stations have stopped airing regular programmes and switched over to Quarn recitation to honour the great leader, it was Amritha TV reporter Joy Mathew who broke the sad story at 9.15 for the Malayali community followed by E.M.Ashraf of Kairali and the Peoples Channel. More UAE reduces fine on TN workers The UAE Interior Ministry has agreed to reduce the fine imposed on 39 workers from Tamil Nadu, working in a company there, for illegally staying in that country and allow them to leave after paying the reduced fine, Union Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed told Economic Times. More Bollywood aspirant from S Africa raped-Sudan calls on its refugees to return home after 20 die -Oman : Historical ‘Silk Route’ fair begins
Kerala govt wants norms relaxed for Air Kerala -Zaha Hadid in Running to Design New Dubai Opera House -Zabeel Park Opened by Sheikh Hamdan and More News -PM to Hand Over First Overseas Citizenship Certificate -Pune, Mumbai top cyber crimes -Cyber crime fighters seek Indian expertise -India Inc wants political responsibility law --Qatar Cabinet issues two draft laws -King Abdullah Economic City’ launched in Saudi Arabia -Singapore Airlines to Moscow via Dubai -Six get death penalty in Kuwait terror case -Six get death penalty in Kuwait terror case - Kuwait & Morocco to Cooperate in Promoting Islam’s Image Drug addiction great threat to society, says Al-Mashaan; ‘Kuwait keen on protecting youth’ Kuwait Expects to Build Oil Venture with PetroChina in China -Kuwait Parliament Delays Discussion on Foreign Oil Companies -Kuwait's ruling family member urges reforms - Bahrain cleric condemns violence, stresses unity and respect of law-Haj Pilgrims Unaffected By Shooting Spree In Saudi Arabia -Pakistanis deported from Oman complain of maltreatment - Arabies TRENDS' bags media brand award - Oman -Marines charged with rape in the Philippines -Jordan, UAE discuss labor cooperati- Leave Office without Telling your Boss... Fun Viedeo
Bhasha Magazine -More from Bhasha Magazine Channel Off the People Far the People Buy the Peoplea UAE stock markets crash Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Accused in Multicrore Scam -M.N.Vijayan under Siege: Intellectual as Liability?-Air India Express Delays by 16 Hours RSF Urges UN special rapporteur to visit Lebanon Reporters Without Borders wrote today to Ambeyi Ligabo, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, asking him to go to Lebanon with a view to creating "a special international commission of enquiry into all the bombings that have targeted politicians and journalists." More Leos Cricket World: Splendid victory but lot more to go Rome is filthy, dirty and violent. Rome’s opening episode featured a rape committed by a victorious Roman soldier in Gaul and graphic scenes of Atia, Julius Caesar’s calculating niece, bathing nude in front of her son. But Ofcom said that the drama displayed a “matter-of-fact attitude to sex of the ruling class as, in some cases, sex was used to further political or social aspirations ”. Read Full report Now More Visa to China The Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri E. Ahamed told the Lok Sabha today that India and China signed a “Memorandum of Understanding on simplifying Visa Procedures” on June 23,2003, which has simplified the procedures for issuing visas, especially for the purpose of business, employment, tourism and education, to each other’s citizens in order to facilitate the development of trade and economic cooperation and strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Despite the strong pressure from the marketing angle, MCA Naser of Gulf Madhyamam and Ahmed Sharief of Middle East Chandrika have reported the story on the basis of the RSF statement. While many of the Malayali journalists panicked on hearing the name of business big wigs, these two scribes have not backtracked from their commitment to the profession... Thank you friends... who could and could not extend a helping hand... Gulf Madhyamam On Reporters Sans Frontiers Statement
Arrested for Reporting in Dubai
KM Does not share these views. The RSS mouthpiece says in a report that E.Ahmed, the Minister of State for External Affairs was in Pakistan, when Maniyappan was murdered. He did not visit the family even now and that there was no The article also criticises the CBI's silence about Kirippur Airport raid...Read more from the RSS mouthpiece. Young Pranoy Roy of Kerala
Sir, Can you forward this Mail of Appreciation and Happiness to Mr Biju Abel Jacob on the occasion of his getting the best gulf journalist. Since the first time seeing him on the small sreeen (Asianet), we have been seing a 'Pranoy Roy'in him. Many congratulaions and Best wishes to him ... Read the Message from a Biju Abel Fan No Assets of Nagpur Airport Transferred ? OOsama, Saddam? What's in a name? Spaceflight from Moscow to New York to take less than an hour One More Dubai Journalist Gets Legal Notice!!! Some of the journalists in town were sudden to withdraw their quotes supporting a scribe facing the wrath of a powerful jewellery group. Even the media watchdog of Indian Media in Dubai has been maintaining a studied silence about the case, ever since its attention was drawn to the case about two month back. Now thanks to the dilly dallying policy of the media freternity, one more journalist has got a legal notice. This time it is the TV journalist from Asianet Biju Abel Jacob who got the legal notice from Raj Associates, a company that was accused of bringing several taxi drivers to Dubai and some of them ended up in public parks. This story was also first reported by the same journalist who face another court case now. Biju and Asianet have been served notice to given an apology in the gulf round up programme for taking the Raj Associate Name..Taking? ..Wasnt it an interview of Shaji who was living a miserable life in the public park? Things are moving in such a way that any Tom, Dick or Harry can drag a journalist in Dubai to the police station, court case and cause other difficulties. The list of journalists facing legal tussles include Sharly, Editor Arabia, Joseph of a Tabloid, Sathish of DMC and...who is next...? Even Gulf Madhyamam is dragged to the court for some cases...Who is next
Dubai Film Gallery
Yesterday will be screening for the last time on Sunday..More Biju Abel Shares Awards with Chief Minister, Yousuf Ali Yet another journalism award
for Biju Abel Jacob! The Kerala Pravasi Development Society has selected
the state Chief Minister Ommenchandy as the best administrator and .M.A.Yousuf
Ali ,Chairman MKE Group as is the best Pravasi Social Worker.
All for a mushe!!! from Times of Inda moustache and the freedom of the press? In my part of the world, the moustache is a sign of manhood! and 99% of the mallu males, in anypart of the world sport all the variations one can associate with this stub of facial hair.... OMG..never knew there was such restriction of press in UAE..thot they had a free press..and now, here in dubai, a news story about a lead jewellary chain asking their staff to remove that stub of hair and be at the counters clean shaven, has kicked up a huge row. pointing even to the extent of human rights and also the oft raised cry for the freedom of the press.More from the Blogs Welcare Treats 40 Students
Al-Nahar editor-in-chief killed in car-bomb attack BEIRUT, 12 December (IRIN) - Journalists were shocked by the death of Gebran Tueini, editor in chief of leading Lebanese daily Al-Nahar, who was killed in the capital Beirut by two car bombs on Monday, according to initial security reports.At least three other people were killed and 30 wounded as the bombs, apparently targeting Tueini's passing car, detonated in the Mekalles district in the eastern side of the city. Full Story
7-Days Columnist says that when he searched (googled) for something about Ibrn Battutta mall in Dubai, he got three links menareport, trade arabia and ...he was not kidding to his readers... keralamonitor.com too!!! The sarcastic comments by the author is a recognition that without spending or taking advertisements the site is rated high in any google search about Dubai/ Kerla/India/Crime..you search and find it. Search in google or yahoo about anything in Dubai, Kerala, Muscat ..you will find Keralamonitor.com . Read More 'More than 50 journalists harassed in Egypt Reporters Without Borders today accused the Egyptian authorities of waging a campaign of harassment against the press throughout the month-long staggered legislative elections, in which more than 50 journalists were prevented from covering the polling and most of these were also subjected to violence by police, officials or members of the public More
Did the US Military Bribe Journalists/ Columnist in Gulf to plant favourable stories??? The editorial focus of some of the newspapers in the Gulf region gives ample scope to doubt their credibility. The editorial focus of some of the regional newspapers, especially the Iraq war coverage , has been widely criticised for their American leaning. Some newspapers had a total volta face about their Iraqi coverage due to some unexplained reasons. What is driving the so called new media boom in the region is to be keenly followed! The editor of a leading English daily was offered a fellowship in a US university if he tones down his anti American outbursts. Readers of even the most respected newspapers have to be careful to distinguish between propaganda and real journalism. Only the smart readers can easily distinguish between the fake and planted stories. Go through the Iraqi stories that appeared on the front page of your newspapers and you will see the secret behind this slave mentality of the dogs being more loyal than the master !!! If any write up is trying to crete a barrier among community members - be it Shiahs, Sunnis or Kurds - the origin of the story is to be verified. Lincoln Group, formerly known as Iraqex, is one of several companies hired by the U.S. military to carry out "strategic communications" in countries where large numbers of U.S. troops are based. You know where the US troops are based!!! Is there any secret behind the stories filed from the Naval Ships and US Military camps by embedded journalists... .Watch out for the secret behind the booming journalism industry... The mushrooming number of bloggers too need to be monitored closely V.Abdul Majeed Middle East Chandrika returns to Kerala. An eminent journalist and writer, he will be working for the Middle East Chandrika Bureau in Kerala
From KM Editor We regret that some mistakes do appear in the web portal. Please alert us about any mistakes or other feedbacks that you come across. US television stations refused to broadcast this documentary? In Afghanistan, filmmaker Jamie Doran has uncovered evidence of a massacre: Taliban prisoners of war suffocated in containers, shot in the desert under the watch of American troops..Read More The leak that revealed Bush's deep obsession with al-Jazeera Mercinaries Shooting Iraq Civilians Professional Journalism Missing in the region!!! Lack of professional standards represented a major problem for Yemeni media, and noted that training was essential to enhancing the professionalism of the fourth estate. "Senior journalists find it difficult to cope with the new technology necessary to their work, like computers and the internet, while junior reporters lack training in basic journalism. Something which is true about the Gulf Media in general? Read more Malayalam Print Media Continues Boycott of Adva A Press conference organized by the leading advertising company Adva has been successfully boycotted by the Malayalam print media, said senior journalists who did not attend the function. Continuing the informal abstention from the agency organised events, the journalistic fraternity registered their protest. The fury of journalists is due to the fact that they journalists were kept away from the high profile Mamootty Hit Parade Programme. It is not known how long the boycott will continue, but some journalists have attended the function due to their pressing need for advertising support. Can the advertisers dictate terms is the billion dollar question for which there is no clear answer....Watch this space. Abu Dhabi Journalist Assaulted!
Gulf Missions Likely in Kerala Trade Centre Kochi...from EP Mamootty Hits Out even Journalists!!!
Mamootty Hit Parade in Dubai has turned out to be a bitter experience for the media and some viewers who could see a different face of the superstar at Mamzar Park. Most of the Malayalam newspapers from Dubai have boycotted the Hit Parade programme ' organised by an advertising agency in Dubai. As the much published Dubai programme organisers did not give a red carpet welcome to journalists, they decided to keep away from the superstar!!! Despite the fact that prominent journalists from newspapers like the Malayala Manorama, Middle East Chandrika, Gulf Madhyamam and Deepika were keen to be near the superstar during his Hit programme, the organisers were not so keen to have the vernacular media anywhere near the superstar...."Who are you", "What Press", the star seems to have shouted at photographers and journalists."Keep away from me", he shouted through the microphone at the crowd who were in Mamzar Park. He was encircled by about 2000 strong crowd who were attracted to the venue by heavvy dose of advertisement... Journalists who had a direct encounter with the superstars feel that the real Mamootty that they saw yesterday is far away from the grass root image depicted in many of his hit movies...He was very arrogant and was in an agitated mood. Paradoxically enough, the superstar is the Chairman of a people friendly channel!!! "Normally he is very friendly with the media. What happened yesterday may be due to poor organisers," says one journalist who is familiar with the superstar. The fact that the entire Malayalam print media boycotted the superstar speaks volumes about the poor organisation that could have triggered an arrogant outburst by the superstar. Mamootty had many failures and a few successful movies recently ...It was not seven hits as the organisers advertised, but more...and the victims are again the media representatives... Coco Colonisation of Kairali Channel It is nice to view your site again with
fresh updates after a long periods. Reveal More : Saudi Malayali Very good site especially for the kerala NRIs.. Please try to reveal more true stories related to the NRIs.., there problems and needs.. Anyone residing in Saudi Arabia, likes to make friendship with me, can contact me thru my id a1_aanand2k@yahoo.com. Fantastic Updating Method Just Slipped into this site by Mistake, but i loved it !! Keep it up guyz, I Used to work in the gulf myself, and think that this is a fantastic Way of keeping us expats Posted about the Happenings over there ..Guest Book Pannyan Ravindran Wins!
LDF Candidate Pannyan Ravindran made a landslide victory over his rival Shivakumar of UDF. Despite the large scale vote transfer by the BJP camp in favour of the ruling party candidate, Pannyan, an active CPI member has won the election, indicating a clear picture of the forthcoming general elections in the state. The election jolt is result is yet another jolt by the electorate against growing corruption and anti people stand of the ruling regime. Kerala BJP chief quits over dismal performance-Kerala has to attract more FDI says British Diplomat- Oman Joins U.S. Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorist Arrangement-Delhi man charged with rape, sex abuse- US Air Force Gen Says Some Iraq Deaths Staged -Give job to Maniappan's widow: Kerala tells PM Malayali Engineer Killed by Taliban Taleban guerrillas have killed an Indian road engineer after his company failed to meet an ultimatum to cease operations in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the militants said yesterday. Maniappan R Kutty was shot dead at 6.00pm (1230 GMT), after a deadline passed for his company to pull out of Afghanistan, Qari Mohammad Yousuf said. Since the Indian company did not listen or reply to our response, we killed the Indian engineer, Yousuf said by phone from an undisclosed location. Maniappan, who hails from Kerala, was abducted from his car in the southern province of Nimrozon on Saturday along with his local driver and two guards. Glitter faces death for child rape charge Madhu Nambiars Internet Fraud Report Hello. I read an article on a recent Internet fraud written by Mr. Madhu Nambiar or Maleth Madhusoodanan Nambiar, published at Kerala Monitor in the site: I would like to contact him and get more information about this type of fraud. I was tempted to fall into this fraud. I don't have other means to contact him but this forum. Please help. Write me at ozkariaz@hotmail.com KPCC too Planning TV Channel in Kerala
Symphony Entertainment Ltd The Kerala Venture Capital Fund, a company promoted by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, the Kerala Financial Corporation and the Small Industries Development Bank of India, has recently acquired 40 percent equity in the production house Symphony Entertainment Private Ltd. This is going to provide television software to all existing television channels in Kerala. The new company, with an initial capital of Rs.10 million, would be headed by veteran Malayalam television personality V. Krishna Kumar, who was formerly with Asianet and Kairali TV channels. It also has on board superstar Mohanlal, media personality Sashi Kumar and author Paul Zacharia. Since, the monthly requirement of programmes for all Malayalam TV channels which is around 2,500 programmes is not met, it is in this field that they will shine and prove their capacity. We apologise for the delay in updating the website...Editor Perle says out with the Saudis Help Pours in for Malayali Woman Stranded in the Desert Chandrika Report - Recent KM Reports Indian Professionals in US Get Trapped in Cyber Sex Crimes KM can reveal that some of the high profile IT professionals and highly educated job seekers on H1 and student visa are getting trapped in cyber sex crimes involving minors, mostly due to careless chatting habits with American minor girls. . . More News Moobile in Oman Muscat - A cow in the Sultanate of Oman has proved how sturdy cellphones can be - by eating one.The animal proved this by emitting a dull ringing tone from one of its belly after the phone's owner dialled the number after finding the phone had one missing. The mobile-turned-moobile was reported by an Oman newspaper, which said the phone had been lost by a young woman who had helped her farmer mother feed cattle in Al-Sahm province. The report made no mention of the cellphone's final fate - but its reappearance during a cow's call of nature was not ruled out.
Cars stolen in US used in suicide attacks -Booklet on worker's rights to be out soon
Calicut University Doctorate for UAE Education Minister DUBAI – The UAE Minister of Education H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan will be adding a doctorate degree to his profile. The Minister has been conferred an honorary doctorate by Calicut University, a leading University in Kerala. . Full Report Dubai Municipality, Microsoft long term agreement -U.S., Oman Reach Free Trade Agreement -Security talks between Iran & Oman -Oman FM plays down fears of Iran influence
Kuwiat Expert Visits Islamic Bank
One More Girl Missing in Dubai...Read More For other News Updates Click Here
HP Named Seven Time Winner at the Windows Middle East Awards Ceremony Full Report Gitex Shopper Clicked off with Hightech Models
Performances in the Intel zoneto raise awareness with models. More Gitex Special Reports Meet Gulf Scribes Another death in Mosul brings number of journalists killed since 2003 to 72 Are you a journalist..send your photo and other details. AJIB acquires a 55% stake in Arab Advisors Group Full Report
DFSA advocates robust risk management in the Middle East Counter Point Shaji T.Daniel teaches some lessons from Katrina....Read More
Abdulla Qassem, Chairman, Network LLC ready for GITEX More Sony Ericsson introduces the stylish Z520i to the Middle East
Ms. Dina Al Jaflah, General Manager, Jumeirah Golf Estates More
Kanthapuram A P Abubekar Musaliyar in Dubai detailed view
1000s “ghost” civil servants in Yemen
Syrian Women Bike for Peace More
Haifa Wehbe, Nawal Zoghbi and Wael Kfouri headline LG’s Digital Music Festival More
HP regains number one position in the mobile market in the ME More
Sixty Five Lakh Hits !!!10.5 lakh page views..in 8 Months
Francis Joseph's One Man Army For A Better Society KM Special -Prestige show Dubai click here
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KM Special Real Motive Behind the Islam Cartoon Controversy!!! The attention of more than one billion Muslims in different parts of the world was suddenly shifted from the stunning electoral victory of Hamas, a militant Islamic group termed as mere terrorists by the western media, to an alleged religious issue surrounding the cartoons that appeared in a Dutch newspapers, at least three months back! World Unnerved by Hamas Victory was How the Yahoo News headlined the verdict. Despite waging three wars and spending billions or dollars to fight Islamic militancy, the stunning victory of Hamas has shaken up the established political wisdom which ruled out any role for any parties like Hamas. "Hamas Election Victory Shocks World," said headlines of various newspapers, especially in the Muslim world. Suddenly the cartoons which appeared sometimes back becomes a billion dollar issue in the international media!!! The election result has clearly shattered the western plans in the Middle East Read more When the world is going back to the colonial era with the recolonisation of countries planned , the stunning victory of an anti colonial and group is something which cannot be digested. Especially when the people of Iraq are fighting back the colonial and neo colonial incrusions into the developing world. ..Iran is yet to ... Kairali Shareholders Unhappy About Pageangry Show!
AGun, grenade in State Bank Locker Malayali Couple in Sharjah Succumb to Fire Hardly married for one and half years,
Biju mon Francis and Marina were united even in their deathbed. Their
dead bodies were found in the bathroom of a second floor flat in a building
in the crowded Rolla market area that was gutted in a late night fire.
The tragedy that shocked the Indian community in the Gulf region came
to light only on Friday morning, hours after the fire fighters left the
scene. Marina, a nurse working for Belhoul Hospital was to attend patients
at the Belhoul Appolo Hospital. When she did not turn up for duty, her
colleagues called up the mobile phone which was switched off. So was the
case with Biju, an electrician of Sterling switchgear Sharjah. The couple
who lived in the old building were found dead in the bathroom, with the
husband trying to save his beloeved wife. According to Sharjah Malayalis,
the couple would not have died, if the fire fighters listened to their
pleas that some people were trapped on the top floor of the building.
People were helping residents of the gutted building to get out by throwing
stones and shouting. However, when the police came to the scene, they
chased away the public! The result was tragic - two precious lives lost
to flames. The fire fighters used crane and other equipment to look around
the building, but missed the couple who were huddled together in the narrow
bathroom of the shanty building. They took up the apartment because it
was within their reach. Skyrocketing rent in the city is forcing many
Keralites to live in such insecure places to live. A Malayali working
in Sharjah Municipality has been questioned for leasing out the illegally
developed property. A number of middle men are jacking up rent level.
Many people have lost their precious things, but no associations ever
turned up to help the affected people. All the Indian Associations which
are sudden to send relief to earthquake or flood victims in different
corners of the world have failed to reach out a helping hand to the people
who are living next door. There are many such death traps in the Gulf
region where skyrocketing rent is a bane for the expatriate community.
Thirty to forty people live in one room because the rent level is so high.
Read
Gulf Madhyamam Report
KSC Election : Reflection of VS - Pinarayi
Factionism in the Gulf
Pinarayi instructs KSC to expell rival
panel members
 DUBAI
– Angered by the serious setback received in the recently held elections
to the Kerala Social Centre, the party patronised socio cultural organisation
in Abudhabi, Pinarayi Vijayan, the single individual who is leading the
Communist Party of India from one disaster to another, has instructed
his followers in the Gulf not to accept the outcome of the election at
any cost and sabotage the election result. The Ongoing tussle within the
mighty communist party of Kerala has its repercussions everywhere with
caderes in different parts of the state and outside getting polarized
into those who support the dominant Pinarayi group and others who support
the weak V S Achuthananthan group. Kerala Social Centre, a CPM supported
socio cultural association in Abu Dhabi has been a government recognized
body and a group who claim to oppose the ictatorial tendencies within
the association functioning have emerged victorious in a much publicized
election in which majority of the KSC members have participated. Full
Report and More NewsGulf Malayali Businessman Threatens to Eliminate Cheating Relatives!!! An emrging Malayali businessman who just started opening the business gates of Gulf has been allegedly cheated by his own brothers, who have withdrawn huge quantity of cash from various overseas branches of the baldness business units in GCC capitals and Kerala. The Dubai based firm which was started six years ago by the affected businessman has become an established firm with more than 14 branches across Gulf countries and India. The Malayali businessman who has helped more than 6,000 customers to fix their hair and get rid of baldness is in a confusion as to how to fix his own brothers who have alleged cheated and swindled money from various bank accounts opened in their name. With head quarters in Dubai, the unit has been setting up new outlets in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Muscat and in India Calicut, Cochin, Trivandrum, Kannur, Mangalore and Chennai. Watch this space Hamas Claims Victory in Palestinian Elections -Palestinian PM quits after poll upset - Bush: Hamas should recognise Israel  The
President Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the chief guest for Republic Day Parade
the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz al-Saud,
the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Minister for Information
and Broadcasting Shri Priyaranjan Das Munshi , at the 'At Home' function
organized by the President, in New Delhi, on January 26, 2006. Israel
Ponders Response After Hamas Win Dubai
Group Plans To Buy 49% Of Malaysia's Bank Islam -2- Kuwait
emir ouster sparks calls for power-sharing -Kerala
feared to become a place of sex tourism Kerala
March turns city into a sea of red Bollywood
Making Film With Real Criminals - Facilitate
working of journalists - Els
hopes to enjoy edge over Singh in Qatar - Six
MoUs signed between India and Saudi Arabia - Saudi
Arabia's Zamil Steel to set up $20 mn plant in India - Saudi
Arabia pledges tougher anti-piracy drive -Priest
arrested over nun's rape claim -Men
rape deaf and mute woman -
Iran accuses Britain over bombing -Saudi
King visits India for the Republic Day Celebrations - Yemen : Death toll for smuggled migrants rises SANA, 25 January (IRIN) - The death toll continued to rise on Wednesday after two boats smuggling migrants from the Horn of Africa capsized off the coast of Yemen on 21 and 22 January. According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), 91 bodies have been recovered so far, while 114 people are still described as "missing"."In cooperation with local authorities and citizens, by this morning we had extricated 91 dead bodies and the citizens have already buried them," said Salah al-Aksar, director of the UNHCR Mayfa'a Refugee Reception Centre. Full Report Beware..The Dollar Scamster from Africa..
Kerala Social Centre: Pinarayi
Supporters Voted Out
In a major electoral coup,
the rebel panel that opposed the tradional Marxist veteran close to the
Pinarayi Vijayan camp have been totally rooted out in a much discussed
election to Kerala Social Centre, Abu Dhabi a socio-cultural organisation
under the CPM network of overseas cultural organisations. The election
is the clear polarisation of the Pinarayi Versus Achuthananthan group.
The trend is likely to be followed in other pro-CPM organisations where
power and influence have been controlled by a few leaders close to the
state leadership. Despite the official propaganda and campaigns, V.S.Achuthananthan,
the rebel Marxist leader is having a huge following in the Gulf. Observers
say the same story will be repeated ....watch out.
Gulf Charitable Trust Case Against Sharly Benchamin, Arabia Rejected- EU countries 'knew about CIA torture flights' Gulf Air Appoints Rajeev Nambiar as General Manager for India -Military Action Against Iran? -Duke Professor Skeptical of bin Laden Tape- Iran’s Oil Exchange threatens the Greenback -Iran Sanctions Could Drive Oil Past $100 a Barrel -Iran Warned On Building Gas Pipeline To India -Oil eases off 4-mth high as Saudi Arabia promises to cover supply disruptions Mann for compensation from Saudi Arabia for Indian victims -Saudi Arabia to build crude storage site in southern China - report - Indian workers in Qatar denied wages Albert Alex Wins Pravasi Swadeshabhimani
Puraskaram
Escaped from Kish Crash to Win Lexus Prize  Was
Shobhana Ammukutty, the real lucky winner of the DSF 2004? The lady alleges
that a major chunk of her fortune was taken away by her former employer,
who gave her just Rs.5 lakhs out of Rs.50 lakh prize. The lady claims
that she had a miraculous escape from the Kish airline crash in which
more than 40 people died. According to her, she spend Dhs.200 to buy a
Lexus ticket from the Global Village because she was positive about her
luck. "Everybody in the doctor family was saying that I was lucky
to escape from the Kish Air crash. My visit visa was already expired and
I was planning to visit Kish for visa change. Somehow I changed my plan
at the last minute. Otherwise I could have died in the Kish airline crash,"
she revealed. Even though it was the return flight from Kish island that
crashed near Sharjah, the lady said she had planned to go to Kish and
return. "That was my first ever visit outside from the Umm Al Quwain
flat of the doctor couple. In fact they forced me to go to the Global
Village," she says. Not having any regret for filing a case against
her former employer, she said the entire prize money belonged to her.
The lady with just five standard education said her boss only filled the
coupon which was selected for the prize the next day. Mother of a 13 years
old school going daughter, Shobhana has already used the Rs.5 lakhs that
she earned from the lottery to build a house. She was working in Sur,
Oman for about three years before going back to India and return to Umm
Al Quwain on visit visa..The lady doctor, her husband and their daughter,
a medical student in India are already questioned in connection with the
lottery cheating case. The case will be keenly observed by the Malayali
community in the Gulf as many people share and buy raffle coupones from
DSF and other festivals ..Watch out Saudi
Arabia invites Indian cos in gas exploration sector-
‘India
can bank on investor-friendly Saudi Arabi -Insurance
Sector Set to Spur Saudi Arabia's Growth -Saudi
Arabia May Tap Rising Demand for Oil in China, India -Muslim
girl in Kerala defies boycott; wins dance prize in school fest -
Lady
Drivers Get Green Signal in Qatar- Kuwait
crisis threatens to delay decision on investment -Arrest
Krishnan Nair and cancel Kovalam Hotels deal' -Kerala
CM, Andhra panel suggest Gulf NRI welfare measures -Indian
in Saudi Arabia pardoned, won't lose his eye - Women-only
hospital to be built at Dubai Healthcare City -Dubai
Metro construction to begin next month -Three
arrested from Leicester for murder of British Sikh -Jailed
Indian’s wife hopes for Saudi king’s pardon -Sultanate,
Kuwait sign MoU on regulating air transport - Child
Sex Tourism - Indian Kerala refutes accusations
Mysterious Death of Indian
worker Under Investigation
Repostmortem of body
likely
Dubai Police is investigating the mysterious death of a Keralite worker in a major construction site and the deadbody is detained for a second postmortem. Three colleagues of the worker are also detained for questioning. The body of the welder who died on January 8th was retrieved by divers and was about to be send to India when the CID officials detected some mismatch between the first post mortem report and the verbal explanation by the foreman and colleagues for what appeared initially as an accidental death. A second postmortem is likely and the body will be released only after further inquiries. The newly married worker, 27, has been working with the labour supply company as a welder and disappeared while doing night shift. The body was retrieved by early morning. There was a fracture on the backbone and head injuries. Only a detailed investigation will reveal whether it was an accidental death or murder. Even though the body was found from the sea, there was no visible signs of death by drowning.-- Watch this space. Sharjah Appeal Court Rejects Defamation Charges against Gulf News Scribe Baassma
Lady Journalist tells Gulf Today that She faces Discrimination in UAE Media Circles "Many organisations stopped inviting
me for functions, newspapers stopped publishing my contributions and I
have been bombarded with questions and greeted with raised eyebrows wherever
I go," lamented Tamimi, who has to her credit a collection of two
books, over 120 research works and umpteen numbers of articles. Though
she is battling against all odds, Tamimi is determined to the core to
continue her fight for justice."I have neither a lawyer nor any organisation
to support me. I believe in justice and in the law of the country. I am
sure that victory will be mine as I am on the right path with God on my
side," said an optimistic Tamimi...Read More from the Gulf Today
Interview by Sajila Shasheendran..More
Saudi
Arabia invites Indian cos in gas exploration sector - Kuwait
emir to take oath of office - family member -Kuwait's
Ruling Family Split Over Deposing Sick Emir -King
of Saudi Arabia arrives for state visit - Indian
in Saudi Arabia pardoned, won't lose his eye -China,
Saudi Arabia trade up
Over the Counter HIV Medicines to be Available in UAE Dubai Media Company Wanted me to make Blue Films and CDS.. Malayali Film maker A Dubai Media City registered
marketing company owned by a Malayali manpower recruitment company is
alleged to have demanded a leading film producer to make porno movies
using actresses from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The film producer has been
allegedly facing harassment for not complying with the proposal. He has
approached a leading advocate in Dubai He has also claimed that the concerned
authorities are informed about the issue...Is there a flourishing blue
film racket involving Malayals or is it just a baseless allegation....Watch
this space.
Kerala to have the largest number of TV Channels -Security Stepped Up in US After Bin Laden Threat -Saudi Arabia tries to create a safer hajj -Vietnamese recruitments by Saudi Arabia may hit India -Al-Jazeera Seeking Controversial Transcript -50,000 Saudis expected to visit Qatar for Al Rayyan Bank offer - Two Afghans arrested after body found in Dubai flat -Dubai Ports World set to manage new Busan port in South Korea -Couple from Qatar escape boot hijacking by playing dead -P&O sets Feb 15 deadline for PSA to trump DPW's agreed bid -UN 2005 report ranks Bahrain first, UAE second in Arab economic development -U.S., Omani Officials Sign Free Trade Agreement Chairman Pak-Oman investment company meet Dr. Salman Shah Dubai Customs records big jump in number of e-Clearance transactions
Jiji Thomson Removed from
IT Body? Watch out
Malayali duped by Nigerian Currency Gang
A Malayali businessman has been pauparized by the Nigerian gang, which promised to sell a chemical that can convert huge quantity of white paper into currency. Amir, a Malayali businessman on visit visa brought about Rs.12 lakh Indian rupees from India to invst in this black deal which turned out to be another cheating story from the African gangs. Amir, who was working in a supermarket in Salalah Oman for eleven years, has lost a whopping Dhs.2,0000 that he borrowed by pledging his property and vehicles. The man was on visit visa to Dubai, after he lost his job in Salalah as part of the nationalisation of supermarket jobs there. A Bengali sold a shop in Diera for Dhs.1,40000 and took Dhs.7,0000 as advance. The balance money that he had to pay for the shop was used to buy a chemical from an African national, who was introduced by a Bengali friend of the shop owner. They have threatened the culprit into believing that if the crime is reported to Dubai Police, the man will be in trouble because he was trying to deal in fake foreign currency. The African national who cheated Arif seems to be part of a broader gang involving Malayalis, Bengalis and Africans. The victim has approached a lawyer to report the crime, after a UAE national came forward with a similar complaint. As the money was brought to Dubai through Hundi, there is no evidence to support his claims. The money Dollar 32,000 was converted from the UAE Exchange branch using the African's labour card. Wathc this space for more. Perfect Labour Supply Company Workers Call off Strike
185
distressed OFWs in Saudi Arabia come home - Saudi
Careefour To Expand -Dubai
Holding announces the launch of Dubai Financial as a specialised investor
in financial services Al-Jazeera asks to see Bush 'bombing' transcript -Saudi Arabia breaks silence - Dubai court drops charges against Indian -Dubai govt agency says to explore investment opportunities in China this yr - Bahrain 'job interview' for Jackson -U.S. sailor killed in Bahrain car accident is identified - Perfect Group accused of threatening striking workers - Indo-US cooperation to Tackle Cyber Crimes India and the U.S. have decided to enhance co-operation among the law enforcement agencies to deal with cyber crime. At the third Plenary of the Indo-US Cyber Security Forum which concluded here today, the Confederation of Indian Industry [CII] in consultation with their US counterpart decided to set up an India Information Sharing and Analysis Centre [ISAC] and an India Anti-Bot Alliance to raise awareness about emerging threats in cyberspace..Full Report More News Reinforcing India's Look East Policy E. Ahamed*
Kuwaitis Mourn Death of Monarch
As complaints of abuses on the women workers
in the Middle East keep pouring in, Sri Lanka Government has come forward
to take urgent measures to all the abuse of tens of thousands of women
working abroad, according to Labor Relations and Foreign Employment Minister
Athauda Seneviratne.
Full Repor
Bahrain Islamic Bank to Sponsor Child Safety Workshop Sharjah Court Rejects Appeal of Jewellery owner against Temporary Employee Sharjah appeal court has rejected the appeal
filed by a leading Malayali businessman who has been illegally detaining
his passport. The jewellery group with branches in Dubai and Sharjah has
told the jeweller that he had to file an appeal case ten days after the
verdict of the lower court. According to the worker, who has been running
from pillar to post to regain his passport, which he says was deposited
with the Sharjah jewellery, the case will continue in the emergency court.
The jeweller did not appear before the court, even though they were called
three times. Filing court cases against employees is a smart arm twisting
method used by the rich businessman. Even a relative of a prominent politician
had faced such a legal assault.
Activists call for protection of academics -Ashok Leyland plans $124m bus unit in Dubai -Jordanian King travels to Bahrain to express condolences -Quake safety plans 'vital for Bahrain' - Bahrain: 'Konkani Kutam' Holds Singing and Speech Contests -Local contractors snubbed on Oman Blue City project Labour Supply Company too Teach Media a Lesson!!! A leading Malayali businessman
is consulting with lawyers as to how to silence the media people who have
boldly reported about the poor fate of 1500 employees, after one of them
was beaten up by the company staff. Gulf News reporter Basmaaa and others
including Asianet may face a legal tussle soon. Meanwhile, Riyas babu,
the budding reporter from Khaleej Times is being troubled by a Sardarji,
who has been antogonised by a story about forty workers who were surviving
with a single meal a day. The Indian Media Forum, which is famous for
pampering and promoting Malayali tycoons, seems to be indifferent towards
the threatening mode adopted by the business tycoons. ..Watch this space.
Innocent denies talk of political career - Ashok Leyland plans unit in Dubai -World leaders praise contribution of Dubai’s Sheikh Maktoum- Infosys inks Kerala's Technopark pact -Kerala expats can ferry their cars back home on vacation - The kindness of strangers Gift of laptops helps link soldiers in Kuwait with those back home -Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Jaber dies-Russia Attack Rice..Police Make Arrest in Slaying of Reporter Iran Threatens to Block U.N. Inspections - Ice cream parlour case accused acquitted -Ice-cream parlour case: 16 acquitted - Accused in ice-cream parlour sex racket case acquitted -Sessions Court verdict expected: V S Achuthanandan - Verdict in parlour scandal expected: Achuthanandan - US signs FTA with Bahrain- Bahrain mourns death of Shaikh Faisal -India's 'girl deficit' deepest among educated -Bahrain prince killed in car crash -Armed robberies on the rise in Kerala -Kerala Health Minister resigns from cabinet -Andhra Bank to open office in Dubai - Saudi Arabia: List of 27 Indians among 345 Killed in Haj Stampede - Saudi Arabia hajj deaths horrify local Muslims - No Kuwaiti pilgrims among victims; Jamarat crush kills hundreds; Kuwait offers condolences Labour Supply Company Threatens Asianet! A labour supply company responsible for
the inhuman and uncivilised treatment of about 1,500 employees is threatening
to take legal action against two leading news organisations that boldly
reported the story about the physical assault on a worker. Asianet sources
confirmed that a caller was furious at a news report aired by Asianet
Radio and Asianet TV about the workers problems. They are known to have
consulted the legal advisors to move against the channel, which recently
received another legal notice from a recruitment agency for a leading
taxi company. Jiji Chandran who has been handling the Gulf Bureau of Asianet
Gulf programme has reported the labourers story by quoting the affected
workers. Kairali Channel too reported the story without any fear or favour.
Even the report by Basmaa Zaa of Gulf News, a leading English daily was
not to the liking of the labour supply company. When the story of Shaji,
a taxi driver who was forced to live in a public park for months after
failing ten times in the driving test, was telecast, another recruiting
agency send a legal notice to the Asianet journalist Biju Abel Jacob,
threatening to take legal action if an apology is not given in the Gulf
Round Up programme. Paradoxically enough during the major strike by taxi
drivers in the city, the drivers aired stronger criticism against the
same recruiting agency and even physically manhandled the agents present
in the venue. Threatening legal action and intimidation tactics seem to
be the strongest weapon that the violators of labour laws and basic fundamental
rights use to silence the press and media. In both the cases, the villains
are well respected members of Malayali community. One is a film producer
who is getting all the positive media coverage about his success in the
film field, but cannot tolerate the negative story about hundreds of employees.
While violating workers right is deemed to be a right of the recruitment
agents and other Malayali tycoons, reporting such violationssems to be
grave mistake! Shut your mouth or get the next legal notice seems to be
the catch word.
-1800
Fijians cannot vote in 2006 election -PRO
beating up anyone voicing grievances, say Perfect Group workers
-Kuwait's
2005 economic growth to double - 2
girls escaped rape by Krishnani, Morpani, South African lady demanded
Rs.40,000 for sex - South
African Vice Presidents Private UAE Visit becomes new controversy
-UAE
Skydiver Flies with the World's Largest Flag - Employees Protest against Goons attack!
Victims of Visa Racket Say no Drinking
Water in Camp!
Hundreds of employees of a labour supply
company owned and managed by a leading film maker from Kerala have accused
the company of using goons and other intimidation tactics to silence those
who raise genuine concerns about the poor salary, pathetic living condition
including lack of drinking water in the labour camp and avoidable fines
and punishment that affect their monthly earning and living standards.
Holding placards with poorly written slogans, the poor workers said they
have stopped working after the management used goons to kick and slap
a Malayali worker who asked the manager to release the salary of a colleague
who was planning even to commit suicide. The worker who ended up in huge
debt back home for buying the visa was pestered by his wife to send money
home for repaying the loan. The company owner is said to be involved in
the making of Udayananu Tharam, a popular movie that displayed the darker
side of the Malayalam film industry...Full
Report and More
Antony Out of Prison, Where is Smitha?
President Urges Overseas Indians to transform
Indian Rural Villages
Sharon Shows Independent Movement and Breathing- Dick Cheney rushed to hospital -U.S. Military Seizes Iraqi Reporter for 'The Guardian' - New Threat: Al-Qaeda's plot to infect troops with AIDS virus -Police chief orders detention of cops for torturing innocent boy; Sons assault father for ‘wedding’ Filipino maid -Kuwait bourse tightens rules ETA wins AED1 billion contract for Emaar's Burj Dubai project -Pravasi Puraskaram presentation deferred -Elevating Tea Workers' Estate: Story of Tata Tea in Kerala -Farmers in Kerala plans protest march -Indians in Saudi Arabia hail King's visit -NRI decries 'murder' on screen in Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia refuses to clear PIA return Hajj schedule -Syria and Saudi Arabia Call Israel To Pull Out of All Occupied Arab Lands - E-cash replaces revenue stamps in Qatar Indian Womanhood Displayed in front of
Indian Diaspora
 The
Indian Diaspora which is being held in Hydrabad displayed these ladies
from rural Andhra Pradesh, exhibiting their rich cultural features. Sex
trafficking controlled by the Indian mafia is a major problem. The recruitment
and sex trafficking mafia is very strong. The punishment methods adopted
by those involved in sex trade include putting hot iron box to silencce
disobedient ladies. A number of girls and women from different part of
India are trapped in the brothels and prostitution dens controlled by
the Indian mafia, with the strong support of their political bosses. Naturally
the so called Pravasi Bharathiya Divas did not utter a word about the
real problems affecting the vast majority of overseas Indians, mainly
those in the Gulf region. More from HydrabadJORDAN: Amid protests, parliament exempts
US nationals from International Criminal Court
AMMAN, 9 January (IRIN) - Jordan's parliament ratified a controversial accord with the United States on Sunday that prevents Amman from handing over Americans accused of violating international criminal law to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The decision was met by an outcry among opposition and human rights groups, who say the move sets a dangerous precedent. Full Report States Lure NRI investors with maximum Incentives 
The Chief Ministers of six States showcased the potential
of their respective states to the delegates for their investments at the
Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas-2006. The Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat,
Kerala, Bihar, Maharashtra and J&K were present along with representatives
of Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Opening the first plenary session
of the day, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission
said that in the last 10 to 15 years the contribution of non-resident
Indians to the nation’s development has been rapidly increasing.
He called upon the state governments to introduce reforms in various sectors
in order to attract investments. Theonly promise made by the pravasi bharathiya
day is a voting right. In a country where votes and even the people's
representative are bought and sold NRIs demand central clearance for Kerala Air -Talks between India-China likely to be held in Kerala -Kerala Mutt chief’s death takes new dimension- Worshippers of sex’ held for creating nuisance in Salmiya building - -God's own country beckons NRIs - Pravasi Bharathiya Divas Full coverage -Dubai ruler orders release of 397 prisoners -30-year prison for criticising Kurdish regional president in Internet articles - The Monitor Says: As Dubai thrives, an eye on political reform -Dubai bound 24 persons holding fax-visa off-loaded in Karachi -CPI says no truck with Karunakaran -Saudi Arabia: Two Suspected Al-Qaeda Militants Caught- UK cleared nuclear cargo to Iran Kilograms of Gold Allegedly Missing from Gold Merchant!!! A leading gold merchant in the Gulf is known to have complained about the loss of a few kilograms of gold from his shops and a lady employee, the manager and cashier are accused in the case under investigation. Following the jewellery owner complaint that gold was missing from his shops the shop manager and cashier were detained and released on bail. A lady manager was accused of the crime and was reportedly caught while trying to sell gold in the market. While some jewellery employees say the gold missing story appears to be a clever tactics used to trap disobedient employees, nobody can trust the employees too. Gold is so tempting that anyone can steal it. ...While the gold missing may be partially true, employees say the problem started after a courageous employee went to the labour court, challenging his arrogant superiors to complain about what he termed as illtreatment. The shop manager was reportedly forced to give a complaint against the errant employee, who refused to oblige. Finally the branch manager and the employee have been accused in the gold missing case.. However, the jewellery employees complain that they are not paid their salary regularly. While there is a total confusion about the missing gold and labour complaints, the law enforcement authorities will definitely investigate and catch the the real culprits. Illegal detention of passport. Employer Appeals against Temporary Employee!!!
A temporary employee of a gold merchant
who has courageously fought a legal battle against a millionaire business
man has got a favourable order from the relavent court, which urged the
merchant to hand over the passport illegally detained by the company from
the temporary employee who was on visit visa. The employee went to the
extent of shutting down the shop, but an urgent appeal against the verdict
is now going on in the court. Even though the employer was summoned three
times to the lower court, the Malayali merchant did not appear before
the judge. When the final order came, the owner rushed with an appeal,
still rejecting the plea that the passport is retained by the company.
While the judge was convinced that he worked for three days with the merchant
- because of a pair of uniforms given by the company. The appeal court
will decide whether the innocent man will get back his passport. The company
still insist that they dont have taken his passport. It is another instance
to show how stubborn the Malayali merchant can behave by reacting with
grudge to simple situations. The simple settlement of the case is to return
of the poor man's passport and allow him to work where he get a better
salary and working conditions. No, I will teach him a lesson ...seems
to be the approach of the merchant.
Expat children in Qatar overprotected: Expert -Bahrain's 'honesty' keeps its economy freest in region -Oman deports 513 illegal Pakistani immigrants -Ajay Jadeja questioned - Jail for watching King Kong at home? New Delhi is the Rape Capital:-UK's 'worst sex tourist' caged -Woman in rape case waives extradition Actress, 20, accused of sex with boy, 15, from De Anza High - Saudi Authorities launch probe as Death toll rises Crippled man flown back to India -Pigs' Heads Tossed at Gurdwara, No Hate Crime Charges - Police in northern India raid gay club-5 burnt alive in India over family feud -Indian faces racist brunt in UK Saudis invest DH 37.5 billion in the UAE stock market - Sharon fights his final battle - Bleeding in Sharon's brain stops Hotel collapses in Saudi - 23 dead MECCA, Saudi Arabia -- A five-storey hotel at a gate to the Grand Mosque in Islam's holiest city collapsed into a pile of rubble Thursday as millions of Muslims converged on Mecca for the annual hajj pilgrimage, security officials said. A pan-Arab television station said at least 23 people were killed and 60 injured. Rescue teams rushed to the site and were pulling bodies from beneath the wreckage. The security officials, who spoke anonymously because they are not authorized to talk to reporters, said most of the victims were Arabs from Egypt, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. Read More Mecca hotel collapse kills hajj pilgrims - Saudi Hostel Collapses, Pilgrims Killed -Israeli PM Ariel Sharon fights for life Indian President Condoles the Death of Sheikh Maktoum Sheikh Mohammed elected UAE Vice President
The Post Versus the Rest....
 DUBAI
- Does the Post matter anything to the UAE English newspaper industry?
The one- year old maiden afternoon daily from the Middle East has appeared
in a compact but attractive form, with a Bombay-Dubai underworld story
on the front page by Daniel P.George. Appearing in a new tabloid size
and shape with a balanced display of content and visuals, the newspaper
edited by a young lady journalist from Mumbai, is promising to offer something
different and unique in the saturated UAE English newspaper market. Full
report and More NewsThe Post Exclusive ...
India asks UAE to freeze Abu Salem? bank
account
Daniel P. George (the Post)
Dubai The Government of India has requested
the UAE authorities to freeze the Dubai bank account of deported underworld
don Abu Salem.``He is a dangerous criminal who has various accounts in
the UAE and even recently after his arrest there was an attempt to withdraw
money from his account in Sharjah using an ATM card by his associates.''
``Tracking and monitoring of these mentioned accounts is necessary to
pin evidence on the accused'' India's letter to the UAE authorities said.The
request comes in the wake of Abu Salem confessing to the Central Bureau
of Investigation (CBI) officials during a brain mapping done on him at
the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Bangalore recently. Full
report and More News
Six Member illegal Indian Family Seeks
Consulate Help to go home
9- Days old illegal Migrant Girl Child Seeks Help
for the folly of her parents. DUBAI – The regular Open House in
the Indian Consulate on Thursday evening received an youngest illegal
expatriate.Jansit Thomas, is the youngest member of six member family
of an absconded worker was in the Open House for no folly of her own.
Like Janet her six years old sister Elzi Thomas, four years old Ansit
Maryam and two years old Lalslit Thomas were in the Consulate because
they cannot go to school or lead a normal life because they don’t
have valid UAE visa. Full Report and More News
Who is biased - KM
or IMF ?
A few members of the Indian Media Forum
including the General Secretary Joy Mathew have raised a big question
mark about KM not naming a prominent channel that is alleged to have telecast
the astrological prediction that caused the suicide of a Malayali in Sharjah.
While Joy Mathew, the IMF General Secretary has openly criticised KM for
not naming the channel, E.M.Ashraf, the Middle East Chief of Kairali Channel
has said the KM report without mentioning the channel name proved that
the portal is partial and biased in reporting about other media, especially
TV channels. Their argument is that KM has been liberally naming some
other channels, especially Aritha TV, Kairali or People TV, and some Malayalam
newspapers in its reports, their allegation is that KM has favoured Asianet
News Channel by hiding its name from the report. Full
Report and More News
Wishing
You a Happy
& Prosperious News
Year
Bullionaire Retains
Passport of Temporary Employee...
A New Year opens many new challenges and
opportunities. The New Year resolution of a young Keralite in Dubai is
to retrieve his passport from a powerful Malayali business tycoon who
has been defying various calls to return the passport illegally kept in
his custody. The employee is in his bad books because he did not want
to work for a lesser salary. For the bullionaire businessman with diverse
interest in labour supply, yellow metal and ...the list is long, harassing
an ordinary Keralite seems to be fun. The poor man's only proof that he
deposited his passport with the jeweller is that he was given a pair of
brown and white uniform and shoes. Desperate to get a job, the man on
visit visa deposited his passport with the jeweller who opened a new shop
for Onam festivities. He pleaded many times to return his his passport
before the expiry of the visit visa......which is not an ilegitmate claim.
A passport is the property of the Indian President, but this bullionaire
will not relent an inch and allow the man to work in another company at
a higher salary. He will give only Dhs.1,100 a month and the boy should
work with him as per his terms and conditions. .Three months after making
a complaint in one of the Emirates in the UAE, a court issued an order
to release his passport or the gold shop to be closed... Still the merchant
decided to stick to his stannce and ...not move an inche.. He wanted to
teach a lesson to the fellow Keralite who dared to stand tall.. Is it
that all the Keralite employers in the Gulf prefer their employees to
be without backbone or other symbols of manliness? KM New Year Resolution
is to continue to be with the voiceless and helpless people who are often
taken for a ride by the powers that be.... All the media including the
people's voice cannot displease the powerful and rich bullionaires...
The subject of the passport is subjudice as the neo rich Gulf Malayali
is determined to fight on...may be with counter charges of theft from
the jewellery. KM joins the young mans spirit of continued fight....against
all odds...Whether it is 2005 or 2006, KM resolution is to be with the
weak and voiceless masses. Nobody can silence our freedom of expression...Thanks
to the timely media intervention, even people who could not keep their
symbols of manhood are now free to restore the same... in a controlled
fashion.
Journalists Should Expose Secrets, Not Keep Them -US
intelligence service bugged website visitors despite ban -
Al Arabiya journalist barred
in latest case of discrimination against Arab media
Reporters Without Borders today said it
shared the outrage of the pan-Arab satellite TV station Al Arabiya, which
issued a statement yesterday condemning an Israeli decision to ban one
of its correspondents, British journalist Bassem El-Jamal, from entering
the Palestinian Territories. TMore
Terrorist's
Widow Expresses Sorrow for Murdered Policemen's Families -Hey
Mum, I'm off to Baghdad, back soon Sting
season shames six more Members of Parliament
Fake Terrorist Attack in
Indian Silicon Valley --An Effort to Divert Media Attention from the MPs
Question Scandal!!!!
None other than the Deputy Commissioner
of Police Ajay Kumar, chief of anti-terrorist cell of the New Delhi Police,
has come forward with a clever statement that both Hyderabad and Banglore
are highly sensitive cities vulnerable to Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence-sponsored
terrorist acts. Just remember reading a letter to the editor from a concerned
Indian citizen in a Gulf Newspaper that whenever there is some serious
scandals like the ongoing money for question controversy, a terrorist
attack or other stage managed events do take place in one of the largest
democracies in the world. It does not require more than commonsense to
see the ulterior motive behind the so called terrorist attack in Banglore,
the silicon city of India. The letter to the editor, which appeared a
few days before the so called terrorist attack in Banglore, warned readers
that a new ploy to divert media attention can be expected any time. Surprisingly
it has happened this time in Banglore. Full
Report
Internal Class Struggle
Intensifies within CPM: P. Surendran
 The
Communist Party of India, one of the well known Marxist revolutionary
groups in the developing world, has been degenerated into a party of
the elite upper class and big business groups in the state who are coming
closer to the party leaders for their vested interests, said P.Surendran,
writer and a former associate of the CPM literary wing . Expressing
his regret that a popular leader like Pinarayi Vijayan, who himself
was a victim of severe police torture during the notorious Emergency
period under K.Karunakaran, he said the party leaders appear to be so
desperate for power that they aligned the party with the Democratic
Indira Congress Karunakaran (DICK). "Many party members were severely
harassed and tortured by the Karunakaran Government and the assassination
of .Rajan had created a havoc in Kerala politics. Even now Karunakaran
does not regret his heineous crimes or has not apologised to the people
of Kerala for the inhuman and uncivilized torture methods that killed
many radical elements in Kerala," he says, Read
the Full Interview and More NewsIndia-Pakistan-Iran Natural Gas Pipeline
Project
The Iranian delegation led by H.E. Dr.
M H Nejad Hosseinian, Deputy Petroleum Minister for International Affairs,
Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, visited India between 28-29
December, 2005, for the third meeting of the India-Iran Special Joint
Working Group (SJWG) on the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) Gas Pipeline Project.
The Indian delegation was led by Shri S.C. Tripathi, Secretary, Ministry
of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India.Full
Report and More News
BSA announces winners of Arab IPR Media
Award 2005
December 27, 2005 - Business Software Alliance
(BSA), the organisation dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital
world, has announced the winner of the Arab IPR Media Awards 2005, which
was held under its auspices. The winners are Mahmoud Saberi of Gulf News,
Thair Soukar of Channel Arabic Magazine, Isaac John of Khaleej Times,
Mohammad Mousa of Al Khaleej and Haider bin Abdel Redha bin Dawood of
Oman Daily. Full Report and More News
President Mubarak Back Out from press freedom
promise
Reporters Without Borders today condemned
the continued hounding of journalists in Egypt and called on President
Hosni Mubarak to keep his pledge, made to parliament on 19 December, to
allow press freedom. "Each year, President Mubarak announces that
the authorities will stop their harassment of journalists," the worldwide
press freedom organisation said, "and each year such harassment increases.
It is time the president kept his promises and decriminalised press offences
as he said in 2004 he would." Full Report
Emirates
reaches for high end of the sky -Newspaper photographer
beaten unconscious by police Dubai-Osaka Partnership Forum Held -Business
Tariffs Up to 50 per cent Billion-dollar
real estate project launched in Qatar -
$700-m Petronet LNG vessel deal goes to Mitsui-SCI consortium -Opec
hope for Russia -Crackdown
on money laundering - The
Centrium marks rapid progress in Dubai Real Estate -Pilgrims
in Saudi Arabia have no bird flue - official -Report:
Al-Qaida kills 4 Arabs; some were U.S. contractors -Bahrain
police break up sit-in over cleric's arrest -UAE
brings in stiffer punishment for security crimes World
Trade Centre Residence: a Double Bonanza. - Oman’s
first women soccer team formed - Libya
denies political considerations in retrial of Bulgarian nurses -Seventy
Companies qualify for FM Radio Stations in India -new
appeal in eye gouging case -“U.S.
offensives target civilians not fighters” Koreans
warned about terror threats in Middle East, Pope
Sees Signs of Hope in Middle East
New Norm Angers Dubai Cabbies
Taxi drivers of Metro Taix were on strike
in protest against a change in the total daily remittance by the company.
Reeling under pressure from stiff competition and escalating cost of living
coupled with the recent hike in petrol prices, taxi drivers, said they
are unable to meet both the ends meet because they work throughout the
day and get nothing in return. "I had to borrow Dhs.6,000 during
the Ramadan to pay the company because even when there were no customers
during the Holy month, the minimum amount is to be remitted to the company,"
said one Malayali driver. The management attributed a change in the remittance
amount due to escalating cost of operation for a new number plate system.
Most of the Metro Taxi drivers assembled in Al Qesis to negotiate with
the management. The Evening Post reported that ten drivers had heart attack.
Quoting drivers, a front page report said about the difficult working
conditions in the taxi firm. The management said it was trying to reduce
the burden on drivers by absorbing escalating cost.
Labour Unrest Hits Container Port Operations
in Oman Normalcy Returns
A major labour unrest in the world's 10th
largest container port was temporarily resolved by the timely intervention
of the Omani Labour Ministry and the port management. A group of Omani
employees, numbering about 400 have struck work when one of them was allegedly
suspended for a quarrel with a superior. The entire Omani employees form
a particular region and tribe have struck work for about five days and
finally the strike was called off due to higher level intervention. This
is one of the rare cases where Omani employees have jointly protested
and struck work in a major port in the region.The port authorities are
tight lipped about the port closure and the subsequent intervention of
law enforcement agencies to restore normal por operations. Apparently
the Omani was suspended for a physical duel with another employee from
a different nationality. Salalah Port has been projected as one of the
successful infrastructure projects in Southern Oman, a strategic point
for the regional transshipment business. The port has taken away considerable
container business from the nearby Dubai port.. Even though the mainstream
media did not report the story, the Omani Internet forums have active
discussion about the strike.. Watch this space.
"It
is hard to impose sanctions on Iran": Italy - Orascom's
U.S. Unit to Build $355 Mln Qatar Complex -Indoor
ski slopes beat the desert heat in Dubai-Story about Ski Dubai -Oman
& UAE Exchange celebrates 10th anniversary -Iran,
Saudi Arabia to break turtle-like trade shell -Women's
place in society evolving fast in Saudi Arabia
Muslims Flock to Saudi Arabia for Hajj
JEDDAH, December 25, 2005 Thousands of
Muslims from the four corners of the world continue to flock to Saudi
Arabia to perform hajj Full
Report
Tsunami rumour drive away pilgrims
It was a muted Christmas celebration this coastal church town in Nagapattinam district witnessed today, with only less than one-fifths of the usual number of pilgrims turning up, most of them scared of the possibility of another tsunami hitting the shore. Read more Dubai's real estate market still going
strong
December 25, 2005 In a strong indication
of the continued robust growth of the property market in Dubai, the launch
of ETA Star's "The Centrium" - a unique residential project
targeted at salaried professionals - has met with phenomenal success,
with two of the four tower blocks that comprise the project being sold
out within days of its launch in Dubai. The overwhelming demand for space
at "The Centrium" has prompted ETA Star to expand the sales
program to Abu Dhabi, where the project will be open for sale on December
29, 2005, at the Le Meridien Hotel. Full Report/
More News
12
Nigerians sentenced to flogging in Saudi Arabia- UK
Police Chief to See Haj Crowd Management -Britain,
Saudi Arabia ink deal on Typhoon jets -Party
off the people, buy the people and Far the people..says the veteran writer
and crusader
"Peoples" Channel and Workers
Meesha
Even when newspapers like Khaleej Times,
Gulf News, Emirates Evening Post, Gulf Madhyamam, Middle East Chandrika
and Arabia have published a bold statement issued by the International
media watch dog, Reporters Sans Frontiers, some of the channels and newspapers
did not utter even a single word about the journalists plight and the
media watch dogs strong comments. While the stand of Malayala Manorama
and Deepika is generally with the rich and powerful, a peoples channel's
attittude proved once again that it not for the people, by the people
or of the people. Even the Asianet Channel which received several millions
from gold advertisement and sponsorship gave a news about the Reporters
Sans Frontiers statement. Peple, learn where your channel stands. Read
More
Azerbaijan
air crash kills 23, no survivors -Officials:
Muslim sites subject to secret monitoring for radiation and More News
Green Signal for Air India Fleet Purchase
Deal
The empowered Group of Ministers today
cleared the fleet purchase deal of the national carrier Air India. The
EGOM headed by the Finance Minister held discussions with the teams from
Boeing and GE. The Cabinet Secretary, Secretary (Expenditure) and Secretary,
Civil aviation were present during the discussions. At the end of the
negotiations, the EGOM was able to win monetary concessions from the overall
prices of a little more than Rs.1000 Crore. A precise calculation sheet
is being worked out. In addition, Boeing and GE have committed the following
investments Four training simulators costing up to US$ 75.00 million.MRO
(Maintenance Repair and Overhaul) for Boeing aircraft up ot US$ 100.00
million. Training and other civil aviation requirements - US$10.00 million.
GE's investment in an engine shop (capital equipment and other investment)
US$ 20.00 million. Total: US$ 205.00 million. The EGOM also secured agreement
on offsets at 30% of the value of the aircraft. This works out to approximately
Rs.8.500 crore.
Russia
to honor Iran arms deal despite US objection
-Planting Stories in Iraqi/International Press - Israel
ready to strike Iran by end of March -Mosques
monitored for radiation: report
ADB gives $970 Mn for Rural
Roads
Financing Kerala Urban Infrastructure Development
ADB approved this week more thanUS$970
million in assistance for India, comprising a financing facility of up
to $750 million for the country's rural roads program and a $221.2 million
loan to upgrade urban infrastructure in Kerala state. ADB will help improve
living conditions through upgrading and expanding urban infrastructure
under five municipal governments in India's southern-most Kerala State,
through a $221.2 million loan.Full Report and More
News
Fraud
Alert - Beware of Nigerian Heroes in Romantic Chatrooms : Lady Taken for
a Ride by Chat Friend. Microsoft
threatened with daily EU fines -Qatar's
RasGas and GE sign off on $400 million contract -Air-Arabia
can now fly into Kerala -Saddam
claims US tortured him- Gangrape
on Pushpak Exp- More
Indian flights to Middle East soon - Iraqi
polls prompt US to cut troop numbers - More
News Click
Roots CEO Rooted Out in
silent NORKA Coup
 Nandakumar (extreme left
chucked out) In a silenct bloodless coup, the Roots
Norka Chief Executive Officer Nandakumar has been stripped off his position
and the NORKA Secretary Jiji Thomson has declared himself the new CEO!
It seems to be part of a n intense power struggle centred around the inflated
Samavayam budget and the frequent unwarranted foreign trips of a ORKA
official. Dr.T.P.Nandakumar, a senior IPS official has been shunted out
of the CEO's office after reportedly he raised objections to some of the
inflated Samavayam bills. The silent power struggle between the IAS officer
and IPS officer reached a climax during the NORKA ROOTS meeting held the
other day, in which the Norka secretary has strongly put his foot down!
It seems that the official silence is just a lull before the storm as
the new CEO has been in the limelight for some of the controversies like
the Palmoil deal involving the DICK leader to mention just one case. The
frequent visit of an IAS officer to Dubai and Abu Dhabhi has been one
of the irritant in the dispute..--Watch this space.
(Picture Jiji Thomson IAS) More
Christmas
programming hits the Middle East and North Africa -Fulla
has the Mid-East doll market covered -Fulla
has the Mid-East doll market covered -India,
China n down $573m Syria deal -Iraqis
March, Say Elections Were Rigged -Police
Video Caught a Couple's Intimate Moment on a Manhattan Rooftop -Kapil
and Steve to bat for Tsunami Victims -Dubai
Getting Ready for DSF 2006
K M S C O O P -Chandy'does
it again...
District Collector Evicted
under Pressure from Ashram, Plantation Company
 KOLLAM
– The Kollam district collector B.Srinivasan is being shunted by
a state cabinet meeting held under the able leadership of Shri Ommen Chandy.
The meeting on Wednesday has passed a sudden transfer order, which is
now objected to by the Election Commission. A sincere IAS officer of the
1991 batch, Mr.Srinivasan has been removed to please a Hindu religious
Matt located in the district and to help a plantation firm close to a
faction within the ruling party to retain a huge plot of government land,
which the district collector tried to bring back to the government ownership...
Full Report and More NewsA stinging exposure of
India's corrupt
NEW DELHI - India ranks among the countries
that are deemed the most corrupt in the world. One unlikely agency that
has been playing a sterling role in exposing the stink of corruption is
television. There are a slew of 24-hour television channels in India,
and as the war for ratings and advertising revenue heats up, intrepid
reporters have been assigned "sting operations" to catch, on
tape, important people (read politicians, bureaucrats), accepting bribes.
Last week, 11 members of parliament (MPs) were recorded by a hidden camera,
allegedly accepting money in return for asking questions in parliament,
read the full report from Sidhar Srivasthava, Asiatimes
Online
Non Resident Indian..From
Rags to Riches...
 Mr.
Ramamoorthy of Rasamai Telugu Association has called us and informed us
that, an Indian is lying on the side of Dubai Creek. This information
has unveiled the tragedy of Mr. Rajanna.Upon receipt of this call our
volunteer Mr. Alson went to the creek side opposite to Deira Twin Tower and found the person. Meanwhile Mr. Biju George also reached the spot with his friends. They found a person who resembled a skeleton with long mustache and hair. He was not weighing more than 23Kg with a facial expression full of hatred. Initially he was not willing to talk to anybody but he cooperated with us after getting assurance that he can return back home. He speaks a little Hindi.Full Report by Mathew of Snehathazhvara. Tanmia Prepares for the Next Phase of Emiratisation!
The fourth quarterly meeting
of the board of trustees of National Human Resource Development and Employment
Authority - Tanmia, was held under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Ali Abdullah
Al Kaabi, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs & Tanmia's
Chairman of Board of Trustees at Tanmia's headquarters in Dubai today
(December 21, 2005).Full Report
 Congressman
calls for Bush impeachment -32
varieties of Kerala bananas to feature in Dubai Lulu Show -Did
Bush domestic spy program eavesdrop on American journalists? Saddam's
scientists freed as US house of cards starts to tumble-Saudi
Arabia builds King Abdullah city for $26 billion -Sangeeth
Natak Awards Announced -Minor
fire in Kerala Secretariat, 2 injured
 Even
though the report that caused the journalist arrest appeared in its number
one rival newspaper 7 Days, Gulf News editors showed their professional
excellence by carrying a report on Page 5 about the RSF statement to release
the passport of V.M.Sathish. Neena Gopal, a senior editor in Gulf News
or the News Editor Sunil Rao did not think about newspaper rivalry or
competition to give at least two paragraphs about the fate of a journalist.
The entire media in Dubai came forward to report about the arrest of Basmaa
al Jandaly, a Gulf News scribe sometimes back..  Reporters
Without Borders said freelance journalist V. M. Sathish's passport that
was confiscated when he was briefly arrested in Dubai on 13 December 2005
for allegedly libeling a jewelry chain by reporting that it ordered its
employees to shave off their beards and mustaches.Moral Victory as International Media Watchdog
Urges Return of Passport
Even though the Indian Media Forum is yet
to react to the arrest and hand cuff of journalist V.M.Sathish, (an IMF
member), the Paris based Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) issued a strong
statement urging the concerned authorities to immediately return the passport
that was confiscated from the freelance journalist.
Qatar, UAE May Witness Terrorist Attacks:
New Red Alert GCC concerned over Iran, Israeli nuke programmes
 Dec
19, 2005 UAE Foreign Minister Rashid Abdullah Al Nuaimi
reiterated his country's stance on its three islands occupied by Iran."UAE's
stand on that issue is clear, the UAE's three islands are occupied territories
in reality.. Full Report/More NewsHere is the Watchdog Spirit
Reporters Sans Frontier
(RSF) Concerned about Dubai Scribe's
Plight
Media Watchdog comes forward
to help Dubai based Malayali Journalsit in Crisis following Merchants
complaint and arrest!
The Paris based media watch
dog, Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), an international association which
has been working to improve the safety of journalists world-wide, particularly
in war zones, has assigned one of its directors handling the Middle East
North Africa region to look into the problems haunting a journalist facing
harassment in Dubai. The organisation's Middle East director contacted
the Khaleej Times office to inquire about the entire episode. RSF is committed
to assist in the rebuilding of media groups and to provide financial and
material support to news staffs experiencing hardships. The association
is believed to have seriously taken up the matter and follow up with the
concerned people. Even though the local media organisation and associations
are tight lipped about the issue, RSF is already doing its homework
read more and Related Stories
International community, media urged to
take action in response to murders of Lebanese journalists
Reporters Without Borders gave a press
conference today at the headquarters of the An-Nahar daily newspaper in
Beirut to reiterate its condemnation of the murders of journalists Samir
Kassir and Gebran Tuéni in bombings on 2 June and 12 December,
and the maiming of fellow journalist May Chidiac in a bombing on 25 September.
read more
and Related
Emirates to increase flights
to Kerala
Emirates on Monday announced an increase
in its services to Kerala from February 2006 with daily flights to Cochin
and eight in a week to Thiruvananthapuram. Full
Report/More News
GCC Suimmit in Abu Dhabhi
No Pressure on Iran, says
Omans Minister !
A senior Omani official has denied that
the GCC States were pressurizing Iran over its nuclear program, and called
for a peaceful settlement of the standoff. "There is no pressure
(cast by GCC countries) on Iran... Iran is our neighbour. We want to maintain
good relations with it," Yousif bin Alawi, Oman's Minister in charge
of Foreign Affairs told reporters following an in-camera meeting of the
GCC leaders here today. Full Report/More News
Horrorscope Prediction
Triggers Suicide
Even during the colonial periods, the media
used to fight superstitions and other evils of society, but the hightech
visual media in the 21st century is addicting even educated people's mind
with irrational thinking. An Astrologer who shot to prominence and stardom
through a premier Malayalam Television channel is believed to have caused
a tragic suicide in Sharjah. His horoscope prediction turned out to be
a horrorscope for Sandeep, who committed suicide, after falsely believing
a phone in programme conducted by the astrologer. The astrologer predicted
that his life span is too short. Sandeep, a 30 years old resident of Sharjah
hanged himself from the ceiling fan of an apartment. He had been gloomy
ever since he called up the astrologer, whose popularity soared due to
his association with the TV channel. At a time when every religious group
and political party is launching own television channels, this sad episode
should be an opener about the sensitivities in handling issues through
the visual media .He was unhappy that his family did not tell him about
his horoscope, which predicted a short life span. Attukal Radhakrishnan,
the accused astrologer could not be contacted for comments. Kerala, the
most literate state in India, is now witnessing a sharp increase in suicides
and a mushrooming spiritual industry that thrives on supernatural powers.
Journalist arrested on
complaint by Alukkas!!!
By Riyasbabu Khaleej Times
Staff Reporter
13 December 2005 DUBAI ·A freelance
journalist, who wrote about a major jewellery chain's owner allegedly
asking his employees to turn up clean shaven (including moustache) at
work, was arrested by the Dubai Police yesterday, and detained for two
hours. V. M. Sateesh, the Dubai-based scribe, was subsequently released
after he surrendered his passport as surety against bail before the Dubai
Prosecution Court. Satheesh, in an article published in a local newspaper
on August 22, said the Managing Director of Alukkas group had asked his
employees to shave their facial hair. The case was filed by Joy Alukkas,
Managing Director of Alukkas Jewellery Group after Satheesh wrote a news
article in the local media alleging that Alukkas group had asked its employees
to shave off their facial hair (moustache and beard). The article appeared
on August 22. Read
the Full Story
Inward looking Newspapers Fail to Shape
Intellectual Opinion of Readers : Dr.K.N.Panicker.
 Unlike
the past when newspaper opinion columns played important role in creating
intellectual influence among readers, most of the Indian newspapers are
now deviating from their traditional role of truth finder. Compared to
the colonial and post colonial period, newspapers no longer suggest a
good direction to the society, said Dr.K.N.Panicker, a well known historian
and intellectual giant who has done extensive studies about Indian history,
especially in a different perspective. Watch this space.Desperate Malayali Lives
in Dubai Park Full Report
and More News
Ommen Chandy Gets
the Best Administrator Award
Last Chance to See World-Famous Films at
DIFF
15 films from Africa, India, Sri Lanka,
US and Arab world
 Dubai,
December 16, 2005 – Brand new and award-winning films from around
the world will be playing for the last time today (Saturday, December
17), the closing day of the second Dubai International Film Festival.The
15 films screening today at CineStar Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates and
the Madinat Theatre include two films from the Festival’s new ‘In
Honor of Africa’ program: the critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated
South African film Yesterday, the moving story of a young HIV-positive
mother determined to move on with her life and protect her daughter; and
U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (Carmen in Khayelitsha), an innovative South African
interpretation of the opera Carmen. Full Report
and More NewsSafety of artificial sweetener questioned
A report in the Guardian says the sweetener
is now used in 6,000 products, from crisps such as Walkers prawn cocktail,
to soft drinks including Diet Coke and Robinson's fruit squash, chewing
gums such as Orbit, and vitamins pills and medicines. . Full
report from the Guardian
MP
calls for ban on 'unsafe' sweetener US
among top 10 nations jailing scribes -Journalists
in Jail on December 1, 2005: A Global Tally -Discovery
films Kerala housewife's home stay
Isha Shirvani dances for
Sultan Qaboos of Oman
 Dancer-actress
Isha Sharvani performs for His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur
of Oman, in his private theatre in Muscat., reported the Indian tabloid
Mid Day. The newspaper quoted her as saying"I am honoured to have
been invited by His Majesty. Plus, I hope I get to meet Michael Jackson,
who will be chief guest at the event. He is a class apart, and unarguably,
a great dancer. As a dancer, I appreciate that and it would be a real
treat to meet him.” The Michael Jackson-Isha Sharvani performance
in the private theatre was managed by her parents...the report said. Read
More from Mid Day Read
special interview by Adarsh Madhavan Times of oman with the Music Icon
-
I have set very high standards for myself’ -Thousands
of Lebanese eulogized Tweini -Nursing
council launches probe into fake jobs report by Anazuddin Aziz from LondonBush From Washington: US War Killed just
30,000 Iraqis, Iraqi Professor says 10,000 killed in Fallujah! Full
Story and More NewsADB's Annual Lending to India to Exceed $2.5 Billion
by 2008 -Kerala
approves budget airliner to Gulf Emirates
Float Glass to set up 600 tonne per day float glass plant in the UAE-
Qatar college opens new campus -How
t o effectively Subotage a Communist Government -How
to Promote Democracy: Truck with fake ballots detained -Iraq:
1,000 days of war -Putin
Calls Russia Defender of Islamic World- Qatar
Airways increases flights to India
Adel Imam sees great potential for UAE
film industry
Dubai, December 13, 2005: At a press conference
during the 2nd Dubai International Film Festival, Adel Imam, the celebrated
Egyptian actor and Arab icon said that he saw great potential for the
development of a strong regional film industry based in the UAE. “I
see greatness in the UAE.,” he added.
Full Report and More News
Todays Scoop by Aajtak
11
Indian MPs take cash to askquestions in Parliament - Visit
visa Visitors Infected with HIV, special report Khaleej Times
Rights Watchdog Urges Saudi
King to Stop Eye for an Eye Verdict, follow International Norms!!!
NEW YORK - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
should take urgent steps to ensure that a court sentence to gouge out
a migrant worker's eye is not carried out, Human Rights Watch said today.This
literal eye-for-an-eye sentence is torture masquerading as justice. King
Abdullah must prevent the imposition of corporal punishment in violation
of the country's obligations under international law.Joe Stork, deputy
director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East division The Greater Shari`a
Court of Dammam sentenced Puthan Veettil `Abd ul-Latif Noushad, an Indian
citizen, to be punished by having his right eye gouged out in retribution
for his role in a brawl in April 2003 in which a Saudi citizen was injured.
A court of appeal in Riyadh has reportedly merely asked whether the Saudi
man would accept monetary compensation instead. Full
Report and More News
Practice what you Preach
Amrita Enterprises: From
Spirituality to Spirit
 Reckless
commercialism seems to have intoxicated the Amruthananthamayi movement
as the devotees including some big businesses are using the Living Indian
Women Goddesses brand name to market even tourism packages that may involve
treating foreign and NRI guests at various properties of KTDC. The spiritual
rennovation movement started by the Matt has been viewed by many pious
believers and a section of the positive thinking society as as a good
move to arrest the deteriorating moral and ethical standards in the state.
We are taught that uncontrolled alcoholism, rape, suicides among other
vices in the most politically sensitive state are due to materialism and
lack of spiritualism in Gods Own country . Full
StoryKTDC
to produce and market tinned toddy -Ecotourism
faces flak at KTDC Periyar -Read
about the Teachings of Amma
Curtain Rises Tonight on
Second Dubai Film Festival
 International
and regional film stars, industry leaders and filmmakers from around the
world expected to grace tonight’s red carpet opening gala
Dubai, December 10, 2005 – Months
of planning and preparation will culminate in grand style tonight as international
celebrities, regional stars and UAE VIPs walk up an 80-metre long red
carpet and into the Madinat Jumeirah Arabian Resort at 8pm Sunday (December
11, 2005), to officially open the second Dubai International Film Festival.
Full Report/ More News
DIFF Brings UAE’s First 70mm Screening
 Monday
screening of Baraka inaugurates “Screen on the Green” program
at Media City Dubai, December 10, 2004 – A visual
feast like no other, presented in one of cinema’s most powerful
formats, will open the Dubai International Film Festival’s free
open-air ‘Screen on the Green’ program on Monday, December
12. Full Report/ More NewsAlmasa Holdings
launches Omniyat Properties with a capital of AED 300 million High
airfares, taxes make domestic tourists dump Kerala Globalisation
destroying creativity and Culture: Panicker -
Hey Abu Gharib Torture was by Enemies of Islam, but Nude video of woman
in police calls uproar in Malaysia -U.S.
credibility goes up in smoke
Kerala Politicians Omnipresent in the Gulf
DUBAI – Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Pinarayi
Vijayan, E.P.Jayarajan, Paloli Mohammed Kutty, Vellappalli Nateshan, K.C.Venugopal,
G.M.Benathwala, Cherukkulam Abdullah, E.T.Mohammed Bashir, C.P.Mohammed,
Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, Pandalam Sudhakaran, R Balakrishna Pillai
and Tom Vadakkan.....the list is not about prominent politicians from
different parties in Kerala, but prominent politicians who have been camping
in the Gulf region in the last couple of weeks. Full
Story/ More News - More News
Khaleej Times reported an exlusive about
a doctor allowing medical students to be present in the delivery room
during child birth. The woman was shocked to see the lady doctor calling
in the medical students to watch the process.. Read
the Full Story
 Phone Cameras used to
take Nude pictures of Pregnant Patients....
In Alappuzha medical college the sister
of a pregnant lady admitted to the labour room was shocked to see someone
using mobile phone camera to take pictures of the patient. While doctors,
students and others in the hospital use mobile phones with camera, nude
pictures of pregnant ladies have been circulating on the net. The news
has created a sensation in the state, which is already notorious for growing
malpractices by unethical medical professionals. Hardly a month after
a medical student was gang raped by senior students of a nursing school,
another case of misusing mobile phones to take nude pictures of a pregnant
patient was reported. A year ago, a doctor was arrested for making blue
films ..A sex industry seems to be developing surrounding the healthcare
sector of the state Misuse
of camera phones on the rise
Child trafficiking to Saudi Arabia Growing
SANA, 8 December (IRIN) - "I was
astonished when I saw a four-year old girl picked up by the police at
the Saudi border," said Haitham al-Jubairi, director of social affairs
and labour in the Hajja governorate, 120 km north of the capital, Sana.He
recounted how the girl's two "travelling companions" were arrested
before his eyes after they were found to be trafficking children.Full
Report and More News
Lankans Beat Indians in Rainy Battle
Malayalee shot at in Manchester: Website
A Malayalee was shot at while he was driving
his car is the latest incident in a spate of violence that has been ongoing
in Wythenshaw in Manchester against the ethnic minority communities since
September 11, a community leader from Manchester informed a UK Malayali
Website. Dani Thomas, who was also a victim of racist attack a couple
of weeks back, said: ?Around 4.30pm Jose was driving home after doing
some shopping when he was shot at with an airgun, which smashed the left
side mirror leaving shattered glass pieces in his car. Police still doubt
whether it was a stone thrown at the car or an airgun. Jose just heard
the bang and parked his car and came out and waived at a passing by police
car and informed them about the incident. They gave him the incident number
and left? ?This is just the latest incident. Last week I had someone coming
into my garden and threw a brick so hard that it broke the double glazed
window and landed inside my house, Dani is quoted by the site, ukmalayalee.com
Saudi Court Rules that Indians Eye be Surgically
Removed
"An eye for an eye" or "tooth
for tooth" may be an outdated justice system, but a young Indian
expatriate in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced by a Shariah Court in Dammam
to have his right eye plucked out as a punishment for a crime in which
a Saudi citizen lost his eye sight. Naushad, from Vallamkuzhy Puthenveettil,
Anchal in Punalur Kerala is imprisoned in the Dammam Central jail awaiting
the court ruling to be implemented by doctors of a Saudi Government Hospital
in Dammam. His right eye will be surgically gouged out by doctors if the
compromise talk and appeals to higher courts do not succeed, Bashir, his
friend. Human rights associations have been critical of the Saudi judicial
system for its rude punishment methods and beheading for severe crimes.
His wife has appealed to the Indian Embassy to save her husbands eye.
M.A.Yousuf Ali Elected
to Abu Dhabhi Chamber
As KM rightly reported
earlier, M.A.Yousuf Ali, the millionaire Malayali businessman from Abu
Dhabhi is going ahead in the right direction with his political ambition
back home to become at least a Member of Parliament. The high profile
business tycoon has created another milestone in his Gulf career by winning
the first (s)election of an expatriate businessman to the board of Abu
Dhabhi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an elite club of big business
in the oil rich Emirate. Democracy has rarely been an acceptable ideology
in this part of the world where the Sheikhs believed more in selection
rather than elections. The chamber of commerce in various Gulf countries
used to be mere government departments, but Abu Dhambi Chamber has made
a deviation from this time honoured practice by introducing limited franchise
among businessmen.The maiden election announced to the Abu Dhabhi chamber
is perceived as a prelude to many other elections and democratisation
process in the regiion. The golden chance offered by the benevolent UAE
authorities has been aptly utilised by the Keralite tycoon. An audio-visual-print
media campaign created a hype in which every segment of the Indian media
participated actively. Perhaps no other businessman could utilise the
chamber election. Already the darling of the Malayali community, he has
won many awards and recognitions. KM reiterates its earlier report that
the Abu Dhabi tycoon is going ahead in the right path to be part of the
mainstream political conundrum in India. Sometimes he may even succeed
in becoming a minister (for overseas Indians.) Now that Natwarsingh has
gone from the Ministry of External Affairs...isnt there a hot seat in
New Delhi waiting for someone new. . Mabrook and Best wishes Yousuf Ali
Sahab. The Kerala (business) community is behind you and if ever overseas
Indians are given a chance to vote, the NRI community will be with you.
Vulnerability and Exploitation Abused Workers
in Malaysia Neglected by India
A 13-page letter by Santhosh a Keralite
worker in Malayasia is an appeal for the president’s help to improve
the current labour recruitment system in India and attend to the many
abused Indian migrant workers currently in Malaysia. The letter is attached
with 94 pages of documents dealing with loopholes in the recruitment system
of both India and Malaysia. Copies of the letter were also sent to the
Prime Ministers, the relevant ministers, political parties and NGOs of
both countries.
Read More
Bush 'most disliked' among Arabs
A poll conducted in six Arab nations showed
that people there were highly suspicious of the Bush administration's
democracy agenda in the Middle East and felt the war in Iraq had made
the region less secure, reported the Indian Express. The respondents picked
the United States and Israel as the biggest threat to their nations. Read
the Full Story from the Indian Express
Arabs
told not to blame others for failing to reform -Death
By Torture: US Media Ignores Hard Evidence -Blair
to be declared 'Statesman of the Decade'
Taliban denies killing Kutty
As rightly reported by KM, Taliban has
denied any involvement in the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Maniappan,
the Keralite worker whose body was bound in Afghanistan. Mullah Dost Muhammed
Akhund, a senior Taliban Commander told a private channel in an interview.
According to him, the Iran-Afghanist road project in which Maniappan worked
does not clash with Taliban interests. "The kidnapping and killing
of the Indian was not done by Taliban. The work of constructing road does
not hurt Islamic Emarat of Afghanistan, so we will not kill these innocent
persons," Mullah Dost Mohammad Akhund, Taliban commander in charge
of southwestern Afghanistan, said with a black turban covering his face
in Tolo TV..."It's done by the enemy of Afghanistan," he added.
This announcement contradicted the one Taliban had made earlier.Maniyappan,
32, was part of a contingent of India's Border Roads rganisation (BRO)
working on an $83-million highway project in Afghanistan's Nimroz province.He
was kidnapped Nov 19 in the southern Nimroz province and his body was
found four days later. Taliban spokesperson Qari Yusuf Ahmadi had claimed
responsibility for the kidnapping and killing.After the murder, Afghanistan
President Hamid Karzai said in a press conference that if it had not been
done by Taliban, they should tell the truth about who committed the crime,
so that the government could find the enemies clearly.
Background Music to Disrupt Peace...
Is Maniappan Murder a Plot to Twist Public
Opinion Against Iran!!! Put Pressure on CPM ....
The Indian and international media is playing
up the gruesom murder of a Keralite worker in Afghanistan, allegedly by
a group claiming to be part of Taliban, a group which has been supported
by Iran. The timing of the abduction and murder of the Keralite is a time
when the CPM and other left parties have been exerting considerable pressure
on the Central Government in the Iranian
nuclear issue befor the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA.
The cold response of the Union Ministers like E Ahmed and the Ministry
of External Affairs about the abduction and the official silence and contradictory
statements about the killing indicates that there may be a larger conspiracy
behind the hostage taking and killing drama. As the former British Foreign
Secretary Robin Cook had rightly written a week before his mysterious
death, Al Qaeda is nothing but a mere computer data base of terrorist
organizations nurtured by the US! Full Report and
More NewsUnderworld
boss loses appeal against extradition
Indian-Nepalese Workers Clash
DUBAI - A minor dispute between two employees
of a contracting company turned out to be a group clash between Keralite
and Nepalese workers. The quarrel resulted in a half day strike by the
Indian workers who wanted the management to intervene and solve the problem.
The silly problem started when workers were travelling from Diera to the
labour camp. The problem is solved and the company agreed to deploy more
security in the labour camp. Psychologists says stress level is high among
workers and alcoholism fuels such dispute
Worker Hangs in Al Qoos Labour Camp
A 30 Year old Indian committed suicide
by hanging from the ceiling at his labour accommodation. Vinod Kumar of
Chalmiers Imagineering from Calicut commited suicide five months after
returning from Kerala after his marriage. Suicidal tendency is growing
among Workers.
Dubai Free Zone
Chief Bin Byat Proposes Closer Indo-Gulf Ties -UAE Chapter of the Young
Arab Leaders to host a welcome reception for the delegates of the Forum
-UAE
takes first step towards democracy -Pakistan,
Iran to set up optic fiber link -10
Marines killed in bombing near Fallujah
Many of the articles are presented in the
Iraqi press as unbiased news accounts written and reported by independent
journalists. The stories trumpet the work of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce
insurgents and tout U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the country," reported
LA Times. The operation is designed to mask any connection with the U.S.
military. The Pentagon has a contract with a small Washington-based firm
called Lincoln Group, which helps translate and place the stories. The
Lincoln Group's Iraqi staff, or its subcontractors, sometimes pose as
freelance reporters or advertising executives when they deliver the stories
to Baghdad media outlets, the report said. The exposure comes at a time
when Washington is training Iraqi journalists how to promote democratic
principles, political transparency and freedom of speech in a country
emerging from decades of dictatorship and corruption. The State Department
is training Iraqi reporters in basic journalism skills and Western media
ethics, including one workshop titled "The Role of Press in a Democratic
Society." Standardvary widely at Iraqi newspapers, many of which
are shoestring operations, the LA Times report said. .Read
the Full Repor
Mammootty
is Malayali's Proud!!!
 Fan
Hits Out Against Media for boycotting the StarRead your article "Mamootty Hits Out
even Journalists!!!" I strongly disagree about your article which
you have published on your Kerala monitor with a caption of "Mamootty
Hits Out even Journalists!!!" being a malayalee Am proud to have
a good actor like Mamooty in Malayalam film industry , and moreover no
other malayalam actor has got this kind of salutory welcome from any where
in the world, may be you refered as advertisment purposes, but being a
malayali you should be proud of it, Am also witnessed this event on 25-11-2005
at 430 pm UAE time at al mumzar park, and the crowd which made the whole
function a miserable due to unprofessional way of handling by the organizers,
in middle of huge crowds how a single person can give interview and stand
for photo session, but the love and affection which showed by the MALAYALEES
can be realized only on the spot, not by article published M. May some
actors they spend from their pocket to show the world about his presence
in film industry for 25 years -KM
Message Board Sign
KM Guest Book
KM Reply to the Mammootty Fan!
There is no doubt that Mamootty is a great
actor and people are crazy when they see the real hero alive amidst them.
The reel life projects a larger than life image, which prompted the ordinary
folks to gather around the star. There must be some reason for the entire
print media to boycott such an event. Compare the Hit Parade Event with
the Meet the Press programme organised by the Indian Media Forum with
Comedian Jagathi Sreekumar, who has acted in more than 1000 movies. Despite
his equally strong status as a super comedian, he had a patient hearing
of all the reasonable as well as not so comfortable questions from the
media. He just mingled with the press in a very cordial atmosphere. Even
journalists who wanted to grill him on some controversies remained silent
because they did not want to embarass a well behaved star. For some ,
Jagathy may not be a star with equal status, but for journalists there
is no much difference between the two! If a star like Mamootty tries to
dictate terms in a press conference and says in the cinema style that
no questions should be raised, then he must be living in a fools paradise!
Journalists working under him may devote half an hour to project their
boss. The channel that he heads has praised him for obvious reasons. With
all due respect to the talented artist, not all journalists will stoop
down to that level...Even if the superstar irritates the organisers by
demanding the latest model Swiss model watch that costs a fortune...
USA
Condemns U.A.E. Arrest of Gays -4
Indians, 7 Pakistanis released from Iraq jail -
Police
who shot Brazilian on Tube 'to escape charges' -Cheney
accused on prisoner abuse -Kerala
Gives Land to Air India -Mild
Tremor in Kolkatta
Fujiarah Media Landscape to Counter Dubai
Media City
November 29, 2005 Under the patronage of
H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council
and Ruler of Fujairah, Fujairah Media, a major media initiative whose
offerings include ownership and operation of Television Channels, Radio
Stations and Newspapers in addition to Media Services, which will include
"Creative City", an innovations cluster that will attract local,
regional & international professionals and companies to set up operations
& facilitate creative offerings, was launched today (Tuesday November
29, 2005). Full Report and More News
Iraq: Rights groups urge fairness in Saddam
trial
BAGHDAD, 29 November (IRIN) - Deposed
Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and his co-defendants, whose trials in
Iraqi law courts have recently resumed, must be guaranteed a fair trial
and respect for their civil liberties, say rights groups."Saddam
has to be tried," said Nicole Choeiry, spokeswoman for human-rights
watchdog Amnesty International. "But in the meantime, he and all
other prisoners should have their human rights respected while in prison
and have the right to meet with lawyers to ensure due process."Full
Report
Biju Abels Story Creates Sensation
One More Lady Escapes from Dubai Sex Gangsters
Custody
 DUBAI
– One more Malayali girl has escaped from a prostitution ring in
Dubai one and half years after she was trapped in the racket run by a
Malayali couple. The young lady was brought to Dubai via Muscat from the
Coimbatore Airport, offering a housemaid job in an Arab family. The sex
racket agents have sold the girl to another agent for Dhs.6,000 (Equivalent
of Rs.75,000). The lady was taken directly from the airport to a flat
in where six other young ladies and four men were present. The same day
landed in the room, they forced her to do serve customers using condom.
The sex racket in a Diera flat was run by an Indian lady, whose goons
used to physically assault the inmates. This is the latest in a series
of sex slavery cases involving Keralite woman who are trafficked in large
numbers through a Gulf wide network of agents and sub agents who trade
the ladies.Full Report and More NewsBiased Special Prosecutor Kicked Out of
Ice Cream Sex Scandala Case
Pak
hand in Kutty's killing: Narayanan ..Not US? Accident
victim in Oman needs help -Self-help groups help Kerala Left shed jitters
--Kerala
boy launches web conferencing service -Kerala challenges Coca-Cola's bottling
operations -
Kerala's Technopark second phase declared special economic zone --Kerala
families jittery -India,
China begin joint naval exercise off Kerala coast -Why
do so many women think rape is a woman's fault? Book
Claims Arabs were first to reach the Far East -
Lavish lifestyles push life in crime -Western
Fleet officers of Indian Navy in Oman -UAE
to restrict contracts of unskilled expatriate labour -Qatar
Airways scoops five travel awards in London -Venezuela:
Evidence of US involvement in bombing -
Indonesian extremists receive cash from
Middle East through Couriers
Individuals in the Middle East and Asia
sent couriers to ferry thousands of dollars in cash to extremist Islamic
groups in Indonesia, a top intelligence official was quoted by the Jakarta
Post as saying in a report.
from Forbes Magazine
Many Indian Nurses Duped by Recruiting
Agents
 LONDON
- Despite Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) tough regulations to prevent
exploitation of overseas nurses by unscrupulous employers and recruiting
agents, hundreds of Indian nurses in London, Manchester and other major
British cities have been living in appalling conditions to survive with
meager earnings.Most of these qualified and highly skilled nurses are
working as cleaners and care assistants in private care homes in the city
and suburbs on hourly wages to meet their daily expenses. Some of them
are working more than 14 hours every day. Most of them were earlier working
with various specialty and super specialty departments of major hospitals
in the Gulf countries and in India. Reports Anazuddin Aziz (Pravasilokam,
Kairali TV) for Khaleej Times from London. Full
ReportKerala Nurses Recruitment Racket Report
from Deepika
LONDON A recruitment agency, operating
from Manchester, has allegedly duped thousands of pounds from a Kerala
nurse by offering placement for nursing adaptation programme, food and
accommodation, Deepika Online edition reported recently.
The report datelined Kannur said that Mr M A Antony of Sharon Care and Support Ltd of England offered Mrs Aruna placement for nursing adaptation programme at the Valley Nursing Home. The report said that the couple paid £2,500 as recruiting fees and £3,000 for the adaptation programme at Sharon Consulting Ltd's Kottayam branch before leaving for the UK. They also had to pay an additional Rs22, 000 for the air ticket to the UK. Mrs Aruna arrived in the UK on 8th August 2005. As per the contract Mrs Aruna is supposed to receive training, food and accommodation and should have started her job in November but the agency has not kept to their word. Mr Ashokan has alleged that the agency has cheated and dumped his wife in the UK. Mr Ashokan has already sent a petition to the Kannur district collector. Vandana Shiva Says World Wide Web More
Democratic
Mmillions of people are turning away from
the traditional sources of news and information and to the world wide
web, convinced that mainstream journalism is the voice of rampant power.
The great scandal of Iraq has accelerated this. In the United States,
several senior broadcasters have confessed that had they challenged and
exposed the lies told about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, instead
of amplifying and justifying them, the invasion might not have happened.
Blair-Liar : Families of Killed Soldiers
Agitated
The families of soldiers killed in Iraq
have called on the High Court to support their fight for a public inquiry
into whether Tony Blair took the country to war "based on a series
of lies", reported the Indepdent. "All I want is for the Prime
Minister to tell the truth about the war," said Rose Gentle, whose
son Gordon, 19, of the Royal Highland Fusiliers was killed in June last
year. In a statement to the court, Mrs Gentle, who is the first of six
named applicants, added, if there was no legal basis for the war, "my
son should never have been sent to Iraq and would still be alive today"
said a special story by Terri Judd of the Independent Read
the Full Story
Qatar
shock at al-Jazeera bombing report -Al
Jazeera Journalists Widow May Sue US -India
tourism promotion begins in Bahrain- EU
urges Arabs to denounce Iran President at summit- Oman
to maintain Peaceful Relation with Israel- Nepali
Woman in Salalah Jail for Complainint about Rape by her Omani Employer
-Oman police
free Nepali woman -Former
Diplomat in Oman Face visa fraud Charges in Switzerland -Gulf
Air Launches Electronic Video Newsletter -Tokyo
Commodity Exchange to tie up with Bahrain -Egyptian
Rights groups question antiterror campaign -Oman
Air breaks new ground in Middle East e-ticketing -University
Rape case collapses over consent Thatcher
'threatened to nuke Argentina' Bush
Wanted to Bomb Al Jazeera -Law
Chief Gags The Mirror On Bush Leak
|
And the Winner is ... Alukkas ...Right?
Alukkas, THE One, Jennyfer and BurJuman among winners
The President presenting the Padma Shri Award – 2006 to Ms. Sucheta Dalal, a well-known business journalist, in New Delhi on March 20, 2006. She has been identified with investigative journalism -- starting with the multicrore stock market scam involving Harshad S.Mehta. Congratulations Suchetha... Dear Readers..This is just to inform you that we will try to keep the website updated regularly. However we would like you to keep coming back to the site, even if there is a delay in updation. You can always expect fresh stories of interest to the Keralite community - editor Suryanelli case: Kurien asked to appear before trial court - British Ministers New Warning on Rape-Defamation Suit against Gulf News reporters thrown out Aid and famine, UAE paper -UAE stock markets: Year ends on positive ground -Saudi Arabia: Voters Call Process 'Public Relations' Campaign After Municipal Council Members Nominate Municipal Heads India parliament probes 'bribes'
Airport Users Fee Withdrawal Welcomed -Batelco Slashes Broadband -
Khalifa amends UAE penal code-Parliamentary committee retracts report on Kuwait''s northern oilfields Education conference on combat of terrorism kicks off in Kuwait -Kerala celebrates Christmas -Pakistan: Qatar red crescent launches course on psychiatric methods-Achuthanandan would be thrown out of CPI-M: MVR Kerala expects bumper liquor sales this Christmas Heroin worth Rs 40 lakh seized at Kerala capital -UAE and Oman in tie-up with Kerala govt recruiting agency-THE year that was in Bahrain - retrospective-Five Arabs held for swindling seniors at ATMs- British Sex Crimes Policeman Arrested for Rape- Outrage after police attack dating couples-Saudi Arabia to spend $17 billion on war planes E-Tickets for All Superfast Trains E-Ticketing scheme has now been extended on all Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Janshatabdi Express and all other super fast trains from 1st January, 2006. The scheme was launched initially on two New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi Express trains on 12.8.2005, which was further extended to certain Rajdhani/Shatabdi Express trains from 05.11.2005. In E-ticketing scheme there is no physical ticket. Passengers get their reservations booked through Internet while sitting at home and occupy their reserved seats on the basis of computer-generated slip taken out from their own computer alongwith the Identity Card. This saves them from the botheration of going to reservation centres for booking the ticket or delivery of physical ticket as is done in case of Internet booking. In addition, the booking for E-ticketing is open upto the chart preparation time while Internet ticket booking stops 2 to 3 days in advance of train departure.
Bin Suleyman Meets Srilankan Minister KM Webring-More Recent Reports 2005 June 2005 Photographs and Links from Recent Months-Main Archives Link More News and Pictures -KM News More Recent News Links. Lebanon News- Gulf News Sources - More Recent News
It was Khaleej Times Editor Prem Chandran who has made it a lively topic in the UAE. When most of the newspapers tried to confine the story to a corner of their inside pages, the senior journalist who himself has experienced many court cases and trips to police stations has decided to put the story filed by Riyas Babu on the front page of the paper. The bold man believes that the leading newspaper in the region knows the media business better. May be other editors eyes may bling while dealing with an yellow metal story, he kept his eyes and ears open to the cries of a fellow journalist..that also from his own home state. More KM
News More BBC
Worldwide reaches the Middle East on three major platforms -A
new role for religion in the Middle East
Dubai Holding announces creation of Tatweerr
Executive Chairman of Dubai Holding, Mohammad Al Gergawi, Sabah al-Mukhtar, president of the British Arab Lawyers Association, talks about Saddam's trial and the holocaust. A real insider's look at the Middle East. And the Winner is...click image
Bush under fire for spying on citizens -Powell: U.S. Will Stay in Iraq for Years Petrodollar Warfare: Dollars, Euros and the Upcoming Iranian Oil Bourse -Pakistan to stand by Iran in case of US aggression: Kasuri -US, Europe step up planning on Iran-Assassination attempt on Iran's Ahmadinejad? Dubai a Major overseas market for Indian films Yash Chopra Protest-march for newspaper wageboard
1.1 million US adults illiterate in English 717 Illegal Pakistanis Travel in One Boat!! One boat carried as many as 716 Pakistanis who were arrested and deported by the Omani government They traveled in boat Al-Mohammadi 2, packed like sardines. Most of them were sick, which were provided food and clothes by the Ansar Burney Trust on their arrival. The vessel, Al-Mohammadi-2, brought 716 Pakistanis, says a report from Pakistan. On boat, a boy, aged 12, and a senior citizen, 80, were also present who were arrested by the Oman government for illegally entering into the country. Full Report from the Muslim News Teaching a Journalistic lesson !!! There seems to be a broader conspiracy to trap journalist who reported some of the sensational stories related to Kerla, part of which appeared on this website. KM has been one of the rare alternative medium through which readers in the Gulf were kept updated about some of the sensational issues that rocked the state politics a few months back. At a time when the dust has just settled down about these cases, journalists who reported the stories are being targetted now. KM has been an irritant as we fearlessly reported stories from India. Some people are going ahead with a vengence to teach such scribes a lesson. Finish them off ..and wipe out seems to be mission. The campaign has the covert blessing of some pen pushers too. New charges are fabricated against these scribes Even the support of the giant industry associations is sought to eliminate such elements Abdul Naser Madani has been stranded in the Coimbatore jail for several years, ever since he was arrested just a day before he was to start a joint agitation with Ajitha, the lady who brought the issue of a famous sex scandal to the public discussion forum. From the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream Parlour case to the Kiliroor sex scandal, the same saga continues. Those who have money and political influence get away with any crimes. Nobody knows when Madani will be released from Combatore prison...Will you just shut up scribes, activists or be prepared for the jail... The Week about Kerala Sex Scandals Employer, Arab Sponsor Bash Up Sunil
Sunil who has been working with an IT company of a Malayali has accused that he was beaten up when he approached the UAE labour office for making a complaint, his Arab sponsor who happened to be working in the Labour Department, called him to a seperate room and manhandled. A report in the Emirates Evening Post said the man was bashed up, but the sponsor an official denied it. The company accused him of not depositing the money collected from various customers. Six other employees of the Malayali company have been sacked. International Journalist Association Condemns -Gulf News reporter detained at airport Future Chief Ministerial Couple Raising Money through Gifts, Donations...!!! A senior Congress politician in Dubai has accused that two leading left politicians from Kerala are engaged in a fund raising spree. According to him, one politician who is projecting himself as the next chief minister is raising money in cash and kind from the well wishers...and.. .While the party's development seminars and discussions are in progress in Kerala, what is the red brigade doing in the commercial capital of the Gulf... While celebrities like Mamootty can demand special brand of wrist watches from the organisers, the comrade couple is more interested in jewllery and business. While the comrade keeps coming back to the Gulf in one pretext or the other, only poor V.S.Achuthananthan is an outcaste. A fatwa was declared against him ..While the Congress leader's allegations are strong many Congress leaders too are in the city. with R B Pillai, and others in town.. wait and watch to see the next visitor .Watch this space. Latin America tuns Left, Kerala Go Right ! Read More Current Chief Minister Confused It is nothing compared to Karunakaran.. (Click) Best Dubai Municipality Employee!
CPM Leader's Brother in Visa Racket!!! Belhasa Driving Center to highlight the issue of road safety Malayali Dies in Bur Dubai from Pesticides Nawaz, a 29 years old Bakery worker has died following suspected poisoning from pesticides that was used a day before to kill bugs. Sharing the room with other Rajasthani workers, he came back from job and slept, without knowing that the room was pest controlled. He was admitted to a city hospital after suffering suffocation and declared dead in the hospital. The sharing bachelor accommodation is in Bur Dubai. Watch this Golden Beauty
Arabian Ranches: Two Indian Workers Die from Toxic Gas Two more Indians from Andhra Pradesh have died following toxic gas inhallation when they entered the waste tanks near Arabian Ranches, a prestigious property of a leading company in Dubai. Srinivas and Ganesh, two deceased workers entered the sewage hole without gas mask. The deaths resulted from the lack of sufficient safety measures by the construction companies which employed the workers. HIV infected couple marry in Kerala -Injazat Capital launches US$ 100 million Shari'a-compliant healthcare fund - More Stories Click Here - JORDAN: Teenagers given airtime to speak out on AIDS and violence AMMAN, 4 December (IRIN) - Jordanian adolescents have been given the chance to speak on local and satellite television channels about critical issues, related to World AIDS Day and ahead of International Children's Day of Broadcasting.Some 25 young people, aged 12 to 17, have been working with UNICEF, in cooperation with the Jordanian government, to produce and broadcast a series of television programmes aimed at young audiences. Full Report and More News Another medical college in Kerala Ford Could Close 5 Plants, Report Says- Efforts on for release of Indian held in Iraq -: Call for alert on workers·security -Dubai Imports 540 Tonnes of gold in 2005-Scope of Overseas Citizenship Indian Scheme Expanded -Exmar-Varun-IOC consortium wins Petronet deal -Best Affirms Qatar General Ratings -China Gas Plans Oman Oil JV, Secures LNG Supply-Iran, LG, Oman to make $200m petrochemical joint venture -Kerala BJP leader Pillai withdraws resignation -Skyscraper that may cause earthquakes
KM Mates Injured Cafeteria Worker Admitted to Kuwait Hospital - Failed Suicide Attempt More Read the Story Behind the Stories "We will Publish Everything That Supports America" Nearly $1,500 was paid to the independent Addustour newspaper to run an Aug. 2 article titled "More Money Goes to Iraq's Development.". The newspaper's editor, Bassem Sheikh, said he had "no idea" where the piece came from but added the note "media services" on top of the article to distinguish it from other editorial content. "We publish anything," he said. "The paper's policy is to publish everything, especially if it praises causes we believe in. We are pro-American. Everything that supports America we will publish." Employees at Al Mada said that a low-key man arrived at the newspaper's offices in downtown Baghdad on July 30 with a large wad of U.S. dollars. He told the editors that he wanted to publish an article titled "Terrorists Attack Sunni Volunteers" in the newspaper, the Los Angels Times report revealed. Riots over jobs hit Bahrain -Syrian spy implicates Hariri's son -Workers in Dubai struggle to get paid -Gay Arabs face hormone treatment -Dawood on Washington radar, FBI and Drug Enforcement probe on: US magazine -NRI views sought for Kerala growth Channel War Intensifies! Biju Abel of Asianet TV Scores Over Rivals with an Exclusive Story of the Keralite Lady Trapped by Traffickers, Rivals Allege the story was done hurriedly... The sensational interview was first aired by none other than Biju Abel Jacob, the star TV journalist who has done a commendable job in doing such stories. This is not the first time and probably not the last time that the young journalist is creating sensation. The interview with the escaped lady should be an eye opener to the state governmetn and Indian missions in the region. The story proves that the journalists enthusiasm for professional journalism is not dampened by the honey moon mood. In visual media channels have to compete with each other to telecast a story a few seconds ahead of others. Gulf Round Up Programme is definitely ahead of other Gulf programmes aired by the mushrooming number of Kerala channels...but in the mad race to come first, journalists should not miss their other commitments! Nobody will say that this young man does not know what he does carefully! Social Worker Says Criminals Involved in the case Could Escape A social worker who has been actively involved in exposing prostitution rackets says he is unhappy about the hurried manner in which the story was telecast by one channel. "Conducting further raids was difficult because the gang has chance to shif the ladies to other locations. I am very much disturbed by this," he says. Dubai Police is very efficient and can trace the criminals, but the leakage of the story could help the criminals escape from easily, he added. Amrutha TV Just Missed out !!! Joy Mathew, the Gulf correspondent of Amrutha TV has just missed the story because he wanted to do it with a bit more caution without giving the criminals involved in the case a chance to escape. The low profile journalist seems to be trying to set some new standard in visual media reporting. The man who was credited with the first story about the Ice Cream Sex Scandal in Surya TV could once again create a new sensation by airing the story before rival channels. KM learns that Amrutha TV was ready to air the Special Interview with the escaped lady from the sex racket. However, Amrutha seems to have followed a more cautious approach so that the other girls trapped in the same gang could also escape from their illegal detention. The gang who saw the channel news hurriedly shifted them to new location... . The journalists who follow a tight rope walk try to keep a decent balance between his commitment to the source and society at large. In the mad race for competition, channels cant afford to wait and watch ...The billion dollar question is whether to report such stories should be taken in a competitive spirit alone.. There is no dearth of such stories in the Gulf region and the media watchdogs can see more such explosive exclusives coming from different channels.... Remember the difference made by Indiavision by airing the sensational Rejina interview a few minutes ahead of others.....but Dubai Police too is watching.. Earthquake alert in UAE My Wife has been Missing for Seven Days: Says Desperate Husband DUBAI – An expatriate man has been frantically trying to locate his wife who has been missing for the last five days. Prince, an Indian expatriate from Trivandrum, Kerala, says a few days ago he received a desperate call from his wife, a housemaid, saying that she is in jail. She has been working in Al Ain as housemaid. “I am worried about her health because she suffers from epilepsy. I am unable to contact her and she needs to take medication regular,” says Prince who is here on visit visa. “She suffers from epilepsy and needs to take medicine regularly. If she cannot take tablets she will suffer from epilepsy attack,” he added -Full Report and More News ---Syria accuses US of launching lethal raids over its borders - ETA Star to be the official supporters of 'Leaders in Dubai' -U.S. airmen in Qatar, Colorado get hitched via teleconference -Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa 6-year-old girl killed in ritual The gruesome murder of a six-year-old girl in a remote village in Gulbarga district has brought to fore the bizarre practice of Bhanamati, a form of black magic that involves rituals performed with bones and dismembered parts of the victim? body. Full Report KMCC Dubai to Celebrate UAE National Day
KMCC the largest Malayali community association in the UAE will celebrate the 34th UAE national day in a grand scale. The overseas wing of the Muslim League will spend Dhs.70,000 for a ghala programme in which prominent League leaders from Kerala will participate. KMCC Dubai with a membership of more than 10,000 is organising special cultural programmes on December 2, the UAE National Day.. Watch this space. Murdoch sees gloom for newspapers, Boom for Internet The media magnate Rupert Murdoch predicted a gloomy future for newspapers, which he said are failing to adapt to the realities of the Internet More India Talks with China, CIS for Energy Tie Up Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas held here today wide-ranging bilateral discussions with the heads of delegations from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, China and Turkmenistan. These leaders along with members of their delegations are in New Delhi in connection with the Ministerial Round Table on Cooperation between North and Central Asian Producers and Principal Asian Consumers regarding Stability, Security and Sustainability in the Asian Hydrocarbons Economy held here yesterday. Full Story I'll go to jail to print the truth about Bush and al-Jazeera -Beyond That Memo: Bush Wanted al-Jazeera Gone Goa Apt Venue for IFFI: Devanand Goa is the most appropriate place for International Film Festival of India (IFFI), says the evergreen star of Hindi Cinema Dev Anand. Addressing a press conference at IFFI-2005 in Panaji this evening, the chief guest of IFFI-2005, Shri Dev Anand said that to bring it at par with the Cannes, Venice or Berlin festivals a lot of effort is required. He urged the mediapersons to impress upon the Government in this regard. Speaking about his latest film ‘Mr. Prime Minister’, Shri Dev Anand said that the film was inspired by the hung Parliament situation in 2001. This film is not against any political party but is a political satire. All my films have had a theme and the same is true of ‘Mr. Prime Minister’ also which captures the contemporary political environment, he added. US Worried about India-Pak-Iran Pipeline!!! The United States has been opposing the Iran-India Pakistan naturl gas pipeline project in part because it believes the pipeline will bolster Iran. Washington has fundamental disagreements with Tehran on several issues, particularly on its nuclear policies. To help persuade India to suspend pipeline negotiations, the Bush administration has proposed supplying India with new nuclear reactors. But the proposal is running into opposition among key legislators on Capitol Hill. The proposed 2,600-kilometer gas pipeline estimated - to cost $7.6 billion -- will carry natural gas from fields in Iran, through Pakistan, to India. Energy experts in the region proposed the pipeline a decade ago, but strained relations between India and Pakistan prevented negotiations. Now, with the current thaw in India/Pakistan relations, the pipeline proposal has gained new momentum, read more from the Voice of America, the voice of American Administration...Full Report India, Pakistan, Iran to Launch Negotiations on Natural Gas Pipeline Political development should not derail pipeline project Kutty cremated with honours, India says efforts were made to save him -Hostage’s body found in Afghanistan Amiri Role Model for Jama at Islamia -Watch
Friends Help Iran Win Nuclear Match Crime - Level Three sex offender charged with killing girlfriend in New Paltz - Judge 'dreadfully wrong' over rape ruling as Drunken Consent for sex is still Consent -Families go to court to demand public inquiry on Iraq war -Kerala firm on launching new airline -The US used chemical weapons in Iraq - and then lied about it, Read the Special Story from the Guardian CNN seeks to show '360 degree view' of the Middle East - Channel rejects stigma of bias and being U.s. mouthpiece-US Officials Talk of Regime Change in Syria by Force!! Iran - a threat to the petrodollar?- GM parts supplier Delphi plans to axe 24,000 jobs: reduce hourly wage from $27 to $9; pay managers bonuses worth $90m -Oman Impressed with Non Aligned News Network Plan -Rights groups concerned over anti-terror draft laws in Jordan Kingfisher Airlines selects the ATR 72-500
has been selected by Kingfisher Airlines to provide 20 firm ATR 72-500 aircraft, plus an option for 15 additional aircraft. This was announced on the occasion of a joint press conference held today in Dubai between ATR and India’s first Full Service True Value carrier, Kingfisher Airlines.The value of the contract, excluding options, is US $350M. Full Story and More News 701 Illegal Pakistanis Deported from Oman A group of 701 Pakistanis, who were arrested for illegal stay in Oman, were deported on Saturday, a rights group said. These Pakistanis were in a pathetic condition even they do not have proper cloths and shoes when they arrived at Karachi port, Ansar Burney Welfare Trust said. Six deportees were in very bad condition whom were urgently provided medical aid for. An old deportee disclosed that he wanted to go abroad to get good job so that he could make arrangement for the wedding of his daughters. He said that the agent promised to send him to Dubai via Muscat but he did not know that the agent was fake and did not fulfill his promises. An official at the Trust Sarim Burney regretted that nothing solid had been done at the government level to stop such human smuggling. That's why this heinous crime is worsening every day, he added. Dubai 2005 Airshow Tally off to US $10 bn start
Emirates Express Golden Ride Raffle Kovalam Hotel Controversy Back in Media Kovalam, which is already notorious for the growing flesh trade is back in the lime light as the new owner of the Kovalam Palace Hotel, has made fresh claims on properties surrounding the hotel building. As the Muscat based NRK group has just "traded" the deal to another leading hotelier, the murky deals surrounding Kovalam continue to baffle ordinary citizens. Now it is the Leela Group which is engaged in new Leela vilasangal with Kovalam Palace.. Read More CPI-M to protest against Smart City project Journalists Vs Businessmen story in Weblokam.com
KM In News for Good Reasons..Dawood-Miandad Match at Grand Hyatt Dubai -Recent KM News Indian Embassy Staff Complain of Unfair Practice ABU DHABI — Indian workers from the Gulf region often look forward to the Indian embassies for help and moral support during periods of crisis. In recent periods, a number of labour unrest incidents have been reported from various Gulf countries including the UAE, where a vibrant local media plays up such sensational stories. ... As the majority of construction workers hail from India, the Indian embassies are always crowded with such people in distress. In many labour cases, the Indian recruiting agents or labour supply companies are culprits. But what will happen to the labourers when the embassy employees themselves complain about unfair labour treatment in the Indian mission! Full report and More News Low Cost Computers Launched in India -Late amendments to constitution woo Sunni support Malayalam Superstars Fail in Dubai Ventures? Pakistan Children Need More Medical Help
Ramadan Ritual: Fast Daily, Pray, Head to the Mall By HASSAN M. FATTAH The decorations are hanging, the cash registers are clanging, and the air of holiday cheer is everywhere. For a holy month, Ramadan is not what it used to be. Once an ascetic month of fasting, prayer and reflection on God, Ramadan has gradually taken on the commercial trappings of Christmas and Hanukkah, from the hanging lights that festoon windows to the Ramadan greeting cards and Ramadan sales and advertising campaigns that have become the backbone of commerce for the month. Marketers and businesses have caught on to the potential of 1.3 billion, reported the New York Times Full Story and More North-East monsoon arrives in Kerala- Kerala Red amusement park project delayed Woman stabs fiancé to death with bread knife Dubai Journalists Win.. not guilty of libelling municipality -Gulf News Report about the Prayer Timing in Shopping Malls More News from Pakistan -Saddam may never come to trial: warning -Quake Hits Region Where Osama Bin Laden May Be Hiding, but No Evidence He's Been Hurt or Killed Bill Clinton Sold US Troops for a Donation to Clinton Library WASHINGTON - In a bombshell interview, former FBI chief Louis Freeh charges that President Bill Clinton had a faulty "moral compass" and sold out U.S. troops killed in a 1996 Saudi bombing - in exchange for cash for the Clinton library. "The problem was with Bill Clinton - the scandals and the rumored scandals, the incubating ones and the dying ones, never ended," Freeh says in an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes." Read More from the New York Post Pakistanis Rush home to Retrieve Missing Relatives DUBAI - As the death toll from the devastating earthquake that destroyed part of Kashmir is mounting, Pakistani expatriates are getting sad news about the death of near and dear ones. In Diera alone many Pakistani expatriates have already left to join in the search for the near and dear ones who may be buried in the debris. Expatriates have also lost valuable property and buildings, which they have built using their earnings. Six workers of Al Zahra Walandaleep Restaurant, a Pakistani restaurant near Diera taxi stand are sad because each one of them have lost at least two to three members of their family. Full Report and More News Raja Al Gurg encourages Arab women to realise their full potential More
MI5 unmasks covert arms programmes Document names 300 organisations inlcuding UAE Front Companies seeking nuclear and WMD technology Massive Earthquake in North India..More than 100 Killed in Kashmir Free Iftar in Abu Dhabi Express Bus Keralite Workers jailed in Kuwait About 24 Malayali workers are lock-up in Kuwait following their agitation surrounding the suicide of a worker at their labour camp. The twenty-four Indian workers employed with a well-known local company and arrested for allegedly taking part in a protest involving the death of a worker continue to languish in jail as tension continues to reign supreme at the workers camp in Mina Abdullah, reported Arab Times . "This comes on the heels of the death of an Indian worker Shakoor on Friday, who allegedly died due to the negligence on the part of a supervisor, who turned down his fervent appeals that he be taken to the hospital. The workers said Shakoor's death has cast a gloom on the camp given the fact that Shakoor was popular among the Indian workers," it said. Full Report and More News 600 Workers Strike Work for Non Payment of Salary About six hundred employees of a concrete making company have been striking work for non payment of salary. According to workers, they are not paid salary for four to five months. Kerala Muslim Cultural Comrades Offer Five Prayers..Deny Same Prayer Time for Employees!!!! DUBAI – Offering five formal prayers a day is part of a Muslim’s routine life and most people observer it. However, many small traders, cafeterias, restaurants and trading establishments in the city dont give enough facilities for prayers or permission to perform this basic right by offering a prayer break. While non-Muslims are spared from this problem, some employees are feeling strongly against the denial of prayer timings break Full Report and More News Embarrassing Advances Disturb Family? Eve teasers are causing embarrassment to families who reside in parts of the city and those who come out to spend their weekend in a public park in Diera. A few days back, a Philippine family of four was passing through the Diera Park area when an Asian expatriate passed lewd comments that resulted in a fight. On seeing the young lady who was moving with her male companion in jeans and tea shirt, the Pakistani expatriate mistook her for a call girl and asked “How Much?”, embarrassing the lady and other members of the family. More Saad Hariri says Lahoud has no legitimacy Kuwaitis Easing Hostility Toward Israel Dubai TV accused of violating copyright Iraq minister renews attack on Saudi Arabia Iraq revives Sunni-Shi'ite tensions among neighbours Conspiracy to Intensify Shiah Sunni Conflict in Gulf countries Al-Qaeda cleric exposed as an MI5 double agent 'Worse things took place at Abu Ghraib' RSF Ramadan Appeals for Release of Journalists Detained by US Military Public Service Training Institute Goes High Tech Indian Portal on Networking Premier Training Institutes is inaugurated by Shri B. K. Chaturvedi, Cabinet Secretary, here today. This is a website specifically developed as a portal for the 21 Training Institutes of the country that will function as the virtual regional chapter of Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management(CAPAM).Full Report and More News Dubai Eye Radio boss departs in Protest!! Tamil Workers Protest in front of Indian Consulate
More about the Labour Problems Prince Alwaleed bin Talal main speaker in the ‘Arab & World Media Kerala Poice killed Udaya Kumar for money Clearing the Baffles for 911 Conspiracy By Wayne Madsen Top officials of the George W. Bush and, to a lesser extent, the Clinton administration, stymied a number of coordinated intelligence and law enforcement activities that could have prevented both the 911 attacks and the attack, eleven months before, on the USS Cole. These subscribers and ardent supporters of the Project for a New American Century's (PNAC) blueprint for U.S. global domination interfered with covert projects by the CIA, FBI, Defense Intelligence Agency, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Treasury Department, and National Security Agency (NSA) that could have exposed an international organized criminal cartel that included the 911 hijackers, arms and drug traffickers, and Mafia financiers. According to a number of former CIA, FBI, and DIA officers, the one glaring missing link in the 911 attacks and the USS Cole bombing is the lack of provable involvement by organized Islamist fundamentalists, including the generic bogeyman consistently cited by the PNAC supporters: "Al Qaeda." Full Report and More News Sex Satellite Channels Banned in India The Government has prohibited the transmission or re-transmission of the satellite channel ‘Free X-TV’ in the country for telecasting programmes that are against good taste or decency and are likely to adversely affect public morality. An order prohibiting transmission/re-transmission of the above television channel has been issued and has been forwarded to India Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and all Cable Operators and MSOs. The order has also been sent to all the Chief Secretaries, Director-Generals of Police of all States and Union Territories and also to District Magistrates of all Districts of all States and Union Territories, who are ‘authorized officers’ to implement this decision as per the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. It had come to the notice of the Central Government that some cable operators in the country through their Cable Television Networks are transmitting/re-transmitting this channel. African Girl Was Raped The three and half years old Senagalese girl who went missing from Naif area appears to have been raped. The body marks on the tender girl clearly indicates that she was brutally raped, said sources. African Girl Found Dead in Dubai
Maboob Mammy, the three years old Senagalese girl who was missing from Naif, a notorious part of the city for prostitution and sex trafficking, was found dead on Diera beach. Dubai Police have recovered the decomposed body on Tuesday. According to reports, the body bore injuries and police investigation is continuing. Meanwhile the whereabouts of Smitha still remains mysterious. Various Indian Associations and organisations, which have been busy with their Onam feast seems to have no interest at all in the case as Smitha's poor parents dont have any one to lobby here. Compare the eagerness shown by the so called Indian Associations and the Welfare Committees to make public appeals and fund raising campaigns to bail out the relative of Chief Minister Omman Chandy..Read More US waives sanctions on Saudis over religious rights US forces 'out of control': Reuters chief Reuters has told the US government that American forces' conduct towards journalists in Iraq is "spiralling out of control" and preventing full coverage of the war reaching the public. The detention and accidental shootings of journalists is limiting how journalists can operate, wrote David Schlesinger, the Reuters global managing editor, in a letter to Senator John Warner, head of the armed services committee, said a report in the Guardian. Many professional journalists have been killed, wrongfully detained, and/or illegally abused by US forces in Iraq, the report said. At least 66 journalists and media workers, most of them Iraqis, have been killed in the country since March 2003. Read the Full Report Gulf Air Strategic Plans for Abu Dhabi Withdrawal Manama, Bahrain: Gulf Air has announced that the process to ensure the smooth withdrawal of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi over the next six months has commenced. . Over the next 90 days, the team will deliver an enhanced strategic plan having fully reviewed the company’s organisational structure and route network. Full Report and More News Large Indian presence in Middle East IT show - Story of Mysterious Serial Killing in Indian Family Sharjah- Murder Suspect Was Catching Woman's Hair -My son could not have killed his family’ LDF Sweeps Kerala Local Polls A fitting reply to the anti people approach of the UDF Government headed by Ommen Chandy, the literate electorate of the state have unleashed their fury by defeating many of the UDF candidates in the local body polls. All the five corporations have been bagged by the LDF. Among the 53 municipalities, the LDF is heading for a clear victory in 33 while the UDF is leading in 13 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in one. It is a continuation of the political cycle in the state where the ruling parties often change after every major elections. The local poll result is an indication of the prevailing political move in the state, especially the weak position of the ruling coalition, which is plagued by fractionalism and corruption. In the two-phased polls for the three-tier local bodies that closed Monday, 70,277 candidates vied for 20,443 seats. Close to 60 percent of the 23 million electorate cast their votes. LDF Sweeps Local Body Polls in Kerala -L&T bags Rs 165 cr Oman order Saudi Answer to DIC - High Tech City
Indiavision, Jeevan and Amrutha TV Stop Working? Three TV channels have stopped functioning in Kerala and now there are only Dooradarshan, Asianet, Kairali TV..This is the impression that one who is aware of the media scene in the state would feel after looking the crucial information about the number of television stations in Kerala published, sorry weblished, in the official website of the Kerala Government. Even though the number of television channels in the state has multiplied with the entry of Jeevan TV, India Vision and Amrutha TV ..the Kerala State Government seems to be recognizing only five - e Doordarshan, Two Asianet channels, Soorya and Kairali TV. "There are five channels in the state which telecast Malayalam programmes,"the site says. This Himalayan blunder is not made by any cheap websites, but the official media department, the Public Relations Department of the Government, which is supposed to give accurate information about the state and its progress. Even though one of the channels is headed by M.K.Muneer a Minister himself, the PRD website has yet to recognize it. Paradoxically enough, many of the ministers including the Chief Minister himself appear almost every day in these channels..Iis the PRD department sleeping? Six members of South Indian Family Found Dead in Sharjah 4 Children, Husband, Wife found with their throat slashed Six members of an expatriate family were found dead in an apartment on the fourth floor of Sedar building near the BMW area. According to family sources, a forty years old man from Hydrabad has allegedly committed suicide after killing four young children and his wife. However all the bodies were found with their throat slashed. Unconfirmed reports said the man who worked as an engineer and his entire family of four children and wife were found dead in the apartment. The four children and wife were found dead with their throat slashed. The children - three daughters and one son included a six months old kid too. The 11 years old daughter was a student of Dubai Indian School. Sharjah Police is investigating the case. It was reported last week that a Keralite couple died reportedly due to food poisoning after drinking a special juice. Lebanon urged to combat Human trafficking
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Mohanlal
felicitates MR. Joy Alukkas on the occassion of GMMA (Gulf Malayalam
Music 
I
believes that my works are meant to be understood by every ones invisible
inner intelligence, which lies deep with self and we have he powers
to make contact and create a life of bliss. Elaborating transformation,
she goes on by saying there is something divine that goes through all
things you cannot get hold of it. Little seedling which has tree ness
in it when put into the ground. You cannot see the tree, but you know
it is in there. 
The
launch of a Road Safety Awareness Campaign last week in Dubai in an
effort to reduce escalating road accidents has been hailed as an enormous
success. As a part of the program, a campaign called 'Kids are Safer
Behind' was executed wherein around 100 Dubai Transport taxis were fitted
with child restraint safety seats and have been available at no extra
costs to commuters.In addition to this, the taxi drivers have also been
distributing safety brochures in order to educate and positively influence
parents and guardians, thus aiding them in reducing the number of fatalities
and injuries. 
Forbes
Magazine Special Report about HH Sheikh Mohammed 
As
the fortunes of Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) - DIC(K) seems
to be dwindling in the state politics, Padmaja Venugopal, the one and
only daughter of prominent Congress politician who was groomed by the
master brain of Kerala politics as heir apparent, is trying her luck
in the hotel business in London, said a front page story in Middle East
Chandrika, the leading newspaper published from Dubai. .The sharp and
strongly worded report raised many eye brows as it made new revealations
about the future business plans of the Karunakaran family . After heading
the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) that manages many
prime properties in the most popular tourist destinations in the state,
Padamaja is venturing into a hotel business, the report added. Earlier
Amruta TV aired a similar rreport with some details of the business
plan in association with a Gulf based business tycoon. Padmaja was sudden
to react to the story. After all politics is the biggest business in
India where even elected members and ministers bargain for every questions
raised in the parliament... Kerala too is not different as is evident
now in the SNC - Lavlin case. The Chief Ministerial dreams of Prominent
Communist leader Pinarayi Vijayan is now becoming nightmares.. Padmaja
has not done anything of that sort and was happily living with her grandchild
and daughter . The lady is back in the media, but for a different reason.
She can still become a great politician like her father 
Indukesh
Thrippanachi, Reporter, Gulf Manorama.Formerly with Arabia, he is known
for his sensible literary writing. Malayala. Manaorama has started a
strong Gulf edition with an young team of reporters and journalists.
Indukesh plays an important role in the group. With the Manorama family
growing in Dubai, more youngsters are expected to join the proposed
TV channel. A big office is under preparation in Dubai Media City, the
headquarters of many newspapers and TV Channels.
Advocate
Shamsuddin Karunagapally has been credited with the Malloor Award from
the Pravasi Development Corporation Thiruvananthapuram for his legal
services spanning several years. A familiar name in the media and legal
circles of Dubai where he has taken up many criminal,civil and corporate
cases, Shamsuddin who works with a leading legal firm started his career
from Thiruvananthapuram. Married to Bindu, he studied law from Law Academy,
Thiruvananthapuram he has done many commendable jobs in the last four
years of service in Dubai.
.png)
Fearing
the unknown, Rajan P.Thodiyoor, a film maker from Kerala says he has
sought police protection. The editor of Career Magazine says he has
been threatened by a business partner in Dubai. He has also approached
a leading advocate in the city to fight a case against a group. He claims
that his business partner, who turned hostile following disagreements,
he feels insecure because the other party is able to use muscle power.
The company that he accused of encouraging him to indulge in immoral
activities has been closed down. Is it just a pressure tactics to get
back his pending salary and other claims from the business partner or
is there a serious point in his allegations? Watch
this space.
Kairali Pageantry, which enthralled the hearts and spirits
of art lovers of Gulf region some years ago, is again realizing back to
the expat community of the region in a different style. The programme
called “Seasons” takes you to the realm of the last 50 years
of Kerala – showcasing the aesthetic beauty of its socio-cultural
characteristics, to the history of its yester years, to the depth of nostalgic
feelings. In short, the extravaganza “Seasons” is unique in
its style and conduct. 
Reporters
Without Borders on Tuesday called for the immediate return of the passport
confiscated from a freelance journalist.The passport of VM Sathish was
confiscated by Dubai Police when he was briefly arrested on Dec.13 for
allegedly libelling a jewellery chain by reporting that it ordered its
employees to shave off their beards and moustaches. 
Ajay
Devgan is the latest Bollywood celebrity to visit Dubai. The actor visited
property developer Nakheel’s sales office in December and took part
in a boat trip to The Palm, Jumeirah and The World Islands. Ajay Devgan,
who was visiting Dubai for the first time, expressed his amazement at
the breath taking projects in the Emirate. Earlier last year, Bollywood
superstar Shah Rukh Khan took part in a similar tour.
Biju
Abel Jacob is selected as the best journalist from the Gulf. Pravasilokam
of Kairali TV has been selected as the best Pravasi Programme. While the
CM gets richer by Rs.1 lakh, Yousuf Ali gets Rs.50,000 and Biju gets Rs.25,000.
The awards were selected by a committee chaired by Dr.A.Sukumaran Nair
(Chairman), Konniyoor R.Narendranath and Pala K.M.Mathew. The Society
is building houses for homeless people in all the districts. 
Ifthiar
Ahmed, Abu Dhabi Correspondent of Malayala Manorama has alleged that he
has been assaulted by a group of youngsters at a public function organised
by a leading social organisation. According to the scribe, the alleged
attack was in connection with his remarks in the Middle East Diary programme
aired by Kairali TV...Read more. KM could not contact the organisers to
give their version of the story.. 
In
the recent Thiruvananthapuram byelection campaign through electronic media,
the state Congress highlighted the fact that unlike other political parties,
read Communist Party of India (Marxist), it does not have television channels
worth Rs.200 crores! It was a clear reference to Kairali TV, the CPM mouth
piece. While the CPM or the Pinarayi group within the party has gained
an upper edge over other political parties and even rival factions within
CPM with the help of a peoples channel, the Congress could not make any
similar impact. A senior journalist from Mathrubhoomi has been recruited
by KPCC to head the party channel. Negotiations are on with Mohanlal,
the superstar to make him the chairman of the KPCC channel. Best move
to counter his counterpart Mamootty, who is the titular head of Kairali
channel.While Manorama, the
oldest media house in Kerala, yet dilly dallying about venturing into
television, KPCC is all set to launch the channel. It is the right time
to do so because the party's image is at a rock bottom. Take any controversial
cases that rocked the state politics recently, a Congress leader or its
youth leader is directly or indirectly involved in the scandals. Be it
the sensational Himalaya case in which the senior KPCC leader himself
is implicated, or the Bishop House Attack or the latest ranging case in
a Kottayam Nursing College, a Congress party members name is mentioned
in media reports. It is high time that the KPCC channel is launched to
boost the public image of the party and its leaders. Recently Union Finance
Minister P.Chidambaram has relaunched the KPCC Mouthpiece Veekshanam,
which owed several crores to the public sector banks. The presence of
P.Chidambaram, an ardent advocate of banking reforms and economic liberalization
was also a reflection of the contradictions in what the national leaders
preach and practice... 
KOCHI
- Abdul Nasir Madini, has been imprisoned for eight years without bail
or a fair judicial trial because he was allegedly involved in a bomb
blast.. Arrested in connection with a bomb blast in Coimbatore which
the Tamil Nadu police and the Indian state machinery claim was a terrorist
attack, Madani, a popular religious scholar, orator and political activist
was put behind bars when his ambitious plan to develop a broad alliance
of the minority community and the backward community in India - a deadly
combination of class, caste and religion was gaining popularity in the
state. .. Is it not a shame that such barbarian rule of jungle still
prevails in India, the second largest democracy in the world, where
money power and influence can be liberally used to keep anyone like
Madani behind bars?. The man with aged parents, wife and young kids
is also a citizen of the Democratic Republic of India, with all the
due rights and liberties to defend himself... All over the state people
are sympathetic to the cause of Madani, not because they share his ideology,
but because it is a great injustice.. The forces behind the imprisonment
drama are invisible but visible to those who observe keenly.. 
March
20, 2006 The Institute for International Research (IIR) Middle East
announced today (Monday, March 20, 2006) that The Bride Show Dubai 2006,
the 9th edition of the Middle East? largest and most popular wedding
industry event, will take place under the patronage of Her Highness
Sheikha Manal Bint Mohammad Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai
Ladies Club and Wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Minister of Presidential Affairs.
After
one more taxi driver was stabbed by a thief disguised as passenger in
Dubai cabbies are apprehensive about serving late night customers. The
driver pictured above from Pakistan was virtually taken for a ride when
the Egyptian passenger asked him to hand over a wallet containing about
Dhs 4000. The man stabbed him on his head, chest and arm to usurp the
purse. As the man resisted and shouted, the Egyptian could not get the
money, but absconded. A police hunt is on to track the man.Sarfarash
Hussain, driver of Arabia taxi is the latest victim of attack..Remember
the Malayali driver who was stabbed to death in Sharjah.. . 
March
13, 2006 A high-level US delegation comprising Senators and Representatives
visited Dubai Customs recently, as part of an official visit to the
UAE. The delegation was received by Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Director General,
Dubai Customs, and other senior Dubai Customs officials.Members of the
US delegation included Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson,
and Representatives John Gingrey and John Linden..
A
glimpse of the impending television war in Kerala would be clear from
the fact that the oldest newspaper house in Kerala is planning to take
on all the established news and entertainment channels with a huge investment
and a news gathering infrastructure almost three to four times the existing
capacity of even the market leader. While most of the news and entertainment
channels in Kerala have been running with minimum investment and insufficient
news gathering network, especially for live coverage of events, the
proposed new television channel from a leading Malayalam newspaper house
has planned about 10 Digital News Gathering Units with an investment
of $15 million. Compare the number to just one such unit by a recently
started TV channel and maximum four unitsin the hands of the market
leader. "NDTV, one of the largest Indian TV channels got only 15
such units. Ten mobile news gathering units in the overcrowded Kerala
market would mean great pressure on other TV channels," said a
source handling the contract. Some channels are using rented units to
run the show...-...The Indian Government has so
far permitted seventy-one (71) companies to uplink 179 private satellite
TV channels from India. In addition, Doordarshan is presently operating
27 TV channels. Watch this space Better Late than.
Reporters
Without Borders expressed its “outrage” over the kidnapping
and murder of TV reporter Atwar Bahjat, cameraman Khaled Mahmoud Al-Falahi
and sound recordist Adnane Khaïrallah, of al-Arabiya TV.The bodies
of the three, who were kidnapped in Samarra, north of Baghdad on 22
February, were found the following morning.Atwar
Bahjat, Khaled Mahmoud Al-Falahi and Adnane Khaïrallah had gone
to the central Iraqi city to cover the bomb attack on the Shia Muslim
shrine for the Arabic satellite TV. Bahjat made two live reports from
the scene before leaving late in the afternoon. 
Is
it just a publicity stunt or a real robbery from a leading five star
hotel in Dubai? A robbery by outside thieves from a high security area
in the five star hotel is quite impossible because all over the places
there could be security cameras - from the moment a guest gets down
from the car to the moment he or she enters the room, closed circuit
security cameras are monitoring the hotel visitors. Penetration of Katrinas
room by outsiders is quite impossible. Her publicists and agents give
conflicting statemetns about the time of the robbery. While one said
it happened in the evening on Thursday, another put it like this. "She
went to sleep at night and when she got up in the morning the bag with
rolex watch was missing." Anyway, the story of the Malayalam movie
in which she acts with superstar Mamootty is that the heroine Supriya
gets raped in London, when she visits that city for inaugurating ..
The Malayalam film maker converted Dubai into London. Thanks to the
unexected rain, one more helicopter ride by the superstar was temporarily
shelved.. with a camel ride.- Watch out.
A
chief engineer in the Irrigation Department of Kerala was caught on
camera allegedly accepting bribe, following which he was placed under
suspension.The official, TK Sasi, was caught unawares by the joint operation
by the Peoples' Channel and anti-corruption forum, Azhimathi Virudha
Samiti, reported Press Trust of India. "The convener of the forum,
PL Jacob, called on Sasi at his residence in the city and offered Rs
25,000 as bribe. The television channel shot the scene with a remote
camera when the visitor who pretended as the aid of a contractor struck
the deal with the official and offered him the amount in cash,"
the report said. " The official asked the visitor to leave the
money on a table in the room.After the channel telecast the story, Water
Resources Minister Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan suspended the official
and ordered inquiry into the case," it added.
February
15, 2006 Based on Dubai? vision to be a regional center, Jafza &
Business Parks Management announces Dubai Auto Zone as the future primary
market place for the Auto industry. Dubai Auto Zone, located in Ruwaya
on the Dubai Bypass Road, aims to satisfy the region? growing demand
for auto businesses.The multi-billion dirhams project, which is due
to be completed by the end of 2007, will facilitate traders, light manufacturers,
service providers, and others in the automotive and machinery industry.
DUBAI – United Arab Emirates: For Dubai Aluminium Company DUBAL,
one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, 2005 was another
year of stellar performance in all its areas of operations including
overseas investments, major expansion programs, global awards, and achieving
nationalization targets. The company’s remarkable overall performance
in meeting production targets and executing projects well ahead of schedule
have yielded substantial benefits and resulted in economies of scale
and a remarkable 10% year-on-year increase in profits.
February
7, 2006 Dubai Customs International (DCI) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa (COMESA) today (Tuesday, February 7, 2006), in order to develop
and modernise its Customs administration, including Customs procedures
and rules, electronic systems, financial systems and procedures, human
resources systems and organizational charts and business processes between
the two entities. 
US
and Israel are secretly plannin-g military action against Iran in the
near future, says a report in Gulf Madhyamam, a leading Gulf Malayalam
newspaper. By successfully referring the Iranian nuclear issue to the
UN Security Council, the US and Israel are moving ahead with their ulterious
military plans against Iran, writes MCA Naser, Bureau Chief, Gulf Madhyamam,
Dubai. In the case of Iran , the US led western alliance is following
the same procedures and strategies adopted a few years ago to invade
Iraq and topple the Saddam Government. Even Iraq was invaded with the
tacit approval of UN Security Council, which was obtained by misinforming
it that Iraq wasdeveloping nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
In the front front page column of Gulf Madhyamam the author argues that
most of the big powers including China have never hesitated to develop
nuclear programmes or transfer the technology to other aspiring nations.
In the case of Iran, the big powers are continuing their double standards
- helping Israel to keep its nuclear arsenal in tact and mercilessly
attacking countries like Iraq which do not have self defence capability.(phot
MCA Naser) 
TEHRAN
-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here Sunday in a tatement addressing
the dignified and courageous nation of Iran referred to some points
about the government's firm determination to defend the inalienable
national rights to nuclear activity. Meanwhile, the statement, , referred
to the concurrence of the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies and the mourning of
Imam Hossein (AS) as a suitable opportunity to stress the close relation
between the movement of the Iranian nation and the path of human perfection,
the prophets movement, the nation's exclusive features in the field
of culture and civilization and its effort towards human perfection.
Addressing the nation, it said, "Today, you are the flag-bearer
of peace and sustainable tranquility based on justice and spirituality.
You are a model for all the world freedom-seeking and justice-seeking
nations. .
Albert
Alex, leading audio visual journalist currently anchoring the popular
Gulf Diary programme of Kairali TV has been selected for the Pravasi
Swadeshibhimani Puraskaram constituted by the Pravasi Malayalee Development
Society, a Gulf Malayali Association from Thiruvananthapuram with branches
in various districts of Kerala. Albert, former news reader of Doordarshan,
All India Radio and the Ras Al Khaimah Radio was also the former vice
chairman of Indian Media Forum. The organisers announced in Dubai that
the award is given for bold and investigative reporting by a journalist
to protect the fundamental rights of Gulf Malayalis. The award is in
the name of popular jornalist Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai, the
organisers said. Albert Alex was earlier selected the best news reader
in the UAE. His Gulf Diary programme is quite popular among Keralites
because some of the issues touching the day to day life of overseas
Keralites are smartly presented by the journalist. The role played by
the scribe in highlighting the Gulf Charitable Trust insurance scandal
was notable. Best Wishes to the award winner. A good orator and achor,
Albert is active in many socio-political activities in the UAE .
The
Sharjah Appeal court has today rejected the defamation charges made
by Sharjah police and an Arab lady journalist againt Baassma Al Jandaly,
the bold lady journalist from Gulf News who has been embarassed by regular
court visits for a silly story about the Sharjah slasher. The journalist,
who may be one of the rare journalists in town to write without fear
or favour, has been disturbed by the court proceedings that lasted for
about an year. "I feel happy to come out of the case without any
problem. The Sharjah Public Prosecutor had already rejected the charges,
but all of a sudden, a lady journalist filed a defamation case against
me," says Basmaa, whose work has never affected by the court cases.
Recently the journalist was among the list of journalists threatened
by a labour supply company. It is known that a labour supply company
was planning to sue her for her bold reports in Gulf News about a labour
strike in which more than 1500 ordinary workers participated. Baassaa
was one of the few journalists who was visible in the labour camps where
the workers were beaten up regularly by the goons of the company. When
some of the Indian journalists were shamelessly supporting the company
management by doing arm chair journalism, Basmaa was seen in the labour
camps, labour offices in Sharjah and Dubai, trying to report the case
and persuade the concerned officials to give a fair treament to the
workers. She was present in the labour camp with her young son, who
was taking the photograph of poor workers on strike! What a striking
contrast with some Indian journalists who never bothered to visit any
of the labour camps during the five long days of the strike, but rushed
to the location dictated by the company managers to "cover"
the auspicious occasion of salary distribution ceremony!!! Basma is
one of the journalists targetted by the labour supply company. Even
though a lady journalist filed a defamation case against Basmaa for
referring her name in the notorious Sharjah slasher story, Basmaa has
boldly faced all the hostile factors and emerged victorious. "It
is a headache to get involved in a court case for about one year for
a silly story. I was always confident of winning the case because the
Public Prosecutor had already rejected the case," she says. Mabrook
Bassma..keep the spirit of true journalism flourishing... The crucial
judgment is a lesson to all those influencial people who try to use
the legal loopholes to silence the media by dragging them to the court.
Anybody listening? The judgment in favour of Bassma is a clear warning
to all those including journalists who act like pimps to crucify journalists
who pursue the profession in its true spirit .
January
20, 2006 Dubai Customs, one of the leading customs authorities
in the Middle East region has recently announced that its total compliance
e-Management strategy ·e-Mirsal, has processed record number
of transactions in the past one year. In the last quarter ending September
2005; 485,7 thousand bills were processed electronically compared to
that of 304.7 thousand in same period during 2004. e-Mirsal forms the
core foundation of the e-Clearance solution implemented by the authority;
it was developed and integrated into Dubai Customs·business processes
in 2002 to streamline trade facilitation and digitise customs procedures
in order to promote enhanced compliance and administrative efficiency.
e-Clearance, which is built on a robust web platform allows accredited
customers to complete the Bill of Entry (BoE) and other related documents
of their cargo manifest online, facilitating faster clearance of goods
from the authority.
More
than 1500 employees of Perfect Labour Supply and associated companies
have called off their five days old strike which started after one employee
was allegedly beaten up by the company PRO and an outsider. The jubilant
workers who thanked the media for the support said they received their
salary from the company's managing director Abdul Kareem. Workers said
their pending salary will be released in instalments and other problems
will be resolved soon. 
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went to Kuala Lumpur in
early December to attend the annual summit OF the ASEAN (Association
for South-East Asian Nations) and the first East Asia Summit (EAS) in
a rapid progression of a relationship that, in his words, was to develop
“increasing inter-linkages and inter-dependence”.The visit
was the reinforcement of a significant dimension of our foreign policy
- known as the Look East policy - that seeks to intensify diplomatic
and economic ties with countries of Southeast Asia that is represented
by the 10-member ASEAN, a region that was demonstrating rapid economic
growth and is becoming increasingly important in the global strategic
calculus.
Kuwaiti
people hold the portraits of their country's Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad
Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to mourn his death in front of Dasman Palace in Kuwait
City, Jan. 15, 2006. Kuwait's Amiri Diwan announced on Sunday the demise
of Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at Sunday dawn. He was
77 years old. A nation-wide mourning is declared for 40 days and Kuwait's
state institutions will be closed for three days, starting from Sunday,
according to a statement from the Amiri Diwan -
Antony
the husband of Smitha who was in jail for a few months has been released.
While the man is out, the billion dollar question is about the whereabouts
of Smitha, the girl who went missing a few days after she reached Dubai
to join her newly married husband. While speculation is rife that she
absconded with an unknown lover, the billion dollar question is where
the lady is living? In this world ....Did her parents who complained
to the Kerala Chief Minister or Indian Consulate get a proper reply>
The
President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam has called upon the overseas Indians
to provide leadership for transformation of Indian villages with their
experience and knowledge. Delivering a richly illustrated lecture on
the subject of Umbilical Connectivity and Societal Change at the valedictory
session of the 4th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here today the President
underlined that the transformation of India needs transformation of
six hundred thousand villages. “You can definitely provide the
leadership for transformation of the cluster of villages around your
village with your experience and knowledge connectivity. If it is interests
you, you can definitely become a partner in this noble mission”
he added
Kozhikode, Dec 16: The Joint Action Council of the Kerala
Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and Kerala Newspaper Employees Federation
(KNEF) today took out a protest march to the Central Income-tax Office
here against the `delay' in setting up a new wageboard for working journalists.Speakers,
including KUWJ state secretary N Padmanabhan, A Sujanapal and T P Ramakrishnan,
MLAs, urged the Centre not to further delay the formation of the next
wageboard. Members of the district unit of KUWJ later staged a dharna,
as part of a statewide agitation, in front of the Press Club premises
in support of their demand.
DUBAI
- ATR
Dubai
2005 – the ninth international aerospace exhibition – which
opened today at the Airport Expo Dubai has already notched up an order
intake of over US $10 billion.The Dubai air show order tally began at
yesterday’s Dubai 2005 Middle East Business Aviation conference
when Saudi Arabia’s National Air Services made firm commitments
for five Airbus A318 Elites with an option for five more.But the big news
came during the opening of Dubai 2005, which was inaugurated by His Highness
General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and
UAE Defence Minister.
ISLAMABAD,
12 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - More than 300 children injured in Saturday's devastating
regional earthquake have been airlifted to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad,
over the last four days. Most of children have head injuries, broken limbs
or are severely traumatised by their experiences, said Akhtar Haq, head
of local NGO, Friends of the Child, working at the Pakistan Institute
of Medical Sciences (PIMS). 
Dubai
Following yesterday’s protest outside the Ministry of Labour and
Social Affairs 132 workers of the Arab Light Electro Mechanical Contracting
LLC Company today marched in protest to the Indian Consulate demanding
their intervention and payment of pending salaries. The workers arrived
at the Indian Consulate at 7 a.m. this morning and were given a patient
hearing by the consulate officials along with representatives of the Ministry
of Labour and Social Affairs.
DUBAI
– Militancy may be a problem in Saudi Arabia that forced companies
to relocate their operation. But Saudi Government will offer a tough competition
to the Dubai Internet City (DIC) by setting up a high tech city in Riyadh
in a bid to attract major multinational companies to set up IT projects.
While almost every GCC country can boast of hosting an IT or science park,
Saudi Arabia is the last to come up with its own High Tech City, which
will be a free zone in Riyadh that will follow different free market rules
from the strict government controls outside the city. 
BEIRUT,
22 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - Lebanon needs to review its domestic laws and policies
to conform to international norms in order to combat widespread trafficking
in human beings, especially women and children, a United Nations expert
said."Lebanon’s victims of trafficking are often invisible
because they suffer in places that remain hidden to the public eye such
as private homes or hotel rooms," Sigmu Huda, the UN Rapporteur on
human trafficking said. 
