Adobe Promotes Shantanu Narayen
to President and Chief Operating Officer Full
Report
E.M Ashraf Returns to Kairali TV
Gulf Regional Office
Dubai: Mr. E.M. Ashraf is taken
charge as Middle East Administrator cum Associate Editor of Kairali
TV. A seasoned journalist, he had worked as Special Correspondent
in Gulf for Kairali TV. He will work from Gulf regional office situated
in Dubai. He has published 8 books. Biography of Vaikkam Muhammed
Basheer written by him achieved Parappuram Award. He achieved State
Film Critic Award for Best film based article on Malayala Cinema,
Film Critic Award and Central Govt. Fellowship. He was the member
of Doordarsan Advisory Board and Chief Minister's press advisory
committee. K.M.Abbas will continue as News coordinator of Gulf Region.
The Minister for Petroleum
and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Ali I. Al-Naimi calls
on the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on January
05, 2005 More
KM Special How the Tsunami Waves
Invaded a beach resort in Old Mahabalipuram Road.
Living on the beachfront is no longer
a fancy and the Gulf region which fancied beach front property developments
are seriously concerned about the large scale destruction and devastation
caused by nature. (Click Image) Many beach front property developments
in Dubai have been sold like hot cakes, but now customers are reluctant..Click
image. More
Dubai Junior Regatta puts teams
from UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar on international stage
.Full Report
Rain Sharjah, Snow fall in Dubai....
India's Debt: $113.6 billion
India’s external debt stock
was US $ 113.6 billion as at the end of September 2004, which was
a shade higher than that of US $ 113.2 billion as on June 30, 2004
Students of Vidhyadhiraja Highschool Thiruvananthapuram
..Watch this space
Maithreyan to Retire
from Social Service?
The man who lived as
a bramachari and as a sanyasin under Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati,
Narayana Gurukula, Fernhill, Ooty, Tamil Nadu for almost ten years
has made a dramatic announcement that he will retire from social
service. The man who lived in caves and mountains was the champion
who organised sex workers. He has lLearned Indian Philosophy, Zen
Buddhism, Chinese Philosophy, Western Philosophy, Psychology and
the Art of Loving. According to the latest revelation from him,
human beings are animals and he will not remain such a human being....Watch
this space
"Vaishnava jana
to tene kahiye, jo pir parayi jane re (only they are religious –
who understand the sufferings of others)", sung by MS Subbulakshmi,
made Mahatma Gandhi all in tears. And in 1953, when she chanted
bhakti melodies in a concert chaired by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
in aid of a charity in New Delhi, he quipped, . Full
Report
Kids Online Madhuri
Dixit and Family
Unni to Leave for Kerala as KM,
Gulf Madhyamam reports helped him to get support
Thanks to the news
report filed by Keralamonitor.com and Gulf Madhyamam, the Malayali
who is has been shuttling between the emmigration office and his
temporary accommodation in Bur Dubai Bus station has been given
all necessary documents to travel to Kerala. Thanks to media reports,
many people extended a helping hand to the man suffering from an
unknown disease. The funny part is that some one has stolen the
money earned through generous contribution from fellow countryment...
The above photographed
Malayali from Trivandrum is stranded in the Bur Dubai Bus Stop.He
has been suffering from some disease and discharged from Rashidiya
hospital for immediate repatriation to India for further treatment.
However, the emigration officials missed one document and he keeps
going to the emigration office to get his papers cleared. Without
any one to help he lives in the Bus Stand. KM Reporter spotted the
man living in a mysterious condition... More
Khaled Bushnaq, Managing
Director, Energy Management Services
DSF Special: Man's Obsession
with gold..
V.M.Sathish has an exclusive story
in todays Khaleej Times about the magician who wears gold ornaments
weighting 8.1 kgs and intends to add 2.5 kgs more..Watch out. Click
photo Full Story from the Khaleej Times
Sick Malayali Lives in Dubai without
food, accommodatiion...As Emmigration Authorities missed his documents.
Hailing from Trivandrum the ailing man has been a Gulf Malayali
for the last two decades but has no money to treat an unknown disease.
When KM correspondent spotted him living in a public place It was
only two weeks ago that two Tamilian workers committed suicide due
to lack of medical care and other related problems...Pictured above
is the widow of Keny Moneiro of TNT Express who died in an accident..Watch
this space.
Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Kareena
Kapoor on Wednesday slapped legal notices on "Mid-Day"
demanding an unconditional apology or else face a defamation suit..More
Kareen Pictures --Discussion
on Kiss Matters click image to have a look at French Kiss
Students from government schools
participate in the Clean Up The World programme at Mamzar Beach
on Wednesday. More Photos
The Indian Panorama is a mixed bag
of films at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
- 2004, in Goa with the mainstream vying for attention with the
art-house. Sudhir Mishra’s Chameli explores the underbelly
of Bombay’s sex racket at a superficial level.
Full Report
KM Receives Record Hits of 9,18000 in January
2005
Waves Have Nothing to Do With Tsunami: Dubai Met
Office
DUBAI -The surge of waves in some coasts of the
Northern Emirates for a short time in the afternoon has nothing
to do with the Tsunami tidal waves that have recently rocked through
South East Asia.A statement issued today by the Central Meterological
Office on the waether forecast for today and tomorrow said that
a combination of the active Shammal Winds and high tide in the
said period had caused the high waves that hit these coasts.''The
country has experienced unstable weather condition due to a low
pressure system coupled with a cold wave in the high pressure
system,'' the statement said.The statement said that the waether
condition is likely to improve gradually as of tomorrow.
Nakheel's The Palm and other coastline developments
withstand Al Shammal Winds
Jan 11, 2005 - 10:06 -
Nakheel, the leading property developers, confirmed
today that The Palm, Jumeirah and other coastline projects had
withstood the 30 knot North by North Westerly winds " Al
Shamal Winds" that had hurtled over the beaches of Dubai
and the UAE seashore. Today, Nakheel measured 2.5 metre high,
near shore waves around The Palm's breakwater. Due to high tide,
which coincided with on shore Al Shamal winds surge this in turn
created high water levels to measure a wave of one point five
metres,'' a company statement said.The development of the breakwater,
which due to weight and positioning of the rocks will absorb waves
reaching five metres - which have never been recorded near shore
in the gulf -and remain stable.In addition to the breakwater,
Nakheel's engineers have employed the latest techniques and technology
for wave energy dispersal. Full Report
Tenth Dubai Shopping Festival
to Start Today
Over 3.2 million visitors are expected to come
to Dubai to be part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the
Dubai Shopping Festival this year. Myriad wonderful experiences
await them at the 10 major DSF 2005 destinations. Whether they
are interested in sports, music, fashion, shopping, games, rides,
competitions, art, handicrafts or food, there is something for
every one on every day of the month-long festival. And for those
who would like to capture some of the magic of the unforgettable
moments spent at this amazing festival, a wide array of memorabilia,
bearing the special 10th year icon, will be available at many
festival venues.Full Report
Malayali Worker from Palm Island
II Missing, three Workers Swim to Safety
DUBAI - A Malayali worker is suspected to have
died as five workers who were working on the Break water side
on Palm II project, an artificial island which is being created
as the next wonder of the world. According to co workers Sebastian
from Eravipuram in Kollam went missing along with four other workers,
but four workers managed to swim safely to the shore. Helicopter
search continued but it is suspected that the Malayali is trapped
in the sea. "The five workers who were standing on the brink
of Break Water were swallowed by water when the water level increased
by several meters," said workers from the Palm Island. Construction
work has been temporarily suspended and helicopter search which
started in the morning continues. Many parts of the UAE, especially
Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai witnessed strong waves. A number
of beach umbrellas, cocunut trees and other beachfront infrastructure
of resorts and hotels are reportedly damaged. According to sources,
Ajman port was closed and concerned authorities are keenly watching
the situation. The unexpected surge in water level has created
panic among residents, especially in the beach front, as tragic
stories of Tsunami crisis continue to come in from different parts
of the region.
Turkish Man With One of the Longest Mustache Amuse
People in Dubai
DUBAI
- A regular visitor to Dubai Shopping Festival for the last three
years, Ahmed Rashid from Turkey has returned to the UAE due to
the immense response that he received from the public. People
from different parts of the region throng DSF not just for shopping,
but also to have a glance at such interesting people who are roped
in by the organizers. Carrying a Fujifilm Instant Camera, he poses
for photographs with people for a fee of Dhs.20 per shot. V.M.Sathish
managed to photogrpah him by paying a fee of Dhs.20! because it
was a unique chance to meet a man who owns a precious moustache.
Rashid speaks only in Arabic, but the language barrier was not
a hindrance to mingle with the crowd. We sould the service of
a salesman in Sabka to get his story. During DSF, he comes here
on a visit visa ."I have long hair all over the body, except
the head," said the bold man in his fifties. While he is
blessed with long hair all over the body, his baldness is a weak
point. If you ask about it, he replies with a smart smile. "While
going to the bed for sleep, he is very careful to lay down straight
as turning to either side will definitely disturb the long mustache,"
he revealed. Happily married with five children, he came to the
last DSF with his wife. "Even though he is suffering from
back pain, this time he come alone," says ohammed Muneer
Khan, a trader in the wholesale market. "He has back ache
problem and gets tired. Many tourists, especially Europeans, like
to be photographed with him. He charges Dhs.20 from them, but
when I took a photograph, he did not charge money," he added.
"God, the feeder has given me a long
mustache. I have spent lot of money to buy special oil and develop
it over the last twenty years. My mustache is my bread earner,"
an ageing Rashdi said, adding that he cannot do any other work.
'As people rally around him in the crowded markets and DSF venues,
traffic gets blocked," added another observer. Everybody
cannot attract crowd and the thumping success of DSF is partly
due to the presence of such crowd pulling celebrities in Dubai
during the festival season. It is common to see celebrities and
people with world records - the world's tallest man, shortest
man, man with maximum gold ornaments to name a few - roaming around
shopping malls and festival venue. While shoppers enjoy seeing
unnatural things, tourists enjoy their visit to DSF. He is careful
to avoid the crowd so that the traffic police or Dubai Municipality
officials are not disturbed. As DSF is only a few days away, we
can expect more unique people in and around the city. DSF
is not just shopping but a combination of fun entertainment and
shopping.
International Medical Experts Say Newest Cancer
Treatments Could Save Millions of Arab Lives
Prominent Cancer Doctors Address 500 Middle East Physicians in
Dubai
Dubai, Millions of lives could be saved in the
Middle East if regional doctors begin to apply the latest treatments
for cancers, such as Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), say international
experts.CML is a cancer of the blood in which bone marrow produces
large numbers of myeloid, or white blood cells. The disease is
deadly because it does not present itself with any significant
initial symptoms, and often goes unnoticed for years before victims
realize that they require medical treatment. Full
Report
Dubai Police Arrest 71 Keralites for Running Prostitution
Rackets; 31 Women from Kollam Pathanamthitta to be deported.
Dubai
Police have arrested 71 people, mainly Keralites, who were engaged
in sex trade. According to Police sources, those arrested include
31 Keralite women mainly from Kollam and Pathanamthitta and 40
Malayali agents who were engaged in sex trafficking. The massive
crackdown on illicit sex trade and trafficking run by Malayalis
is of immense importance as the controversy surrounding sextrade
is still rocking the state politics. It is learned that the raid
was conducted in the Diera area of Dubai, a prostitution pocket
in the city frequented by expatriate customers. KM understands
that the sex trade in the Gulf region is closely linked to the
Kerala sex mafia and the spillover effect from the ongoing political
infighting and backstabbing is likely to be reflected in the Gulf
sex trade too. Watch this space. Picture shows Keralite girls
in custody...
Kunjalikutty gives resignation letter to Thangal
Thiruvananthapuram:
In a resignation addressed to the Muslim League State President
Paanakkaadu Shihab Thangal, Industries Minister P.K.Kunjalikutty
has informed that he want to resign his post as the Industries
Minister. Ending two months old speculation about his resignation
over alleged sexual relation with a minor Muslim girl who went
public with her allegations through television channels, Panakkadu
Shihab Thangal read out the resignation letter of Kunjalikutty
in front of the press at Malappuram in the evening. Kunjalikutty
said that he is resigning because he is not able to handle simultaneously
two posts as both the general secretary and Industries Minister.
"Therefore he requested his removal from the post as Industries
Minister by accepting his resignation letter," Thangal, who
was always supporting the controversial League minister said.
. In the letter, he also mentioned that the protest activities
were politically motivated. 'I cannot even call Allah. Everything
that I do or say Alla is communalized', he said in his letter.
There has been a general approval to his resignation from the
various political parties. Ii is two months after Rejina's statements
in front of the media that the minister chose to resign. The decision
on the resignation letter would be taken by a committee meeting
of the Muslim League to be held on the 3rd of January. Already
the leftists' parties were getting ready to organize a protest
against Kunjalikutty and his resignation could arrest further
political activities against the UDF and League minister. (R.S.Priya
-Keralamonitor.com)
Expatriate Man Kills Another Expatriate Over sex
trade
Man falls to death from multstoried building
Dubai - December 15, 2004 In what appears to be
a midnight quarrel over some dispute related to the prostitution
racket , a young Bengali man has killed another Bengali. The horrible
murder happened at around 1 AM in an area notorious for prostitution
rackets and brothels in Dubai. According to sources, the man killed
the other expatriate after a quarrel over some dispute and the
killer did not run away from the crime scene. The killer waited
on the spot and surrendered to the police. Approach roads to the
crime scene was cardoned off and deadbody was removed soon. According
to many residents who are tight lipped about the mid night murder
the reason for the killing is related to the prostitution racket
in Dubai. In another incident an expatriate has fallen or jumped
from a multistoried building near the Abra station. He has also
died on the spot...Watch this space.
Girls for Sale: Smart good looking
Asian girl below 18 years for Dhs.4,000!
DUBAI - Any takers? This is a
mouth watering offer made by an Indian agent who has been engaged
in a booming trade in which price of beautiful girls are bargained.
"Even if you are paying only Dhs.4,000, she is worth Dhs.8,000.
She knows all the tricks of the trade," says Raman, a Tamilian
agent who brokers buyers and sellers for girls in the city. This
is just a small link in the big mafia that controls a growing
trade in women. "She was working with an Arbab and we managed
to get her out. If you buy her, you can do good business."
says the agent, who found it a lucrative business. After toiling
in the construction site of a leading company, he has found the
easiest way to make money from a Pakistan colleague, Hassan who
is now engaged in full time business. Along with brokerage deals
for buildings, villas and cars, he also does deal with girls.
While negotiating with other clients, he banged on one of us with
this proposal to sell a girl for Dhs.4,000. KM Investigation revealed
that there are many Ramas and Hassan who are part of the free
trade in women. While the ice cream parlour case and the Kiliroor
sex scandals have lost the initial importance, it is clear that
manay of the girls from Kerala are smuggled out to the Gulf region.
When the ice cream parlour case was getting hot, a leading Malayali
businessman in a Gulf city has managed to get visas for some of
the witnesses within 24 hours and got them accommodated in a special
building... Trading in girls and women is an integral part of
the flesh trade and the involvement of Keralites in this business
is very deep. "Why should I pay Dhs.4,000 to buy this girl.
It is risky and difficult to hide her. I am trying to get a villa
to do business," added another Pakistani agent. "If
I have Dhs. 4,000 I can easily get married by paying dowry. Is
she so beautiful to warrant such a high price," he added..Girls
of any nationality are available in the market. If you know the
right dealer and modus operandi, it is easy to buy and sell. Many
Indian and Pakistanis who reside in residential areas have got
their own partners, who also indulge in part time business outside
their relationship....Watch this space for
a detailed investigation into the oldest industry in the world..
Indo-Pak Peace Mission Delegation Meets home Minister
A twenty-member delegation of joint “Indo-Pak
Peace & Goodwill Mission” met the Home Minister, Shri
Shivraj Patil here today. The delegation was led by Smt. Nirmala
Deshpande, MP (Rajya Sabha) and Mr. John Prabhudas, Executive
Director, Policy Institute for Religion and State, Washington.
The members of the delegation apprised the Home Minister of their
objective of strengthening people to people contacts between India
and Pakistan. The delegation has already visited Pakistan. They
told the Home Minister that they had received tremendous response
for their mission from people of both the countries and requested
for easing of visa restrictions.The Home Minister appreciated
the work of the delegation and said that it would strengthen the
understanding between the peoples of the two countries. He said
that the Government has taken many steps to strengthen the relations
between the two countries and would be willing to take more steps
to help people. He highlighted the fact that there are many areas
of potential cooperation between the two countries because of
the similar historical background and language.More
KM Exclusive:
Bikram Vohra Triggers Massive Quake in the Newspaper
Industry
Two More English Afternoon Papers Planned for
Dubai Readers?
DUBAI - As the Emirates Evening Post, the first
afternoon paper from the Middle East region, edited by the veteran
Indian journalist Bikram Vohra is started a fortnight ago, two
leading English dailies from the region have started preliminery
steps to launch their own evening newspapers. Dubai is known for
its media freedom and the plethora of publications from different
publishing groups. However, the first afternoon paper has virtually
hit the newsstand with a big bang. Despite the small beginning,
the newspaper industry is literally shaken by the first evening
paper which claims to proved news 12 hours ahead of the Rest.
Bikram Vohra, a well known journalist in the Indian and Middle
East media circles, and his team of journalists are optimistic
about the paper launched in a market where a third English newspaper
is yet to break even. "Two more evening dailies would come
from Dubai soon as the leading newspapers have started feeling
the pinch. The situation was more evident during the Tsunami crisis
when the Evening Post virtually created a "Massive Earthquake"
in the industry by attracting the English speaking Asian expatriate
readers. It is said that the group got the first and last license
to start an eveninger, but going by the UAE government's liberal
approach, it will not be surprising to see more evening papers
are launched. One paper has already started recruitment process
and poaching is on to rope in efficient journalists... Vohra is
not new to Gulf journalism. He has the unique advantage of having
edited both the leading English newspapers from Dubai. Khasim
Mohammed, the chairman of Emirates Post, had been heading a leading
English daily for a long period. Reading Between the Lines, there
is every chance that the established newspaper houses are all
set to regain their slipping monopoly position in the English
news market. Will they be able to take on the Post? --Watch this
space.
Yousuf Ali: Humble Tycoon's Glorious Success Story
Lulu (Pearl) of NRI Community in the Gulf honoured
with Pravasi Bharathi Samman
M.K.Yousuf
Ali, winner of this year's prestigious Pravasi Samman Award is
a multifaceted personality who has excelled in business, socio-cultural
activities and philanthropy. Apart from successfully carving out
a growing multinational business empire in the Gulf region, he
has also established himself as a kind philanthropist, an active
participant in various socio-cultural activities and a well attended
orator. MKE group, which is spread across five countries in the
Asian and African continents, is well known for the Lulu Brand
of supermarket chains. As the Arabic name Lulu suggests, Ali is
a precious pearl among the half a million strong NRK community
in the UAE. He is an apt candidate to be honoured as a prominent
Overseas Indian who excelled in various fields. It was growing
unemployment in the South Indian state of Kerala that attracted
many educated young Keralites including Yousuf Ali to enter the
Gulf job market. However, Ali who hails from a small business
family of Trichur took the risky path of business and succeeded
in becoming one of the largest employers of Indians in the Gulf
region.Young Ali was brought to the UAE by his uncle M.K. Abdullah,
current chairman, MKE Group in 1973 after completing his education
in Kerala and Gujarat. Ali reached the Middle East at a time when
the region was in the grip of the first oil crisis followed by
an Arab Israeli Gulf War. The business group which was started
as a small organisaation with just 22 employees has grown into
a big conglomerate of supermarkets and hypermarkets, which employ
more than 12,000 workers of 27 nationalities, mainly Indians.
--Watch this space
The
Minister of State (IC) for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Jagdish
Tytler holding a Press Conference on 'Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas -2005'
which being in Mumbai on 7 January 2005 in New Delhi on January
04, 2005.Fifteen prominent Overseas Indians including NRIs will
be honoured with the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Awards-2005 this
year. This was announced here today at a press conference by the
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Overseas Indian Affairs,
Shri Jagdish Tytler. M K Shyamalan, another Non Resident Keralite
is given the prestigious award. More
Read KM Report earlier
Oriental Bank of Commerce Finds serious financial Improprieties
in Erstwhile Global Trust Bank
Ashok Advani of Business India Group allegedly
Defrauded bank to the tune of Rs.15 crores.
Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) in its due diligence
exercise after the amalgamation of the erstwhile Global Trust
Bank Ltd. (EGTB) has come across cases of borrowal accounts where
serious financial improprieties have been observed. Internal investigations
have revealed that the Bank has taken high credit exposures in
certain accounts even exceeding exposure norms prescribed by Reserve
Bank of India. High degree of imprudence in exercise of sanctioning
powers have been observed where the bank appears to have abetted
certain group of borrowers to siphon off funds through banking
channel. The conduct of most of these accounts reveal that deliberate
attempts have been made to camouflage the position of NPAs by
making fresh sanctions in sister/allied concerns including some
front companies .On the basis of internal investigation OBC has
filed criminal complaints with the CBI in the following cases
against Shri Ashok Advani and unnamed officials of the bank for
cheating the bank to the tune of Rs. 15 crores by obtaining credit
facilities on the basis of misrepresentation. It was falsely mentioned
in the process note that the account of M/s Business India was
a new one, whereas Business India was banking with erstwhile GTB
since 1994 and had defaulted in payment of credit facilities sanctioned
earlier. Full Report
How Did Labour companies Succeed in Managing the
Crisis Created by Workers Suicide?
KM Learns that the controversial labour supply
companies manage to get away with labour law violations because
they are under the sponsorship of a leading official . The UAE
Government has already appointed an young labour minister to control
various rackets associated with visa trading and unfair labour
practices. It is not the first time that the associated companies
under the official is violating fundamental rights of workers.
Earlier another company from the same group was involved in such
a crisis and ceased operations. It is astonishing that the official
whose responsibility is to ensure that workers get their payment
on time and are treated according to the UAE labour rules are
mistreated by a company under the sponsorship of a labour official...Watch
this space.
BATELCO Gives Business Customers a Big Boost by
reducing lease lines
Batelco
is giving its business customers a New Year's bonus with reductions
of up to 40% on Local Leased Line and LanConnect prices, based
on customer speed requirements.Bahrain's national telecommunications
company is currently the only service provider for both Local
Leased Line and LanConnect, which offer high tech and high performance
solutions for modern communications needs. The service is based
on frame relay technology, which effectively provides high performance
communications between many users and locations on a single network
Full Report
Gulf Air Supports Tourism Plans in Muscat.
Muscat, Oman: Gulf Air's support of major tourism
initiatives in 2005 continues with the announcement that the airline
is a lead sponsor of Oman's first international conference on
BEST: Built Environments for Sustainable Tourism. Organised by
the Ministry of Tourism Oman under the auspices of the World Tourism
Organisation and UNESCO, the event will take place from 5 to 8
February 2005 at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel, Muscat.In the last
few weeks, Gulf Air has demonstrated its full commitment to tourism
development in its three owner states by supporting three major
tourism initiatives - title sponsorship of the Gulf Air Bahrain
Grand Prix 2005 (Kingdom of Bahrain) and the Al Ain Aerobatics
Show 2005 (Abu Dhabi) and now the BEST conference (Oman).
Full Report
A group of Handicapped Iranian soldiers who are
visiting the city said they dont feel angry towards Iraqi people
and the would go back to the battlefield to defend their homeland.
Having won medals at the Paralympics in Athens, Sydney and Atlanta
they got a chance to visit Dubai as a reward for participating.
"We come from Khostan province of Iran, a border town near
Iraq which was devastated in two decades old Iran-Iraq war,"
they told Khaleej Times. Full
Report
Special Report - Tsunami The Destroyer
of Thousands of Human Life
The
tsunami disaster that has engulfed nearly 25,000 lives in south
Asia, was triggered by the world’s biggest earthquake in
four decades, epicentred near Indonesia. Several countries in
the region are severely struck by it. These include India, Sri
Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Somalia and Bangladesh.Tsunami,
in Japanese means ‘tidal waves’ and pronounced as "Su
–nam – ee. The tidal waves that played havoc this weekend,
spread west and north across the Bay of Bengal and the Indian
Ocean with a magnitude of 8.9, one of the most powerful in history
— off the Indonesian island of Sumatra devastated southern
Asia and triggered waves of up to 30 feet high. These
waves are usually caused by seismic disturbances - coastal earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, or undersea landslides that shake the ocean
floor. Tsunami, however, is a known phenomenon in the Pacific
Ocean region stretching from Chile in Latin America to Japan in
far east Asia. Japan is one of the two Asian countries - the other
being Indonesia - which has been frequently hit by tsunamis. According
to Arun Bapat a Pune-based research seismologist "a few major
tsunamis have hit the Indian coastal region. The first available
record is from the Madras Port Trust. The eruption of the Krakatoa
volcano in Indonesia in August 1883 had its impact on the region.
Eearthquakes on January 4, 1907, in Indonesia and on June 26,
1941, in the Andamans, also gave rise to tsunamis. An earthquake
on November 27, 1945, located about 100 km south of Karachi in
the Arabian Sea, also generated a tsunami". Therefore, tsunami
is not new to India.Full Report
USA - Aid for Tsunami victims
$35 million - Bush Inaugural $45 million Cost for one day of Iraq
war $177 million
Top Level Reshuffle in Oman Observer?- Watch this
space
Dear Readers,
New
Year is a joyous occasion but the tragic tsunami crisis that caused
large scale death and destruction in different parts of Asia,
including our tiny coastal state of Kerala has made it a sad day.
KM joins all the berevaed families who have lost their dear and
nearones in the worst tragedy. Previous year has been a turbulent
period for the portal. It is natural that the bold editorial policy
adopted by us has attracted many well wishers and some enemies
. I had to face major challenges which have been successfully
overcome. The covert and overt campaign by a group of Indian businessman
to close down the portal did not succeed . Contrary to their expectation
, the site continues to attract viewers from all over the world.
Our main viewers are from the Gulf region, especially Oman, UAE,
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. We have regular visitors
from different parts of India. Under pressure from the business
lobby, KM editor had to relocate from Muscat to Dubai. However,
within a short period I could establish my credentials as a journalist.
Currently based in the Dubai Media City, which is an oasis of
media freedom in the Middle East, I have been reporting to leading
newspapers like the Gulf News, Khaleej Times, the International
Herald Tribune, the Daily Star, The Emirates Evening Post, a new
afternoon newspaper from Dubai edited by veteran journalist Bikram
Vohra, and Seven Days, a taboid newspaper. "Dear Sathish
A reader has contacted us asking if she can contact this man to
give him money and blankets. Can you tell me where he is, please?
Thanks" Tony Metcalf (Editor, 7DAYS). This was the content
of an email received on December 29 from the editor of Seven Days.
I have spotted this sick Malayai, lying helplessly in Bur Dubai
bus station. Accompanied by Jaleel Pattampi, Gulf Madhyamam correspondent,
a story was filed about his poor situation. Many people came forward
to help him and Unni must be now getting treatment in Kerala.
It is such simple things that we have been trying to do with the
help of other like minded journalists who are keen go out to the
streets and interact with the masses . For us journalism is not
just attending press conferences and collecting precious gifts
from companies and press relations agents. The New Year is not
a joyous occasion for the Iraqi and Palestinians who have died
in thousands due to vioence unleashed by foreign occupation. The
second coming of George Bush is proving to be more dangerous than
his first innings, and more foreign invasions as part of exporting
democracy can be expected in 2005. While the US invasion of Iraq
dominated the regional news headlines, the murky political situation
back home centered around various scandals, especially sex scandals.
Saffron brigades received a major set back in the battle of ballots.
Congress is back in the hot seat and if the past record is any
indication, corruption stories will start coming in soon. Keralam
witnessed major scandals like Kozhi tax, Kovalam sell off, Express
Highway super burglery, Karimanal Mining controversy and Kiliroor
sex scandal which involved various dignitaries and a few prominent
NRK businessmen. Even though Kunjalikutty has finally succumbed
to an unprecedented public outcry, now we can await the next sex
scandal story.
However,
my priority has always been to report various issues, including
worst forms of human rights violations and unfair labour practices,
which are rampant in the Gulf region...Our reporters and columnists
have been relaxing for a while. We expect to continue a path of
free and independent reporting without succumbing to any pressure
tactics. During my five and half years journalism experience,
I could never reveal my identity as the editor of this portal.
Now that I am enjoying more freedom and there is no constant fear
of job loss, the portal expects to create more social impact among
overseas Keralites. We are not running this portal to rake up
controversies, but to report such issues that affect the man on
the street. Internet is a high tech area which is not accessible
to vast majority of masses, but we are trying to use that technology
for the betterment of such people. Many of our stories are send
by readers who prefer to remain anonymous for obvious reasons.
Dont hesitate to send us your valuable suggestions and feedbacks.
Wishing you all a Happy News Year, one day in advance.. we like
to be ahead of others... V.M.Sathish Editor
Keralamonitor.com KM
News -More
News
Hectic Activity for the Third Pravasi Bharathiya
Diwas 2005
The Year End - 2004 marks a lot of excitement
and activity in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs as the
Ministry positions itself to play an active role as a facilitator
for all the proposals and problems of the Overseas Indian community
comprising the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Non-Resident
Indians (NRI), in the wake of the finalization of its work allocation
and issue of the concerned notification in the closing month of
the year. Full Report
Press Council Cancels Its Fasc finding Committee
Visit to Kerala
The three member Fact Finding Committee of the
Press Council of India has cancelled its tour to Kerala in first
week of January, 2005. The tour was in connection with the incidents
of violence against media persons and the media establishments
following exposure of the role of a Minister of Kerala in the
ice cream parlour sex scandal. The decision to cancel the tour
for the time being has been taken keeping in view the Tsunami
devastation caused in South India including Kerala. The Committee
will reschedule its programme once the situation is normal. Full
Report
Dubai Municipality Employees Feted for Have Your
Say Campaign
Dubai, 29 December 2004 -A
number of employees of Dubai Municipality were feted on Wednesday
at the fifth honouring ceremony of the civic body's Have Your
Say campaign. "This reflects the keenness of the municipality
in identifying and activating channels for the participation of
its employees and internal and external customers by way of presenting
their ideas and offering suggestions," said Mattar Al Tayer,
Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Roads and
General Projects Affairs, who is also the chairman of the Higher
Committee of Suggestion Scheme, in his address to the gathering.Ahmed
Abdul Salam Kazim, Head of Customer Care Section, at the civic
body's Administrative Development and Quality Department, made
a presentation on the objectives and achievements of 'Have Your
Say' and statistics pertaining to number of suggestions received,
followed up and implemented.Full Report
Bahrain simplifies immigration process with e-visa
(Dubai, December 2004): Streamlined visa processes
in Arabia are essential to stimulate visitor figures, according
to one government tourism official, who said that online visa
application facilities have proved highly successful since their
recent introduction.Bader Nasser, head of marketing for tourism
affairs for the government of Bahrain, highlighted the Kingdom?s
e-visa initiative as a ?necessary measure? if the drive for fast
and seamless immigration processes for business and leisure travellers
is to be met. Full Report
Malayalis Labour Supply Company Sends Venkatesh's
Dead Body with Rs.50,000!!!
Workers' TV Channel relocates
journalist who reported Dubai Workers Suicide Story!
DUBAI - Venkatesh, the Tamilian Worker who hanged
himself in the labour camp of Keith International owned by Bernard
Raj, a prominent Non Resident Keralite and a close associate of
Kairali Channel's Dubai operations has been given just Indian
Rs.50,000. Despite media reports about the worker who committed
suicide as the Malayali company refused to give him Dhs.50 to
buy medicines. His family is indebted to the tune of Rs.90,000
due to the money raised to buy him a visa. "While the poor
workers who are not getting their regular salary have raised about
Rs.1 lakh to help the poor family, but the company has just given
Rs.50,000," said one worker. The other employees who are
not willing to work for the company are being harassed by the
management by trying to pack the people who are in the forefront
of protests. "Sixty people are not working now and the company
has plans to send back only four workers in a month. We are already
living without work and food as the company officials interfere
with the hotels which give food on credit," said one worker.
"Once they send back the workers who can speak in front of
the managers, others will be silenced. We have to live in this
inhuman conditions for several months before getting a chance
to return home," added workers. Media which reported the
case are silent and the situation facing Keith International workers
is ..back to square one.
Meanwhile, the company owner who represented Kairali
channel for sometimes in Dubai has used his influence to chuck
one reporter from the Kairali channel for reporting the story.
Kairali is a channel developed with the fund raised from ordinary
workers and NRKs. One of the channel directors who has allegedly
developed an unholy nexus with the group is keen that K.M.Abbas,
the Kairali channel reporter is removed form the post. Paradoxically
enough, a Kairali TV marketing officer was instrumental in killing
the story from many newspapers and TV channels in Dubai. It is
surprising that even though Kairali Channel claims that it represents
the ordinary workers some of its directors have undefined nexus
with some prominent NRKs who earn money through improper channels.
"The decision to change my position as the head of Middle
East News Division of Kairali Channel was taken one and half months
back. It has nothing to do with my story on Keith Internaional
," said K.M.Abbas, Kairali Representative, when contacted
by KM. According to him, the move to change the bureau is part
of the Kairali channel policy to strengthen the Middle East News
division. It is learned that Kairali is starting a news channel
targeting the NRK community. However, KM investigation reveals
that a director of Kairali channel, specialised in the legal profession,
has tried to "influence" the Dubai News Desk to kill
the story on Venkatesh's suicide case. This was obviously due
to the yet- to- be-defined relationship between the company owner
and one of the channel directors heading the marketing division.
The director from a leading Bar Council wanted the Dubai News
Bureaua not to telecast that sensational news, which was carried
by all leading English dailies from Dubai. The director used a
marketing manager of the channel based in Abu Dhabi to stop the
story from being telecast not only in Kairali , but in other channels/newspaper
as well. The marketing manager, close to the director, was frantically
calling up newspaper offices and journalists, requesting them
not to publish the story. Even KM editor who was the first jouurnalist
to reach the spot for doing a story for the Khaleej Times and
Kerala Monitor was approached through the Bureau Chief of a a
leading Gulf based Malayalam Newspaper to kill the story. After
the channel telecast the first story without mentioning the company
name or the owner, subsequent follow up stories were killed and
the journalist who dared to report the story is being given a
shock treatment. It is learned from the labour camp that Kairali
journalists did shoot the follow up story but it has never been
telecast. E.M.Ashraf, the former Dubai representative of the channel
is likely to stage a come back and work in coordination with Abbas.
Deshabhimani, one of the leading Malayalam dailies, is also planning
a Dubai edition. Some of the channel directors are upset about
the anti-working class approach of some directors. It was earlier
alleged that a faction of CPIM with close links to illicit business
in the Gulf has hijacked the channel operations.
About an year back, KM Reported about such a case
from Muscat when the channel representative distorted a labour
related story about the then Indian Ambassador in Oman Talmiz
Ahmed who was denying workers protesting in front of the embassy
even a drop of water. At that time the channel representative
gave a misleading news item, terming Keralamonitor.com as a communal
portal in order to take revenge upon the portal for reporting
about the biased story. Even though an explanation was sought
from the channel director John Brittas in writing, he remained
silent. "They (Workers) are agitated about various news reports
in the visual and print media, which glorified the Indian Ambassador
and Embassy officials. We were shocked to hear a Kairali channel
report on February 21, 2004 that the Indian Embassy officials
managed to solve all the problems facing 55 stranded workers and
that they would be send back soon. However, the reality is that
the embassy officials are not allowingus even to take a bottle
of drinking water from the embassy premises," workers told
KM , in reference to the news item from Muscat Bureau. February
28, 2004. Keralamonitor.com..As people with vested interests have
usurpted the workers channel, KM reproduces below the story that
was the basis of labelling a "Communal" tag to Keralamonitor.com
For our readers sake the story links are given below. Kairali
Channel Joins Hate Campaign Against Kerala Monitor
Indian Ambassador prevents Social organizations
from giving food and water to stranded Indian Workers.
Workers Cant Drink Embassy Water
; Have to leave with just a ticket: Kairali Channel Workers Channel
hails the Ambassador for Sending Workers Home Empty Handed
MUSCAT - The fate of 55 Indian workers who are
stranded in front of the Indian Embassy building here continues
to remain bleak, as the embassy officials have failed to get any
of their problems resolved. According to the workers, instead
of lending a helping hand to the poor workers who are facing a
grave situation in foreign country, the senior Indian embassy
officials including the high profile Indian ambassador Talmiz
Ahmed are allegedly acting in an inhuman and barbarian manner
by preventing them from taking even a drop of drinking water from
the embassy premises and not allowing social organizations to
giving food, water or other support to them. More
from Muscat
Keith International Workers Continue to Abstain
From Work
Attempt
to Intimidate workers in Police Custody fails, Malayalam Media
in Silent Mode about Workers Problems
DUBAI -December 11, 2004 Despite some intimidation
tactics and sweet offers to settle the payment problem, workers
of Keith International continued to abstain from work. The company
officials have been busy engaged in damage control exercise by
advising workers to desist from strike and withdraw complaints
lodged with the labour department. "The company's senior
Arab official came with a bag full of currency notes and advised
the workers to withdraw the complaint lodged with the labour department.
However, workers have expressed their disappointed with the cool
approach of the Indian Consulate officials, the "N"
number of Indian social clubs and associations and part of the
Malayalam visual and print media. KM could not contact the company
officials. Full Report
Minister Dominique Presentation and MLA Kuttappan
attacked
The death toll in Kerala has risen to 162, according
to official reports. The victims of the various districts, which
came under the attack of tsunami waves, are still having a tough
time in the temporary camps. Red cross and other voluntary organizations
are providing food, clothing and water in many places like Kollam.
But even in the middle of this, people are upset about the thefts
that took place in the camps. They were unhappy about the thefts
and police inaction about it. According to media reports the law
and order situation failed in Kerala and the police was busy escorting
the ministers and VIPs visiting the affected areas. They were
also deployed in the special marriage functions of Kunjalikutty's
son. Full Report and more News
KS Chitra-Moideen Koya team to perform New Year
Programme in UAE
"Jackson Mania" and "One Man-Fun
Man" shows to be other highlights
Dubai: Famous playback singer, KS Chitra, who is
popularly known as the nightingale of South India, will perform
at four venues in the UAE as part of the New Year celebrations
in the mega stage show, "Chitrotsavam." Chitra, who
performs at a live concert after an interval, will be accompanied
by young singers Rajesh Vijay, Viswanath and Nisam Paluvay on
the stage. Selected Hindi, Tamil, Arabic and Malayalam songs will
be presented with the support of audio-visual accompaniments.
Other major attractions of Chitrotsavam will be "Jackson
Mania," a special dance performance by a team led by the
1999 MTV award winning Pak dancer Mudassar Mohammed, who is the
No.1 Michael Jackson impersonator in Asia and Gulf, and a mimicry
show called "One Man-Fun Man," presented by famous mimicry
star Ashraf Ponnani. The young charming Pak TV-Drama Actress Binish
Ali will anchor the show. The event, directed by well known media
personality in the UAE, KK Moideen Koya, would be a New Yea gift
that can be enjoyed by all expatriates irrespective of their languages
and nationalities, said the organizers, Right Choice Media, Sharjah.
Full Report
UN Warns of More More chances of epidemics in
coastal areas
Thiruvananthapuram: One of the biggest threats
that the people of the coastal areas of the tsunami-hit areas
are facing is the chance of spreading of dangerous epidemics as
a result of unhygienic conditions prevailing there. The coastal
areas of Srilanka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Maldives, the
coastal areas of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, which witnessed
tsunami attack and immense destruction. People have lost lives
and property and in the Tamilnadu area, the sea swept off one
whole village. There is not a single person alive in the village
and so there is none to do the funeral rites of the dead people
there. In almost all the coastal areas where tsunami waves caused
destruction, nothing is left for lakhs of people. The coastal
areas are strewn wiith dead bodies of human beings, animals and
dead fishes, which have been the leftovers of the killer waves.
The water in the affected areas has become stagnant. People don't
have pure drinking water. Mosquitoes and flies are infesting the
areas and people are facing the danger of epidemics. No medical
precaution has as yet been taken by the state government to prevent
the spread of epidemics.
Tsunami Death toll in India Crosses 7,000
The death toll in the killer tsunami tidal waves
mounted rapidly to nearly 7,000 in India and 17,000 more in the
region today as the scale of death and destruction began unfolding
24 hours after the disaster struck. Rescue workers stacked piles
of bodies and ferried relief to survivors as relatives burnt and
buried their near and dear ones along the southeastern coast.
With the count of the dead going up by leaps and bounds in Sri
Lanka, the toll in the island nation more than doubled to 12,000,
including 70 foreigners, even as many were reported still missing.
Full Report and More News
Gulf Air Adds Colours to the Sky with New Ad Campaign
Full Report
Car Companies Bug 30 Million Drivers with Secret
Electronic Equipment
According to a report, about 30 million cars contain
these "black boxes" known as event data recorders (EDRs)
which record simple data such as whether airbags deployed or if
passengers wore seatbelts. However, a report in the USA Todays
said most cars from General Motors and Ford, as well as some Toyotas
and Hondas, track even more information, including vehicle and
engine speed, and whether the driver was accelerating or braking.
Full Report
Giant Tidal Waves Triggered by Earthquake Kills
Thousands in India
Giant
Tsunami tidal waves set off by a massive earthquake in Indonesia,
the worst in 40 years, today unleashed a trail of death and destruction
in South and South East Asia killing 8,500 people, including over
3,200 in India alone, and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Tamil Nadu bore the brunt of the nature's fury with 1,725 people
losing their lives in the state and Andaman and Nicobar, closest
to Sumatra coast, the epicentre of the 8.9 magnitude quake on
the Richter Scale, was also equally badly hit accounting for 1,000
deaths and suffering extensive damage.What
began as minor tremors at 6.28 AM on a lazy Sunday turned out
to be a nightmare for the entire southeastern coastal belt and
Kerala on the southwest coast where 109 people lost their lives.Pondicherry,
also on the east coast neighbouring Tamil Nadu, reported a toll
of 280 people--211 in Karaikal enclave and 69 in Pondicherry.
In Andhra Pradesh, 69 people were killed. West Bngal and Orissa
were lucky to escpae unscathed.
Full Report and More News
Tidal Waves Kill 119 killed in Coastal Kerala
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Aabout 119 people were confirmed
dead and about thousand people injured as giant sea waves swept
several areas in coastal Kerala, which were triggered by the massive
Indonesian earthquake this morning. Top police officials here
told reporters that 93 people were killed in Kollam, 21 in Alappuzha,
one in Kannur and four in Ernakulam districts. Thousands of people,
including 2000 from the fishing harbour of Vizhinjam near the
famous Kovalam beach resort, were being shifted to safer reas
after their villages were inundated by massive waves this morning.
Full Report
Fake CID Officer Kidnaps Young
Nepalese Boy working for a UAE Minister's Company
DUBAI - A 20 years old expatriate worker of a
leading Lighting manufacturing company residing in the company's
labour camp here has been kidnapped and raped by a criminal disguised
as CID official. The young boy, Prakash from Bhojpur Nepal who
came to Dubai to work for the light making company just three
months back was kidnapped by a fake CID official from the Satwa
Park near the bus stand on Thursday evening and released on Friday
afternoon. Citytimes spotted the victim in villa Number 7 in the
labour camp area of Satwa and spoke to him about the assault by
a man who was wearing white hijab, kanthura and black leather
sandals. The victim is a fair and good-looking boy. It was only
recently that the local media reported about the abduction and
rape of young boys from the city. Another boy working in a Satwa
grocery was also attacked recently, said residents. The boy has
come to work for a company under the management of a new minister
of the UAE Government. He was raped by the fake CID official three
times in a Sharjah apartment and a hotel near Gold Souq. When
he refused to do homosexual acts as demanded by the local citizen,
he was beaten up and later threatened to kill him if he disclosed
the event to any one or reported to the police. As earlier reported
by KM in an investigative report, harassment of expatriate workers
is rampant in Satwa and those who dare to make complaints are
physically assaulted. The boy was released but the culprit retained
his labour card and promised to return the same if he continued
to do obey his fantasies. As the company belonged to a big sheikh
and minister, the culprit was nabbed. In many cases, the victims
remain silent as some are illegal workers and others dont want
to get into trouble. The victim was working for Zoomlux Lightning
Company based in Al Qaboos.
Workers Continue to face non payment of Salary,
In human Living conditions
200 Workers of Alsa, a company owned by a Malayali
businessman have staged protest march to the Labour Office and
complained about non payment of salary for several months and
the company's negligence to remove waste dumped in the labour
camps for three months. As the camp is stinking with the waste
material dumped, workers are living in a unhygenic condition.
300 workers of ADS another company have staged protest march in
front of the labour office and about 1500 employees are not getting
salary for five months. According to the company they are facing
liquidity problem due to non payment of bill by prestigious clients
like shekhs and government departments.
KM Investigative Story
Expatriate Workers face harassment
and robbery in Satwa
DUBAI September 26 2004 -Many expatriate residents
of Satwa, an upper middle class residential pocket of Dubai, partially
inhabited by poor construction workers have experienced the bitter
taste of gangsterism and goondaism, which is not heard about in
other parts of Dubai, a paradise for tourists from all over the
world. Even when many local residents of Satwa are relocating
to Jumeira and other emerging upper class residential areas, life
in Satwa is becoming scary for many expatriates because of utter
public nuisance created by gangs who attack pedestrians, especially
the construction workers, who return home late after work in the
night with knife and other weapons to extract money, mobile phones
and other valuables. Full Report
KM Special on Indian Schools in Dubai:Indian
School Student Banned from Final Exam for Sending SMS to Class
Teacher
By V.M.Sathish
DUBAI - December 23 2004 : Indian
School Students in the UAE are increasingly using mobile phones
for maintaining contacts with working parents and to interact
with peer groups. However, a recent case of an SMS send by a Malayali
student to his classh teacher has become a big issue in which
even the Rajya Sabha Member from Dubai has to intervene. A
Short Service Message (SMS) send from a student's mobile phone
to his class teacher has turned out to be a major disaster for
the 12th Standard Student of Gulf Model High School, a leading
Indian school in Dubai where Asian expatriates from India and
Pakistan study. According to sources close to the student, the
SMS message, "Where are you Fool?", was send by mistake
to the class teacher from another student's mobile phone. The
school is giving him a very severe punishment by denying a chance
to appear for the final examination, which will adversely affect
his future. This news has been exclusively reported
7Days Newspaper, a new tabloid from Dubai, by this reporter.
Full Report
Former Indian Prime Minister P
V Narasimharao Passed Away
P
V Narasimha Rao, the architect of India's economic reforms and
the first Prime Minister outside Nehru-Gandhi clan to complete
a full five-year term in office, died here today after a bout
of serious illness for the last fortnight. A seven-day national
mourning has been declared for Rao, who was Prime Minister between
1991 and 1996, and the Union cabinet decided to accord him a state
funeral. The cremation is likely to take place on Saturday but
the place--whether Delhi or his home state Andhra Pradesh--is
yet to be decided. ighty three year-old Rao, who suffered from
multiple ailments and had a history of heart problem and diabetes,
died at 1410 hours after he developed progressive hypotension
and shock with repeated bouts of cardiac arrhythmia that led to
cardiac arrest from which he could not be revived, the All India
Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was admitted
Full Report
Artist Author within Police
Uniform exhibits Paintings, Poems
Crime Branch D.I.G. B.Sandhya IPS with her best
paintings and Poems
Thiruvananthapuram:
Crime Branch D.I.G. B.Sandhya IPS conducted a two-day exhibition
of her paintings on 16th and 17th of December. In her maiden art
exhibition, the IPS lady presented most of the paintings that
she made in the last 7 years. On the auspicious occasion of her
first painting exhibition which was well received by the general
public, the lady cop has also released her new collection of poems
entitled 'Neermaruthile Uppan'. The tough lady police officer
with an artistic paint brush on one hand and pen on the other
hand has a good flair for writing. Amidst tight time table of
an IPS officer, Sandhya is a mom and wife who managed to find
some time to nurture her artistic talents. She has already published
four books before 'Neermaruthile Uppan'. Her other Malayalam books
are 'Thaarattu', 'Raanthal Vilakku', Baalavaadi and 'Sthreeshakti'.
It is surprising the lady police official has so much of hidden
artistic talents. This is not the first time that the talented
lady was in the news. She was a rank holder for M.Sc Zoology from
Paalai Alphonse College. As the title of her book reveals, Sandhya
represents the true manifestation of Streeshakthi, read women
power. In a fully literate state where womanhood has been humiliated
by sex rackets and corrupt politicians, demonstration of their
skills by such talented educated women indicates that there are
still some rays of hope prevailing there..More
Chrirstmas - The Merriest the Merriest
Time of the Winters
December
25th , the day to celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus Christ is
here again. Colourful decorations and twinkling stars adorn the
whole world that celebrates with zest the festival of Christmas.
As the Christmas day dawns, it nears the end of a period of feverish
activity. Preparations for the festivities begin nearly a month
in advance. It is almost vacation time in western countries. Spick
and span homes with new furnishings are readied to welcome the
Lord Jesus. Christmas cakes and puddings are shopped as well as
made at home. For the traditional taste and flavour dried fruits
and nuts are soaked in rum to be used in the cakes and puddings
for the big day. Various types of cookies and other sweetmeats
are made and stored in advance.More
The Shame of Gujarat “I
Paid Zaheera Sheikh Rs 18 Lakh” A Tehelka Sting Reveals Why
The Prime Witness Keeps Changing Her Stand
A month-long Tehelka sting operation
has sensationally revealed that Zaheera Sheikh, the prime witness
in the Best Bakery case was paid Rs 18 lakh by BJP MLA and close
associate of Narendra Modi, Madhu Srivastava. His cousin brother,
Chandrakant Batthoo Srivastava, a Congress corporator for the
Hanuman Tekri locality in which Best Bakery is located, also confirmed
the ugly fact. When Zaheera first turned hostile at the Vadodara
fast track court on May 21, 2003, she had already counted the
bucks. At the time, her testimony ensured the acquittal of the
21 accused. From the very beginning the Best Bakery trial has
been a test case for ensuring justice in Gujarat. The prime witness
Zaheera Sheikh, despite the obstacles put up by the Gujarat government
at each step, has been the focus of this pursuit for justice.
Zaheera’s flip-flops have been playing havoc with the progress
of the trial, undermining the process of justice.
Full Report
George Bush: Man of the Year..Military Personnel
Wounded in Iraq & Afghanistan
George Bush has been nominated as the Man of
the Year by the Time Magazine. Most Americans haven't seen the
growing legion of wounded troops returning from Iraq who are cared
for at military facilities sealed off from the public. The media,
in turn, have focused on the hit-and-run guerrilla attacks that
claim one or two GIs in Iraq almost daily. Little attention has
been paid to the long, difficult and very personal struggles that
ensue in wards at BAMC and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in
Washington. Click the image to see more such horric pictures of
wounded solvers...More
Who Bribed Rejina? No Tehelka
in Kerala to reveal the Secret of Rejina's Frequent Statement
Changes?
Tanmia appreciates the bank's
gesture in providing UAE Nationals an opportunity to work in an
international banking environment
December 21, 2004 -Over 250 UAE
Nationals responded to the Recruitment Day organised by the National
Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia)
in association with Standard Chartered Bank at Dubai Institute
of Human Resource Development held recently in Dubai.The jobseekers
were selected from Tanmia's database. The Recruitment Day extended
for two days, and candidates were screened in batches of 25. The
screening consisted of examinations in Mathematics, English comprehension
and writing, followed by an interview conducted by a bank official.Full
Report
Health Monitor: From Skin to Leather
The skin is often known as "the largest organ
in the human body". It plays several important functions
including thermo-regulation and protection of internal organs
from vagaries of external environment. It derives its unique and
special properties from its architectural beauty and structural
integrity while maintaining the barrier between internal organs
and external environment.More
Asianet Gulf Round Up Airs Exclusive Story on
Gulf Sex Racket
Kairali Channel Scores over Asianet in telecasting
Worker's Suicide Story
DUBAI
- Nothwithstanding strong pressure from various corners that prevent
some journalists from reporting seriious issues, Biju Abel Jacob,
anchor of the popular Asianet Gulf Round Up Programme has filed
an exclusive report about the pathetic situation facing Keralite
women who are trapped in the multicrore sex racket in the Gulf
region. The report which was telecasted in the Gulf Round Up Programme
of December 19 2004 gave detailed account of various sex racket
victims, some trapped by their own husbands and relatives. Giving
deatiled interviews of Muslim women dressed in their traditional
Parudah, Gulf Roundup Camera revealed the untold story of these
helpless women and their children , who are stamped as bastards
by our society. While KM sticks to its earlier reports that many
forces have been at work to prevent sex racket stories from being
published, the bold manner in which the new sex racket story was
telecast by the channel warrants an applause - if it is not part
of a clean up campaign to whitewash other sex rackets that rocked
Kerala. K.P.Mohan, editor, Asianet channel was the first to congratulate
Biju for doing the exclusive story. (Gulf
Round Up Special)
Similarly,
the Gulf Round UP has also aired the tragic case of Indian labourers
who committed suicide in various labour camps. While KM can proudly
claim that it was our reporters who reached the suicide spots
and boldly reported them without any fear or favour, other media
organisations, except the Kairali Channel (News Section) and Gulf
Madhyamam did not follow up the story. While Gulf Madhyamam gave
detailed report about the suicide episodes without mentioning
the company name or its Malayali owner, Arabia edited by Sharly
Benjamin was the only other Malayalam media which published the
story in some detail. Gulf News and Khaleej Times reported the
story without any cover up attempts. Even though Asianet and other
channels were reluctant to report the story when the suicide actually
happened, it was Kairali channel reporter K.M.Abbas who boldly
gave the report. Asianet came with the suicide story after the
issue is out of media focus, but Abbas deserves a pat on his back
for airing the story prominently. Even though Keith International
owner Bernard Raju has been associated with the channel and is
the self proclaimed representative of Kairali channel, Kairali
was the first to telecast the suicide story. However, follow up
stories were missing and even the Gulf Diary of Albert Alex somehow
did not find a slot for the suicide story.. Jeevan TV and India
Vision are silent but the notable case is that of Deepika International,
a newspaper which started publishing from Dubai recently. It is
a matter of serious concern that some media organizations and
journalists have judged the situation going by narrow religious
identity of the company owner... The dilemma facing journalists
is whether to be loyal to the profession or to be subservient
to vested interests and religious and cultural affinity. Leading
Malayalam newspapers with full fledged bureaus and offices in
Dubai had to print suicide stories filed by a news agency quoting
Gulf News and Khaleej Times. It is easy for journalists to escape
from professional responsibility by showing the bogey of media
censorship in the Gulf region,but for those want to report such
stories there is no official restrictions. In this case the only
problem was a few rich and influential Malayalis who silenced
the press..Freedom of press is at stake because abkaris and shylocks
are trying their luck in media business too..(KM)
IMF Reiterates
Commitment to Self Protection and Integrity of Journalists
DUBAI - Dhadukum hall of Grand Hotel in Al Qesis
here witnessed the first historic meeting of Indian Media Forum
(IMF), a one-year old informal association of Indian journalists
working in the UAE. Even though this IMF meet did no match the
pomp and luxury of the International Monetary Fund meet held at
the Dubai World Trade Center last year, the unique gathering of
nearly 100 journalists - news readers, photographers, reporters,
bureau chiefs, artists, singers and even editor in chiefs representing
various media organizations was a unique experience..Full
Report -
Are Journalists Mere Intellectual
Slaves of Media Barons?
Dubai: Long working hours and lack of job safety
are only some of the serious problems haunting many scribes here.
While a leading channel is known to have delayed salary to its
representative for several months, another channel gives its stringers
a salary less than the monthly earning of a housemaid!!!. Even
though the Gulf wing of the Malayalam media has been growing,
there is no major improvement in the living and working conditions
of journalists and non-journalist staff. Some of the media organizations
are virtually squeezing their workers by giving peanut salary
and forcing them to work long hours.Despite the glamour and status
associated with the profession, actual living standard is like
many other ordinary folks. Channels, which make a major chunk
of their income from the Gulf region, don't give decent remuneration
to even the editorial staff. .Full Report
and More Media reports
H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
donates 40 service vehicles to Basra
DNRD hands over the vehicles to visiting Iraqi
Minister of State for Governorate Affairs
DUBAI
- December 19, 2004 His Highness General
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and
UAE Defence Minister, has donated 40 service vehicles to the city
of Basra, as part of the UAE’s continuing contribution to
the rebuilding of Iraq.The fleet of 10 fire
engines, 10 ambulances, 10 garbage trucks and 10 sewage trucks
was presented to Wael Abdul Latif Hussain, Iraq’s Minister
for Governorate Affairs, by Brigadier Saeed bin Belailah, Director,
Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD), on behalf
of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed, at a ceremony held at Port Rashid today
(December 19, 2004). Full Report
Dubai
Art Lovers Association (DALA), a leading socio-cultural organisation
representing the Keralite expatriate community in Dubai, a booming
commercial city, has proved that its name DALA is synonymous with
KALA (Art). When it is celebrating the 24th anniversary, DALA
has grown up from nowhere to a well respected organisation that
has been promoting value based art and culture. At a time when
cultural degradation and neocolonialism are encoroaching upon
every aspect of life, especially among the affluent ections of
overseas expatriate community, the 24th anniversary celebrations
of DALA indicated that there are still good budding artists who
can contribute to social harmony and fight against rash commercialisation.
While watching some of the cultural events presented by DALA artists,
the 3000 strong audience would have definitely felt that art and
culture are still effective to propagate noble values, which are
gradually disappearing from society. Artists can strongly fight
against the eagles of commercial culture and protect the basic
rights of the weaker sections of society...Watch this space. (Click
image for detailed photographs)
Qatar Airways Increases Dubai-Doha Frequency to
49 Weekly Flights
DOHA - 16th December 2004 Qatar Airways, the award winning national
airline of the State of Qatar, has increased frequency between
Dubai and its operational base of Doha International Airport to
seven flights a day. The move takes total capacity between the
two key markets to 49 scheduled flights a week, strengthening
links between the major regional economic centres and helping
travellers in Dubai to take advantage of Qatar Airways’ extensive
global network. “Dubai is a vital market for Qatar Airways,”
explained Naveen Chawla, Qatar Airways’ Area Manager Dubai
& Northern Emirates.More
Young Achiever: Rhea Nair from Dubai is an Aspiring
World Champion.
Young
Achievers: Rhea Nair from Moovatupuzha Eranakulam was a student
of Indian Highschool Dubai who has migrated to IMGACADEMIES, one
of the largest sports schools in the world which has produced
many sports giants. Michele Romano (3rd), Rhea Nair (1st and Low
Round), Lydia Benitez (2nd) According to a commentary on her performance,
Benitez of Puerto Rico was one stroke ahead of fifteen year old
Rhea Nair of the United Arab Emirates. "On Saturday, Rhea,
a junior at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, played her first nine
on Saturday (the back side) with all pars, then made the turn,
and bogeyed # 1, then made par all the way in," it said.
"On Sunday, Miss Nair had 4 birdies on the day for a round
of two under par, one under for the tournament and giving her
a one stroke win over Lydia Benitez. This was Rhea's first FCWT
event and her first win," the commentary added. "She
is hoping to be able to use her exemption to the National Championship
in May. "Everything was good [about her game]; she's been
working hard and everything clicked for her," Reha is quoted
in the report. All of these girls have earned an exemption to
the TPC Sawgrass event in January. Her father Ashok Kumar Nair
is eagerly waiting for her shot visit to Dubai ...Watch this space.
KM Exclusive: UAE to have one
more Radio Station, Vengara going back to Ras Al Khaimah!
KM
learns that KPK Vengara, who is heading the Umm Al Qaim Radio
which is on the verge of closure will go back to his original
home in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah, from where he started his long
radio career. As the Umm Al Quaim Radio is all set to wind up
operations by the end of December, the doyan of Malayalam radio
scene in the UAE is likely to be part of yet another FM radio
station, Malayalam of course, from another Emirate. The new FM
radio from RAK will be under the ownership of Mr.Thampi of Nalukettu
group. Even as the dispute about the first Malayalam radio sound
heard by the UAE Malayalis is still going on, Vengara is likely
to be part of a new radio station being set up in Ras Al Khaimah.
After Hit 96.7 FM Radio Station from the Arabian Radio Network
virtually hit all other Malayalam radio stations, especially the
technically weak, qualitatively superior ones like Umm Al Qaim,
it has been very difficult to attract advertisers to such stations.
Closing down of radio station is obviously due to financial difficulties...The
new FM radio station from Ras Al Khaimah will be promoted by a
Malayali businessmen with interest in restaurant and hotels. Meanwhile,
Radio Asia, a major force in the AM and FM frequencies has approached
a leading media organisation with radio and channels to sell its
FM frequency, 94.7. Earlier the frequency was 94.8 and it is yet
to be confirmed whether the new FM from RAK to be headed by Vengara
will buy the Radio Asia FM frequency. Consolidation is taking
place in the radio sector too..Watch this space to see the change
from AM to FM..
Cabinet Approves Draft Concession Agreement For
Hydrabad International Airport
The Union Cabinet today has approved the Draft
Concession Agreement to be executed between the Government of
India and the Hyderabad International Airports Limited (HIAL).In
December, 1997 the Ministry Civil Aviation announced its policy
on Airport Infrastructure. Amongst others, the policy provided
for private sector participation in airport infrastructure. This
encouraged the State Government of Andhra Pradesh (GOAP) to promote
a Greenfield airport at Shamshabad near Hyderabad under joint
venture with private sector participation.
More News
One More Worker of Labour Supply Company in Satwa
Commits Suicide
by V.M.Sathish -Dubai Witnesses Five Suicides in One Week?
SATWA
- A couple of days after the Tamilian construction worker of Keith
International LLC owned by a Malayali committed suicide, another
Tamilian worker from a labour supply company in the same area
was found dead in mysterious circumstances. According to sources,
about five suicides have been reported from different parts of
the city in one week, majority of them expatriate construction
workers. Twenty four years old Selva Kumar from Pulankeri, Selam
in Tamilnadu, the only son of his parents, who had been working
as a helper for Metaly, a labour supply company which employs
about 300 workers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other places, was found
dead in his room within Villa Number 120 just behind the Al Saqwa
Supermarket near the Satwa bus stand. Dubai Police and the Dubai
Court Prosecutors have examined the body and suicide spot and
they will find out what happened, said the company spokesman.
Full Report
Bill Clinton Drives Arab Women,Girls Crazy : V.M.Sathish
reports from the first Arabic signing ceremony of My Life, former
American Presidents' autbiography for Khaleej Times.
Khaleej
Times report: Many young students, especially girls, were delighted
to see the former American president Bill Clinton during his visit
to the American University of Dubai (AUD) for the first signing
ceremony of the Arabic version of My Life, an autobiography of
the 42nd American President William Jefferson Clinton. According
to the organisers about 650 copies of My Book were sold out within
two hours and many aspiring buyers were turned down as the stock
was finished. Some beautiful ladies were carrying multiple copies
of the same book, while others came to the AUD library carrying
the book. Holding the book closely to their heart many ladies
said that despite some controversy surrounding Monica that rocked
American politics, they are impressed with Clinton's family life
and political career. Amidst tight security and regulated entry
strictly by invitation, women dominated the crowd that gathered
inside the small library building. Using their mobile phone cameras,
many of them were found photographing the former president..
Full Report
Dileep, Siddiqu and Company in Dubai for Salaam
Habibi
A
jumbo celebriity team of forty artists, dancers and others have
arrived here to stage what is likely to be another successful
stage programme being organised by Asianet Radio in association
with Max Media and other sponsors. Packed with many talented actors
and actresses including some ace comedians like Hari Shree Ashokan
and Mammu Koya, the four hour entertainment show designed to Bollywood
standards will herald the beginning of new entertainment mega
shows in the city after the 40 day mourning period following the
sad demise of His Highness Sheikh Zayed ended. Dileep, the running
superstar of Malayalam movies is accompanied by a few chocolate
heroines and Vineeth the Nakhashatham boy who is being sidelined
by the mainstream cinema. Salam Habeebi organised by Asianet Radio
Dubai is going to be a different show altogether, claimed the
organisers. Addressing the media, Dileep said he has spend one
and half months rehearsing for the show. Coming at a time of intense
dispute between the film artists and producers all the artists
have agreed that the show will not be telecast by Asianet..More
Bahrain simplifies immigration process with e-visa
(Dubai, December 2004): Streamlined visa processes
in Arabia are essential to stimulate visitor figures, according
to one government tourism official, who said that online visa
application facilities have proved highly successful since their
recent introduction.Bader Nasser, head of marketing for tourism
affairs for the government of Bahrain, highlighted the Kingdom?s
e-visa initiative as a ?necessary measure? if the drive for fast
and seamless immigration processes for business and leisure travellers
is to be met.Full Report
Dubai based English Papers Give Extensive Coverage
to Suicide Case
Malayalam Media in Silent Mode -
DUBAI - December 11, 2004 Even as hundreds of
workers including about 25 Malayalis were clamouring for help
and media support to highlight their grave problems and the suicide
case, many of the mainstream Malayalam Newspapers, radio stations
and Television Channels were functioning as if nothing serious
has happened. Despite the fact that almost all the leading journalists
were aware of the suicide and related problems in Keith International,
most of them were apparently busy with the gala final desert party
of the Dubai International Film Festival or other routine stuff.
While journalists some journalists shed crocodiles tear about
problems facing ordinary folks, especially the Malayali workers,
many eminent Malayali personalities including some journalists
were busy trying to stop the press. While every editor/journalist
has his own reasoning for writing or not writing a story, there
are some basic human and professional values which cannot be ignored
at any cost. Full Report
Labour Supply Company Workers
Agitated Over Death of Colleague
Bernard Raju's labourers complaint
of slavery
DUBAI - Labour supply is a lucrative business
for many prominent Malayalis who specialize in rampant exploitation
by squeezing out maximum profit from it by giving marginal salary
to workers and pocketing major chunk of their daily earning. While
major companies give to labour companies' upto Dhs. 13 per hour,
the worker gets Dhs. 4 and sometimes Dhs.5. He came to Dubai on
27 November 2003 as an electrician, but was given work as a helper
and paid just Dhs.4 per hour. For major companies, putting permanent
workers on the payroll is a big liability due to the standard
facilities stipulated by the UAE labour rules. In order to circumvent
such visa problems, many big companies (construction, maintenance
and hotels) subscribe to the labour supply companies. Even though
there are only a few licensed companies which are allowed to do
engage in labour supply, a chain of authorized and unauthorized
labour suppliers, is created. Keith International LLC, with about
400 workers, is just one of the companies that engage in labour
supply to prestigious clients. Like many other manpower and womanpower
supply companies, this too is headed by a prominent Malayali Bernard
Raju whose name is well known in the entertainment and media sectors
of UAE. Workers said he is a well known name in organising stage
shows and other celebrity events in Dubai. He has also been engaged
in running some special programmes in Kairali TV, one of the most
popular TV channels from Kerala. There are three labour camps
in Satwa and other places. One company was earlier closed due
to similar problems. BESCO another company run by the same owner
was closed down and the owner was reported bankrupt, said workers.
Kairali TV officials said that there is no relation with the group
More
India and Israel to Enhance Cooperation in High
Technology Areas Agreement to form joint Study group for
Comprehensive Economic Partnership
India
and Israel have taken one more step forward to enhance cooperation
in high technology areas by signing a “Statement of Intent”
in this regard . The document was signed by the visiting Israeli
Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour,
Mr. Ehud Olmert and the Minister for Science and Technology and
Ocean Development, Shri. Kapil Sibal at the end of bilateral talks
here today. Both the countries have also agreed to set up a Joint
Study Group for a comprehensive economic partnership between the
two countries. This was announced by Shri Kamal Nath, Commerce
& Industry Minister, at the India-Israel Business Conference,
organised by the FICCI here today. The Minister said the decision
was taken during his discussions with Mr. Ehud Olmert, Full
Report More News
K P Mohan, Deepa of Asianet, Basheer of India
Vision summoned to Court as Part of Sex Scandal Investigation
skipping Police. Amithabh Kanth's ITDC Justifies
Sell out of Kovalam Palace to Galfar at throwaway Price Full
Report More News
Iraqi Women Subjected to Serious Abuse, Threat
of Rape, Sex
Women in Iraq continue to live in fear and insecurity
as civilians are caught up in attacks by multinational forces
and by armed groups. In a climate of lawlessness kidnappings,
rapes and killings of women and girls by armed gangs have increasingly
been reported.And as the scandal broke over the torture and ill-treatment
of detainees by US military personnel, evidence emerged that women
were among those subjected to abuses. Released women detainees
reported being beaten, threatened with rape, humiliated and held
for long periods in solitary confinement. A US military investigation
found “systemic” and “illegal abuse of detainees”
in Abu Ghraib prison that included the “videotaping and photographing
of male and female detainees” and “a male MP guard having
sex with a female detainee”. Ahlam Abd al-Zahra Idris lost
her legs when her house in Basra, Iraq, was shelled by Coalition
Forces on 21 March 2003. Her baby was wounded along with other
members of her family, said Amnesty International..
Overdose of Ice Cream: Oomman Chandy becomes Health
Conscious after 100 Days in Office More
Pravasi Bharatiya Bhawan Tender to be floated
soon, Land Allotment Over .Full Report
Strengthen Family Values to Prevent Sexual Abuse
of Kerala Woman
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala women should unite
beyond politics to present a strong fight against growing sex
racket in the state, said noted writer Sugathakumari, while attending
a recent seminar organized by Sthreevedi here. Paradoxically enough,
around 40 women's representatives who attended the programme were
supporters of various parties. To her surprise all the participants
were either from Left Democratic Front (LDF) United Democratic
Front (UDF) or the BJP. Sugathakumari has said that it is difficult
for women to unite and lead a united movement against sex rackets,
which ruin many lives in the state. Kerala is one of the most
politicized states in the country and reports suggested that leaders
of all the strong political groups in the state are accused in
the recent sex scandals.Full Report by
by R.S.Priya
Three militants killed in attack on U.S. consulate
in Jeddah
The Saudi Ministry of Interior has announced that
at 8:00 a.m. GMT today, members of the deviant group threw explosives
at the gate of the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah and then entered.
Security forces took immediate action, and were able to bring
the situation under control. Three of the assailants were killed
and two others wounded and arrested. The incident is being followed
up by the concerned authorities and a supplementary statement
will be released later.
Omani Newspaper Installs Hidden Cameras to Monitor
Journalists Movement, .Indian Reporters Passport Seized by Royal
Oman Police for the last twenty months... Full
Report
ISTITHMAR Makes DH1.8 Billion investment in One
year Full Report
UAE authorities raid a training centre in Dubai
as part of intensified campaign against software piracy Full
Report and more News
Story on Kiliroor, Kozhikkodu Sex Scandals: Crime
Magazine Censored in Dubai
Media
Monitor: Thanks to a number of sensational
sex scandals in Kerala, Crime and Detective Magazines have been
doing a roaring business in the Gulf . Crime editor T.P.Nanadakumar's
new schoop is about the Gulf link to the Kiliroor/Kaviyoor sex
scandals, especially his revelation that a jewellery owner offered
a whopping Rs.3 crores to silence the concerned people for not
naming the group in the sex scandal case. . While the mainstream
Kerala media have been publishing such stories without dislosing
the gold merchant's name - thanks to its huge advertisement budget
- , Crime has been bold enough to put things in black and white.
While many journalists term Mr.Nandakumar as an yellow journalist,
it is a fact that his stories have been proved more hard hitting
and revealing. He has rightly predicted the possibility that the
Kiliroor girl would be murdered and within two weeks it has happened!!!.The
Gulf readers dont have the right to read the latest crime magazine
in full as the first 17 pages are missing. While the front page
says the sons of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and M.A.Baby, two prominent
CPM Leaders are allegedly involved in the sex scandal, some of
the inside pages are mysteriously missing. A query with the local
distributor Malik News Agency revealed that it could have been
censored What is so sensational in that story that warranted censoring?
While the mainstream gulf media is silenced in one way or another,
the mainstream channels which operate from the Gulf are instructed
not to carry any stories about the two sex scandals. One TV channel
has been specially invited by the local police to interview top
officials regarding the arrest of a new sex racket. Even though
the interview was taken with special interest to improve awareness
in Kerala about the growing sex trafficking from the state to
the gulf countries, it is not sure whether the channel has ever
telecast it. Apparently there is special instruction not to do
any sex scandal stories....or ice cream parlour stories. Great
committment to fight crime...The channel reporter was given an
award in recognition of his commitment to serious journalism!!!
There is also an informal understanding that such sex crime stories
are not published in the local English dailies....Any reasons?
One report suggested that about 1000 Keralite girls have been
luredby the Gulf based sex racket. The Kozhikkodu sex racket was
just a tip of the ice berg as the girls were used to lure customs
officials and others to facilitate drug smuggling through the
Kozhikkodu airport.
Letter from Saudi Reader: KM can do much more
to the poor people which is suffering in gulf
Hello Editor, Firstly, we are taking this change
to shake your hand which you are using to write the true stories
of the people which is suffering from the many anti social elements
from gulf and in kerala, and publishing the naked and unedited
news and reports of the media and political typhoons in your portal.
(Really, I feel little jealous to you, but its in healthy way).Every
Keralians, really they are fed up with current political and social
situation which they are watching thru media and newspaper. But
we know that every media, they have their own godfather in politics
and business, and they are covering the ugly truths about their
godfathers. But from these “Mess” we found a valuable
diamond…….That is only you and your portal. I am working
in Saudi Arabia, and a frequent reader of “Malayalam”
and
“Kalakaumudi” and watching and observing the news in
various Malayalam channels, so I have some knowledge about the
political and social up-to-date pulse from kerala. But I am wondering
about your report which you published in your portals in local
and international subjects, because your reports have some new
dimension which we are not familiar with it.
I read a report about you in weblokam portal,
that why I knew about you and your portals. When I enter in your
portal….and read the topics which you published in your portals…….Really
I am a fan of you and your brave reporting…….Keep it
up man…Keep it up….As I mentioned earlier…..I am
working in Saudi Arabia…..and as you know that this the most
notorious media censored country in the world. Every week I am
getting my magazines which is tear off or black coloured in some
specific reports. Because of that issue, may be a report against
Muslim ideology, Muslim Legue, Jamayat Islami, or other social
reports against muslim society. For example……In “Malayalam
Weekly” I read many reports of Mr. O. Abdullah, the “Madhyamam”
Editor, who is countering the reports of “Mr. Hameed
Chennamangalam”. The fun is that, I don’t read any report
of Mr. Hameed in “Malayalam” which he is countering
Mr. Abdullah…The same situation which you faced thru the
Asianet server. You are doing a wonderful
job, and we believe that you can do much more to the poor people
which is suffering in gulf, who are suffering the from various
anti social elements in gulf region. I am sure that many people
are waiting and ready to help in various ways to support you and
your portal……Please inform us, what kind of support
which you need from your portal readers…And from your side……..we
need only your BRAVE REPORTING.Why don’t you try to make
a some exclusive reports to shoot by webcam or hidden cams about
the various anti social activities in gulf. Please publish a true
survey about the current politician’s status in our minds.
I hope that we can find only some politicians are only living
in our mind. Like, VS, AK Antony, VM Sudheran, Veliyam Bhargavan,
(Vayalar Ravi and Chandrachoodan, MK Muneer).Thousands of people
are behind you………Do your brave job…Loving,
Saju and Simy From Saudi Arabia
Health Monitor: Self monitoring
of blood pressure. Which machine shall I buy?
High
blood pressure or hypertension is a major public health problem.When
you enter shopping malls, pharmacies and other stores it is now
common to see BP measuring equipments or monitors.BP monitors
like their counterpart blood sugar monitors is becoming a big
business .Many people try at it and yesterday one young lady came
and told me that she has high blood pressure after measuring with
such an equipment at a shop.Patients are also using them frequently.By
the way the lady had normal blood pressure!.This is what made
me write on them before you spend dirhams to buy it. by Dr. Madan
Mohan.. More
Kozhikkodu Ice Cream: Where are the other girls...Some
Witnesses were smuggled to Gulf ?
Egyptian in Saudi Arabia says his Sponsor Holding
Passport for more than 9 months!!
RIYADH - I am egyptian living
in and working in Saudi arabia suffering from great violation
of human rights by holding my passport from my sponsor for more
than 9 months to force me to sign that i took all my rights although
I had received any .There is a big threat on my life and my family
life due to this.Refusal to sign got the sponsor very mad and
threatening to kill or leave me without any money ,food or shelteras
for these 9 montyhs I have no salary. (letter by email)
Guest Book: God Only Knows Where is His Own Country
Heading?
Your web site is very interesting. We don't know
where our God's own country is heading to now. We all have to
unite and see what we can do to stop the nexus between politicians,
business tycoons and criminals. Many people doesn't know about
your website. In Ice cream parlour case Kunhalikutty is communialising
the issue, similar to BJP supporting Jayendra saraswathy. We keralites
always boast that we are highly literate and cultured but we don't
show that when we respond to issues like, ice cream parlour or
Kiliroor case. We need to tell all kerala Muslims that struggle
against Kunhalikkutty is not directed towards Muslim community.
I also don't think any educated person from Kerala will support
BJP in Jayendra Saraswthy issue. If Jayendra saraswathy needs
a Brahmin to cook his food then definitely he is a not a poor
people's man. He has showed his interest in Politics in the past.
I am a person who is ready to support you by all means, in order
to pass the message of truth to all keralite.Read
More
A trailer for the hit television series Desperate
Housewives on Monday Night football showed an actress with her
back to the camera drops her towel in a locker room.Full
Report
Man on the Street Feels Relieved as Tea Price
comes down to 50 fils
DUBAI - The six thousand-odd cafetarias and restaurants
in different parts of the city are vying with each other in a
bid to lure and pacify their agitated customers by reducing their
prices and reverting back to the earlier 50fils price tag at which
a cup of tea was, available not so long ago.Agitated customers
have forced many shops to reverse the recent hike in tea price.
Shops in some parts of Deira, had already reversed their prices
and some, especially those in Bur Dubai, had never adopted the
new hiked-up price. The price of a cup of tea in Dubai had previously
remained stagnant for 28 years and two attempts to increase price
had ended up in failure due to lack of cooperation from traders
and consumers resistance. However, this time, cafetaria owners'
over-enthusiasm in increasing tea prices had hit mainly the lower
income group and the middle class.
Read special report by V.M.Sathish in Khaleej Times. -- Sonapur
Workers Boycott calls Force Shop owners to reduce tea price
-Other Stories by the same author:
Migratory
Birds come back to Dubai;(click)
One More Shame for Gods Own Country - Kiliroor
Sex Scandal Victim Dies
KOTTYAM - Saari S. Nair, the seventeen year old
girl who has been hospitalised after being victimised in the Kiliroor
sex scandal has died here in the evening at the Kottayam Medical
College. Ending the fear psychosis of many prominent politicians,
NRK businessmen and pimps, daughter of Cheriyakarakkada Surendra
Kumar who gave birth to an illegitimate child died in the hospital.
With her death, a crucial evidence in the Kiliroor sex scandal
has vanished, giving ample scope to manipulate further investigations.
The sex scandal, which is the latest to rock state politics has
revived the Kozhikkodu sex scandal and Vithura sex scandals in
which the infamous Muslim League Minister Kunjalikutty has also
been implicated. Kerala has been in the grip of a sex-liquor-bluefilm
mafia with strong political patronisers and international criminal
links. More
BMW WilliamsF1 Team Launch confirmed at Bahrain
International Circuit
Manama Dec. 1, 2004: Bahrain International Circuit
is proud to announce more details on the launch of the BMW WilliamsF1
Team in early January. The Anglo-German team will present its
new driver line-up as well as its new livery for the 2005 FIA
F1 World Championship at the Bahrain International Circuit, the
home of Formula One in the Middle East region on January 6 and
7, 2005 The Bahrain International Circuit at Sakhir is the most
technologically-advanced race track in the world and it is fitting
that the BMW WilliamsF1 Team, one of Formula One’s leading
teams, has chosen this venue to inaugurate its 2005 Season. The
launch will also present the opportunity for 40 lucky winners
to gain a unique insight into the world of Formula One. Fans buying
a ticket to April’s Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix before the
end of December will enter a prize draw to win exclusive behind
the scenes access to the launch and hot laps of the Bahrain Circuit
alongside one of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team drivers. More
News
Ten students win top honours in Dubai Media City's
annual quest for exceptional media talent
Tuesday, November 30th, 2004 Dubai Media City
today honoured the winners of the fourth Ibda'a Media Student
Awards at a glittering ceremony held at the DMC Amphitheatre.His
Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of
Information and Culture presented the Awards to ten aspiring media
professionals from around the world. In an event where young creative
talent rubbed shoulders with eminent media personalities, the
winning students received recognition and prizes that could jump-start
their careers. Leading global and regional media giants sponsored
the prizes. Full Report and More News
Twenty Years After Gas Tragedy Little Compensation
More Illness for Bhopal Residents
There were thousands of bodies. There were bodies
everywhere. And people were dying all round. Mohammad Owais, a
volunteer at Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal, India. More than 7,000
people died within a matter of days when toxic gases leaked from
a chemical plant in Bhopal, India on the night of 2/3 December
1984. Over the last 20 years exposure to the toxins has resulted
in the deaths of a further 15,000 people as well as chronic and
debilitating illnesses for thousands of others for which treatment
is largely ineffective.The disaster shocked the world and raised
fundamental questions about government and corporate responsibility
for industrial accidents that devastate human life and local environments.
Yet 20 years later, the survivors still await just compensation,
adequate medical assistance and treatment, and comprehensive economic
and social rehabilitation. The plant site, has still not been
cleaned up. As a result, toxic wastes continue to pollute the
environment and contaminate water that surrounding communities
rely on. Full Report and More News (Click
Photo for detailed Report)
Dubai to Host MEED Real Estate Conference during
Global Property Week
The opportunities and risks in the Gulf real estate
boom which has witnessed a record number of developments and a
sharp rise in property prices in the past five years will be investigated
at MEED's 2nd Middle East Real Estate conference, a two-day event
to be held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai on February 1st and
2nd, 2005. This key industry event is being held alongside the
Dubai Property Investment Show, which together with the conference
form key elements of the International Property Week Dubai 2005.
Bahrain Financial Harbour, the Pearl project in Qatar and The
Wave in Oman.Full Report and More News
RSF BlastS Oman for Blacklisting Writers Al Harthy,
Al Riyami
Oman media ordered to blacklist writers; Black
Laws of Oman Supress Media Freedom
Reporters Without Borders lambasted the Sultanate
of Oman for banning the media from giving space or airtime to
two writers and intellectuals for the past five months and called
for them to be allowed to be interviewed freely again.The blacklisting
appears to be linked to comments the two made on the Iranian channel
Al-Alam casting doubt on government commitment to political reform.
Writer Mohammed al-Harthi has had his weekly column banned from
the official daily Oman. Poet Abdallah al-Ryami, has seen his
once frequent appearances on state-run national television cancelled
one after the other.Both al-Harthi et al-Ryami believe that the
Oman authorities probably gave verbal instructions to editors
of newspapers and directors of programmes on public radio and
television forbidding them to interview the two intellectuals
or even to mention their names or their work.Contacted by Reporters
Without Borders, the information ministry refused to explain the
measure, limiting itself to citing various minor amendments made
to the press law in August 2004. Full Report
Reflections on Media and Human Rights in the Gulf
Region : a case study of Oman Full Report
BMW Contemplating New Changes in Muscat Dealership?
Is BMW planning to say Thalaak Thalaak Thalaak
to its new partner in Muscat? The corporate circles in Muscat
are rife with speculation that within one year after a major corporate
coup in which the biggest business group in Oman snatched away
the much coveted BMW dealership from the Al Hashar group, the
German auto giant seems to be unhappy with the business development.
One year after taking over the BMW dealership, there is no much
to claim to make. Sales have not grown fast enough to justify
a new alliance. Muscat corporate circles were shaken when the
long friendship between the Al Hashar group and BMW was suddenly
break. There is also problems about the quality of service technicians
selected from a leading Indian car manufacturer. It is learned
that a Saudi Dubai business consortium is making strategic moves
to take control of the German car dealership Another leading Business
group in Oman is also eyeing the premium brand ..
More News
Polygamy allowed in the Gulf but why did BMW Divorce
Al Hashar Group in Oman?
Guenther Seemann, Managing Director, BMW Group
Middle East has revealed that the German autmobile manufacturer
decided to end the long standing relationship with the Al Hashar
group because of the cool approach of the market to promote the
brand. The dramatic decision by the BMW group last year to divorce
a long standing business alliance with the Al Hashar group and
enter into a new alliance with the Bahwans group is attributed
to the poor performance of Al Hashar group in marketing the premium
brand. "We have long established business alliance with the
Middle East dealers. In Lebanon our relationship with the dealer
is almost fifty years old," he said. The BMW decision to
get out of the Al Hashar business alliance was a major blow to
the group. It may be recalled that a journalist who reported the
case was threatened with dire consequences.
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Special
Report by K Devi Padmanabhan*
Thiruvananthapuram -The advances made in science
and technology over the years has helped one to delve deep into
the intricacies of biotechnology. The country has got immense
talent in the field of biotechnology, genetics, and molecular
studies apart from other streams of science.Full
Report and More News
Indian Rupee Strengthens..Worse for NRIs?
BOMBAY - After a brief two-day respite, the Rupee
today climbed to a new 5-1/2-month closing peak of Rs 45.0250/0350
per dollar on the back of healthy trade and foreign fund inflows
inspite of central bank dollar buying intervention containing
its gains.In moderately active two-way trade at the interbank
foreign exchange (forex) market, the Rupee gained four paise from
yesterday's close of Rs 45.0650/0750 after hitting the day's peak
of Rs 44.9850/9950.It opened on a firm note at Rs 45.05/06 per
dollar, reflecting the dollar's tumble to record lows against
major global rivals, mainly the Euro.
Tea Price Hike Reversed as Workers Boycott Tea
Shops in Dubai by V.M.Sathish
Dubai: "Many cafeterias in Sonapur area increased
the tea price by 25 fils from 50 fils to 75 fils. The new price
was effective for three to four days," says Ratheesh, a resident
of Sonapur. As thousands of workers are living together in labour
camps, a number of cafeterias and tea shops get roaring business.
. Full
Report
Amithabh Kanth IAS, Joint Secretary ITDC Acted
Against Public Interest to Favour Gulf NRI
The dubious role of Amitabh Kant, the current
Joint Secretary of ITDC and Raveendran in closing the acquisition
proceedings abruptly and forestalling the expansion of the Palayam
bus stand are to be investigated further, said the Kozhikode Vigilance
Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge . . More
Israeli Troops Behind Fallujah Massacre in Iraq?
Israel
currently has no fewer than 1,000 officers and soldiers scattered
around the American units working in Iraq. In addition, 37 rabbis
are operating within the American troops, which leads to believe
that the real number is greater; since Ha'aretz admitted that
others are concealing their Jewish identities, which makes them
self-driven Israeli citizens. Currently, there is a recruitment
campaign coinciding with the escalation of the operations in Iraq,
which seeks to send further assistance there, writes Rashid Khashana
in Al-Hayat Full
Report
League Minister's Fantasy with Minor Thalappoli
girls!!
A
senior official in Thiruvananthapuram Secretariat has revealed
the fantasies of a controversial minister. When the minister goes
as chief guest in many public functions, his mind will be focused
on the young good looking girls, preferably minor ones, who stand
in a que with the traditional Thalappoli and lamp as a mark of
respect to the beloved minister. As a former education minister,
he has visited many public functions. "After the meeting
the minister and senior officials and organisers chit chat for
sometime when the minister or his assistant will invite the special
girl(s0 to have a friendly chat. The senior official would inform
the girl that the Ministerji would like to talk to her privtely...Once
she is brought to minister , the minister will ask her name and
other details and finally give her a diary with an advise -- write
down her name, phone number, address ...How many such entries
are there in his diary? ..This particular girl was feeling shy
and ..This was a common pattern used by the minister during his
long career....God knows what happend to such God's Own Ministers...Isnt
it time we stop worshipping such ministers who have proved again
and again their real value. When everybody is talking about ending
demonstrations, bandhs and harthals, why not take a decision to
stop parading our young girls in front of such pervert minister's?
KM Exclusive: Latha Nair Was in Muscat Also? As
Partner of Sex Traffick King Maniraj of Madina Qaboos?
Remember Maniraj, the sex trafficking King of
Muscat the main culprit who brought a Christian girl from Ernakulam
to work as a beautician, but forced into prostitution? KM sources
reveal that the infamous Latha Nair who is the main accused in
the Kiliroor sex scandal and the tragic death of Saari S.Nair
was living in Muscat for sometime with the sex traffic giant Maniraj,
who is known to have died sometimes back. As reported by KM earlier,
sex trafficking from Kerala to the Gulf is a very big racket in
which many agents and subagents work together. The girls are brought
to one country, transported to other Gulf countries and the cycle
goes on. In many cases, the involvement of VIPs remains very subtle
and mostly the last chain in the links get arrested or exposed.
Now the state government is keen to end the case as an isolated
sexual assault case in Kottayam. Latha Nair represents just a
weak link in the sex trafficking chain which is spread all over
the Gulf region and outside. She was also reported to be working
in Kuwait for sometime. The Kuwait link to the sex traffick was
already reported by KM. The story of the Ernakulam girl trapped
in the sex traffic which was reported by the then Asianet reporter
from Muscat V.M.Sathish helped the young girl escape from the
trap. ..It is another story that for reporting such human interest
stories about sex trafficking and crime, the reporter was "sacked"
by Asianet. People with integrity and ethics should occupy senior
position in any media organisations, which are supposed to be
maintaining highest moral and ethical standards. Some media organisations
are not keen to report such cases now due to unknown reasons.
Malayali Girl had a narrow Escapes from the Gulf
Mafia Forced to give statement in front of Video Camera
Cochin: June - July 2001 Ending one and half
month period saga, a Malayali women from Ernakulam who was recruited
by an agent to work in Oman as housemaid, has reached home safely.
In a special interview given to keralamonitor , the girl has alleged
that even though she was recruited by one Malayali agent -Mr.Maniraj
from Ernakula to work as housemaid, he had been behaving badly
with her. (View her letter written after reaching Cochin)"I
reached Muscat on June 10 and the (person who recruited me) came
to the airport and took me to his house. Since then he had been
behaving and talking badly," she said without revealing details.
She alleged that he forced her to give a written statement, which
was read out in front of a video camera to prove that there is
no complaint about the whole episode. Full
Report
Why did Pinarayi, Kodiyeri Elements of CPM Leadership
Sacrifice the party's Image for a few Muslim League Ministers
and Business tycoons?
Many
sensational revelations by prominent politicians like V.S.Achuthananthan,
Women actist Sugathakumari and former Prosecution Director General
Kallada Sukumaran make it clear that the LDF government headed
by the former chief minister, late E.K.Nayanar helped the Muslime
League Minister Kunjalikutty and others involved in the Kozhikkodu
sex scandal to get away with their crime by diluting the investigation
procedures and suppressing relavent facts from public knowledge.
Even though the CPM is a party formed by leaders of highest integrity
like A.K.Gopalan and E.M.S, the current party leadership is forced
to keep mum on even such heneious crimes like sex trafficking
and immoral flesh trade. The role of corrupt petty leadership
and the new breed of business friendly comrades who have penetrated
the party for their self interest was evident during the illicit
liquor tragedy of Manichan and now in the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream
Parlour and Kiliroor sex scandals. Party leders like Pinaray Vijayan
and Kodiyeri are making some statements for public consumption,
but they have their own "limitations" to go strongly
against the criminal League elements. These developments remaind
once again that the CPM will become yet another Bolshevik party
that could disintegrate due to its own inner contradictions and
there is no need for a class enemy to demolish such a popular
party. Unless and until there is a total rethinking about the
basic democratic principles that were always upheld by the left
political movement, there is no doubt that the party caders will
question partially corrupt leadership. One of the reasons for
the partial collapse of communism from the former Soviet Union
and East Europe was rampant corruption and nepotism. The fact
that people still rally behind communist leaders in Kerala and
West Bengal is not because they are fully happy with the leadership.
The role of power brokers within the party should be controlled
by developing inner party democracy and discussions, not by following
Stalinist measures. P Shashi the former secreatary of the former
chief minister E K Nayanar has apparently misused his position
for personal gains. This type of lumpen elements have penetrated
the party at different levels. When the former chief minister
visited Oman to attend a public function, the local leadership
guided him directly to the richest businessman and League power
broker (pictured above). Their affiliation to such people with
vested interest is questioned by party caders on many occasions,
but the CPM seems to be under the strong grip of this power brokers
and fund raisers. When Pinaray visits Dubai, he is always found
in the company of the big business. Kodieyri Balakrishnan was
in a secret mission to Dubai and Muscat for unknown reasons..
Some leaders are more keen to protect their relatives and sons
involved in serial production and sex crimes... It is not yet
late to clean up the Agean stable so that when the next sex scandal
or corruption hits news headlines, the party leadership can react
spontaneously without anything to hide from the public and party
caders. Shashi who was sitting too close to the chief minister
tried to harass a sincere official who was trying to do justice
to his work....The party has just emerged without any major setback
from the Manichan illicit liquor tragedy and now it is the ice
cream sex parlour case and Kiliroor..
Saudi Arabia: Women's exclusion from elections
undermines progress
Saudi Arabia is gearing up for the country's first
nationwide municipal elections early next year, but half of the
population will not be taking part. Women have been excluded.
This is contrary to the country's election law, which does not
explicitly ban women from taking part. The exclusion also undermines
recent positive developments in the country, such as the much
publicised "National Dialogue", which included a focus
on women's rights and their ratification of the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
The ratification in October 2000 was done without reservation
about Article 7 on political participation.Full
Report and More News
Amitabh Kant was "visitor" to Special
Parties organised by Icecream Sreedevi's former Engineer Boss!
O Rajagopalan T.P.Dasan were accused...others left out by investigation
team...
Confidential Report says
the IAS officer was a visitor to the house of a retired Chief
Engineer's home where Sridevi, the main accused in the Ice Cream
Parlour Case used to work. Her long relation with Kunjalikutty
started from there..he had sex with two girls simultaneously...Driver
Aravindan..and Kunjalikutty had sex with the girls in adjacent
rooms...
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
- A confidential report by Kallada Sukumaran, former Director
General of Prosecutions, who was harassed by a section of the
CPIM leadership in collaboration with the help of Muslim League
using the state machinery, says that Kunjalikutty, the state industry
minister who is accused in the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream Parlour Case
was part of the sex racket and was regularly indulged in sex with
many of the girls who were working in the ice cream parlour run
by Sridevi. According to this report, the First Information Report
(FIR)was filed on August 6, 1997 based on the complaint lodged
by a women's association Anweshi headed by K. Ajitha, a former
naxalite leader. He says Mahal Beauty Parlour which was converted
into R K Ice Cream Parlour after one and half years by Sreedevi,
the main accused was used to lure youngsters visiting the shop
to the sex racket. .Full Report
Kerala-Srilankan Lovers Found Dead in Locked Car
near Jumeirah Villa
DUBAI - A unique obituary reached newspaper offices
two days after a Keralite man and a Sri Lankan woman were found
dead in a car parked inside a Jumeirah villa. Apparently the 36
years old Abdul Salam from Northern Kerala who was working as
a driver for a local family was found dead in a locked car with
his fiancée, a Sri Lankan housemaid. It appears that the
couple had sex inside the vehicle and must have either slept with
the car air conditioner working. It could also be a suicide case
where the couple had deliberately closed all the windows and covered
the vehicle that prevented carbon monoxide generated from the
car exhaust or air-conditioned was breathed in. A statement said
the lovers were found dead after breathing Freon gas inside the
car..Full Report and More News
Editorial -Media Freedom
Asianet IT Company Creates Hurdles for KM for
reporting about the role of Resort Owner and Channel Director
in the Kiliroor Sex Scandal
DUBAI - November 18 2004 Keralamonitor.com (KM),
an independent investigative news portal, has been offline for
the last few days due to certain reasons beyond the editor's control.
Keralamonitor.com which is hosted in a server company affiliated
to the leading TV channel (Asianet) has been facing technical
problems, which the company claims is due to "technical problems".
KM has strong reasons to believe that the channel company and
a big business lobby from the Gulf region have been deliberately
working together to keep the website down.. Full
Report and More News
Fitting Tribute to two great Indians: Vaikom Mohammed
bashir and K.P.Mohan
DUBAI
- The third issue of Sambashanam, yet another Publication headed
by the Gulf Malayali Intellectual giants like great Malayalam
novelist N.T.Balachandran, D.Vinayachandran and other dignitaries
is released here. It is filled with many intellectually stimulating
reports, and a special report by a prominent writer from Dubai
will not miss the readers attention by any chance. What will shock
any sensible reader with the basic minimum standards of public
morality and integrity will be an item which is appearing on page
42. This special item is part of a detailed critical report about
the media culture among Gulf Malayalis and the author has done
a wonderful job by interviewing prominent journalists from different
Gulf countries. The
item that will humiliate any sensible person who is aware of the
current socio-political scenario in the state and Gulf region
quotes the late legendary writer Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, who
has apparently praised the current Asianet editor K.P.Mohan when
he was working as a reporter with the Kuwait Times. There is no
doubt that Kuwait Times is one of the first English papers in
the gulf which published the first overseas alayalam Newspaper
in the Gulf region. In his report, Bashir has praised K P Mohan
as a historical phenomenon (Aaarshabharatha Sambavam). If Bashir
was alive to witness what happened in the Indian School Kuwait
or other scandals which are currently being discussed by the mainstream
media, he would have definitely changed his writings about Mohan.
Full Report and More News About Sex
Scandal
Iraqi Physican Confirms US Chem Weapons Use In
Fallujah
Americans said they are invading Iraq to punish
Saddam Hussein who used Chemical Weapons against his own people.
Hardly a year after deposing what they said was the worst dictator
of the region, American troops are indiscriminately using chemical
weapons. An Iraqi doctor has come forward with a theory that he
found two deadbodies which proved use of banned chemical weapons
by the US army in Fallujah..More
Americans Alerted to Remain Vigilant about Violence
after Arafat's Assassination
Washington : The US State Department has alerted
Americans about the ongoing security concerns in the region following
the death of Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Yasser Arafat.
U.S. citizens are reminded to maintain a high level of vigilance
and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.
Full report and More News
Is the state government doing a dirty job to protect
the main culprits involved in the Kiliroor sex scandal. After
the burial of their daughter Shari, her parents have alleged that
so far the main culprits who have sexually assaulted the minor
girl are not arrested or questioned. The state police have been
showing its dirty face by trying to protect the big fishes by
focusing their investigation on such people who have been nothing
more than brokers and facilitators. Nothing has been done to nab
the real culprits, which according to the victims father include
the owner of Alappuzha resort (owned by a prominent Non Resident
Indian), a channel director, film and serial producers, a leading
Jewellery owner in Dubai and others..
More News
Did Kiliroor Girl Die of Aids? VIPs who assaulted
the girl live under the grip of HIV fear. More
News
KM Special
- Kiliroor Sex Scandal has Gulf Links
The Alappuzha Resort where Kiliroor Girl was Allegedly
Exploited belongs to Kuwait-NRK with close Congress Links
There appears to be close link between the sex
mafia in Kerala and their counterpart in the Gulf. The current
investigation into the Kiliroor sex racket case is centered on
some resorts in Alappuzha that belongs to none other than a prominent
Non Resident Keralite who was financing the ruling Congress party
over a long period of time. These type of resorts are targeting
customers from the Middle East region, especially the Arab countries.
It is an open secret that an NRK with a name resembling the state
chief minister's name was involved in the multi crore Indian School
Scandal in Kuwait and that some prominent NRKs were implicated
in the case. Some of the recent visitors to the resort included
a former tourism minister accompanied by central tourism minister
Mrs. Renuka Chaudhury and other prominent VIPs. More
Muscat Tycoon's Campaign to Save Kunjalikutty's
Face from Ice Cream Sex Scandal
Dr.P.Mohammed Ali, better known as Galfar Mohammed
Ali, the pravasi award winning NRK businessman who has been following
the state industry minister Kunjalikutty like his shadow, is the
most active businessman in Kerala lobbying at various levels to
save his political mentor's face from the murky Ice Cream sex
racket. Mohammed Ali, a rags to riches businessman in Muscat heading
the Galfar group, has been desperately trying to pacify Muslim
associations which are aggressively going against immoral leaders
like Kunjalikutty. What binds the minister and the NRK Tycoon?
Full Report
KM Special -
XXX Files - Congress Government may Reopen Shivani Murder File?
Kashi Saint Jayendra Saraswati under Arrest....
Will Pramod Mahajan face New Shivani Murder Probe?
Shivani Bhatnagar, principal correspondent with
The Indian Express, was brutally done to death by two men in her
rented east Delhi apartment on January 23, 1999. The only witness
to this sensational murder was her new born baby who must be about
five years old now. Shivani, an investigative journalist was reportedly
having an affair with Pramod Mahajan, the laptop five star BJP
leader. The prime accused in the case, Inspector-General (Prisons)
Haryana R.K. Sharma and his wife alleged that Pramod Mahajan was
involved in the Shivani murder case. It was also alleged that
the home ministry headed by none other than Lal Krishna Advani
interfered with the investigations that framed some culprits.
Everybody knew that Mahajan managed to escape without facing any
serious inquiry or DNA test to ascertain the parenthood of Shivani's
son because the state machinery was under the party control. Now
the Kozhikodu Ice Cream Parlour Case which was closed several
years ago is in the lime light and the judiciary is slowly reopening
the file on the basis of new revelations made by Rejina, the victim
of Kozhikodu Ice Cream Parlour case which was never investigated
properly due to Kunjalikutty's influence More
What role the former ITDC head
play in arranging the Kovalam Hotel Deal for a song!!
KM understands that several senior
bureacrats including Amithabh Kanth played crucial role in privatising
the Kovalam Hotel which is shrouded in controversy now. At a time
when many eyebrows are raised about the dubious manner in which
a public property (the Ashoka Hotel in Kovalam) was handed over
to the private groupf from Muscat at a throw away price, some
of the senior bureacrat's names keep cropping up in corruptiion
cases. Recently the police stumbled upon two corruption cases
while investigating into the infamous ice cream parlour sex racket
case. P P Abdul Rahiman, an NRI is the first accused and Ex-Kozhikode
mayor O Rajagopal of CPI is the second. Former corporation secretary
T K Raveendran, former district collector Amitabh Kanth and P
K Kunhalikutty are the third, fourth and the fifth accused respectively.According
to the report submitted by the investigating officer, it was found
that Abdul Rahiman and Rajagopal conspired together to secure
for Abdul Rahiman the 52 cents of land proposed to be acquired
for Palayam Bus Stand. Amitabh Kanth, then in-charge of the city
mayor, exempted the land from acquisition with the help of the
then corporation secretary T.K. Raveendran, which enabled Abdul
Rahiman to gain an undue advantage of Rs 2 crore, and thereby
causing a loss of Rs 49,25,000 to the corporation.Based on the
evidence from the statements of the witnesses, it was found that
Kunhalikutty granted exemption of building rules to the owners
of a multi-storeyed building at Mavoor Road. Based on this, Kunhalikutty
was made the fifth accused.. It may be noted that the Indian Tourism
Development Corporation (ITDC) which owned the Kovalam Ashoka
Hotel gave it on a platter to Galfar Mohammed Ali for a price
of Rs.43 crores compared to the actual market value, which is
estimated to exceed Rs.400 crores. Is it not rationale to investigate
the role of Amithabh Kanth in the Kovalam Hotel Deal as well?
The man is accused of causing a great loss to the state chequer
and making allegedly dubious deal to help an NRI bsuinessmen to
the tune of Rs.2 crores. This alleged Rs.2 crore fraud happened
when was just a Mayor of Calicut. When he assumed a senior position
in ITDC, a similar deal has happened with another NRI businessman..Is
there is any reason not to suspect something fishy.....Full
Report
Kovalam: Private Group Continues
Illegal Construction Activity..
With scant regard for the prevailing
Kerala High Court order to maintain status quo in the Kovalam
Palace issue, the private NRK group is secretly going ahead with
cabling and related work in the site. According to reports this
is in violation of the court ruling and it appears that the hotel
owner is confident to geting control of the palace. With latest
revelations about the League leaders trying to influence the judiciary
also, there is reason to be optimistic..
World Toilets Day: Dubai's Construction
Workers Want Clean Toilets
DUBAI For the last one month,
septic tanks have been overflowing as the tanker company, which
was contracted to remove dirty water, has stopped service due
to non-payment of money. There are 25 toilets and bathroom for
500 workers. Each room has eight to nine residents. All of them
have to use these toilets simultaneously as their work timing
is same. They have to work in the company's construction sites
in Jebel Ali, and other distant locations. by
V.M.Sathish, Khaleej Times.
Sex Scandal Investigation Subotage:
Gulf Business Man offered to help Nayanar's Son to Set Up Business
in Abu Dhabi
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kunjalikutty,
the controversial minister who is deeply involved in the Kozhikkodu
Ice Cream Sex Scandal has approached Sharadah Teacher, wife of
former state chief minister Late E.K. Nayanar and offered to help
his son to start a business in Abu Dhabi. He has reported offered
to help junior Nayanar set up a business in Abu Dhabi with the
help of famous NRI businessman with the second name Ali. This
was disclosed by the V S Achuthananthan faction of the CPIM during
the State Secretariat Meeting of the CPIM. It is alleged that
the former LDF government helped Kunjalikutty to sabotage investigation
into the sex scandal which was the tip of iceberg. Many prominent
NRKs, politicians and agents were involved in the sex racket which
lured young girls to ice cream parlours and beauty parlours. By
giving drugs and other intoxicants mixed with ice creams many
girls were lured to the sex racket and they were supplied to politicians.
The latest allegation by Rejina, one of the victims, is that Kunjalikutty,
the Muslim League Minister and State Industry Minister sexually
abused her three times. Many eyebrows were raised when it was
revealed by Meenashi Thampan, one of the CPI leaders who was involved
in the investigation panel, that a leading figure from the Nayanar's
office was instrumental in sabotaging the sex scandal investigation.
It was also alleged that a close relative of Nayanar was involved
in the Vithura sex scandal and there was trade off between a part
of the CPIM leadership and the League. The accusing fingers are
pointing towards P.Shashi, the press Secretary of Nayanar. It
is reported that Sharada teacher had complained that even though
Nayanar was the state chief minister for two terms, he did not
do anything for the family. That weakness was exploited by Kunjalikutty
who promised to help Krishnakumar set up a business in Abu Dhabi
with the help of Ali, a known League supporter and prominent NRK.-
Watch this space.
The
United Arab Emirates President, His Highness Shiekh Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahayan has died, state television reported.. "The
royal court announces to Arab and Islamic countries and the rest
of the world the death of the leader of the nation Sheikh Zayed
... on Tuesday evening," said an announcement read out on
Abu Dhabi television. Under the UAE constitution, Vice-President
and Prime Minister Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler
of Dubai, will act as president until the federal council which
groups rulers of the seven emirates meets within 30 days to elect
a new president. More
KM Special: After
the infamous Ice Parlour Case which revealed the growing prostitution
racket involving sex workers, politicians and customs, airport
officials, a new boom is witnessing in the city - massage parlours.
There are a number of new massage parlours that use young poor
girls and woman to do special massages to customers. There are
many women working in these parlours..Watch this spa
Dubai
Police have arrested 71 people, mainly Keralites, who were engaged
in sex trade. According to Police sources, those arrested include
31 Keralite women mainly from Kollam and Pathanamthitta and 40
Malayali agents who were engaged in sex trafficking. The massive
crackdown on illicit sex trade and trafficking run by Malayalis
is of immense importance as the controversy surrounding sextrade
is still rocking the state politics. It is learned that the raid
was conducted in the Diera area of Dubai, a prostitution pocket
in the city frequented by expatriate customers. KM understands
that the sex trade in the Gulf region is closely linked to the
Kerala sex mafia and the spillover effect from the ongoing political
infighting and backstabbing is likely to be reflected in the Gulf
sex trade too. Watch this space. Picture shows Keralite girls
in custody...
Thiruvananthapuram:
In a resignation addressed to the Muslim League State President
Paanakkaadu Shihab Thangal, Industries Minister P.K.Kunjalikutty
has informed that he want to resign his post as the Industries
Minister. Ending two months old speculation about his resignation
over alleged sexual relation with a minor Muslim girl who went
public with her allegations through television channels, Panakkadu
Shihab Thangal read out the resignation letter of Kunjalikutty
in front of the press at Malappuram in the evening. Kunjalikutty
said that he is resigning because he is not able to handle simultaneously
two posts as both the general secretary and Industries Minister.
"Therefore he requested his removal from the post as Industries
Minister by accepting his resignation letter," Thangal, who
was always supporting the controversial League minister said.
. In the letter, he also mentioned that the protest activities
were politically motivated. 'I cannot even call Allah. Everything
that I do or say Alla is communalized', he said in his letter.
There has been a general approval to his resignation from the
various political parties. Ii is two months after Rejina's statements
in front of the media that the minister chose to resign. The decision
on the resignation letter would be taken by a committee meeting
of the Muslim League to be held on the 3rd of January. Already
the leftists' parties were getting ready to organize a protest
against Kunjalikutty and his resignation could arrest further
political activities against the UDF and League minister. (R.S.Priya
-Keralamonitor.com)
M.K.Yousuf
Ali, winner of this year's prestigious Pravasi Samman Award is
a multifaceted personality who has excelled in business, socio-cultural
activities and philanthropy. Apart from successfully carving out
a growing multinational business empire in the Gulf region, he
has also established himself as a kind philanthropist, an active
participant in various socio-cultural activities and a well attended
orator. MKE group, which is spread across five countries in the
Asian and African continents, is well known for the Lulu Brand
of supermarket chains. As the Arabic name Lulu suggests, Ali is
a precious pearl among the half a million strong NRK community
in the UAE. He is an apt candidate to be honoured as a prominent
Overseas Indian who excelled in various fields. It was growing
unemployment in the South Indian state of Kerala that attracted
many educated young Keralites including Yousuf Ali to enter the
Gulf job market. However, Ali who hails from a small business
family of Trichur took the risky path of business and succeeded
in becoming one of the largest employers of Indians in the Gulf
region.Young Ali was brought to the UAE by his uncle M.K. Abdullah,
current chairman, MKE Group in 1973 after completing his education
in Kerala and Gujarat. Ali reached the Middle East at a time when
the region was in the grip of the first oil crisis followed by
an Arab Israeli Gulf War. The business group which was started
as a small organisaation with just 22 employees has grown into
a big conglomerate of supermarkets and hypermarkets, which employ
more than 12,000 workers of 27 nationalities, mainly Indians.
--Watch this space
The
Minister of State (IC) for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Jagdish
Tytler holding a Press Conference on 'Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas -2005'
which being in Mumbai on 7 January 2005 in New Delhi on January
04, 2005.Fifteen prominent Overseas Indians including NRIs will
be honoured with the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Awards-2005 this
year. This was announced here today at a press conference by the
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Overseas Indian Affairs,
Shri Jagdish Tytler. M K Shyamalan, another Non Resident Keralite
is given the prestigious award. 
Batelco
is giving its business customers a New Year's bonus with reductions
of up to 40% on Local Leased Line and LanConnect prices, based
on customer speed requirements.Bahrain's national telecommunications
company is currently the only service provider for both Local
Leased Line and LanConnect, which offer high tech and high performance
solutions for modern communications needs. The service is based
on frame relay technology, which effectively provides high performance
communications between many users and locations on a single network
New
Year is a joyous occasion but the tragic tsunami crisis that caused
large scale death and destruction in different parts of Asia,
including our tiny coastal state of Kerala has made it a sad day.
KM joins all the berevaed families who have lost their dear and
nearones in the worst tragedy. Previous year has been a turbulent
period for the portal. It is natural that the bold editorial policy
adopted by us has attracted many well wishers and some enemies
. I had to face major challenges which have been successfully
overcome. The covert and overt campaign by a group of Indian businessman
to close down the portal did not succeed . Contrary to their expectation
, the site continues to attract viewers from all over the world.
Our main viewers are from the Gulf region, especially Oman, UAE,
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. We have regular visitors
from different parts of India. Under pressure from the business
lobby, KM editor had to relocate from Muscat to Dubai. However,
within a short period I could establish my credentials as a journalist.
Currently based in the Dubai Media City, which is an oasis of
media freedom in the Middle East, I have been reporting to leading
newspapers like the Gulf News, Khaleej Times, the International
Herald Tribune, the Daily Star, The Emirates Evening Post, a new
afternoon newspaper from Dubai edited by veteran journalist Bikram
Vohra, and Seven Days, a taboid newspaper. "Dear Sathish
A reader has contacted us asking if she can contact this man to
give him money and blankets. Can you tell me where he is, please?
Thanks" Tony Metcalf (Editor, 7DAYS). This was the content
of an email received on December 29 from the editor of Seven Days.
I have spotted this sick Malayai, lying helplessly in Bur Dubai
bus station. Accompanied by Jaleel Pattampi, Gulf Madhyamam correspondent,
a story was filed about his poor situation. Many people came forward
to help him and Unni must be now getting treatment in Kerala.
It is such simple things that we have been trying to do with the
help of other like minded journalists who are keen go out to the
streets and interact with the masses . For us journalism is not
just attending press conferences and collecting precious gifts
from companies and press relations agents. The New Year is not
a joyous occasion for the Iraqi and Palestinians who have died
in thousands due to vioence unleashed by foreign occupation. The
second coming of George Bush is proving to be more dangerous than
his first innings, and more foreign invasions as part of exporting
democracy can be expected in 2005. While the US invasion of Iraq
dominated the regional news headlines, the murky political situation
back home centered around various scandals, especially sex scandals.
Saffron brigades received a major set back in the battle of ballots.
Congress is back in the hot seat and if the past record is any
indication, corruption stories will start coming in soon. Keralam
witnessed major scandals like Kozhi tax, Kovalam sell off, Express
Highway super burglery, Karimanal Mining controversy and Kiliroor
sex scandal which involved various dignitaries and a few prominent
NRK businessmen. Even though Kunjalikutty has finally succumbed
to an unprecedented public outcry, now we can await the next sex
scandal story. 
Attempt
to Intimidate workers in Police Custody fails, Malayalam Media
in Silent Mode about Workers Problems
Giant
Tsunami tidal waves set off by a massive earthquake in Indonesia,
the worst in 40 years, today unleashed a trail of death and destruction
in South and South East Asia killing 8,500 people, including over
3,200 in India alone, and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Tamil Nadu bore the brunt of the nature's fury with 1,725 people
losing their lives in the state and Andaman and Nicobar, closest
to Sumatra coast, the epicentre of the 8.9 magnitude quake on
the Richter Scale, was also equally badly hit accounting for 1,000
deaths and suffering extensive damage.What
began as minor tremors at 6.28 AM on a lazy Sunday turned out
to be a nightmare for the entire southeastern coastal belt and
Kerala on the southwest coast where 109 people lost their lives.Pondicherry,
also on the east coast neighbouring Tamil Nadu, reported a toll
of 280 people--211 in Karaikal enclave and 69 in Pondicherry.
In Andhra Pradesh, 69 people were killed. West Bngal and Orissa
were lucky to escpae unscathed.
P
V Narasimha Rao, the architect of India's economic reforms and
the first Prime Minister outside Nehru-Gandhi clan to complete
a full five-year term in office, died here today after a bout
of serious illness for the last fortnight. A seven-day national
mourning has been declared for Rao, who was Prime Minister between
1991 and 1996, and the Union cabinet decided to accord him a state
funeral. The cremation is likely to take place on Saturday but
the place--whether Delhi or his home state Andhra Pradesh--is
yet to be decided. ighty three year-old Rao, who suffered from
multiple ailments and had a history of heart problem and diabetes,
died at 1410 hours after he developed progressive hypotension
and shock with repeated bouts of cardiac arrhythmia that led to
cardiac arrest from which he could not be revived, the All India
Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was admitted
Thiruvananthapuram:
Crime Branch D.I.G. B.Sandhya IPS conducted a two-day exhibition
of her paintings on 16th and 17th of December. In her maiden art
exhibition, the IPS lady presented most of the paintings that
she made in the last 7 years. On the auspicious occasion of her
first painting exhibition which was well received by the general
public, the lady cop has also released her new collection of poems
entitled 'Neermaruthile Uppan'. The tough lady police officer
with an artistic paint brush on one hand and pen on the other
hand has a good flair for writing. Amidst tight time table of
an IPS officer, Sandhya is a mom and wife who managed to find
some time to nurture her artistic talents. She has already published
four books before 'Neermaruthile Uppan'. Her other Malayalam books
are 'Thaarattu', 'Raanthal Vilakku', Baalavaadi and 'Sthreeshakti'.
It is surprising the lady police official has so much of hidden
artistic talents. This is not the first time that the talented
lady was in the news. She was a rank holder for M.Sc Zoology from
Paalai Alphonse College. As the title of her book reveals, Sandhya
represents the true manifestation of Streeshakthi, read women
power. In a fully literate state where womanhood has been humiliated
by sex rackets and corrupt politicians, demonstration of their
skills by such talented educated women indicates that there are
still some rays of hope prevailing there..
December
25th , the day to celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus Christ is
here again. Colourful decorations and twinkling stars adorn the
whole world that celebrates with zest the festival of Christmas.
As the Christmas day dawns, it nears the end of a period of feverish
activity. Preparations for the festivities begin nearly a month
in advance. It is almost vacation time in western countries. Spick
and span homes with new furnishings are readied to welcome the
Lord Jesus. Christmas cakes and puddings are shopped as well as
made at home. For the traditional taste and flavour dried fruits
and nuts are soaked in rum to be used in the cakes and puddings
for the big day. Various types of cookies and other sweetmeats
are made and stored in advance.
DUBAI
- Nothwithstanding strong pressure from various corners that prevent
some journalists from reporting seriious issues, Biju Abel Jacob,
anchor of the popular Asianet Gulf Round Up Programme has filed
an exclusive report about the pathetic situation facing Keralite
women who are trapped in the multicrore sex racket in the Gulf
region. The report which was telecasted in the Gulf Round Up Programme
of December 19 2004 gave detailed account of various sex racket
victims, some trapped by their own husbands and relatives. Giving
deatiled interviews of Muslim women dressed in their traditional
Parudah, Gulf Roundup Camera revealed the untold story of these
helpless women and their children , who are stamped as bastards
by our society. While KM sticks to its earlier reports that many
forces have been at work to prevent sex racket stories from being
published, the bold manner in which the new sex racket story was
telecast by the channel warrants an applause - if it is not part
of a clean up campaign to whitewash other sex rackets that rocked
Kerala. K.P.Mohan, editor, Asianet channel was the first to congratulate
Biju for doing the exclusive story. 
Similarly,
the Gulf Round UP has also aired the tragic case of Indian labourers
who committed suicide in various labour camps. While KM can proudly
claim that it was our reporters who reached the suicide spots
and boldly reported them without any fear or favour, other media
organisations, except the Kairali Channel (News Section) and Gulf
Madhyamam did not follow up the story. While Gulf Madhyamam gave
detailed report about the suicide episodes without mentioning
the company name or its Malayali owner, Arabia edited by Sharly
Benjamin was the only other Malayalam media which published the
story in some detail. Gulf News and Khaleej Times reported the
story without any cover up attempts. Even though Asianet and other
channels were reluctant to report the story when the suicide actually
happened, it was Kairali channel reporter K.M.Abbas who boldly
gave the report. Asianet came with the suicide story after the
issue is out of media focus, but Abbas deserves a pat on his back
for airing the story prominently. Even though Keith International
owner Bernard Raju has been associated with the channel and is
the self proclaimed representative of Kairali channel, Kairali
was the first to telecast the suicide story. However, follow up
stories were missing and even the Gulf Diary of Albert Alex somehow
did not find a slot for the suicide story.. Jeevan TV and India
Vision are silent but the notable case is that of Deepika International,
a newspaper which started publishing from Dubai recently. It is
a matter of serious concern that some media organizations and
journalists have judged the situation going by narrow religious
identity of the company owner... The dilemma facing journalists
is whether to be loyal to the profession or to be subservient
to vested interests and religious and cultural affinity. Leading
Malayalam newspapers with full fledged bureaus and offices in
Dubai had to print suicide stories filed by a news agency quoting
Gulf News and Khaleej Times. It is easy for journalists to escape
from professional responsibility by showing the bogey of media
censorship in the Gulf region,but for those want to report such
stories there is no official restrictions. In this case the only
problem was a few rich and influential Malayalis who silenced
the press..Freedom of press is at stake because abkaris and shylocks
are trying their luck in media business too..(KM)
Young
Achievers: Rhea Nair from Moovatupuzha Eranakulam was a student
of Indian Highschool Dubai who has migrated to IMGACADEMIES, one
of the largest sports schools in the world which has produced
many sports giants. Michele Romano (3rd), Rhea Nair (1st and Low
Round), Lydia Benitez (2nd) According to a commentary on her performance,
Benitez of Puerto Rico was one stroke ahead of fifteen year old
Rhea Nair of the United Arab Emirates. "On Saturday, Rhea,
a junior at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, played her first nine
on Saturday (the back side) with all pars, then made the turn,
and bogeyed # 1, then made par all the way in," it said.
"On Sunday, Miss Nair had 4 birdies on the day for a round
of two under par, one under for the tournament and giving her
a one stroke win over Lydia Benitez. This was Rhea's first FCWT
event and her first win," the commentary added. "She
is hoping to be able to use her exemption to the National Championship
in May. "Everything was good [about her game]; she's been
working hard and everything clicked for her," Reha is quoted
in the report. All of these girls have earned an exemption to
the TPC Sawgrass event in January. Her father Ashok Kumar Nair
is eagerly waiting for her shot visit to Dubai ...Watch this space.
KM
learns that KPK Vengara, who is heading the Umm Al Qaim Radio
which is on the verge of closure will go back to his original
home in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah, from where he started his long
radio career. As the Umm Al Quaim Radio is all set to wind up
operations by the end of December, the doyan of Malayalam radio
scene in the UAE is likely to be part of yet another FM radio
station, Malayalam of course, from another Emirate. The new FM
radio from RAK will be under the ownership of Mr.Thampi of Nalukettu
group. Even as the dispute about the first Malayalam radio sound
heard by the UAE Malayalis is still going on, Vengara is likely
to be part of a new radio station being set up in Ras Al Khaimah.
After Hit 96.7 FM Radio Station from the Arabian Radio Network
virtually hit all other Malayalam radio stations, especially the
technically weak, qualitatively superior ones like Umm Al Qaim,
it has been very difficult to attract advertisers to such stations.
Closing down of radio station is obviously due to financial difficulties...The
new FM radio station from Ras Al Khaimah will be promoted by a
Malayali businessmen with interest in restaurant and hotels. Meanwhile,
Radio Asia, a major force in the AM and FM frequencies has approached
a leading media organisation with radio and channels to sell its
FM frequency, 94.7. Earlier the frequency was 94.8 and it is yet
to be confirmed whether the new FM from RAK to be headed by Vengara
will buy the Radio Asia FM frequency. Consolidation is taking
place in the radio sector too..Watch this space to see the change
from AM to FM..
SATWA
- A couple of days after the Tamilian construction worker of Keith
International LLC owned by a Malayali committed suicide, another
Tamilian worker from a labour supply company in the same area
was found dead in mysterious circumstances. According to sources,
about five suicides have been reported from different parts of
the city in one week, majority of them expatriate construction
workers. Twenty four years old Selva Kumar from Pulankeri, Selam
in Tamilnadu, the only son of his parents, who had been working
as a helper for Metaly, a labour supply company which employs
about 300 workers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other places, was found
dead in his room within Villa Number 120 just behind the Al Saqwa
Supermarket near the Satwa bus stand. Dubai Police and the Dubai
Court Prosecutors have examined the body and suicide spot and
they will find out what happened, said the company spokesman.
Khaleej
Times report: Many young students, especially girls, were delighted
to see the former American president Bill Clinton during his visit
to the American University of Dubai (AUD) for the first signing
ceremony of the Arabic version of My Life, an autobiography of
the 42nd American President William Jefferson Clinton. According
to the organisers about 650 copies of My Book were sold out within
two hours and many aspiring buyers were turned down as the stock
was finished. Some beautiful ladies were carrying multiple copies
of the same book, while others came to the AUD library carrying
the book. Holding the book closely to their heart many ladies
said that despite some controversy surrounding Monica that rocked
American politics, they are impressed with Clinton's family life
and political career. Amidst tight security and regulated entry
strictly by invitation, women dominated the crowd that gathered
inside the small library building. Using their mobile phone cameras,
many of them were found photographing the former president.. 
A
jumbo celebriity team of forty artists, dancers and others have
arrived here to stage what is likely to be another successful
stage programme being organised by Asianet Radio in association
with Max Media and other sponsors. Packed with many talented actors
and actresses including some ace comedians like Hari Shree Ashokan
and Mammu Koya, the four hour entertainment show designed to Bollywood
standards will herald the beginning of new entertainment mega
shows in the city after the 40 day mourning period following the
sad demise of His Highness Sheikh Zayed ended. Dileep, the running
superstar of Malayalam movies is accompanied by a few chocolate
heroines and Vineeth the Nakhashatham boy who is being sidelined
by the mainstream cinema. Salam Habeebi organised by Asianet Radio
Dubai is going to be a different show altogether, claimed the
organisers. Addressing the media, Dileep said he has spend one
and half months rehearsing for the show. Coming at a time of intense
dispute between the film artists and producers all the artists
have agreed that the show will not be telecast by Asianet..
India
and Israel have taken one more step forward to enhance cooperation
in high technology areas by signing a “Statement of Intent”
in this regard . The document was signed by the visiting Israeli
Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour,
Mr. Ehud Olmert and the Minister for Science and Technology and
Ocean Development, Shri. Kapil Sibal at the end of bilateral talks
here today. Both the countries have also agreed to set up a Joint
Study Group for a comprehensive economic partnership between the
two countries. This was announced by Shri Kamal Nath, Commerce
& Industry Minister, at the India-Israel Business Conference,
organised by the FICCI here today. The Minister said the decision
was taken during his discussions with Mr. Ehud Olmert, 
Media
Monitor: Thanks to a number of sensational
sex scandals in Kerala, Crime and Detective Magazines have been
doing a roaring business in the Gulf . Crime editor T.P.Nanadakumar's
new schoop is about the Gulf link to the Kiliroor/Kaviyoor sex
scandals, especially his revelation that a jewellery owner offered
a whopping Rs.3 crores to silence the concerned people for not
naming the group in the sex scandal case. . While the mainstream
Kerala media have been publishing such stories without dislosing
the gold merchant's name - thanks to its huge advertisement budget
- , Crime has been bold enough to put things in black and white.
While many journalists term Mr.Nandakumar as an yellow journalist,
it is a fact that his stories have been proved more hard hitting
and revealing. He has rightly predicted the possibility that the
Kiliroor girl would be murdered and within two weeks it has happened!!!.The
Gulf readers dont have the right to read the latest crime magazine
in full as the first 17 pages are missing. While the front page
says the sons of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and M.A.Baby, two prominent
CPM Leaders are allegedly involved in the sex scandal, some of
the inside pages are mysteriously missing. A query with the local
distributor Malik News Agency revealed that it could have been
censored What is so sensational in that story that warranted censoring?
While the mainstream gulf media is silenced in one way or another,
the mainstream channels which operate from the Gulf are instructed
not to carry any stories about the two sex scandals. One TV channel
has been specially invited by the local police to interview top
officials regarding the arrest of a new sex racket. Even though
the interview was taken with special interest to improve awareness
in Kerala about the growing sex trafficking from the state to
the gulf countries, it is not sure whether the channel has ever
telecast it. Apparently there is special instruction not to do
any sex scandal stories....or ice cream parlour stories. Great
committment to fight crime...The channel reporter was given an
award in recognition of his commitment to serious journalism!!!
There is also an informal understanding that such sex crime stories
are not published in the local English dailies....Any reasons?
One report suggested that about 1000 Keralite girls have been
luredby the Gulf based sex racket. The Kozhikkodu sex racket was
just a tip of the ice berg as the girls were used to lure customs
officials and others to facilitate drug smuggling through the
Kozhikkodu airport. 
High
blood pressure or hypertension is a major public health problem.When
you enter shopping malls, pharmacies and other stores it is now
common to see BP measuring equipments or monitors.BP monitors
like their counterpart blood sugar monitors is becoming a big
business .Many people try at it and yesterday one young lady came
and told me that she has high blood pressure after measuring with
such an equipment at a shop.Patients are also using them frequently.By
the way the lady had normal blood pressure!.This is what made
me write on them before you spend dirhams to buy it. by Dr. Madan
Mohan..
Israel
currently has no fewer than 1,000 officers and soldiers scattered
around the American units working in Iraq. In addition, 37 rabbis
are operating within the American troops, which leads to believe
that the real number is greater; since Ha'aretz admitted that
others are concealing their Jewish identities, which makes them
self-driven Israeli citizens. Currently, there is a recruitment
campaign coinciding with the escalation of the operations in Iraq,
which seeks to send further assistance there, writes Rashid Khashana
in Al-Hayat 
A
senior official in Thiruvananthapuram Secretariat has revealed
the fantasies of a controversial minister. When the minister goes
as chief guest in many public functions, his mind will be focused
on the young good looking girls, preferably minor ones, who stand
in a que with the traditional Thalappoli and lamp as a mark of
respect to the beloved minister. As a former education minister,
he has visited many public functions. "After the meeting
the minister and senior officials and organisers chit chat for
sometime when the minister or his assistant will invite the special
girl(s0 to have a friendly chat. The senior official would inform
the girl that the Ministerji would like to talk to her privtely...Once
she is brought to minister , the minister will ask her name and
other details and finally give her a diary with an advise -- write
down her name, phone number, address ...How many such entries
are there in his diary? ..This particular girl was feeling shy
and ..This was a common pattern used by the minister during his
long career....God knows what happend to such God's Own Ministers...Isnt
it time we stop worshipping such ministers who have proved again
and again their real value. When everybody is talking about ending
demonstrations, bandhs and harthals, why not take a decision to
stop parading our young girls in front of such pervert minister's?
Many
sensational revelations by prominent politicians like V.S.Achuthananthan,
Women actist Sugathakumari and former Prosecution Director General
Kallada Sukumaran make it clear that the LDF government headed
by the former chief minister, late E.K.Nayanar helped the Muslime
League Minister Kunjalikutty and others involved in the Kozhikkodu
sex scandal to get away with their crime by diluting the investigation
procedures and suppressing relavent facts from public knowledge.
Even though the CPM is a party formed by leaders of highest integrity
like A.K.Gopalan and E.M.S, the current party leadership is forced
to keep mum on even such heneious crimes like sex trafficking
and immoral flesh trade. The role of corrupt petty leadership
and the new breed of business friendly comrades who have penetrated
the party for their self interest was evident during the illicit
liquor tragedy of Manichan and now in the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream
Parlour and Kiliroor sex scandals. Party leders like Pinaray Vijayan
and Kodiyeri are making some statements for public consumption,
but they have their own "limitations" to go strongly
against the criminal League elements. These developments remaind
once again that the CPM will become yet another Bolshevik party
that could disintegrate due to its own inner contradictions and
there is no need for a class enemy to demolish such a popular
party. Unless and until there is a total rethinking about the
basic democratic principles that were always upheld by the left
political movement, there is no doubt that the party caders will
question partially corrupt leadership. One of the reasons for
the partial collapse of communism from the former Soviet Union
and East Europe was rampant corruption and nepotism. The fact
that people still rally behind communist leaders in Kerala and
West Bengal is not because they are fully happy with the leadership.
The role of power brokers within the party should be controlled
by developing inner party democracy and discussions, not by following
Stalinist measures. P Shashi the former secreatary of the former
chief minister E K Nayanar has apparently misused his position
for personal gains. This type of lumpen elements have penetrated
the party at different levels. When the former chief minister
visited Oman to attend a public function, the local leadership
guided him directly to the richest businessman and League power
broker (pictured above). Their affiliation to such people with
vested interest is questioned by party caders on many occasions,
but the CPM seems to be under the strong grip of this power brokers
and fund raisers. When Pinaray visits Dubai, he is always found
in the company of the big business. Kodieyri Balakrishnan was
in a secret mission to Dubai and Muscat for unknown reasons..
Some leaders are more keen to protect their relatives and sons
involved in serial production and sex crimes... It is not yet
late to clean up the Agean stable so that when the next sex scandal
or corruption hits news headlines, the party leadership can react
spontaneously without anything to hide from the public and party
caders. Shashi who was sitting too close to the chief minister
tried to harass a sincere official who was trying to do justice
to his work....The party has just emerged without any major setback
from the Manichan illicit liquor tragedy and now it is the ice
cream sex parlour case and Kiliroor.. 
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
- A confidential report by Kallada Sukumaran, former Director
General of Prosecutions, who was harassed by a section of the
CPIM leadership in collaboration with the help of Muslim League
using the state machinery, says that Kunjalikutty, the state industry
minister who is accused in the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream Parlour Case
was part of the sex racket and was regularly indulged in sex with
many of the girls who were working in the ice cream parlour run
by Sridevi. According to this report, the First Information Report
(FIR)was filed on August 6, 1997 based on the complaint lodged
by a women's association Anweshi headed by K. Ajitha, a former
naxalite leader. He says Mahal Beauty Parlour which was converted
into R K Ice Cream Parlour after one and half years by Sreedevi,
the main accused was used to lure youngsters visiting the shop
to the sex racket. 
DUBAI
- The third issue of Sambashanam, yet another Publication headed
by the Gulf Malayali Intellectual giants like great Malayalam
novelist N.T.Balachandran, D.Vinayachandran and other dignitaries
is released here. It is filled with many intellectually stimulating
reports, and a special report by a prominent writer from Dubai
will not miss the readers attention by any chance. What will shock
any sensible reader with the basic minimum standards of public
morality and integrity will be an item which is appearing on page
42. This special item is part of a detailed critical report about
the media culture among Gulf Malayalis and the author has done
a wonderful job by interviewing prominent journalists from different
Gulf countries. 
The
item that will humiliate any sensible person who is aware of the
current socio-political scenario in the state and Gulf region
quotes the late legendary writer Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, who
has apparently praised the current Asianet editor K.P.Mohan when
he was working as a reporter with the Kuwait Times. There is no
doubt that Kuwait Times is one of the first English papers in
the gulf which published the first overseas alayalam Newspaper
in the Gulf region. In his report, Bashir has praised K P Mohan
as a historical phenomenon (Aaarshabharatha Sambavam). If Bashir
was alive to witness what happened in the Indian School Kuwait
or other scandals which are currently being discussed by the mainstream
media, he would have definitely changed his writings about Mohan.
The
United Arab Emirates President, His Highness Shiekh Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahayan has died, state television reported.. "The
royal court announces to Arab and Islamic countries and the rest
of the world the death of the leader of the nation Sheikh Zayed
... on Tuesday evening," said an announcement read out on
Abu Dhabi television. Under the UAE constitution, Vice-President
and Prime Minister Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler
of Dubai, will act as president until the federal council which
groups rulers of the seven emirates meets within 30 days to elect
a new president.
